Brazilian Air Force

The Brazilian Air Force (Força Aérea Brasileira, or FAB) is the aerospace branch of the Brazil armed forces.

History

Formation

FAB was founded on January 20, 1941 in response to a growing number of German submarines in Brazilian coast in the beginning of Second World War.

Equipped with American airplanes, mainly the P-47 Thunderbolt, the FAB saw action on the Italian front, earning respect for its high rate of sorties and the hard work of both pilots and support personnel.

Post World War II

After the war, the FAB begin operating the British Gloster Meteor jet fighter. The jet was bought from the British with 15,000 tons of crude cotton, as The Brazilian Republic had no foreign currency reserves to spare. The jet was operated by the FAB until the 1970s, when it was replaced by the Northrop F-5 Tiger. The FAB also had in its squads the P-80 Shooting Star, which was replaced by the F-5 and Mirage III jets.

Cold War

During the Cold War, The Brazilian Republic was an ally of the United States and other NATO nations. This meant that the F-5 could be bought cheaply from the United States, who practically sponsored this jet as the Freedom Fighter. Many other countries, such as Mexico, benefited from this policy.

The now successful Embraer (Empresa Brasileira de Aeronáutica, Brazilian Aeronautic Co.) has its origins as an enterprise directly managed and sponsored by FAB. Working with Italian corporations, it developed the new AMX fighter which makes up the backbone of the FAB's attack force. The successful Tucano T-27 trainer and the new light attack aircraft "ALX-29" (mainly based on the T-27 turboprop, but with a more powerful engine and fourth generation avionics and precision weaponry) are also developments from Embraer.

Present

The FAB was looking for a new jet fighter to replace its aging Mirage III. The former competitors were the Lockheed F-16, the Dassault-Embraer Mirage 2000-BR, the SAAB-BAE Gripen, and the Sukhoi Su-35. The project, called F-X project, was cancelled; the FAB high command alleges that most competitors will soon become obsolete. Some specialists say the Gripen fighter does not have enough operational range for the FAB's purposes. The government stated that the money is needed for fighting poverty.

Some rumors circulated about the FAB and Embraer joining the French fighter programme Dassault Rafale. Other rumors stated the FAB made a deal with Sukhoi and Avibras in order to obtain Sukhoi Su-35 fighters and its technology as soon as they start being manufactured in large scale. However, until these rumors can be confirmed, or another program initiated, the Brazilian Air Force will need a step fighter, for the Mirage III has retired in 2005. The F-5 (currently being upgraded by Embraer) is an option, since many F-5s in good condition are spoiling in the inventory of other nations, available for low prices. However, the Brazilian government recently bought one squadron (12 units) of used Mirage 2000s from the French.

Operations

One of the most recent operations of the FAB was the bombing of illegal landing sites in the Amazon Forest, used by drug dealers to transport drugs into and out of Brazil (see SIVAM). The operation also had support from the Brazilian Army and Brazilian Federal Police with many drug dealers being arrested as a result. The AMX Bomber/Fighter was used in this operation.

The FAB is currently working on the United Nations Stabilization Mission In Haiti (MINUSTAH) supporting the United Nations force (a joint Brazilian, Uruguaian and Argentinian force) currently deployed there.

SIVAM

FAB is responsible for the aerospace vigilance and defence on program Sistema de Vigilância da Amazônia (Amazon Surveillance System).

Aircraft

1 Airbus A 319 ACJ VC-1 -- VIP

10 BAe-125-400 -- CAL/VIP

2 Bell 206B Jet Ranger -- U

42 Bell Iorquis SH/UH-1H -- A/SAR/U

4 Boeing 707 KC-137 -- T/RV/VIP

2 Boeing 727-200 -- VIP

12* EADS/CASA C-295 -- T

7/10 Cessna 208 Caravan I/II -- T/U

10/2* Dassault Mirage 2000C/B -- C/I/TR

10 DHC-5A Buffalo -- T

99** Embraer ALX Super Tucano A-29A/B -- A/TR

107 Embraer 312 Tucano T-27 -- A/L/TR/DEM

53 Embraer AMX A-1A/B -- A/R

30 // 12 Embraer 326GB Xavante // Atlas Impala Mk I/II -- A/TR

5/3 Embaer 145 R-99A/B -- AEW/SR

10 Embraer 145 C-99 -- T/VIP

23 Embraer 120 Brasilia C/VC-97 -- T/VIP

90 Embraer 110 Bandeirante C-95 -- CAL/F/SAR/T

19 Embraer 111 Bandeirulha P-95 -- EM

6 Embraer 120 Xingu -- VIP

9 Embraer 810 Seneca II/III -- L/U

2 Embraer 201 Ipanema Rebocador -- REB

10/1 Eurocopter AS-332 Super Puma CH-34 -- T/VIP

9/3 Gartes Learjet VC/R-35A -- VIP/F

1 Gates Learjet VC-55 -- VIP

1 Glasflugel Standard Libelle 201B -- PLA

4 Hawker 800XP -- CAL

25 Helibras HB-350B Esquilo -- L/SAR/T

3 Helibras HB-355 Esquilo Biturbina -- U/VIP

3/4/2 LETBlanick L-13/L-23/L-33 Solo -- PLA/TR

23 Lockheed C/KC-130E/H Hercules -- SAR/T/RV

8* Lockheed P-3BR Orion -- EM/ASW

21 Neiva Regente U-42 -- L/U

96 Neiva Universal T-25C -- TR

49/6 Northrop F-5E/F (M)*** Tiger II -- A/C/TR

1 Schleicher ASW-20 -- PLA

6* Sikorsky S-70 Black Hawk SH-60 -- C-SAR

*Order placed

**Order placed (delivery underway)

***Undergoing modernization to reach M standard

External links

Military of Brazil | Air forces

חיל האוויר הברזילאי | Força Aérea Brasileira

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