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102-596: The original Army Aviation , based on fixed-wing aircraft, became the army's fifth branch in 1927, but was united with Naval Aviation in 1941 to form the Brazilian Air Force (FAB). Later, the Brazilian Army recreated aviation with a new military technology, helicopters. There had been interest since the 1960s, but army aviation only returned in the 1980s, when it was the star of the modernization program, "Land Force 90", requiring heavy investments and

204-594: A detachment in the Northern Military Command. Aerial activity is complex and requires a high degree of specialization. CIAvEx trains army aviation human resources: pilot officers and sergeants from various specialties (flight mechanics, maintenance technicians, air traffic controllers, meteorologists, search and rescue elements, aerodrome firefighters etc.). Further down the hierarchy, soldiers incorporated through conscription are trained within their own units. Before joining AvEx, officers are trained at

306-612: A hangar and set up the park's equipment next to the Artillery and Engineering School in Realengo . He tested their ascension on 20 May 1908, in front of the Military Academy and War Minister Hermes da Fonseca . Lieutenant Ricardo Kirk was also supposed to go up, but he did not participate at Fonseca's request, who feared a problem. Indeed, the ballon broke free from the mooring cable and rose without control. Fonseca activated

408-557: A helicopter platoon. After training at the Officer Improvement School, they can return to CIAvEx and qualify for staff or battalion command and service as liaison officers in brigades, divisions and Military Commands. AvEx logistics has the BMS as its protagonist, responsible for storing and distributing the supply. Logistics planning, integration and control are the responsibility of DMavEx. CAvEx mediates this board and

510-431: A helicopter!" Aircraft were purchased and the initial personnel trained in the navy and air force. To preserve the army's organizational culture, those sent were former captains and sergeants. The most time-consuming part would be the employment doctrine, as it could not be copied from another country. As aircraft arrived before doctrine, aviation underwent five major restructurings from its formal creation in 1986 until 1994;

612-509: A light infantry battalion, work at the Officer Improvement School assessed the fleet as small in 2021. From November to December 2022, Army Aviation incorporated batches of drones in categories 0, 1 and 2. The categories classify the remotely pilotede aircraft by its altitude and range of action, autonomy and employment level. Briefly, category 0 is used at company level, 1 by battalions , and 2 by large units such as brigades . 30 Mavic 2 , category 0, four Matrice 300 RTK, category 1, both from

714-622: A partnership between the army, navy and the firm Gino, Buccelli & Cia created the Brazilian Aviation School, in Campo dos Afonsos, but it operated for only four months and did not get to form any pilots. Acquiring aeronautical material, hiring the scarce instructors and specialist mechanics, and forming an aviation school was difficult. There was no aeronautical industry in South America, just isolated cases such as

816-641: A staff of around 800 military personnel. It maintains the Aerodrome Division, which operates the control tower, air traffic control and fire protection service. Throughout the complex in Taubaté it provides security, meals, medical treatment, the transit hotel and the management of budgetary, financial and patrimonial resources. When AvEx leaves its headquarters, BAvT sets up the new command post and continues to provide accommodation, meals, security and other services. In this situation, it sets up and operates

918-608: A temporary solution to the lack of attack helicopters, and could allow the Super Pantera to serve for reconnaissance and attack in battalions lacking the Fennec. The fleet totaled 95 aircraft in 2022. Another source, counting only 91, calculated that they represent 13% of the Brazilian military air fleet. Considering the diversity of missions, the size of the country's territory and the large capacity necessary to transport even

1020-402: A unit capable of operating in its helicopters. The "Delta Doctrine", adopted by the army in 2000, by valuing flank and rear operations, attributed great importance to airmobile operations. AvEx became one of the army's Strategic Deployment Forces, with immediate mobilization capabilities. The "baptism of fire" of the newly created Army Aviation was Operation Traíra in 1991, a joint offensive by

1122-406: Is air assault, with troops on board, and thus, aviation is closely linked to the 12th Light Infantry Brigade (Airmobile). Maneuver helicopters transport troops, while attack helicopters protect maneuver helicopters. The operation preferably takes place at night, to reduce vulnerability to the enemy. The ideal is to disembark in a single wave, but the army is unable to transport an airmobile task force,

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1224-831: Is also the Army Aviation Detachment in the Northern Military Command (DstAvEx/CMN) . These battalions, far from Taubaté, still maintain a technical channel with CAvEx. In Brasília there is the Army Aviation Material Directorate (DMAvEx), subordinate to the Army Logistics Command. The original headquarters of the Command was located in Brasília, in 1989. The airmobile infantry brigade was created in Goiânia . In 1991

1326-572: Is part of the HX-BR program, whereby 50 of these helicopters would be assembled by Helibras for the Armed Forces. Jaguar's sensors can collect electromagnetic signals for signals intelligence . It has defense systems that do not exist on the Cougar, making it better for combat support, but it loses in terms of power reserve, and thus, in usefulness for logistical support. Modernization contracts for

1428-590: Is remembered as the precursor of two current schools, the Army Aviation Instruction Center and the Air Force Academy. It trained pilot and observer officers and mechanical sergeants. The planes were imported, initially with French leftovers from the war. In the beginning, priority was given to observers, and aviation was seen in a certain way as an auxiliary to artillery. French influence was strong. The Brazilians considered

1530-680: The Aribu and Alagoas planes of army captain Marcos Evangelista da Costa Villela Junior. His work on Aribu began at the Cartridges and War Materiel factory in Realengo in 1911. War Minister Vespasiano de Albuquerque denied his request for support, and construction proceeded slowly. The Aribu flew in 1917. It was a monoplane built with locally produced material, except for the 50 horsepower engine, imported from France. The structure

1632-604: The Army General Staff ( Estado-Maior do Exército , EME) in 2017, included AvEx in the army's project portfolio, with plans such as the acquisition of dedicated attack helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft for logistics; however, the intention to acquire planes was prevented by pressure from the FAB in 2020. CIAvEx was chosen to train the army's remotely piloted aircraft system operators (SARP) and several were received in 2022. The Brazilian Army's first aeronautical experience

1734-473: The Brazilian Army until its incorporation into the Brazilian Air Force in 1941, when it ceased to exist. The Brazilian Army returned to having an air component in 1986, with the same name and history, but using rotary-wing aircraft (helicopters) instead. From 1927 to 1941, aviation became the fifth branch of the army, alongside infantry, cavalry , artillery and engineering. Its staff were trained at

1836-661: The Contestado War , where he died in an accident in 1915. After the end of the First World War , Brazil managed to hire French instructors and import surplus planes. In 1919, the Military Aviation School was created in Campo dos Afonsos , Rio de Janeiro, to train aviators, observers and mechanics. Aviation was elevated to branch status in 1927. It was the great novelty in the army in the 1920s. It

1938-726: The Military Academy of Agulhas Negras and, as lieutenants, serve for a minimum period in land units. In civil aviation, training to fly helicopters is expensive, costing R$ 80 to R$ 100 thousand in São Paulo in 2010. Some AvEx pilots continue to enter the civil aviation job market at the end of their service in the army, taking advantage of the cheaper route for qualification. CIAvEx is an educational establishment with more than 40 courses and internships in 2020, from technical courses to undergraduate and postgraduate courses. It has its own Training Helicopter Squadron (Pegasus), operating

2040-619: The Paraíba Valley and southern São Paulo and bombed cities in São Paulo. Four loyalist planes were hit on the ground by São Paulo aviation in Mogi-Mirim , and a loyalist pilot was killed by anti-aircraft fire in Casa Branca . Encounters with São Paulo aviation in the air were rare. In the 1935 Communist uprising , a revolt broke out in Campo dos Afonsos, but was suppressed by troops from Vila Militar . If they had taken off,

2142-500: The U.S. Armed Forces , where the concept of "air cavalry" emerged. The U.S. Army and Air Force disputed what would be the hierarchical relationship between ground forces and helicopters and reached the Johnson-McConnell Agreement of 1966 : rotary-wing aircraft would remain with the army, and fixed-wing aircraft with the air force. In Brazil, the army enjoyed the support of Bell UH-1 Iroquois helicopters from

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2244-840: The Western Military Command . Unlike FAB helicopter crews, in army aviation it is necessary to understand the ground maneuver and the language of the troops. During operations, helicopters fly low, in close integration with surface forces. This aviation provides aeromobility and power projection to the ground force, with numerous missions: Army aviation has been used to carry out missions directly related to combat operations, such as attack, reconnaissance, security missions, incursions, infiltrations and airmobile exfiltration, in training troops in airmobile techniques, combat support and logistical support, as well as air support for various units, personnel transport, medical evacuation, artillery fire calibration. The most important function

2346-408: The 1930s, a movement emerged proposing the unification of aviation into a "Ministry of Air". They had ambitious plans for air power and considered the separation of their assets inefficient. The Brazilian Air Force, created in 1941, absorbed Army Aviation, Naval Aviation and other aerial organizations. Its creation was a political decision, as the new institution was a third weight in the rivalry between

2448-481: The 1970s, but not aviation. In 1977, the Army General Staff (EME) began studies on organic aviation. It was the experience of the Falklands War in 1982 that definitively pushed the military authorities to decide on helicopters. The Argentine Armed Forces , the most advanced on the continent at the time, had been defeated, and one of the many aspects was the smaller number of helicopters. The Brazilian gap in

2550-814: The 1st and 2nd Army Aviation Battalions (BAvEx), the Army Aviation Instruction Center (CIAvEx), the Army Aviation Maintenance and Supply Battalion (BMS), the Taubaté Aviation Base (BAvT) and the Army Aviation Communications Company. However, CAvEx does not command the entire Army Aviation. The 3rd and 4th BAvEx, respectively located in Campo Grande and Manaus, are subordinate to the Western and Amazonian Military Commands, respectively, and there

2652-547: The 1st and 3rd battalions had reconnaissance and attack squadrons in 2020. The 1st battalion, for example, had one EHRA with the HA-1 and two EHEG in 2018, respectively with the HM-1 Pantera and HM-4 Jaguar. Each squadron has three helicopter platoons. At EHRA, each platoon has five helicopters, one for the commander and the others organized into two sections of two helicopters each. Within the section, one helicopter belongs to

2754-656: The 4th Mountain Light Infantry Brigade. On the other hand, helicopters depend on suitable weather conditions and are vulnerable to enemy air defense and electronic warfare. The highest level of Army Aviation is its Command (CAvEx), operationally subordinate to the Land Operations Command, in Brasília, and administratively to the Southeastern Military Command, in São Paulo. At his headquarters in Taubaté it commands

2856-485: The 99 naval aviation aircraft, the air fleet was heterogeneous, partly obsolete or out of service. The number of pilots and technicians and logistical capacity were insufficient to protect the country. In 1931, the Military Air Mail was also created. By carrying civilian correspondence, it served to justify the military budget. For the aviators, it was a way to escape the "theoretical cylinder" of 10 km around

2958-664: The BMS. BAvT carries out acquisitions in the domestic market at the request of BMS. Some purchases on the domestic market, mainly chemical materials, are carried out in a decentralized manner by the 3rd and 4th BAvEx. Acquisitions on the foreign market go through the Permanent Commission of the Brazilian Army in Washington (CEBW) or the Special Depot (DE), which has a contract with Airbus Helicopters. The DE minimizes lead times and guarantees direct contracts with

3060-559: The Brazilian and Colombian Armed Forces against the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia on the border. HA-1 Esquilo and HM-1 Pantera helicopters and supply and maintenance personnel took part in the operation. They took supplies to the base on the Traíra River , transported the 1st Special Border Battalion and infiltrated and exfiltrated patrols from the 1st Special Forces Battalion . The operation revealed

3162-472: The Chinese company DJI , and three Nauru 1000C, category 2, from the Brazilian company XMobots , were received. Their flight autonomy is 31 minutes, 50 minutes and ten hours respectively. They have intelligence, reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition functions, serving in border, urban operations and conventional operations. The Nauru 1000C will be evaluated at the army's 3rd Aviation Battalion, in

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3264-458: The Equilo as a standard vehicle, and tools such as flight simulators, augmented reality and virtual reality to reduce flight hour costs of helicopters. In pilot training, every practical phase is preceded by the same mission carried out in the simulator. Returning to CIAvEx for additional training is normal throughout one's career. Pilots move from basic training to weapons, tactics, and leadership of

3366-530: The FAB in the fight against the Araguaia Guerrilla . The Army High Command was not unaware of the aviation of the other South American armies, and some Brazilian officers witnessed helicopter maneuvers by the American and French armies. Brazilian cavalry officers, inspired by the American example, already imagined the helicopter as a future evolution after armored vehicles in 1965. This ambition

3468-732: The French instructors to be excellent pilots, but personal relationships had their frictions. Army, naval and commercial aviation were managed independently, under the ministries of War, Navy and Transport and Public Works respectively. Even some of the Public Forces , nicknamed "small state armies", had military aviation squadrons, such as the Public Force of São Paulo and the Military Brigade of Rio Grande do Sul . The centralizing government of Getúlio Vargas prohibited

3570-503: The HA-1 would be within range of enemy fire and would not be able to fire from covered or sheltered positions nor would it be suitable for air-to-air combat. Therefore, it would be inadequate to defend maneuver helicopters during the landing of troops. In turn, the HM-1 was unsafe in borderline takeoff weight conditions, reducing the combat group (GC) that could be transported from nine to seven men. Pantera's reduced transport capacity led to

3672-629: The HM-1 Pantera ( Eurocopter Panther ). HA-1 Esquilo is also the standard model for training. These two models were the first to be purchased, but the HA-1 did not meet the army's ambitions for air-to-ground or air-to-air combat, and the HM-1 for transport capability. The army acquired new maneuver helicopters, the HM-2 Black Hawk ( Sikorsky UH-60 ), HM-3 Cougar ( Eurocopter Cougar ) and HM-4 Jaguar ( Eurocopter Caracal ), respectively in 1997, 1999 and 2011. HA-1, HM-1 and HM-4 are assembled by Helibras . The Army Strategic Aviation Program, formalized by

3774-414: The HM-1 and HA-1 were signed in 2009 and 2010, respectively, to incorporate items such as night vision and the recovery of two crashed aircraft each. Two other lost HA-1s were not recovered. The new standards were called AS.365K2 Super Pantera and Fennec AvEx. With the availability of night vision on all helicopter models, all missions can be flown at night, and the HA-1 also has infrared vision. Modernization

3876-543: The Military Aviation School, founded in 1919 in Campo dos Afonsos , Rio de Janeiro , and remembered as a precursor to the current Army Aviation Instruction Center and Air Force Academy . The army's first aerial experience was with observation balloons in the Paraguayan War , in 1867. At the beginning of the 20th century, the military use of a new technology, the airplanes, attracted interest in Brazil. Their use in

3978-628: The Mixed Aviation Group, were created. Brazilian military aviation had its first use on a large scale in the Constitutionalist Revolution of 1932. From 1933 onwards, aviation spread outside Rio de Janeiro, with regiments founded throughout the country, and in 1941 it already had 330 aircraft, although not all of them were modern or in good condition. The aviators developed their own ethos, differentiating themselves from their companions on land and contributing to

4080-632: The Paraguayan War. During the Siege of Humaitá in 1867, the Brazilian commander, the Duke of Caxias , requested tethered balloons to observe the Paraguayan positions, as the terrain was flat and the precarious wooden observation posts, called mangrullos , had insufficient vision. Aerial reconnaissance identified the Paraguayan fortified lines. The use of balloons was abandoned by the army after

4182-595: The Public Forces from possessing combat aircraft in 1931. The 1922 army reorganization provided for twelve aviation squadrons — five observation squadrons (divisional squadrons), three fighter squadrons, three bombing squadrons and one mixed squadron. This would require 180 aircraft and a personnel expansion of more than a thousand soldiers, but budgetary conditions were far below plans. The expansion did get to occur in Rio Grande do Sul, close to Argentina, which

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4284-498: The acquisition of dedicated attack helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft for logistics. 12 new-build attack helicopters would be purchased by 2031. The fixed-wing aircraft program was controversial. Dissatisfied with the air force's logistics, the army intended to acquire eight Short C-23 Sherpa planes to supply its Special Border Platoons in the Amazon. A presidential decree allowed the army to possess fixed-wing aircraft in 2020, but it

4386-591: The air force also had political reasons, as it was a third weight in the balance between the army and the navy. With the beginning of the Second World War , patrol aviation on the coast, departing from bases in the northeastern salient, would gain prominence. The army did not want this to strengthen the navy's political power too much. The Chief of Staff of the Army and the Minister of War were surprised by

4488-569: The army and navy. The Ministry of the Navy was against the measure, while the Ministry of War was in favor. Some generals wanted a transitional Air Ministry; military aviation would be unified in a sub-secretariat subordinate to the army. President Getúlio Vargas did not give in to the army's intention, and the Air Force consolidated itself as a new branch. The Military Aviation School would become

4590-406: The army began in the Contestado War , where Ricardo Kirk , the only Brazilian army aviator at the time, died in a flight accident in 1915. There was no aerospace industry in the country, and it was difficult to create a military aviation school. The Brazilian Navy managed to create its Naval Aviation in 1916, and the army, taking advantage of the equipment leftovers from the First World War and

4692-415: The army in 1986–1987. Much of this effort did not bear fruit, but in the technological area Army Aviation and electronic warfare were successfully introduced. Among the broken paradigms was the traditional aircraft monopoly held by the FAB. The navy and air force had already fought a long battle over embarked aviation on the aircraft carrier Minas Gerais . The "Castelo Branco corollary", of 1965, allowed

4794-565: The aviation service. Its development only resumed after the end of Bernardes term, in 1926. Military aviation was used by both sides of the Brazilian Revolution of 1930 , on a small scale, and again in the Constitutionalist Revolution of 1932, which was its first use on a considerable scale in Brazil, even though the number of planes was small. Army Aviation flew in support of loyalist ground forces in

4896-557: The bulk of the personnel remains in Taubaté. AvEx is especially important for mobility in the Amazon , where it had its "baptism of fire" in Operation Traíra , in 1991. In the 21st century it is widely used in the security of large events and operations to guarantee law and order. Helicopters operate in close coordination with ground forces in logistics, reconnaissance, fire support and troop transport roles. Its priority function

4998-491: The central nucleus of Brazil, the Army Aviation and the airmobile brigade formed part of the army's Rapid Action Forces, to easily operate in any part of the Brazil. The operational units, the battalions, were called squadrons until 2005. They are the 1st ( Falcões ), 2nd ( Guerreiros ), 3rd ( Panteras ) and 4th ( Onças ), respectively created in 1986, 1993, 1993 and 1997. Transport and attack aircraft are combined into

5100-602: The current Air Force Academy , and the former army air units correspond to the FAB Air Bases/Wings. After airplanes, another great technological innovation emerged in the Korean War and especially in the Vietnam War , in the 1960s: the military helicopter. Capable of crossing any terrain, it proved to be versatile in the transport and close air support of ground forces and it was used on a large scale by

5202-573: The decree, but the army supported the decision, as did the Ministry of Transport and Public Works . Only the Ministry of the Navy was against it. In 1986, the army, which intended to establish an airmobile force , was authorized to operate helicopters and recreate its organic aviation. In 2017, the army went further and planned the purchase of the Short C-23 Sherpa , which would be its first fixed-wing aircraft since 1941. However, due to

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5304-669: The designation "airmobile" in 2005. In 2003, it was planned to transfer the 3rd Squadron to the Western Military Command and create two squadrons, one in the South and the other in the Northeast . What materialized was the transfer of the 3rd, carried out gradually from 2009 onwards from Taubaté to its new headquarters in Campo Grande. Despite this decentralization, in 2018 around 76% of employees remained in Taubaté. In 2022, two HM-4 Jaguars were transferred to Belém to form

5406-447: The end of 2022, in the Helicopter Axial Armament and Imaging System ( Sistema de Armamento Axial e Imageamento de Helicópteros , SiAAIH) 24 project, as the current HA-1 weapons have insufficient lethality and target acquisition is visual only, increasing the risk of friendly fire. The program would focus on night combat, increasing the accuracy of current firepower and expanding it with Spike LR2 guided air-to-ground missiles. This would be

5508-422: The environment and even the land clothing were not suitable for the aviation routine. The growing institutional autonomy in the navy and army distanced their aviators from their respective institutions, fueling the desire for their own force. Since the 1930s, a movement led by civilians and military personnel defended the unification of army, naval and civil aviation into a single "Ministry of Air". They considered

5610-454: The existence of separate aviations to be a waste and were inspired by similar developments abroad, where aviation was becoming an independent branch of the Armed Forces, following the example of the French Air Force . Supporting and supported by Getúlio Vargas, they pressured the government and campaigned in the press. In 1941, with the creation of the Brazilian Air Force by a presidential decree, Army Aviation ceased to exist. The creation of

5712-574: The field aerodrome together with the Army Aviation Communications Company. Created in 2014, the company is responsible for command and control links. CAvEx has in its Special Projects Section the Testing and Evaluation Group (GEA), which advises on modernization and equipment purchase decisions. Pilots qualified for flight testing are gathered in this group and can test aircraft and systems before their acquisition. Brazilian Army Aviation (1919%E2%80%931941) Brazilian Army Aviation , created in 1919, operated fixed-wing aircraft (planes) as part of

5814-423: The first time, airplanes were consistently used on a large scale in combat. Because of the war, it was difficult to import aircraft and parts. Brazil had to wait until after the armistice to import the leftovers from the conflict at low prices. The navy took the lead in the area of aviation and in 1916 acquired the first three Brazilian military aircraft in the United States. Its Naval Aviation expanded steadily in

5916-496: The following years. In turn, the army sent officers to train as aviators in the navy and in France and contracted the French Military Aviation Mission in 1918, later included in the French Military Instruction Mission. In November 1918, the National Congress of Brazil granted credit for the creation of Army Aviation. Aviation was the army's great novelty in the 1920s. The Military Aviation Service and School were created in 1919. This institution, also located in Campo dos Afonsos,

6018-452: The formation of the Brazilian Air Force in 1941. This new institution united army and naval aviation and also centralized the administration of commercial flights, arising from a civilian and military movement who saw the separate existence of army and naval aviation as a resource waste. Army Aviation was recreated in 1986, but only using helicopters. The Brazilian Army was the pioneer in the military use of aerial assets in South America during

6120-420: The gas exhaust valve, but it stuck in the open position, causing a sudden leak of hydrogen, the ballon's fall and the pilot's death. The army continued with its attempts and still planned the creation of airstation units until 1933, but they were never formed. Airplanes, a new technology whose military usefulness was demonstrated in the Italo-Turkish War of 1911, were part of the military reforms discussed at

6222-428: The headquarters of the command was transferred to Taubaté, in the Paraíba Valley . The city has a strategic position on the Rio-São Paulo axis , close to the aeronautical industry and research center ( Embraer , Helibras and the Department of Aerospace Science and Technology ) and the new location of the airmobile brigade, which was created by converting the existing infantry brigade in Caçapava . Due to its position in

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6324-460: The helicopters also cooperate with civilian ministries and public bodies such as IBAMA , the Federal Police and Civil Defense; for example, in floods and landslides on the north coast of São Paulo in 2023, there was coordination between the Ministry of Defense , army, São Paulo Fire Department, Military Police and Civil Defense. Six helicopters from the 1st and 2nd BAvEx transported firefighters and participated in search and rescue operations. In

6426-412: The hiring of French instructors, founded its Aviation Service in 1919. In addition to the school at Campo dos Afonsos, a flight group was established in Rio Grande do Sul in 1922, but deactivated in 1928. The involvement of aviators with tenentism led to a halt in the development of aviation by president Artur Bernardes from 1924 to 1926. In 1931, the military air mail and a new operational unit,

6528-569: The human resources training unit in the drone area. Bell was the company expected to win in the first tender for the purchase of helicopters, but it was surprisingly defeated by Aérospatiale , which already had a factory in Brazil, Helibras. The first acquisition was made in 1987, and the first helicopter was delivered on 21 April 1989. Since then, the army has been its largest rotary-wing customer. Initially, 36 HM-1 Pantera and 16 HA-1 Esquilo were acquired, and then 20 Fennec, also designated HA-1. Its limitations became evident: in air-to-ground combat,

6630-426: The important thing for the Army Minister was to take advantage of the favorable situation. In the Ajuricaba Mission, in October 1990, the helicopters were presented to garrisons in Minas Gerais , Brasília , the Center-West and the North , covering nine thousand kilometers from Taubaté. Difficulties in long-distance travel and operation in hot and humid regions, with restricted landing areas, were assessed. In 1991,

6732-406: The installation of the Sistema Olho de Águia (Eagle's Eye System), with a camera and antenna installed below the floor and connected to military decision-makers on the ground. The Black Hawk is the only model of American origin; all other helicopters are French technologies. 16 EC 725 (H225-M), a more advanced version of the HM-3, began arriving in 2011 and were designated HM-4 Jaguar. Its purchase

6834-401: The maintenance cycle. In 2011, in a scenario of low availability of resources in the entire Armed Forces, a dossier from the Ministry of Defense indicated that only 39 of the 78 Army Aviation helicopters were operational. In 2018 the HM-3 Cougar fleet reached 75% availability, a figure not reached since 2008. The Taubaté Aviation Base is an administrative and infrastructure management body, with

6936-444: The manufacturers, but the need for prior budget forecasting, committed to Airbus Helicopters, delays the fulfillment of orders during economic crises. At BMS, part of the maintenance work is outsourced. The battalion's goal is to keep 70% of helicopters available for immediate use, but historically bureaucratic difficulties and dependence on foreign technology causes disruptions in the logistics chain, with cascading effects of delays in

7038-502: The mission of keeping 70% of the helicopters available for immediate use, while the Taubaté Aviation Base ( Base de Aviação de Taubaté , BAvT) manages the infrastructure and carries out air traffic control. The fleet corresponded to 13% of the aircraft of the Brazilian Armed Forces in 2022. The aviation battalions are mixed, with reconnaissance and attack squadrons, with helicopters such as the HA-1 Esquilo ( Eurocopter Ecureuil and Fennec), and general use, with maneuver helicopters such as

7140-430: The navy to operate helicopters, but kept the planes with the FAB. A new dispute arose when the army unsuccessfully attempted to purchase Bell H-1H helicopters in 1969. But Army Aviation, also made up of helicopters, was created without fanfare or contrary campaign. Air Force officials already recognized the tactical need for helicopters in the army and navy. Army Aviation was formally recreated on 3 September 1986. Aviation

7242-402: The need to introduce instrument flight rules, GPS navigation and an aviation base in the Amazon. Throughout the 1990s, Army Aviation participated in operations against illegal mining and organized crime in Rio de Janeiro and conventional presence missions on the border with Venezuela. The first international mission was the Military Observer Mission between Ecuador and Peru (MOMEP), in 1997, with

7344-457: The nuclei of the 2nd, 6th and 7th regiments, in Campo de Marte , Fortaleza and Belém and a detachment in Pampulha . Each regiment should have two to four Aviation Groups, each group two to three squadrons, and each squadron two to five aircraft sections. Parallel to aviation, the army developed anti-aircraft artillery. At the end of its existence, Army Aviation had 330 aircraft. Along with

7446-555: The only aviator in the entire army. Kirk went to the region with Italian civil aviator Ernesto Darioli and three planes, two of which were lost along the way. After some training and reconnaissance flights, Kirk died in an accident while flying in the current municipality of General Carneiro , Paraná , on 1 March 1915. Meanwhile, in Europe, aviation in the First World War underwent a technological and organizational leap. For

7548-466: The operational, technological and human areas became clear and worrying. The army planned Ground Force 90 (FT-90), deployed from 1986 to 1990, as the first part of a modernization program. The necessary investments were heavy and the country was going through the lost decade , but president José Sarney , needing political support from Army Minister Leônidas Pires Gonçalves, provided the necessary resources. 500 million extrabudgetary dollars were allocated to

7650-463: The participation of four helicopters in the zone of territorial dispute between the two countries. In the 21st century, the use of Army Aviation in ensuring law and order and collaboration with security agencies is increasing. In the federal intervention in Rio de Janeiro in 2018, helicopters were used for command and control , reconnaissance and troop landing. The operations go beyond military purposes, as

7752-480: The purchase of four Black Hawk (HM-2) aircraft, from Sikorsky, and eight Cougar (HM-3), from Aérospatiale, respectively in 1997 and 1999. Both were designed for military use, with features such as superior armor and night vision. They carry 12 (HM-2) and 22 (HM-3) passengers which, in the case of the HM-3, allows it to carry two complete GCs instead of one. In the mid-2000s, the HA-1 proved useful in reconnaissance following

7854-414: The rebels could have caused serious damage. Instead, planes attacked the rebels of the 3rd Infantry Regiment. Army cadets who chose the new branch were few. At Campo dos Afonsos, they lost contact with the rest of the army and developed their own ethos, with values such as individualism, adventure and heightened courage. For the officers on land, the airmen were undisciplined. The disciplinary formalities,

7956-764: The reconnaissance and attack ones also have axial weapons such as machine guns and rocket launchers. General purpose helicopters are larger and have greater transport capacity. The Brazilian Army does not have a dedicated attack helicopter like those used in France ( Tiger ) and the United States ( Apache ), whose firepower is superior to the Brazilian HA-1. This gap was addressed in the army's Strategic Aviation Program, formalized by EME in August 2017. The army's strategic guidelines now include AvEx programs, including

8058-462: The same operational units, imitating post-Vietnam War Americans. Each battalion must have two general employment squadrons ( esquadrilhas de emprego geral , EHEG) and one for reconnaissance and attack ( esquadrilha de reconhecimento e ataque , EHRA), in addition to one for maintenance and supply and one for command and support. The greater proportion of transport aircraft highlights the battalion's primary support, rather than attack, role. In reality, only

8160-674: The same year, FAB and AvEx helicopters were used in the government response to the Yanomami humanitarian crisis . They served for the logistics of supplies and aeromedical evacuation of the affected population, in addition to transporting military personnel and civilians from the agencies involved in the operation. Army Aviation was created with attack helicopters (HA-1 Fennec or Esquilo), in reconnaissance and attack squadrons, and maneuver helicopters (HM-1 Pantera and later HM-2 Black Hawk, HM-3 Cougar and HM-4 Jaguar), in general deployment squadrons. Both can use side machine guns for their defense, but

8262-551: The school in which most flights took place. It helped integrate the country, reaching many locations with poor communications and no road or rail access, in a decade when there was only one private airline in Brazil. In 1935, its lines already went from Rio Grande do Sul to Pará . After 1941, the mail was united with the Correio Aéreo Naval to form the Correio Aéreo Nacional . The Aviation School

8364-579: The section commander and another to his "Wingman" ( Ala ). There was an intention to use aviation in the Amazon since its creation. Some aircraft used in Operation Traíra remained in the North, transferred to Manaus, and formed the Amazônia detachment in 1992, expanded to the 4th Squadron in 1997. It can transport troops from the 1st Jungle Infantry Battalion, based in the same city, which received

8466-482: The size of a battalion, at once. In much of the Amazon, helicopters are a much faster means of transport than the only alternative, ships. For similar reasons, air transport is important in the Pantanal . The Amazon environment is challenging for helicopters: weather conditions are difficult and distances are long. Also in a mountain environment, helicopters may be preferable to roads, and thus Army Aviation can support

8568-470: The time in Brazil. In the absence of an aeronautical structure in the country, the navy and army sent lieutenants Jorge Henrique Moller and Ricardo Kirk to learn piloting in France in 1911 and 1912 respectively. However, acceptance of new technologies was difficult. The Aeroclube do Brasil (AeCB), a private organization with high-ranking military personnel in its leadership, campaigned in the press in favor of aeronautics, including military aviation. In 1914,

8670-428: The training of highly specialized workforce. As part of the army's "core of modernity", AvEx was protected from budget cuts in the following decade and became a strategic force, capable of rapid mobilization to any part of Brazil. Precisely for this reason it was created in Taubaté, in the central nucleus of the country and close to the aeronautical industry in the Paraíba Valley . Later, the units were deconcentrated, but

8772-487: The training of human resources within the army began with the creation of the Army Aviation Instruction Center. Budget cuts hit the Armed Forces hard in the early 1990s. AvEx was one of the few areas spared the effect of cuts by the Army High Command. It became part of the army's "core of modernity", as did the 12th Light Infantry Brigade (Airmobile). This brigade, converted in 1995, emerged parallel to aviation as

8874-586: The war, but was taught at the Military Academy. Interest resumed at the beginning of the 20th century, inspired by the experiences of other countries and Alberto Santos-Dumont 's success in France. In 1907, first lieutenant Juventino Fernandes da Fonseca was sent to Paris to buy two aerospace parks, each consisting of two cutting-edge balloons. They were a spherical French military design, and therefore unstable in winds above 30 km/h. After two rises in France and one in Belgium, Fonseca returned to Brazil, built

8976-491: Was ahead of Brazil in aviation and was the subject of plans for a defensive war. The first two designs used there were the Breguet 14 and Spad 7 . 45 aircraft were expected to operate in the Rio Grande do Sul Aviation Squadron Group. 30 actually existed, of which only four were still operational in 1926, and the group was deactivated in 1928. The effective decentralization of aviation only occurred from 1933. In 1927, aviation

9078-433: Was elevated to the status of branch, being equated with traditional service branches such as infantry, cavalry and engineering. The idea of the "Fifth Branch" had existed since the previous decade. Commentators in the magazine A Defesa Nacional (National Defense) condemned the occupation of management bodies by officers without aerial experience and demanded reorganization and increased budgets. The new branch's central body

9180-631: Was in monitoring borders and strategic points, such as the Itaipu Dam , and in the security of major events. The doctrine in Brazil in this area is new. Drones can serve as more economical alternatives to the HA-1 Esquilo in the reconnaissance role. Outside of AvEx, the Parachute Precursor Company was already using the technology in 2016. In Taubaté, larger drones were incorporated at the end of 2022. The army chose CIAvEx as

9282-558: Was involved in revolutionary movements. Some airmen sympathized with the Copacabana Fort revolt , but the school was occupied in advance by loyalists, who arrested several officers. Ten planes were used against the 1924 São Paulo Revolt , with two aviators being injured. In the subsequent Paraná Campaign , in 1925, another air detachment carried operations. In 1924 there were again arrests of pilots who sympathized with rebels. Fearing an attack, president Artur Bernardes paralyzed

9384-458: Was made of wood and the covers were made of fabric. The propeller was designed and built by Vilella, using local wood. The Alagoas began to be built in the same year, this time with government support, and flew in 1918. It was a considerably more developed aircraft than the Aribu . Using the fuselage of a Bleriot plane, Vilella designed the wings and propellers and equipped the device with an imported 80 horsepower Luckt engine. Later, major Vilela

9486-450: Was never realized, as Brazilian helicopters would not appear in the cavalry. The 1970 Army Reorganization Master Plan provided for the recreation of army aviation. Officials did not want to depend on the FAB for logistics, troop transport and airmobile operations. The aviation envisaged in this plan would have a mix of helicopters and planes and decentralized distribution, unlike the aviation implemented in 1986. Many reforms were implemented in

9588-509: Was originally conceived as air assault , inserting troops from the 12th Brigade behind enemy lines, but the number of helicopters is a limitation. Pilots and specialists (such as flight mechanics) are respectively officers and sergeants trained at the Army Aviation Instruction Center ( Centro de Instrução de Aviação do Exército , CIAvEx). Helicopter logistics are complex and depend on imported technology. The Maintenance and Supply Battalion ( Batalhão de Manutenção e Suprimento , BMS), in Taubaté, has

9690-429: Was revoked just two days after its publication. The acquisition was harshly opposed by air force officers and even some army officers. They considered the heavy expenditure on these aircraft inopportune at a time of scarce resources, preferring that investment be made in the FAB's idle planes. The army and FAB's demand for remotely piloted aircraft systems had already been noted in the press since 2013. The army's interest

9792-597: Was still ongoing in 2017, when the army's Strategic Aviation Program proposed replacing the Cougar and Black Hawk with a new medium-lift helicopter, to be designated HM-5. In 2023 the army decided replace all HM-2s and HM-3s in operation with twelve factory-new Black Hawks, which are expected to be received from 2025. At the end of the modernization, in 2021, the Fennec and Pantera received the new designations of HA-1A and HM-1A. The Super Pantera's new engines allow it to carry nine passengers instead of seven. The Strategic Program also provided for new weapons, not yet implemented at

9894-460: Was the "most hyped part of modernization" and the "flagship of the FT-90", but its introduction was difficult. It required a heavy financial and logistical burden and highly specialized human resources. Even with a sufficient budget, the project would take at least a decade. General Leônidas remarked the incredulity of a government interlocutor: "an army that does not even have combat boots wants to have

9996-607: Was the Aviation Directorate, responsible for both the Aviation School and the squadrons to be created. The officer staff was made up of officers from other branches, but with degrees in piloting or observation. The new officers (second lieutenants) came from the Military School's aviation course. Permanence and advancement in the hierarchy depended on periodic flight tests. The only aviation unit

10098-491: Was the highest-ranking officer to be part of the new aviation branch and the first brigadier of the Brazilian Air Force. The Contestado War was an opportunity to experiment with military aviation. In September 1914, general Setembrino de Carvalho, who was appointed commander on that front, included reconnaissance planes in his operational plans. He asked the Minister of War for the participation of Ricardo Kirk,

10200-549: Was the school itself until 1931, with the creation of the Mixed Aviation Group. It used the Potez 25 TOE for military use and the Curtiss Fledgling for training. The definitive deployment beyond Rio de Janeiro only occurred from 1933. Brazil's territory was divided into three military air zones. In 1937 there were already the 1st, 5th and 3rd Aviation Regiments, respectively in Campo dos Afonsos, Curitiba and Canoas ,

10302-412: Was the use of observation balloons in 1867 during the Paraguayan War . Then, at the beginning of the 20th century, new airplane technology entered the agenda of military reforms. The country did not have an aeronautical industry, and it was difficult to create an aviation school. The army's first airplane pilot was lieutenant Ricardo Kirk , licensed in France in 1912. He flew reconnaissance missions in

10404-507: Was used on a large scale for the first time in the Constitutionalist Revolution of 1932. From 1933 onwards, its operational units were installed throughout the country, and in 1941 it already had 330 aircraft, although many were obsolete or inoperable, with insufficient personnel and structures for national defense. Army, naval and commercial aviation existed independently. Military aviators became increasingly different from their counterparts on land and sea, developing an ethos of their own. In

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