Airforces

Brazilian Naval Aviation fl eet

Model Quantity Unit Local

name

Serials

Sikorsky S-70B Seahawk 6 HS-1 SH-16 N-3032 to 3037

Bell 206B JetRanger III 16 HI-1 IH-6B Between N-5037 and 5056

Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma/Cougar 7 HU-2 UH-14 N-7071 to 7077

Airbus Helicopters EC725 Super

Cougar

16 on order HU-2 UH-15 N-7101 to N7108 (UH-15), N-7201 to N7203

(UH-15A), N-4101 to N-4105 (AH-15B)

Helibras HB350B/BA Esquilo 17 HU-1, 3, 4, 5 UH-12 N-7051 to 7056 and N-7071 to 7081

Helibras HB355F Esquilo 9 HU-1 UH-13 N-7061 to 69

Westland Super Lynx Mk21A 12 HA-1 AH-11A/

AH-11B

N-4001 to 4014. Eight being modernised

to AH-11B.

McDonnell Douglas A-4KU Skyhawk 8 VF-1 AF-1/

AF-1B

N-1002 to 1020. Four to be modernised to

AF-1B, but one lost July 26, 2016.

McDonnell Douglas TA-4KU Skyhawk 3 VF-1 AF-1A/

AF-1C

N-1021 to 1023. One modernised to

AF-1C. Two more to be modernised.

Grumman C-1A Trader 4 – KC-2 To be delivered to a new unit from 2018

http://www.airforcesmonthly.com #358 JANUARY 2018 // 73

Airforces

Intelligence

‘In association with ....’

all the new technologies in use
on the new aircraft, including
multifunction cockpit displays. A
market analysis is under way, and
possible candidates include the
Helibras Esquilo and the Bell 407.

HU-1
The 1º Esquadrão de Helicópteros
de Emprego Geral (HU-1, 1st
General-Purpose Helicopter
Squadron) is currently the
oldest unit, having previously
flown the Bell 47D-1, Westland
Widgeon and Hiller FH-1100.
Today it is equipped with six
Helibras HB350B/BA (UH-12) and
seven HB355F (UH-13) Esquilo
helicopters for liaison, support
and rescue missions. They can
be armed with a 7.62mm MAG
or a 12.7mm Browning machine
gun. Their main mission is to
support warships and provide
liaison between bases.
The twin-engined Esquilos are
also used for Antarctic operations
each summer, when two aircraft
with orange markings are
deployed on the OPERANTAR

missions. Each of these lasts

for six months, from November

to April, and 2017 saw the 25th

mission. Esquilos were first used

in Antarctic operations in 1987,

while the first such mission was

made in 1982 with Westland

Wasps. Before the ocean supply

ships Ary Rongel (H44) and

Almirante Maximiano (H41) set

sail at the beginning of November,

the crews assigned to fly the

helicopters receive two months of

special training, conducted in the

Itatiaia Mountains, north of Rio de

Janeiro. The aim is to familiarise

the crew with cold and severe

weather conditions. When the

Esquilos return to São Pedro da

Aldeia after their Antarctic duty

the orange paintwork is removed.

A replacement for the Esquilo

is being analysed now they are

reaching the end of their operational

life – the first examples were

purchased in 1975. The Airbus

Helicopters EC145 and Bell

429 are under consideration.

HU-2

The main transport unit, HU-2 is

equipped with five AS332F Super

Pumas received in 1986, two

AS332M1 Cougars (both types

are designated UH-14) that were

delivered in 1993, and the first of

eight new EC725 Super Cougars

(UH-15) that began to arrive in 2011.

They are used for transport and

assault missions with the marines

(Fuzileiros Navais), carrying up to

18 soldiers with full equipment, by

special forces of the amphibious

commandos (Comandos

Anfíbios) and by combat divers

(Mergulhadores de Combate).

Missions comprise paratrooping,

fast roping, rappelling and other

infiltration procedures, including

the deployment of boats. They

also support ships of the fleet.

Other work includes search and

rescue (SAR) operations over the

sea, making use of their long range

and capacity for to six stretchers.

HU-2 played an active part in the

search for the remains of the Air

France Boeing 777 that crashed

in the Atlantic on June 1, 2009.

In February 2015, when a petrol

exploration platform exploded,

the unit was deployed for 18 days

to support the rescue teams

The Super Lynx of HA-1 are equipped with a Star SAFIRE III FLIR
turret, which is used in concert with the radar. The co-pilot can
aim the turret on a radar contact for night identifi cation.

Serial N-3034 (c/n 703811) is one

of the new S-70B Seahawks (local

designation SH-16), that replaced

HS-1’s veteran Sea King fl eet. The

navy operates six in total.