Airforces

Order of battle

Base Unit Equipment

Base Aérea Naval

São Pedro da

Aldeia

1º Esquadrão de Helicópteros de

Esclarecimento e Ataque (HA-1)

Super Lynx (AH-11A)

1º Esquadrão de Helicópteros

de Instrução (HI-1)

Bell 206B-3 (IH-6B)

1º Esquadrão de Helicópteros

Anti-Submarino (HS-1)

S-70B Seahawk (SH-16)

1º Esquadrão de Helicópteros

de Emprego Geral (HU-1)

HB350 (UH-12) and

HB355 (UH-13) Esquilo

2º Esquadrão de Helicópteros

de Emprego Geral (HU-2)

AS332 Super Puma and

AS532 Cougar (UH-14),

EC725 Super Cougar

(UH-15/UH-15B)

1º Esquadrão de Interceptação

e Ataque (VF-1)

A-4KU and TA-4KU

Skyhawk (AF-1 and AF-

1A/AF-1B and AF-1C)

Base Naval de

Manaus

3º Esquadrão de Helicópteros

de Emprego Geral (HU-3)

HB350 Esquilo (UH-12)

Base Fluvial de

Ladário

4º Esquadrão de Helicópteros

de Emprego Geral (HU-4)

HB350 Esquilo (UH-12)

Base de Aviação

Naval de Río Grande

5º Esquadrão de Helicópteros

de Emprego Geral (HU-5)

HB350 (UH-12) and

HB355 (UH-13) Esquilo

http://www.airforcesmonthly.com #358 JANUARY 2018 // 75

Airforces

Intelligence

‘In association with ....’

third unit equipped with Super
Pumas and Super Cougars, to
provide two squadrons for transport
and assault. Although budget cuts
have also delayed the handover
of the remaining examples,
deliveries continued in 2017.

HU-3, 4 and 5
These three units are the only ones
based outside São Pedro da Aldeia.
HU-3 is at Base Naval de Manaus
(Manaus Naval Base) and has six
HB350 Esquilos that are used in
the Amazon region to support
the marines, as well as for liaison,
medical evacuation and transport,
sometimes operating from river
ships equipped with landing pads.
HU-4 has three HB350s at Base
Fluvial de Ladário (Ladário riverine
base), in Mato Grosso do Sul, on
the Paraná River, and HU-5 has two
HB350s at Base de Aviação Naval
de Río Grande, in the southern part
of the country. In common with
HU-1, these units’ Esquilos are in
line to be replaced by a new model.

HS-1
The 1º Esquadrão de Helicópteros

Anti-Submarino (HS-1, 1st Anti-

submarine Helicopter Squadron)

‘Guerreiro’ operates some of the

most modern equipment, with

four S-70B Seahawks (SH-16)

that began to replace six Sikorsky

S-61D-3s, four Agusta AS-61D-3s

and six SH-3D Sea Kings in 2012.

Around 2000 a plan to modernise

the Sea Kings with electronic

support measures (ESM), FLIR,

radar, communications equipment

and up-to-date avionics was

studied, but was later discarded

due to significant delays and the

poor condition of the airframes.

Instead it was decided to buy

a new model. Two additional

Seahawks were later ordered and

were delivered in August 2015.

The unit was originally created

on May 28, 1965 with six SH-34J

Seabats before the Sea Kings

arrived in 1970. The survivors of

the first batch of Sea Kings were

brought up to the same standard

as the Agusta-built machines in

1987, with provision for Exocets.

The anti-ship missile capability

was lost when the type was

retired, but is expected to return

with the AH-15B Super Cougars.

The unit’s mission is to detect,

localise, track and attack

submarines and ships. The main

mission is anti-submarine warfare

(ASW), with secondary roles

including anti-ship missions, SAR

(with a 794lb [360kg] capacity

rescue hoist), medical evacuation,

personnel and cargo transport.

The Seahawk brought a significant

advance to the unit, with fully

integrated systems operated from

two consoles in the rear cabin. A

tactical operator employs the radar,

FLIR and ESM equipment and

an ASW operator is responsible

for the sonar. The pilots can also

see the radar, FLIR and ESM

imagery on one of their screens

in the cockpit (which is of the fully

glass type and NVG capable).

Usually, the Seahawk carries

4,000lb (1,814kg) of internal fuel,

but with two extra fuel tanks this

increases to 5,712lb (2,591kg):

endurance is 3hrs 30mins or

5hrs 30mins respectively. On an

ASW operation fuel consumption

is 1,200lb (544kg) per hour,

while on a normal flight it is

1,000lb (454kg) per hour.

The helicopters are equipped

with an LN-100 ESM suite with

four antennas, APS-143C(V)

radar capable of tracking up

to 100 contacts, an AAS-44(V)

infrared laser detecting/ranging/

tracking set that integrates video

and infrared imaging with a laser

rangefinder, and a HELRAS DS-100

low-frequency sonar. For self-

protection the Seahawks have

a chaff and flare dispenser with

capacity for up to 60 cartridges.

Arrival of the Seahawk enables

HS-1 to take on new missions,

including escort of ships, ASW

support and protection of ships

while they leave or enter harbour.

Currently the Seahawks are

armed with Mk46 torpedoes

and Penguin missiles and there

are plans to install a 12.7mm

Browning machine gun on the

Brazil

Bolivia

Argentina

Uruguay

Chile Paraguay

Venezuela

Colombia

Peru

Guyana

Suriname

French

Guiana (FR)

Brasilia

Manaus-Ponta

Pelada

São Pedro da Aldeia

Rio Grande

Illha do Terrapleno de Leste

Lãdario

Base Fluvial

South

Atlantic

Ocean

North

Atlantic

Ocean

Pacific

Ocean