U.S. military personnel shared war tactics with the Brazilian Air Force

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Grifo Squadron (2nd/3rd GAV), located at the Porto Velho Air Base (BAPV) in Rondônia State, hosted a Subject Matter Expert Exchange (SMEE). The event, which took place from December 6 to 16, was attended by military personnel from the 81st Fighter Squadron of the United States Air Force (USAF), as well as pilots from the Escorpião Squadron (1st/3rd GAV), Arrow Squadron (3rd/3rd GAV), and Advanced Air Guides from the Air Rescue Squadron (EAS).

The 81st Fighter Squadron’s entourage included two American pilots, two American graduates, and a pilot from the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), who is currently on exchange in that USAF Unit.

With a legacy that began in 1942, the 81st Fighter Squadron has operated several aircraft, such as P-40, P-47, F4, F-16, and A-10, among others, in addition to having participated in conflicts from World War II to the most recent ones, such as the wars in Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

Currently, the Squadron’s pilots are qualified in the A-29 aircraft. The Unit’s primary mission is to provide training and advising (Air Advising) to the Air Forces of partner countries, with recent interactions with the Afghan and Nigerian Air Forces.

During the exchange period, the U.S. servicemen could share their combat experience gained during raids in Afghanistan through theory classes and Close Air Support and Air-Ground Employment training flights in the USAF manner. On the other hand, they were able to learn survival techniques and life in the jungle; they flew the missions on the route used by the FAB; and they performed combat flights, in which the USAF does not use the Super Tucano.

The combined training between Brazilian and U.S. military in the same Squadron provided the pilots with a high operational gain through the use of the A-29 as a weapons platform in a simulated conflict scenario. Eighteen flights were performed, with a total of 28 flight hours, in which the fundamentals tested in combat were applied in practice.

In the opinion of Senior Airman Feliz Luis de Oliveira Vilela, a FAB officer currently working with the 81st Fighter Squadron, the exchange was very positive for all involved. “In addition to the specific knowledge, mutually shared, the activity allowed strengthening the ties between the FAB and the USAF with a view to new similar interactions in the future,” he said.

The commander of the 2nd/3rd GAV, Lt. Col. Thiago Fernandes Silva, also spoke of the importance of the exchange. “The interaction with them was of great value to our Air Unit, as it was possible to exchange experiences with pilots who used the A-29 in Afghanistan. The lessons learned can be used to develop new tactics, techniques, and procedures”, he said.

With information from AeroIn