The actions carried out by the Armed Forces in the Yanomami Indigenous Land have been taking place since the beginning of 2023
Air Force Agency – Review: Major Rodolfo
The transportation and delivery of food to the Yanomami Indigenous Land (TIY), in Roraima (RR), through the Catrimani Joint Operational Command, is part of one of the Armed Forces’ action fronts, which also includes Operations Yanomami Shield and Ágata Northern Border, which took place in 2023.
Together, the three operations have accounted for more than 7,400 flight hours, 1,400 military personnel involved, 76 air, land and sea assets, 36,600 food baskets sent, 700 tons of cargo dropped, as well as 3,029 medical consultations and 205 Aeromedical Evacuations (EVAM) carried out. The total number of food parcels delivered by the Federal Government so far has been 58,600, 47,100 of which in Roraima and 11,500 in Amazonas.Operation Catrimani is coordinated by the Ministry of Defense (MD), in accordance with Ordinance No. 263, of January 16, 2024, and aims to distribute food on an emergency basis, through the Catrimani Joint Operational Command, activated between January 17 and March 31, 2024. By the end of this operation, 15,000 food baskets should have been distributed.
For logistical airlift, the Brazilian Air Force (Fleet) deployed two medium-sized C-105 Amazonas aircraft: one from the First Squadron of the Ninth Aviation Group (1º/9º GAV – Arara Squadron) and one from the First Squadron of the Fifteenth Aviation Group (1º/15º GAV – Onça Squadron), located in Manaus (AM) and Campo Grande (MS), respectively. These aircraft are capable of launching around 140 baskets per flight.
Also involved in the mission were four C-98 Caravan aircraft, which carry out missions in TIY in support of the Operation: two from the Seventh Air Transport Squadron (7th ETA – Cobra Squadron), located in Manaus (AM), one from the First Air Transport Squadron (1st ETA – Tracajá Squadron), located in Belém (PA), and one from Boa Vista Air Base (BABV). Their main function is to transport personnel and cargo, mainly food baskets and fuel, to the Operation’s support base in Surucucu.
Following this, helicopters from the Brazilian Navy (MB), the Brazilian Army (EB) and the FAB distribute the food to the more than 300 indigenous villages identified by the National Foundation for Indigenous Peoples (FUNAI), the body responsible for designating the location that will receive the supplies. The food distributed is supplied by the National Supply Company (CONAB), which takes into account the typical diet of these communities when composing the basket. The items include rice, manioc flour, powdered milk, corn flour (flocão) and chestnuts.
Preparation and delivery
The material to be delivered is initially stored at the BABV by a team made up of cargo preparation inspectors and assemblers, in a joint effort between the EB and the FAB. During this process, the equipment and parachutes are placed on the assembled loads using the CDS (Container Delivery System) method. In addition to the installation work, military personnel from the Armed Forces also collect the material on the ground.
For the launches on the C-105 aircraft, two G-13 parachutes are used, each supporting up to 227 kilos. After the launches, ground teams in Surucucu, coordinated by the Airborne Parachute Folding, Maintenance and Supply Battalion (B DOMPSA), collect all the parachute material and laces and await the arrival of the FAB C-98 Caravan aircraft, which is responsible for returning all the material to the BABV, so that the parachutes can be folded and new CDS assembled for the next day’s launches.
Fighting illegal mining
In addition to the humanitarian support provided since February 2023, Decree No. 11,575 of June 21, 2023, also established the task of combating cross-border and environmental crimes in the TIY. In this regard, the FAB, through the Aerospace Operations Command (COMAE), has contributed with Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (IVR) actions so that the Federal Police (PF), the Federal Highway Police (PRF), the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA) and the Brazilian Intelligence Agency (ABIN) to disable the main garimpos, seize irregular aircraft, power generators, hydraulic motors, chainsaws, satellite communication antennas, among others.
Airspace monitoring
Monitoring in the region was intensified in 2023 through the activation of the Air Defense Identification Zone (ZIDA – Zona de Identificação de Defesa Aérea) over the airspace overlying and adjacent to the TIY, in order to increase actions to crack down on illegal mining.
The ZIDA remains activated and the planned overflights are authorized, provided that the regulatory flight plan is completed and the air traffic rules are followed, in addition to the technical observations available to all crew members, in particular NOTAMs G2260/23 and G2261/23.
Photos: CECOMSAER *** Translated by DEFCONPress FYI Team ***