Monte Caseros, Argentina – From July 30 to August 4, the 26th Parachute Infantry Battalion (26º BI Pqdt), Santos Dumont Battalion participated in the Combined Exercise Arandu between the Brazilian Army and the Argentine Army. The Field Exercise took place in Mercedes, Argentina and included a Platoon composed of members of the Battalion, the Precursor Company and the Parachute Folding and Maintenance and Air Supply Battalion, totaling 44 soldiers.
After preparing for about six months, the paratroopers traveled to Uruguaina-RS, where they joined the troops from the 2nd Mechanized Cavalry Brigade.
During the exercise, the following activities were carried out: doctrinal exchange on aeroterrestrial techniques, issuance of an operations order in Spanish, test jumps in the Mercedes launch zone (ZL), where Argentine Jump Masters launched the 26th BI Pqdt soldiers from Argentine military aircraft. And Brazilian Jump Masters launched Argentine paratroopers from Brazilian aircraft.
After these preliminary activities, the Santos Dumont Battalion carried out an aerial assault in the Coati LZ, in the city of Monte Caseros, and a combat march with watercourse transposition. Afterwards, our paratroopers carried out an approach march, attacked a position defended by the figurative enemy, carrying out fraction shooting, thus conquering the objective and thus establishing the Air Bridgehead, as a conclusion of the maneuver.
At the end, a closing ceremony was held with all the troops of the Combined Exercise, where the members of the Brazilian paratroopers began to display the Argentine military paratrooper’s license.
Source: 26th Parachute Infantry Battalion