Activity consists of training the Fleets that carry out Aerospace Reconnaissance, Advanced Air Control, Electronic Interference and Attack missions.
Until April 18, the Santa Maria Air Base (BASM) is coordinating the 5th edition of the Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Operational Exercise, which aims to train the crews of the Air Fleets that carry out Aerospace Reconnaissance, Advanced Air Control, Electronic Interference and Attack Air Force Actions.
The training involves around 180 military personnel and various aircraft from the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), including: A-1, R-99, P-3AM, P-95 Bandeirulha, C-98 Caravan and the Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) RQ-900, as well as anti-aircraft defense means such as the IGLA-S missile and the M-113 and Gepard armored vehicles of the Brazilian Army (EB).
“The ISR Operational Exercise is one of the most important for the defense of our airspace, as it aims to address both the potential and the limitations of the means and human and operational resources available, in order to improve them. By carrying out this exercise, it is possible to identify areas for improvement, optimize the use of existing resources and develop strategies for dealing with a variety of situations in the field of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance,” explains BASM Commander and Exercise Director, Colonel Daniel Lames de Araujo.
A total of 13 operational units are involved, including squadrons of fighter, reconnaissance and patrol aircraft, as well as batteries from the 1st and 2nd Anti-Aircraft Defense Groups (1st and 2nd GDAAE) and three teams from the 4th Fleet of the 1st Communications and Control Group (4th/1st GCC). EB is taking part in the training with resources from the 29th Armored Infantry Battalion (29º BIB) and the 6th Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battery (6º Bia AAAe Ap).
To enable control and communications in various parts of the territory, the training has the support of the Airspace Control Department (DECEA), through the 4th/1st GCC – Mangrulho Fleet, which enables Command and Control in remote regions.
“The choice of Santa Maria as the traditional location for the ISR Operational Exercise is due to the great capacity of the Military Organizations based there to analyze images and videos, produce Reconnaissance Mission Reports (REMIR) and Surveillance Reports (REVIG),” added Colonel Lames.
In Santa Maria (RS), the Brazilian Army concentrates the second largest contingent and deployed Units, which makes joint training possible, creating real training and deployment scenarios and intensifying interoperability involving Army and FAB military personnel, each applying their operational methodologies for the benefit of Intelligence.
The analysis of images collected by sensors on board aircraft, such as the R-99 and E-99, belonging to the FAB’s Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Aviation (ISR), provides a deeper insight into the capabilities of the FAB’s sensors and analysts, as well as Advanced Air Control and Attack actions, which enable the dissemination of doctrine and the programming of on-board Electronic Warfare equipment.
The detailed gathering of intelligence data and the monitoring of areas of interest are some of the activities carried out by the FAB’s ISR Aviation. The squadrons are the eyes of the FAB which, from above, share the challenge of detecting threats, as well as protecting and integrating the national territory.
Photos: Private Kassiel / BASM *** Translated by DEFCONPress FYI Team ***