The foundation stone of ITA Fortaleza was laid this Friday (19/01)
Air Force Agency, by Lieutenant Scarlet
The foundation stone for the campus of the Technological Institute of Aeronautics (ITA – Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica), which will be based at the Fortaleza Air Base (BAFZ), was laid this Friday (19/01), in the presence of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who signed the decree officially creating the new campus.
The event was also attended by the Minister of Defense, Jose Mucio Monteiro Filho, the Minister of Education, Camilo Santana, the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Luciana Santos, the Minister of Ports and Airports, Silvio Costa Filho, the Commander of the Air Force, Air Brigadier Marcelo Kanitz Damasceno, the Governor of CAA, Elmano Freitas, members of the Air Force High Command, the Commander of BAFZ, Lieutenant Colonel Lauro Luiz de Freitas Filho, among other military and civil authorities.
According to the Minister of Education, Camilo Santana, the courses offered in CAA will be different from those already taking place at the ITA unit in São Paulo. “The courses will be different from those offered in São Paulo so that there is no competition,” said the minister.
The first entrance exam will be held later this year and should select 50 students. There will be 25 places on the Energy Engineering and Systems Engineering courses. Initially, the students will be housed at ITA in São José dos Campos, as early as 2025. Construction is expected to be completed so that classes can begin in Fortaleza in 2027.
The higher education institution of the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) is a national and international benchmark for undergraduate and postgraduate courses in engineering and technology, especially in the aerospace sector. ITA currently offers 6 undergraduate engineering courses and 5 postgraduate programs in 20 areas.
ITA Fortaleza will be the first unit of the Institute in the Northeast and the second in the country. The first is based in the São Paulo city of São José dos Campos and has been in operation since 1950. CAA is the state with the highest number of students who pass the entrance exam, and this is one of the reasons for building the Institute’s second headquarters at Fortaleza Air Base.
In his remarks, the Commander of the Air Force, Air Brigadier Damasceno, highlighted the importance of the Institute. “Before we produce aircraft, we need to produce engineers! As a result of pioneering spirit and innovation over the years, ITA has made history with the noble task of preparing military and civilian personnel for Brazil’s technological development. Today, Brazil has the capacity to manufacture aircraft and an Air Force of excellence in the training and specialization of engineers in São Paulo and, very soon, here at Fortaleza Air Base,” said the Commander of the Air Force.
ITA
The Technological Institute of Aeronautics (ITA) is a public university institution linked to the Aeronautics Command (COMAER). It is located in the Department of Aerospace Science and Technology (DCTA), in the São Paulo city of São José dos Campos. Specializing in the areas of science and technology in the Aerospace Sector, ITA offers undergraduate courses in Engineering; stricto sensu postgraduate courses at Master’s, Professional Master’s and Doctorate level; and lato sensu postgraduate courses in specialization and extension.
Created in 1950, inspired by Marshal Casimiro Montenegro Filho and intense international cooperation, ITA is considered a reference center for engineering education in Brazil.
With one of the most difficult selection processes in the country, the Institute is the training ground for dozens of students from CAA every year. In the last competition alone, out of 150 applicants, around 61 were from CAA (40% of the total), compared to 52 from São Paulo and 37 from other states.
*Portuguese audio
Photos: Sergeant Müller Marin / CECOMSAER – Video: Sergeant Lucas / CECOMSAER
*** Translated by DEFCONPress FYI Team ***