Brazilian Armed Forces demonstrate coordination, operational capacity and commitment to improvement
Air Force Agency, by Lieutenant Eniele Santos
After intense days of training and simulations, Joint Exercise (EXCON) Tápio 2023, which brought together around 30 aircraft and included the participation of military personnel from the Brazilian Navy (MB), the Brazilian Army (EB), the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) and the New York State Air National Guard (NYANG), has come to an end. Held at Campo Grande Air Base (BACG), the exercise stood out as the largest simulated training exercise in Latin America, reaffirming the capacity of the Armed Forces to act jointly and effectively in challenging scenarios.
During EXCON Tápio 2023, operations were varied and intense, ranging from rescues in dangerous situations to the transportation of troops and cargo. In this sense, interoperability between the Armed Forces was one of the main highlights of the exercise, especially in the Tactical Pre-Hospital Care (APH – T) and Advanced Air Guide (GAA) training activities.
This cooperation reinforced the importance of joint and combined work to achieve strategic objectives and deal with complex scenarios. The BACG Commander and Exercise Director, Air Brigadier Eric Breviglieri, reported that the sixth edition of Joint Exercise Tápio was truly exemplary, representing the importance of military training.
“We conducted 200 sorties and accumulated more than 900 flight hours, demonstrating the tireless commitment of our airmen and the unwavering desire to improve our operational skills. Thus, through complex scenarios, we were able to simulate a wide range of situations that our forces can face. From rescue and evacuation operations to air defense and strategic reconnaissance. Each mission triggered a precise and coordinated response, highlighting our ability to adapt and make decisions,” he said.
In addition to the quantitative achievements, this edition of Joint Exercise Tápio was also marked by qualitative advances. According to the Exercise Director, the exchange of experiences and knowledge between the different units present at the training enriched the mutual understanding of all those involved. “We learned from each other, improving our tactics and strategies, consolidating a spirit of teamwork that is fundamental to the success of any joint military operation,” he said.
The role of aircraft
The different aircraft involved, such as the H-36 Caracal and H-60 Black Hawk helicopters, the A-29 Super Tucano and A-1 fighter jets, the E-99 radar aircraft and the RQ-900 Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA), demonstrated their specific skills and capabilities, acting in a coordinated and integrated manner.
The H-36 Caracal, a multi-mission FAB aircraft, played essential roles not only in conflict scenarios, but also in routine search and rescue missions. “We brought our routine activities to the exercise, but here we carried them out in a simulated conflict scenario, where several missions were carried out with a focus on combat rescue. In this way, we trained doctrine, techniques and tactics for aeromedical evacuation missions, air escort and transportation of the wounded, even by hoisting the victim,” said the Commander of the Third Squadron of the Eighth Aviation Group (3º/8º GAV) – Puma Squadron, Leonardo Teles Gomes.
Among the 13 squadrons that took part in the exercise was the First Squadron of the Third Aviation Group (1º/3º GAV) – Scorpion Squadron – which carried out close air support activities, training pilots as evaders in hostile territory and in escape and evasion. The Squadron Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Augusto Silva Ramalho, stressed that the flights with the New York Air National Guard, other FAB Military Organizations and Single Forces were of great importance for enriching the Squadron’s operational capabilities. “This training provided a realistic environment for our pilots to perfect their survival skills in combat scenarios, strengthening their resilience and adaptability. In addition, EXCON was able to provide operational maintenance for the 1st/3rd GAV teams in the decisive use of the air vector for successful ground operations, maximizing the effectiveness of joint and combined combat power,” he explains.
The Second Squadron of the Tenth Aviation Group (2º/10º GAV) – Pelican Squadron, based at the BACG, also took part in the activities carried out during the three weeks of training, carrying out two mission profiles with its H-60 Black Hawk and SC-105 Amazonas. With the helicopter, the soldiers were part of the Combat Search and Rescue Task Force in the role of rescue vehicle, which is the vital element for extracting survivors over hostile territory. With the SC-105, which is also part of the Task Force, the training participants flew at higher levels, since the aircraft represents the main radio communications link between the various elements of the mission, including: other aircraft, survivors and coordination centers.
On board both aircraft were Officers and Graduates, specialists in data management who, with the support of advanced navigation, sensing and communication tools, provided the other elements with all the decisive information in an agile manner and raised their situational awareness, an important item for the safety and effectiveness of the tasks related to the rescue of the survivors.
According to the Commander of the Pelican Squadron, Lieutenant-Colonel Emanuel Patricio Beserra Garioli, 2023 represented the continuation of practical work in developing the doctrine for carrying out the CSAR task. “The wide-ranging scenario, with countless variables and structures that simulate real events with great fidelity, once again provided an essential opportunity to gauge the effectiveness [Click here to download the original image] of the concepts advocated in our documentation. The flights were conducted in conjunction with other units of the Brazilian Air Force. Therefore, they were not just an opportunity to gauge our efficiency in the CSAR mission profile, they were also a vital moment for us to work on our capacity for integration, common and joint communication, essential elements for the success of any major military operation,” he concluded.
Technology
The use of technology was a determining factor in the success of EXCON Tápio 2023. Activities and training could be carried out effectively precisely with the use of technological tools. In the Scenario Cell, considered the center of operations for the entire exercise, it was possible to control all the activities and present a dynamic, realistic and structured perspective of the military’s role in the training. Thus, with the Remotely Piloted Aircraft (ARP), it was possible to follow all the training of the Advanced Air Guides, carried out in the cities of Aquidauana and Bodoquena – located 140 km and 270 km from Campo Grande, respectively).
“New to this edition, the RQ-900, with its autonomous flight capabilities and cutting-edge sensing systems, has quickly established itself as a valuable asset. Its ability to provide real-time intelligence and cover hard-to-reach areas has brought a new dimension to the training scenario. Thus, it was a doctrinal breakthrough for the Squadron, mainly due to its involvement with other units and this interaction in a joint exercise. As a result, we really got to know the importance of the ARP in irregular warfare,” explained Major Thiago Hamester Hunhoff, pilot of the aircraft from the First Squadron of the Twelfth Aviation Group (1º/12º GAV) – Hórus Squadron.
Positive Balance
Given all this, it is clear that Joint Exercise Tápio 2023 represented more than simulated training and reinforced the Armed Forces’ commitment to excellence, integration and the ability to respond in complex scenarios, guaranteeing the safety and effectiveness of military operations.
Photos: Sergeant Müller Marin/ CECOMSAER – Video: Sergeant André Souza/ CECOMSAER