Operations involved the use of 12 air squadrons, as well as infantry units and anti-aircraft artillery groups
Air Force Agency, by Lieutenant Myrea Calazans
To train operational capabilities to face the challenges of complex military operations through composite air missions (COMAO). This was one of the main objectives of the Escudo-Tínia 2023 Joint Exercise, held at the Canoas (BACO) and Santa Maria (BASM) Air Bases, as well as in the cities of Santana da Boa Vista (RS) and Caçapava do Sul (RS), between October 30 and November 17. The training involved 12 air squadrons, infantry units from the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) and anti-aircraft artillery groups (GAAAe) from the three armed forces.
The sixth edition of EXCON Shield-Tinia had an increase compared to previous years: the various aircraft that took part in the training were trained in both offensive and defensive actions to the same extent in the context of multidomain operations, which includes air, land, sea, space and cyber spaces, making COMAO flights even more complex and dynamic. “The main difference this year is that attack and defense don’t have an exact definition of who is attacking and who is defending. In other words, everyone here can be an attacker at one time and a defender at another, and this makes the scenario very dynamic and enables us to evaluate all the pilots in various ways,” said BASM Commander, Colonel Luciano Antonio Marchiorato Dobignies.
However, before understanding how each aircraft performed in EXCON Shield-Tinia 2023, it’s important to understand how COMAO operations are planned. How are they created? Who coordinates them? How are they structured?
Firstly, it is essential to understand that COMAO is a group of aircraft with different profiles and specific doctrines that take off in a short space of time, aiming for a common objective and in mutual support: to carry out complementary Air Force actions in terms of guaranteeing air superiority in a conventional war scenario. The operational activity promotes the interaction of various FAB aircraft and anti-aircraft defense groups in the same training context. For EXCON Escudo-Tínia 2023, fighter, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, rotary-wing and transport aircraft were employed for various training activities, including air-to-ground, aerospace reconnaissance, in-flight refueling (IFV), combat search and rescue (CSAR), airspace coordination, operation of Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) and flight safety.
Fighter employment
Among the actions planned for the 16 F-5M fighter jets employed in the exercise are attack, alert in flight (ALEVOO – Alerta em Voo ), escort and sweep missions. The Commander of the First Squadron of the Fourteenth Aviation Group (1°/14° GAV) – Fleet, Lieutenant Colonel André Navarro de Lima Guimarães explained how the sweep missions took place on the battlefield. “The main purpose of this type of action is to clean and sanitize the areas of interest, in order to allow the other aircraft in the COMAO package, from the composite air missions, to carry out their specific missions. In addition, the F-5 aircraft also carried out defensive missions with the aim of protecting areas with pre-established targets,” he said.
Another fighter that also had a strong presence in the simulated conflict was the A-1M, which among its actions managed the COMAO formations, with the Mission Commander (MC) responsible for planning this type of flight. “In this edition, the A-1M aircraft is playing a key role by acting not only within the offensive force, but also as an opposing force, as well as contributing in the Shield context, being used as support for the use of our enemy anti-aircraft defense system,” said the Commander of the Third Squadron of the Tenth Aviation Group (3º/10º GAV) – Centaur Fleet, Lieutenant Colonel Felipe de Faria Scheer, one of the pilots who operated the aircraft during the Exercise.
Other fighter aircraft, such as the A-29 and AF-1 of the Brazilian Navy (MB) were also present at EXCON Escudo-Tínia 2023, with the task of identifying and engaging ground targets with conventional weapons.
Aerospace Intelligence and Reconnaissance
Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (IVR) missions are essential for planning the deployment of some of the aircraft used in the exercise. Among the aircraft used in these operations was the RQ-900 Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA), operated by the First Fleet of the Twelfth Aviation Group (1º/12º GAV) – Horus Squadron, which, for example, tracked intelligence data in the area of the conflict.
The E-99 aircraft also played a crucial role in the COMAO missions, by acting in aerospace control and as a communications post in the air in order to provide the tactical backdrop for other training aircraft. “The main difference in this year’s Shield of Virginia exercise was the increased complexity of the conflict area, due to the high number of aircraft involved, as well as the increased capability of the enemy. As a result, it was necessary for controllers and pilots to interact more synergistically in order to achieve our objectives within the scenario,” emphasized the Commander of the Second Squadron of the Sixth Aviation Group (2º/6º GAV) – Guardian Squadron, Lieutenant Colonel David Dantas da Silva.
Rotary Wings and Transport Aviation
Maintaining the ability to exfiltrate and infiltrate personnel, with and without landing, from the area of operations; leading formations on operational missions; and navigating at low altitude and by contour. These were some of the missions of the H-60 Black Hawk aircraft in Exercise Shield-Tinia 2023. “The idea is to carry out a simulated rescue, dodging the anti-aircraft defenses on the ground. We need to be able to fly stealthily, without being identified, in order to get to the planned location to carry out our rescue,” said the Commander of the Fifth Fleet of the Eighth Aviation Group (5º/8º GAV) – Pantera Squadron, Lieutenant Colonel Rodrigo Alonso Fortes.
Two C-105 Amazonas aircraft and a KC-390 Millennium were used in the exercise to launch cargo and paratroopers during COMAO missions. The KC-390 also played a key role in the in-flight refueling operations (IFR) of the F-5M fighters to increase their operability and flight autonomy.
Context Shield
The cities of Santana da Boa Vista (RS) and Caçapava do Sul (RS) were the regions chosen to deploy the FAB’s Infantry Units (UInf) and the Anti-Aircraft Artillery Groups (GAAAe) of the three Armed Forces. Operation Anti-Aircraft Shield, coordinated by the Aerospace Operations Command (COMAE) in the context of Joint Exercise Tinia, focused on training the country’s anti-aircraft in a simulated war scenario, with a focus on COMAO missions.
The commander of the First Anti-Aircraft Defense Group (1º GDAAE), Infantry Lieutenant Colonel Leonardo Schiller Cechin, highlighted the importance of this training. “The Anti-Aircraft Shield held in Santana da Boa Vista is of great importance to the anti-aircraft defense groups of the Brazilian Air Force because it is here that we are able to simulate aircraft attacks and our engagement against them in defense of sensitive points in our jurisdiction,” he explained.
PHOTOS: Sergeant P. Silva / CECOMSAER – VIDEO: Sergeant Lucas / CECOMSAER
*** Translated by DEFCONPress FYI Team ***