The Brazilian Armed Forces ( pt, Forças Armadas Brasileiras, ) are the unified
military forces
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...
of the
Federative Republic of Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area an ...
. Consisting of three
service branches, it comprises the
Brazilian Army (including the
Brazilian Army Aviation
The Brazilian Army Aviation Command ( pt, Comando de Aviação do Exército) is a component of the Brazilian Army containing the army's helicopter units.
Tasks
The task of the Brazilian Army Aviation Command is to provide organic airmobility an ...
), the
Brazilian Navy
)
, colors= Blue and white
, colors_label= Colors
, march= "Cisne Branco" ( en, "White Swan") (same name as training ship ''Cisne Branco''
, mascot=
, equipment= 1 multipurpose aircraft carrier7 submarines6 frigates2 corvettes4 amphibious war ...
(including the
Brazilian Marine Corps and
Brazilian Naval Aviation
Brazilian Naval Aviation ( pt, Aviação Naval Brasileira; AvN) is the air arm of the Brazilian Navy operating from ships and from shore installations.
History
The Brazilian Naval Aviation branch was organized in August 1916, after creation of ...
) and the
Brazilian Air Force (including the
Aerospace Operations Command).
Brazil's armed forces are the
second largest in the Americas, after the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
, and the largest in Latin America and the Southern Hemisphere by the level of military equipment, with 334,500 active-duty troops and officers.
[ IISS 2012, pp. 376–378] Brazilian soldiers were in Haiti from 2004 until 2017, leading the United Nations Stabilization Mission (
MINUSTAH
The United Nations Stabilisation Mission in Haiti (french: Mission des Nations Unies pour la stabilisation en Haïti), also known as MINUSTAH, an acronym of the French name, was a UN peacekeeping mission in Haiti that was in operation from 2004 ...
).
Organization
The Armed Forces of Brazil are divided into 3 branches:
[ See also]
"Brazilian Federal Constitution in English"
text translated to English (unofficial). Retrieved on 2007-05-17.
*
Brazilian Army
**
Brazilian Army Aviation Command
*
Brazilian Navy
)
, colors= Blue and white
, colors_label= Colors
, march= "Cisne Branco" ( en, "White Swan") (same name as training ship ''Cisne Branco''
, mascot=
, equipment= 1 multipurpose aircraft carrier7 submarines6 frigates2 corvettes4 amphibious war ...
**
Brazilian Marine Corps
**
Brazilian Naval Aviation
Brazilian Naval Aviation ( pt, Aviação Naval Brasileira; AvN) is the air arm of the Brazilian Navy operating from ships and from shore installations.
History
The Brazilian Naval Aviation branch was organized in August 1916, after creation of ...
*
Brazilian Air Force
**
Aerospace Operations Command
The
Military Police
Military police (MP) are law enforcement agencies connected with, or part of, the military of a state. In wartime operations, the military police may support the main fighting force with force protection, convoy security, screening, rear rec ...
(state police) alongside the
Military Firefighters Corps
In Brazil, the Military Firefighters Corps ( pt, Corpo De Bombeiros Militar) are military public security forces, responsible for civil defense, firefighting and search and rescue inside the federative units. Since 1915, it has been a military ...
are described as an auxiliary and reserve force of the Army.
[ All military branches are part of the Ministry of Defence.
The ]Brazilian Navy
)
, colors= Blue and white
, colors_label= Colors
, march= "Cisne Branco" ( en, "White Swan") (same name as training ship ''Cisne Branco''
, mascot=
, equipment= 1 multipurpose aircraft carrier7 submarines6 frigates2 corvettes4 amphibious war ...
which is the oldest of the Brazilian Armed Forces, includes the Brazilian Marine Corps and the Brazilian Naval Aviation
Brazilian Naval Aviation ( pt, Aviação Naval Brasileira; AvN) is the air arm of the Brazilian Navy operating from ships and from shore installations.
History
The Brazilian Naval Aviation branch was organized in August 1916, after creation of ...
.
Service obligation and manpower
18–45 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation – 10 to 12 months; 17–45 years of age for voluntary service. An increasing percentage of the ranks are "long-service" volunteer professionals; women were allowed to serve in the armed forces beginning in the early 1980s when the Brazilian Army became the first army in South America to accept women into career ranks; women serve in Navy and Air Force only in Women's Reserve Corps.
Mission and challenges
South America is a relatively peaceful continent in which wars are a rare event;[http://www.senado.gov.br/JORNAL/arquivos_jornal/arquivosPdf/080331.pdf (p. 9)] as a result, Brazil hasn't had its territory invaded since year 1865 during the Paraguayan War
The Paraguayan War, also known as the War of the Triple Alliance, was a South American war that lasted from 1864 to 1870. It was fought between Paraguay and the Triple Alliance of Argentina, the Empire of Brazil, and Uruguay. It was the deadlies ...
. Additionally, Brazil has no contested territorial disputes with any of its neighbours and neither does it have rivalries, like Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...
and Bolivia have with each other. However, Brazil is the only country besides China and Russia that has land borders with 10 or more nations. Moreover, Brazil has of land borders and of coastline to be patrolled and defended. Overall, the Armed Forces have to defend 8.5 million km2 (around 3.2 million sq. mi.) of land and patrol 4.4 million km2 (around 1.7 million sq. mi.) of territorial waters
The term territorial waters is sometimes used informally to refer to any area of water over which a sovereign state has jurisdiction, including internal waters, the territorial sea, the contiguous zone, the exclusive economic zone, and potent ...
– or ''Blue Amazon'', as the Brazilian Navy
)
, colors= Blue and white
, colors_label= Colors
, march= "Cisne Branco" ( en, "White Swan") (same name as training ship ''Cisne Branco''
, mascot=
, equipment= 1 multipurpose aircraft carrier7 submarines6 frigates2 corvettes4 amphibious war ...
calls them. To achieve this mission, significant manpower and funding is required.
Military history of Brazil
Since 1648 the Brazilian Armed Forces have been relied upon to fight in defense of Brazilian sovereignty and to suppress civil rebellions. The Brazilian military also has three times intervened militarily to overthrow the Brazilian government
The politics of Brazil take place in a framework of a federal presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system. The political and administrative o ...
.
The Brazilian Armed Forces were subordinated to the Emperor, its Commander-in-Chief. He was aided by the Ministers of War and Navy in regard to matters concerning the Army
An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
and the Armada, respectively. Traditionally, the Ministers of War and Navy were civilians but there were some exceptions.[Carvalho (2007), p.193] The model chosen was the British parliamentary or Anglo-American system, in which "the country's Armed Forces observed unrestricted obedience to the civilian government while maintaining distance from political decisions and decisions referring to borders' security".
The military personnel were allowed to run and serve in political offices while staying on active duty. However, they did not represent the Army or the Armada but instead the population of the city or province where elected.[ ]Dom Pedro I Dom or DOM may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Dom (given name), including fictional characters
* Dom (surname)
* Dom La Nena (born 1989), stage name of Brazilian-born cellist, singer and songwriter Dominique Pinto
* Dom people, an eth ...
chose nine military personnel as Senators and five (out of 14) to the State Council. During the Regency, two were chosen to the Senate and none to the State Council as there was no Council at the time. Dom Pedro II
Dom PedroII (2 December 1825 – 5 December 1891), nicknamed "the Magnanimous" ( pt, O Magnânimo), was the second and last monarch of the Empire of Brazil, reigning for over 58 years. He was born in Rio de Janeiro, the seventh child of Em ...
chose four military personnel to become Senators during the 1840s, two in the 1850s and three until the end of his reign. He also chose seven military personnel to be State Counselors during the 1840s and 1850s and three after that.
It has built a tradition of participating in UN peacekeeping missions such as in Haiti and East Timor
East Timor (), also known as Timor-Leste (), officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is an island country in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the exclave of Oecusse on the island's north-west ...
. Below a list of some of the historical events in which the Brazilian Armed Forces took part:
Armed conflicts involving Brazil
'
* First Battle of Guararapes
The First Battle of Guararapes was a battle in the conflict called the , between Dutch and Portuguese forces in Pernambuco, in a dispute for the dominion of that part of the Portuguese colony of Brazil.
Beginnings
On 18 April 1648, around fo ...
(1648): Decisive Portuguese victory that helped end Dutch occupation. Due to this battle, the year 1648 is considered as the year of the foundation of the Brazilian Army.
* Invasion of Cayenne (1809)
An invasion is a military offensive in which large numbers of combatants of one geopolitical entity aggressively enter territory owned by another such entity, generally with the objective of either: conquering; liberating or re-establishing c ...
(1809) : Was a combined military operation by an Anglo-Portuguese expeditionary force against Cayenne, capital of the French South American colony of French Guiana in 1809, during the Napoleonic Wars.
* Luso-Brazilian invasion (1816–1820) : Was an armed conflict between the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves and the partisans of José Artigas over the Banda Oriental (Eastern Bank), present-day Uruguay.
* Brazilian War of Independence (1822–1824): Series of military campaigns that had as objective to cement Brazilian sovereignty and end Portuguese resistance.
* Confederation of the Equator
The Confederation of the Equator ( pt, Confederação do Equador) was a short-lived rebellion that occurred in the northeastern region of the Empire of Brazil in 1824, in the early years of the country's independence from Portugal. The secessioni ...
(1824) : Was a short-lived rebellion that occurred in the northeastern region of Brazil during that nation's struggle for independence from Portugal.
* Cisplatine War
The Cisplatine War (), also known as the Argentine-Brazilian War () or, in Argentine and Uruguayan historiography, as the Brazil War (''Guerra del Brasil''), the War against the Empire of Brazil (''Guerra contra el Imperio del Brasil'') or t ...
(1825–1828) : Armed conflict over an area known as Banda Oriental or "Eastern Shore" between the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata and Empire of Brazil in the aftermath of the United Provinces' emancipation from Spain.
* Ragamuffin War
The Ragamuffin War (Portuguese: ''Guerra dos Farrapos'' or ''Revolução Farroupilha'') was a Republican uprising that began in southern Brazil, in the province (current state) of Rio Grande do Sul in 1835. The rebels were led by generals Bento ...
(1835–1845) : Was a Republican uprising that began in southern Brazil, in the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina in 1835. The rebels, led by Generals Bento Gonçalves da Silva and Antônio de Sousa Neto with the support of the Italian fighter Giuseppe Garibaldi, surrendered to imperial forces in 1845.
* Platine War
The Platine War (, ; 18 August 1851 – 3 February 1852) was fought between the Argentine Confederation and an alliance consisting of the Empire of Brazil, Uruguay, and the Argentine provinces of Entre Ríos and Corrientes, with the parti ...
(1851–1852): The Brazilian Empire and its allies went to war against the dictator Juan Manuel de Rosas of the Argentine Confederation.
* Uruguayan War
The Uruguayan War (10 August 1864 – 20 February 1865) was fought between Uruguay's governing Blanco Party and an alliance consisting of the Empire of Brazil and the Uruguayan Colorado Party, covertly supported by Argentina. Since its i ...
(1864–1865): Brazilian intervention in Uruguay
Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...
. With support from Argentina, imperial forces deposed President Atanasio Aguirre from office and instated general Venancio Flores
Venancio Flores Barrios (18 May 1808 – 19 February 1868) was a Uruguayan political leader and general. Flores was President of Uruguay from 1854 to 1855 (interim) and from 1865 to 1868.
Background and early career
In 1839, he was made politic ...
in his place.
* Paraguayan War
The Paraguayan War, also known as the War of the Triple Alliance, was a South American war that lasted from 1864 to 1870. It was fought between Paraguay and the Triple Alliance of Argentina, the Empire of Brazil, and Uruguay. It was the deadlies ...
(1864–1870): Over 200,000 Brazilians fought on this conflict, which is considered as the most serious in Brazilian history.
* Brazilian Naval Revolt (1893–1894) : Were armed mutinies promoted mainly by Admirals Custodio de Mello and Saldanha da Gama and their fleet of Brazilian Navy ships against unconstitutional staying in power of the central government in Rio de Janeiro.
* War of Canudos
The War of Canudos (, , 1895–1898) was a conflict between the First Brazilian Republic and the residents of Canudos in the northeastern state of Bahia. It was waged in the aftermath of the abolition of slavery in Brazil (1888) and the overt ...
(1893–1897): The deadliest rebellion of Brazil, the insurrectionists defeated the first 3 military forces sent to quell the rebellion.
* Contestado War
The Contestado War ( pt, Guerra do Contestado), broadly speaking, was a guerrilla war for land between settlers and landowners, the latter supported by the Brazilian state's police and military forces, that lasted from October 1912 to August 1916 ...
(1912–1916) : Was a guerrilla war for land between settlers and landowners, the latter supported by the Brazilian state's police and military forces. The war lasted from October 1912 to August 1916.
* Brazil during World War I: Brazil entered into World War I in 1917 alongside the Triple Entente
The Triple Entente (from French '' entente'' meaning "friendship, understanding, agreement") describes the informal understanding between the Russian Empire, the French Third Republic, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland as well a ...
. Brazil's effort in World War I occurred mainly in the Atlantic campaign, with a smaller participation in the land warfare.
* Constitutionalist Revolution
The Constitutionalist Revolution of 1932 (sometimes also referred to as Paulista War or Brazilian Civil War) is the name given to the uprising of the population of the Brazilian state of São Paulo against the Brazilian Revolution of 1930 whe ...
(1932) : Was the armed movement occurred in the State of São Paulo, Brazil, between July and October 1932, which aimed at the overthrow of the Provisional Government of Getúlio Vargas and the promulgation of a new constitution for Brazil.
* Brazil in World War II
Brazil, although at the time being commanded by a dictatorial regime sympathetic to the fascist model (the Estado Novo regime) of the Axis countries, ended up participating in World War II (1939-1945) on the side of the Allied forces. In Februa ...
(1942–1945): Brazil declared war on Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
in August 1942 and in 1944 sent an Expeditionary Force of 25,334 soldiers to fight in Italy. Brazil also supplied vital raw materials for the war effort and ceded important airbases at Natal and Fernando de Noronha Archipel that made possible the North African invasion, i.e. Operation Torch, and had a key role in patrolling the South Atlantic sea lanes.
Brazilian Expeditionary Force, initially composed of an infantry division, eventually covered all Brazilian military forces who participated in the conflict, including the Brazilian Air Force who did a remarkable job in the last nine months of war with 445 missions executed. Offensive: 2546, Defensive: 4.
Brazilian military coups d'état
Although no military coups occurred during the 67 years of the Brazilian Empire
The Empire of Brazil was a 19th-century state that broadly comprised the territories which form modern Brazil and (until 1828) Uruguay. Its government was a representative parliamentary constitutional monarchy under the rule of Emperors Dom P ...
, the Republican period experienced 4 military coups d'état in the 75 years between 1889 and 1964.
* Proclamation of the Republic (1889): End of the Brazilian Empire
The Empire of Brazil was a 19th-century state that broadly comprised the territories which form modern Brazil and (until 1828) Uruguay. Its government was a representative parliamentary constitutional monarchy under the rule of Emperors Dom P ...
, this was the first coup d'état
A coup d'état (; French for 'stroke of state'), also known as a coup or overthrow, is a seizure and removal of a government and its powers. Typically, it is an illegal seizure of power by a political faction, politician, cult, rebel group, m ...
performed by the Brazilian military.
* Revolution of 1930
The Revolution of 1930 () was an armed insurrection across Brazil that ended the Old Republic. The revolution replaced incumbent President Washington Luís with defeated presidential candidate and revolutionary leader Getúlio Vargas, conclud ...
: Second military overthrow of government, in which President Washington Luís
Washington Luís Pereira de Sousa (; 26 October 1869 – 4 August 1957) was a Brazilian politician who served as the 13th president of Brazil. Elected governor of São Paulo state in 1920 and president of Brazil in 1926, Washington Luís belonge ...
was replaced by Getúlio Vargas, who became the Provisional President.
* End of ''Estado Novo'' (1945): Then Dictator Getúlio Vargas
Getúlio Dornelles Vargas (; 19 April 1882 – 24 August 1954) was a Brazilian lawyer and politician who served as the 14th and 17th president of Brazil, from 1930 to 1945 and from 1951 to 1954. Due to his long and controversial tenure as Brazi ...
is deposed by general
A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED ...
s and later General Eurico Dutra was elected president.
* 1964 Brazilian coup d'état
The 1964 Brazilian coup d'état ( pt, Golpe de estado no Brasil em 1964), colloquially known in Brazil as the Coup of 64 ('), was a series of events in Brazil from March 31 to April 1 that led to the overthrow of President João Goulart by membe ...
: President João Goulart
João Belchior Marques Goulart (1 March 1919 – 6 December 1976), commonly known as Jango, was a Brazilian politician who served as the 24th president of Brazil until a military coup d'état deposed him on 1 April 1964. He was considered the ...
is removed from office, leading to a military dictatorship which lasted until 1985.
Ministry of Defence
On 10 July 1999, the Ministry of Defence was created, with the abolition of the EMFA and the merger of all three ministries of the Armed Forces (Army, Navy and Air Force) into a singular ministry of the Cabinet.
Joint Staff of the Armed Forces
Joint Staff of the Armed Forces is an agency of the Ministry of Defense of Brazil, which centralizes the coordination of command of the armed forces: Army, Navy and Air Force. It was created by Complementary Law No. 136 of 25 August 2010, and has in Ordinance No. 1429 its operating guidelines.
Advising the Minister of Defense in the upper direction of the armed forces, aiming the organization, preparation and employment, in order to fulfill its constitutional mission and its subsidiaries assignments, with the goals strategic planning and the joint use of the military services.
It is up to JSAF plan together and integrated employment of staff of the Navy, Army and Air Force, optimizing the use of the military and logistical support in the defense of the country and in peacekeeping, humanitarian and rescue operations; border security; and civil defense actions.
The body has its powers and duties according to the Regimental Structure approved by Decree 7.9744, April 1, 2013. Since its inception, the JSAF has worked with the Central Administration of the Ministry of Defence, on the Esplanade of Ministries in Brasilia (DF).
The head of the JSAF is private of a general officer of the last post, active or reserve, designated by the Ministry of Defence and appointed by the president. Their hierarchical level is the same of the military commanders of the Navy, Army and Air Force. Under the coordination of the Joint Armed Forces also operates the Committee of Chiefs of Staffs of the military services.
The current head of JSAF is the Army General Laerte de Souza Santos.
Brazilian Army
The Army High Command of Brazil is formed by the Army Commander and other army general
Army general is the highest ranked general officer in many countries that use the French Revolutionary System.
In countries that adopt the general officer four rank system, it is rank of general commanding an army in the field, but in coun ...
s in active service. The country current have sixteen active 4-star generals, several of then in command posts. The mission of ACE include the selection of a list of candidates to the post of commander, the prospection of regional and global political situations, among others roles. All Brazilian generals are graduates of the Brazilian Superior War School.
FORPRON
The ''Brazilian Army Readiness Forces'' (''Forças de Prontidão do Exército Brasileiro'' in Portuguese), is a division of the Army created to be ready for real combat 365 days per year. This division composed of 15,000 infantry troops, paratroopers and armored cavalry brigades is able to operate in real missions of conventional combat, law and order guarantee and interagency operations within the Brazilian territory or as divisional forces abroad led by officers from the ''General Staff of the Readiness Forces'' subordinate to the Army High Command.
File:Infantryy.jpg, Brazilian Army Infantry
Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and mar ...
File:MTC-300.jpg, Rocket artillery ASTROS
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
File:Cavalaria (28698736774).jpg, A Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support and can help maintain cohesion within a unit. It may also be used ...
of Brazilian M113s
File:Blindados em Rosário do Sul - RS (9919079464).jpg, Leopard 1A5 main battle tank
File:Cavalaria (29242889921).jpg, Leopard 1A5 in night shooting exercise
File:Cavalaria (29242886961).jpg, Brazilian VBTP-MR Guarani
The VBTP-MR Guarani ( Portuguese" ''Viatura Blindada Transporte de Pessoal – Média de Rodas''; "Armored Personnel Carrier Vehicle – Medium Wheeled Type" IFVs
File:Ministro Jaques Wagner assiste exercício de artilharia antiaérea do Exército (20161936520).jpg, Brazilian Flakpanzer Gepard
The ''Flugabwehrkanonenpanzer Gepard'' ("anti-aircraft-gun tank 'Cheetah, better known as the Flakpanzer Gepard) is an all-weather-capable German self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (SPAAG). It was developed in the 1960s, fielded in the 1970s, a ...
File:Exército Brasileiro (4968751470).jpg, Electronic Warfare
Electronic warfare (EW) is any action involving the use of the electromagnetic spectrum (EM spectrum) or directed energy to control the spectrum, attack an enemy, or impede enemy assaults. The purpose of electronic warfare is to deny the opponen ...
trucks
File:Cerimônia comemorativa do Dia do Soldado e de Imposição das Medalhas do Pacificador (QGEx - SMU) (20259054793).jpg, Brazilian Army Infantry
Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and mar ...
File:Junglee.jpg, Jungle Warfare
Jungle warfare is a term used to cover the special techniques needed for military units to survive and fight in jungle terrain.
It has been the topic of extensive study by military strategists, and was an important part of the planning for bo ...
infantry
File:Aviation Command.jpg, Airmobile
Air assault is the movement of ground-based military forces by vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft—such as the helicopter—to seize and hold key terrain which has not been fully secured, and to directly engage enemy forces behind ...
infantry with a AS565 Panther of the Aviation Command
File:Paratroopers.jpg, Brazilian Army Paratroopers
A paratrooper is a military parachutist—someone trained to parachute into a military operation, and usually functioning as part of an airborne force. Military parachutists (troops) and parachutes were first used on a large scale during World ...
File:Makunfron.jpg, Border Battalion
A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions a ...
Soldier
File:Specialforces.jpg, Army Special Forces
The United States Army Special Forces (SF), colloquially known as the "Green Berets" due to their distinctive service headgear, are a special operations force of the United States Army.
The Green Berets are geared towards nine doctrinal mis ...
File:Cerimônia comemorativa do Dia do Soldado e de Imposição das Medalhas do Pacificador (QGEx - SMU) (20880171605).jpg, Brazilian Army Infantry
Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and mar ...
Brazilian Navy
The navy ( pt, Marinha do Brasil, ) has eight bases throughout Brazil.
File:Operação "Poseidon 2021" (51474511477).jpg, Helicopter carrier ''Atlântico''
File:Operação Poseidon (51443464716).jpg, EC725
The Eurocopter EC725 Caracal, now called Airbus Helicopters H225M, is a long-range tactical transport military helicopter developed from the Eurocopter AS532 Cougar for military use. It is a twin-engined aircraft and can carry up to 28 seated ...
helicopter aboard ''Atlântico''
File:GLAM MB Piloto Caça Untitled-1 (36124829324).jpg, Brazilian Navy A-4 Skyhawk
The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a single-seat subsonic carrier-capable light attack aircraft developed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps in the early 1950s. The delta-winged, single turbojet engined Skyhawk was designed ...
File:Aspirantex 2020 (49488413213).jpg, Frigate ''Constituição'' underway
File:US Navy 110422-N-ZI300-115 The Brazilian navy frigate Bosisio (F 48) fires at an unmanned aerial vehicle during a drone exercise (DRONEX) with ship.jpg, Brazilian frigates
A frigate () is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied somewhat.
The name frigate in the 17th to early 18th centuries was given to any full-rigged ship built for speed and ...
in shooting exercise
File:GLAM MB IMG 4068 (28933649305).jpg, Corvette ''Barroso'' firing missile Exocet
The Exocet () is a French-built anti-ship missile whose various versions can be launched from surface vessels, submarines, helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.
Etymology
The missile's name was given by M. Guillot, then the technical director ...
File:Brazilian Navy Riachuelo S40.png, Submarine ''Riachuelo'' underway
File:Lançamento de Armas 2021 Exocet 11 (51279148576).png, EC725
The Eurocopter EC725 Caracal, now called Airbus Helicopters H225M, is a long-range tactical transport military helicopter developed from the Eurocopter AS532 Cougar for military use. It is a twin-engined aircraft and can carry up to 28 seated ...
firing an Exocet
The Exocet () is a French-built anti-ship missile whose various versions can be launched from surface vessels, submarines, helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.
Etymology
The missile's name was given by M. Guillot, then the technical director ...
missile
File:ABC 3561 (26818408105).jpg, Task Force with ''Bahia'' leading
File:Aeronaves UH 15 - Super Cougar (52098235541).jpg, Brazilian Navy squadron of EC725
The Eurocopter EC725 Caracal, now called Airbus Helicopters H225M, is a long-range tactical transport military helicopter developed from the Eurocopter AS532 Cougar for military use. It is a twin-engined aircraft and can carry up to 28 seated ...
s in flight
File:Operação Formosa 2014 (15481886779).jpg, Brazilian Marines ASTROS
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
system
File:Operação Ágata Norte 2022 - Operação Demonstrativa em Belém (PA) (52130022414).jpg, Brazilian Navy SOF (GRUMEC
The Combat Divers Groupment ( pt, Grupamento de Mergulhadores de Combate), abbreviated to GRUMEC, is a special operations and Counterterrorism unit of the Brazilian Navy.
The GRUMEC was created in 1974 and is subordinate to the Submarine Force, ...
)
File:Operação Formosa 2016 (30388031181).jpg, Brazilian Marines SOF (COMANF
The Marine Corps Special Operations Battalion, known as the Tonelero Battalion, located in the city of Rio de Janeiro, is the military unit of the Amphibious Commandos (COMANF), which are a troop of Special Forces of the Marine Corps of the Brazi ...
)
File:Aeronave ScanEagle em um lançador (52200554203).jpg, Brazilian ScanEagle
The Boeing Insitu ScanEagle is a small, long-endurance, low-altitude unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) built by Insitu, a subsidiary of Boeing, and is used for reconnaissance. The ScanEagle was designed by Insitu based on the Insitu SeaScan, a co ...
UAV
File:Fuzileiros Navais (32669765020).jpg, Brazilian Marines MOWAG Piranha
Brazilian Air Force
The Brazilian Air Force ( pt, Força Aérea Brasileira, , also known as ''FAB'', or ) is the second-largest air force in the Americas (behind only the United States) and has around 70,000 active personnel. The FAB is subdivided into four operational commands.
File:Brazilian Saab Gripen E (cropped).jpg, F-39E Gripen during an exercise
File:22 10 2021 Solenidade Militar alusiva ao Dia do Aviador e ao Dia da Força Aérea Brasileira (51619395824).jpg, KC-390
The Embraer C-390 Millennium is a medium-size, twin-engine, jet-powered military transport aircraft designed and produced by the Brazilian aerospace manufacturer Embraer. It is the heaviest aircraft the company has constructed to date.
Work on ...
in formation with F-5M and F-39E
File:Aeronave A-29 Super Tucano em voo sobre a Floresta Amazônica.jpg, A-29 Super Tucano
The Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano (English: ''Super Toucan''), also named ALX or A-29, is a Brazilian turboprop light attack aircraft designed and built by Embraer as a development of the Embraer EMB 312 Tucano. The A-29 Super Tucano carries a ...
patrolling the Amazon rainforest
File:Brazilian Air Force AMX air-to-air refuelling.jpg, AMX attack aircraft
File:Brazilian Gripen F-39E (cropped).jpg, F-39E Gripen multirole fighter
File:FAB2901 KC30 Brazilian Air Force.jpg, KC-30 with a pair of F-5M
File:Sábado Aéreo 2014 (15101174380).jpg, UH-60L helicopter
File:Embraer KC-390, Paris Air Show 2019, Le Bourget (SIAE0824).jpg, C-390 Millennium transport aircraft
File:R99 - RIAT 2007 (2370466415).jpg, Brazilian Air Force E-99 AEW&C
File:CRUZEX 2013 (10798689103).jpg, Two F-5M taking off in aerial alert
File:Ato do Movimento Brasil Verde e Amarelo - 51180579797.jpg, Brazilian Air Force EC725
The Eurocopter EC725 Caracal, now called Airbus Helicopters H225M, is a long-range tactical transport military helicopter developed from the Eurocopter AS532 Cougar for military use. It is a twin-engined aircraft and can carry up to 28 seated ...
File:P3am-orion.jpg, P-3AM Orion patrol aircraft
File:Revo02.jpg, Air Force KC-130
The Lockheed Martin (previously Lockheed) KC-130 is a family of the extended-range tanker version of the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft. The KC-130J is the latest variant operated by the United States Marine Corps (USMC), with 48 delivered ...
refuels H-36 Caracal over Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a ...
File:Vant Hermes 450 da FAB no aeroporto de Cáceres (MT) (8101398607).jpg, RQ-450 UAV
File:Infantaria.jpg, Brazilian Air Force Infantry
Air force ground forces and special forces are ground forces, and may include special operations units that are part of a nation's air force. Airmen assigned to such units may be trained, armed and equipped for ground combat and special operati ...
File:Parasar.jpg, Air Force SOF (Para-SAR
The Esquadrão Aeroterrestre de Salvamento (EAS) ( en, Airborne Rescue Squadron), known by its nickname Para-SAR, is a Brazilian Air Force special operations search and rescue squadron, based in the city of Campo Grande.
The unit has no aircraf ...
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Brazilian aerospace command
The Aerospace Operations Command is a Brazilian air and space command created in 2017 and is part of the Brazilian Air Force. It is responsible for planning, coordinating, executing and controlling the country's air and space operations. The Brazilian Navy
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, march= "Cisne Branco" ( en, "White Swan") (same name as training ship ''Cisne Branco''
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and Brazilian Army also are part of the organization.
Troop relocation
Brazil has the need to patrol its of land borders. Since the 1990s Brazil has been relocating its forces in accordance to this national security requirement.
Between 1992 and 2008, the ''1st, 2nd'' and ''16th Jungle Infantry Brigades'', the ''3rd Infantry Battalion'', the ''19th Logistics Battalion'', and the ''22nd Army Police Platoon'' were transferred by the Army
An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
from the states of Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a ...
and Rio Grande do Sul to the Amazon
Amazon most often refers to:
* Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek mythology
* Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin
* Amazon River, in South America
* Amazon (company), an American multinational technolog ...
region in accordance with the friendship policy with Argentina. After those redeployments the number of Army troops in that region rose to 25,000. Also relocated from the state of Rio de Janeiro were the ''1st'' and ''3rd Combat Cars Regiment'', now stationed in the city of Santa Maria, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul.
However, despite those efforts, the presence of the Armed Forces on the border regions of the Brazilian Amazon continues to be sparse and disperse, given the fact that the Army has just 28 border detachments in that area, a total of 1,600 soldiers, or 1 man for every of borders. More redeployments are expected since the states of Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais () is a state in Southeastern Brazil. It ranks as the second most populous, the third by gross domestic product (GDP), and the fourth largest by area in the country. The state's capital and largest city, Belo Horizonte (literally ...
and Espírito Santo
Espírito Santo (, , ; ) is a state in southeastern Brazil. Its capital is Vitória, and its largest city is Serra. With an extensive coastline, the state hosts some of the country's main ports, and its beaches are significant tourist attra ...
still concentrate over 49,000 soldiers. In May 2008, the Navy announced new plans to reposition its forces throughout Brazil.
Communications and territorial surveillance
The Brazilian territory corresponds to 47.3% of the South American continent, and its land border is over 16.000 km and 4,5 million km2 of sea territory. With the objective of ensuring Brazil's sovereignty, strategic monitoring and communications projects have been launched in recent years.
SGDC
The ''Geostationary Defense and Strategic Communications Satellites'' or ''SGDC'', are geostationary communication satellites developed by the Brazilian Air Force and the Brazilian Space Agency
The Brazilian Space Agency ( pt, Agência Espacial Brasileira; AEB) is the civilian authority in Brazil responsible for the country's space program. It operates a spaceport at Alcântara, and a rocket launch site at Barreira do Inferno. It is ...
, created with the objective of operating strategic military, government and civil communications, also offering broadband internet throughout the national territory. The first satellite called SGDC-1, was launched in 2017 and the SGDC-2 has planned to launch in 2022. The ''Space Operations Center'' (COPE) was inaugurated in 2020, subordinated to the Aerospace Operations Command, with the objective of operating the satellites.
SISFRON
The ''Integrated Border Monitoring System'' (SISFRON) is a border system developed by the Brazilian Army for supporting operational employment decisions, operating in an integrated manner with all defense systems in the country, whose purpose is to strengthen the presence and capacity for monitoring and action in the national land border strip. Was conceived at the initiative of the Army Command, as a result of the approval of the ''National Defense Strategy'' in 2008, which guides the organization of the Armed Forces. The ''SISFRON'' are deployed along the 16,886 kilometers of the border line, favoring the employment of organizations subordinate to the North, West, Southern and the Amazon military commands.
SisGAAz
The ''Blue Amazon Management System'', is a surveillance system developed by the Brazilian Navy
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, colors= Blue and white
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, march= "Cisne Branco" ( en, "White Swan") (same name as training ship ''Cisne Branco''
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, in order to oversee the Blue Amazon, the country's exclusive economic zone and a resource-rich area covering about off the Brazilian coast. This area is home to a huge diversity of marine species, valuable metallic minerals and other mineral resources
Natural resources are resources that are drawn from nature and used with few modifications. This includes the sources of valued characteristics such as commercial and industrial use, aesthetic value, scientific interest and cultural value. O ...
, petroleum
Petroleum, also known as crude oil, or simply oil, is a naturally occurring yellowish-black liquid mixture of mainly hydrocarbons, and is found in geological formations. The name ''petroleum'' covers both naturally occurring unprocessed crud ...
, and the world's second largest rare-earth
The rare-earth elements (REE), also called the rare-earth metals or (in context) rare-earth oxides or sometimes the lanthanides (yttrium and scandium are usually included as rare earths), are a set of 17 nearly-indistinguishable lustrous silve ...
reserve. The SisGAAz integrates equipment and systems composed of radars incorporated on land and vessels, as well as high resolution cameras and features such as the fusion of information received from collaborative systems.
Link-BR2
The ''Link-BR2'' is a datalink developed by the Air Force and the Brazilian defence company AEL Sistemas, this technology allow the exchange of data such radar information, videos and images with other units of the three branches anytime and anywhere, using an advanced encrypted protocol with a high degree of security.
See also
* Joint Staff of the Armed Forces
* Brazilian Naval Aviation
Brazilian Naval Aviation ( pt, Aviação Naval Brasileira; AvN) is the air arm of the Brazilian Navy operating from ships and from shore installations.
History
The Brazilian Naval Aviation branch was organized in August 1916, after creation of ...
* Brazilian Navy
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, colors= Blue and white
, colors_label= Colors
, march= "Cisne Branco" ( en, "White Swan") (same name as training ship ''Cisne Branco''
, mascot=
, equipment= 1 multipurpose aircraft carrier7 submarines6 frigates2 corvettes4 amphibious war ...
* Brazilian Army
* Brazilian Army Aviation
The Brazilian Army Aviation Command ( pt, Comando de Aviação do Exército) is a component of the Brazilian Army containing the army's helicopter units.
Tasks
The task of the Brazilian Army Aviation Command is to provide organic airmobility an ...
* Brazilian Air Force
* National Force of Public Safety
* National Defense Council (Brazil)
The National Defense Council (CDN) () is a consultative body of the President of Brazil on matters of national security, foreign policy, and defence strategy. The Council was established on 29 November 1927 by President Washington Luís. It is co ...
* Brazil and weapons of mass destruction
* Policing in Brazil
In Brazil, the Federal Constitution establishes eight law enforcement institutions - seven titulars and one auxiliar. The titular institutions are: the Federal Police, the Federal Highway Police, the Federal Railroad Police, the Federal Penal P ...
* Military Police of Brazilian States
* Rondas Ostensivas Tobias de Aguiar: Military Police of the State of São Paulo.
* BOPE: Special Police Operations Battalion of the Military Police of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
* Military Police of Rio de Janeiro State
The Military Police of Rio de Janeiro State ( pt, Polícia Militar do Estado do Rio de Janeiro) (PMERJ) like other military polices in Brazil is a reserve and ancillary force of the Brazilian Army, and part of the System of Public Security and ...
* List of Wars involving Brazil
* Military of the Empire of Brazil
The Armed Forces of the Empire of Brazil were the overall unified military forces of the Empire of Brazil. The Brazilian military was first formed by Emperor Dom Pedro I to defend the new nation against the Portuguese in the Brazilian War of I ...
References
Bibliography
*
*
External links
Brazilian Ministry of Defence
Brazil military profile
from the '' CIA World Factbook''
Brazil military guide
from GlobalSecurity.org
{{Military of South America