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Partnership between Potiguar University and Brazilian Air Force enables internship in the exercise
Undergraduate students of Journalism, Audiovisual Production and Publicity and Advertising will realize an internship in CRUZEX 2018
The Brazilian Air Force has partnered with the Potiguar University, in Natal (RN), to enable an internship of Social Communication students during CRUZEX 2018. During the training, thirteen university students of Journalism, Audiovisual Production and Publicity and Advertising will help with content production, such as news, articles, infographics, videos and podcasts, during the exercise coverage. The students will be supported by the Air Force Social Communications Center (CECOMSAER), the unit responsible for managing the communication processes, that has assembled a work cell to meet the demands of CRUZEX.
According to Thiago Garcia, the professor responsible for the interns, the students were chosen in line with theirs interests, profiles and aptitudes. For him, the partnership promotes the integrated growth of the students, both theoretically and practically. The professor explains that the contact with the labour market enables the intern to develop characteristics, abilities and competences related to their growth as citizens and ethical professionals. “I believe that they will develop relationship capacities with the managers of each sector in CRUZEX, which is an operation composed by processes, hierarchy, flows and systems, in addition to resilience, as the exercise characteristics impose”, says the professor.
One of the interns, Ana Aica Gomes da Costa, student in the fourth year of Journalism, tells that the invitation has aroused great interest in the group. It is an extremely new experience, a great chance of enrichment and professional growth. My expectation is that I can engage with dedication and learn everything I can about Journalism”, says the student, 19-year old.
According to Colonel Rodrigo Fontes, from CECOMSAER, the unit responsible for the partnership, this is not the first time that CRUZEX uses students of Social Communications. For him, it is an important opportunity of exchanging knowledge and of learning with real situations in an operational exercise of this proportion. “The training not only involves a big aerial effort with more than one hundred aircraft – thirty of them belongs to foreign countries -, it also involves several initiatives in the Communication area, in which there are more than 150 participating press professionals. In addition to this, there is the necessity of content production to be released in different platforms. For the interns and us, it is a great growth opportunity”, says him.
Texto: Lieutenant Tenente Gabrielli Dala Vechia
Photography: Seargents Bianca Viol e Marcela Perez
Translation: Lieutenant Ludmila Milhorance
FAB organizes press conference during CRUZEX 2018
About 100 press professionals and aviation specialized media participated in a press conference about the Cruzeiro do Sul Exercise - CRUZEX 2018 - this Monday (19). The Director of the exercise, General
Luiz Guilherme, presented the main aspects of the training e answered to the questions, accompanied by representatives of seven countries.
The Brazilian general talked about the goals, the structure and the schedule of CRUZEX. “The main goal is to improve interoperability, both with the Brazilian Army and Navy and also with foreign forces. That is why we need to train our combat equipments, that is, the personnel in ground and in flight”, highlights him.
The representative of the Chilean Air Force, Major-General Leonardo Romanini Gutiérrez, emphasized that the joint action among the countries is already constant. “There is a permanent cooperation among us, through the Cooperation System among American Airlines Forces. This Exercise serves as a training to improve interoperability in real situations”, says him.
For the Canadian militaries, knowing and working with other countries is important in the case of a a joint action necessity. “Our governments understand that it is important to create professional and personal ties so that we are able to work better together, if it's necessary”, comments Major Eric Willrich.
The Commander of Ala 149, American unit participating in the Exercise, Colonel Raul Rosario, thanked the support of the Brazilian Air Force since the planning of CRUZEX 2018 e also talked about the training goals. “The main goal is to operate together, like equals. Doing that in a safe way and increasing our level of preparation and readiness", says.
Text: Lieutenant Emília Maria
Photography: Seargent Bianca Viol
Translation: Lieutenant Ludmila Milhorance
CRUZEX - Exercise begins with familiarization and training flights
The first FAM-FIT takeoffs have already started in CRUZEX 2018
CRUZEX 2018 FAM-FIT flights started this morning (19). The initials FAM-FIT stand for Familiarization Flight (FAM) and Forces Integration Training (FIT). This initial phase is fundamental to the execution of the main scenarios of regular warfare, which will be trained with the Composite Air Operations (COMAO), and irregular warfare.
“The first two days of exercise are dedicated to the pilots that do not operate in Natal, including Brazilians. The goal is to adapt the pilots to the aerodrome and the region”, says the Chief of the Control Division of CRUZEX, Colonel Francisco Bento Antunes Neto.
FIT flights are a preparation to COMAO - also known as package flight, in which several aircraft (around 50), of different kinds, takeoff in sequence to execute actions that aim a main goal, in a limited space and time. In this kind of flights, there is a division of what is done in a integrated way in COMAO. Fighter and transport aircraft, for example, execute their mission isolatedly, so that they are ready to act together in the package flights, which begin next Wednesday (20)
While FAM flights only happens in the first two days, FIT flights follow the exercise and will be performed during the afternoon.
The first FAM flight was executed by Jambock Squadron (10 GAVCA), which operates Brazilian F-5M, together with the Chilean F-16. According to Major Mighel, from Jambock Squadron, there were two fighters from each country, executing a navigation flight in a pre-planned circuit. “These flights are important to familiarize Brazilian and foreign pilots with ground procedures, communication frequencies, takeoff and landing procedures, operation characteristics in the region and the exercise scenario”, says Major Miguel.
Text: Lieutenant Gabrielli Dala Vechia
Photography: Sargento Bianca Viol
Translation: Lieutenant Ludmila Milhorance
CRUZEX 2018 begins this Sunday (18) in Natal (RN)
The training gathers 13 countries and will happen until November, 30th
The opening of Cruzeiro do Sul Exercise - CRUZEX 2018 - happened this Sunday (18), with a general briefing and the official photo, that gathered almost 2000 Brazilian and foreign militaries and some of the aerial means that will participate in the Exercise organized by the Brazilian Air Force.
The Exercise Director, General Luiz Guilherme Silveira de Medeiros, emphasizes that the priority is to keep the operational security. The general also highlights the importance of exchanging experiences. “To achieve an adequate level of training, this exchange of experiences is essential. CRUZEX is also important because of the interoperability: the Army and the Navy will participate in this edition, including the unconventional war scenario, which is one of the main innovations in this edition”, says him.
The unconventional war scenario, mentioned by the Director, refers to a combat in the Armed Forces that is against insurgent or paramilitary powers and not against two constituted States. This is the kind of scenario found in the UN peacekeeping missions.
CRUZEX is a multinational operational exercise held by the Brazilian Air Force since 2002. It aims the joint training of conflict scenarios, promoting exchange of experiences between the participating countries.
This year's edition will happen in Ala 10, in Natal (RN), from November 18th and November 30th, and will gather 13 countries, including Brazil. It also will put together 2000 military personnel and 100 Brazilian and foreign aircraft. It is the largest joint multinational exercise promoted by the Brazilian Air Force.
Text: Lieutenant Emília Maria
Photography: Seargents Bianca Viol e Johnson Barros/CECOMSAER
Translation: Lieutenant Ludmila Milhorance
Cancellation of the United Kingdom's participation in CRUZEX 2018
The Direction of CRUZEX F2018 informs that the United Kingdom, that was going to participate as an observer, has cancelled its participation in the Exercise.
The other countries will still be in the air activities and all the scheduled events are maintained.
CRUZEX is the greatest multinational aerial combat exercise in South America, with the participation of about one hundred aircraft and 1,700 militaries from Brazil, Canada, Chile, France, Peru, Uruguay, United States, Bolivia, India, Sweden, Venezuela, Portugal and Germany.
Few days before the training, the Director of CRUZEX 2018 talks about the exercise
Few days before the training, the Director of CRUZEX 2018 talks about the exercise
General Medeiros, Commander of Ala 10 and Director of CRUZEX 2018, brings more details about the exercise, that will begin on November 18th.
Few days before the beginning of CRUZEX 2018, the greatest joint multinational exercise organized by the Brazilian Air Force, the training Director, General Luiz Guilherme Silveira de Medeiros, brings more details about it.
Which phase of CRUZEX is being executed in this moment?
A C-17 cargo aircraft from the United States has already arrived, on Thursday, 15th. However, it might not participate in the exercise. The other delegations are on the way here, as planned. The Brazilian squadrons are landing here in Ala 10. Today, in this aerodrome, we will have familiarization flights, known as FAM-FIT (Familiarization and Integration Training) to Brazilian pilots who do not usually fly here.
Why is CRUZEX so important? What kind of operational gains the Brazilian Air Force is expecting from this training?
The exercise is important for three reasons. First, because of the exchange of experiences. In 2002, the first edition of CRUZEX, we received three countries with aircraft and one sent a military observer. Today, we have seven countries that will participate with airplanes, and also the observers. That is, the evolution is clear. It is not for nothing that the number of interested people has increased. Second, CRUZEX is important because of the interoperability: in this edition, the Army and Navy will participate, even in the actions of unconventional war, which is one of the main innovations of this edition. In this kind of scenario, the conflict is not between two constituted States, but against insurgent powers. And, finally, the exercise is important because of the possibility of training our logistic and operational means. This is essential because, in the case of a conflict or of a displacement to attend a peace mission, we must have this expertise to execute it.
You talked about the evolution between the first edition and CRUZEX 2018. Could you mention any example of operational gains in the Air Force brought by this exercise over the years?
There are two important examples. Command and Control is one of them. Today, Brazil is highly developed and talks the same language of NATO countries. We can work in an integrated way with these countries. Another aspect is what we call shot validation, an activity that occurs in exercises like the Red Flag, from the United States Air Force. It is not only about reaching the targets, but evaluating the results and verifying how they are achieved. When we execute a simulation of in-flight weaponry employment, we are able of evaluating the levels of operational performance we have achieved. If the employment is real, it is much easier to do the verification, because we can see the armament hits the target. In the case of simulation, it is necessary to use systems in integrated ways.
During the trainings, will there be activities gathering different countries?
Yes. There will be in-flight refueling with aircraft from different countries, parachute launching performed by planes from other countries, among other examples. This is the most important part of exchanging experiences, because a great number of military that will be in action here have already been in conflict situations.
This is the first time we train the unconventional war scenario in CRUZEX. Why was it chosen for this edition?
The State necessities naturally evolve of the years. We have already trained our terrestrial means in peacekeeping missions, like the one happened in Haiti. Our naval assets have also been trained in the Lebanon mission, for example, that had a commander from the Brazilian Navy. Aerial means have only been used in transport missions. Now, we have entered a UN audit to use other aircraft in peacekeeping missions – for example, the Amazon C-105, H-6O Black Hawk and the Super Tucano A-29. These aircraft are already pre-approved to be employed. In the case of a necessity, we are ready to operate. So, the actions we will train in CRUZEX 2018 are tied to the unconventional war kind of conflict. These are very specific actions and, in these cases, the risk of collateral damage, that is, of reaching civilians or facilities that are not directly related to the conflict is very high.
Why investing in training in a pacific country like Brazil?
The Armed Forces belong to the Brazilian people. And, because of the characteristics of our country, they are more defense forces than attack forces; they serve to guarantee the defense of the country e its constituted powers. This is our mission e and the reason we have to be ready and this is why we are training here.
The Brazilian Air Force had a period of five years without CRUZEX. Why?
Between the last edition in 2013 and this edition, the country hosted major events, like the Confederations Cup, the World Cup and the Olympics. During these period, we had a great involvement of the three Armed Forces. We did not have enough resources to conduct an exercise of these proportions.
Interview By: Lieutenant Gabrielli Dala Vechia
Photography By: Seargent Bianca Viol
Translation By: Lieutenant Ludmila Milhorance
DIRINFRA will be present in CRUZEX 2018
The Board will serve specifically in infrastrucure support and in activities of fire protection
The Aeronautics Infrastructure Board (DIRINFRA) participates in Cruzeiro do Sul Exercise, held in Natal (RN), from November 18th to November 30th, serving in infrastrucure support and in activities of fire protection.Before the exercise begins, the Board was responsible for several actions, such as Chameleon Operation, in which the yard was painted, providing the horizontal signs of the spots reserved to the aircraft; the grouding system, responsible for protecting the aricraft case from atmospheric discharges; fireman training to handle different substances, like hydrazine (fuel); and the assembling of eleven small hangars.
“An operation of this proportion is an unique oportunity for exchanging information among the participating countries and also of improving the courses of actions in real situations. And for us, it is an honor to support techinically and logistically, as this operational exercise is the largest one in which the Brazilian Air Force participates in South America”, highlights the Director of Aeronautics Infrastructure, Major-General Sérgio de Matos Mello.
During CRUZEX, through the Fire Protection Division, DIRINFRA will support the fire protection, providing special vehicles in order to help in possible aeronautics emergencies, like the Fire Protection Cars (CCI) – vehicles prepared for fire protection and aerodromes rescuing.
Through the work of its personnel, besides the ones that belong to the local Fire Protection System, the teams will daily work to guarantee that event follows the security rules, as predicts the current legislation. The militaries will also act preventing accidents and cleaning the runways to avoid objetcs that might cause risks to aviation.The Aeronautics Infrastructure Board (DIRINFRA) has as its mission: to plan, to standardize and to manage the activities related to real estate assets, field engineer equipment, environmental management and fire protection.
Text By: Lieutenant Anelise da Silva
Edited By: Lieutenant Emilia Maria
Translation By: Lieutenant Ludmila Milhorance
Photograph: DIRINFRA
Understand how International Humanitarian Law applies in operational exercices
Application of principles such as distinction, military necessity, limitation and proportionality is observed in trainings such as CRUZEX
International Humanitarian Law, also known as International Law of Armed Conflict is the set of rules, agreed in an international scenario, that organizes and guides signatories military actions in cinflict contexts. Brazil has signed multilateral treaties regarding these questions. Military trainings, as CRUZEX 2018 operational exercise, conducted by the Brazilian Air Force, are executed based on these principles.Colonel André Luiz dos Santos Caldeira, who has took courses and in specialisations on International Law in Italy and Minas Gerais Federal University (UFMG), explains that the exercises are organized in accordance with the principles of Distinction, Military Necessity, Limitation and Proportionality. “All our exercise planning takes those issues into consideration. It is the professional improvement of preparation and use of military power; in the Air Force case, the Air Power”, said the officer, who acts in the Staff of Aeronautics (EMAER).
According to Colonel Caldeira, the International Law of Armed Conflict expresses the international legal framework, aiming to safeguard the life of those that are not directly related to the conflict, also adding the professional organization of means and methods for the Armed Forces employment. “That way, collateral damages – those that inevitable – will be directly connected to the conflict context”, explains.
The principle of Distinction, according to him, emphasizes that the attacks must be strictly restricted to the military goals - “targets” - whose destruction, total or partial, capture or neutralization, offers and efective military advantage in relation to the opponent. “The selection of targets undergoes a thorough analysing process, taking into account the aspects of distinction, considering the target relevance to achieve the mission planned results”, says the colonel.Another principle, Miltiary Necessity, related to the previous principle, emphasizes the idea that “the military power is employed against well-selected and essential targets, to guarantee the success of the planned actions”, says the officer.
The principle of Limitation refers to the fact that the warring parties must observe that not all methods and means are viable in a conflict. There are restrictions, like the use of chemical and biological weapons, for example.
Finally, there is the principle of Proportionality, which is related to the collateral damage caused when the target is reached: the relationship between the necessity of employing the military power against a certain target, the way it will be done and the caused damages is analysed considering this principle.
Colonel Caldeira explains that, even in peacetime, the Air Power employment in actions of sovereignty maintenance of the Brazilian Airspace, observes thoroughly the application of all these principles. “The Brazilian Armed Forces, through military exercises and manoeuvres, are in consonance with the well-established international principles, improving the preparation and employment of military power, and keeping themselves ready and in conditions to act in any kind of scenario”, says him.
Text By: Lieutenant Gabrielli dala Vechia
Photograph: Seargent Johnson and Soldier Wilhan Campos/CECOMSAER
Translation By: Lieutenant Ludmila Milhorance
Communication and control squadrons from all over the country mobilize personnel and equipments
Complex logistics for CRUZEX 2018 involved air and ground transportation to dislocate military antennas and radars
All the squadrons from the First Group of Communication and Control (1st GCC) were mobilized to expand the radar cover, increase communication capacities among the aricraft, enable real-time combat evaluation, among others, during CRUZEX 2018. Five squadrons have dislocated personnel, radars, antennas and other equipments to different cities of the Northeast Region, involving a complex logistics of air and ground transportation – which lasted more than a month.
The Prophet Squadron (1st/1stGCC), situated in Santa Cruz – Rio de Janeiro (RJ), took strcutures and personnel to the cities of Assú (RN), Natal (RN), Sousa (PB), Santa Terezinha (PE) and Recife (PE). To do that, C-130 Hercules made two trips between the two capitals, besides the terrestrial dislocations to the smaller cities.
The Mangrulho Squadron (4st/1st GCC), from Santa Maria (RS), dislocated a TPS-B34M kind of radar to the city of Caicó, in the countryside of Rio Grande do Norte. During CRUZEX 2018, the equipment will have the main function of providing greater radar coverage in the region, expanding traffic visualization, which will be controlled by the Third Integrated Center of Air defense and Air Traffic Control (CINDACTA III), situated in Recife (PE). To transport the radar and the other equipments, a C-130 Hercules aircraft was also used. It covered a distance of more than 4,000 km between the locations, in each of the four required dislocations.
The Bat Squadron's (3rd/1st GCC) headquarter is in Natal (RN), where CRUZEX 2018 will take place. The unit has a Precision Approach Radar, whose capacity will be used during the training. Besides that, the sqaudron has also assembled a communication structure in Maxaranguape (RN), where the Brazilian Air Force has a shooting range.
The other two squadrons, Spider (2nd/1st GCC) and Zagal (5th/1st GCC), situated in Canoas (RS) and Porto Velho (RO), respectively, have dislocated military personnel to act in the exercise.
Check the infographic: Mobilization of Comunication and Control Squadrons
According to Colonel Cyro Cruz, Commander of the 1st GCC, which is the unit responsible for all the communication and control squadrons, the role of these units is essential to the execution and securtiy of the air activities during CRUZEX 2018. “The structure is ready for the training beginning. During the exercise we are fulfilling the mission of our unit: install, operate and mantain detection and communication means in places where they are insuficient or with no infrastructure for such a large demand of different types of flight, with different performances and altitudes, all at the same time. It is also a great oportunity to validate our operational logistics capacity, mobilizing equipments and personnel in the Group and its five squadrons, to execute the most importante training in the Brazilian Air Force, this year”, says him.
Translation: Lieutenant Ludmila Milhorance
FAB’s delegation visit Natal’s surroundings to talk about CRUZEX
A community in the region is being informed about the movement that will happen in November
This Monday (5), a delegation composed by 19 militaries from Ala 10, an Air Force unit located in Parnamirim (RN), visited Pureza, a city in the east side of Rio Grande do Norte, where the Maxaranguape Shooting Range is located The visit had the aim of preparing the population to the air and land movements that will take place in the city during Cruzeiro do Sul Exercise (CRUZEX), which will be held from November 8th to November 30th, in Ala 10 and Maxaranguape.
In the public schools of Pureza, they received information about the activities that will occur in shooting range. The residents heard, for example, that all the predicted operations follow national and international flight security protocols for military aviation.
One of the institutions visited was the Jarbas Passarinho Municipal School, in which students from 11 classes from 5th to 9th grade participated in the lectures.“The militaries were well received, the students asked lots of questions and came out well informed. Now they are calm and curious, waiting for the beggining of this operation to see the airplanes in the sky”, says Francisca de Paula Batista Costa, Educational Coordinator.
During the visit to Maria Antonia State School, the student Renata Lopes de Araújo, 10 years old, had the first contact with the Brazilian Air Force military. “People from the Air Force was very nice, they gave us a little comic book that explains everything they do and they told us not to worry, because the planes in the sky will be in the training and everything is controlled by them, there is no danger”, tells the student.Besides the schools, a public hearing was held in the city, attended by representatives of civil society, such as the Catholic and Evangelical churches, and government. Information material is also being distributed in schools of Natal and Parnamirim, as well as the residents’ associations of Parmamirim, where Ala 10 is located, a FAB’s unit that will host the Operation. During the operation, an average of two hundred landings and takeoffs per day is expected, an aerial movement 2.5 times greater than what is normally recorded when the squadron of Ala 10 operation. In additionm there will be parachute launching.This is why the Air Force has mobilized a team of military personnel, under the coordination of the Air Force Social Communication Center (CECOMSAER), to talk with the communities of Natal, Parnamirim and Pureza and their representatives, as those cities are directly involvedin CRUZEX. “We know that an exercise of this proportion alters the region routine, with fighter aircraft, helicopters and parachute launching, what escapes the daily life of the residentes.However, the airspace protection training and the exchange with other Forces provide an increase in FAB’s capability levels, says Porém, o treinamento de proteção do espaçoaéreo e o intercâmbio com as outrasForçasproporcionamelevação do nível das capacidades da FAB", emphasizes the Chief of the Corporate Communications Division of CECOMSAER, Colonel Aviator Rodrigo Fontes de Almeida.
Other informative actions
Representatives of Parnamirim, Natal and Pureza(RN) and Parnamirim’s residents associations attended meetings in Ala 10 to talk about the exercise, on October 25thand 26th. Visitors participated in a lecture about CRUZEX and knew the operational area of Ala 10. In addition to Natal, Parnamirim and Pureza, information is also being sent to the media and opinion makers from the cities of Rio do Fogo, JoãoCâmara, Caicó and Mossoró, in Rio Grande do Norte, and Souza, in Paraíba. These cities are inserted in the aircraft overflight areas during the operation.
The movement of more than two thousand participants will be noticed mainly by the residents of the region of Natal and Parnamirim, areas that will have tourist activity and benefits to the service sector, since the visitors will be hosted outside the military bases. The exercise will involve about two thousand people, 1,200 Brazilian and foreign military visitors, who will arrive in the potiguar capital from November 15th on.
Text By: Lieutenant Juliana Lopes
Edited By: Lieutenant Emilia Maria
Translation By: Lieutenant Ludmila Milhorance
Photography By: Soldier Simplicio/Ala 10