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BAF will use UAV on Border Surveillance
Brazilian Air Force - BAF trains to use Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in military operations, but its drone RQ-450 are also valuable in times of peace, as in border surveillance, aid in disaster situations and security actions. The information is from Brigadier Maximum Ballatore Holland from Brazilian Air Force Office. "Besides the military application itself, some of the characteristics can be exploited in civilian applications," he says.
The last UAV test happened during Rio+20, when the plane without a pilot transmitted live images to the central operations that took care of the safety of Rio de Janeiro. The scenario of the operational debut of the RQ-450, However, was in faraway Brazilian border with Colombia. During Agata 1 Operation, in August 2011, the UAV monitored clandestine airstrips and bombed it with fighter planes.
According to Brigadier Ballatore, as drones are capable to transmit alive images of interest areas, it´s possible to have a new dynamics on command areas, allowing a bigger intelligence data gain and a faster decision take. "The decision cicle is reduced. We can visualize and take decisions at the same time", explain.
In operations such as Agata, when besides the Armed Forces, participates public safety agencies and organizations such as IBAMA and the IRS, Air Force can provide information in accordance with demand of each organ. Images transmitted by digital links are obtained in color or black and white, when using the infrared mode that identifies people at night or in the treetops, for example. Furthermore, new UAV systems have improved communications, laser designator and are equipped with a latest generation radar that identifies mobile targets in the soil, through the function called MTI (moving target indicator). Such radar will equip KC-390, the future transport aircraft of Embraer.
On the other hand, who is on ground has difficulty to see RQ-450 in flight. With 10.5 meters distance between the tips of the wings and 6.1m in length, aircraft is painted in bright colors and can fly at altitudes up to 5.500 meters. Its noise is quite difficult to hear from ground. Each flight can last up to 16 hours, if necessary, a pair of aircraft maintain surveillance of an area of interest uninterruptedly.
Doctrine
The first two units are allocated in Horus Squadron, in Santa Maria Air Force Base, Rio Grande do Sul. Created in 2011, the unit has flown more than 600 hours with its RQ-450, in training that aimed not only to master the machine, but to do what the military calls a "development of doctrine". That is: not just have the aircraft in the air, but to know how to perform the flights. Brigadier Ballatore also noted that the data analysis is another challenge. "You must also have the ability to process information, which is not simple," he says.
One of the mesures adopted on Horus Squadroon was the definition that only pilots can have controlo f those drones. Despite not lead crew on board, the RQ-450 is controlled by a pair of soldiers who remain in a control booth on the ground. For this reason, the Air Force designates the drone Remotely Piloted Aircraft as ARP.
In fact, a mouse replaces the joystick, but the control remains in the hands of officers with flight experience, knowledge of the areas of operation and familiarity with the rules of airspace control. It is close coordination unit air carrier of UAV with the control units, subordinated to the Department of Airspace Control (DECEA), which ensures the safety of flights.
Investment of 48 million
The acquisition agreement signed with AEL Sistemas, a subsidiary of Israeli Elbit, was signed on December 21, 2010 and included the two RQ-450, a ground station, sensors and associated initial logistics. The investment was R$ 48,174,836.00. According to the Commission Program Coordinator Combat Aircraft (COPAC), the project also includes nationalization of important items, besides technology transfer and commercial compensation (offset).
The planning of COPAC, however, goes beyond this first double UAV. Considered small compared to the models already developed in other countries, the idea is to use them for the development of doctrine and then leave for bolder initiatives, as a Brazilian UAV.
No horizonte do planejamento da Força Aérea está o emprego de armas em aviões deste porte e até a transmissão de dados dos VANT para qualquer ponto do país com o uso de satélites também de fabricação nacional.
In Air Force planning is the use of weapons on aircraft of this size and even the data transmission from UAVs to anywhere in the country with the use of satellites also nationally manufactured.
Source: Brazilian Air Force