Uruguayan Air Force

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= Uruguayan Air Force
"Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya"


caption=
country= flagicon|Uruguay Uruguay
dates= 1 April 1935 - Present
allegiance=
branch= Air Force
type=
role= "To defend the honor, the independence, and the peace of the Republic, the integrity of its territory, its constitution and its laws. To be an exemplary Air Force, though small according to the possibilities of the country, with a high degree of professionalism and skill, with modern and suitable equipment, capable of dissuasion and being a pride to the nation." [Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya, (2008). " [http://www.fuerzaaereauruguaya.com/mision.html] ". Retrieved 2 October 2008.]
size= 3,000 personnel
command_structure=
garrison= Captain Boiso Lanza Air Base, Montevideo
garrison_label= |equipment=
equipment_label=
nickname=
patron=
motto= "La aviación vanguardia de la Patria"
Aviation vanguard of the homeland
colors=
colors_label=
march=
mascot= Tero
battles=
anniversaries= 17 March: Air Force Day
10 August: Day of the Martyrs of Military Aviation
decorations=
battle_honours=
current_commander= Gen. Enrique A. Bonelli
current_commander_label=
ceremonial_chief=
ceremonial_chief_label=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
colonel_of_the_regiment_label=
notable_commanders=
identification_symbol=
identification_symbol_label= Roundel
identification_symbol_2=
identification_symbol_2_label= Fin Flash
aircraft_attack= IA-58
aircraft_bomber=
aircraft_electronic=
aircraft_fighter= A-37
aircraft_interceptor=
aircraft_recon=
aircraft_patrol= EMB-110
aircraft_trainer= T-41, SF.260, PC-7, B-58
aircraft_transport= C-130, C-212, EMB-120, UH-1, Bell 212, AS-365, U206, D50The Uruguayan Air Force ("Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya" or "FAU") is one of the three main branches of the Armed Forces of Uruguay under the Uruguayan Ministry of Defense. The current head of the force is General of the Air Enrique A. Bonelli.

History

The birth date of military aviation in Uruguay was 17 March 1913 when the Military Aviation Academy ("Escuela de Aviación Militar") was formed at a small airport 50 km from Montevideo. The first aircraft were a Farman Longhorn biplane and a Blériot XI monoplane. As with many other Latin American countries the first flight training was performed by a European (in this case French) instructor. Ten army officers formed the select group chosen to be the first Uruguayan military aviators. Among them were Cap't Juan Manuel Boiso Lanza and Lt. Cesáreo L. Berisso. Boiso Lanza was the first fatality of the FAU, dying in a plane crash on 10 August 1918; he later became the namesake of Cap't Boiso Lanza Air Base in Montevideo, the current FAU headquarters. Berisso became the first commander of the Air Force flight school and was later the namesake of Gen. Cesáreo Berisso Air Base in Carrasco, the headquarters of Air Brigade I.

Along with two other young officers, Adhemar Saenz Lacueva and Esteban Cristi, they gained their military aviator rating in Argentina and Chile and formed the Aeronautical Military Academy ("Escuela Militar de Aeronáutica", EMA) on 20 November 1916. This school was the only military aviation facility in Uruguay until 1935. Several European aircraft types were used in fairly large numbers during the twenties, among them sixteen Avro 504Ks, thirteen Breguet 14s, five Castaibert 913-IVs, twenty-eight Nieuport 27s. These pioneering years saw many air routes opened and an overall increase in the awareness of the military potential of this nascent force.

The EMA evolved into the air force as we now know it. In 1935 the school was transformed into the Military Aeronautics division ("Aeronáutica Militar",) and five units were created as well as several airbases. Typical aircraft of the thirties and forties were European types like the Potez XXV A.2 TOE, the SPAD S.VII and S.XIII, the de Havilland DH 82A, and the IMAM Ro.37; but this era also saw the transition to aircraft of American pedigree. Beech AT-11 and Douglas C-47 transports, Waco JHD and NAA Texan trainers, and NAA B-25J bombers were used in this period. The arrival of F-51 Mustangs in the early 50s notably enhanced the capabilities of the air force. There were now nine Aviation Groups and the Military Aeronautics division was officially renamed the Military Air Force ("Fuerza Aérea Militar") on 4 December 1952. This change in nomenclature was important because it signified the independence of the branch from the army command structure. The new force was reorganized into three commands (tactical, training, and material) and a brigade structure was implemented along with a fully-staffed headquarters.

The Uruguayan Air Force ("Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya", FAU) grew from this foundation. Later, some new units were created such as the Aerial Commands, but no radical changes were made. The FAU received its first jets when Lockheed T-33s and F-80s arrived in 1956 and 1958. The FAU also employed the little-known de Havilland Chipmunk, using 10 from 1954 to 1962. The first helicopters were Bell 47s and Hiller H-23Fs, followed by the venerable Bell UH-1B Hueys.

Organization

The FAU today comprises about 3000 personnel organized into three brigades and various support groups.

:Air Brigade I was founded as Nº1 Aeronautics on 1 April 1936. It originally consisted of eight Potez XXV biplanes. Today, the brigade includes the Central Office for Assistance and the Carrasco Central Coordinator for Rescue. It also includes ::Nº3 Squadron (Transport) and::Nº5 Squadron (Helicopters). :Air Brigade II includes::Nº1 Squadron (Attack Aircraft),::Nº2 Squadron (Fighters), ::the "Advanced Flight" Squadron, and::the "Liaison" Squadron. :Air Brigade III includes ::Nº7 Squadron (Observation & Liaison).

In addition to these, the Uruguayan Air Force includes Service divisions for Logistics, Communications and Computer Science, Information, Infrastructure, Maintenance, Meteorology, Health, Remote Aerospace Sensors, and Transport. The FAU is involved in search and rescue, disaster assistance, and transportation to remote locations within the country.

The Uruguayan Air Force currently operates 5 air fields. Air Brigade I is based at Gen. Cesáreo L. Berisso Air Base at Carrasco International Airport () near Carrasco; Air Brigade II is based at 2nd Lt. Mario W. Parrallada Air Base at Santa Bernardina International Airport () in Durazno; Air Brigade III, the high command, and the Command School ("Escuela de Comando y Estado Mayor Aéreo") are based at Cap't Boiso Lanza Air Base in Montevideo; Air Squadron 7 is based at Angel San Adami International Airport (), also in Montevideo; and the EMA is based at Gen. Artigas Air Base in Pando. [Aeroflight, (2008). " [http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/waf/americas/uruguay/Uruguay-af-bases.htm] ". Retrieved 2 October 2008.]

The Aeronautics Technical School ("Escuela Técnica de Aeronáutica") is located in Toledo Sur in Canelones Province. [Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya, (2008). " [http://www.fuerzaaereauruguaya.com/escuelas.html] ". Retrieved 2 October 2008.]

Order of Battle

! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Aircraft! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Versions! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service"World Military Aircraft Inventory", Aerospace Source Book 2007, "Aviation Week & Space Technology", January 15 2007.] ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes
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Cessna A-37 Dragonfly
USA
attack/fighter
A-37B
12
Air Brigade II, Nº2 Squadron
-----
FMA IA 58 Pucará
ARG
attack
A-58
5
Air Brigade II, Nº1 Squadron
-----
Lockheed C-130 Hercules
USA
transport/utility
C-130B
2
Air Brigade I, Nº3 Squadron
-----
Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante
BRA
transport/utility
C-95
3
Air Brigade I, Nº3 Squadron
-----
Beechcraft Twin Bonanza
USA
transport/utility
D50
1

-----
CASA C-212 Aviocar
ESP
transport
C-212-200
3
Air Brigade I, Nº3 Squadron
-----
Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia
BRA
transport
EMB-120
1
Air Brigade I, Nº3 Squadron
-----
Cessna 206 Stationair
USA
utility/liaison
U206H
10
Air Brigade II, "Liaison" Squadron; &
Air Brigade III, Nº7 Squadron
-----
Beechcraft B58 Baron
USA
trainer/liaison
B-58
2

-----
Aermacchi SF.260
ITA
trainer
T-260 EU
12

-----
Pilatus PC-7 Turbo Trainer
SUI
trainer
AT-92
6
Air Brigade II, "Adv. Flight" Squadron
-----
Cessna T-41 Mescalero
USA
trainer
T-41D
7
Air Brigade III, Nº7 Squadron
-----
Aerospatiale AS 365 Dauphin
FRA
liaison/transport
AS 365
1
Air Brigade I, Nº5 Squadron
-----
Bell 212 Twin Huey
USA
transport/utility
Bell 212
4
Air Brigade I, Nº5 Squadron
-----
Bell UH-1 Iroquois
USA
transport/utility
UH-1H
6
Air Brigade I, Nº5 Squadron

ee also

* History of Uruguay
* Uruguayan Army
* Uruguayan Navy, which includes a Naval Aviation contingent
* Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571

References

External links

* [http://fau.gub.uy Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya] - Official website (in Spanish)
* [http://www.pilotoviejo.com "Memories of Flight Time"] (in Spanish)
* [http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/waf/americas/uruguay/Uruguay-af-home.htm Aeroflight: Uruguay Air Force] (in English)
* [http://www.xairforces.net/airforces.asp?id=45 "www.xairforces.com"] (in English)