South America air forces maneuvers


The South American air forces performs several joint aerial combat training exercises. Among the more important are Cruzex which is hosted by the Brazilian Air Force, Salitre hosted by the Chilean Air Force and Ceibo hosted by the Argentine Air Force. The goal is to train together in order to respond to a crisis or integrate into United Nations peacekeeping operations as a unified team; the United States Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force have also participated in some of these exercises in recent years.
The exercises include combat search and rescue, aerial refueling and combined air operations center training opportunities focused on interoperability.

List of operations

All helicopters are normally provided by the host nation and all the participants include different types of support aircraft.
OperationDateAir basesParticipantsObserversNotesRef
Cruzex I2002 MayCanoas Mirage III, F-5 Tiger II, A-1 Falcao, AT-27 Tucano, KC-137, R-95 Bandeirante, C-130 Hercules, P-95 Bandeirulha
A-4AR Fighting Hawk, IA-58 Pucará
A-37B Dragonfly
Mirage 2000, E-3 Sentry
65 aircraft
Cruzex II2004 NovNatal Mirage III, F-5 Tiger II, A-1 Falcao
A-4AR Fighting Hawk, KC-130 Hercules
Mirage 2000, E-3 Sentry, KC-135 Stratotanker
F-16A/B Fighting Falcon, Mirage 50
85 aircraft
Salitre I2004 26 Sep/10 OctCerro Moreno
Iquique
Mirage 50 Pantera, Mirage 5 Elkan, F-5 Tiger III, A-37B Dragonfly, EB-707 Cóndor, KB-707 Águila, LR-35 Learjet, C-212 Aviocar
Mirage III, Mirage 5 Mara, B-707, L-300 Hercules
F-5 Tiger II, KC-137
F-16C/D Fighting Falcon, KC-135 Stratotanker
57 aircraft
Ceibo 20052005 NovEl Plumerillo
Villa Reynolds
Mirage III, Mirage 5 Mara, A-4AR Fighting Hawk
A-1 Falcao
Mirage 50 Pantera
A-37B Dragonfly
45 aircraft
Cruzex III2006 Aug/SepAnapolis
Campo Grande
Uberlandia
Brasilia
Jatai
Mirage III, F-5 Tiger II, A-1 Falcao
A-4AR Fighting Hawk, IA-58 Pucará
A-37B Dragonfly
Mirage 2000, E-3 Sentry
A-37B Dragondly
F-16A/B Fighting Falcon, Mirage 50, F-5 Tiger II


103 aircraft and helicopters. Peru withdrew due to a crash of an A-37B Dragonfly at Porto Velho on the way to Anapolis which killed both pilots.
Cruzex IV2008 NovNatalF-5EM/FM Tiger II, A-1 Falcao
F-5 Tiger III
Mirage 2000
A-37B Dragonfly, IA-58 Pucará
F-16A/B OCU Fighting Falcon
98 aircraft. Argentina withdrew at last minute due to the Congress not authorizing the Air Force's aircraft to leave the country in time.
Salitre II2009 19-30/OctCerro Moreno
Iquique
F-16C/D Fighting Falcon, F-16AM/BM Fighting Falcon, F-5 Tiger III, EB-707 Cóndor, KB-707 Águila, Beech 99A Petrel, C-212 Aviocar
A-4AR Fighting Hawk, KC-130 Hercules
A-1 Falcao, KC-130 Hercules
F-15C Eagle, KC-135 Stratotaker, HC-130 Hercules, C-130 Hercules
Mirage 2000, E-3F Sentry, KC-135 Stratotanker


59 aircraft and helicopters. The exercise was criticized by Peru
Cooperación I2010 4-15/OctChile C-130 Hercules, DHC-6 Twin Otter, C-212 Aviocar, CJ-1, UH-60 Black Hawk, Bell 412, UH-1H Iroquois
UH-60 Black Hawk
C-130 Hercules
C-130 Hercules
L-100 Hercules, Bell 212
C-130 Hercules






Natural disasters relief training
Cruzex V2010 28oct/19novNatalF-5EM/FM, Mirage 2000, A-1 Falcao
F-16C/D
Rafale, Mirage 2000-5
IA-58 Pucará, A-37B Dragonfly
F-16C/D
98 aircraft
Cruzex VI2013 2-15/NovNatal F-5EM/FM Tiger II, Mirage 2000, A-1 Falcao, A-29 Super Tucano, UH-60 Black Hawk, Mi-35 Sabre, EC-725 Caracal, C-130 Hercules, C-295 Amazonas, R-99
C-130J Super Hercules
F-16AM/BM Fighting Falcon, KC-135 Stratotanker
A-37B Dragonfly, C-130 Hercules, KC-767
A-29 Super Tucano
IA-58 Pucará, A-37B Dragonfly, C-130 Hercules
F-16C/D Fighting Falcon, KC-135 Stratotanker
F-16A/B OCU Fighting Falcon, Y-8 Pegaso
91 aircraft and helicopters
Cooperación III2014 23 Apr/1 MayPerú L-100 Hercules, Mi-8 Hip, Bell 212
C-130 Hercules
C-295 Amazonas, UH-60 Black Hawk
CC-130J Super Hercules, CH-149 Cormorant
C-130 Hercules
C-295, Beech 350 King Air
C-130 Hercules, UH-1H Iroquois
C-130 Hercules



Natural disasters relief training
Salitre III2014 6-17/OctCerro Moreno
Iquique
F-16C/D Fighting Falcon, F-16AM/BM Fighting Falcon, F-5 Tiger III
A-4AR Fighting Hawk
F-5EM/FM Tiger II, KC-130 Hercules
F-16C/D Fighting Falcon, KC-135 Stratotaker
A-37B Dragonfly
51 aircraft
Cruzex 20182018 18-30/NovNatal F-5EM/FM Tiger II, A-1M, AF-1 Falcao, A-29 Super Tucano, EC-725 Caracal, K/C-130M Hercules, C-105 Amazonas, R-99, C-767
CC-130J Super Hercules
F-16AM/BM Fighting Falcon, KC-135E Stratotanker
CN-235
Mirage 2000, A-37B Dragonfly, L-100-20 Hercules, C-27J Spartan, Boeing 737-200
A-37B Dragonfly
F-16C/D Fighting Falcon, KC-135R Stratotanker
100 aircraft and helicopters