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.| Operation | Date | Air bases | Participants | Observers | Notes | Ref |
| Cruzex I | 2002 May | Canoas |  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 II | 2004 Nov | Natal | 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 I | 2004 26 Sep/10 Oct | Cerro 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 2005 | 2005 Nov | El Plumerillo Villa Reynolds | Mirage III, Mirage 5 Mara, A-4AR Fighting Hawk A-1 Falcao Mirage 50 Pantera A-37B Dragonfly | 45 aircraft | ||
| Cruzex III | 2006 Aug/Sep | Anapolis 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 IV | 2008 Nov | Natal | F-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 II | 2009 19-30/Oct | Cerro 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 I | 2010 4-15/Oct | Chile | 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 V | 2010 28oct/19nov | Natal | F-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 VI | 2013 2-15/Nov | Natal | 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 III | 2014 23 Apr/1 May | Perú | 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 III | 2014 6-17/Oct | Cerro 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 2018 | 2018 18-30/Nov | Natal | 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 |