Uruguayan Air Force


The Uruguayan Air Force is the air branch of the Uruguayan Armed Forces. Initially part of the National Army, the current FAU was formed as an independent branch on December 4, 1953.
The FAU is in charge of exercising the sovereignty of the Uruguayan air space, defending the independence and peace of the Republic, the integrity of its territory, its constitution, its laws and also making the necessary logistical support in natural disasters that the country may suffer, always acting under the command of the President of the Republic, according to the Minister of National Defense.

History

20th century

Military aviation in Uruguay was born on 17 March 1913 when the Military Aviation Academy 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, flight instruction was initially performed by a European instructor. Ten army officers formed the select group chosen to be the first Uruguayan military aviators.
Among them were Cpt 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 Cpt 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 Military Aeronautical School 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.

Military Aeronautics division

In 1935 the Military School of Aeronautics was transformed into a weapon dependent on the National Army, new units, air bases were created and it was named as Military Aeronautics.
The aircraft that were used during this period were Potez 25, A.2 TOE, Spad 13C.1, de Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth and IMAM Ro.37  . In the following decade, until the year 1948, aircraft such as the Potez 25 remained in service, as did the de Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth, which flew until 1949.
During 1942 Curtiss SNC-1 Falcon and North American T-6 Texan training aircraft began service, as did the Beechcraft AT-11 Kansan and Douglas C-47 Skytrain transports in 1947.
During the month of December 1949, members of a Uruguayan commission in charge of controlling the work to be carried out by the Grand Central Airport Company on North American B-25 Mitchell bombers and North American F-51 fighters were stationed in the United States. Mustang, which would be incorporated for service in Uruguay.
A total of 39 aircraft, among which were 25 North American F-51D Mustang and 11 North American B-25J Mitchell would arrive in the country between the years 1949 and 1950. They would later be integrated into Military Aeronautics with Aviation Groups No. 2 and Nº3.
The Uruguayan Air Force 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 1955 and 1958. The FAU also employed the 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.

Creation of the Uruguayan Air Force

Finally, on December 4, 1950, with Law Nº12,070, the Uruguayan Air Force was created independently, and all the elements of infrastructure, material, personnel and items belonging to the Military Aeronautics, were transferred to the new Force. Air, as established in the first article of said law. It is from this moment that the aircraft begin to receive the inscription "Uruguayan Air Force" on their fuselages and the acronym "FAU" written on the upper part of their right wings. The Artigas Flag was kept at the helm of the aircraft.
The figure of the Prócer de Uruguay, José Gervasio Artigas on a stamp of the Uruguayan Air Force.
In 1956 Uruguay entered the jet age with the arrival of four Lockheed T-33 jet trainers. Training on these aircraft, Uruguayan pilots would then go on to fly Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star jet fighters. Both aircraft operated with Aviation Group No. 2 in Carrasco.
In 1959, the Uruguayan Military Air Transport was founded to complement the national airline PLUNA to provide passenger and cargo services to different cities in the interior of the country as well as abroad. This service began to operate with the Douglas C-47 Skytrain. TAMU subsequently operated with Fokker F-27, Fairchild Hiller FH-227, CASA C-212 Aviocar and Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante aircraft. The Uruguayan Air Force grew in this foundation and later some new units such as the Air Commandos were created, but no radical changes were made.
In 1973, the Air Force received its first Bell UH-1 turbine helicopters, and in 1975, a total of five Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirantes were acquired, making it the first Embraer export in its entire history. In 1976 the combat fleet would be reinforced with the arrival of a total of 8 Cessna A-37B Dragonfly, and in 1980 that of helicopters with the arrival of two Bell 212s.
Embraer's first export. Delivery of the first Bandeirantes to the Uruguayan Air Force. São José dos Campos, Brazil, 1975.
In 1981, seeking to replace its veterans Douglas C-47 Skytrain, the Uruguayan Air Force acquired five CASA C-212 Aviocar in Spain, and the first FMA IA-58 Pucará would join the combat fleet.
Aiming for aerial photography and presidential relocation missions, a Gates Learjet 35 was purchased, but due to high maintenance costs, the aircraft was finally sold in 1988.
During 1992 two Lockheed C-130 Hercules were incorporated to carry out long-range missions and six Pilatus PC-7 Turbo Trainer trainers, which replaced the Beechcraft T-34 Mentors in the advanced flight training phases.
In 1998 the Air Force acquired two Beechcraft Baron 58s and Uruguay became the first operator of the Cessna 206H, of which a total of 10 units were received.  The following year, the Air Force selected the Aermacchi SF-260 as its new basic trainer, and a total of 13 aircraft were purchased to replace the Beechcraft T-34 Mentors of the Military School of Aeronautics.

Uruguayan Sovereign airspace

In 1919 the Paris Convention on Air Navigation was signed. It establishes that every state has sovereignty over the airspace above its territory. The territorial sea is included. Regular air services - commercial lines - must be authorized by the states. In other words, the overflight, the right to disembark and board passengers, merchandise, mail, etc., must be expressly authorized. Land is allowed for non-commercial reasons, to resupply, or in an emergency.

Present state of the Air Force

A substitute for the two Lockheed C-130B is needed in near time, despite the Program Depot Maintenance and major upgrade realized by Chilean aircraft manufacturer ENAER. Candidates are the EADS CASA C-295 and possibly Shaanxi Y-8 despite no official statement has been done.
In the medium and light transport branch Bandeirantes are being restored to flight by Algar Aviation in Brazil since the end of 2013. In 2009 two CASA C-212 were bought from Sweden as a temporary solution and another two former-Portuguese Air Force C-212-300 are to be incorporated in 2015. China has offered Harbin Y-12 and rumours about a purchase of some Cessna 208 were denied recently.
The Uruguayan Air Force is looking for a new fighter plane as its fleet of Dragonflies are reaching the end of their operative life. In May 2013 eighteen refurbished Sukhoi Su-30 MkI were offered by the Russian Federation and Sukhoi in remarkably favorable conditions that included credit facilities and an agreement branch for maintenance. These conditions were offered for the Yak-130 Mitten, too. By December 2013 Uruguayan personnel flew this plane in Russia. Current negotiations are ongoing.
According to Scramble a number of A-37B Dragonfly were purchased from the Ecuadorian Air Force in January 2014.
In August 2014 the Uruguayan and Swiss governments discussed a possible agreement for the purchase of ten Swiss Air Force Northrop F-5 plus engines, spare parts and training.
Also, the FAU showed interest on the IA-58D Pucará Delta modernization program offered by Fábrica Argentina de Aviones.

Aerodromes and Air Bases

Today the FAU comprises about 3000 personnel organized into three brigades and various support groups.
The Uruguayan Air Force also 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 has five bases. 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 are based at Capitán Boiso Lanza Air Base in Montevideo; Air Squadron 7 is based at Ángel S. Adami Airport, also in Montevideo; and the EMA is based at Gen. Artigas Air Base in Pando.
The Aeronautics Technical School is located in Toledo Sur in the Department of Canelones.

Aircraft

Current inventory

Rank structure

Officers wear their rank insignia on their sleeves; the insignia are nearly identical to that used by the RAF and air forces of Commonwealth nations.
Equivalent NATO Rank CodeRank in SpanishRank in EnglishCommonwealth equivalentUS Air Force equivalent
OF-8Teniente GeneralLieutenant GeneralAir MarshalLieutenant General
OF-7Brigadier GeneralMajor GeneralAir Vice-MarshalMajor General
OF-5CoronelColonelGroup CaptainColonel
OF-4Teniente CoronelLieutenant ColonelWing CommanderLieutenant Colonel
OF-3MayorMajorSquadron LeaderMajor
OF-2CapitánCaptainFlight LieutenantCaptain
OF-1Teniente PrimeroFirst LieutenantFlying OfficerFirst Lieutenant
OF-1Teniente SegundoSecond LieutenantPilot Officer
Second Lieutenant-
OF-DAlférezEnsignActing Pilot Officer-

Accidents and incidents

The following is a list of air accidents involving the Uruguayan Air Force.