Brazilian Air Force
Key facts
Official Name | Brazilian Air Force |
Local Name | Forรงa Aรฉrea Brasileira |
Country | ๐ง๐ท Brazil |
World rank | #22 |
Active aircrafts | 530 as of 2025 |
Aircrafts on order | 145 |
Roundel |
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Overview
The Brazilian Air Force (FAB) is the largest in Latin America and is structured to provide air defense, surveillance, and power projection across the nation's vast territory. Its organization underwent a significant change in 2016, consolidating its operational flying units under a single Air Force Readiness Command (AFRC). This command is organized into 12 wings, each with a specific mission set, ranging from air defense to transport and reconnaissance. This structure is complemented by the Department of Airspace Control (DECEA), which manages a vast network of radars and air traffic control centers, crucial for monitoring the Amazon basin and Brazil's extensive borders.
The FAB's strategic doctrine, as outlined in national defense documents, is primarily focused on dissuasion and the defense of national sovereignty, with a particular emphasis on the Amazon region. This translates into an operational focus on surveillance, air superiority, and strategic mobility. The doctrine acknowledges the importance of space and cyber capabilities, designating them as strategic sectors for development alongside its nuclear program. While Brazil's strategic culture traditionally favors diplomacy over force, the air force is tasked with being prepared for combat to deter potential aggressors and is increasingly involved in peacekeeping operations as an instrument of foreign policy.
Recent operational activities have been dominated by humanitarian missions and joint exercises. Notably, the FAB was extensively involved in flood relief operations in Rio Grande do Sul, flying over 1,000 hours to rescue people and transport supplies. The service frequently participates in multinational exercises, such as CRUZEX, which it hosts to enhance interoperability with regional and international partners. These exercises provide valuable experience, as the FAB has not been involved in interstate combat in recent decades.
Efforts are made on the induction of new platforms and upgrading existing assets. The cornerstone of this is the acquisition of the Saab F-39 Gripen multirole fighter, which includes a significant technology transfer agreement allowing for local production by Embraer. This program aims to replace legacy fighter aircraft and establish a new level of air combat capability. Another key project is the Embraer KC-390 Millennium, a multi-mission transport and tanker aircraft designed to enhance strategic mobility and replace aging C-130s. Legacy fleets, such as the F-5 Tiger II and A-29 Super Tucano, are undergoing avionics and systems upgrades to maintain their operational effectiveness and ensure interoperability with newer platforms.
Origin countries of aircrafts
Country | Active Aircraft | |
---|---|---|
๐ง๐ท Brazil | 219 | |
๐ซ๐ท France | 165 | |
๐บ๐ธ United States | 115 | |
๐ฉ๐ช Germany | 48 | |
๐ช๐ธ Spain | 14 | |
๐ฎ๐ฉ Indonesia | 14 | |
๐ธ๐ช Sweden | 10 | |
๐ฎ๐น Italy | 10 | |
๐ฌ๐ง United Kingdom | 5 | |
๐ช๐บ Europe | 2 |
Evolution of Brazilian Air Force fleet
Aircrafts by type in 2025
Aircraft type | Active | |
---|---|---|
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206 | |
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130 | |
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125 | |
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65 | |
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4 |
Recent updates applied
The inventory shown below includes 1 recent update from events that occurred in 2025 to the Brazilian inventory.
Date | Aircraft | Active ฮ | Ordered ฮ |
---|---|---|---|
13 Jun 2025 | Gripen E | +2 | -2 |
The Brazilian Air Force took delivery of its 10th Gripen E [Source] |
Full inventory in 2025
Brazilian Air Force
Aircraft Type | Model | Origin Country | Model Year | Active | ๐ซ YoY | Ordered | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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F-5EM | ๐บ๐ธ | 1976 | 35 | -5 |
0 |
|
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Gripen E | ๐ธ๐ช | 1996 | 10 | +4 |
90 |
|
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AMX-A/T-1 | ๐ง๐ท ๐ฎ๐น | 1989 | 8 | -34 |
0 |
|
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F-5FM | ๐บ๐ธ | 1965 | 4 | 0 |
0 |
|
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AMX-T | ๐ง๐ท ๐ฎ๐น | 1989 | 2 | -6 |
0 |
|
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Gripen F | ๐ธ๐ช | 1996 | 0 | 0 |
8 |
|
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H125M/AS350 | ๐ซ๐ท | 1990 | 19 | 0 |
12 |
|
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S-70/UH-60L/M | ๐บ๐ธ | 1979 | 16 | 0 |
12 |
|
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H225M | ๐ฉ๐ช ๐ซ๐ท | 2005 | 13 | 0 |
3 |
|
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EMB-110 | ๐ง๐ท | 1973 | 44 | 0 |
0 |
|
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Cessna 208 | ๐บ๐ธ | 1984 | 30 | 0 |
0 |
|
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EMB-120 | ๐ง๐ท | 1985 | 17 | 0 |
0 |
|
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C295 | ๐ช๐ธ ๐ฎ๐ฉ | 2001 | 14 | 0 |
0 |
|
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ERJ-145 | ๐ง๐ท | 1997 | 14 | 0 |
0 |
|
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C/KC-390 | ๐ง๐ท | 2019 | 7 | +1 |
12 |
|
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Phenom 100 | ๐ง๐ท | 2008 | 2 | 0 |
4 |
|
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A330 | ๐ช๐บ | 1994 | 2 | +1 |
0 |
|
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EMB-314 | ๐ง๐ท | 1983 | 62 | 0 |
0 |
|
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EMB-312 | ๐ง๐ท | 1983 | 33 | -67 |
0 |
|
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EMB-314 (A-29) | ๐ง๐ท | 1983 | 30 | 0 |
0 |
|
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P-3AM | ๐บ๐ธ | 1962 | 4 | +1 |
0 |
Brazilian Army
Aircraft Type | Model | Origin Country | Model Year | Active | ๐ซ YoY | Ordered | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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H125M/AS550 | ๐ซ๐ท | 1990 | 33 | 0 |
0 |
|
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AS365/565 | ๐ซ๐ท | 1990 | 32 | -1 |
0 |
|
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H225M | ๐ฉ๐ช ๐ซ๐ท | 2005 | 14 | 0 |
2 |
|
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H215M/AS532 | ๐ฉ๐ช ๐ซ๐ท | 1978 | 8 | 0 |
0 |
|
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S-70 | ๐บ๐ธ | 1979 | 4 | 0 |
0 |
Brazilian Navy
Aircraft Type | Model | Origin Country | Model Year | Active | ๐ซ YoY | Ordered | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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A-4KU | ๐บ๐ธ | 1956 | 3 | 0 |
0 |
|
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TA-4KU | ๐บ๐ธ | 1956 | 3 | 0 |
0 |
|
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H125M/AS350 | ๐ซ๐ท | 1990 | 16 | -1 |
0 |
|
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H125/AS350 | ๐ซ๐ท | 1990 | 15 | 0 |
0 |
|
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H225M | ๐ฉ๐ช ๐ซ๐ท | 2005 | 13 | 0 |
2 |
|
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Bell 206 | ๐บ๐ธ | 1967 | 10 | 0 |
0 |
|
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S-70 | ๐บ๐ธ | 1979 | 6 | 0 |
0 |
|
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Lynx 21 | ๐ฌ๐ง | 1978 | 5 | 0 |
0 |
|
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H135 | ๐ซ๐ท | 1996 | 2 | 0 |
0 |