The South American air forces performs several joint aerial combat training exercises. Among the more important are Cruzex (Portuguese: Exercício Cruzeiro do Sul) which is hosted by the Brazilian Air Force, salitre (English: Saltpeter) hosted by the Chilean Air Force and ceibo (English: Erythrina crista-galli flower) 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.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/00/A-4AR_Fightinghawk_%2816126730153%29.jpg/220px-A-4AR_Fightinghawk_%2816126730153%29.jpg)
The exercises include combat search and rescue, aerial refueling and combined air operations center training opportunities focused on interoperability.[1]
List of operations
editAll 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 | [2] | |
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 | [3] | |
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. | [citation needed] |
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. | [4][5] | |
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 | [1][6] |
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 official video | [7] |
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 | [8] | |
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 | [9] |
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 |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b AFSOUTH Airmen participate in Exercise SALITRE II
- ^ Ejercicio Salitre 2004 Archived 2007-10-29 at archive.today (in Spanish)
- ^ saorbats.com.ar CEIBO 2005 Archived 2007-10-28 at archive.today
- ^ FAB In CRUZEX IV Coalition Force's backstage
- ^ FAB CRUZEX IV Archived 2011-07-19 at the Wayback Machine (in Portuguese)
- ^ Empezó el ejercicio militar chileno 'Operación Salitre II' pese a críticas (in Spanish)
- ^ Cooperacion I at fach site
- ^ Cruzex V official site Archived 2010-08-17 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ http://www.fap.mil.pe/wrdp/?p=8460 [dead link]