33 Squadron (Portugal)
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552 Squadron "''Zangões''" (''Esquadra 552'') is a transport
helicopter A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which Lift (force), lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning Helicopter rotor, rotors. This allows the helicopter to VTOL, take off and land vertically, to hover (helicopter), hover, and ...
squadron of the
Portuguese Air Force The Portuguese Air Force () is the air force, aerial warfare force of Portugal. Locally it is referred to by the acronym FAP but internationally is often referred to by the acronym PRTAF. It is the youngest of the three branches of the Portuguese ...
(PoAF). Its based at Air Base No. 11 (, BA11), at Beja, and operates the AgustaWestland AW119 in transport and helicopter instruction roles.


Mission

It has the primary mission of executing tactical air transport operations and the secondary missions of providing basic and complementary flying training in helicopters, providing combat air support, executing general air transport operations and executing search and rescue operations. In addition to providing helicopter instruction for the Air Force, the squadron also has trained pilots of the Navy's helicopter squadron and pilots and ground crews of the Army's UALE.


History

Created on 24 November 1978, the 552 Squadron has inherited the traditions of all former
Portuguese Air Force The Portuguese Air Force () is the air force, aerial warfare force of Portugal. Locally it is referred to by the acronym FAP but internationally is often referred to by the acronym PRTAF. It is the youngest of the three branches of the Portuguese ...
squadrons that operated the Sud Aviation Alouette III. After the
Carnation Revolution The Carnation Revolution (), code-named Operation Historic Turn (), also known as the 25 April (), was a military coup by military officers that overthrew the Estado Novo government on 25 April 1974 in Portugal. The coup produced major socia ...
a major reorganization occurred in the
Portuguese Armed Forces The Portuguese Armed Forces () are the military of Portugal. They include the General Staff of the Armed Forces, the other unified bodies and the three service branches: Portuguese Navy, Portuguese Army and Portuguese Air Force. The Presi ...
with many helicopters squadrons returning from the oversea colonies and being assigned to 33 Squadron based at Air Base No. 3 (BA3) and to the Helicopter Group () of Air Base No. 6 (BA6). In 1978 another reorganization in the Air Force lead to the renaming of the 301 Operational Group () to 301 Operational Group, with the new formed 111 Squadron – dedicated to Aviocar and Alouette III training – and 552 Squadron, and the 61 Operational Group (, GO61), with the 551 Squadron (Alouette III) and 751 Squadron ( Sud Aviation Puma). Upon its creation 552 Squadron's primary missions was tactical air transport, airborne operations,
medical evacuation Medical evacuation, often shortened to medevac or medivac, is the timely and efficient movement and en route care provided by medical personnel to patients requiring evacuation or transport using medically equipped air ambulances, helicopters and ...
, special operations, and logistic air support, as well the secondary missions of general air transport and offensive operations of
close air support Close air support (CAS) is defined as aerial warfare actions—often air-to-ground actions such as strafes or airstrikes—by military aircraft against hostile targets in close proximity to friendly forces. A form of fire support, CAS requires ...
. In 1982, the '' Rotores de Portugal''
helicopter A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which Lift (force), lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning Helicopter rotor, rotors. This allows the helicopter to VTOL, take off and land vertically, to hover (helicopter), hover, and ...
flight demonstration team was reactivated in 552 Sqn. with two helicopters, having the team been originally integrated in 33 Squadron when created in April 1976. During the early 1990s the team was integrated with 111 Sqn., operating three helicopters. With the disbandment of 551 Squadron in October 1986, all personnel and helicopters of that squadron are transferred to the 552 Squadron, which also receives from that squadron the secondary mission of
search and rescue Search and rescue (SAR) is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger. The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, typically determined by the type of terrain the search ...
(SAR). 552 Sqn. also inherited the SAR detachment then maintained by 551 Sqn. at Maneuvers Airfield No. 2 (, AM2; former Air Base No. 7, BA7), in Aveiro; this SAR detachment was later deployed to Maneuvers Airfield No. 1 (AM1) at
Ovar Ovar ( or ) is a city and a municipality in Aveiro District, Baixo Vouga Subregion in Portugal. The population in 2011 was 55,398, in an area of 147.70 km2. It had 42,582 eligible voters (2006). The municipality includes two cities: Ovar (16 ...
. At this time PoAF had 26 operational helicopters. On 18 November 1993, 552 Sqn. was moved to Air Base No. 11 (BA11), in Beja, due to the deactivation of BA3 on 29 December 1993. In 2005, the ''Rotores de Portugal'' were reactivated in 552 Sqn. with three helicopters.


Lineage

* Constituted as ''Esquadra 33'' (33 Squadron) in 1970 : Disbanded in 1978 * Reformed as ''Esquadra de Transporte Táctico 552'' (552 Tactical Transport Squadron) on 28 November 1978 : Re-designated: ''Esquadra 552'' (552 Squadron) in October 1986


See also

*
Portuguese Air Force The Portuguese Air Force () is the air force, aerial warfare force of Portugal. Locally it is referred to by the acronym FAP but internationally is often referred to by the acronym PRTAF. It is the youngest of the three branches of the Portuguese ...
*
Portuguese Colonial War The Portuguese Colonial War (), also known in Portugal as the Overseas War () or in the Portuguese Empire, former colonies as the War of Liberation (), and also known as the Angolan War of Independence, Angolan, Guinea-Bissau War of Independence ...
* '' Rotores de Portugal'' * Exercise Real Thaw


References

{{reflist, refs= {{cite web, url=http://www.emfa.pt/www/po/esquadra/comandante-552, title=''Biografia do Comandante da Esquadra 552 – "Zangões"'', publisher=Esquadra 552, access-date=2 March 2013, language=pt, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502050238/http://www.emfa.pt/www/po/esquadra/comandante-552, archive-date=2 May 2014, url-status=dead {{cite web, url=http://www.emfa.pt/www/po/esquadra/sobre-552, title=''Sobre a Esquadra 552 – "Zangões"'', publisher=Esquadra 552, access-date=2 March 2013, language=pt, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502000001/http://www.emfa.pt/www/po/esquadra/sobre-552, archive-date=2 May 2014, url-status=dead {{cite web, url=http://www.emfa.pt/www/esquadrasdetalhe.php?lang=pt&cod=e552 , title=''Esquadra 552 – "Zangões"'' , date=18 January 2012 , publisher=Portuguese Air Force , access-date=2 March 2013 , language=pt , url-status=dead , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118165247/http://www.emfa.pt/www/esquadrasdetalhe.php?lang=pt&cod=e552 , archive-date=18 January 2012 {{cite web, url=http://www.emfa.pt/www/esquadra-51, title=''Esquadra 552 – "Zangões"'', publisher=Portuguese Air Force, access-date=2 March 2013, language=pt {{cite web, url=http://www.emfa.pt/www/po/rotores/historial.htm, title=''Historial'', publisher=Rotores de Portugal, access-date=2 March 2013, archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120927045801/http://www.emfa.pt/www/po/rotores/historial.htm, archive-date=27 September 2012, url-status=dead


External links


Esquadra 552
official website Portuguese Air Force aircraft squadrons Military units and formations established in 1978 Military of Portugal