The Esquadrão Aeroterrestre de Salvamento (EAS) (), known by its nickname Para-SAR, is a

Brazilian Air Force The Brazilian Air Force (, FAB) is the air branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces and one of the three national uniformed services. The FAB was formed when the Brazilian Brazilian Army Aviation (1919–1941), Army and Brazilian Naval Aviation, Nav ...

special operations

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 ...

squadron, based in the city of

Campo Grande Campo Grande (, ) is a city in the Central-West Region, Brazil, central and western Regions of Brazil, region of Brazil, Capital city, capital of the state of Mato Grosso do Sul. Historically a Fortification, stronghold of Separatism, separatists ...

. The unit has no aircraft of its own and its airborne personnel conduct operations by being dropped from other units' aircraft. The unit has seven SAR teams located in seven states. Each Para-SAR detachment is made up of SAR qualified military parachutists. Members of this unit can be distinguished by their maroon berets and orange baseball caps.

History

The

has a long history of parachute training. In 1943, at the former Afonsos Field School of Aeronautics and with the support of the Air Force, cadet academy instructor Achile Garcia Charles Astor first introduced civil parachute training in Brazil. Seeing the usefulness of having a parachuting unit, the Electronics and Flight Protection Administration conducted studies to see how such a unit could be created under the auspices of the air force. The results of that study gave rise to the Para-SAR. In 1946, the

Brazilian Army The Brazilian Army (; EB) is the branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces responsible, externally, for defending the country in eminently terrestrial operations and, internally, for guaranteeing law, order and the constitutional branches, subordina ...

formed its parachute school, the now-named General Penha Brazil Parachutist's Instruction Center. It graduated its first class of Brazilian Air Force students in 1959. The group initially consisted of a division of three officers and five sergeants whose mandate was to provide instruction to the cadets of the School of Aeronautics and to provide search and rescue, by means of the DEPV. The unit also consisted of a group of volunteers who trained at the old military aviation school and went on to provide help in accidents and under special circumstances. Eventually, on 2 September 1963, the Airborne Rescue unit was formed. Para-SAR is the traditional name given to the search and rescue arm of the air force and is housed in the old School of Aeronautics. By November 20, 1973, the flotilla no longer existed, becoming the Airborne Rescue Squadron, or EAS. Its mandate was to continue training of the BAF parachutists, the instruction and the administration of the rescue teams and helicopter squadrons among other tasks.

Mission

The Para-SAR mandate includes specialized instruction for crewmembers and rescue teams of the Brazilian Air Force, SAR and special operations.

Training

New members of the squadron start with the Brazilian Army parachute course and then complete courses such as parachute packing and maintenance, aerial resupply,

demolition Demolition (also known as razing and wrecking) is the science and engineering in safely and efficiently tearing down buildings and other artificial structures. Demolition contrasts with deconstruction (building), deconstruction, which inv ...

sniper A sniper is a military or paramilitary marksman who engages targets from positions of concealment or at distances exceeding the target's detection capabilities. Snipers generally have specialized training and are equipped with telescopic si ...

and

jungle warfare Jungle warfare or woodland warfare is warfare in forests, jungles, or similar environments. The term encompasses military operations affected by the terrain, climate, vegetation, and wildlife of densely-wooded areas, as well as the strategies a ...

. They then move onto advanced training. The following training programs are offered by the squadron:

Search and rescue

This course includes: aircraft access; firefighting; machines, engines and radio equipment; free diving; helilift operations; orientation and ground searches; sea and jungle survival; SAR combat tactics; mountaineering; search and rescue theory and first aid.

Scuba diving

Graduates become qualified in scuba diving which is typically used to recover charges and pieces of submerged aircraft.

Airborne techniques

Graduates are qualified to parachute out of a military aircraft as well as air drop supplies, precision landing, calculate the effects of wind and carry out the

pathfinder Pathfinder, Path Finder or Pathfinders may refer to: Aerospace * ''Mars Pathfinder'', a NASA Mars Lander * NASA Pathfinder, a high-altitude, solar-powered uncrewed aircraft * Space Shuttle ''Pathfinder'', a Space Shuttle test simulator Arts and ...

role. They also learn packing, inspecting and repairing parachutes. Also taught are techniques for aircraft operations using the

Lockheed C-130 Hercules The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed Corporation, Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 w ...

and C-95.

Skydiving

The course teaches parachutists operational skydiving, the use of instruments and equipment; skydiving from both low and high altitudes and jumping with weapons and equipment for military operations.

Master skydiver

Graduates of this course become qualified in all aspects of skydiving, from organizing the jump team to coordinating the aircraft to be used. Students are also given a knowledge of meteorology and reading weather reports as well as precision targeting, advanced navigation skills and techniques of free fall Basic Body Fly.

Commando

The Brazilian Air Force

commando A commando is a combatant, or operative of an elite light infantry or special operations force, specially trained for carrying out raids and operating in small teams behind enemy lines. Originally, "a commando" was a type of combat unit, as oppo ...

course teaches

combat search and rescue Combat search and rescue (CSAR) are search and rescue operations that are carried out during war that are within or near combat zones. A CSAR mission may be carried out by a task force of helicopters, ground-attack aircraft, aerial refueling ta ...

, including locating downed crews in a hostile environment, survival, evasion, resistance and escape. The course also covers counter-terrorism, reconnaissance and sabotage subjects.

Badges

Image:Breve_SAR.jpg, SAR badge Image:Mestre de Salto Precursor.jpg, Pathfinder badge Image:Saltolivreparasar.jpg, HAHO/HALO badge Image:COMAND.jpg, Commando badge

References

External links

EsquadrÃo Aeroterrestre De Salvamento Para-SAR

{{Air force infantry Air force special forces units Special forces of Brazil Rescue aviation units and formations