Naval Aviation began the 5th phase of its 106-year history, to be completed on August 23, by activating the 1st Squadron of Remotely Piloted Aircraft (QE-1), on July 5, 2022, being named as the first Commander Frigate Captain Fabio Bernardo Nunes.
The military ceremony took place at the São Pedro da Aldeia Naval Air Base and was attended by the Navy Commander, Fleet Admiral Almir Garnier Santos, the Naval Operations Commander, Fleet Admiral Marcos Sampaio Olsen, the General Director of Navy Material, Fleet Admiral José Augusto Vieira da Cunha de Menezes, Fleet Commander-in-Chief, Vice Admiral Arthur Fernando Bettega Correa, Naval Air Force Commander, Rear Admiral José Augusto Augusto José da Silva Fonseca Junior, in addition to civil and military authorities and former Commanders of the Naval Air Force.
In his words, AE Garnier highlighted the importance of activating the newest Naval Aviation Military Organization as “Today is a historic day for the Brazilian Navy and the importance is related to the fact that reveals our future” and completed “And so are the unmanned aerial vehicles whose cornerstone the Navy is laying today, the result of an effort made by generations that preceded us”.
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Download free sample pages More informationAE Garnier highlighted the importance of EsqdQE-1 to develop doctrines, train and qualify the MB to use in the future other types of SARP-E, more capable and necessary, for the protection of the Blue Amazon.
Shortly after the ceremony, a demonstration was held for the Navy Commander, with the launch and recall of the RQ-1 ScanEagle N-8001.
The Navy Commander can also follow, from inside the control module, a demonstration of the capabilities of the RQ-1 ScanEagle, during the demonstration flight in the area close to the São Pedro da Aldeia Naval Air Complex.
Officially activated on July 5, 2022, Harpia was chosen, one of the largest birds of prey in the world, found in Brazil in the Amazon and Atlantic Forest region, to represent the QE-1, which today has 37 military personnel, being ten officers (eight pilots trained at the manufacturer) and 27 enlisted men, all from the different fixed and rotary wing squadrons.
The QE-1 has six Embedded Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (SARP-E), designated RQ-1 ScanEagle with registration numbers N-8001 to N-8006, two launchers (one on-board and one on land) and two recoil systems. The Esquadrão Harpia shares the “ALFA” hangar of Esquadrão HA-1, located at the São Pedro da Aldeia Naval Air Base (BAeNSPA).
By the end of this year, the necessary systems will be installed on the Frigate Independência (F 44) and on the Amazon Ocean Patrol Vessel (P 120), with the first embarked operation expected to take place in December 2022.
