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World Defense & Security News - Brazil
 
 
 
Brazilian Air Force to be strengthened with three new SC-105 Amazonas SAR aircraft
 
The Search and Rescue capabilities of the Brazilian Air Force will be strengthened in 2017 with the delivery of three SC-105 Amazonas SAR aircraft specifically designed for search and rescue missions (SAR). The aircraft, based on Airbus Defense and Space's C295 tactical military transport aircraft, will be fitted with on-board equipment to increase the chances of locating aircraft, boats or missing persons, including at night.
     
The Search and Rescue capabilities of the Brazilian Air Force will be strengthened in 2017 with the delivery of three SC-105 Amazonas SAR aircraft specifically designed for search and rescue missions (SAR). The aircraft, based on Airbus Defense and Space's C295 tactical military transport aircraft, will be fitted with on-board equipment to increase the chances of locating aircraft, boats or missing persons, including at night. FAB SC-105 Amazonas search and rescue aircraft
     
An E/M-2022A(V)3 radar system will be fitted on each aircraft, which will be capable of surface searches on land and sea to a range of up to 360 Km. A satellite communication system will also allow contact with other aircraft or rescue coordination centers, even when the SC-105 flies at low altitude.

Each future SC-105 SAR aircraft will have a crew of at least eight military: two pilots, a mechanic, two mission system operators (Radar and FLIR) and four observers, experts who sit on four bubble windows in order to perform visual search. Depending on the mission, additional observers can be taken on board to relay in position during flights that can last up to ten hours.

The aircraft can also embark paratroopers and a load master, responsible for dropping lifeboats or supplies to located survivors. The changes reveals the multimission nature of the SC-105: search, cargo transport, paratroop launch, medevac and surveillance capbilities.

The three SC-105 Amazonas will operate with the "Pelican" Squadron (2°/10°GAV), based in Campo Grande, where they can move to any part of the country. The planes are similar to the ten C-105 Amazonas transport aircraft operated by Campo Grande and Manaus FAB units and the two SC-105 Amazonas now in use in the Pelican Squadron, but in a more basic version, with only two windows of observation and without the specific equipment for the SAR mission.