Page 58 - AirForces Monthly - Issue 381 (December 2019)

Exercise
Report Dédalo 2019

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Operation La Cruz
Alongside the exercise, September 12
included activities at La Cruz airfield
in Córdoba province, close to another
of the Argentine Air Force’s firing
ranges. Cadets from the force’s NCO
school simulated the defence of a
forward air base with support from
an airborne company of the army’s
rapid-deployment force, from which
70 personnel were airdropped from
a Hercules. At the same time, special
forces from the GOE parachuted from a
Twin Otter to perform a CSAR operation, 1: A low-level pass by an EMB-312H. The Tucanos serve alongside the recently retired Pucarás in the III Brigada Aérea. 2: Serial
while others jumped from a Mi-171 over UX-13 is one of the Aukán lightweight UAVs brought to the exercise by the Dirección General de Investigación y Desarrollo from
its base at Chamical. The Aukán is still under development and this was the first exercise in which it took part. 3: The bustling
a river to perform a rescue from a raft. Dédalo flight line at the V Brigada Aérea including examples of the Fightinghawk, Pampa, EMB-312H and Pucará.
a single Piper PA-28 operated machine guns for the last time. of 20mm anti-aircraft guns and (Directorate General for Research
as a radio relay platform for (The Pucarás last fired their 20mm an Israeli-made Elta radar. and Development) deployed a
communications during the guns in 2016, after which no more The air-to-ground operations team and an Aukán lightweight
CSAR missions. This was the ammunition was purchased.) included simulated attacks by UAV for surveillance from its
first time the type had taken part The Texans, while unarmed, are Pucarás and A-4s on the anti- base at Chamical, La Rioja.
in this kind of exercise, despite able to simulate the launch of aircraft batteries and radar
its long career with the force. weapons and also took part in deployed at Villa Reynolds, Last missions
operations on the firing range. while the Texans performed The final combat sorties were
On the range On the ground, BAM Merlo was an ‘attack’ mission against flown on the night of September
The A-4AR Fightinghawks of involved in the manoeuvres with the base, being intercepted 12, including the Pucará’s last
the V Brigada Aérea performed a modernised Westinghouse AN/ by Tucanos and Pucarás. bombing missions, when two
a variety of missions, including TPS-43 radar from the Grupo de With the force working on examples each dropped a pair
simulated air-to-air combat with Vigilancia y Control del Espacio the development of its own of 130kg bombs on the Antuna
the Pampas and Pucarás, day Aéreo (Airspace Control and unmanned aerial vehicles firing range. At the same time,
and night aerial refuelling and Vigilance Group), while BAM (UAVs), the Dirección General Fightinghawks and Pampas
day and night bombing missions Mar del Plata provided a battery de Investigación y Desarrollo completed night bombing missions,
on the Antuna firing range, in the 2 and the A-4s undertook aerial
northwest of San Luis province. refuelling – the Fightinghawks only
The jets dropped 130kg (287lb) resumed tanking at night last year.
MkI and 360kg (794lb) MkII The last mission for the
bombs, both built locally. For Pucará brought to an end the
the first time, they also operated aircraft’s 44-year operational
with NVGs during the exercise. career in the attack role, 50
Pampas and Pucarás flew day years after its first flight.
and night bombing missions at Despite the advancing age
the Antuna range, both employing of much of the equipment
130kg bombs, while the Pucarás and lack of resources due to
also used the V Brigada Aérea continuous budget cuts, Dédalo
gunnery range to proved that the FAA’s personnel
make use of their are making huge efforts to
four 7.62mm continue training and recover
(0.3in) calibre some of their capabilities. AFM

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56 // December 2019 #381 www.Key.Aero

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