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Uruguayan Air Force Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya
Active	1935 -
Country	Uruguay
Role	Defence
Size	3,000 personnel
Motto	"La aviación vanguardia de la Patria" Aviation vanguard of the homeland
Anniversaries	17th March Air force Day, 10th August Day of the Martyrs of the Military aviation
Commanders
Current commander	Tte Gral (Av) Enrique Atilio Bonelli Baccino
Aircraft flown
Attack	IA-58 Pucará
Fighter	A-37B Dragonfly
Patrol	EMB 110 Bandeirante
Trainer	T-41D Mescalero, Aermacchi SF-260, PC-7 Pilatus
Transport	C-130 Hercules, C.212 Aviocar, EMB-120 Brasilia, UH-1H Iroquois

Contents 1 History 2 Organization 3 Escuela Militar de Aeronáutica 4 See also 5 External links

The birth date of military aviation in Uruguay is 17 March 1913 when the Escuela de Aviación Militar was formed on a small airport 50 km from Montevideo. As with many other Latino countries the first instruction was performed by a European, a French instructor using Farman biplanes. Ten army officers formed the select group chosen to be the first Uruguayan military aviators. Among this first group were Juan Manuel Boiso Lanza (the first martyr of the FAU dying in a plane crash 10 August 1918) and Alférez Cesáreo L. Berisso (the future commander of the aviation school).

Along with two other young officers, Adhemar Saenz Lacueva and Esteban Cristi, they gained their military aviator status in Argentina and Chile and formed the Escuela Militar de Aeronáutica (EMA) on 20 November 1916. This school exclusively performed military aviation in Uruguay until 1935. Several European aircraft types were used in fairly large numbers during the twenties, among which were about sixteen Avro 504K, up to thirteen Breguet 14, at least five Castaibert 80, about 28 Nieuport 27, and various other aircraft in smaller quantities. These pioneering years saw many air routes opened and an overall increase in interest in flight and its military potential.

The EMA evolved into the air force as we now know it. In 1935 the school was transformed in the Aeronáutica Militar and five units were created as well as several airbases. Typical aircraft of the thirties and forties were European types like the Potez 25 A.2 TOE, Spad 13C.1 and 7, DH82A and IMAM Ro37 but this era saw the transition to aircraft of American pedigree. Beech AT-11 and C-47 transports, Waco JHD, SNC-1, AT-6D and T-6 trainers, and B-25J medium bombers were used in this period. The next decade started with the delivery of the F-51 Mustang notably enhancing the capabilities of the air force which now numbered nine Grupos de Aviación and was officially renamed from Aeronáutica Militar to Fuerza Aérea Militar on 4 December 1952. This was a memorable day because it meant independence from the army. The new force was reorganized into three commands (tactical command, training command and material command) and a brigade structure was implemented along with a fully staffed headquarters.

The FAU grew on this foundation. Later, some new units were created like the Comandos Aéreos, but no radical changes were made. New aircraft did arrive off course. FAU entered the jet age with factory fresh T-33s arriving in 1956 and F-80s in 1958. The Uruguayans were also one of the more exotic and lesser known de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk users receiving 10 examples from late 1954 onward. They were withdrawn in May 1962. With regard to helicopters the first types used were the Bell 47 and Hiller H-23F followed by UH-12 and the venerable UH-1B Huey.

The FAU consists of some 3,000 personnel and is organized into three Air brigades.

Air Brigade I The Air Brigade I was created as Aeronautical N° 1 from 1 April of 1936 date in which eight airplanes Potez 25 were adjudged, it operates in the Gral. Cesáreo Berisso base at the carrasco International Airport Within the Air Brigade I are, “the central assistantship” and “the coordinating center rescue carrasco” Also includes Air Group Nº3 (Transport) Its aircrafts are the following:

• Lockheed C-130B Hercules
• EMBRAER EMB-110 Bandeirante
• EMBRAER EMB-120 Brasilia
• Casa C-212-200 Aviocar.

Air Group Nº5 (Helicopters): Bell UH-1H Iroquois, Bell 212, Eurocopter AS-365 N2 Dauphin, and Westland HC-2 Wessex.

Air Brigade II: The Air Brigade II operates at the Tte 2do Mario W. Parallada Base located in Durazno It includes the Air Group Nº1 (Attack) FMA IA-58 Pucará Air Group Nº2 Operating the old but reliable Cessna A-37B Dragonfly, Advanced flight Group Pilatus PC-7 and the Liaison Squadron Cessna 206H Stationair,

Air Brigade III Operating in Boiso lanza Air base. Air group No.7 (Observation) with Cessna 206H Stationair, and Cessna T-41D Mescalero.

The Air Force Academy (Escuela Militar de Aeronáutica) is located in Pando. The General conditions of entrance are: Be Natural citizen, be unmarried and to remain in this state, To have more than 16 years and less than 20 to 1ro. of February of the year of entrance, have formulated oath of fidelity to the Uruguayan Flag, to have attended with approval 2º year of the baccalaureate and present Health Card (Given by the uruguayan ministry of health) The students uses as primary aircfaft for ptraining Aermacchi SF-260 and Beechcraft Baron

• Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571

• Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya - Official website (in Spanish)
• Memorias del Tiempo de Vuelo

--Joaquin 2203 19:54, 1 March 2007 (UTC)