CRUZEX 2018
INTERNATIONAL EXERCISE IN BRAZIL
The Brazilian Air force (FAB) hosted an international exercise CRUZEX at Natal Airbase in the north of Brazil from 18 to 30 November 2018. FAB has been conducting this exercise past 16 years which has now become one of the biggest multinational exercise in South
America. One of the participating countries in the 2018 CRUZEX edition was the Royal Canadian Air force, which first joined the CRUZEX exercise in 2013.
The RCAF participated in CRUZEX 2018 on a broader level to back its Global Engagement Strategy ( Strong, Secure, Engaged) which enables RCAF to strengthen its ties with Brazil and other participating nations. The RCAF operates all over the world and also support humanitarian relief missions and disaster response. Canada participated with two CC-130J Hercules along with nearly forty personnel ( image above).
The two CC-130J Hercules flew in from Trenton Airbase in Canada with all personnel, mainly from 436 Squadron and some members of the Army Advanced Warfare Centre. The Canadians had to adjust to the Brazilian climatic conditions as back in Canada, the temperature was minus 20 degrees, in Brazil, the average temperature was plus 30 degrees ! During the CRUZEX exercise, both Hercules flew two missions a day, practicing tactical missions.
CRUZEX provides modern combat training in combined operations with participating countries. In a typical scenario, personnel are given air task orders with objectives, with one team conducting offensive actions simulating the invasion of a fictitious country. The second team conducts actions trying to defend against the aggressor. To make it more complicated, the area where the action took place, in
some CAMAO exercises, had almost 57 aircraft flying simultaneously. Coordination was the key to success and in CRUZEX, coordination between all participants with different doctrines and assets was quite challenging. The RCAF spokesman complimented the Brazilian Air Force, as CRUZEX 2018 was very well organised! Henk de Vries [Thanks to Lt Iris from the Brazilian Press Office and Cpt Trevor Reid from the Canadian Armed forces for their hospitality and cooperation.]