Portuguese Air Force

Força Aérea Portuguesa (Portuguese Air Force)
Portuguese Air Force Coat of Arms
Founded	July 1, 1952 (62 years)
Country	Portugal
Type	Air Force
Role	National air defense, reconnaissance, ground forces and naval support operations, transport, search and rescue, and maritime air patrol
Size	6599 personnel[1] 113 aircraft
Part of	Portuguese Armed Forces
Command HQ	Estado-Maior da Força Aérea
Motto	Latin: Ex Mero Motu "Of his own free will"
Anniversaries	1 July
Engagements	Portuguese Colonial War
Commanders
Air Force Chief of Staff	General José Pinheiro
Insignia
Roundel
Fin flash
Aircraft flown
Attack	Lockheed Martin F-16, Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet
Fighter	Lockheed Martin F-16
Patrol	P-3 Orion, C-295MPA/Persuader
Trainer	Alpha-Jet, Epsilon TB 30, Chipmunk Mk 20, Aerospatiale Alouette III
Transport	C-130 Hercules, CASA C-295, EH-101 Merlin, Aerospatiale Alouette III, Dassault Falcon 20, Dassault Falcon 50

The Portuguese Air Force (Portuguese: Força Aérea Portuguesa) is the air force of Portugal. In Portugal, it is referred to by the acronym FAP, but internationally is often referred to by the acronym PoAF. It is one of the three branches of the Portuguese Armed Forces.

The Portuguese Air Force was formed on July 1, 1952, when the former Aeronáutica Militar (Army Aviation) and Aviação Naval (Naval Aviation) were united in a single independent Air Force. However, its origins dates back to 1912, when military aviation began to be used in Portugal, later leading to the creation of the Army and Navy's aviation services.

Its Aerobatic display teams are the Asas de Portugal jet aircraft display team and the Rotores de Portugal helicopter display team.

History

Portuguese De Havilland DH-82 Tiger Moth at the Portuguese Air Force Museum

The history of Portuguese military aviation dates back to 1911, when a Balloon Company was founded as part of the Army Telegraphic Service, later receiving a handful of airplanes. During World War I, an air unit was planned as part of the Portuguese Forces fighting in the Western Front, but was never activated. Several of the Portuguese airmen that were to integrate that air unit, instead flew in British and French squadrons. Serving in French squadron SPA 65, in November 1917, air ace Óscar Monteiro Torres became the first Portuguese pilot to be killed in an air combat, his SPAD S.VII being shot down, after himself having shot down two German fighters. In Mozambique, in the operations against German Eastern Africa, the Portuguese forces included a small squadron of Farman F.40 airplanes, this being one of the first employments of military aircraft in Africa.^[2]

The Army and Navy aviations

In 1913, following the development of military aviation in Europe and the creation of the French Aéronautique Militaire, the Portuguese government started considering the creation of an aviation service with the intent of supporting the development of an Army and Navy aviation. As such, on May 14, 1914, the Military Aeronautical Service (Portuguese: Serviço Aeronáutico Militar) and School of Military Aeronautics (Portuguese: Escola de Aeronáutica Militar, EAM) were founded. Later in 1918, these services were reorganised and the Army's aviation was renamed to Service of Military Aeronautics (Portuguese: Serviço de Aeronáutica Militar) and was made directly dependent of the Ministry of War. The OGMA workshops at Alverca, which still exists under this name, and the first operational squadrons were founded that same year.^[2][3][4]

On September 28, 1917, the Navy Aviation Service and School was created, as well as the first naval aviation base, the Maritime Aviation Centre of Bom Sucesso, in Lisbon. The Portuguese Navy's aviation service was later renamed two more times — in 1918 to Naval Aeronautical Service (Portuguese: Serviço da Aeronáutica Naval),^[5] and once again in 1936 to Navy Air Forces (Portuguese: Forças Aéreas da Armada).^[4][6][7]

In 1924, the aviation of the Army gained the status of a full arm of service, in equality with the other combat arms like the infantry or the artillery. It became known as Arm of Aeronautics (Portuguese: Arma de Aeronáutica) or Military Aeronautics (Portuguese: Aeronáutica Militar).

In 1937, the Military Aeronautics underwent a major reorganization, gaining a large autonomy. Despite continuing to be administratively part of the Army, the Military Aeronautics now had a separate chain of command, with its forces under an Aeronautics Command directly dependent from the Minister of War.

Early involvement by the Portuguese military aviation included the Revolution in 1926 and the Spanish Civil War in the late 1930s. Portugal was not directly involved in World War II, although good relations with the Allies resulted in the purchase of British and US aircraft, including the Hawker Hurricane, Supermarine Spitfire and P-47 Thunderbolt, as well as others impounded after they landed due to mechanical problems or bad weather. Portugal joined NATO in 1949 as one of its founders.

Creation of the independent Air Force

PoAF North American T-6 at the Portuguese Air Force Museum

In August 1950, the Government role of Minister of National Defense was established to oversee all national military policy with coordinating authority over the Minister of the Army (former Minister of War) and the Minister of the Navy, and direct authority over the newly created role of Under-Secretary of State for the Aeronautics (Portuguese: Subsecretário de Estado da Aeronáutica), which was created with the objective of managing all the Portuguese military aviation.^[2][8][9]

The role of Under-Secretary of State for the Aeronautics was only activated and filled in 1952, when the Aeronáutica Militar was organized as an independent branch of the Armed Forces, at the same time integrating the Naval Aviation. By this new organization, the air forces included independent forces and forces of cooperation. The air forces of cooperation could be placed under Army or Navy command for operational purposes. As such, the naval aviation personnel were under the command of the Under-Secretary of State for the Aeronautics under the status of deployed, and the naval aviation units formed a semi-independent branch for operational and training purposes, designated Naval Air Forces (Portuguese: Forças Aeronavais).^[10][11]

These events are what is considered to be the creation of the Portuguese Air Force (PoAF) as an independent branch of the Armed Forces.

With this merger, the PoAF started to have in its charge all the aviation infrastructures that until then belonged to the Army and the Navy. These included the following:^{[3][7][12][13]}

From the Army Aviation:

• Independent Aviation Fighter Group, in Espinho, with two squadrons of Hawker Hurricane fighters. Its aviation infrastructures were renamed as Base Airfield No. 1, being deactivated in 1955;
• Air Base No. 1, in Sintra, focused on flight training;
• Air Base No. 2, in Ota, with a Junkers Ju 52/3m transport squadron and three fighter squadrons, one equipped with P-47 Thunderbolt attack aircraft, and the other two with Supermarine Spitfire fighters;
• Air Base No. 3, in Tancos, with a reconnaissance squadron equipped with Lysander aircraft and a group of fighter squadrons equipped with P-47 Thunderbolt attack aircraft.
• Air Base No. 4, in Lajes, supporting transport, reconnaissance and Search and Rescue missions, with various squadrons equipped with SB-17G Flying Fortress, C-54, and the first helicopter operated by the Portuguese Armed Forces, the Sikorsky UH-19;
• Lisbon's Airfield, equipped with transport aircraft of various types. In 1955 it was renamed as Base Airfield No. 1, being once again renamed in 1978 to Transit Airfield No. 1.

From the Naval Aviation:

• Aveiro Naval Aviation Centre, in São Jacinto, Aveiro, equipped with anti-submarine Curtiss Helldiver aircraft. Once under the Portuguese Air Force command its designation was changed various times, in which the longest one in use was Air Base No. 7;
• "Sacadura Cabral" Naval Aviation Centre, descendant of the Bom Sucesso Naval Aviation Centre, in Belém, transferred to Montijo in the 1950s. This unit was initially equipped with North-American T-6, Consolidated Fleet aircraft, and various Grumman aircraft. Later it was renamed Air Base No. 6.

Development of the Portuguese Air Force

Asas de Portugal display team.

The Portuguese national metropolitan and overseas territory was divided in 1956 in three major air regions, that started to exercise the operational command of the aerial units stationed in their area – later two semi-independent commands were created inside the 1st Air Region designated as air zones:

• 1st Air Region (1ª Região Aérea), with its headquarters in Lisbon, covering Continental Portugal, the Azores, Madeira, Portuguese Guinea and Cape Verde;
  • Azores Air Zone (Zona Aérea dos Açores);
  • Guinea and Cape Verde Air Zone (Zona Aérea da Guiné e Cabo Verde).
• 2nd Air Region (2ª Região Aérea), with its headquarters in Luanda, covering Angola and São Tomé and Príncipe;
• 3rd Air Region (3ª Região Aérea), with its headquarters in Lourenço Marques, covering Mozambique, Portuguese India, Macau and Portuguese Timor.

In 1955, the first Portuguese paratrooper unit was created under the command of the Air Force. The Portuguese paratrooper forces would continue to be a part of the Air Force until 1993, when they were transferred to the Army.

In 1958, the Naval Air Forces and the Ground Air Forces were completely integrated in the Air Force, ending any type of administrative connection, respectively, to the Navy and to the Army.^[7][14]

Starting in 1960, a number of air bases and other units were installed in the Portuguese overseas territories, under the command of the 2nd and 3rd air regions and the Guinea and Cape Verde Air Zone. By the mid-1960s, Cape Verde, Portuguese Guinea, São Tomé and Príncipe, Angola and Mozambique were already covered by air bases and other airfields.

The Air Force in the Portuguese Overseas War

Paratroopers being launched by a Portuguese Air Force's Alouette III, in an air assault operation in Angola, in the 1960s.

From 1961 to 1975, the Portuguese Air Force was deeply engaged in the three theatres of operation of the Portuguese Overseas War, both with aviation and paratrooper forces.

In the Overseas War, Portuguese Air Force had both strategic and tactical air missions.

The strategic mission consisted of the interterritorial connection between European Portugal and the Portuguese Guinea, Angola and Mozambique theatres of operations, using DC-6 and later Boeing 707 aircraft. After acquiring the Boeing 707, the Air Force was able take a large share of the transport missions that until then were made through the use of merchant ships, reducing the connection time between the different territories.^[15]

The tactical missions undertaken by the Portuguese Air Force in the three theatres of operations were:

• Attack missions (independent, reconnaissance, support and escort), using F-86, F-84 and Fiat G.91 fighters, PV-2 Harpoon and B-26 Invader bombers and North American T-6 light attack aircraft. Armed helicopters and Dornier Do 27 light aircraft armed with rockets were also used in some of these missions.
• Reconnaissance missions (visual and photo), using light aircraft like the OGMA/Auster D.5 and the Do 27, but also using B-26, PV-2, P-2 Neptune, C-47 and other aircraft prepared for air photo reconnaissance;
• Tactical transportation missions (assault, manoeuver, general and casualty evacuation), using Alouette II, Alouette III and Puma helicopters, OGMA/Auster D.5, Do-27 and other light aircraft and Nord Noratlas and C-47 heavy aircraft;
• Other missions (liaison, control, operational air command post, VIP transportation and others), using several types of aircraft.

In Angola and Mozambique, Volunteer Air Formations (FAV, Formações Aéreas Voluntárias) units were formed, composed of civilian volunteer pilots who assisted the Portuguese Air Force in several missions, mostly transport and reconnaissance, using both civilian and military light aircraft.

The Air Force also participated in ground and air-ground operations with its paratrooper forces, which became one of the main shock forces of the Portuguese Armed Forces. These troops, in the beginning of the War were mainly launched by parachute to the operations areas, but later were mainly employed in air assault operations using Alouette III and Puma helicopters. Besides the four regular paratrooper battalions (one in Angola, one in Portuguese Guinea and two in Mozambique), the Air Force was also involved in the creation of the paramilitary elite Paratrooper Special Groups in Mozambique. In order to stop the guerilla infiltrations in the Angola north border, the Counter Infiltration Tactical Unit (Unidade Táctica de Contra-Infiltração) was created, a mixed aviation/paratrooper unit, grouping trackers, paratroopers, helicopters and light aircraft.

The post-War

An EH-101 helicopter from the Portuguese Air Force.

The military coup in 1974 was partly caused by the war in Mozambique, Angola and Portuguese Guinea during the 1960s. It in turn led to these countries' independence in 1975. The turmoil of the revolution and the end of the war in the African colonies, which had involved 150,000 personnel, brought about a major reorganisation which reduced the 850 aircraft inventory of the PoAF in 1974 to only one third of that in 1976.

Since then Portugal has gradually regained its balance and changed the organisation of the PoAF in the interest of efficiency. Some of the noteworthy changes during the last decade include the closure of Air Base No. 3 in Tancos and Air Base No. 7 in Aveiro, the introduction of an independent naval helicopter squadron in the Portuguese Navy, the acquisition of modern aircraft such as the F-16 Fighting Falcon, which replaced the A-7P Corsair II, the relocation of several squadrons to other bases, and the privatization of the OGMA workshops.

More recently, since 2005, the Aerospatiale Puma has been replaced by 12 AgustaWestland EH-101 helicopters, mainly used in the search and rescue role, in Montijo, with two stationed at Lajes, Azores, and one on Porto Santo, Madeira. This was followed by the introduction of the EADS CASA C-295, which replaced the CASA C-212, and the arrival of five former-Netherlands Naval Aviation Service P-3C Orion to replace the older P-3P Orion fleet. The F-16 fleet has completed the Mid Life Update conversion and update, with the fighters now in service with two squadrons at Monte Real.

Aircraft inventory

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	Quantity[16]	Image	Notes
Fighter aircraft
F-16 Fighting Falcon	United States	Fighter	F-16AM-15MLU F-16BM-15MLU	25 5		Originally 20 were bought in 1990 and another 25 in 1998 directly from the US, 1 was lost in an accident in 2002 (pilot died), 1 was lost in an accident in 2008 (pilot survived), 1 was grounded after an accident during the landing in 2013 (pilot survived), 12 were sold to Romania in 2013, 1 is being exposed as a monument at the entrance of an air base and 4 are not capable of flying anymore[17][18][19]
Maritime patrol aircraft
CASA C-295	Spain	Maritime patrol aircraft	C-295MPA	5
Lockheed P-3 Orion	United States	Maritime patrol aircraft	P-3C CUP+	5
Transport aircraft
Lockheed C-130 Hercules	United States	Transport aircraft	C-130H C-130H-30	3 3
CASA C-295	Spain	Transport aircraft	C-295M	7
Dassault Falcon 50	France	Transport aircraft		2
Trainer aircraft
de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk	United Kingdom  Portugal	Trainer Aircraft		6		From the original 30 units, seven were modified at OGMA and Indústrias Aeronáuticas de Coimbra, in 1989, including the installation of a new 180 HP engine
Aérospatiale Epsilon TB-30	France  Portugal	Basic Trainer		16		Manufactured by OGMA
Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet	France  Germany	Advanced Trainer	Alpha Jet A	6		Originally 50 ex-German aircraft were received in 1992 and used as advanced trainers and ground attack aircraft. Replaced by the F-16 in the ground attack missions. The remaining aircraft are convertible to wartime operations
Fournier RF-10	France	Glider Trainer		4
Schleicher ASK 21	Germany	Glider Trainer		4
LET L-23 Super Blaník	Czech Republic	Glider Trainer		3
Helicopters
Aérospatiale Alouette III	France	Helicopter	SA316	7		Remaining of the 142 units received between 1963 and 1974
AgustaWestland AW101	United Kingdom  Italy	Search & Rescue Fisheries Protection Combat Search & Rescue	Model 514 Model 515 Model 516	6 2 4

Land vehicles

• Unimog U-400^[20][21]
• Oshkosh T-3000^[20]
• Renault 320 DCI Premium Protec-Fire^[20]
• Mercedes-Benz 1823 Atego^[22]
• Humvee^[23]

Organization

BA1,
Sintra

BA5, Monte Real

BA6, Montijo

BA11, Beja

AM2, Cortegaça

AT1, Lisbon

ER1, Fóia

ER2, Paços de Ferreira

ER3, Montejunto

CFMTFA, Ota

DG, Alverca

Location of the main Air Force units in Continental Portugal. Not included are units in the Azores and Madeira (off-map to west).
Legend: BA - Main air base; AT/AM - Forward air base; ER - Radar station; CFMTFA - Air Force Military and Technical Training Center; DG - General Storage Complex of the Air Force.

Radar Station No. 1, at Fóia

Air Base No. 4, at Lajes, Azores.

The Portuguese Air Force is structured in three command levels:^[24][25]

• Long term planning — it is of the responsibility of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force seconded by the Vice-Chief of Staff, who runs the Staff of the Air Force.
• Short term planning — it is of the responsibility of the three major commands of the PoAF, that change the doctrinal directives into operational and technical directives:
  • Air Command;
  • Air Force Personnel Command;
  • Air Force Logistics Command.
• Execution — The base units, depending hierarchically and functionally from the respective functional and technical Command, are responsible for the execution. They are formed into three Groups: Operational Group, Maintenance Group and Support Group, organized according to the mission and means assigned. These units are responsible for applying the directives, having the air operations as outcome.

Chief of Staff of the Air Force

The Chief of Staff of the Air Force (Portuguese: Chefe do Estado-Maior da Força Aérea, CEMFA) is the commander of the Portuguese Air Force. It is the only full General (four stars) of the Air Force.

Under its direct command are the following bodies:

• Vice Chief of Staff;
• Staff of the Air Force;
• Air Force Inspection Agency (Inspeção Geral da Força Aérea);
• Air Force Academy (Academia da Força Aérea, AFA);
• Directorate of Finance (Direção de Finanças);
• Air, Personnel and Logistics commands;
• Air Force Legal Department;
• Air Force Historical Archive.

Staff of the Air Force

The Staff of the Air Force (Portuguese: Estado-Maior da Força Aérea, EMFA) is responsible for studying, conceiving and planning the Air Force activities, supporting the Air Force Chief of Staff decisions. The EMFA is commanded by the Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force (VCEMA), a Lieutenant-General, who is seconded by a Major-General, called Deputy Chief of Staff of the Air Force (SUBCEMFA).

It consists of a Personnel Division (1ª Divisão - Pessoal), an Intelligence Division (2ª Divisão - Informações), a Operations Division (3ª Divisão - Operações), a Logistics Division (4ª Divisão - Logísticas), and of Support Units (Orgãos de apoio).

Air Force Logistics Command

The Air Force Logistics Command (Portuguese: Comando da Logística da Força Aérea) is commanded by a Lieutenant-General and has, as its mission, the management of the Air Force's materials resources in order to accomplish the CEMFA's plans and directives.

Under its command it has the following bodies:

• Directorate of Supplying and Transports;
• Directorate of Communications and Information Systems;
• Directorate of Engineering and Programs;
• Directorate of Infra-Structure;
• Directorate of Weapons Systems Maintenance;
• General Storage Complex of the Air Force (Depósito Geral de Material da Força Aérea, DGMFA).

Air Force Personnel Command

The Personnel Command of the Air Force (Portuguese: Comando de Pessoal da Força Aérea) is commanded by a Lieutenant-General that administers the human resources of the Air Force in accordance with the CEMFA's plans and directives.

Under its command it has the following bodies:

• Directorate of Personnel;
• Directorate of Training;
• Directorate of Health;
• Justice and Discipline Service;
• Social Welfare Service;
• Religious Support Center;
• Recruitment Center;
• Military and Technical Training Center of the Air Force;
• Lumiar Base.

Air Command

The Air Command (Portuguese: Comando Aéreo), commanded by a Lieutenant-General, plans, directs and controls the efficiency of the air power, the air activity and defence of the national air space. It is also of the Air Command's responsibility the security of the Air Force bases and units.

Base units

The Air Command's base units guarantee the readiness of the air units and the logistic and administrative support of all the units and boards based there but depending on other commands. Organization:

• The main air bases, when they have their own air assets
• The forward air bases, when they support deployed air assets. Examples of these bases are the Transit and Maneuvers Airfields

Surveillance and detection units

The Surveillance and Detection Units (Portuguese: Unidades de Vigilância e Detecção, UVD) guarantee the operational of these same means.

• Radar Station No. 1 (ER1) — Fóia
• Radar Station No. 2 (ER2) — Paços de Ferreira
• Radar Station No. 3 (ER3) — Montejunto
• Radar Station No. 4 (ER4) - Caniço (Madeira)

Air Zones

Air Zones have the mission of planning, supervising and controlling the readiness of the air power resources and the air activity in their area of responsibility, of the accomplishment of the established plans. Guaranteeing, under the terms established in international agreements, the relationships with the foreign forces stationed at the base units under their hierarchic authority, but keeping the status inherent to the unit commander.

Existing Air Zones commands:

• Azores Air Zone Command
  It has the Lajes Air Base (BA4) under its dependency.
• Madeira Air Zone Command (inactive)

Squadrons

CASA C-295 tactical transport aircraft

Alpha-Jet with commemorative painting of the 50th anniversary of 103 Squadron

Esquadras (squadrons) are considered to be the basic flying unit of the Portuguese Air Force, in which aircraft are integrated into to carry out missions. Squadrons are under the command and part of operational groups (Portuguese: Grupo Operacional), which in turn are dependent of the air base at which they, and the squadron, are based.

Flight squadrons receive a designation of three numerical digits, in which the first indicates its primary mission:

1 - Instruction squadron;

2 - Fighter squadron;

3 - Attack squadron;

4 - Reconnaissance squadron;

5 - Transport squadron;

6 - Maritime patrol squadron;

7 - Search and Rescue squadron;

8 - Special function squadron;

The second digit indicates the type of aircraft operated by the squadron:

0 - Fixed-wing aircraft;

1 - Mixed;

5 - Rotary-wing aircraft;

The third digit is a sequential number of the same mission and aircraft type.

Flights

Esquadrilhas (flights) are the smallest flying units of the Air Force and have existed as independent units and as part of existing squadrons.

Units

Air bases and flying units

The order of battle of the Portuguese Air Force is as follows:^[26]

An Alouette III light helicopter

PoAF's F-16A fighter prepares to refuel from a KC-10. March 19th, 1999

PoAF Hummer and Condor tactical air control vehicles

Air Base No. 1 (BA1) — Sintra, Lisbon (LPST)

• 802 Sqn. "Águias" (Eagles) — Air Force Academy squadron
• 101 Sqn. "Roncos" (Roars) — elementary and basic flying training

Air Base No. 4 (BA4) — Lajes, Azores (LPLA)

• 502 Sqn. "Elefantes" (Elephants) (Detachment) — search and rescue detachment
• 751 Sqn. "Pumas" (Pumas) (Detachment) — search and rescue detachment

Air Base No. 5 (BA5) — Monte Real, Leiria (LPMR)

• 201 Sqn. "Falcões" (Falcons) — F-16 fighter squadron
• 301 Sqn. "Jaguares" (Jaguars) — F-16 fighter squadron

Air Base No. 6 (BA6) — Montijo, Setúbal (LPMT)

• 501 Sqn. "Bisontes" (Bisons) — tactical transport squadron
• 502 Sqn. "Elefantes" (Elephants) — tactical and general transport squadron
• 504 Sqn. "Linces" (Lynxes) — VIP and MEDEVAC transport squadron
• 751 Sqn. "Pumas" (Pumas) — search and rescue squadron

Air Base No. 11 (BA11) — Beja (LPBJ)

• 103 Sqn. "Caracóis" (Snails) — complementary flying training and operational transition training
• 552 Sqn. "Zangões" (Drones) — tactical air transport operations and complementary flying training in helicopters
• 601 Sqn. "Lobos" (Wolves) — maritime patrol squadron

Transit Airfield No. 1 (AT1) — Lisbon (LPPT)

Maneuvers Airfield No. 1 (AM1) — Ovar, Aveiro (LPOV)

• 552 Sqn. "Zangões" (Drones) (Detachment) — search and rescue detachment

Maneuvers Airfield No. 3 (AM3) — Porto Santo, Madeira (LPPS)

• 751 Sqn. "Pumas" (Pumas) (Detachment) — Search and rescue detachment
• 502 Sqn. "Elefantes" (Elephants) (Detachment) — Search and rescue detachment

Support units

• Military and Technical Formation Center of the Air Force — Ota, Lisbon (LPOT)
• Air Museum (Museu do Ar) — Air Base No. 1 (BA1) — Sintra, Lisbon (LPST)
• General Storage Complex of the Air Force (DGMFA) — Alverca, Lisbon (LPAR)
• Field Firing Range of Alcochete (Campo de Tiro de Alcochete) (CTA) — Alcochete, Setúbal^[27]

Rank Structure

Officers

NATO Code	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1		OF(D)	Student Officer
Rank insignia													Various
Ranks in Portuguese	Marechal da Força Aérea	General	Tenente- -general	Major- -general	Brigadeiro- -general	Coronel	Tenente- -Coronel	Major	Capitão	Tenente	Alferes	Aspirante a oficial	Cadete aluno
Ranks in English	Marshal of the Air Force	General	Lieutenant General	Major General	Brigadier General	Colonel	Lieutenant Colonel	Major	Captain	Lieutenant	Second Lieutenant	Officer candidate	Officer cadet

Sergeants and enlisted

NATO Code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4		OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Rank insignia
Rank in Portuguese	Sargento- -Mor						Sargento- -Chefe		Sargento- -Ajudante		Primeiro- -Sargento						Segundo- -Sargento		Furriel		Segundo- -Furriel		Cabo- -Adjunto		Primeiro- -Cabo	Segundo- -Cabo	Soldado						Soldado- -Recruta
Rank in English	Command Chief Master Sergeant						Chief Master Sergeant		Senior Master Sergeant		Master Sergeant						Technical Sergeant		Staff Sergeant		Sergeant		Corporal		Senior Airman	Airman First Class	Airman						Airman Basic

See also

References

Notes

Sources

• Lopes, Mário Canongia (1989). Os Aviões da Cruz de Cristo. Lisbon: Dinalivro. 
• Cardoso, Edgar (1981). História da Força Aérea Portuguesa. Amadora: Gratelo SARL. 
• Lapa, Albino (1928). Aviação Portuguesa. 
• Cardoso, Edgar (1963). Presença da Força Aérea em Angola. 
• Abecasis, José Krus (1985). Bordo de Ataque. Coimbra. 
• Santos, J. Trindade dos (June 1978). "Aviação Naval" [Naval Aviation]. Revista da Armada (in Portuguese) (Lisbon: Portuguese Navy) (81): 15–21. Retrieved July 15, 1993.  Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
• Soares, A.J. Silva (August 2002). "A Extinção da Aviação Naval - Conclusão" [The Extinguish of the Naval Aviation - Conclusion]. Revista da Armada (in Portuguese) (Lisbon: Portuguese Navy) (356): 8–11. Retrieved July 16, 1993.  Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Air force of Portugal.

• Portuguese Air Force, official website
• Portuguese Air Force Public Relations, official YouTube channel
• Portuguese Air Force Reports at Scramble
• 751 Squadron, official 751 Squadron website

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