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Brazilian Navy mobilizes military personnel in a mega-operation with over 1,500 involved, a sunken submarine as target, an Mk-46 torpedo launched, a rescue 500 km offshore, and high-complexity war exercises between Rio de Janeiro and Cabo Frio.

Written by Alisson Ficher
Published on 23/04/2026 at 16:57
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Large-scale naval mobilization combines combat training, inter-force integration, and a real high-seas rescue mission, bringing together ships, a submarine, aircraft, and special operations in intensive exercises on the coast of Rio de Janeiro, with the use of advanced technology and strategic simulations.

The Brazilian Navy mobilized approximately 1,500 military personnel in Operation “ADEREX I/2026”, carried out between April 13 and 17 on the coast between Rio de Janeiro and Cabo Frio.

The commission brought together ships, a submarine, helicopters, airplanes, and special operations teams in a sequence of training sessions focused on high-seas combat scenarios, in addition to an aeromedical evacuation during the operational activity itself.

Operation structure and assets employed by the Fleet

Under the command of the 1st Squadron Division, the exercise concentrated assets from the Fleet Command and other sectors of the Force.

Participants included the Tank Landing Ship “Almirante Saboia”, the frigates “Constituição”, “Independência” and “União”, the corvette “Barroso”, the submarine “Tikuna” and the Combat Divers Detachment, in addition to aircraft such as “Lince”, “Esquilo”, “Pégasus”, “Guerreiro”, “Falcão” and the remotely piloted “Scan Eagle”.

The ocean patrol vessel “Apa”, the ocean support vessel “Mearim” and the P-3AM “Orion” aircraft, from the Brazilian Air Force, also integrated the operation.

Exercises simulate real sea combat scenarios

The program included a series of exercises considered to be of high operational demand.

There was a simulation of port departure under asymmetric threat, navigation with low visibility, transit with surface and submarine opposition, tactical maneuvers, firing at a surface target, use of an illuminating grenade, transfer of light cargo between ships, and launching of an Mk-46 exercise torpedo.

The proposal was to test coordination, readiness, and integration between naval, air-naval platforms, and special forces in a maritime environment.

High-complexity training involves submarine and special forces

Among the most complex actions was the operational freefall, known by the acronym SLOp.

In this type of infiltration, military personnel from the Combat Divers Group are launched from a helicopter to act in coordination with the submarine “Tikuna”, in an activity that requires precise synchronization between the aircrew and surface and submerged assets.

The launch of the exercise torpedo by the frigate “Independência” was treated by the Navy as another stage of high logistical and operational coordination.

SPECTRA system enhances real-time communication and control

The operation also served to expand the use of the Expanded Network Tactical Planning, Execution and Control System, SPECTRA, developed by the Operational Systems Support Center.

According to the Navy, the tool supports command, control, and communications activities, with modules focused on navigation and digital data exchange between ships.

The system uses GPS and AIS information to monitor activities at sea and allows communication via chat, file sending, standardized messages, and video calls, being gradually implemented in the Fleet’s naval assets this year.

Deactivated submarine used as target in military training

Another point of the commission was the use of the hull of the ex-submarine “Timbira” as a target in a controlled sinking.

Built at the Rio de Janeiro Naval Arsenal, the “Timbira” was the second submarine of the “Tupi” Class and remained in service between 1996 and 2023, until it was decommissioned.

After this stage, the hull began to be used in weapon launch training by naval and air-naval assets, within the force’s training plan.

Rescue 500 km off the coast occurs during the operation

In the middle of the operation, the commission ended up incorporating a real sea rescue mission.

In coordination with Salvamar Sueste, the Navy carried out on April 16 the aeromedical evacuation of a crew member from the merchant ship “COSCOSHIPPING WISDOM”, flying the Hong Kong flag, who was suspected of having a stroke.

The aircraft used in the rescue was an HS-1 Squadron helicopter embarked on the “Almirante Saboia”, activated while the exercises were still underway.

According to the official publication about the rescue, the crew member was a Chinese citizen aged 42.

Salvamar Sueste was activated around 11:10 AM, and the helicopter took off at 2:19 PM towards the merchant vessel, which was hundreds of kilometers off the coast of Rio de Janeiro state.

The extraction occurred at 3:04 PM, by hoisting, and the patient received initial care during the flight to Santos Dumont Airport, in Rio de Janeiro, where an ambulance was waiting to take him to a healthcare facility on land.

Upon disembarking, according to the Navy, he presented stable vital signs and clinical condition.

Operation reinforces Navy’s readiness in real scenarios

ADEREX I/2026 was announced by the Navy News Agency on April 21, 2026, four days after the specific publication about the rescue mission.

By combining combat training, integration between different assets, and response to a medical emergency at sea, the commission reinforced the Force’s strategy of keeping the Fleet in continuous training, while preserving rapid response capability for real situations in the maritime area under Brazilian responsibility.

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Alisson Ficher

Jornalista formado desde 2017 e atuante na área desde 2015, com seis anos de experiência em revista impressa, passagens por canais de TV aberta e mais de 12 mil publicações online. Especialista em política, empregos, economia, cursos, entre outros temas e também editor do portal CPG. Registro profissional: 0087134/SP. Se você tiver alguma dúvida, quiser reportar um erro ou sugerir uma pauta sobre os temas tratados no site, entre em contato pelo e-mail: alisson.hficher@outlook.com. Não aceitamos currículos!

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