In Recent Months, the FAB (Brazilian Air Force) Faces a Worrisome Situation: the Exodus of Combat Pilots from Its Ranks. At Least Seven Aviator Captains, Responsible for Operating the F-5 Fighters at the Bases in Canoas (RS) and Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Have Requested Discharge to Join Civil Aviation at Companies Like LATAM.
The combat pilots, considered the operational elite of the FAB, undergo rigorous training that takes about ten years to complete, with costs exceeding R$ 100 million per professional. They are trained to execute the country’s main air defense and combat missions, making their departure a significant loss for the force.
According to an internal source from the FAB, the motivation for this wave of resignations lies in the “lack of career perspective in the military.”
The delay in the delivery of Gripen fighters and the aging fleet of F-5s, with over 50 years of operation, hinder the fulfillment of missions and demotivate professionals.
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Chaotic Situation
“Our situation is chaotic. Besides not being able to fulfill our missions due to a lack of aircraft, we are now losing our pilots to civil aviation,” the source highlighted about the FAB.
The issue is not only structural but also cultural. A colonel from the FAB revealed that the importance of combat pilots has been diminished within the institution.
“Today, to advance in one’s career, it is necessary to serve in the GTE, our special transport squadron that serves politicians with executive flights. This has become an unofficial criterion for rising to the High Command of the Air Force, generating dissatisfaction among young pilots.”
With the departure of highly skilled individuals, the FAB faces a double challenge: the loss of valuable human resources and the lack of adequate equipment to maintain its defense capability.
Meanwhile, combat pilots find civil aviation a more attractive alternative, further aggravating the crisis in the Brazilian Air Force.

Desc9briram a pólvora!! Todo mundo no meio militar sabe que SEMPRE foi assim.Isso nunca foi de agora
Errado não estão! Patriotismo de c* é r**a, você sacrifica sua vida para no fim ver seus superiores (que nunca se preucuparam com o bem estar da força), se venderem pra políticos por dinheiro e posiçoes privilegiadas. Justamente que deveria ser o exemplo para os mais novos na força. Faria omesmo!
Aí e ligar onde o rio encontra-se com o mar. Ai o patrão não compra ferramentas para furar um poço, mas quer a água no seu pote.o patrão está ocupado com outras prioridades. Enquanto EUA, Rússia, e outras potências se equipam nós estamos voltando para a combi. Falta mais comprometimento com a coisa publica, mas aguardemos para ver o final dessa história. E digo mais: vai ter mais baixa nas fileiras da aviação nesse passo que segue. Eu não ficaria para ser bucha de canhão.
Somos grande nação de poucos que se preocupam com ela.