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New H125 helicopter expands FAB and Navy training structure, strengthens the modernization of the Armed Forces, and reinforces Brazilian operational capability with technology used in the training of military pilots prepared to act in defense, transport, humanitarian aid, and extreme environment operations.
The Brazilian Air Force received the fourth H125 Esquilo helicopter from the TH-X project, an initiative by the Ministry of Defense aimed at training military rotary-wing pilots for the FAB and the Brazilian Navy.
The aircraft, registration FAB 8824, was delivered by Helibras in Itajubá, Minas Gerais, and has already been assigned to Natal Air Base, in Rio Grande do Norte, where the 1st/11th Aviation Group, known as Esquadrão Gavião (Gavião Squadron), operates.
H125 Helicopter reinforces FAB military training
The arrival of the new H125 expands the structure used in the preparation of future helicopter pilots for the Armed Forces, focusing on instruction standardization, greater operational efficiency, and adaptation to current military aviation requirements.
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The Gavião Squadron, based in Parnamirim, is responsible for a central stage in the training of FAB rotary-wing pilots, which makes the incorporation of FAB 8824 relevant for the continuity of the operational training modernization program.
The TH-X project foresees the acquisition of 27 H125 helicopters, with 12 destined for the Brazilian Air Force and 15 for the Brazilian Navy, in a joint strategy to align instruction processes and reduce operating costs.
H125 Technology prepares pilots for complex missions
The H125 incorporates features compatible with the training of crews who, after the instruction phase, will be able to operate larger and more complex helicopters, such as models used in transport, rescue, defense, and humanitarian missions.
Among the equipment associated with the aircraft are a digital panel, integrated GPS, moving map, autopilot, and night vision goggle compatibility, features that bring basic training closer to the technologies used in operational squadrons.
The aircraft is also recognized for its performance in high-altitude and intense heat environments, an important characteristic for missions in different regions of the country, although its application in the TH-X is primarily linked to military instruction.
TH-X Project unites FAB and Brazilian Navy
The project coordination is under the responsibility of the Coordinating Commission for the Combat Aircraft Program, COPAC, which acts in planning, contractual management, and institutional articulation related to the incorporation of aircraft.
In technical and operational monitoring, the Combat Aircraft Program Monitoring and Control Group participates in the stages of receiving, verifying, and integrating the helicopters, according to the requirements defined for the project.
The head of GAC-PAC and president of the Acceptance Commission, Air Force Colonel Diogo Silva Castilho, stated that the incorporation of the new vector reinforces high-level military pilot training and contributes to safer operations in the coming years.
Helibras participates in the modernization of military aviation
The delivery carried out at Helibras’ facilities in Itajubá also reinforces the participation of the national industry in the program, as the company is responsible for the production and support of helicopters used by civilian and military operators in Brazil.
In addition to fleet expansion, the TH-X seeks to strengthen the Defense Industrial Base by maintaining manufacturing, integration, and support stages in the country, a factor considered strategic for long-term Armed Forces programs.
With FAB 8824, the project advances in the gradual renewal of instruction means, allowing the FAB and Navy to work with a common platform to train pilots in compatible procedures, systems, and operational standards.
The aircraft’s capacity varies according to configuration and mission, but the H125 can transport pilot and passengers in different arrangements, in addition to receiving adaptations for multi-mission use in transport, training, observation, and operational support.
The incorporation of the fourth helicopter occurs after the verification and acceptance stages of the first project units, a process that included analysis of onboard systems, flight manuals, and functional tests before entering operation.
Natal Air Base remains central to this training, bringing together the necessary structure, personnel, and doctrine to prepare pilots who will later serve in different rotary-wing aviation units of the Armed Forces.
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