Yanomami airspace (Photo: Johnson Barros/FAB/Disclosure)
The Brazilian Air Force (FAB) began to carry out aerial control of the Yanomami indigenous land and surrounding areas at 00:00 o’clock Wednesday (Jan. 1). The deployment of an Air Defense Identification Zone (Zida) in the airspace of the country’s Northern Region was established based on Presidential Decree No. 11.405/2023 and aims to contribute to the fight against illegal mining in the state of Roraima. Yanomami Shield 2023 is the name of the military operation.
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With the implementation of Zida, there will be a reserved area (White Area), a restricted area (Yellow Area), and a prohibited area (Red Area), and it will be up to the Air Force command to adopt airspace control measures against all types of suspicious air traffic, as provided in the Brazilian Aeronautics Code. In the Red Area, only aircraft involved in the Yanomami Shield 2023 operation will be authorized.
Aircraft that do not comply with the rules established in the sectors determined by the Air Force will be subject to Airspace Policing Measures (MPEA). These measures range from aircraft identification, re-routing, and mandatory landing requests, to warning shots and arrest shots, to prevent the transgressing aircraft from continuing its flight.
The Aerospace Operations Command (COMAE) is responsible for the planning, coordination and execution of Air Force Actions focused on the Aerospace Control Task during the Yanomami Shield 2023 Operation, conducting the necessary aerial means for the identification, coercion or detention of traffic flying in the area. During the operation, FAB will use A-29, R-99, and E-99 aircraft models.
The Brazilian Air Force also plans to install a TPS-B34 radar to increase air defense capability, reinforcing the detection and control power in the region. The E-99 and R-99 aircraft are already in Roraima and the air defense alert in the state capital, Boa Vista, has been reinforced.
