Sistemas áereos remotamente pilotados: possibilidades e novas capacidades para a Marinha do Brasil

Abstract

This study aimed to understand and analyze how the employment of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) could bring new capabilities to the Brazilian Navy in the future, particularly in the execution of Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) operations, launched from land or aboard naval vessels. To achieve this, the present work was developed based on bibliographic and documentary research, which supported the creation of this thesis. Thus, the study sought to show the evolution of such platforms from their inception, which began with the development of the first RPAS prototypes in the post-World War II period. The work continues by detailing the significant technological advancements that occurred in the last two decades of the 20th century, including the incorporation of sophisticated sensors and armaments into these systems, as well as their diverse applications. To contextualize the importance of these modern vectors in the global military scenario, examples of contemporary conflicts where the extensive use of these platforms had a decisive influence on their outcomes were presented. The study also highlights the new phase of Brazilian Naval Aviation, which began operating its first unmanned remote system, as well as the importance of the national defense industry in developing RPAS projects that could be incorporated into the Brazilian Armed Forces' arsenal in the future. Finally, considering the facts and analyses presented, it is concluded that the incorporation of modern Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems by the Brazilian Navy will bring possibilities and add new capabilities to the Force.