A aviação naval de asa fixa baseada em terra como alternativa às alas aéreas embarcadas: Uma proposta para o Brasil a partir do estudo dos casos soviético e argentino

Abstract

ABSTRACT The intensive use of aircraft carriers in World War II (1939-1945), especially in the Pacific, estab- lished them as the new capital ships of a fleet, consolidating a paradigm of naval aviation based on carrier air wings. However, the high costs of these assets made them inaccessible to many navies, which sought alternative ways to employ the potential of aircraft in maritime operations. This study focuses on land-based fixed-wing naval aviation. Through the case studies of the Soviet Navy dur- ing part of the Cold War period (1953-1985) and Argentina during the Falklands War (1982), the objective is to identify possible doctrinal concepts for employing land-based naval aviation, appli- cable to various contexts, including Brazil’s. Due to hybrid nature of naval aviation, situated be- tween Air Power and Naval Power, the research presents concepts that associate Naval Air Power with maritime warfare objectives. In this context, Dyndal introduced the concept of Maritime Air Power, defined as the air component of a force entirely dedicated to maritime purposes, regardless of the platform from which it operates. The strategic role of land based naval aviation becomes more evident in the selected cases. In the first case, during the Cold War, the Soviet Navy was undergoing an expansion process, with an emphasis on the development of submarines and naval aviation. Geographical, ideological, and budgetary factors led the Soviet Union to not prioritize carrier air wings, choosing instead a model based on large land-based aircraft. With Western aircraft carriers and submarines as potential targets, Soviet naval aviation focused on anti-ship, anti-sub- marine, and reconnaissance capabilities, supported by the long range of its aircraft and missiles. In the Argentine case, the withdrawal of the aircraft carrier from combat during the Falklands War forced Argentina to operate its naval aviation from the mainland. The Argentine naval aviation, also oriented towards anti-ship, anti-submarine, and reconnaissance capabilities, faced severe lim- itations in the latter two areas, which compromised its performance. However, its anti-ship compo- nent, despite being equipped with few missiles, achieved the most significant outputs in the conflict. Additionally, data from the Argentine campaign show that naval aviation, despite its limited assets, had a disproportionately greater impact on operational outcomes compared to the Argentine Air Force. In both cases, land-based naval aviation proved effective for denial strategies, aiming to prevent or limit enemy access to specific zones. These concepts may be relevant to Brazil, which, while lacking hegemonic ambitions, must protect its vast own waters. Establishing a land-based fixed-wing naval aviation structure focused on anti-ship, anti-submarine, and reconnaissance capa- bilities may represent a viable alternative to the carrier air wings paradigm, enabling a robust de- fensive and deterrent capability. Budget constraints for the immediate implementation of such a model may require maintaining "competency nuclei", as defined by Vidigal, to preserve existing expertise in the operation of interception and attack aircraft in the Brazilian Navy.