Helicopter carrier assumes its original mission: humanitarian aid

The multipurpose aircraft carrier “Atlântico”, the Navy’s amphibious assault helicopter carrier and flagship (“flagship”), is being used on its first major humanitarian aid mission. It will reinforce medical care for victims of landslides and those made homeless by heavy rains in São Sebastião (SP).

The action is part of an effort by the military to start recovering its prestige, according to analysts interviewed by the report. They have been involved in a succession of political crises following last year’s presidential elections.

In practice, the Navy ship will be used as a field hospital from this Thursday (23), when it docks in São Sebastião. Medical facilities were set up in its hangar.

The Atlântico replaced the aircraft carrier São Paulo as the main ship of the Brazilian fleet. The last Brazilian aircraft carrier became scrap metal and was sunk at sea earlier this month.

The main function of the helicopter carrier in a war is the amphibious assault, that is, the taking of a part of the enemy coast. But when it was purchased from the United Kingdom in 2018, one of the main objectives of the Brazilian military was to use it in humanitarian aid actions inside and outside the country.

The ship is carrying six helicopters from the Naval Air Force Command and a group of 180 Marines, from the Fleet Marine Force, for the relief mission on the coast of São Paulo. In addition, microloaders, ambulances and a type of tractor called a wheel loader were shipped to help clear roads and other needs.

The ship will also have three boats for disembarking vehicles and personnel, with capacity for 35 people each; a personal transport boat, with capacity for 20 people; an operational speedboat; and a ready-to-use team from the Navy’s Operative Medicine Center, made up of 28 physicians and health personnel.

The “Atlântico” field hospital has doctors of different specialties: orthopedist, general surgeon, anesthetist, general practitioner, pediatrician, dentist, as well as pharmacist, nursing technicians, oral hygiene assistant and laboratory assistant.

But not all of the ship’s capacity is being utilized. The Atlantic can carry up to 18 helicopters, 432 crew and up to 1,400 Marines. It is able to accommodate more people than some Brazilian municipalities, such as Serra da Saudade (MG), with only 771 inhabitants; Borá (SP), with 839; Araguainha (MT), with 909; and Engenho Velho (RS), with 932 residents.

Navy serves on federal government task force

The Navy’s support is part of the task force coordinated by the Ministry of Integration and Regional Development (MIDR), through the Federal System of Protection and Civil Defense. The folder informs that the objective is to support the actions of the Civil Defense in helping victims of the heavy rains that hit the north coast of São Paulo in recent days.

The government maintains that the arrival of the ship will make it possible to create a structure that will reinforce medical care for the homeless, alleviating the demand on local hospitals, which will handle the most serious cases.

The “Atlântico” multipurpose aircraft carrier was built in the mid-1990s and has already been used in several humanitarian aid missions abroad. The most recent occurred in 2017, when he was employed by the British Royal Navy in Operation Ruman, which supported humanitarian actions in the Caribbean islands, affected by Hurricane Irma.

He has also participated in humanitarian actions in Kosovo, Central America, Asia and Africa. In 2000, he participated in Operation Palliser, a military intervention in Sierra Leone. He then operated in the Middle East with the HMS Illustrious battle group in the Iraq War.

In 2009, it was deployed to Asia, again in naval operations and in support of humanitarian actions. In 2011, he participated in Operation Unified Protector in Libya. The following year, he returned to England for renovations and later participated in naval operations within the framework of NATO (Western military alliance).

On June 29, 2018, she was purchased by the Brazilian Navy, having docked in Rio de Janeiro on August 25 of that same year. The official objective was to maintain the ability to carry out air operations from carriers, both on the high seas and projecting power over land. But the power of a helicopter carrier is much lower than that of an aircraft carrier.

The “Atlântico” has already been used in the Navy’s annual operational exercises, the Almirantex, and other military activities, but it is the first time that it is used in a humanitarian aid mission of the size of the operation coordinated by the government of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva ( PT).

Armed Forces want to regain prestige

The support from the Navy — and also from the Army, which already operates in São Sebastião — comes months after the leadership of the Armed Forces was between a rock and a hard place. A portion of the left, including the government itself, treated the military as scapegoats for the acts of vandalism that took place on January 8. Lula, for example, demanded a meeting with the three commanders of the Navy, Army and Air Force to discuss the matter. Afterwards, he replaced the army commander, claiming distrust, but without presenting evidence.

Already a portion of the conservatives who defended a military intervention (based on a mistaken interpretation of article 142 of the Constitution) accused the military of not having “taken sides” to prevent Lula’s inauguration. Criticism of the Army High Command generated embarrassment and this led the Army to react to messages from demonstrators who called generals “communists”.

Now, with the Armed Forces acting in humanitarian aid, it is believed that the military can begin to recover part of its political capital. “It certainly helps to recover prestige after troubled times in recent months, but that is not the purpose of the mission, but to help Brazilians in trouble”, says political analyst Alexis Risden, specialist in security and national defense at BMJ Consultores Associates.

The political consultant argues that the situation in São Sebastião is very serious as there are few accesses released by land. He believes that the “Atlântico” ship will support both the medical base, with transport carried out by helicopters, and road maintenance, through the Marine Corps Engineering Battalion.

“It is a good ship, which came with several systems and sensors removed, but I believe that the Navy is fulfilling the ship’s mission to provide assistance to victims. It is not new for the Armed Forces, in all public calamities arising from natural disasters, they have always provided and will provide support to Brazilians”, maintains Risden.

Analyst predicts humanitarian aid is first of many

Navy reserve frigate captain and columnist for People’s Gazette, Robinson Farinazzo, understands that the current mission may not be the only humanitarian support provided by “Atlântico” in Brazil. “It has great versatility, with a great capacity to receive [militares e civis], it has its medical facilities, it can receive large helicopters, it can receive boats. It will certainly still provide great services to society”, he evaluates.

The military understands that the purchase of the ship “was a hit” by the Navy, especially for the price paid, £ 84 million, which, at the time, represented an acquisition of around R$ 454 million. “It’s kind of complicated to get the purchase of a ship that has already been used, because the ship is designed for those who designed it and for the first country that ordered it, but, due to what the Navy does, it fit like a ‘glove’, including in price”, he maintains.

Farinazzo highlights the role played by the Navy and says that humanitarian aid reinforces the role played by the Armed Forces. “They exist to serve society, they are State institutions, they have been present since the Battle of Guararapes and will never shy away from serving Brazil, regardless of the president. Brazil continues and we have to do the best we can”, he comments.

The military understands that there is no animosity between the Armed Forces and the government and reinforces that they will do their best for the victims in São Sebastião. “Navy personnel always work with great professionalism, it’s more of a mission. These events on the coast of São Paulo generated national and international commotion and the Navy would not remain indifferent, we were really touched. The personnel are working with their hearts and doing what they best possible by Brazilians”, he analyzes.

Army deployed 600 troops to reopen roads

In addition to the “Atlântico”, the general cargo unloading vessel Guarapari will also support the homeless and is already on its way to São Sebastião. The ship has a ramp capable of mooring on beaches to rescue victims who are still in isolated areas. In recent days, he has transported “extremely necessary” supplies for humanitarian aid from Santos to São Sebastião, said on Wednesday (22) the commander of the Navy, Admiral Marcos Sampaio Olsen.

The Commander-in-Chief of the Fleet, Vice Admiral Edgar Luiz Barbosa, states that the Navy is committed and committed to “bringing hope and solidarity to the victims of this natural disaster”. “The readiness of ships, aircraft and marine units, our men and women, sailors and marines, is the best we have to offer to ease the suffering of these people”, he highlighted.

In addition to the Navy, the Army also supports humanitarian aid. The Southeast Military Command has employed around 600 soldiers in a large operation to support the Civil Defense in São Sebastião since Monday (20). The Task Force of the 6th Light Infantry Battalion carries out the excavation and search for victims after landslides in Boiçucanga and Barra do Sahy.

The Army also transports and escorts donations collected by the City Hall. Land access to Barra do Sahy only became possible because Army Engineering, together with other agencies, worked on clearing points on BR 101 that had fallen barriers.

With six aircraft, Army Aviation carries out reconnaissance missions, transporting donations to the Juquehy region, which remains isolated, and transporting teams from the Fire Department, Civil Defense and even sniffer dogs from the Metropolitan Civil Guard of São Paulo , who supported the search for the missing together with the Army personnel.

Check out the photo gallery of the ship “Atlântico” and the support from the Army