Page 236 - Airpower in 20th Century - Doctrines and Employment

236 airpower in 20 Century doCtrines and employment - national experienCes
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air militia and performed transport actions, recon and medi cal evacuation, especially
of civilians.
In August two other types of aircraft come into play: the F-84G integrated in
Squadron 93 and the helicopter AL II in the Transport and Reconnais sance Squad-
ron, becoming later Squadron 94 , both from Air Base No 9.
The F-84 aircraft, acquired under the “Mutual Defence Assistance Agreement”,
had been put out of active service of the Portuguese Air For ce in the mainland in
1961. After its phase-out it was transferred to Angola and it would be used for recon-
naissance missions in the northern border and in interception missions of eventual
supply convoys of the rebel forces, and detection of corridors of infiltration, inter-
diction missions or independent attack, or close air support to the ground forces.
Apart from the internal .50 machine-guns, it displaced external stations where sev-
eral types of air armament could be suspended such as 2.75 and 5 inch rocket, 50
and 200 kilos and 250, 500 and 750 pounds bombs. In August there were five planes
ready for operations (transported by sea from Lisbon, but assembled in Luanda),
with seven pilots assigned who flew a total of 44 missions in that month; in the fol-
lowing month they flew 139 missions, 66 of close air support, 14 of reconnaissance,
eight border patrols in the Northern frontier, 29 of independent attack and 22 of other
nature, such as demonstration flights, training or flyovers. Since October, 11 aircraft
were ready. It must be highlighted the fact that the rate of readiness of the fleet was
80% in August, 77% in September, 66% in October, 82% in November and 90% in
December 1961, numbers that are impressive for a fleet previously “extinct” because
was reaching the end of their normal life.
Fundamentally, Squadron 93 constituted itself as an important deterrent element,
both internally and internationally, apart from its relevant direct action, given its fire-
power. When war started in Angola news came about that foreign aviators would be
available to offer their services to the guerrillas, with small aircraft that could launch
attacks on major targets, escaping unscathed to sanctuaries nearby in neighbouring
countries - with no air defence system to stop them, including radar coverage and in-
terceptors, and as such aircraft would not need major infrastructures to operate, they
might become powerful weapons, in particular against Air Power. This news was not
confirmed in Angola, but the F84 would have been the most appropriate means to
oppose, in some measure, to this menace.
The AL II was acquired by the Portuguese Air Force in 1958; on August 18, 1961
the assembly of the first two helicopters of this type was completed in Luanda, and
a year later 4 more were assembled, amounting to a fleet of six aircraft until their
replacement for the ALL III in July 1963. The primary mission of ALL II was medi-
cal evacuation, featuring two stretchers on the outside of the cabin - it had not a very
intensive use, as compared with AL III.
One of the first concerns of the Air Force was to establish a system of commu-
nications. A fixed service in SSB was established which linked the Regional Air