Uruguayan Air Force
The Uruguayan Air Force (Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya) grew from a flying school founded at Los Cerrillos in 1913 into a separate service in 1953, lost a chartered transport in the Andes in 1972 in one of aviation’s best-known survival stories, gave its name to the 1973 pact that put the armed forces in power — and in 2026 retired its last jets, the A-37B, after almost 50 years, for six A-29 Super Tucanos of which two have arrived.
The Uruguayan Air Force story: a flying school in 1913, the Andes crash of 1972 and the end of the last jets
1913–1950: a flying school at Los Cerrillos
Uruguay’s air force dates itself to 17 March 1913, when a Military Aviation School opened at Los Cerrillos in Canelones under the French instructor Marcel Paillette. Its first ten pilots included Captain Juan Manuel Boiso Lanza and Lieutenant Cesáreo L. Berisso, who on 22 June 1913 flew the first solo by a Uruguayan, from Los Cerrillos to Malvín. Boiso Lanza was killed in training at Pau in France on 10 August 1918; that date is still kept as the day of the martyrs of military aviation, and two air bases carry the pair’s names. In the 1920s the school flew Avro 504Ks, Breguet 14s and 28 Nieuport 27s. In 1935 it became the Aeronáutica Militar, still part of the army, with Tiger Moths and IMAM Ro.37s, and the first brigade, Aeronáutica N° 1, formed at Carrasco in April 1936.
1950–1972: Mustangs, Shooting Stars and an independent air force
American aid shaped the next generation. T-6 Texans and Curtiss SNC-1 Falcons came in 1942, C-47s in 1947, and in 1949–1950 a package of 25 F-51D Mustangs, 11 B-25J Mitchells and three more C-47s. Law 12.070 of 4 December 1953 turned the Aeronáutica Militar into a separate service, the Fuerza Aérea Militar; it took the name Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya in 1956. On 23 October 1956 four T-33As landed at Carrasco to begin Uruguay’s jet age, and from 1958 F-80C Shooting Stars replaced the Mustangs. The military air transport service, TAMU, began in 1959 with C-47s. The country had no wars to fight; the air force’s purpose was sovereignty, transport and a modest deterrent.
1972–1985: the Andes and the dictatorship
On 13 October 1972 a TAMU Fairchild Hiller FH-227D, FAU 571, chartered by an amateur rugby team, the Old Christians, flew into a mountain in the Andes on its way from Montevideo via Mendoza to Santiago. The official investigation found controlled flight into terrain: the co-pilot began his descent believing they had passed Curicó. Twelve people died in the crash or within hours, eight more in an avalanche on 29 October, and 29 of the 45 aboard in all. The search was called off after eight days. Sixteen survivors were rescued on 22–23 December, after Nando Parrado and Roberto Canessa walked out to find help. Months later, in February 1973, the commanders of the army and air force refused to accept a new defence minister; the resulting pact, signed at the Boiso Lanza air base on 12 February, created a National Security Council that English Wikipedia describes as a coup in fact. Parliament was dissolved on 27 June 1973.
1985–2017: transports, peacekeepers and an ageing strike force
The dictatorship lasted until 1985. A commission set up in 2000 documented Uruguayans kidnapped and killed in Uruguay and in Argentina, and English Wikipedia puts those killed in the 12 years at about 180, with more than 5,000 arrested for political reasons. The air force in those years bought eight new A-37B Dragonflies in 1976, ferried by Uruguayan pilots from McConnell Air Force Base, six IA-58 Pucarás and Bell 212 helicopters in 1981, and five Embraer Bandeirantes in 1975 — the first export sale in Embraer’s history. On 28 January 1984 an FH-227D became the first Uruguayan aircraft to land in Antarctica. Democracy brought C-130B Hercules and Pilatus PC-7s in 1992, the end of the T-33 in 1996, and a long run of peacekeeping: Bell 212s with the UN in the Congo, and C-212s in Haiti, where one crashed on 9 October 2009 killing six Uruguayans and five Jordanians.
2024–2026: the Super Tucano replaces the last jets
By the 2010s the combat force had aged out. The Pucará was retired in 2017, and Uruguay had to withdraw from Chile’s Salitre exercise in 2022 because of A-37 engine problems. Two ex-Spanish KC-130H Hercules replaced the C-130Bs in 2020, giving the FAU its first tanker. In late 2024 the government signed for six Embraer A-29 Super Tucanos, its first new combat aircraft since 1981, for about USD 100 million with a simulator and support. The first two, FAU 250 and 251, arrived at Durazno on 18 February 2026, escorted by the A-37s they were to replace, and on 13 May 2026 the Dragonflies were retired after almost 50 years. The four remaining Super Tucanos had no published delivery dates in April 2026; until they arrive, Uruguay polices its skies with two turboprops.
The Uruguayan Air Force in numbers
サービス
- ネイティブ名
- Fuerza Aérea UruguayaAbbreviated FAU; the name adopted in 1956. Law 12.070 of 1953 had created it as the Fuerza Aérea Militar
- 設立
- 4 December 1953As a separate service by Law 12.070. Military flying began with the aviation school of 17 March 1913; the Aeronáutica Militar, still part of the army, dates from 1935
- 一部
- Armed Forces of Uruguay, under the Ministry of National DefenceThe smallest and youngest of the three services
- 本部
- MontevideoAir Command general headquarters
- Commander-in-Chief
- Gen. del Aire Fernando ColinaIn post at the A-29 presentation of February 2026 and the A-37 retirement of May 2026; date of appointment not confirmed
- 1973–1985
- Boiso Lanza pact, 12 February 1973Signed at the air base of that name after the army and air force commanders rejected a new defence minister; it created the National Security Council. Military-led rule followed until 1985
- 国防大臣
- Sandra LazoAs of February–July 2026, under President Yamandú Orsi
強さ
- 人事
- About 2,850English Wikipedia’s figure; not confirmed from an official source
- 戦闘機
-
- Embraer A-29 Super Tucano — 2 delivered, 6 ordered
The A-37B was retired on 13 May 2026 and the IA-58 Pucará in 2017; Uruguay has no jet combat aircraft
- 輸送
-
- Lockheed KC-130H Hercules — 2
- CASA C-212 Aviocar — 5
- Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia — 2
- Beechcraft Baron — 3
- Cessna U-206H — 6
Fleet numbers from English Wikipedia, KC-130H from Zona Militar
- ヘリコプター
-
- Bell 212 — 5
- Bell UH-1H — 3
- Eurocopter AS365N2 Dauphin — 2
- Bell 206 — 3
Bell 212s have flown with the UN in the DR Congo since 2010
- トレーナー
-
- Pilatus PC-7U — 5
- SIAI-Marchetti SF.260EU — 6
Four PC-7s received digital cockpits in 2026
インフラストラクチャー
- Air brigades
-
- Air Brigade I — Carrasco, Montevideo (transport, helicopters)
- Air Brigade II — Durazno (A-29, advanced training)
- Air Brigade III — Boiso Lanza, Montevideo
The two Wikipedias disagree on whether Squadron 7 belongs to Brigade I or III
- Military Aviation School
- Gen. Artigas air base, PandoOfficer training
- Jet-capable runways
- Carrasco and DuraznoCarrasco’s longest runway is 3,200 m, Durazno’s 2,285 m
- 博物館
- Col. Jaime Meregalli Aeronautical MuseumAt the Carrasco air base
How the Uruguayan Air Force is organised
The smallest and youngest of Uruguay’s three services, commanded from Montevideo through three air brigades and a Military Aviation School at Pando. Since the A-37B Dragonfly was retired on 13 May 2026 its only combat aircraft are two A-29 Super Tucanos of Escuadrón Aéreo N° 2 at Durazno, the first of six ordered; the other four had no published delivery dates in April 2026. Air Brigade I at Carrasco flies the transports, among them two KC-130H tankers, and the helicopters.
Uruguayan Air Force
The smallest and youngest of Uruguay’s three services, separate from the army since Law 12.070 of 4 December 1953, under the Ministry of National Defence; the Air Command general headquarters is in Montevideo. Gen. del Aire Fernando Colina was Commander-in-Chief in February, May and July 2026; the date he took command was not confirmed. English Wikipedia gives about 2,850 personnel.
Escuadrón Aéreo N° 2 (Caza)
Air Brigade II’s squadron, 75 years old on 13 May 2026, the day its A-37B Dragonflies, Uruguay’s last jets, were retired after almost 50 years. It now flies two A-29 Super Tucanos, FAU 250 and 251, which arrived on 18 February 2026; the other four of six ordered had no published delivery dates in April 2026.
Escuadrón Aéreo N° 3 (Transporte)
Air Brigade I’s transport squadron, heir to the TAMU service of 1959, with two ex-Spanish KC-130H Hercules, the air force’s first tankers since 2020, CASA C-212s and EMB 120 Brasilias. The C-212s have flown maritime patrol and, with the UN in Haiti, lost FAU 531 on 9 October 2009.
Escuadrón Aéreo N° 5 (Helicópteros)
Air Brigade I’s helicopter squadron, with Bell 212s, UH-1Hs and AS365N2 Dauphins. Its Bell 212s have flown with the UN mission in the DR Congo since 2010; Zona Militar described the unit in 2023 as the only helicopter squadron in the mission able to fly at night, and a US-donated Bell 212 was received at Carrasco in July 2023.
Military Aviation School and Advanced Flight Squadron
The school at Pando traces its line to the aviation school founded at Los Cerrillos on 17 March 1913 and trains the officers on SF.260EU and PC-7U trainers; which types fly from Pando rather than Durazno was not confirmed. The Advanced Flight Squadron at Durazno trained two Paraguayan officers in 2025.
Air Brigade III
Headquartered at the Boiso Lanza air base in Montevideo, where the pact of 12 February 1973 was signed. Spanish Wikipedia lists the National Air Police and special operations under the brigade; English Wikipedia places Escuadrón Aéreo N° 7 (observation and liaison) here, Spanish Wikipedia at Carrasco.
What the Uruguayan Air Force flies today
課金対象となるすべてのタイプは、該当する「獣図鑑」のページ（存在する場合）にリンクされています。. 表示されている機数は、予約済みの機数であり、特定の日に利用可能な機数ではありません。.
| タイプ | 役割 | 使用中 | 以来 | 単位 | 注記 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Embraer A-29 Super Tucano使用中 | Light attack and interception | 2 | 2026 | — | Two delivered (FAU 250 and 251) of six ordered; four more without published dates in April 2026. | |
| ロッキードKC-130Hハーキュリーズ使用中 | Transport and air-to-air refuelling | 2 | 2020 | — | Two, FAU 594 and 595, ex-Spanish Air Force. | |
| CASA C-212 アビオカー使用中 | Transport and maritime patrol | 5 | 1981 | — | Five per English Wikipedia, four used for maritime patrol; five were bought in 1981. | |
| Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia使用中 | VIP and transport | 2 | — | Two, per English Wikipedia. | ||
| Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante (C-95)使用中 | 軽輸送 | 1 | 1975 | — | Five bought in 1975; one left, in storage awaiting overhaul according to English Wikipedia. | |
| Beechcraft Baron 55/58使用中 | Liaison and multi-engine training | 3 | 1998 | — | Three; two Baron 58s were bought in 1998. | |
| Cessna U-206H Stationair使用中 | Light transport and liaison | 6 | 1998 | — | Six; ten were bought in 1998. | |
| ベル212使用中 | 汎用ヘリコプター | 5 | 1981 | — | Five per English Wikipedia; first bought in 1981, with two more donated by the US in 2021 and 2023. | |
| ベルUH-1Hイロコイ使用中 | 汎用ヘリコプター | 3 | — | Three, per English Wikipedia. | ||
| Eurocopter AS365N2 Dauphin使用中 | 捜索救助ヘリコプター | 2 | 1998 | — | Two, bought in 1998. | |
| ベル206使用中 | 訓練用ヘリコプター | 3 | — | Three, per English Wikipedia. | ||
| Pilatus PC-7U使用中 | 基礎および上級トレーナー | 5 | 1992 | — | Five; six were bought in 1992. | |
| SIAI-Marchetti / Aermacchi SF.260EU (T-260EU)使用中 | 主任トレーナー | 6 | 1999 | — | Six per English Wikipedia; 13 T-260EU were bought in 1999. |
注文済み
| タイプ | 注文しました | 初回配達 | 注記 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Embraer A-29 Super Tucano注文済み | 4 | 2026 | The remaining four of six; a 2024 plan foresaw two a year in 2025, 2026 and 2027, but no dates for the last four had been published by April 2026.
もっとSpanish Wikipedia’s claim of five further options exercised in 2025 was not confirmed and is not counted. |
Every type the Uruguayan Air Force has retired
18 types, from the de Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth to the Cessna A-37B Dragonfly. ピーク時の数値は、特定の日付における機体数ではなく、運用期間全体を通して引き渡された機体数を指します。.
| タイプ | 役割 | ピーク | 提供 | に置き換えられました | 注記 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cessna A-37B Dragonfly | Light attack jet | 8 | 1976年～2026年 | A-29 Super Tucano | Eight bought new in 1976 (FAU 270–277); English Wikipedia records fatal accidents in 2004 and 2016. | |
| ロッキードC-130Bハーキュリーズ | 戦術輸送 | 3 | 1992–2020 | KC-130H Hercules | 三つ。. | |
| FMA IA-58A Pucará | Counter-insurgency attack | 6 | 1981–2017 | A-29 Super Tucano | Six, received in 1981. | |
| Lockheed T-33A Shooting Star | Jet trainer and fighter | 4 | 1956年～1996年 | — | Four arrived on 23 October 1956. | |
| Beechcraft T-34 Mentor | トレーナー | — | — | — | 番号は未確認です。. | |
| North American F-51D Mustang | ファイター | 25 | 1950–1958 | — | 25. | |
| Lockheed F-80C Shooting Star | ファイター | — | 1958年～ | — | 番号は未確認です。. | |
| North American B-25J Mitchell | 中型爆撃機 | 11 | 1950年～ | — | 11. | |
| Fairchild Hiller FH-227D | 輸送 | — | — | — | 番号は未確認です。. | |
| Douglas C-47 Skytrain | 輸送 | — | 1947– | — | Number not confirmed; three C-47As came in 1949–1950. | |
| Gates Learjet 35A | VIP and photo survey | 1 | 1981– | — | 1つ。. | |
| ノースアメリカンT-6テキサン | トレーナー | — | 1942年– | — | 番号は未確認です。. | |
| Curtiss SNC-1 Falcon | トレーナー | — | 1942年– | — | 番号は未確認です。. | |
| de Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth | トレーナー | — | 1935– | — | 番号は未確認です。. | |
| IMAM Ro.37 | 偵察 | — | 1935– | — | 番号は未確認です。. | |
| Avro 504K | トレーナー | 16 | — | — | 16. | |
| Breguet 14 | 偵察機および爆撃機 | 13 | — | — | 13. | |
| Nieuport 27 | ファイター | 28 | — | — | 28. |
Where the Uruguayan Air Force flies from
Black pins are active bases; none of the four listed has closed. Durazno, inaugurated in 1977 as Montevideo’s bad-weather alternate, is Uruguay’s combat base, where the A-29s arrived and the A-37Bs were retired in 2026; Air Brigade I shares Carrasco, Montevideo’s international airport, where Uruguay’s jet age began in 1956. Boiso Lanza, where the 1973 pact was signed, and the school at Pando have no published coordinates and carry no pin. Coordinates and runways are from English Wikipedia, as the DINACIA AIP could not be reached.
| ベース | ICAO | 状態 | 滑走路 | 部隊と航空機 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boiso LanzaMontevideo Department | SUBL | アクティブ | — |
|
| CarrascoCanelones Department | SUMU | アクティブ | 07/253,200メートル01/192,250 m |
|
| DuraznoSanta BernardinaDurazno Department | SUDU | アクティブ | 03/212,285メートルコンクリートとアスファルト10/281,450 m |
|
| General Artigas, PandoCanelones Department | アクティブ | — |
その検索条件に一致する空軍基地は見つかりませんでした。.
Who is stationed where in the Uruguayan Air Force
基地ごとの飛行部隊一覧（現行部隊から順）。. Uruguayan squadrons are numbered Escuadrones Aéreos under three air brigades: N° 2 flies the A-29 at Durazno with Brigade II, N° 3 the transports and N° 5 the helicopters at Carrasco with Brigade I. Escuadrón Aéreo N° 1, which flew the Pucará until 2017, is listed as former. Where the English and Spanish Wikipedias disagree on a unit’s base, as for N° 7, the entry says so.
- Escuadrón Aéreo N° 2 (Caza)Fighter and light attack squadron · active
- A-29 Super Tucano (2 of 6), A-37B Dragonfly (1976–2026)
- Advanced Flight Squadron (Escuadrón de Vuelo Avanzado)Advanced training squadron · active
- Aircraft type not confirmed
- Escuadrón Aéreo N° 1 (Ataque)—
- FMA IA-58A Pucará
- Escuadrón Aéreo N° 3 (Transporte)輸送飛行隊・現役
- KC-130H Hercules, CASA C-212, EMB 120 Brasilia
- Escuadrón Aéreo N° 5 (Helicópteros)ヘリコプター飛行隊・現役
- Bell 212, ベルUH-1H, AS365N2 Dauphin
- Air Brigade IIIAir brigade · active
- —
検索条件に一致するユニットは見つかりませんでした。.
Uruguayan Air Force milestones, 1914 to today
17 March: the Military Aviation School opens at Los Cerrillos. 22 June: Cesáreo L. Berisso flies the first solo by a Uruguayan.
10 August: Captain Juan Manuel Boiso Lanza is killed in training at Pau, France; the date becomes the day of the martyrs of military aviation.
The school becomes the Aeronáutica Militar, still part of the army.
April: Aeronáutica N° 1, today’s Air Brigade I, is formed at Carrasco.
25 F-51D Mustangs, 11 B-25J Mitchells and three C-47As arrive from the US in 1949–1950.
4 December: Law 12.070 creates the Fuerza Aérea Militar as a separate service; renamed Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya in 1956.
23 October: four T-33As land at Carrasco, Uruguay’s first jets.
13 October: FH-227D FAU 571 crashes in the Andes; 16 of 45 aboard are rescued on 22–23 December.
12 February: the Boiso Lanza pact is signed at the air base of that name. 27 June: parliament is dissolved; military-led rule lasts until 1985.
Eight new A-37B Dragonflies are ferried from McConnell AFB.
14 April: Santa Bernardina airfield at Durazno is inaugurated.
Six IA-58 Pucarás, Bell 212 helicopters and five C-212s join the fleet.
28 January: an FH-227D makes the first landing by a Uruguayan aircraft in Antarctica.
Three C-130B Hercules and six Pilatus PC-7Us arrive.
9 October: C-212 FAU 531 crashes in Haiti on a MINUSTAH mission, killing six Uruguayans and five Jordanians.
The IA-58 Pucará is retired.
Two ex-Spanish KC-130H Hercules replace the C-130Bs.
18 February: the first two A-29 Super Tucanos arrive at Durazno. 13 May: the A-37B is retired after almost 50 years.
The Uruguayan Air Force in combat and peacekeeping
記録に残っている出撃回数と損失回数、そして記録が残っていない場合は正直に空白とします。.
- The 1935 revolution 1935 English Wikipedia says Tiger Moths saw their first combat use in the 1935 revolution
- UN peacekeeping in the DR Congo 2010– Bell 212 utility helicopters supporting the UN mission
- UN peacekeeping in Haiti 2009 C-212 Aviocar transport and reconnaissance for the UN mission
Everything people ask about the Uruguayan Air Force
What is the Uruguayan Air Force called in Spanish?
What aircraft does the Uruguayan Air Force fly in 2026?
Does Uruguay have fighter jets?
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What was the Boiso Lanza pact?
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Where are the Uruguayan Air Force bases?
Read the aircraft the Uruguayan Air Force flew
『獣の書』にページがあるすべての機種を、まず就役した年、次に艦隊から退役した年順に掲載する。.
すべての事実を確認済み
- IMPO: Ley N° 12.070 (4 December 1953)Primary text: creates the Fuerza Aérea Militar from the whole of the existing Aeronáutica Militar; promulgated 4 December 1953, published 22 December 1953.
- Zona Militar: Después de casi 50 años de servicio, la Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya retiró sus históricos A-37B Dragonfly (13 May 2026)A-37B retired at Durazno on the 75th anniversary of Escuadrón Aéreo N° 2; eight bought new in 1976 (FAU 270–277), ferried from McConnell AFB; Gen. del Aire Fernando Colina.
- Zona Militar: La Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya presentó oficialmente en Durazno a sus dos nuevos aviones de ataque A-29 Super Tucano (25 February 2026)Six A-29 for USD 100 million with simulator, logistics and infrastructure; presentation with President Yamandú Orsi and Defence Minister Sandra Lazo.
- Zona Militar: Escoltados por los A-37 Dragonfly, los nuevos A-29 Super Tucano arribaron a la Base Aérea de Durazno (18 February 2026)FAU 250 and 251 arrived on 18 February 2026 escorted by two A-37s; contract of late 2024.
- Zona Militar: EE.UU. donará sensores de vigilancia y reconocimiento para los A-29 Super Tucano de la Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya (11 April 2026)US Embassy announced about USD 5 million of ISR sensors; four A-29 still to come, no dates.
- Zona Militar: Presente y futuro de las Fuerzas Armadas de Uruguay (12 September 2024)Six A-29 planned, two a year in 2025–2027; first combat aircraft purchase since 1981; Defence Minister Armando Castaingdebat.
- Zona Militar: La Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya reincorporó a uno de sus Hércules KC-130H tras trabajos de PDM en Portugal (18 February 2025)Two KC-130H (FAU 594, 595) bought from Spain in 2020 to replace the C-130Bs of 1992; FAU 595 overhauled by OGMA in Lisbon.
- Zona Militar: La Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya recibió un Bell 212 donado por los EE.UU. (11 July 2023)Second US-donated Bell 212 under GPOI; FAU Bell 212s with MONUSCO in the DR Congo since 2010.
- Zona Militar: La Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya presentó las cabinas digitalizadas de sus Pilatus PC-7 y Cessna U-206H (28 July 2026)Four PC-7 plus two further aircraft given Garmin glass cockpits by CELCOL Aviation for USD 860,000; Lazo and Colina present.
- Zona Militar: Ejercicio Salitre: la Fuerza Aérea Paraguaya dirá presente en Chile (21 June 2026)Two Paraguayan officers completed advanced flight training at the Tte. 2° M. W. Parallada base in Uruguay in 2025.
- DINACIA (Uruguayan civil aviation authority)The AIP could not be reached from the authority’s site for this dataset; aerodrome data here are not from the AIP.
Figures verified 2026-10-01. Order of Battle pages are regenerated from a single dataset; if a number here disagrees with a Book of Beasts page, this page is the more recent of the two.
Photographs: Photo: Sebastián Laguna Ramos / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0) · Photo: Alfonso Quincke / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: Lux Valens / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Photo: RaulRiosCavada / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: Hans Hillewaert / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: Don Ramey Logan / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: Marcelo Campi from MVD, Uruguay / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Photo: Mfield – Matthew Field, http://www.photography.mattfield.com / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.5) · Photo: Sir James / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0) · Photo: Rob Schleiffert from Holland / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Photo: Acroterion / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: Tony Hisgett / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) · Photo: Greg Goebel / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: Łukasz Golowanow and Maciej Hypś, Konflikty.pl / Wikimedia Commons (Attribution)