Slagorde · Portugal

Portugese luchtmacht

Q: Hoe heet de Portugese luchtmacht in het Portugees?

De Portugese luchtmacht (Força Aérea Portuguesa), meestal afgekort tot FAP; dat is de naam op haar officiële website, emfa.pt. Ze werd op 1 juli 1952 opgericht uit de Aeronáutica Militar van het leger en de luchtvaartdienst van de marine. Portugees is de enige officiële taal, dus er is geen andere officiële naam.

Q: Welke vliegtuigen gebruikt de Portugese luchtmacht in 2026?

De strijdkrachten beschikken over de F-16AM/BM, waarvan er ongeveer 28 gestationeerd zijn in Monte Real. Daarnaast vliegen ze met de A-29N Super Tucano, de Embraer KC-390, C-130H en C-295 transportvliegtuigen, P-3C Orion patrouillevliegtuigen, Falcon VIP-jets en EH-101 Merlin, UH-60 Black Hawk en AW119 helikopters. Piloten worden opgeleid op de Epsilon, Chipmunk en A-29N.

Q: Hoeveel F-16's heeft Portugal?

Ongeveer 28 – 24 eenzits F-16AM's en vier tweezits BM's – volgens persberichten uit 2026; de luchtmacht publiceert geen exact aantal. Portugal ontving 45 F-16's in twee batches vanaf 1994, plus nog drie in 2019, verkocht er 17 aan Roemenië en verloor er twee bij ongelukken.

Q: Koopt Portugal de F-35?

Tot nu toe niet. De luchtmacht gaf de voorkeur aan de F-35A, maar in maart 2025 zei minister van Defensie Nuno Melo dat veranderingen in het Amerikaanse beleid vragen opriepen over de afhankelijkheid van Amerikaans materieel. In september 2026 werd gemeld dat de Rafale, F-35A, Gripen E/F en Typhoon allemaal in de race waren voor 14 tot 28 toestellen, zonder dat er formeel een aanbesteding was uitgeschreven.

Q: Waarom verkocht Portugal F-16's aan Roemenië?

Omdat Roemenië meer vliegtuigen had dan het kon laten vliegen en een snel en betaalbaar gevechtsvliegtuig nodig had, tekende Portugal op 30 september 2013 een contract voor twaalf MLU F-16's (Roemenië kondigde dit op 11 oktober aan), inclusief gereviseerde motoren en training. Deze werden geleverd in 2016-2017, en nog eens vijf volgden in het kader van een overeenkomst uit 2019.

Força Aérea Portuguesa

The Portuguese Air Force (Força Aérea Portuguesa) was created on 1 July 1952 from the army’s and navy’s air services, spent thirteen years fighting a colonial war across Angola, Guinea and Mozambique, rebuilt itself after 1974 around second-hand American and German jets, and in 2026 flies about 28 F-16s from Monte Real while it chooses their successor, brings in Embraer’s KC-390 and A-29N, and spends more of its effort than most NATO air forces on search and rescue over a vast stretch of the Atlantic.

Nationale markeringThe Cross of Christ: a red cross with a white cross inside it, on a white disc with a black border

Slechte zichtbaarheidThe cross in subdued grey tones

VinnenmarkeringThe national colours in vertical bands, green forward and red aft

28Gevechtsvliegtuigen

9Actieve luchtbases

1952Opgericht

38Typen gepensioneerd

Photo: Pedro Dias from Portugal / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

LandPortugalOpgericht1952StatusActiefHoofdkwartierAlfragideCommandantSérgio Roberto Leite da Costa Pereira

Het verhaal

The Portuguese Air Force story: an Atlantic crossing, thirteen years of colonial war and the F-16 question

1912–1952: two air services, an Atlantic crossing and a neutral war

Portuguese military flying began in 1912 with a handful of French aircraft, and the Military Aeronautics School was founded in 1914; its field later became Air Base No. 1 at Sintra. Lieutenant Santos Leite made the first Portuguese military aeroplane flight on 17 July 1916. The navy created its own aviation service on 28 September 1917 and flew anti-submarine patrols in 1918, and Captain Óscar Monteiro Torres, flying on the Western Front, became the first Portuguese airman killed in combat in November 1917. The navy’s most famous flight was peaceful: Gago Coutinho and Sacadura Cabral’s first aerial crossing of the South Atlantic in 1922. In the Second World War Portugal stayed neutral, but in 1941 it sent Gloster Gladiators and Curtiss Mohawks to the Azores, and it kept dozens of Allied aircraft that landed on its territory. In October 1943 British forces arrived at Lajes, the start of the island base’s long Atlantic career.

1952–1961: one air force, built on American aid

On 1 July 1952 the army’s Aeronáutica Militar and the navy’s aviation were merged into an independent Portuguese Air Force; the naval air units were fully absorbed by 1958. The new service inherited a museum of types — Hurricanes, Spitfires, Ju 52s, Harvards — and replaced most of them within a decade with NATO aid: 50 F-47D Thunderbolts, 125 F-84G Thunderjets from 1953, T-33 jet trainers, PV-2 Harpoon and later P2V-5 Neptune patrol aircraft. The F-86F Sabre first flew in Portuguese colours on 22 September 1958 and made the first Portuguese supersonic flight two days later. Paratroops were added too: the first battalion, part of the air force, was activated on 1 January 1956. The price of building fast was paid in lives: in 1955 eight F-84G pilots were killed in a single formation accident.

1961–1974: thirteen years of colonial war

From 1961 to 1974 the air force fought in Angola, Guinea and Mozambique. The official history site guerracolonial.pt puts about 20,000 air force personnel and 150 aircraft in Africa in the 1960s. F-84Gs went to Luanda in 1961; eight F-86Fs flew 577 sorties in Guinea until American pressure forced their withdrawal in October 1964; seven B-26 Invaders arrived covertly in 1965. The workhorses were humbler: T-6 Harvards, Dornier Do 27s, Noratlas transports and about 140 Alouette helicopters, which carried the paratroops and the wounded. From 1966 ex-German Fiat G.91s became the main jet. The war’s turning point in the air came in Guinea in March 1973, when the PAIGC began firing Soviet Strela shoulder-launched missiles: two G.91s were shot down within four days, and two Do 27s and a T-6 in April. Pilots adapted by bombing from higher and flying in pairs, but the air force’s freedom over the bush had ended.

1974–1999: revolution, retrenchment and the second-hand jet age

On 25 April 1974 middle-ranking officers overthrew the Estado Novo regime, and the colonies became independent within eighteen months. For the air force the result was abrupt shrinkage: an inventory of about 850 aircraft in 1974 fell by two-thirds by 1976, and when Indonesia invaded East Timor on 7 December 1975 the last detachment withdrew with the governor from Atauro. Rebuilding came piecemeal and second-hand: 70 more G.91R/3s from Germany in 1976, 12 T-38s, 44 A-7P Corsair IIs and six two-seaters from 1981, 50 ex-Luftwaffe Alpha Jets in 1993. For almost fifteen years after the last Sabre went in 1980 Portugal had no real air defence fighter; the air force’s own history says the F-16s of 1994 restored an effective air defence capacity. The good side was a service that learned to do much with little; the other side was a fleet that was usually someone else’s cast-offs.

1999–2025: the F-16 in NATO, and the jets sold to Romania

Deliveries of the first 20 F-16A/B Block 15s under Peace Atlantis I began on 18 February 1994, and 25 surplus American airframes followed under Peace Atlantis II from 1998, five of them only for spares. Three F-16As went to Aviano for Operation Allied Force in 1999 and flew 281 sorties and about 1,050 hours of combat air patrol without firing in anger. Portugal joined the Mid-Life Update programme in 2000, and the first MLU jet flew in Portuguese markings on 26 June 2003. From November 2007 F-16s from Monte Real policed Baltic airspace, and later Iceland, Romania and Poland. In 2013 Portugal sold 12 MLU F-16s to Romania, with overhauled engines and the training of Romanian pilots and mechanics, and in 2019 agreed to sell five more: a useful income, but it left a thinner fleet. The A-7P left in 1999 and the Alpha Jet in January 2018.

2023–2026: Embraer, Black Hawks and the fighter question

The newest equipment is Brazilian. The first Embraer KC-390 arrived in 2023; the fourth, with the air-refuelling kit, landed at Beja on 24 January 2026, of six ordered, and in June 2026 two flew earthquake relief to Venezuela. Twelve A-29N Super Tucanos, a NATO-standard version first built for Portugal, were ordered in December 2024 for about 200 million euros and were formally received on 17 December 2025. Since the government gave aerial firefighting to the air force in 2018 it has bought AW119 Koalas and refurbished UH-60 Black Hawks, 13 of them planned, and it reopened Ovar as Air Base No. 8 in 2023. Six ex-German P-3C Orions arrived from 2024. What is unresolved is the fighter: the air force wanted the F-35, but in March 2025 Defence Minister Nuno Melo questioned relying on American equipment, and in 2026 Dassault, Saab, Airbus and Lockheed Martin were circling a requirement reported at 14 to 28 aircraft while the F-16s got another engine-maintenance contract.

On 1 July 1952 the army’s Aeronáutica Militar and the navy’s aviation were merged into an independent Portuguese Air Force; the naval air units were fully absorbed by 1958.Portuguese Air Force · verified 2026-09-29

In één oogopslag

The Portuguese Air Force in numbers

Dienst

Inheemse naam: Força Aérea PortuguesaThe official name on emfa.pt, the air force’s site; usually abbreviated FAP (in NATO documents also PoAF). Portuguese is the national language; Mirandese has only local recognition and no official air force name was found
Opgericht: 1 July 1952Merger of the army’s Aeronáutica Militar (military flying since 1912, an independent service from 29 June 1918) and the navy’s aviation (created 28 September 1917)
Onderdeel van: Portuguese Armed ForcesOne of three branches under the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, since 2 March 2026 General João Cartaxo Alves, the previous air force chief. Unusually, the air force (not the navy) runs maritime patrol and most search and rescue flying
Hoofdkwartier: AlfragideAir Staff headquarters in Alfragide, Amadora, west of Lisbon
stafchef: Gen. Sérgio PereiraSworn in on 2 March 2026; a helicopter pilot with more than 3,600 flying hours
Minister van Nationale Defensie: Nuno MeloDefence minister and CDS-PP leader

Kracht

Personeel

About 6,200–6,800English Wikipedia gives 6,224 (2025); Portuguese Wikipedia about 6,799. An official current figure was not found on emfa.pt

Gevechtsvliegtuigen

F-16AM/BM Fighting Falcon — about 28 (24 AM, 4 BM)
A-29N Super Tucano — 12 ordered, first handed over 17 December 2025

The F-16 count is a press figure consistent with the published deliveries, sales and losses; the air force does not publish one

Transport en tankwagen

KC-390 — 4 delivered by January 2026, 6 ordered
C-130H/H-30 Hercules — 3–4
C-295M — 12 (7 transport, 5 maritime patrol)
Falcon 50 — 3; Falcon 900 — 1

The KC-390s at Beja are replacing the Hercules at Montijo

Maritieme patrouille

P-3C CUP+ OrionFive ex-Dutch aircraft since 2006, plus six ex-German P-3Cs bought on 25 September 2023, the first arriving at Beja on 9 February 2024

Helikopters

EH-101 Merlin — 12 (6 SAR, 4 CSAR, 2 fisheries)
UH-60A/L Black Hawk — 6 by February 2026, 13 planned
AW119 Koala — 7

Merlins hold search and rescue from Montijo, Lajes and Porto Santo; the Black Hawks fight fires from Ovar

Trainers

TB-30 Epsilon — 18 bought from 1989
Chipmunk Mk 20 — 7 re-engined
ASK-21 gliders — 7

Squadron 101 at Beja also flies the A-29N as a trainer; the number of Epsilons still flying was not published

Defensiebudget

About 6.1 billion euros, 2.01 per cent of GDPNATO’s 2026 figures as reported in July 2026, up 1.6 billion from 4.4 billion; in June 2025 the government announced an extra billion for 2025 and signed up to NATO’s 5 per cent by 2035

Infrastructuur

Luchtbases

BA1 Sintra — Air Force Academy, Museu do Ar
BA4 Lajes, Terceira — Merlin SAR, C-295 detachment, US 65th Air Base Group
BA5 Monte Real — F-16 squadrons 201 and 301
BA6 Montijo — Merlin SAR (Squadron 751), transport and VIP squadrons
BA8 Ovar — Black Hawks (base since 24 November 2023)
BA11 Beja — KC-390, A-29N, Epsilon, P-3C

Plus Transit Airfield No. 1 (Figo Maduro, Lisbon) and Manoeuvre Airfield No. 3 (Porto Santo, Madeira)

Closed or transferred

Ota (BA2) — no longer a flying base; Wikipedia lists it for logistics and training
Tancos — transferred to the army
São Jacinto — civil airfield
The African bases — lost with independence, 1974–1975

In Africa the air force had BA9 Luanda, BA12 Bissalanca, BA10 Beira and a string of manoeuvre airfields

Vliegende squadrons

14101, 201, 301, 501, 502, 504, 506, 551, 552, 601, 751, 752, 802 and the 991 drone squadron

Zoek- en reddingsactie

Atlantic and mainlandMerlins cover the mainland, the Azores and Madeira; the Lisbon and Santa Maria flight information regions are among the largest in the world

Toon teams

None activeAsas de Portugal flew T-37s from 1976 and Alpha Jets until an accident in 2010; the helicopter team Rotores de Portugal also stopped in 2010

Buitenlandse aanwezigheid

US 65th Air Base Group at LajesUnder the 1951 defence agreement; cut to no more than about 170 US active-duty personnel after the drawdown planned from 2014

Structuur

How the Portuguese Air Force is organised

One chief of staff at Alfragide over numbered air bases, each with its squadrons. Every combat jet is at Monte Real; Beja takes the new KC-390s and A-29Ns, Montijo the transports and the Merlins, and the Azores and Madeira have their own rescue detachments. Unusually, the air force, not the navy, flies maritime patrol and most search and rescue.

AlgemeenSérgio Roberto Leite da Costa PereiraChief of Staff of the Air Force (Chefe do Estado-Maior da Força Aérea, CEMFA) · in office since 2026

Chief of Staff of the Air ForceChefe do Estado-Maior da Força Aérea

Personeel

Chief of Staff of the Air Force

CEMFA

Alfragide

Gen. Sérgio Pereira since 2 March 2026, a helicopter pilot who succeeded Gen. João Cartaxo Alves when he became Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces. The Air Staff headquarters is at Alfragide, west of Lisbon.

Frontlinie

Luchtmachtbasis Monte Real

Base Aérea N.º 5

Monte Real

Every Portuguese combat jet: Esquadras 201 “Falcões” and 301 “Jaguares” with about 28 F-16AM/BMs, and the pair on permanent air-defence alert. A successor to the F-16 is still to be chosen.

New equipment

Beja Air Base

Base Aérea N.º 11

Beja

The KC-390s of Esquadra 506, the P-3C Orions of Esquadra 601, the AW119s of Esquadra 552 and pilot training on the Epsilon and the A-29N Super Tucano with Esquadra 101.

Transport and rescue

Luchtmachtbasis Montijo

Base Aérea N.º 6

Montijo

C-130H Hercules of Esquadra 501, C-295Ms of Esquadra 502 and the Merlins of Esquadra 751, which keep a rescue crew on alert around the clock, rotating between Montijo, Porto Santo and Lajes. The Falcon VIP jets of Esquadra 504 fly from Figo Maduro in Lisbon.

Atlantic

Luchtmachtbasis Lajes

Base Aérea N.º 4

Lajes

The Merlins of Esquadra 752, reactivated on 16 May 2023, and a C-295M detachment cover the Azores; the US Air Force’s 65th Air Base Group is a tenant under the 1951 defence agreement.

Brandbestrijding

Luchtmachtbasis Ovar

Base Aérea N.º 8

Ovar

Esquadra 551 “Panteras” with refurbished UH-60 Black Hawks, 13 of them planned, since the aerodrome became an air base on 24 November 2023. The government gave aerial firefighting to the air force in 2018.

Opleiding

Luchtmachtacademie

Academia da Força Aérea

Sintra

Officer education at Sintra since 1978, where Esquadra 802 “Águias” flies Chipmunks and ASK 21 gliders for pilot selection.

In dienst

What the Portuguese Air Force flies today

Elk type is gekoppeld aan de bijbehorende pagina in het Boek der Beesten, indien aanwezig. Het aantal vliegtuigen betreft de geregistreerde vliegtuigen, niet de vliegtuigen die op een bepaalde dag beschikbaar zijn.

Type	Rol	In dienst	Sinds	Notities
General Dynamics / Lockheed Martin F-16AM/BM Fighting Falcon (MLU)In dienst	Multifunctionele gevechtsvliegtuig	28	1994	About 28 (24 F-16AM and 4 F-16BM) per 2026 press reporting; the air force does not publish a figure. Meer Portugal took 45 airframes (20 new, 25 surplus, five of those only for spares) plus three more ex-USAF aircraft in 2019, sold 17 to Romania and lost two in accidents. Wikipedia’s inventory table still says 50, which is out of date.
Embraer A-29N Super TucanoIn dienst	Light attack and advanced trainer		2025	12 ordered. Meer The air force’s own news item names two aircraft at the handover of 17 December 2025; The Aviationist reports five NATO-configured aircraft handed over that day (three landed at OGMA on 31 August 2025, two more on 8 November 2025). The number delivered by September 2026 was not published.
Embraer KC-390 MillenniumIn dienst	Transport en tankwagen	4	2023	Four delivered by 24 January 2026 (the third on 18 July 2025, the fourth on 24 January 2026); six ordered. Later deliveries were not confirmed.
Lockheed C-130H en C-130H-30 HerculesIn dienst	Tactisch transport		1977	3–4. The air force’s page lists three C-130H-30; the Wikipedia list gives six received since 1977, four operational.
Airbus (EADS CASA) C-295M and C-295 MPAIn dienst	Transport, maritime patrol and SAR	12	2009	12: seven transport and five maritime patrol (Wikipedia list).
Lockheed P-3C CUP+ OrionIn dienst	Maritieme patrouille en onderzeebootbestrijding		2006	Five ex-Dutch P-3C since 2006, upgraded to CUP+; six ex-German P-3C bought on 25 September 2023 (Wikipedia: five to be upgraded, one for spares). Meer How many are flying in 2026 was not published.
Dassault Falcon 50 and Falcon 900In dienst	VIP transport and medevac	4	1990	Three Falcon 50 (since 1990) and one Falcon 900 (since 2023, a seized aircraft).
AgustaWestland EH-101 MerlinIn dienst	Search and rescue, combat SAR, fisheries patrol	12	2005	12: six SAR, four CSAR and two SIFICAP fisheries-protection aircraft.
Sikorsky UH-60A en UH-60L Black Hawk (gereviseerd)In dienst	Firefighting, transport and medevac helicopter	6	2023	Six by 21 February 2026 (the sixth a UH-60L); 13 planned in three batches. Four more UH-60L were contracted on 4 March 2026 for delivery by 31 August 2026; their arrival was not confirmed.
Leonardo AW119 KoalaIn dienst	Training, SAR and firefighting support helicopter	7	2019	Seven: five from 2019 and two more in 2023 (Wikipedia list).
Airbus Helicopters AS350 B3 ÉcureuilIn dienst	Lichte helikopter	3	2018	Three, transferred in 2018 (Wikipedia list).
Aerospatiale TB-30 EpsilonIn dienst	Elementary and basic trainer		1989	18 bought, assembled by OGMA from 1989; the number still flying was not published.
de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk Mk 20In dienst	Hoofdtrainer	7	1952	Seven re-engined with Lycoming engines from 1997; ten had been taken on in 1951–1952.
Schleicher ASK-21In dienst	Trainingszweefvliegtuig	7		Seven gliders.
UAVision OGASSA OGS42N/VNIn dienst	Unmanned surveillance aircraft	12	2020	12, four with VTOL (Wikipedia list).

F-1628

C-29512

Merlin12

OGS4212

AW1197

Chipmunk7

ASK-217

UH-606

Op bestelling

Type	Besteld	Eerste levering	Notities
Embraer A-29N Super TucanoOp bestelling		2025	12 ordered in December 2024 (about 200 million euros); between two and five had been handed over on 17 December 2025 depending on the source. The balance and its schedule were not published.
Embraer KC-390 MillenniumOp bestelling	2	2023	Six ordered, four delivered by 24 January 2026; the remaining two had no published dates.
Sikorsky UH-60L Black HawkOp bestelling	7	2023	Seven outstanding in February 2026 (three from the September 2024 contract, four more contracted with Ace Aeronautics on 4 March 2026 for under 32 million euros, due by 31 August 2026).
Lockheed P-3C Orion (ex-German)Op bestelling	6	2024	Six bought on 25 September 2023 (reported at 45 million euros); first arrived 9 February 2024. The upgrade and entry-into-service schedule was not published.
Tecnam P-MentorOp bestelling	7	2026	Listed on Wikipedia as seven on order for 2026; not confirmed on an official page.
F-16 successorOp bestelling			No decision. Meer Rafale (offer July 2026), F-35A, Gripen E/F and Typhoon are reported in contention for a requirement of 14–28 aircraft; no competition had formally opened by late September 2026.

Voorheen in bedrijf

Every type the Portuguese Air Force has retired

38 types, from the Caudron G.III to the Sud Aviation SE 3160 / SA 316 Alouette III. De piekcijfers hebben betrekking op het aantal vliegtuigen dat gedurende de gehele levensduur in gebruik is genomen, niet op de vlootsterkte op een bepaalde datum.

Type	Rol	Piek	Geserveerd	Vervangen door	Notities
Sud Aviation SE 3160 / SA 316 Alouette III	Utility helicopter and gunship	142	1963–2020	AW119	142 per the Wikipedia list, some for spares; guerracolonial.pt gives about 140 Alouette II and III.
Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet A	Advanced trainer and light attack	50	1993–2018	A-29N	50 ex-Luftwaffe aircraft.
Lockheed P-3P Orion	Maritieme patrouille	6	1985–2011	P-3C CUP+	Six ex-RAAF P-3B rebuilt as P-3P.
CASA C-212 Aviocar	Light transport and patrol	26	1974–2011	C-295	24 C-212-100 and two C-212-300.
Sud Aviation SA 330 Puma	Transport and SAR helicopter	13	1969–2011	EH-101 Merlin	13 per the Wikipedia list; guerracolonial.pt counts 11 arriving from 1969.
Reims-Cessna FTB-337G Skymaster	Light patrol and liaison	32	1974–2007		32.
Vought A-7P en TA-7P Corsair II	Aanval	50	1981–1999	F-16	44 A-7P and six TA-7P (plus one TA-7C loaned 1982–1984).
Northrop T-38A Talon	Supersonic trainer	12	1977–1994		12.
Fiat G.91R/4, R/3 en T/3	Close support and reconnaissance		1965–1993	Alpha Jet	110–136. The Wikipedia list gives 40 G.91R/4 (from 1965), 70 G.91R/3 (from 1976) and 26 G.91T/3 of which only 11 flew. Meer guerracolonial.pt gives 40 from Germany in 1966 and 74 operated during the war.
Cessna T-37C	Straaltrainer	30	1961–1992	Alpha Jet	30.
Lockheed T-33A en RT-33A	Jet trainer and reconnaissance	30	1952–1991		28 T-33A and two RT-33A.
North American F-86F Sabre	Dagvechter	65	1958–1980		65.
Dornier Do 27	Contact en observatie	146	1961–1979		146 of several versions.
North American T-6 / AT-6 Texan and Harvard	Trainer and counter-insurgency	257	1947–1978		257 AT-6 on the Wikipedia list, with more T-6G and Harvards added from 1956 to 1969; the total across marks was not confirmed.
Nord N.2501/2502 Noratlas	Tactisch transport		1960–1978	C-212	30–31. The Wikipedia list gives 12 N.2502 and 18 N.2501D; guerracolonial.pt gives six in 1960, six in 1962 and 19 in 1968.
Douglas C-54 Skymaster and SC-54 Searchmaster	Transport and SAR		1947–1978		8–10 transports plus about ten SAR aircraft; the list’s rows overlap.
Douglas DC-6A/B	Strategisch transport	10	1961–1978		10.
Lockheed P2V-5 Neptune	Maritieme patrouille	12	1960–1977	P-3P	12.
Douglas C-47 Dakota	Vervoer	29	1952–1976		29.
Boeing 707-3F5C	Strategisch transport	2	1971–1976		Twee.
Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon	Maritime patrol and light bomber	42	1953–1975		42 received, 34 flown.
Republic F-84G Thunderjet	Jachtbommenwerper	125	1953–1974		125 received from 1953.
Junkers Ju 52/3m	Transport and bomber	12	1936–1972		12.
de Havilland Vampire T.55	Straaltrainer	2	1952–1962		Twee.
Republic F-47D Thunderbolt	Jachtbommenwerper	50	1952–1956	F-84G	50.
Hawker Hurricane IIB/IIC	Vechter		1943–1954		142–151: the Wikipedia list gives 142 for the army air service from 1943 and 151 on the air force’s books.
Supermarine Spitfire Mk I en Mk VB	Vechter	111	1942–1952		18 Mk I from 1942 and 93 Mk VB from 1943.
Gloster Gladiator II	Vechter	30	1938–1952		30.
Bell P-39L en P-400 Airacobra	Vechter	19	1942–1950		15 P-400 and four P-39L, interned.
Junkers Ju 86K-7	Bommenwerper	10	1938–1948		10.
Bristol Blenheim IV en V	Lichte bommenwerper		1943–1947		13 in the army air service; 12 Blenheim IVF are also listed for the navy.
Bristol Beaufighter TF.X	Torpedo fighter	17	1945–1946		17.
Curtiss 75A-4 (Mohawk IV)	Vechter		1941–1945		12–17: 12 formed the third Azores flight in October 1941 (Wikipedia); the list gives 17.
SPAD S.VII C.1	Vechter	12	1919–1935		12.
Douglas B-26 Invader	Lichte bommenwerper	7	1965–		Seven, delivered covertly in 1965 (Operation Pardal).
Curtiss SB2C-5 Helldiver	Duikbommenwerper	24	1950–		24 SB2C-5 (plus SB2C-4s for spares).
Caudron G.III	Trainer	58	1916–		58, of which 50 built at Alverca from 1922.
F.B.A. Type B flying boat	Naval patrol	2	1917–		The navy’s first two aircraft.

Luchtbases

Where the Portuguese Air Force flies from

Zwarte pinnen zijn actieve bases, holle pinnen zijn de bases die gesloten zijn. Lajes in the Azores and Porto Santo in Madeira lie far out in the Atlantic, beyond the frame of the mainland map; they are listed with the rest. The African bases of the colonial war, such as Bissalanca in Guinea, are listed as closed. Entries with no published aerodrome data carry no pin.

Actieve luchtmachtbasis Gesloten of reserverenKlik op een speld om de basispagina te openen.

Mainland Portugal

3 of the 13 bases above sit outside mainland Portugal, so the world map has to pull back until the home airfields cannot be told apart. The same pins again, without the overseas bases.

Baseren	ICAO	Status	Startbaan	Eenheden en vliegtuigen
BejaBeja District	LPBJ	Actief	01L/19R3.450 mconcreet01R/19L3,449 mconcrete (available for taxiing only)	Esquadra 506 (506 Squadron): Embraer KC-390 Esquadra 601 (601 Squadron): Lockheed P-3C CUP+ Orion (5) Esquadra 101 (101 Squadron): Embraer A-29N Super Tucano (12 ordered), Socata TB-30 Epsilon Esquadra 552 (552 Squadron): AgustaWestland AW119 Mk II Koala Esquadra 103 (103 Squadron) Esquadra 301 (Alpha Jet): Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet German Air Force (Luftwaffe) training detachment: F-104 Starfighter (two squadrons, 1970–1973, per the Air Force), Alpha Jet (after the 1979 agreement, to 1993)
Figo Maduro Military TerminalLisbonLissabon district	LPPT	Actief	02/203,707 m	Esquadra 504 (504 Squadron): Dassault Falcon 50, Dassault Falcon 900 1st Transport Squadron and successors (Aeródromo Base N.º 1): Douglas C-54, Douglas DC-6 (10 bought 1961), Boeing 707 (2, 1972) Independent Fighter Squadron (Esquadrilha de Caça Independente): Hawker Hurricane Mk IIC
LajesAutonome regio van de Azoren (Região Autónoma dos Açores)	LPLA	Actief	15/333.310 m	Esquadra 752 (752 Squadron): AgustaWestland EH-101 Merlin Esquadra 502 Azoren-detachement (Destacamento Aéreo dos Açores): Airbus (EADS CASA) C-295M 65e Luchtmachtbasisgroep, Amerikaanse luchtmacht 247 Groep, Koninklijke Luchtmacht: Vliegtuigen van het RAF Coastal Command (typen die hier niet vermeld staan)
Monte RealDistrict Leiria	LPMR	Actief		Esquadra 201 (201 Squadron): F-16AM/BM Fighting Falcon (F-16M) Esquadra 301 (301 Squadron): F-16AM/BM Fighting Falcon (F-16M) Esquadra 51 en Esquadra 52 (F-86F Sabel): North American F-86F Sabre Esquadra 103 (geavanceerde en aanvullende pilotenopleiding): Lockheed T-33A, Northrop T-38A Talon Esquadra 302 en Esquadra 304 (A-7P Corsair II): LTV A-7P Corsair II
MontijoDistrict Setúbal		Actief		Esquadra 501 (501 Squadron): Lockheed C-130H/C-130H-30 Hercules Esquadra 502 (502 Squadron): Airbus (EADS CASA) C-295M (12) Esquadra 751 (751 Squadron): AgustaWestland EH-101 Merlin Marinehelikoptervlucht (Esquadrilha de Helicópteros da Marinha): Westland Super Lynx Mk95 Esquadra 601 (P-3P Orion): Lockheed P-3P Orion Esquadra 504 (Falcon 20): Dassault Falcon 20 Esquadra 551 (Alouette III): Aérospatiale Alouette III
OtaAir Force Military and Technical Training CentreLissabon district		Actief		Esquadra 991 (991 Squadron): UAVision OGASSA OGS 42N/VN Base Aérea N.º 2 fighter and bomber units: Gloster Gladiator, Junkers Ju 52, Junkers Ju 86, Supermarine Spitfire, Hawker-orkaan, de Havilland Vampire, Republic F-84G Thunderjet
OvarAveiro District		Actief		Esquadra 551 (551 Squadron): Sikorsky UH-60A/L Black Hawk (6) Esquadra 552 detachment: AgustaWestland AW119 Koala
Porto SantoAutonomous Region of Madeira (Região Autónoma da Madeira)	LPPS	Actief	18/363.000 m	Esquadra 751 detachment: AgustaWestland EH-101 Merlin Esquadra 502 Madeira detachment (Destacamento Aéreo da Madeira): Airbus (EADS CASA) C-295M
SintraLissabon district	LPST	Actief	14/321800 m	Esquadra 802 (802 Squadron): Schleicher ASK 21 zweefvliegtuig (ongeveer 3), de Havilland Canada Chipmunk Mk 20 (gemodificeerd; zes in gebruik) Academia da Força Aérea (Luchtmachtacademie) Europees Defensieagentschap Multinationaal Helikopteropleidingscentrum (MHTC) Esquadra 101 (Epsilon): Socata TB-30 Epsilon Esquadra 102: Cessna T-37
AlvercaLissabon district		Gesloten		Base Aérea da Ota (initially at Alverca)
São Jacinto Naval Air StationAveiroAveiro District		Gesloten		Naval Aviation Centre and Naval Aviation School “Almirante Gago Coutinho”: Naval seaplanes and trainers (types UNVERIFIED)
TancosSantarém District		Gesloten in 1994.		Esquadra 552 (Alouette III): Aérospatiale Alouette III Esquadra de Ligação e Treino (later Esquadra 502): Junkers Ju 52/3m, Nord Noratlas (from 1970)
BissalancaPortuguese GuineaGuinea-Bissau (formerly Portuguese Guinea)		Gesloten in 1974.		Esquadra 121 (121 Squadron): Fiat G.91

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Slagorde

Who is stationed where in the Portuguese Air Force

Vliegende eenheden per basis, met de huidige eenheden eerst. Portuguese squadrons are esquadras with three-digit numbers and animal names — 201 “Falcões”, 506 “Rinocerontes”, 751 “Pumas” — and several have moved between bases, so a squadron can appear under more than one. Foreign tenants, such as the US Air Force group at Lajes, are identified in the unit note.

Luchtmachtbasis Monte Real · LPMRBasis Aérea N.º 5, Portugese luchtmacht

Esquadra 201 (201 Squadron)Falcões · Fighter squadron · active: F-16AM/BM Fighting Falcon (F-16M)
Esquadra 301 (301 Squadron)Jaguares · Fighter squadron · active: F-16AM/BM Fighting Falcon (F-16M)
Esquadra 51 en Esquadra 52 (F-86F Sabel)1959–1980: North American F-86F Sabre
Esquadra 103 (geavanceerde en aanvullende pilotenopleiding)1974–1987: Lockheed T-33A, Northrop T-38A Talon
Esquadra 302 en Esquadra 304 (A-7P Corsair II)1981–1999: LTV A-7P Corsair II

Beja Air Base · LPBJBase Aérea N.º 11, Portuguese Air Force; civil terminal operated by ANA Aeroportos de Portugal

Esquadra 506 (506 Squadron)Rinocerontes · Air transport, tanker and firefighting squadron · active: Embraer KC-390
Esquadra 601 (601 Squadron)Lobos · Maritime patrol squadron · active: Lockheed P-3C CUP+ Orion (5)
Esquadra 101 (101 Squadron)Roncos · Basic and advanced pilot training squadron · active: Embraer A-29N Super Tucano (12 ordered), Socata TB-30 Epsilon
Esquadra 552 (552 Squadron)Zangões · Light utility helicopter squadron · active: AgustaWestland AW119 Mk II Koala
Esquadra 103 (103 Squadron)Caracóis · Advanced jet training squadron (awaiting new aircraft) · active
Esquadra 301 (Alpha Jet)1993–2005: Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet
German Air Force (Luftwaffe) training detachment1970–1993: F-104 Starfighter (two squadrons, 1970–1973, per the Air Force), Alpha Jet (after the 1979 agreement, to 1993)

Luchtmachtbasis Montijo · Basis Aérea N.º 6, Portugese luchtmacht

Esquadra 501 (501 Squadron)Bisontes · Tactical and strategic airlift squadron · active: Lockheed C-130H/C-130H-30 Hercules
Esquadra 502 (502 Squadron)Elefantes · Tactical transport and maritime surveillance squadron · active: Airbus (EADS CASA) C-295M (12)
Esquadra 751 (751 Squadron)Pumas · Search and rescue helicopter squadron · active: AgustaWestland EH-101 Merlin
Marinehelikoptervlucht (Esquadrilha de Helicópteros da Marinha)Naval shipborne helicopter flight · active: Westland Super Lynx Mk95
Esquadra 601 (P-3P Orion)1986–2008: Lockheed P-3P Orion
Esquadra 504 (Falcon 20)1985–1990: Dassault Falcon 20
Esquadra 551 (Alouette III)1978–1986: Aérospatiale Alouette III

Luchtmachtbasis Sintra · LPSTBasis Aérea N.º 1, Portugese luchtmacht; de Academia da Força Aérea deelt de site

Esquadra 802 (802 Squadron)Águias · Pilotenselectie en vliegacademie squadron · actief: Schleicher ASK 21 zweefvliegtuig (ongeveer 3), de Havilland Canada Chipmunk Mk 20 (gemodificeerd; zes in gebruik)
Academia da Força Aérea (Luchtmachtacademie)Officer academy · active
Europees Defensieagentschap Multinationaal Helikopteropleidingscentrum (MHTC)Multinational helicopter tactics training centre · allied
Esquadra 101 (Epsilon)2009–2020: Socata TB-30 Epsilon
Esquadra 102: Cessna T-37

Luchtmachtbasis Lajes · LPLABasis Aérea N.º 4, Portugese luchtmacht; civiele terminal geëxploiteerd door ANA Aeroportos de Portugal

Esquadra 752 (752 Squadron)Fénix · Search and rescue helicopter squadron · active: AgustaWestland EH-101 Merlin
Esquadra 502 Azoren-detachement (Destacamento Aéreo dos Açores)Elefantes · Maritime patrol and tactical transport detachment · active: Airbus (EADS CASA) C-295M
65e Luchtmachtbasisgroep, Amerikaanse luchtmachtForeign tenant: air base support group · active
247 Groep, Koninklijke Luchtmacht1943–1946: Vliegtuigen van het RAF Coastal Command (typen die hier niet vermeld staan)

Ovar · Base Aérea N.º 8, Portuguese Air Force

Esquadra 551 (551 Squadron)Panteras · Firefighting and transport helicopter squadron · active: Sikorsky UH-60A/L Black Hawk (6)
Esquadra 552 detachmentZangões · Light helicopter detachment · active: AgustaWestland AW119 Koala

Porto Santo · LPPSAeródromo de Manobra N.º 3, Portuguese Air Force; the airport is operated by ANA Aeroportos de Portugal

Esquadra 751 detachmentPumas · Search and rescue helicopter detachment · active: AgustaWestland EH-101 Merlin
Esquadra 502 Madeira detachment (Destacamento Aéreo da Madeira)Elefantes · Maritime patrol and transport detachment · active: Airbus (EADS CASA) C-295M

Figo Maduro Military Terminal (Lisbon) · LPPTAeródromo de Trânsito N.º 1, Portuguese Air Force, on Lisbon airport

Esquadra 504 (504 Squadron)Linces · VIP transport and medical evacuation squadron · active: Dassault Falcon 50, Dassault Falcon 900
1st Transport Squadron and successors (Aeródromo Base N.º 1)1952–1978: Douglas C-54, Douglas DC-6 (10 bought 1961), Boeing 707 (2, 1972)
Independent Fighter Squadron (Esquadrilha de Caça Independente)1944–: Hawker Hurricane Mk IIC

Ota (Air Force Military and Technical Training Centre) · Centro de Formação Militar e Técnica da Força Aérea

Esquadra 991 (991 Squadron)Harpias · Unmanned aircraft squadron · active: UAVision OGASSA OGS 42N/VN
Base Aérea N.º 2 fighter and bomber units1940–1960: Gloster Gladiator, Junkers Ju 52, Junkers Ju 86, Supermarine Spitfire, Hawker Hurricane, de Havilland Vampire, Republic F-84G Thunderjet

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Tijdlijn

Portuguese Air Force milestones, 1914 to today

1912

Military aviation begins in Portugal with the army’s first aircraft; the Military Aeronautics School follows in 1914, and on 17 July 1916 Lieutenant Santos Leite makes the first Portuguese military aeroplane flight.

1917

28 September: the navy’s aviation service is created. November: Captain Óscar Monteiro Torres is the first Portuguese airman killed in combat, on the Western Front.

1922

Gago Coutinho and Sacadura Cabral, naval aviators, make the first aerial crossing of the South Atlantic.

1941

June: two flights of 15 Gloster Gladiators go to the Azores; in October a third flight of 12 Curtiss Mohawks follows.

1943

October: British forces arrive at Lajes, Terceira; American aircraft follow in 1944.

1952

1 July: the army and navy air arms are merged into the Portuguese Air Force.

1958

22 September: the F-86F flies in Portuguese colours; two days later the first Portuguese supersonic flight.

1961

War begins in Angola; F-84Gs deploy to Luanda and, in August, eight F-86Fs to Guinea.

1966

Ex-German Fiat G.91s reach Africa; seven B-26 Invaders had arrived covertly in 1965.

1973

25 and 28 March: two G.91s shot down by Strela missiles in Guinea; 6 April: two Do 27s and a T-6 lost.

1974

25 April: the Carnation Revolution; the colonies become independent by 1975 and the fleet of about 850 aircraft shrinks by two-thirds. The A-7P arrives in 1981.

1994

18 February: deliveries of the first 20 F-16A/Bs begin, restoring an air defence capacity.

1999

24 March: three F-16s from Aviano fly in Operation Allied Force, 281 sorties in all.

2007

1 November: first Portuguese Baltic Air Policing rotation, four F-16s at Šiauliai.

2013

30 September: contract to sell 12 F-16 MLUs to Romania; five more follow in a 2019 deal.

2023

First KC-390 delivered; 24 November, Ovar becomes Air Base No. 8 for the Black Hawks.

2025

March: the defence minister questions the F-35. 17 December: the first A-29N Super Tucanos are handed over.

2026

24 January: fourth KC-390 with refuelling kit. 2 March: General Sérgio Pereira becomes Chief of Staff. 31 March: F-16s to Ämari, Estonia.

Gevechtsgeschiedenis

Elke oorlog waaraan de Portugese luchtmacht heeft deelgenomen

Uitvallen en verliezen waar de gegevens die vermelden, en een eerlijke blanco waar die ontbreken.

6conflicten

1917Eerst

0Vliegtuig verloren

0Gedood

Eerste Wereldoorlog 1917–1918 Portuguese pilots flew with Allied units in France; the navy flew anti-submarine patrols from Lisbon and, with French naval aviation, from São Jacinto
Neutraliteit tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog en de Azoren 1939–1945 Defended neutral Portugal’s airspace and the Azores; from 1943 hosted British and then American aircraft at Lajes
Portugese koloniale oorlog: Angola en Mozambique 1961–1974 Flew ground attack, reconnaissance, transport, paratroop assault and medical evacuation in support of the army against the independence movements
Portugese koloniale oorlog: Guinee 1961–1974 Close air support, interdiction, transport and evacuation for the army against the PAIGC
Operatie Allied Force 1999 Flew combat air patrols and air surveillance for the NATO air campaign

Bekijk het volledige gevechtsverslag

Toon teams

The Portuguese Air Force display teams

Each team has its own page: history, aircraft, the display, the accidents and the sources.

Helicopter display team · 1976–2010Rotores de PortugalThe Portuguese Air Force’s Alouette III helicopter display team, revived several times between 1976 and 2010 and flown by whichever squadron held the type.Read the Rotores de Portugal page Formation aerobatic team · 1977–2010Asas de PortugalPortugal’s jet aerobatic team, flown on T-37Cs from Sintra and later as a two-ship of Alpha Jets from Beja, revived and stood down several times between 1977 and…Read the Asas de Portugal page

Uit het tijdschrift

Portuguese Air Force news from Afterburner

Everything MiGFlug’s magazine has published on the Portuguese Air Force and the aircraft it flies. Deze lijst wordt automatisch vernieuwd — nieuwe Afterburner-verhalen verschijnen hier automatisch.

25 september 2026Rafale for Portugal: Dassault Signs a Deal With Portuguese IndustryThere is a scale model of a Rafale on the table between the two men signing. It is a small detail and it is the entire point: the document being signed is not a contract for aircraft. It is a promise about Portuguese…Lees het verhaal 25 september 2026Eurofighter for Portugal: Airbus Bids Before the Tender ExistsPortugal has not launched a competition. Airbus is bidding anyway, with a financing package attached and a proposal due in five weeks, against a technical assessment that ranked the F-35ALees het verhaal 10 April 2026Portugal Bets on a Tiny Italian TrainerShare this story The next generation of Portuguese military pilots will learn to fly in an aircraft that weighs less than a family car. On April 9, 2026, Tecnam and Spanish aviation services provider World Aviation…Lees het verhaal

Alle verhalen in Afterburner

Vragen en antwoorden

Everything people ask about the Portuguese Air Force

Hoe heet de Portugese luchtmacht in het Portugees?

Força Aérea Portuguesa, usually shortened to FAP; that is the name on its official site, emfa.pt. It was formed on 1 July 1952 from the army’s Aeronáutica Militar and the navy’s aviation service. Portuguese is the only national official language, so there is no other official name.

Welke vliegtuigen gebruikt de Portugese luchtmacht in 2026?

Its fighter is the F-16AM/BM, about 28 of them at Monte Real. It also flies the A-29N Super Tucano, the Embraer KC-390, C-130H and C-295 transports, P-3C Orion patrol aircraft, Falcon VIP jets, and EH-101 Merlin, UH-60 Black Hawk and AW119 helicopters. Pilots train on the Epsilon, Chipmunk and A-29N.

Hoeveel F-16's heeft Portugal?

About 28 — 24 single-seat F-16AMs and four two-seat BMs — according to 2026 press reports; the air force does not publish a number. Portugal took 45 F-16's in two batches from 1994 plus three more in 2019, sold 17 to Romania and lost two in accidents.

Koopt Portugal de F-35?

Not so far. The air force had favoured the F-35A, but in March 2025 Defence Minister Nuno Melo said changes in US policy raised questions about relying on American equipment. By September 2026 the Rafale, F-35A, Gripen E/F and Typhoon were all reported in contention for 14 to 28 aircraft, with no competition formally opened.

Waarom verkocht Portugal F-16's aan Roemenië?

Because it had more airframes than it could fly and Romania needed a quick, affordable fighter. Portugal signed a contract for 12 MLU F-16's on 30 September 2013 (Romania announced it on 11 October), including overhauled engines and training; they were delivered in 2016–2017, and five more followed under a 2019 agreement.

What did the Portuguese Air Force do in the Colonial War?

From 1961 to 1974 it fought in Angola, Guinea and Mozambique with F-84Gs, F-86Fs (in Guinea until 1964), Fiat G.91s, B-26 Invaders, T-6s, Do 27s and about 140 Alouette helicopters, and it owned the paratroops. About 20,000 of its people and 150 aircraft were in Africa in the 1960s.

What happened with the Strela missiles in Guinea in 1973?

In March 1973 the PAIGC began firing Soviet SA-7 Strela missiles. G.91s were shot down on 25 March (the pilot, Lt. Miguel Pessoa, was rescued) and 28 March (Lt. Col. Almeida Brito was killed), and two Do 27s and a T-6 on 6 April. Pilots switched to higher-altitude attacks in pairs, but the air force lost the freedom of the sky it had enjoyed.

Is Lajes Air Base Portuguese or American?

Portuguese: it is Air Base No. 4 of the Portuguese Air Force, on Terceira in the Azores, home to the Merlins of Squadron 752 and a C-295 detachment. The US Air Force’s 65th Air Base Group operates there under the 1951 defence agreement, much reduced since the drawdown of the mid-2010s. British forces first used it in October 1943.

Does Portugal still have the Asas de Portugal display team?

No. Asas de Portugal flew Cessna T-37s from 1976 and Alpha Jets in 1997–1998 and 2005–2010, and was stood down after a low-level accident in 2010. The helicopter team Rotores de Portugal also stopped in 2010.

Who runs search and rescue in Portugal?

The air force flies it: 12 EH-101 Merlins from Montijo, Lajes in the Azores and Porto Santo in Madeira, backed by C-295 and P-3C aircraft over one of the largest search and rescue areas in the world. Since 2018 it has also flown state firefighting helicopters, now Zwarte Haviken at Ovar.

Vervolg de rondleiding

Read the aircraft the Portuguese Air Force flew

Elk type met een pagina in het Boek der Dieren, eerst op basis van de periode dat het in dienst was, daarna op basis van het jaar waarin het de vloot verliet.

General Dynamics / Lockheed Martin F-16AM/BM Fighting Falcon (MLU)In dienstEmbraer A-29N Super TucanoIn dienstLockheed C-130H en C-130H-30 HerculesIn dienstLockheed P-3C CUP+ OrionIn dienstSikorsky UH-60A en UH-60L Black Hawk (gereviseerd)In dienstDouglas B-26 Invader1965–Curtiss SB2C-5 Helldiver1950–Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet A1993–2018Lockheed P-3P Orion1985–2011Vought A-7P en TA-7P Corsair II1981–1999Northrop T-38A Talon1977–1994Fiat G.91R/4, R/3 en T/31965–1993Cessna T-37C1961–1992Lockheed T-33A en RT-33A1952–1991North American F-86F Sabre1958–1980Lockheed P2V-5 Neptune1960–1977Republic F-84G Thunderjet1953–1974Junkers Ju 52/3m1936–1972de Havilland Vampire T.551952–1962Republic F-47D Thunderbolt1952–1956Hawker Hurricane IIB/IIC1943–1954Supermarine Spitfire Mk I en Mk VB1942–1952Gloster Gladiator II1938–1952Bell P-39L en P-400 Airacobra1942–1950

Bronnen en verder lezen

Alle feiten gecontroleerd

Força Aérea Portuguesa: official siteOfficial name and structure.
Força Aérea: AeronavesCurrent aircraft types and squadrons.
Força Aérea: Esquadras de VooThe 14 flying squadrons.
Força Aérea: Biografia do CEMFAGeneral Sérgio Pereira: career.
Força Aérea: General Sérgio Pereira é o novo Chefe do Estado-Maior da Força Aérea (2 March 2026)Sworn in 2 March 2026; predecessor Cartaxo Alves.
Força Aérea: Lockheed Martin F-16 AMMLU from 2000; first MLU flight 26 June 2003; squadrons 201 and 301.
Força Aérea: A-29N Super TucanoIntroduced 2025; Squadron 101; roles.
Força Aérea: Entregues aviões A-29N Super Tucano (17 December 2025)Handover at OGMA; 12 on order; Beja; letter of intent for assembly line.
Força Aérea: Força Aérea vai receber 12 Super Tucano (16 December 2024)Contract for 12 with simulator and support.
The Aviationist: Portuguese Air Force Receives First Five NATO-Compliant A-29N Super Tucanos (18 December 2025)Five handed over; 200 million euros; arrival dates.
Força Aérea: KC-390In service from 2023; Squadron 506; roles.
Força Aérea: ajuda humanitária para a Venezuela (27 June 2026)Two KC-390s from Beja with 64 personnel and aid.
Rádio Nova Antena: Força Aérea recebe quarto avião KC-390 na Base Aérea de Beja (24 January 2026)Fourth of six; refuelling kit.
Observador: Força Aérea recebeu terceira aeronave KC-390 (18 July 2025)Third aircraft; 2019 contract for five; sixth announced; training centre.
Força Aérea: Lockheed C-130 H/H-30 HerculesThree C-130H-30; since 1977; Squadron 501.
Força Aérea: EADS C-295MSince 2009; Squadron 502.
Força Aérea: EH-101 Merlin12: 6 SAR, 4 CSAR, 2 SIFICAP; squadrons 751 and 752.
Força Aérea: AW119 KoalaSquadron 552; roles.
Força Aérea: Aerospatiale Epsilon TB-30Elementary and basic training, Squadron 101.
Força Aérea: recebe sexto helicóptero UH-60 Black Hawk (21 February 2026)13 planned; BA8 Ovar; Squadron 551.
ECO: Força Aérea fecha com Ace Aeronautics compra de quatro Black Hawk (4 March 2026)Four UH-60L, under 32 million euros, by 31 August 2026.
Força Aérea: Força Aérea adquire aviões P-3C (25 September 2023)Six ex-German P-3C.
Força Aérea: Primeiro avião P-3C chegou a Portugal (9 February 2024)First ex-German P-3C at Beja; MLU packages.
Força Aérea: Basis Aérea N.º 1Opgericht in 1914; sinds 1920 in Sintra; Academie en Kunstmuseum; lijst van eenheden.
Força Aérea: Base Aérea N.º 8Ovar; base since 24 November 2023; squadrons 551 and 552.
Força Aérea: Base Aérea N.º 4 celebra o 85.º aniversário (23 September 2026)85 years; squadron 752 and C-295 detachment; SAR and medevac.
Força Aérea, 30 Anos F-16: Allied ForceDrie F-16A's op Aviano; 281 sorties; 1.050 uur.
Força Aérea, 30 Anos F-16: Peace Atlantis I20 F-16A/B Block 15 (17 A, 3 B).
Força Aérea, 30 Anos F-16: Peace Atlantis II25 ex-US aircraft approved 1998; 40-aircraft goal.
Força Aérea, 30 Anos F-16: AlienaçãoContract with Romania for 12 F-16 MLU, 30 September 2013.
Força Aérea, 30 Anos F-16: NAVO-verdedigingDe Baltische staten vanaf 2007 plus nog zes; IJsland tweemaal; Roemenië en Polen elk vier.
UK Defence Journal: Romania to purchase five more F-16 jets from Portugal (6 December 2019)12 delivered 2016–2017; five more.
Aviation A2Z: Portugal eyes new fighter jets as F-16 replacement (28 September 2026)24 F-16AM and 4 BM; Rafale offer July 2026; requirement 14–28; engine maintenance funding.
Alert 5: Portugal and Canada re-evaluate F-35 (17 March 2025)Nuno Melo’s remarks to PÚBLICO/Renascença, 13 March 2025.
Portuguese Government: Portugal will boost defence investment by one billion in 2025 (25 June 2025)Prime minister Montenegro at the NATO summit.
Militarnyi: Portugal met NATO target of spending 2% of GDP on defense (July 2026)2.01 per cent of GDP, about 6.1 billion euros.
Guerra-koloniaal: een Força Aérea en Guerra-koloniaalLuchtregio's en bases; 20.000 manschappen en 150 vliegtuigen; 577 sorties met de F-86; G.91; B-26; Noratlas; helikopters.
Luís Graça & Camaradas da Guiné: O ultimo ano do Fiat G-91, Parte I (José Matos)Strela-verliezen van 25 en 28 maart en 6 april 1973; tactiek; G.91-sterkte.
Força Aérea Portuguesa: UnidadesList of air bases, aerodromes and training units.
Força Aérea Portuguesa: Basis Aérea N.º 4Achada vliegveld 4 oktober 1930; BA4 4 augustus 1942; RAF 247 Groep 8 oktober 1943 tot juni 1946; Esquadra 752, C-295 detachement.
Força Aérea Portuguesa: Basis Aérea N.º 5Coördinaten; ingehuldigd op 4 oktober 1959; chronologie van F-86F, T-33, T-38, A-7P, F-16; detachement in Guinee; 30 F-16M.
Força Aérea Portuguesa: Basis Aérea N.º 6Coördinaten: Portaria 14.281 van 3 maart 1953; vliegtuiggeschiedenis: vlucht met een Navy Lynx sinds 1992.
Força Aérea Portuguesa: Base Aérea N.º 11Portaria 20856 of 21 October 1964; Luftwaffe 1970–1993; squadron arrivals.
Força Aérea Portuguesa: Aeródromo de Trânsito N.º 1Hurricane squadron 1 May 1944; AB1 1955; AT1 10 October 1978.
Força Aérea Portuguesa: Aeródromo de Manobra N.º 3NATO 1959; Madeira detachment November 1977; AM3 25 November 2009; C-295 5 November 2010.
Força Aérea Portuguesa: Centro de Formação Militar e Técnica da Força AéreaCoordinates; BA2 history 1937–1992.
Força Aérea Portuguesa: Academia da Força AéreaDecreet-wet 27/78 van 27 januari 1978.
Força Aérea Portuguesa: Esquadra 101 “Roncos”Verplaatsingen tussen Sintra en Beja; 18 Epsilons 1989.
Força Aérea Portuguesa: Esquadra 501 “Bisontes”C-130H uit 1977; ongeveer 70.000 uur.
Força Aérea Portuguesa: Esquadra 502 “Elefantes”Tanco's 1955; Montijo 2009; 12 C-295M; detachementen.
Força Aérea Portuguesa: Esquadra 504 “Linces”12 januari 1985 in Montijo; AT1 vanaf 1990.
Força Aérea Portuguesa: Esquadra 506 “Rinocerontes”Created 20 May 2023 at Beja.
Força Aérea Portuguesa: Esquadra 551 “Panteras”1978–1986 in Montijo; opnieuw in gebruik genomen op 24 november 2023; zes UH-60.
Força Aérea Portuguesa: Esquadra 552 “Zangões”Tancos to Beja 16 November 1993; AW119 2019; last Alouette III 17 June 2020.
Força Aérea Portuguesa: Esquadra 601 “Lobos”P-3P vanaf 7 augustus 1988; Beja 19 februari 2008; vijf P-3C CUP+.
Força Aérea Portuguesa: Esquadra 751 “Pumas”28 april 1978; Merlin 2005; meer dan 5000 levens gered.
Força Aérea Portuguesa: Esquadra 752 “Fénix”Geheractiveerd op 16 mei 2023 in Lajes.
Força Aérea Portuguesa: Esquadra 802 “Águias”ASK 21 en Chipmunk Mk 20 onder de Luchtmachtacademie.
Força Aérea Portuguesa: Esquadra 991 “Harpias”Activated 17 November 2021 at Ota.
Força Aérea Portuguesa: Entregues aviões A-29N Super Tucano (17 December 2025)First of 12 A-29N delivered at OGMA for Esquadra 101 at Beja.
Força Aérea Portuguesa: F-16M de alerta acompanham voo civil (19 juni 2025)Alarmpaar vanuit Monte Real; permanente F-16M-alarmfase.
AIP Portugal, AD 2 LPLA Lajes (geldig vanaf 6 augustus 2026)NAV Portugal; ARP 38°45'43"N 27°05'27"W, hoogte 55 m, landingsbaan 15/33 3.310 m; militaire operator Commander Air Base 4.
AIP Portugal, AD 2 LPPS Porto Santo (valid from 6 August 2026)NAV Portugal; ARP 33°04’15"N 16°20’59"W, elevation 104 m, runway 18/36 3,000 m.
AIP Portugal, AD 2 LPBJ Beja (valid from 6 August 2026)NAV Portugal; ARP 38°04’44"N 7°55’57"W, elevation 194 m, runways 01L/19R 3,450 m and 01R/19L 3,449 m (taxiing only).
AIP Portugal, AD 2 LPPT Lisboa (valid from 6 August 2026)NAV Portugal; ARP 38°46’27"N 9°08’03"W, elevation 108 m, runway 02/20 3,707 m.
RTP: Primeira aeronave KC-390 da FAP entra em operação e aterra na Base Aérea de Beja (19 October 2023)First KC-390 at Beja 19 October 2023; five ordered for 827 million euros.
RTP: Bestuursautoriteit van Força Aérea investeert 30 ME voor de ontwikkeling van Maduro voor Montijo (10 juli 2025)Verplaatsing van AT1 naar Montijo tegen eind 2028; studies naar de verplaatsing van het Alcochete-testgebied.
Portugese regering: Governo anuncia Aeroporto Luís de Camões no Campo de Tiro de Alcochete (14 mei 2024)De locatie voor de nieuwe luchthaven van Lissabon is gekozen op het schietterrein van Alcochete.
Rádio Renascença: Caças F-16 sofreram danos op Base de Monte Real (28 januari 2026)Windstoten van 178 km/u; de luchtmacht gaf geen cijfer voor het aantal beschadigde F-16's; er vielen geen gewonden. Andere persbronnen telden er minstens twee, daarna minstens vier.
Médio Tejo: Ex-Base Aérea n.º 3 voltou a ter vida em dia de convívioBase 1921–1994; Army Aeródromo Militar de Tancos and Rapid Reaction Brigade; 11 March 1975; Aires Marques’s 2017 book.
Museu do Ar: HistóriaOpgericht bij decreet in 1968; geopend in Alverca op 1 juli 1971; Sintra in 2009, tweede fase in 2011.
OGMA: Perfil da empresaFounded 1918 at Alverca; 65% Embraer, 35% Portuguese state; private capital from 2005, Embraer from 2012.
Câmara Municipal de Aveiro: Historial da base militar de São JacintoFrench post 1 April 1918; Portuguese naval aviation 1919; school 1933–31 December 1952.
On Centro: Exército aberto ao uso civil da pista da antiga base aérea de São Jacinto (22 June 2021)Site held by Infantry Regiment 10; municipal aerodrome from 1993; civil light-aircraft use.
José Matos: O último ano do Fiat G-91 na Guiné, Revista Militar 4/2020, pp. 395–414 (republished on the Luís Graça & Camaradas da Guiné blog)Strela losses of 25 and 28 March 1973; five G.91s lost in 1973, three to SA-7s; squadron strength 11.
Historisch bureau van de 65e luchtmachtbasisvleugel: Een korte geschiedenis van Lajes FieldRAF in Angra op 8 oktober 1943; eerste Amerikaanse bommenwerper op 9 december 1943; defensieakkoord van 1951; Nickel Grass vanaf 14 oktober 1973; 12.000 verplaatsingen tijdens de Golfoorlog. Kopie gehost op een externe website.
Amerikaanse luchtmacht, luchtmachtbasis Ramstein: 65e LuchtmachtbasisgroepGroep gevestigd in Lajes en Morón; partner van de Portugese luchtmacht.
Marinha Portuguesa: Esquadrilha de Helicópteros da Marinha voltooide 30 jaar (2023)Marineaccount: aangemaakt in 1993 (8 juni); operaties Sharp Guard, Crocodilo en Falcão (Guinee-Bissau 1998), Timor, antipiraterij; meer dan 24.000 uur op 1 juni 2023.
Força Aérea Portuguesa: Esquadra 103 “Caracóis”T-38A from July 1980; to Beja January 1987; T-38 gone by June 1993; Alpha Jet from 6 October 1993 to 13 January 2018; aerobatic pair 2001, Asas de Portugal 2005–2010; more than 100,000 hours; awaiting new aircraft.
Luchtmachttechnologie: 14 landen tekenen technische overeenkomst voor MHTC in PortugalOndertekend op 28 juni 2022; 37 weken per jaar; 10 internationale medewerkers; IOC eind 2023.
Europees Defensieagentschap: Multinationaal Helikopteropleidingscentrum (MHTC) zet koers naar Sintra29 juli 2020; interview met minister van Defensie Cravinho; IOC verwachtte toen eind 2022; 15 ondersteunende landen.
OurAirports luchthavendatabase (openbaar domein)

Cijfers geverifieerd op 29-09-2026. De pagina's van Order of Battle worden opnieuw gegenereerd vanuit één dataset; als een getal hier niet overeenkomt met een pagina in Book of Beasts, is deze pagina de meest recente van de twee.

Photographs: Photo: Pedro Dias from Portugal / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) · Photo (Super Tucano in other markings shown): Photos: US Air Force / Wikimedia Commons (public domain) · Photo: Alan Wilson from Peterborough, Cambs, UK / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Photo: A1C Sean Worrell / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: Myself (Adrian Pingstone). / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: Pedro Aragão / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Photo (Falcon 50 in other markings shown): Acroterion / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: Julian Herzog (Website) / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0) · Photo: Technical Sergeant (TSgt) Mike Creen, US Air Force / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: joaomrt from Porto, Portugal / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) · Photo: Kolforn / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: simon butler from halesowen, uk / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) · Photo: Icone444 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: Ank Kumar / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: Steve Knight from Halstead, United Kingdom / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) · Photo: Ricardo Reis from Lisboa, Portugal / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Photo (F-47D in other markings shown): USAAF / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo (Vampire in other markings shown): Anidaat / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: Steve Williams / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: SoAres / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.5) · Photo (B-26 in other markings shown): US Air Force B-26 Invader. US Air Force / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: Colin Cooke Photo / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Photo (DC-6 in other markings shown): Civil-registered Douglas DC-6. Pete Macklin / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0) · Photo (Do 27 in other markings shown): Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Photo: Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo (Hurricane in other markings shown): Ad Meskens / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo (Spitfire in other markings shown): Chowells / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.5) · Photo (RAF Gladiator shown): San Diego Air and Space Museum Archives / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo (Finnish Hawk 75A shown): SA-kuva / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo (Finnish Blenheim shown): SA-kuva / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: Alan Wilson from Stilton, Peterborough, Cambs, UK / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)

Portugese luchtmacht

Portugese luchtmacht

The Portuguese Air Force story: an Atlantic crossing, thirteen years of colonial war and the F-16 question

1912–1952: two air services, an Atlantic crossing and a neutral war

1952–1961: one air force, built on American aid

1961–1974: thirteen years of colonial war

1974–1999: revolution, retrenchment and the second-hand jet age

1999–2025: the F-16 in NATO, and the jets sold to Romania

2023–2026: Embraer, Black Hawks and the fighter question

The Portuguese Air Force in numbers

Dienst

Kracht

Infrastructuur

How the Portuguese Air Force is organised

Chief of Staff of the Air Force

Luchtmachtbasis Monte Real

Beja Air Base

Luchtmachtbasis Montijo

Luchtmachtbasis Lajes

Luchtmachtbasis Ovar

Luchtmachtacademie

What the Portuguese Air Force flies today

Op bestelling

Every type the Portuguese Air Force has retired

Where the Portuguese Air Force flies from

Mainland Portugal

Who is stationed where in the Portuguese Air Force

Portuguese Air Force milestones, 1914 to today

Elke oorlog waaraan de Portugese luchtmacht heeft deelgenomen

The Portuguese Air Force display teams

Portuguese Air Force news from Afterburner

Everything people ask about the Portuguese Air Force

Read the aircraft the Portuguese Air Force flew

Alle feiten gecontroleerd

Recente berichten

Contact

Jets

Locaties

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