Portugeuse Air Force

Portugal has a long tradition of aviation dating back to 1911 with the use of balloons. Today the Portuguese Airforce (PAF) is a commited NATO member in the last year they have participatied in exercises in Belgium, France and Norway.

The PAF continue to upgrade there force the most recent additions being the CASA 295 transport aircraft soon to be based at Montijo airbase southeast of Lisbon.

In this section we hope to give an overview of the current PAF aircraft sprinkled with some of their retired aircraft still to be found in Portugal

CASA 212 from 401 squadron at Sintra

BASE AÉREA (BA) 1 SINTRA

The oldest active airbase in Portugal Sintra is home to the following units;

401 squadron with CASA 212

The Airforce Academy with Chipmunks and Gliders

The CASA 212's are soon to be retired their replacement the CASA 295 will be based at Montijo, It is belived that the base will lose it's 'BA' status as it will not host any active squadrons one option discussed is the arrival of 101 squadron from Beja with Epsilons in order to preserve it's 'Base Aérea status

BA4 LAJES

Situated in the Azores 711 Squadron provides SAR cover opertaing the Puma and CASA 212, whilst a EH.101 can also be deployed from the mainland

BA6 MONTIJO

Montijo provides homes to the transport assets of the PAF;

501 Squadron C130H

504 Squadron Falcon 50 (normally at Lisbon IAP)

751 Squadron EH.101 Merlin

EH.101 of 751sqn after a downpour at Montijo Airbase

Alouette III of 552 Squadron at Beja

Alpha Jet based at Beja seen here in the 'ASAS DE PORTUGAL' colour scheme

This A7 sits outside the Museo do Ar at Alverca

Retired in 2007 the Puma was brought back to service in 2008 athough this example is wfu at Sintra

Chipmunk of the Airforce Academy at Sintra

BA 5 MONTE REAL

Monte Real is home to the PAF's combat aircraft in the shape of the F16A/AM F16B/BM. they are ;

201 Squadron F16A/B

301 Squadron F16AM/BM

F16A of 201 Squadron outside it's shelter at Monte Real

BA11 BEJA

Beja probably takes the title of largest airbase in Portugal. It was a former training base of the postwar Luftwaffe. The base has a diverse selection of both rotary and fixed wing aircraft. It is also home to the PAF air accident investigation branch. The operational units here are;

103/301 Squadrons Alpha Jet

101 Squadron TB30 Epsilon

552 Squadron Allouette III

601 Squadron P3 Orion

TB 30 Epsilon of 101 Squadron sat in front of it's hangar at Beja

OTHER BASES

OTA - This is home to the airforce technical training school - CFMTFA and the museo do Ar store. The airfield is no longer used for flying, although it was one of the contenders to be the site of the new Lisbon airport until an alternative site found at Alcochote southeast of Lisbon.

ALVERCA - The airfield here despite still being owned by the military, sees most of its flying action through the civillian company OGMA who perform maintenance on military and civilian aircraft. The military still have an area here it's primary role is as storage and materials depot, but for the aviation photographer it is also home to the excellent Museo do Ar the PAF museum, it is shared between here and Sintra, where a new building is being constructed.

OVAR - This is a NATO assigned reserve base in the North it was to be the new home to 601sq with the P3 Orion, although it appears these plans have been scrapped with the unit moving to Beja.

TANCOS - Another reserve base, but it is also home to the Parachute school so the base receives regular visits from CASA 212's. Tancos was also to have been home to the EC635 helicopter for the army, but a dispute with Eurocopter meant that the order was cancelled and the helicopters were sold on to Jordan. So the army are still waiting for a replacemant, many soldiers retain their maintainence skills by being assigned to Alloutte III helicopters at Beja with the Airforce

Alpha Jet of the Airforce Technical School at Ota note behind an impressive but no longer used tower

we would like to thank everyone involved in helping arrange the tour,in particular the PAF press office and all the hosts at the bases