NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE SURVEY 94; BRAZIL; ARMED FORCES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NIS
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP01-00707R000200080020-5
• Release Decision: RIF
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 31
• Document Creation Date: October 25, 2016
• Sequence Number: 20
• Content Type: REPORTS

0
Brazil
September 1973
L
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE
9
SECRET
I1O FOREIGN DISSEM
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BRAZIL
CONTENTS
This chapter supersedes the armed forces cover-
age in the General Survey dated January 1970.
A. Defense establishment 1
1. Military history 1
2. Command structure 3
B. Joint activities
5
1. Military manpower
5
2. Strength trends
5
3. Training
6
4. Military budget
6
5. Economic support and logistics
7
C. Army
8
1. Organization
s
2. Strength, composition, and disposition
11
3. Training
12
4. Logistics
13
r
r
1 f
BRAZIL
CONTENTS
This chapter supersedes the armed forces cover-
age in the General Survey dated January 1970.
A. Defense establishment 1
1. Military history 1
2. Command structure 3
B. Joint activities
5
1. Military manpower
5
2. Strength trends
5
3. Training
6
4. Military budget
6
5. Economic support and logistics
7
C. Army
8
1. Organization
9
2. Strength, composition, and disposition
11
3. Training
12
4. Logistics
13
Y,,(,' ry L rtA ij. 'r a tn ti'`."..Ti,F,i.tk- i {.jc
4..,, yw:h SECRET NO FOREIGN DIS$EAf
awAa.* fsyse .o�,....wnr :..ur,.-
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FIGURES
Page
Page
Page
D. Navy
I. Organization
14
E. Air Force
9 I
14
1. Organization
20
2. Strength, composition, and disposition
16
2. Strength, composition, and disposition
20
3. Training
16
3. Training
22
4. Logistics
17
4. Logistics
23
5. Marine corps
18
Brazilian submarine Rio Grande do
6. Naval air arm
18
F. Paramilitary
24
FIGURES
M
I
Page
Page
Fig. 1
Civic action team photo)
3
Fig.
11
Jungle Warfare School photo)
12
Fig. 2
National defense organization chart)
4
Fig.
12
Navy organization chart)
15
Fig. 3
Joint army- marine exercise photo)
7
Fig.
13
Brazilian submarine Rio Grande do
Fig. 4
Military budgets table)
7
Sul photo)
15
Fig. 5
Brazilian -built aircraft photos)
8
Fig.
14
Marine Corps units pass in review
Fig. 6
U.S. M3 tanks photo)
9
photo)
19
I Fig. 7
Army organization chart)
10
Fig.
15
Mirage III interceptor photo)
19
Fig. 8
M113 armored personnel carrier
Fig.
16
Air force organization chart)
21
photo)
11
Fig.
17
Bell UH -113 helicopter photo)
22
1 Fig. 9
Guncrew firing 105 -mm howitzer
Fig.
18
T -33 aircraft photo)
23
photo)
11
Fig.
19
Production of Xavantes aircraft
Fig. 10
Airborne unit photo)
12
photo)
24
M
I

09
Armed Forces
A. Defense establishment
The Brazilian regular tnilitary establishment i., a
conventional force of 245.7(x) nun and is the largest in
Latin America. It consists of an army of about 160,(xx)
men equipped with light armor and field artillery up
to 155 -nun, it navy of 42.5(9) mcn (it 13.0,x)
marines and a tins nasal air arm) and 22 major
c�onhalant ~hips. and an air force of 39?00 men and
nearly Rio aircraft. Thesc three seryic�es are
supplemented by stale ;)acunilitary forces called the
military i)olice. whose str(�rrgth totals 184,0(X) men. (S)
Udder the 1967 Constitution, the mission of the
artned forces is "to defend the country and to
gnararttee the constilute(I powers and law anti order.
The armed forces are capable of maintaining internal
scc�urih and defending the country against a ac�k by
neighboring countries. but they are not capable of
successfully defending against sustained attack by a
major military power. They c�otrld conduct effective
offensive operations against any neighboring country,
except possibl% Argentina, hot .would be serionslh
handicapped b% logistic difficulties when operating
from other than the southern portion of the country. if
outside logistic support were provided, theN could
assist nalerially in hemispheric defense and provide it
small expeditionar% for( (S)
Among the strengths of the anneal forces are it strong
esprit de corps, the discipline of the enliste(I nren and
their c�apac�ih for operating under conditions of
ph }sisal hardships, the generally high educational
level among the officers, and the relatively wide
experience acquired b some officers in operations
during Worl(I Wit II, the 1) )III ill ican Republic� crisis,
and [Frc United Nations peace keeping mission in the
Gaza Strip. Weaknesses include the depeodcnce upon
foreign sotrc�es for major military equipment,
particularly for sophisticated aircraft and naval ships;
the sc�arvih of specialists, technicians, and highl\
gnalific�(I noncommissioned officers; the frequent
turnover of conscripts: and the ituterogeneons nature
of the equipment. (S)
Brazil is a rnvin1wr of the Organization of American
States (OAS) and of the Inter American 1)e4ense
Board. an organization that plans for the joint defense
of the Western Hemisphere. It is a signatory of the Rio
Pact of 1947, an agreement arnong the American
states for mutual support against aggression. and is a
charter nrrmher of the United Nations. Brazil has,
however. steadfastly refused to sign the Nuclear
Nonproliferation I reah because it could restrict
Brazils future development of nuclear power. (C)
Brazil traditionally has considered itself to he it
leader of Latin America. Particularly since 1964,
Brazilian military men have been concerned over the
growing Communist /Socialist influence in South
America, and in 1971 -72 they extended covert and
overt support to forces fighting those influences in
Uruguay and Bolivia. The military establishment.
which has consistently sided with the U.S. position on
Cuba and Castroist odwersion, opposed the efforts of
I'en .(nd Chile in 1971 -72 and the efforts of other
Latin American countries in 1973 to have Cuba
readmitted to the OAS. The armed forces are ver
strongly anti-Com nunist. (S)
1. Military history (C)
The armed forces trace their traditions to the
colonial period, primarily to the sear against the
Dutch, who captured Recife in 1624 and controlled
the entire northern coast until 1651. Brazilians credit
local Brazilian forces with expelling the Dutch and
c�o�tsider this struggle to he the earliest source of the
national pride that still dominates military thought
and ideals. The army was formed in May 1821 the
nave in July 1822. as the vmmn prince (later Emperor
Pedro 1) developed his power base in preparation for
national independence from Portugal on September
1822. The navy, however, has precedence among the
military forces, inherited from the I'ortuguvse Navy as
it reward for protecting the previous Emperor Joao VI
in his flight to Brazil in 1807 -08 to escape Napolcon's
invasion of Portugal. Service academics were
originaliv establishe(I in Rio de Janeiro for the
Portuguese forces �the Naval Academy on :30 January
1808 and the Military Academy in 1810.
The first military air unit �one aviation company
was organized within the army in February 1915. Both
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the arrin and navy had their o%% if air units during the
1920"s and 1930's. Dune No. 3.730 of l5 October
1941 established the air force as it separate ministn.
United States Brazilian militan relations have been
cxc�eptionally close, particularly since World W..r II. A
U.S. militar\ attache seas first assigned to Brazil in
1898. and the U.S. Navy has had a mission at Rio de
Janeiro since 1922, except for if brief period in 1931
32. The first U.S. Army mission arrived ill early 1939.
replacing if French militan mission which had been
there since 1920. :1n Army Air Corps mission arrived in
19-11. In May 1912, to facilitate mililan cooperation,
the t\o countries established the Joint Brazil United
States Defense Commission (JBUSDC) in 'Washington
and the Joint Brazil United Slates `lilitan
Commission (JBUSNIC) in Brazil each beaded by the
head of the delegation of tic� c�ountn \here� it is
located. The commission in Brazil became the ageuc�y
for in- counts training and planning assistance for the
preparation of the Brazilian F \peditionan Force.
l'nder the terms of it 1952 Mutual Assistance
Agreement. the Brazilian Armed Forces receive grant
Ira"ning all(] credit assistance for the purchase of
materiel and services. "I'hc� head of the Rio -based
JBUS%1C is a Brazilian four -star general or flag officer.
"I'll(- Brazilians adopted U.S. training and teac�bing
methods during W%V 11 and in 1918 asked the United
Stales to help establish the Superior War School.
which has been ven infl;wntial in developing
Brazilian militan thought. Although present U.S.
Bra�riliar military ties show signs of \car partly
because of U.S. refusal to sell sophisticated military
%%vi,pou.- -there is no other country that rivals the
United States in influence in Bra-1.
During the 19th century Brazil fought three wars. In
1825 -28, it fought Argentina in .nn unstwevssfirl effort
to retain Unngita% as part of Brazil. In 1851-52 Brazil
supported a revolutionan movement to overthrow the
Argentine government of J ran Manuel Rosas and end
his claim to Urtrgua%. In 186 -1, Mien alleged ill
treatment of Brazilians led to Brazilian invasion of
Urtigi ny and if retaliatory Paragua\an invasion of
Br�(zil. Brazil found itself again at syarand, in alliance
wittn Argentina and a ne%% Unngu.c\an government,
defeated ParagimN in the bloody War of the "Triple
Alliance of I8(i1 -70. Since that time, Brazil has prided
itself on peaceful relations \ith all neighbors,
resolving all its boundary dispules \ilhout armed
conflict, although al\ays more o. less in its own favor.
Brazil has bad much more experience in modern
warfare than ally other Latin American counts. It
was the only area coumtry to tare an active part in
World War I. Following German sinking of Brazilian
2
ships. war yeas declared t0ctober 1917). it conscription
act mas passed, physicians and a fesy militan obseners
were scat to Europe. and the nay\ provided
mines\%eeping and c�onyoy protection off the coasts of
Brazil .u((I Africa. During World War 11, Brazil
supplied the army's 250(N) -man Ist Expeditionan
Division and the air one's 1st Fighter Group (25
aircraft), "bich fought \%ith distinction in 1944-45 in
Italy. The nave engagi�d in combined operations with
the U.S N.ayx and provided patrol and cunyory
protection in the South Atlantic. From 1957 to 1967.
Brazil maintained an arm, battalion in tic U.N.
F.,.iergvnc�v Force in the Gaza Strip bet\een Egg pt
and Israel, and from 1964 through 1967 if Brazilian
was in cotnmand of all U.N. troops in the area. An air
force contingent, including transport and helicopter
pilots, wood wi!h the U.N. Command in the Congo
in 1960 -61 and also carried out regularl% scheduled
operations in support of the Brazilian Forces in the
Gaza Strip. In 1965 -66, Brazil provided the
commanding officer and a contingent of over 1,000
nien for the Inter American Peace Force in the
Donnimican Republic. Brazil also has participated in
the U.N. peace mission on C\pr(ts.
During the constitutional monarchy (1822 -89) the
militan did not assume a political role. the first
militan intenemtiom into political affairs occurred in
1889, Mien the armed forces, with extensive c�iyiliam
support, overthrew the m narc�h\ and substituted it
nytiblican form of government. Pressures for social
and political changes in the system that evolved over
the next 30 sears culminated to the revolt of
disgruntled �young turks" kno\yn as tenentes
(lieu(enants) in 1922, 1921� and 1927, and in 19:30
they c�olltbioed %yith civilian elements to force the
resignation of the President and the selection of
Getulio Vargas as his successor.
Since 1930 the armed forces have intervened in
government three times �in 1945 to oust the Vargas
dictatorship, in 19:51 to prevent the government
leadership frarn suhver!ing the electoral process� and
in 196-1 r preclude the Goulart government from
becoming if leftist dictatorship. The militan �s concept
of its role in the political proces��.� guardian of the
Constitution and defender of the� nation �has been
recognized by successive constitutions and has
received public acceptance Whenever the armed
forces consider the Constitution or the fundamental
institution, of the nation are threatened, this role takes
precedence over 'orally to the administration in office.
Reluctance of the armed forces to set up if tnilitan
government is :widenc�(ld by lbe initnediate return of
the gover nm en! to civilian rule in 19.15 and 19.51 and
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P
LE
the strong legalistic� sell tinn�nt in the� �erns' that
frustrated abortive )tips b' snrtll ntilitan elenu�nts
against the inauguration of Jus�(-lino fubits�hek in
1955 and Joao Got [it rt in 1961. 'I'll( armed forces w(-re
'(-n slow to stove against Coulart and did not acct
until the leftists in his government had aroused
widespread alarm in the c�iwilian population and were
Ill er'iog op(-nly ter des Iro% the discipline and
effec�tivrness of the armed forces themselves. The
deeply entrenched pov:er of ultraleftist and corrupt
political elements finally conyilwed militan rnen that
the' should adhere to the vvi(lespre.ed civilian
consensus for reform of the political swstem to present�
the c�ountrv's traditional Values and to save it from
bankntptc�w and c�iyil war.
*I'h(- awned forces have .�ontril)i i f subslar:tiull' to
the countn's tvchnologic�al development. Traditional
I', rn:ur' engineers and technic inns have rcceivc(I their
training in armed forces schools. which include the
hest t(-c�hnic�al school in 'he country. Active and former
militan officers hold ke' positions in nt-.ut' fields in
both I) ri.ate and state -run bm.;;;c�s,es, inc�lucling the
state oil c�ontpany, PI ?TROBBAS. The military forces
have been dee;rl' inyolwe