The Brazilian Air Force began air control of the area of the Yanomami Indigenous Land and adjacent areas at 00:00 this Wednesday (1st). The implementation of an Air Defense Identification Zone (Zida) in the airspace of the North Region was established based on Presidential Decree No. 11,405/2023 and aims to contribute to the fight against illegal mining in Roraima (RR). This is the start of Operation Yanomami Shield 2023.
With the implementation of Zida, there will be a reserved area (White Area); a restricted area (Yellow Area); and a prohibited area (Red Area), and the Air Force Command will be responsible for adopting Airspace Control Measures against all types of suspicious air traffic, as provided for in the Brazilian Aeronautics Code. In the Red Area, only aircraft involved in Operation Yanomami Shield 2023 will be authorized.
Aircraft that fail to comply with the rules established in areas determined by the Air Force will be subject to Airspace Policing Measures (MPEA). Within these measures, they range from identifying the aircraft, requests for change of route and for mandatory landing, to warning shots and arrest shots, which “when firing shots with the purpose of causing damage and preventing the continuation of the flight of the offending aircraft .”
The Aerospace Operations Command (COMAE) is responsible for planning, coordinating and executing Air Force Actions aimed at the Aerospace Control Task during Operation Yanomami Shield 2023, conducting the necessary air means to identify, coerce or detain flying traffic. in the area of interest. During the operation, the FAB will use A-29, R-99 and E-99 aircraft.
The Brazilian Air Force also plans to install a model TPS-B34 radar, which can be airborne from Santa Maria (RS), with the aim of increasing air defense capacity, reinforcing detection and control power in the region. The E-99 and R-99 radar aircraft are already in Roraima and the Boa Vista Air Defense alert has been reinforced.
