Brazilian Navy officially activates Tactical Reconnaissance and Attack Drone Squadron

Brazilian Navy activates the Tactical Reconnaissance and Attack Drone Squadron

As part of a wider modernisation drive and an effort to respond to emerging threats, the Brazilian Navy has formally brought into service its Tactical Reconnaissance and Attack Drone Squadron, a unit under the Brazilian Marine Corps. The activation ceremony was held at the Air Combat Battalion, based in peacetime at the Naval Complex on Governador Island in Rio de Janeiro. Through this step, the service aims to lock in a technological and doctrinal advance, aligning its force structure with the world’s most advanced armed forces and boosting its ability to operate in environments where information dominance and precision are decisive.

A doctrinal shift for the Brazilian Marine Corps

Speaking on the occasion, the Commander of Naval Operations, Fleet Admiral Claudio Henrique Mello de Almeida, underlined that the creation of the squadron opens a new chapter in Brazilian Marine Corps doctrine, which must remain “at the technological and operational vanguard”. He added that the intention goes beyond simply fielding new equipment: it is also about mastering the methods needed to fight in increasingly complex scenarios.

In the same vein, Fleet Admiral (Marine Corps) Carlos Chagas Vianna Braga, Commandant General of the Brazilian Marine Corps, described the new squadron as a genuine change in mindset, noting that “For a long time we taught people to operate machines; now we must learn to operate with them, side by side, in an environment where many are autonomous”.

Navy Captain Rodrigo Rodrigues Fonseca, commanding officer of the Air Combat Battalion, stressed that the move should not be seen as a mere administrative reshuffle. In his view, it confirms the adoption of an advanced operational concept in which technology, information and precision are fused to expand Brazil’s defensive capacity and to get ahead of potential threats.

Sensors, strike options and a regional move towards uncrewed systems

The squadron’s reconnaissance drones will fly with electro-optical, infrared and thermal sensors, enabling real-time situational awareness-an essential ingredient for critical decision-making during combat operations as well as in humanitarian support missions.

Alongside surveillance, the component is intended to provide an attack function through platforms able to conduct controlled strike missions. This, in turn, is expected to strengthen the Navy’s deterrence by enabling measured and effective responses to possible aggression.

At the same time, these drone systems are planned for wider use in search and rescue, environmental monitoring and disaster support, reflecting a clear dual-use approach. Looking ahead, the Navy is already planning to establish a Drone School at the Admiral Sylvio de Camargo Instruction Centre (CIASC) and to reinforce the Expeditionary Manufacturing Unit (UFEx), which is designed to produce and maintain components while deployed.

This momentum is not unique to Brazil. In October, the Colombian Army activated its Unmanned Aircraft Battalion (BANOT), tasked with detecting, neutralising and operating drones as part of its response to unconventional aerial threats. Like the Brazilian Navy, Colombia is seeking to integrate uncrewed systems formally into its military structure, recognising that control of airspace through drones has become a strategic pillar of modern defence. Together, the two developments point to a clear regional shift towards uncrewed and autonomous systems on the battlefield, where information and technological autonomy are set to become the new foundations of operational superiority.

Image credits: Brazilian Navy.