Santa Maria Air Force Base

{{For|the civilian use of this facility and airport information|Santa Maria Airport (Rio Grande do Sul)}}

{{Infobox military installation

| name = Santa Maria Air Force Base

| ensign =

| ensign_size =

| native_name = {{lang|pt|Base Aérea de Santa Maria|italic=yes}}

| partof =

| location = Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul

| country = Brazil

| image = Pórtico da Base Aérea de Santa Maria. Camobi.JPG

| alt =

| caption = Entry of Santa Maria Air Force in 2013

| image2 =

| alt2 =

| caption2 =

| type = Air Force Base

| coordinates = {{coord|29|42|39|S|053|41|32|W|region:BR|display=inline,title}}

| gridref =

| image_map =

| image_mapsize =

| image_map_alt =

| image_map_caption =

| pushpin_map = Brazil Rio Grande do Sul#Brazil

| pushpin_mapsize =

| pushpin_map_alt =

| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Brazil

| pushpin_relief =

| pushpin_image =

| pushpin_label = SBSM

| pushpin_label_position =

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| ownership = Brazilian Air Force

| operator =

| controlledby = {{air force|BR}}

| open_to_public = No

| site_other_label =

| site_other =

| site_area =

| code = ALA4

| built = {{Start date|1945}}

| used = 1970-present

| builder =

| materials =

| height =

| length =

| fate =

| condition =

| battles =

| events =

| current_commander = Cel. Av. Wilson Paulo Corrêa Marques

| past_commanders =

| garrison =

| occupants =

1st Squadron of the 10th Aviation Group
3rd Squadron of the 10th Aviation Group
5th Squadron of the 8th Aviation Group
1st Squadron of the 12th Aviation Group
4th Squadron of the 1st Communications and Control Group

| designations =

| website = {{URL|https://www.fab.mil.br/organizacoes/mostra/449}}

| IATA = RIA

| ICAO = SBSM

| FAA =

| TC =

| LID = RS0003

| GPS =

| WMO =

| elevation = {{Convert|88|m|0}}

| r1-number = 11/29

| r1-length = {{Convert|2,694|m|0}}

| r1-surface = Concrete

| r2-number = 02/20

| r2-length = {{Convert|1,505|m|0}}

| r2-surface = Asphalt

| footnotes = Sources: DECEA{{cite web|url=https://aisweb.decea.mil.br/?i=aerodromos&codigo=SBSM&amdt=2161|title=Santa Maria (SBSM)|website=DECEA|access-date=27 September 2023|language=pt}}

}}

Santa Maria Air Force Base – ALA4 {{Airport codes|RIA|SBSM}} is a base of the Brazilian Air Force, located in Santa Maria, Brazil.

It shares some facilities with Santa Maria Airport.

History

In 1944 the then President of Brazil Getúlio Vargas allocated an area of 4 million square meters near Santa Maria with the purpose of building an aerodrome. The works were conducted on an urgent basis, with the collaboration of the United States Army and it was finally opened in April 1945.

Santa Maria Air Force Base was created on 18 December 1970 and was commissioned on 15 October 1971 and since then it has an active presence in the region.

Between 1971 and 2015, civil and military facilities were shared. However, in 2015 an agreement between the Brazilian Air Force and the Municipality of Santa Maria, transferred part of the facilities to the latter. The civil portion of the aerodrome is administered by the Municipality and the military portion by the Brazilian Air Force.{{cite web | url=https://www.fab.mil.br/noticias/mostra/36502/ | title=Obras de revitalização do aeródromo de Santa Maria (RS) são concluídas | website=Força Aérea Brasileira | date=7 November 2020 | access-date=17 February 2021 | language=pt}}

Units

The following units are based at Santa Maria Air Force Base:

1st Squadron of the 10th Aviation Group (1º/10ºGAv) Poker, using the AMX A-1M.{{Cite web | url=http://www.spotter.com.br/esquadroes/centauro_poker_01.htm | title=1º/10ºGAv – Esquadrão Poker | website=Spotter | access-date=5 May 2021 | language=pt}}
3rd Squadron of the 10th Aviation Group (3º/10ºGAv) Centauro, using the AMX A-1M.{{Cite web | url=http://www.spotter.com.br/esquadroes/centauro_poker_01.htm | title=3º/10ºGAv – Esquadrão Centauro | website=Spotter | access-date=5 May 2021 | language=pt}}
5th Squadron of the 8th Aviation Group (5º/8ºGAv) Pantera, using the H-60L Black Hawk.{{Cite web | url=http://www.spotter.com.br/esquadroes/pantera_01.htm | title=5º/8ºGAv – Esquadrão Pantera | website=Spotter | access-date=3 May 2021 | language=pt}}
1st Squadron of the 12th Aviation Group (1º/12ºGAv) Hórus, using the Elbit RQ-450 Hermes, Elbit RQ-900 Hermes, and Elbit RQ-1150 Heron.{{cite web | url=http://www.spotter.com.br/esquadroes/horus_01.htm | title=1º/12º GAv – Esquadrão Hórus | website=Spotter | access-date=5 May 2021 | language=pt}}
4th Squadron of the 1st Communications and Control Group (4º/1ºGCC) Mangrulho, using radars and equipment for air defense.{{cite web | url=https://www.fab.mil.br/noticias/mostra/33097/CRUZEX%20%E2%80%93%20Esquadr%C3%B5es%20de%20comunica%C3%A7%C3%B5es%20e%20controle%20de%20todo%20o%20pa%C3%ADs%20mobilizam%20pessoal%20e%20equipamentos | title=Esquadrões de comunicações e controle de todo o país mobilizam pessoal e equipamentos | website=Força Aérea Brasileira | date=9 November 2018 | access-date=5 May 2021 | language=pt}}

Accidents and incidents

24 June 1985: Brazilian Air Force, a Lockheed C-130E Hercules registration FAB-2457 flew into the side of a hill while on approach to land at Santa Maria Air Force Base under fog. All 7 occupants died.{{Cite web | url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19850624-0 | title=Accident description FAB-2457 | publisher=Aviation Safety Network | access-date=12 May 2011}}