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Hudson Valley Air National Guard wing moves rescue helicopters to Brazil for joint U.S.- Brazilian training exercise

Two C-17 Globemaster III aircraft assigned to the 105th Airlift Wing used to transport 3 rescue helicopters from Long Island to Brazil

Campo Grande, Brazil (08/26/2022) — Fourteen Airmen assigned to the Hudson Valley's 105th Airlift Wing of the New York Air National Guard moved almost 100 Airmen and three helicopters to Brazil to participate in a joint Brazilian-American training exercise which runs through August 31.

Two of the wing's C-17 Globemaster III strategic airlifters moved personnel and three HH-60 Pave Hawk search and rescue helicopters assigned to the New York Air National Guard's 106th Rescue Wing from their base on Long Island to Campo Grande Brazil on August 19.

The wing, which routinely flies missions around the world, is based at Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh.

Eighty Airmen assigned to the 106th Rescue Wing are in Brazil participating in a tactical exercise with their Brazilian Air Force counterparts.

Exercise Tapio is an annual Brazilian Air Force-hosted close air support and combat search and rescue exercise that involves 1,100 Brazilian personnel and aircraft from many different Brazilian units.

The American component, led by Col. Jeff Cannet, the 106th Operations Group commander, includes 100 personnel, one HC-130J Combat King II search and rescue aircraft, three HH-60 Pave Hawk search and rescue helicopters, along with the two C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft.

Personnel from the New York Air National Guard's 274th Air Support Operations Squadron, who specialize on calling in airstrikes, and the 107th Attack Wing, which flies the MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft, are also participating in the mission.

A small number of Airmen from the Oregon and Maryland Air National Guards - special operations Airmen, and A-10 pilots, respectively -are also involved.

"These U.S. Air Force personnel will conduct combat search and rescue and close air support operations alongside Brazilian forces to grow our collective ability to meet complex global challenges, counter threats and maintain regional security and stability," according to a statement from United States Southern Command.

This is the second year that the New York Air National Guard has participated in Exercise Tapio. In 2021 80 personnel and two HH-60s took part in the exercise.

The 105th Airlift Wing also transported those helicopters.

The exercise that year simulated war scenarios, to include helicopter infiltration and extrication, rescues which required a rope to access the patient, separated survivor scenarios, and an urban operation with a vehicle extrication and mass casualty event.

This year's exercise has added aerial refueling of the HH-60s by the HC-130J Combat King aircraft into the mix.

"It's great to be taking part in Exercise TAPIO again with a larger team than ever before," Cannet said.

"The friendships and professional development have grown behind the scenes over the past year and seeing all that come together during this exercise has been rewarding. We look forward to growing this strong partnership for years to come," Cannet added.

The New York Air National Guard was invited to participate because of the State Partnership Program the New York National Guard shares with Brazil's military. New York National Guard personnel and units take part in joint training and exchanges with their Brazilian counterparts to further interoperability between the U.S. military and Brazil's.

Recent interactions involved a visit by members of the New York Air National Guard's 222nd Command and Control Squadron, which is a space operations unit, with their Brazilian counterparts. Brazilian leaders have also visited New York and observed security operations in New York City.

The State Partnership Program was created following the end of the Cold War and paired state National Guard's with former Soviet Bloc nation's militaries. The goal was to model the ways that democratic military force's function.

Since then, the program has expanded. New York has a partnership arrangement with the South African National Defence Force as well as Brazil.

Media Attachments

An HH-60 Pave Hawk search and rescue helicopter assigned to the New York Air National Guard's 106th Rescue Wing sits on the runway in Campo Grande, Brazil after being off-loaded from a C-17 assigned to the 105th Airlift Wing, based at Stewart Air National Guard base in Newburgh on Aug. 20, 2022. The Airmen were in Brazil to participate in Exercise Tapio, a combined Brazilian-U.S. irregular warfare exercise in Campo Grade, Brazil. The New York Air National Guard dispatched 100 Airmen from the two wings to participate as part of the State Partnership Program relationship with Brazil. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Maj. Michael O’Hagan)

Airmen assigned to the New York Air National Guard’s 106th Rescue Wing work with members of the New York Air National Guard’s 105th Airlift Wing to offload 106th HH-60 Pave Hawk search and rescue helicopters from 105th C-17s at a Brazilian Air Force Base in Campo Grande, Brazil on Aug. 20, 2022. The Airmen were in Brazil to participate in Exercise Tapio, a combined Brazilian-U.S. irregular warfare exercise in Campo Grade, Brazil. The New York Air National Guard dispatched 100 Airmen from the two wings to participate as part of the State Partnership Program relationship with Brazil. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Maj. Michael O’Hagan)

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