CHAPTER IX: MISSIONS OF THE MILITARY INSTRUMENT
So far, we have described the Defense policy objectives through an evaluation of the strategic scenario as perceived by our country, including new challenges, problems and opportunities. Also, we have assessed the national interests and conditions imposed by the new "rules of the game" as contained in the legal framework.
Our Armed Forces are adapting to these new realities and demands through the redefinition of the Military Instrument's missions, based on national strategies established by the constitutional branches of the government, in particular the Executive and the Legislative.
The re-definition of missions leads to a better use of our country's economic resources and improves the effectiveness of the military component, it offers better conditions and provides this component with the necessary, adequate and modern tools in terms of personnel, equipment, training and doctrine.
Therefore, the defense program is balanced against the needs and possibilities of our country, and is commensurate with the national development achieved.
1. Use of the Military Instrument
The issues discussed above allow us to define the following circumstances or scenarios where the Armed Forces are expected to be used:
- In defense of the Nation's vital interests
- In the framework of the UN and other international organizations
- In support to security
- In support to the national community or friendly countries
2. Missions
The main or primary mission of the Military Instrument is to deter aggression or to employ its means effectively in order to guarantee our Nation's vital interests and to permanently protect them from foreign aggressions.
In addition to this traditional role, there are other missions derived from the new demands posed by the strategic scenario.
The use of our Armed Forces to accomplish these missions will be based on the available capabilities and will contribute to the actions of government in respect of our strategic interests in support of world peace, as well as to national and international efforts towards a better standard of living.
These missions complement, but do not substitute, the main mission. The other missions of the military instrument are as follows:
- Involvement in peacekeeping operations and/or multinational coalitions under the mandate of International Organizations;
- Involvement in domestic security operations under the terms of Act 24059;
- Involvement in the development of military cooperation, confidence-building and other measures aimed at preventing conflict situations at regional and international level;
- Search and rescue;
- Antarctic activities support;
- Humanitarian aid;
- Community support;
- Contribution to environmental protection;
- Accomplishment of any other missions assigned by government.
CHAPTER X: ARMED FORCES TASKS
Basic, common and specific tasks of the Armed Forces can be defined in consideration of their missions as described in the previous chapter.
1. Basic functions
From the conceptual viewpoint, these tasks can be summarized as follows:
- Scope of Action, including the national land, sea, river and air spaces. Control of national interest areas pursuant to legal regulations and commitments undertaken.
- Projection of joint or specific ground, naval and air forces.
2. Tasks common to the three Services
These tasks are discharged by each specific Service, and are identical for the three:
- Operate in any environment (land, maritime and fluvial, air) with minimum advance notice and high readiness levels.
- Integrate C3 I2 systems (command, control, communications, intelligence and information technology) at national, military and operational strategic levels, in order to manage ground, naval and air operations.
- Participate in satellite systems applicable to the Defense area for research, development, installation, maintenance and operation activities; manage systems enabling or facilitating the development of military operations.
- Integrate electronic warfare systems at national, military and operational strategic levels, and carry out ground, naval and air electronic warfare operations.
- Conduct CBN defense operations against chemical, biological and nuclear weapons or means.
3. Specific Army tasks
* Execute the following operations with ground resources and manned or unmanned aircraft and helicopters:
- Air exploration and reconnaissance
- Observation
- Target acquisition
- Specific high priority air transport in areas close to combat zones.
- Fire support (only helicopters)
- Security and protection (only helicopters)
- Air mobility operations (only helicopters)
- Search and rescue with aircraft under its control during operations.
* Provide ground and air-to-ground mobility with helicopters (systematic air mobility)
* Provide fire support with surface-to-surface weapon systems necessary to execute the maneuver involved and coordinate support to be provided by other Services.
* Integrate the air defense system (at a national level) with its own resources for the execution of air defense per se and anti-aircraft defense in ground operations, participating in the planning and coordination phase.
* Execute operations in large rivers with the necessary fluvial and lake capabilities.
4. Specific Navy tasks
* Execute naval operations in the following fields:
- Surface
- Submarine
- Air naval operations
- Amphibious
- Mining
- Anti-submarine
- Specific air defense (counter-air and anti-aircraft)
- Demining
- Tactical and strategic interdiction
- Maritime and fluvial control of shipping and protection
- Defense of coasts, ports, bases, naval facilities and support points
- Maritime and fluvial transport
- Specific fixed and mobile logistic support
- Hospitalization and evacuation
- Tactical divers (seals) and amphibious commandos
- With auxiliary cruisers
- In restricted waters
- Operational environment research
- Search and rescue
- Search, assistance and rescue
- Exploration, reconnaissance and intelligence
- Fluvial and riverside activities
* Integrate the air defense system (at a national level) with its own resources for naval operations, participating in the planning and coordination phase.
* Provide navigation safety services for the public by gathering, centralizing and disseminating information, including beacon services, hydrography, oceanography and navigation in general in the relevant spaces or as determined by our national interests.
5. Specific Air Force tasks
* Permanent control and surveillance of our airspace
* Immediate execution of the following operations:
- Airspace defense operations: Detection, identification, interception and destruction of targets
- Strategic air operations: Strategic air offensive, strategic air interdiction, strategic air exploration and reconnaissance.
- Transport operations necessary to meet the requirements of the national-level joint military actions and specific Air Force operational requirements.
- Tactical air operations necessary to provide air support to ground forces by means of aircraft.
- Special operations to achieve Air Force objectives other than those mentioned above.
* Execute and coordinate air defense at a national level
* Execute and coordinate its specific air defense
* Provide security and defense to Air Force means
* Forecast and evaluate weather scenarios in specific geographical areas.
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