Lajes Field or Lajes Air Base, officially designated Air Base No. 4, is a multi-use airfield near Lajes and 15 km (9.3 mi) northeast of Angra do Heroísmo on Terceira Island in the Azores, Portugal. It is home to the Portuguese Air Force Base Aérea N º4 and Azores Air Zone Command, a United States Air Force detachment unit, and a regional air passenger terminal. Located about 3,680 km (2,290 mi) east of New York City and about 1,600 km (990 mi) west of Lisbon, Portugal; the base sits in a strategic location midway between North America and Europe in the north Atlantic Ocean.
The Dassault Falcon 7X is a large-cabin, 5,950-nautical-mile [nmi] range business jet manufactured by Dassault Aviation, the second largest of its Dassault Falcon line. Unveiled at the 2001 Paris Air Show, its first flight took place on 5 May 2005 and it entered service on 15 June 2007. The Falcon 8X, first delivered on 5 October 2016, is derived from the 7X and has an extended range of 6,450 nmi made possible through engine optimization, aerodynamic refinements as well as an increase in fuel capacity. Featuring an S-duct central engine, the 7X, 8X and the Falcon 900 are the only trijets still in production, as of 2024.
The Dassault Falcon 900, commonly abbreviated as the F900, is a French-built corporate trijet aircraft made by Dassault Aviation.
The Portuguese Air Force is the aerial warfare force of Portugal. Locally it is referred to by the acronym FAP but internationally is often referred to by the acronym PRTAF. It is the youngest of the three branches of the Portuguese Armed Forces.
No. 34 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) VIP transport squadron. It operates Boeing 737 Business Jets and Dassault Falcon 7Xs from Defence Establishment Fairbairn in Canberra. The squadron was formed in February 1942 for standard transport duties during World War II, initially flying de Havilland DH.84 Dragons in Northern Australia. In 1943 it re-equipped with Douglas C-47 Dakotas, which it operated in New Guinea and the Dutch East Indies prior to disbanding in June 1946.
Air transports for heads of state and government are, in many countries, provided by the air force in specially equipped airliners or business jets. One such aircraft in particular has become part of popular culture: Air Force One, used by the President of the United States and operated by the United States Air Force. Other well-known official aircraft include the Russian presidential aircraft, the British Royal Air Force VIP aircraft, the French Cotam 001, the Royal Canadian Air Force VIP aircraft, the German Konrad Adenauer, the Royal Australian Airforce VIP aircraft, the Japanese Air Force One, the South Korean Code One, the Indian Air India One, the Brazilian Air Force One, and the Israeli Wing of Zion.
The 751 Squadron "Pumas" is a helicopter squadron of the Portuguese Air Force. It is part of Grupo Operacional 61 and it is located in Air Force Base No. 6, Montijo, south of Lisbon. It operates the AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin. The 751 Squadron motto is "Para que outros vivam". More than 3455 lives have been saved by their crews since 1978.
The 711 Squadron "Albatrozes" was a flying squadron of the Portuguese Air Force. Its primary mission was Search and Rescue and it has had secondary missions tactical air transport and general air transport in the Azores archipelago. During the time it was active it was the only operational squadron in the Portuguese military to operate both rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft.
201 Squadron "Falcões" is a fighter squadron of the Portuguese Air Force, operating the F-16 Fighting Falcon.
The 301 Squadron "Jaguares" is a fighter squadron of the Portuguese Air Force (PoAF).
The 103 Squadron "Caracóis" is a jet advanced training squadron of the Portuguese Air Force. Prior to 1978, the "Caracóis" also received following designations: 22 Squadron, Esquadra de Instrução Complementar de Pilotagem (EICP) and Esquadra de Instrução Complementar de Pilotagem em Aviões de Combate (EICPAC).
Monte Real Air Base, officially designated as Air Force Base No. 5, is a Portuguese Air Force (PoAF) air base located in Monte Real, Leiria, Portugal. Its mission is to guarantee the readiness and deployment of the air force units based there. Since its opening in October 1959, the base has been home to the air force's jet fighter aircraft, with several of the units based there being equipped with F-86F Sabre, Fiat G.91, T-33 Shooting Star, T-38 Talon and A-7 Corsair II aircraft.
Montijo Air Base - officially known as Air Base No. 6 or BA6 - is a military air base located in Montijo, Portugal. The base is home to three transport squadrons and one helicopter search and rescue squadron and provides logistic support to the Portuguese Navy's helicopters based there.
The 501 Squadron "Bisontes" is a transport squadron of the Portuguese Air Force.
The 502 Squadron "Elefantes" is a transport squadron of the Portuguese Air Force. Its primary mission is tactical air transport and has the secondary mission of providing additional pilot training in multi-engine aircraft and in navigation, search and rescue, and general air transport.
552 Squadron "Zangões" is a transport helicopter squadron of the Portuguese Air Force (PoAF). Its based at Air Base No. 11, at Beja, and operates the AgustaWestland AW119 in transport and helicopter instruction roles.
401 Squadron "Cientistas" was an aerial reconnaissance, photography and maritime patrol squadron of the Portuguese Air Force disbanded in 2011. The squadron also conducted counter-narcotic operations, monitoring of marine pollution in the Portuguese exclusive economic zone, and natural resource surveying.
Sintra Air Base, officially designated as Air Base No. 1, is a Portuguese Air Force base located in the Sintra Municipality, Portugal. The base is home to a flight training squadron and the Portuguese Air Force Academy.
The Portuguese Air Force (PoAF) has operated Sud Aviation Alouette III light utility helicopters since 1963. The Portuguese government originally purchased 142 helicopters to replace the Sud Aviation Alouette II and for use in the roles of tactical transport, medical evacuation, and flight training, with several being adopted for combat air support.
Portugal