Recently, they marked another chapter of operational excellence by surpassing 8,000 flight hours with the AW119 Koala helicopter - a milestone reached in November 2024. This figure, impressive in itself, only reveals the surface of an air unit that carries with it decades of history, challenging missions, and an essential role both in national defense and in supporting the civilian population. To get to know the 552 Squadron is to understand what it means to fly not just with wings, but with purpose.

A History of Tradition and Transformation

The 552 Squadron “Zangões” received its first Koala in 2019. But its history began many years ago.

The Squadron's origins date back to 1978, when the then 33 Squadron was renamed, giving rise to the lineage that today is recognized as one of the most versatile in the Air Force. But its history begins even earlier, with the legendary Alouette III that, from the 1960s onwards, made its presence felt in the skies of Angola, Mozambique, and Guinea-Bissau during the Portuguese Colonial War.

The 552 Squadron consolidated itself by incorporating the traditions and experience of other extinct units, such as the 551 Squadron (in 1986) and the 111 Squadron (in 1993), becoming the true guardian of light helicopter flying doctrine. In 1993, he settled permanently at Air Base No. 11 in Beja, an air bastion in the heart of the Alentejo.

During their journey, they didn't just accumulate hours - they rescued lives, trained pilots, saved forests, and supported communities. Between 2000 and 2002, for example, the Squadron was deployed in East Timor on a UN mission, where it operated four helicopters for almost 2,700 hours, with more than 10,000 passengers transported and 131 medical evacuations carried out.

The “Zangões” are based at Air Base No. 11, in Beja, and maintain a permanent detachment at Air Base No. 8, in Maceda - Ovar.

AW119 Koala: The New Generation

The AW119Kx Koala, manufactured by the Italian company Leonardo, represents the embodiment of technological efficiency in the light helicopter segment. A direct replacement for the Alouette III, the Koala didn't just fill a void: it significantly raised the operational level of the 552 Squadron.

Equipped with a Pratt & Whitney PT6B-37A engine with 1,002 horsepower - more than 200 hp more than its predecessor - the Koala can reach speeds of more than 267 km/h and can remain in flight for more than five hours without refuelling.

In the cockpit, the traditional analog panel has given way to the advanced Garmin G1000H system, a digital avionics suite that provides pilots with an integrated view of the aircraft's flight, navigation, and performance parameters. The cockpit is also compatible with night vision goggles (NVG), an essential factor for operations at night.

The helicopter also has an autopilot, which allows it to maintain a straight trajectory without constant pilot intervention. However, unlike the Merlin, it cannot automatically hover at a fixed point. This requires pilots to undergo rigorous training to learn how to manually stabilize the aircraft and ensure a sufficiently smooth flight, allowing the rescue swimmer and winch operator to perform their duties safely.

The Koala's robust structure allows it to operate in uneven terrain and harsh environments. The fixed skids offer stability in demanding landings and allow the installation of an emergency flotation system for missions over water areas. For cargo missions, the helicopter can be equipped with an external cargo hook with a capacity of up to 1,400 kg. For search and rescue (SAR) missions, it has a door winch with a capacity of 204 kg (500 lb.), capable of carrying two people. All this equipment can be assembled and disassembled according to the specific requirements of each mission.

Thanks to its external hook capable of carrying up to 1400 kg, the Koala becomes a useful platform for supplying light vehicles to forces on the ground, as demonstrated during the Beja Air Show 24

Pilot Training: The Art of Teaching to Fly

At the 552 Squadron, pilot training is conducted with almost surgical rigor. This unit is responsible for training future Air Force pilots in the demanding art of rotary-wing flying. Trainees will later be able to join the 751 and 752 Squadrons, operating EH-101 Merlin helicopters; the 551 Squadron, with UH-60s; the Navy's Helicopter Squadron, with Westland Lynx Mk.95s; or, in the future, the Army's new Helicopter Squadron.

After completing their training in aircraft such as the Chipmunk (in the 801 Squadron - “Águias") and the TB-30 Epsilon (in the 101 Squadron - "Roncos”), the cadets who take the helicopter route enter a new universe: that of the rotary wing - where flying requires absolute mastery in three dimensions, the margin for error is minimal and precision is truly an art.

The initial phase of training consists of a combination of theoretical sessions and solo flights with remote support. At this stage, the cadets fly solo, while the instructors remain on the ground, communicating with the students via radio. This phase comprises around 100 hours of flying time.

In the second phase, cadets fly with instructors on board, facing simulated scenarios that mirror real situations they may encounter in operational missions. This phase is intensely evaluative: only those who demonstrate aptitude and meet all the objectives are qualified to fly a helicopter independently.

The best pilots have the opportunity to remain in the Squadron as instructors or move on to operational units. Every year, an average of four cadets join the operational squadrons, two of whom are usually invited to remain in 552 Squadron, perpetuating the cycle of excellence in training.

The Winch Operator prepares to lower the cable to the Rescue Swimmer, so that they can retrieve the victim; Exercise MORSA-SATER 24

The Koala's Missions: Versatility in Every Flight

The AW119 Koala is more than a training platform - it's a real multiplier of operational capabilities for the Portuguese Air Force. Thanks to its technology, agility and reliability, this helicopter performs a wide range of critical missions with excellence. 

Search and Rescue (SAR)

Occasionally, the “Zangões” are called upon to support the civilian population through Search and Rescue (SAR) missions. These operations mostly take place on mainland territory, often in areas that are difficult to access, but they can also take place over the ocean, up to a distance of five nautical miles (about eight kilometers) from the coast.

Each SAR mission is carried out by a crew made up of three essential elements: the pilot, the winch operator and the rescue swimmer. Although the 552 Squadron has autonomy to carry out these operations, coordination with other entities on the ground is common, namely Civil Protection forces such as the Fire Brigades, the National Republican Guard - through the Emergency Protection and Relief Unit (Unidade de Emergência de Proteção e Socorro - UEPS), or the Força Especial de Bombeiros.

Together, these forces work to save lives, even under extreme conditions, where speed, precision and cooperation are crucial to the success of the mission.

The SAR crew consists of three elements: the pilot, the winch operator, and the rescue swimmer

The rescue swimmer stabilizes the rescue stretcher using a Hi-Line rope to prevent it from rotating as it ascends to the helicopter.

The rescued person looks at the rescue swimmer as someone who is looking at his “Guardian Angel”; Training Exercise with the Esmoriz Fire Department.

Firefighting

In the summer, the sound of sirens echoes through the mountains and valleys, the sky turns gray, and hundreds - sometimes thousands - of operatives spread out over the terrain to contain the fury of forest fires. In this theater of operations, air resources become crucial. However, as helicopters and planes converge on the fire fronts, the airspace becomes chaotic, requiring precise coordination and technical authority. This is precisely where the “Zangões” come into play.

Temporarily relocated to Lousã, two Koala helicopters play a vital role as mobile command and control centers. From the air, they coordinate combat teams on the ground and manage the traffic of the air assets involved in the operations. With a privileged aerial view and extensive situational awareness, the “Zangões” become the essential link between the ground and the sky, ensuring that the fight against the flames takes place with maximum efficiency and safety.

A duo that will certainly become increasingly common in the Portuguese skies during the critical forest fire season. 

Troop transportation

Another key role of the 552 Squadron is troop transportation. The AW119 Koala can accommodate up to six occupants in the rear cabin, or between four and five fully equipped soldiers. This reduction in the number of soldiers transported, when in combat configuration, aims to preserve the helicopter's agility, allowing it to maintain effective performance at low altitudes and over varied terrain. In these missions, often simulated in a hostile environment, the crews operate in low-level tactical flight - a demanding manoeuvre, but vital for avoiding detection and maximizing the surprise effect.

To remain permanently fit for this type of mission, the crews of the 552 Squadron regularly train with ground forces of various specialties, including Special Operations, Paratroopers, Commandos and the Núcleo de Operações Táticas de Projeção (NOTP). This operational training is often integrated into large joint exercises, such as Real Thaw or Hot Blade, which recreate complex tactical scenarios, such as the insertion and extraction of forces in a hostile zone, or top-cover and heli-sniping missions.

In the latter role - top-cover or heli-sniping - one or two specialized operators position themselves in the rear cabin and provide cover for the troops on the ground. Armed with precision rifles or light machine guns, the operators keep their weapons pointed at potential threats during the mission. This technique is also applied when the “Zangões” provide support to the EH-101 Merlin of the 751 Squadron in combat search and rescue (CSAR) missions, guaranteeing close air protection during the operation.

Elements of the NOTP (Núcleo de Operações Táticas de Projeção) perform a rappel infiltration during a demonstration in Beja Air Show 2024.

Two Army Special Forces snipers provide Top Cover to the forces on the ground.

Portuguese paratrooper, armed with an FN Minimi light machine gun, provides Top Cover to the forces on the ground. Taken during the exercise BAMBARI 25, the last stage of the 2nd Parachute Infantry Battalion's readiness phase, before joining the 17th National Deployed Force that has been deployed to the Central African Republic.

Military Justice Gains Wings with the 552

The first joint exercise between the Military Judicial Police (Polícia Judiciária Militar - PJM) and the 552 Squadron took place in September 2023, at Air Base No.8, in Ovar. This training marked an important step in the cooperation between these two entities, combining the PJM's criminal investigation capabilities with the mobility and aerial versatility of the Koalas of the 552 Squadron.

The main aim of the training was to provide PJM operatives with airborne skills, enabling them to quickly reach places that are difficult to reach by land - remote, rugged or isolated areas - where crimes of a military nature may have taken place, such as sabotage, trafficking of war material, desertions or other offenses under the jurisdiction of military justice. Insertion by air ensures that the PJM can intervene promptly, even in scenarios of high tactical or logistical complexity.

So far, two exercises of this type have been carried out, testing and perfecting procedures for rapid boarding and disembarkation, flight safety in joint operations, coordination with Air Force crews, and immediate action on the ground after aerial insertion. These exercises, which are still in the doctrinal consolidation phase, have also served to deepen interoperability between the Armed Forces and military investigation agencies, aligning operational capabilities with the context of new threats to security and military discipline.

The collaboration between the PJM and the 552 Squadron is part of a broader effort to modernize and specialize National Defence response resources, ensuring that when it is necessary to arrive first - and to arrive prepared - there are forces ready to do so, from the air and effectively.

Fleet expansion:

When the 20-million-euro (22 million dollar) contract between the Portuguese Ministry of Defense and the Italian company Leonardo was signed in 2017, it provided for the acquisition of five AW119Kx Koala helicopters, with an option to buy two additional units.

On March 4, 2021, as part of the process of acquiring resources to fight forest fires, the acquisition of these two additional units was approved, financed through the PRR - Plano de Recuperação e Resiliência (Recovery and Resilience Plan).

These two Koalas were officially presented on November 22, 2023, the same day that the first two UH-60A Black Hawk units were also unveiled, which will equip the 551 Squadron - “Panteras”.

With this acquisition, the total fleet of AW119Kx in service with the 552 Squadron has increased to seven units, reinforcing its response capacity both in military operations and in support of civilian missions.

AW119Kx Koala on SAR training mission, during stationary flight while the winch operator lowers the cable to the rescue swimmer who is next to the victim on the ground.

The Spirit of the Alouette: A Legacy that Persists

Although it has been retired since 2020, the Alouette III continues to fly in the spirit of the 552 Squadron. With more than 300,000 flight hours, nearly 60 years of service and a strong presence in African theaters of war, this aircraft has become the symbol of a generation.

The most experienced pilots, who today teach the young cadets, carry on this legacy at the controls of the Koalas. What has changed is the technology - the spirit, the dedication, and the mission remain.

The Winch Operator makes sure that the Rescue Swimmer is safe on the end of the cable, before rising it to the helicopter

Conclusion: Far Beyond 8000 Hours

The number may sound technical - 8000 flight hours. But behind those hours are thousands of stories. Stories of lives saved. Of complex operations conducted with precision. Of cadets who became pilots. Of a country that sleeps safer because someone flies for it.

The 552 Squadron is much more than a group of military personnel operating helicopters. It is a living organism where tradition, innovation, and courage coexist and feed off each other. With their Koalas, the “Zangões” continue to buzz loudly in the skies of Portugal - tireless and indispensable.