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The Games of the XXXI Olympiad were held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from August 5-21, 2016. Over 11,000 athletes from 207 countries took part in the games. Everything about the Olympics was massive...including the need for safety and security from all threats. Aviation Photojournal got an in-depth look at the largest air defense operation in the history of the Brazilian Air Force.
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Over 27 million people worldwide
tuned their TVs, computers
and phones to the Olympics
in Brazil over
15 days in August. The
entire world followed
thrilling events comprising
42 different sports and much
drama, both athletic and otherwise.
While the athletes carried the Olympic
flame, it was left to Brazilian
Air Force carry the air defense
torch of the 2016 games,
keeping a watchful eye
from above as thousands of
world leaders, dignitaries,
VIPs and tourists decended
upon Rio to be a part of the spectacle.
APJ visited Santa Cruz Air Force Base (BASC), at the height of the Games to get an comprehensive view of the largest Air Defense mission ever undertaken by the Brazilian Air Force.
Following safety criteria adopted worldwide in events of this magnitude and in order to maintain high levels of air traffic services, the Air Force Command (COMAER) created exclusion zones (RESERVED, STRICT or FORBIDDEN) in certain portions of the Brazilian airspace with different sizes and levels of access in the cities of Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Manaus, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and São Paulo.