Brazil - Força Aérea Brasileira

Known in Brazilian service as the P-15 “Netuno”, the arrival of the Neptune marked a transformative chapter in the history of the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), serving as its most capable maritime patrol aircraft from the late 1950s through the mid-1970s. Its introduction represented a significant leap in Brazil’s ability to monitor and defend its vast Atlantic coastline during the Cold War.

Brazil acquired 14 P2V-5 Neptunes between 1958 and 1959, all of which were ex-Royal Air Force aircraft originally designated Neptune MR.1. These aircraft were refurbished in the United States before being delivered to the FAB, where they were assigned to the 1º/7º Grupo de Aviação (1st Squadron of the 7th Aviation Group), based at Base Aérea de Salvador (BASV). Initially designated P-15, they were briefly redesignated P-2E in the early 1970s before reverting to their original designation.

The arrival of the Neptune brought a dramatic improvement in Brazil’s maritime surveillance capabilities. Compared to its predecessors—the PV-1 Ventura and PV-2 Harpoon—the P-15 offered greater range, payload, and endurance. It was equipped with advanced sensors for the time, including radar and a Magnetic Anomaly Detector (MAD) housed in a tail boom, enabling it to detect submarines and surface vessels with far greater precision.

Operationally, the P-15s were used extensively for coastal patrol, anti-submarine warfare, and naval cooperation missions, often participating in multinational exercises such as UNITAS, alongside the United States, Argentina, and Uruguay. The aircraft also played a role in sovereignty enforcement, most notably in March 1972, when a P-15 intercepted the Soviet intelligence ship Yuri Gagarin anchored illegally in Brazilian waters near the Atol das Rocas. The Neptune’s presence compelled the vessel to leave, showcasing the aircraft’s strategic utility.

The P-15 also set endurance records in South America. In 1961, one aircraft flew a 24-hour, 35-minute mission from Porto Alegre to Belém. In 1967, another completed a 25-hour, 15-minute flight between Porto Alegre and Santa Cruz, demonstrating the Neptune’s long-range capabilities.

Despite its aging airframe, the P-15 remained a respected and reliable platform throughout its service. However, by the mid-1970s, maintenance challenges and technological obsolescence led to its gradual retirement. The final operational mission was flown on September 3, 1976, by aircraft FAB 7009. Of the 14 aircraft, three were lost in accidents, eight were scrapped, and two were preserved—FAB 7009 at BASV and FAB 7010 at the Aerospace Museum in Rio de Janeiro.