The Brazilian Navy (Marinha do Brasil - MB) obtains combat rations for its Naval Infantry Corps (Corpo de Fuzileiros Navais - CFNB), the Brazilian equivalent of the US Marine Corps. In 1998 the MB procured 500 rations each from the US & France for evaluation. The US-based Wornick Company provided MRE-type rations with menus that catered to Brazilian tastes & preferences. The French provided the standard RCIR.
After troop trials, the MB found the Wornick ration superior, and procured 75,000 rations from the US to be used until a similar Brazilian ration could be developed. This ration was finalized as the Ração Alternativa de Combate (RAC), a 24 hour combat ration.
The RAC is the mainstay of the CFNB, part of a comprehensive family of rations used by Brazil. Other rations include: the RAE (Ração Alternativa de Emergência - a reduced, 12 hour ration), the RAN (Ração Alternativa para Náufragos - an emergency survival ration), the Cold Weather Ration (Ração Glacial), the Special Forces ration (Ração Operacional para Tropas Especiais - a lightweight reduced-calorie, dehydrated & freeze-dried ration), the RAC-S1 (Ração Alternativa de Combate na Selva - a lighter weight "jungle" ration), and the RPU (Ração de Pronto Uso - an MRE-type meal).
The RAC consists of a heavyweight green plastic bag imprinted with the logo of the Defense Forces or the CFNB. Inside are five smaller, lightweight plastic or cellophane bags - one for each meal and one for accessories. The main entrees are packed in trilaminate retort pouches, while the supplementary items are packaged in plastic or paper/foil laminate. Many items are commercially-available products from the civilian market. The RAC comes in five menus.
RAC Components:
"Morning Coffee" - 40 g coffee w/milk & sugar, 25 g cereal bar w/fruit, 15 g tub of jelly, & 2 pkts of hard toast (15 g per pkt)
Lunch - 250 g ready-to-eat entree, 150 g ready-to-eat side dish, 40 g cassava, 10 g instant coffee, 6 g (2 pkts) sugar, 25 g bar of pressed sugar, & 45 g fruit-flavored beverage powder
Supper - 250 g ready-to-eat entree, 100 g retort pouch of sausage, 10 g instant coffee, 6 g (2 pkts) sugar, 50 g hard candy, & 45 g fruit-flavored beverage powder
Snack - 40 g chocolate-flavored drink mix, 25 g cereal bar w/fruit, 15 g tub of jelly, & 2 pkts of hard toast (15 g per pkt)
Accessories - disposable ration heater (50 g), 120 g can of Sterno-type cooking fuel, 20 g folder of moisture-resistant matches, 20 g blister pack of 5 water purification tablets, 55 g of electrolyte replacement beverage powder, and 6 sheets of multi-ply "all purpose" paper
The ready-to-eat main entrees, side dishes, and sausage are all packed in retort pouches and require no further preparation.
Menu #1: Lunch = beef slices in gravy, rice; supper = spaghetti w/meat sauce, sausage
Menu #2: Lunch = chicken w/vegetables, rice; supper = rice w/meat & beans, sausage
Menu #3: Lunch = beans w/beef, rice; supper = potatoes w/minced beef, sausage
Menu #4: Lunch = dried beef w/pumpkin, rice; supper = macaroni w/chicken & vegetables, sausage
Menu #5: Lunch = white beans w/sausage, rice; supper = risotto w/chicken & vegetables, sausage
- Ração Alternativa de Combate para 24 horas
