Brazilian Naval Infantry Combat Ration
Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 10:21 am
Combat rations used by the Brazilian Armed Forces are not standardized at the national level. Instead, each service is responsible for developing and procuring its own.
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
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
