The EMB 100 Bandeirante project, initiated even before Embraer was founded, laid the groundwork for the development of various aircraft, including the military EMB 111 “Bandeirante Patrulha”—domestically nicknamed “Bandeirulha.” Unveiled in 1977, the aircraft was designed to carry out maritime reconnaissance and search-and-rescue missions.

Its development was driven by the Brazilian Air Force's (FAB) need to replace aging foreign models. The first delivery of this version went to the Chilean Navy in 1977. The FAB received its units on April 11, 1978, at Salvador Air Force Base. That same year, the “Bandeirulha” made its public debut at the Farnborough Airshow in England, one of the world's most important aviation trade shows.

The Bandeirante Patrulha featured specialized navigation systems and accommodated up to five crew members: two pilots, a radar operator, and two observers. Powered by two 750 SHP Pratt & Whitney PT6A-34 turboprop engines, it could reach a cruising speed of 385 km/h. It was equipped with a larger fuel tank than the standard Bandeirante, resulting in greater flight endurance.

For the EMB 111 project, the Bandeirante’s nose was modified to house a fiberglass radome protecting the AN/APS-128 radar antenna. This antenna supported coastal surveillance, search and rescue operations, navigation, and weather mapping. The radar could detect a 150 m² target at a range of approximately 100 kilometers, even in rough seas. These capabilities were crucial for one of the "Bandeirulha’s" first missions with the Brazilian Air Force (FAB): detecting illegal fishing vessels along the shoals off Brazil's northern coast. For night searches, the aircraft was also equipped with a long-range searchlight on the right wing.

At the time of its launch, its electronic systems offered an unprecedented suite of capabilities, enabling automatic control functions and providing other advantages unavailable in any other aircraft of its class.