Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela
| Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela Armada Bolivariana de Venezuela | |
|---|---|
 Coat of Arms of the Navy | |
| Founded | 1811 |
| Country |
 Venezuela |
| Allegiance |
 President of Venezuela |
| Branch | National Armed Forces of Venezuela |
| Type | Navy |
| Role | Defense of Venezuela's coastline and maritime and inland waters |
| Size | 6 frigates, 4 corvettes, 2 submarines, 4 amphibious ships, 8 patrol boats, 3 auxiliary ships |
| Part of |
 Ministry of the Popular Participation for the Defense |
| Patron | Virgen del Valle |
| Motto(s) | Navegare necesse, vivere non necesse (Latin: "Sailing is necessary, but living is not".) |
| Colors | Navy blue |
| March | Marcha Epica de las Fuerzas Navales (English: "Grand March of the National Navy") |
| Anniversaries | July 24, Birthday of Simon Bolivar, Navy Day and Battle of Lake Maracaibo Anniversary |
| Engagements | Venezuelan War of Independence and the Battle of Lake Maracaibo |
| Commanders | |
| Minister of the People's Power for Defense of the Republic of Venezuela and concurrently Operational Strategic Commander of the National Armed Forces | General-in-Chief Vladimir Padrino López |
| Commanding General, Venezuelan Navy | Admiral Orlando Miguel Maneiro Gaspar |
| Inspector General, Venezuelan Navy | Vice Admiral Carlos José Vieira Acevedo |
| Chief of Naval Staff, Venezuelan Navy | Vice Admiral Jorge Martín Hernández Salazar |
| Notable commanders |
José Prudencio Padilla Luis Brión |
| Insignia | |
| Naval ensign |
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| Naval jack |
 |
| Flag |
 |
| Naval jack (1930–2006) |
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The Navy of Venezuela is officially called the Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela (Spanish: Armada Bolivariana de Venezuela).
It serves the purpose of defending the naval sovereignty of the country, including inland and fluvial security, and it also serves to prevent illegal activities in the Venezuelan borders and collaborates with international organizations to safeguard international waters from criminal activities.
History
The Navy was born as a coastal defense force during the beginning of the Venezuelan War of Independence. In May 1810, Commander Lino de Clemente, a veteran officer of the Spanish Navy who joined the April 1810 coup against the colonial government, was appointed the first Minister of Defense of the republic and began the long building of the armed forces including the formation of the navy. In April 1811 the Nautical School, with Ensign Vicente Parrado as its first superindentent, was opened by order of the national government in La Guaira to train future naval officers, months before the Venezuelan Declaration of Independence, thus the Navy's origins start from this date, with its first vessels being those formerly used by the naval forces of the Captaincy General of Venezuela, and participated in its first actions in the campaigns in Guayana in 1811-12, the baptism of fire for the fledgling naval service. Col. Antonio Mendoza from the Venezuelan Army was its first commanding general.
For long time their vessels, even if obsolete, were maintained properly by its sailors. In 1937 the Navy acquired from Italy two gunboats of the Azio class and rechristened them General Soublette and General Urdaneta; these ships where retained in service until 1951[1] (for other sources in 1948[2] or 1950[3][4]) and scrapped later.[5][6]
Joint exercises
In September, 2008, the Russian Navy's nuclear-powered missile cruiser Pyotr Velikiy, accompanied by three other ships of Russia's Northern Fleet, sailed from its base in Severomorsk on a cruise to the Caribbean Sea for a joint exercise with the Venezuelan Navy. This action represented the first major Russian power projection in that region since the end of the Cold War.[7][8] The fleet of ships, headed by the nuclear-powered Pyotr Velikiy, set off from its base at Severomorsk in the Arctic on Monday, September 22. Russian Navy spokesman Igor Dygalo told the AFP news agency, "It's the nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser Peter the Great, the anti-submarine warship Admiral Chebanenko and other accompanying ships". The other ships included a tug boat and supply ships.[9]
Organization of the Navy
As of 2016, Admiral Orlando Miguel Maneiro Gaspar is the Commanding General of the National Navy.[10]
Naval Operations Command
The Naval Operations Command is commanded by the Chief of Naval Operations, currently Vice Admiral Antonio Díaz Clemente.[11] This command is aimed towards the defense of the territorial maritime and inland waters and the coastline of the nation, and by extension into its ground and air territories.
Venezuelan Naval Aviation Command
The command serves as the air arm of the Venezuelan Navy, with responsibity for air operations and transport for the entire Navy.[12]
Coast Guard Command
Headquartered in La Guaira, Vargas, it is responsible for the surveillance of Venezuelas jurisdictional waters.[13]
Fleet Forces and Coast Guard ship organization
The following was the roster of active duty vessels and ships of the Venezuelan Navy as of October 2001.[14]
| Vessels | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class | Origin | Type | Currently In Service |
Notes | |||
| Mariscal Sucre | Italy | Missile frigate | 3 serviceable (2 modernized in the 1990s + 1 as delivered), 3 mothballed at the DIANCA shipyard. | ||||
| Capana | South Korea | Amphibious Landing ship | 4 | ||||
| Los Frailes | Cuba, Netherlands | Amphibious Landing ship | 4, with 8 more to be built[15] | ||||
| Guaiquerí | Spain | Patrol (POVZEE) | |||||
| Guaicamacuto | Spain | Patrol coast guard (BVL) | 3, 1 being repaired | ||||
| Pagalo | Venezuela | Cutter | 1 -- Commissioned in 2008.[16][17] | ||||
| Point | U.S. | Cutter | 4 | ||||
| Punta Brava | Spain | Survey ship | 1 | ||||
| Puerto Cabello | Norway | Logistic ship | 1 | ||||
| Ciudad Bolívar | South Korea | Small replenishment oiler | 1 | ||||
| Bricbarc | Spain | Sail training ship | 1 | ||||
| Almirante Francisco de Miranda | Venezuela, Netherlands | Tugboat | 1 | ||||
Current ships
| Class | Image | Type | Ships | Origin | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Submarine(2) | |||||
| Type 209 |  | Diesel-electric | S-31 Sábalo S-32 Caribe |  Germany | 1,810 tonnes |
| Frigates (6) | |||||
| Mariscal Sucre-class | _y_ARV_Mariscal_Sucre_(F-21)_-_1987-09855.jpg) | Missile frigates | F-21 Mariscal Sucre F-22 Almirante Brion F-23 General Urdaneta F-24 General Soublette F-25 General Salom F-26 Almirante García |  Italy | 2,506 tonnes |
| Corvettes (4) | |||||
| Guaiquerí class |  | Offshore patrol vessels | PC-21 Guaiquerí PC-22 Warao PC-23 Yekuana PC-24 Kariña |  Spain | 2,419 tons |
| Patrol Vessels (13) | |||||
| Guaicamacuto class |  | Coast patrol | GC-21 Guaicamacuto GC-22 Yavire GC-23 Naiguata GC-24 Tamanaco | Spain | 1,453 tons |
| Point class |  | Patrol boat | PG-31 Petrel PG-32 Alcatraz PG-34 Pelicano |  United States | 60 tons |
| Constitución Class |  | Patrol boat | PC-11 Constitución PC-12 Federación PC-13 Independencia PC-14 Libertad PC-15 Patria PC-16 Victoria |  Canada | 950 tons |
| Amphibious ship and service ships (7) | |||||
| Capana-class LST | Landing Ship Tank | T-61 Capana T-64 Los Llanos |  South Korea | ? | |
| Los Frailes-class LST | .jpg) | Landing Ship Tank | T-90 Los Frailes T-91 Los Testigos T-93 Los Roques T-94 Los Monjes |  Cuba | 740 tons |
| Ciudad Bolívar-class | Supply ship | T-81 Ciudad Bolívar | South Korea | ? | |
| Bricbarc type Simón Bolívar |  | Training sailboat | BE-11 Simón Bolívar | Spain | ? |
| Punta Brava Class | Oceanographic ship | BO-11 Punta Brava | Spain | ? | |
Light frigates
Corvettes
- Four Spanish-made offshore patrol vessels of the Guaiquerí class.
Amphibious and service ships
- Four Capana-class LST.
- Four Los Frailes-class LST
- One Ciudad Bolívar-class supply ship.
- T-81 Ciudad Bolívar, in service since 09-23-2001[22]
- One Bricbarc type/Simón Bolívar training sailboat.[23]
- BE-11 Simón Bolívar, in service since 08-6-1980
- One Almirante Francisco de Miranda-class tugboat[24]
- RA-11 Almirante Francisco de Miranda, in service since 28-03-2007
Coast patrol
- Four Spanish-made offshore patrol vessels of the BVL class (on order).
- GC-21 Guaicamacuto, in service[25]
- GC-22 Yavire, in service
- GC-23 Naiguata, in service
- GC-24 Tamanaco, completed in Venezuela 2014
Coast guard ships
- Four USCG Point-class patrol boats, as of 2006.[23]
- 16 Gavion-class patrol boats.
- Damen Stan 2600 vessels, built in Venezuela, similar to the United States Coast Guard's Marine Protector class, as of 2008.[26][27] One already in service, 1 completed, 5 more to be built[28]
Naval Aviation assets
Airplanes
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Versions | In service as of 2012[29] |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CASA C-212-200 Patrullero | Spain | Maritime Patrol aircraft | C-212-200S43 Patrullero | 3 | |
| CASA C-212-400 Aviocar | Spain | Transport aircraft | C-212-400 Aviocar | 4 | |
| Beechcraft Super King Air | USA | Transport/liaison aircraft | B200 B90 |
1 1 |
|
| Turbo Commander | U.S. | Transport aircraft | 1 |
Note: The Navy has others two or three light aircraft.
Helicopters
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Versions | In service as of 2012[29] |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bell 412 Bell 212 |
U.S. | Assault/transport helicopter | 10 | ||
| Mil Mi-17 | Russia | Assault/transport helicopter | Mi-17V-5 | 6 | |
| Bell 206 | U.S. | Training light helicopter | TH-57A | 2 | |
| Harbin Z-9 | China | Anti-submarine warfare | 8 on order | First delivery in 2015[30] |
List of Commanding Generals of the Navy
| Commanding Generals of the Boliviarian Navy of Venezuela | |||
| Commanding general | Term of office | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| COL ANTONIO MENDOZA | 1811 - 1812 | ||
| ADM LUIS BRION DETROX | 1816 - 1820 | ||
| VADM LINO DE CLEMENTE Y PALACIOS | 1820 - 1822 | ||
| RADM AGUSTIN ARMARIO | 1822 - 1827 | ||
| CPT FELIPE SANTIAGO | 1827 - 1828 | ||
| RADM RENATO BELUCHE LAPORTE | 1828 - 1829 | ||
| CPT FELIPE SANTIAGO | 1829 - 1830 | ||
| CDR JOAQUÍN QUINTERO | 1860 | ||
| GEN MANUEL E., BRUZUAL | 1863 - 1868 | ||
| RADM JOSE RAMON YEPES MOREN | 1874 - 1879 | ||
| GEN FROILAN ANZOLA AQUINO | 1879 | ||
| GEN AGUSTIN COLL FONT | 1879 - 1880 | ||
| BRIG/RADM RAMON GIMENEZ GOMEZ | 1880 | ||
| GEN CARLOS T IRWIN | 1880 - 1882 | ||
| GEN FRANCISCO VARGUILLAS AQUINO | 1886 | ||
| GEN FRANCISCO CARABAÑO | 1886 - 1888 | ||
| GEN ANDRES EUSEBIO LEVEL | 1888 - 1892 | ||
| GEN JOSE A PEREZ CALVO | 1892 | ||
| GEN MARTIN JOSE VELARDE | 1892 - 1894 | ||
| GENERAL MANUEL ANTONIO SANCHEZ | 1894 - 1895 | ||
| GENERAL MANUEL SALVADOR BRICEÑO | 1895 - 1896 | ||
| GENERAL RAMON GORDILS | 1896 - 1897 | ||
| COL J M ESPAÑA NUÑEZ | 1897 - 1902 | ||
| COMMO MANUEL VICENTE CASTRO ZAVALA | 1902 - 1910 | ||
| COMMO ISMAEL PEREIRA ALVAREZ | 1910 - 1914 | ||
| GEN DR. NUMA POMPILIO OSUNA | 1914 - 1917 | ||
| COL MARIANO HENRIQUE LOPEZ MENDEZ | 1917 - 1931 | ||
| COL CARLOS SANCHEZ | 1931 - 1936 | ||
| CPT FELIPE LARRAZÀBAL | 1936 - 1940 | ||
| CPT ANTONIO PICARDI | 1940 - 1945 | ||
| RADM MANUEL ANTONIO VEGA GARCIA | 1945 - 1947 | ||
| CDR WOLFGANG LARRAZÀBAL UGUETO | 1947 - 1949 (first term) | ||
| CPT OSCAR EMILIO GHERSY GOMEZ | 1949 - 1958 | ||
| RADM WOLFGANG LARRAZABAL UGUETO | 1958 (second term, acting) | ||
| RADM CARLOS LARRAZABAL UGUETO | 1958 - 1962 | ||
| RADM RICARDO SOSA RIOS | 1962 - 1964 | ||
| RDML JUAN PEDRO TORREALBA MORALES | 1964 - 1967 | ||
| RADM JESUS CARBONELL IZQUIERDO | 1967 - 1969 | ||
| RDML JOSE CONSTANTINO SEIJAS VILLALOBOS | 1969 - 1973 | ||
| RDML ARMANDO PEREZ LEEFMANS | 1973 - 1974 | ||
| RDML ALFONSO MENDOZA RAMIREZ | 1974 - 1976 | ||
| RADM FELIX JESUS MENDOZA ACOSTA | 1976 - 1977 | ||
| RADM MAGIN MOISES LA GRAVE FRY | 1977 - 1979 | ||
| RDML ERNESTO JOSE REYES LEAL | 1979 - 1980 | ||
| RADM JESUS RAFEL BERTORELLI MORENO | 1980 - 1983 | ||
| RADM HAROLDO JOSE RODRIGUEZ FIGUEROA | 1983 - 1984 | ||
| RADM JUSTO PASTOR FERNANDEZ MARQUEZ | 1984 - 1986 | ||
| RADM DIOFANTE ANTONIO TORREALBA CHAPARRO | 1986 - 1987 | ||
| RADM FAUSTINO EDUVIGIS ALVARADO RODRIGUEZ | 1987 - 1989 | ||
| RADM HECTOR RICARDO JURADO TORO | 1989 - 1990 | ||
| RADM JUAN ARGENIS GARCIA | 1990 - 1991 | ||
| RADM IGNACIO PEÑA CIMARRO | 1991 - 1993 | ||
| RADM JULIAN ENRIQUE MAUCO QUINTANA | 1993 - 1994 | ||
| RADM CARLOS AUGUSTO RAMOS FLORES | 1994 - 1995 | ||
| RADM JESUS ENRIQUE BRICEÑO GARCIA | 1995 - 1996 | ||
| RADM OSCAR JOSE MORALES MARTINEZ | 1996 - 1997 | ||
| RADM JULIO HENRY CHACON HERNANDEZ | 1997 - 1999 | ||
| RADM OSWALDO PASCUAL QUINTANA CASTRO | 1999 - 2000 | ||
| RADM JORGE M., SIERRAALTA ZAVARCE | 2000 - 2002 | ||
| RADM FERNANDO MIGUEL CAMEJO ARENAS | 2002 - 2003 | ||
| RADM RAMON ORLANDO MANIGLIA FERREIRA | 2003 - 2004 (Later appointed Minister of Defense) | ||
| RADM ARMANDO JOSE LAGUNA LAGUNA | 2004 - 2007 | ||
| RADM BENIGNO REMIGIO CALVO DIAZ | 2007 - 2008 | ||
| VADM ZAIM QUINTANA CASTRO | 2008 - 2009 | ||
| VADM CARLOS ANIASI TURCHIO | 2010 - 2011 | ||
| VADM DIEGO MOLERO BELLAVIA | 2011 - 2012 (Later appointed Minister of Defense) | ||
| VADM DIEGO ANTONIO GUERRA BARRETO | 2012 - 2013 | ||
| VADM GILBERTO AMILCAR PINTO BLANCO | 2013 - 2014 | ||
| VADM JAIRO AVENDAÑO QUINTERO | 2014 - 2015 | ||
| VADM FRANKLIN MONTPLAISIER | 2015–2016 | ||
| VADM ORLANDO GASPAR | 2016–present | ||
References
- ↑ "...:: Museo della Cantieristica ::...". Archived from the original on 24 December 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
- ↑ "Корабли, лодки, яхты…". Retrieved 24 December 2014.
- ↑ Battleships.ru Archived December 3, 2013, at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ "Italian Dardanelli, ARV General Soublette - Warships 1900-1950". Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
- ↑ "oceania / IN Ostia-1926". Retrieved 24 December 2014.
- ↑ http://wcbstv.com/national/hugo.chavez.venezuela.2.822252.html[]
- ↑ Reuters: Russia says to send battleship to Caribbean Sea
- ↑ "Russian navy sails to Venezuela". BBC News. September 22, 2008. Retrieved April 26, 2010.
- ↑ "Armada Bolivariana de Venezuela - Comandante". Archived from the original on 24 December 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
- ↑ "Armada Bolivariana de Venezuela - Poder Naval". Archived from the original on 12 January 2015. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
- ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-04-06. Retrieved 2015-08-01.
- ↑ Jane's Fighting Ships 2005-2006, ISBN 0-7106-2692-4 p.923
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 cite web |url= "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-06-29. Retrieved 2011-07-04. |title=World Navies Today: Venezuela |date=2001-10-26 |accessdate=2014-03-09
- ↑ http://www.fav-club.com/damen-construye-ocho-buques-stan-lander-5612-para-la-armada-venezolana/
- ↑ "El presidente Chávez abandera el primer buque de guerra construido en Venezuela" [President Chavez championed the first warship built in Venezuela]. Soitu (in Spanish). 2008-09-11.
- ↑ "Chávez abandera el primer buque patrullero fabricado en Venezuela" [Chavez is leading the first patrol vessel manufactured in Venezuela]. El Economista (in Spanish). Agence France-Presse. 2008-09-11.
- ↑ John Pike. "Venezuela Warships". Retrieved 24 December 2014.
- ↑ Navantia entrega a la Armada venezolana el primer Patrullero Oceánico de Vigilancia
- ↑ "El patrullero oceánico Warao (PC-22) de la Armada de Venezuela será reparado en Brasil". infodefense.com (in Spanish). 9 January 2013.
- ↑ "El patrullero oceánico Warao de la Armada de Venezuela arriba a Río de Janeiro para su eventual reparación". infodefense.com (in Spanish). 7 March 2013.
- ↑ http://www.shipspotting.com/modules/myalbum/photo-503011-A.R.B.V.+CIUDAD+BOLIVAR+T-81
- 1 2 Jane's Fighting Ships 2005-2006, ISBN 0-7106-2692-4 p.925
- ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-02-02. Retrieved 2015-02-28.
- ↑ "Navantia Launches and Commissions Two OPVs to Venezuelan Navy".
- ↑ Mauricio Miranda (2008-02-26). "Analizan adquisición de un guardacostas en Venezuela" [Analyze acquisition of a cutter in Venezuela]. El Nuevo Diario. Archived from the original on 2012-02-03. Retrieved 2012-02-02.
- ↑ "Casi listo patrullero venezolano similar al ofertado a Nicaragua" [Almost ready like Venezuelan patrol offered to Nicaragua]. Nuestro Mar. 2008-03-06. Archived from the original on 2012-02-03. Retrieved 2012-02-02.
- ↑ http://www.fav-club.com/ucocar-prepara-la-botadura-del-patrullero-caricare-pg-52-de-la-armada-de-venezuela/
- 1 2 World Air Forces 2013 - Flightglobal.com, pg 30, December 11, 2012
- ↑ [ http://dmilt.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7868:venezuela-navy-orders-chinese-z-9-asw-helicopters&catid=35:latin-america&Itemid=58 Venezuela; Navy orders Chinese Z-9 ASW helicopters] - Dmilt.com, 7 September 2013
External links
- (Spanish) Sitio oficial del Ministerio del Poder Popular para la Defensa de Venezuela
- (Spanish) Sitio oficial de la Armada Bolivariana de Venezuela
