- Ecuadorian Navy
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Ecuadorian Navy
Armada del Ecuador
Ecuadorian Navy insigniaActive 1832 - present Country Ecuador
Branch Navy Size 7,258[1] Part of Military of Ecuador Engagements Ecuadorian-Peruvian War 1941 Commanders Commander-in-chief Rear Admiral Aland Molestina Malta Insignia Ecuadorian Naval Jack The Ecuadorian Navy is responsible for the surveillance and protection of national maritime territory and has a personnel of 7,258[1] men to protect a coastline of 2,237 km which reaches far into the Pacific Ocean. The vessels are identified by the ship prefix B.A.E.: Buque de la Armada del Ecuador (Ship of the Ecuadorian Navy).
Contents
Mission
Organise, train, equip and maintain naval capabilities, as well as to assist and support all procedures involving national security and development. Contribute to the achievement of safeguarding national objectives in times of peace and war.
Vision
Maintain highly trained naval forces to secure victory within the maritime zone in order to support developing communities. As a consequence operate highly qualified military personnel which is able to fulfil its role based on elevated moral, values and principles.
History
The roots of the Ecuadorian Navy or (Armada Ecuatoriana) date back to 1823 whilst forming a part of the Gran Colombian fleet. In 1832 the by then, Ecuadorian congress established officially "The Ecuadorian Maritime Department". On the 25th July 1941 during the Ecuadorian–Peruvian War, the gunboat Calderon commanded by Rafael Morán Valverde encountered stronger Peruvian destroyer Almirante Villar in the Jambeli channel.[2] The Ecuadorian gunboat opened fire on Villar, keeping its distance while doing shots for elevation, but the Peruvian destroyer returned fire for the duration of the chase, which was ended by the Peruvians when the Calderon took refuge in the channels. No ship was harmed, despite Ecuadorian propaganda claims on heavy damage inflicted on Villar.[3] However, this event had no influence over the general outcome of the war as Puerto Bolivar was lost to Peruvian Troops only two days later.
Present day
Today, the Ecuadorian Navy is a compact, efficient and well-balanced force. However, limited funds hinder any major acquisitions and the chances of maintaining a strong force within the Pacific Ocean. Since introduction of a restructuring program within the Armed Forces, ("PATRIA I"), the Navy's structure became simplified. It supervises the Pacific Coast and Galápagos Islands all in one naval zone. Most sea-going assets are based at Guayaquil. The Navy consists of the following vessels:
Vessel Origin Type Class In service[4] Notes Training ship (1 in service) BAE Guayas (BE-21) Spain
Sail training ship steel-hulled barque Yes as an ambassador of its country, the Guayas is a participant in tall ship regattas. By the end of 2008 the Guayas had visited 60 harbours in 25 countries and covered about 340,000 nautical miles (630,000 km). Submarines (2 in service) BAE Shyri (S101) Germany
Type 209/1300 Shyri class No under heavy overhaul and upgrade in ASMAR, Chile; was slightly damaged after the tsunami in Talcahuano. Refit works currently restarted. BAE Huancavilca (S102) Germany
Type 209/1300 Shyri class Yes Guided missile frigates (2 in service) BAE Morán Valverde (FM-01) United Kingdom
Leander-class frigate Condell-class frigate Yes extensively reffited between April 2004 and December 2005. Acquired from Chile in March, 2008.[5] BAE Presidente Eloy Alfaro (FM-02) United Kingdom
Leander-class frigate Condell-class frigate Yes acquired from Chile in March, 2008. Guided missile corvettes (6 in service) BAE Esmeraldas (CM-11) Italy
Tipo 550 class corvette Esmeraldas class Yes refitted in 2006 under the Esmeraldas program[6] BAE Manabí (CM-12) Italy
Tipo 550 class corvette Esmeraldas class Yes BAE Los Rios (CM-13) Italy
Tipo 550 class corvette Esmeraldas class Yes BAE El Oro (CM-14) Italy
Tipo 550 class corvette Esmeraldas class Yes BAE Galápagos (CM-15) Italy
Tipo 550 class corvette Esmeraldas class Yes BAE Loja (CM-16) Italy
Tipo 550 class corvette Esmeraldas class Yes Fast attack craft (3 in service) LAE Quito (LM-25) Germany
TNC 45 Seawolf class FAC Quito class Yes LAE Guayaquil (LM-26) Germany
TNC 45 Seawolf class FAC Quito class Yes LAE Cuenca (LM-27) Germany
TNC 45 Seawolf class Quito class Yes Auxiliaries (6 in service) BAE Huacolpo (TR-61) United States
LST-542-class tank landing ship Huacolpo class No used as transport and listed as active in 2007 but may be not operational. BAE Calicuchima (TR-62) United Kingdom
ammunition supply ship Kintebury class Yes ex-RMAS Throsk (A379)[7] BAE Atahualpa (TR-63) United States
Water harbour tanker YW type Yes ex-US YW 131[8] BAE Quisquis (TR-64) United Kingdom
Water harbour tanker Waterfall class Yes ex-Waterside (Y-20)[9] BAE Taurus (TR-65) Ecuador
Coastal oil tanker Taurus class Yes civilian ship bought in 1987. Built by Astinave, Guayaquil. Currently status is unknown. BAE Chimborazo (RA-70) United States
Fleet tug Abnaki-class tug Yes ex- Japan Oceanographic research ship Orion class Yes LAE Sirius Ecuador
Oceanographic research ship Sirius class Yes [11] Name Origin Type Version Used by Notes Naval artillery QF 4.5 inch naval gun United Kingdom
dual-purpose naval gun Mark VI Condell class frigate Oto Melara 76/62 Compact Gun Italy
dual-purpose naval gun 76/62 Compact Tipo 550 class corvette Oto Melara Twin 40 Compact Gun Italy
Close-in weapon system (CIWS) Twin 40L70 Tipo 550 class corvette Raytheon Phalanx 20mm Gatling Gun United States
Close-in weapon system (CIWS) Phalanx Block 0 Condell class frigate Anti-ship missiles MBDA Exocet France
anti-ship missile (AShM) MM40 Block 2 Condell class frigate
Tipo 550 class corvetteMBDA Exocet France
anti-ship missile (AShM) MM38 TNC 45 Seawolf class FAC Surface-to-air missile MBDA Aspide Italy
surface-to-air missile (SAM) Aspide 1A Tipo 550 class corvette Torpedoes Atlas Elektronik SST Germany
533 mm heavyweight torpedo SST-4 mod 0 Type 209 submarine The Ecuadorian Naval Aviation (Aviación Naval Ecuatoriana) was formed in 1967 with fixed wing aircraft and received some helicopters in 1973. It remains the least effective section of the navy; capable of performing limited maritime patrol missions, it consists of fixed wing and a rotary wing element. Aircraft are based at Base Aérea Simón Bolívar in Guayaquil and the Eloy Alfaro Air Base in Manta. The most recent acquisition of the ANE are two Heron 1 and four Searcher Mk. III[12] from Israel. These have increased the Navy's coastal surveillance capacity significantly.
Aircraft Origin Type Version In service Notes Maritime patrol aircraft Beechcraft Super King Air United States
maritime surveillance aircraft CATPASS 250MP 1 two units delivered in January and June 1997 respectively. CATPASS conversion includes a bottom-mounted surface-search radar, FLIR and ESM provisions. CASA CN‑235 Persuader Spain
maritime patrol aircraft CN‑235‑MPA 1 equipped with surface-search radar. Helicopters Bell 206 JetRanger
Bell TH-57 SeaRangerUnited States
training helicopter 206B
TH-57A3
3Bell 230 United States
radar surveillance 230T 1 two units delivered in total. One unit crashed at sea in 2009. Bell 430 United States
utility helicopter 430 2 two units delivered in August 1, 2010. The first 430 received a Garmin GNS400 GPS coupled to the autopilot. Both were equipped with a Honeywell Mark XXII EGPWS, right hand sliding door, hoist provisions and some maintenance items.[13] Trainer Aircraft Beechcraft T‑34 Mentor United States
advanced trainer T-34C-1 3 ENAER T-35 Pillán Chile
basic trainer T-35B 4 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles IAI Heron Israel
patrol UAV Heron I 2 [14] IAI Searcher Israel
patrol UAV Searcher III 4 [15] Utility Aircraft Beechcraft Super King Air United States
light transport B200
B300
B3502
1
1CASA CN-235 Spain
tactical transport CN-235M-100 1 Coast Guard
The Coast Guard (Cuerpo de Guardacostas de la Armada) became fully operational in 1980. Their mission is to control maritime activities on national territory, including all river zones. The objective is the internal security, protection of human life at sea and environmental protection. It disposes of around 250 men and 30 major as well as 40 smaller, partially very modern patrol vessels.[16]
Marines
The Naval Infantry Corps (Cuerpo de Infanteria de Marina) was formed on 12 November 1962. It maintains a strength of around 1700[17] marines, with their HQ in Guayaquil. The units are individually spread across the naval coast of Ecuador and are equipped with infantry support weapons, including 60 mm and 81 mm mortars, 106 mm recoilless rifles (RCLs) and High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles. However, it lacks amphibious assault and sealift capacity. The Ecuadorian Marines are to maintain a high level of alert in order to execute special operations in difficult territory as well as to provide a fast response to counter amphibious incursions. Structure:
- Escuela de la Infanteria Marina (Naval Infantry School)
- Compañia de Seguridad "Guayaquil" (Security Detachment)
- Batallon de Infanteria Marina "Jambeli"
- Battallon de Infanteria Marina "San Eduardo"
- Battallon de Infanteria Marina "San Lorenzo"
- Battallon de Infanteria Marina "Jaramijo"
- Battallon de Infanteria Marina "Esmeraldas"
Equipment Gallery
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Ecuadorian navy FSG Corvette ESMERALDAS (CM 11), equipped with 2 x 3 MM40 Exocet SSM, 1 x 4 Aspide SAM, 1 x 76mm gun, 6 x 324mm ASTI, helicopter on deck (Bell 206).
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An Ecuadorian Marine with a HK-33 rifle, during an amphibious assault exercise (UNITAS), in the background an US Amphibious Assault Vehicle.
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The Guayas in Sweden (2008).
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Ecuadorian Navy ship Guayas, visiting Pearl Harbor.
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In 1991, acquired from the Royal Navy, along with Danae (F47). The "Eloy Alfaro" was decommissioned on 19 March 2008, after 17 years of service in the Ecuadorian Navy.
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Acquired in 1991 by the Royal Navy. The "Morán Valverde" was decommissioned October 2008.
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Along with her sister ship Almirante Lynch, and re-named BAE Eloy Alfaro (FM 01). Both ships were handed over by the Chilean Navy to the Navy of Ecuador on 18 April 2008.[18]
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In March 2008, the Almirante Lynch and sister ship Almirante Condell (PFG-06) were sold to Ecuador. The former Almirante Lynch is in active service under the name BAE Morán Valverde.
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An Ecuadorian maritime interdiction-team, armed with MP5 kurz, assigned to conduct a visit, board, search and seizure exercise.
See also
References
- ^ a b A Comparative Atlas of Defence in Latin America / 2008 Edition - EcuadorPDF (415 KB). 2008.
- ^ Wikisource. "Parte oficial peruano sobre el Combate Naval de Jambeli". http://www.armada.mil.ec/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=210. Retrieved 26 October 2010.
- ^ Nikolay Mityukov. "Zagadka boya v prolivye Hambeli" (Mystery of a skirmish in Jambeli channel), Tekhnika i Vooruzhenie 10/2005, p. 28-31 (Russian)
- ^ Ecuadorian Navy website. "Comandancia de Escuadra". http://www.armada.mil.ec/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=210. Retrieved 14 October 2010.
- ^ Ecuadorian Navy website. "FM - 01 Presidente Alfaro". http://www.armada.mil.ec/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=220. Retrieved 14 October 2010.
- ^ Ecuadorian Navy website. "CM 11 Esmeraldas". http://www.armada.mil.ec/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=190. Retrieved 14 October 2010.
- ^ Ecuadorian Navy website. "TR - 62 Calicuchima". http://www.armada.mil.ec/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=221. Retrieved 14 October 2010.
- ^ Ecuadorian Navy website. "TR - 63 Atahualpa". http://www.armada.mil.ec/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=223. Retrieved 14 October 2010.
- ^ Ecuadorian Navy website. "TR - 64 Quisquis". http://www.armada.mil.ec/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=224. Retrieved 14 October 2010.
- ^ Ecuadorian Navy website. "RA - 70 R. Chimborazo". http://www.armada.mil.ec/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=222. Retrieved 14 October 2010.
- ^ Ecuadorian Navy website. "L.A.E SIRIUS se incorporó a la Fuerza Naval". http://www.armada.mil.ec/276. Retrieved 11 October 2011.
- ^ El Telègrafo. "Seis aviones no tripulados ingresan a filas navales". http://www.eltelegrafo.com.ec/policiales/noticia/archive/policiales/2009/06/11/Seis-aviones-no-tripulados--ingresan-a-filas-navales--.aspx. Retrieved 30 October 2010.
- ^ Ecuadorian Navy receives delivery of two Bell 430's from URSPDF
- ^ IAI Website. "HERON 1". http://www.iai.co.il/18900-16382-en/default.aspx. Retrieved 30 October 2010.
- ^ IAI Website. "SEARCHER Mk III". http://www.iai.co.il/18894-15742-en/default.aspx. Retrieved 30 October 2010.
- ^ [1]
- ^ [2]
- ^ Armada de Chile website (Spanish)
External links
- http://www.armada.mil.ec/ Homepage of the Ecuadorian Navy
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