Military of Venezuela

Infobox National Military
country= Venezuela


caption=
age=18
manpower_age=15–49
manpower_data=2005 est.
available=6,236,012
fit=4,907,947
reaching=252,396
active=Roughly 100,000
branches= Army
Navy
Air Force
Venezuelan National Guard
National Reserve
amount=$1,7 billion (FY04)
percent_GDP=1.5% (FY04)

As of 2008, the National Armed Forces of Venezuela (FAN, _es. Fuerza Armada Nacional) is roughly 100,000 individuals in four service branches--the Army, Navy (including the Marine Corps), Air Force, and the Armed Forces of Cooperation (FAC), commonly known as the National Guard.

Organization

As of 2008, about 600,000 soldiers were integrated in the military through a fifth service branch, the Armed Reserve, although some of this force is more of a militia than a formal, professional armed corps.

In 2006 the FAN was transformed into six service branches, the Army, Navy, Air Force, National Guard, National Reserve and the Territorial Guard. The Army, Navy, Air Force and National Guard will serve under the Strategic Operational Command (" _es. Comando Estratégico Operacional"), the National Reserve and the Territorial Guard will serve under the National Reserve and Mobilization Command (" _es. Comando General de la Reserva Nacional y Movilizacion Nacional")

The Venezuelan army bears the title " _es. Forjador de Libertades" or "Forger of Freedoms". This refers to Venezuelan armies fighting Venezuela's independence war, as well as the independence wars of five other countries, namely Colombia, Ecuador, Perú, Panamá (then part of New Granada, present day Colombia) and Bolivia.

Branches

National Armed Forces (" _es. Fuerzas Armada Nacional" or FAN) includes:

*Ground Forces or Army (" _es. Fuerzas Terrestres" or " _es. Ejercito")
*Naval Forces (" _es. Fuerzas Navales" or " _es. Armada")
**Marine Infantry ("Infanteria Marina")
*Venezuela Air Force (" _es. Fuerzas Aereas" or " _es. Aviacion")
* Armed Forces of Cooperation or National Guard (" _es. Fuerzas Armadas de Cooperacion" or " _es. Guardia Nacional")
* National Reserve (" _es. Reserva Nacional")
* Territorial Guard (" _es. Guardia Nacional")

Rank

The army's officer rank system is unremarkable, but the system of non-commissioned ranks is notably complicated, with eighteen non-commissioned ranks from " _es. Distinguido" to " _es. Maestro Técnico Supervisor". (For comparison, there are seven NATO non-commissioned ranks (OR-3 to OR-9) and six British non-commissioned army ranks.)

Modernization

The Venezuelan government has embarked on a massive military modernization and purchases that greatly expand their defensive and offensive capabilities, including negotiations for German submarines and transport aircraft, several agreements with Russia (outlined below), transport aircraft and naval vessels from Spain, radars from China, home-made and designed armored light vehicles and rocket launchers, studies for Leopard 2 main battle tanks, amongst many others. Most if not all European military hardware have not been deliver to Venezuela due to The U.S. embargo.

2005-2006

In 2005 Venezuela signed agreements with Spain to procure 12 naval transport and reconnaissance aircraft and eight naval patrol vessels. The deal is worth $1.5-2 billion dollars to the Spanish defense industry, as well as an estimated 900 new jobs, but was cancelled due to the U.S. embargo.

Venezuela in 2006 purchased 100,000 AK-103 assault rifles and 53 Russian helicopters [ [http://g1.globo.com/Noticias/Mundo/0,,MUL90712-5602,00.html G1 > Mundo - NOTÍCIAS - 'Gringo que se meter por aqui, 'pum'!', afirma Chávez ] ] , including 12 Mi-17 military helicopters. [ [http://www.elnuevodiario.com.ni/2005/11/16/internacionales/5876 El Nuevo Diario - Managua, Nicaragua - Venezuela compra Fusiles y helicópteros rusos ] ] The government of Venezuela has also announced its intention to obtain about 3 dozen more Russian helicopters, including Mi-17 "Hip", Mi-26 "Halo" and Mi-35 "Hind" as well as announcing the procurement of 24 Su-30MK Interceptors. [http://www.pinr.com/report.php?ac=view_report&report_id=707&language_id=1] These deals are reportedly valued at US$5.3 billion [ [http://g1.globo.com/Noticias/Mundo/0,,MUL90712-5602,00.html G1 > Mundo - NOTÍCIAS - 'Gringo que se meter por aqui, 'pum'!', afirma Chávez ] ] . Venezuela has announced the purchase of 3 batteries of the TOR-M1 system, with the possible acquisition of 600 armored vehicles - possibly the BMP 3 or the Sabiex Iguana FV4. [ [http://www.fav-club.com/flash/fcn44/favclubnews44.htm www.fav-club.com ] ] Border defense systems are being purchased from Brazil, plus Steyr anti-riot trucks and expanded Tiuna purchases.

A co-operative research into UAV between Venezuela and Iran is also underway. [ [http://english.eluniversal.com/2007/01/30/en_eco_art_30A830041.shtml Daily News - eluniversal.com ] ]

2007-2008

In 2007, the Belarusian military optics industry supplied the Venezuelan army with night vision devices, and installed on - as Hugo Chavez described: "every single rifle in the Venezuelan army." [ [http://www.eux.tv/article.aspx?articleId=5241 EUX.TV - Belarus to provide Venezuela night vision devices ] ]

On August, 2007 President Hugo Chavez announced the purchase of 5,000 Dragunov sniper rifles from the Russian Rosoboronexport, adding that Venezuela must ready itself for a "possible US invasion" [ [http://g1.globo.com/Noticias/Mundo/0,,MUL90712-5602,00.html G1 > Mundo - NOTÍCIAS - 'Gringo que se meter por aqui, 'pum'!', afirma Chávez ] ] .

Venezuela is studying Antonov transport aircraft to revamp its aging fleet of transport craft, which includes IAI Aravas and Skytrucks. In June 2008 in a trip to Russia Hugo Chavez will sign a weapons deal for 10 (12 in the future) Il-76 Candid heavy transports, and an additional 10 Mi-28 "Havoc" attack helicopters. He will also purchase 3 Kilo class submarines. [http://www.military.com/news/article/russia-to-sell-subs-to-venezuela.html?wh=wh] Additional equipment may be included later on. The deal is expected to be worth more than 2 billion dollars and there talks between Russia for future possible purchases of Su-35 fighters. [ [http://english.pravda.ru/world/americas/16-06-2006/82082-Venezuela-0 Venezuela to purchase 24 new Russian fighter jets - Pravda.Ru ] ]

In late september 2008, Russia will provide Venezuela with a $1 billion loan to buy Russian weapons, a Kremlin source said. "The Russian side has made the decision to extend to Venezuela a $1 billion loan for a military cooperation program," the source said ahead of a meeting between Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his Venezuelan counterpart, Hugo Chavez, who starts a two-day visit to Russia.http://en.rian.ru/russia/20080925/117104766.html

Venezuela plans to use most of the $1 bln loan granted by Russia to buy air-defense systems, a Russian military analyst said. "Venezuela needs primarily Tor-M1 surface to air systems to protect the airfields where the 24 Su-30 MK2 jet fighters it bought from Russia are based," said Konstantin Makiyenko, deputy director of the Center for Strategic Analysis, a Moscow based think tank. Caracas is likely to buy Igla-S portable SAM systems, and will also want Il-78 aerial tankers and Il-76 military freight aircraft. The tankers and freight planes for the Venezuelan Air Force will cost around $300 mln, Makiyenko said.http://en.rian.ru/world/20080926/117155439.html In addition to the air defence systems, The Venezuelan government will officially purchase Il-78 aerial tankers and Il-76 military freight aircraft. [http://en.rian.ru/world/20080926/117155439.html]

In late september, as a six-country tour, upon his arrival in China to discuss investment deals President Hugo Chavez we'll purchase Advanced Trainers from that country. [http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=080921230912.0dszz961&show_article=1]

Controversy with the United States

These acquisitions and other projects have been greeted with criticism from the United States, which opposes the government of President Hugo Chávez. The U.S. accuses Venezuela of starting an arms race, which they claim will destabilize the military equilibrium in South America. Venezuela is also accused of supplying small arms to neighboring Colombian guerrilla organizations including FARC, which is sympathetic to Chávez. [http://www.usnews.com/usnews/news/articles/031006/6venezuela_3.htm] [http://www.guardian.co.uk/venezuela/story/0,12716,1396985,00.htm]

United States criticism is met with skepticism by Venezuelan authorities, who claim the weapons are needed to update the basic equipment in the armed forces. In some cases, Venezuelan armaments like the FN FAL have been in service more than 50 years. The government also claims that the US has been the one to initiate arms races and de-stabilize countries by supplying subversive groups in Latin America throughout the past century (referring to the Cold War and the contra affair, among numerous other incidents).

In the 1990s Venezuela requested a batch of F-16C/Ds to update its F-16 fighter fleet, but the U.S. government blocked the request. [ [http://www.airtoaircombat.com/background.asp?id=8&bg=59 AirToAirCombat.Com: F-16C Fighting Falcon LockheedMartin F-16 Origins ] ] In October 1997 the US government approved the sale of the two crash replacement F-16s, but subsequently halted the sale. [ [http://www.f-16.net/f-16_users_article25.html F-16 Air Forces - Venezuela ] ] In 2005 a contract with Israel Aircraft Industries to upgrade Venezuela's F-16s was frozen following U.S. pressure. [ [http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/2005/10/us-roadblocks-re-the-venezuelaisrael-f16-upgrade-politics-or-protectionism/ US Roadblocks re: the Venezuela-Israel F-16 Upgrade: Politics or Protectionism? ] ] Chavez subsequently accused the U.S. of delaying the sale of spare parts to maintain Venezuela’s F-16s. After remarks by Chavez that he would sell or lend the 'unused' F-16's to any country that wanted them, including Iran, the US Government agreed to supply the spare parts; however, the shipment was detained at the Customs Office in Maiquetia International Airport due to security concerns. [ [http://peacejournalism.com/ReadArticle.asp?ArticleID=10543 World/ReadArticle.Asp | August 15, 2007 | Global News For The Digital World ] ] [ [http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=politicsNews&storyID=2006-08-28T225206Z_01_N28369566_RTRUKOC_0_US-VENEZUELA-USA.xml&archived=False] Dead link|date=March 2008]

Russia has agreed to sell more than $4 billion (£2 billion) worth of armaments to Venezuela since 2005 and disclosed that Mr Chávez wanted new antiaircraft systems and more fighter jets. [ [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article4804157.ece | September 23, 2008 | Russia engages in 'gangland' diplomacy as it sends warship to the Caribbean | TimesOnline] ]

U.S. military embargo

The government of the United States announced an embargo of military material and equipments to Venezuela; no US made weapons or technology can be sold to Venezuela by any country or company. [ [http://www.webislam.com/?idn=5813 EEUU decreta un embargo de armas contra Venezuela ] ] This embargo has harmed several Venezuelan purchases, as not only are US technology goods unavailable, but other nations friendly to the US have been pressured to block sales of arms to Venezuela, as well. This is also considered one of the reasons Venezuela has turned to Russia and China for arms, in a move reminiscent of the Cold War.Below is a list of acquisitions frustrated directly or indirectly by the US embargo: [ [http://www.fav-club.com/ www.fav-club.com ] ]
*flagicon|Czech Republic Aero L-159 Alca Jets from the Czech Republic: the Czech government forbade Aero Vodochody, the manufacturer, from creating a variant with French avionics and Ukrainian engines, specially requested by Venezuela.
*flagicon|Sweden Saab AB, a Swedish arms company announced it would honor the US embargo, and would not sell arms to Venezuela. Carl Gustav recoilless rifles, AT4 AT weapons, as well as RBS-70 AA systems are in service in the Venezuelan military.
*flagicon|Spain Spanish company EADS CASA halted the sale of several transport planes that contained extensive US technology.
*flagicon|Brazil Brazil was forced to cancel the sale of Embraer Super Tucano airplanes to the Venezuelan Air Force due to its use of Pratt & Whitney engines. Embraer was also forced to cancel the sale of AEW&C equipped planes.
*flagicon|France France decided to block the sale of Scorpene submarines to Venezuela.
*flagicon|Russia Russian companies Rosoboronexport and Sukhoi have been sanctioned by the US government for procuring arms for Venezuela.

References

http://www.globalfirepower.com/

External links

* [http://www.mindefensa.gov.ve Sitio oficial del Ministerio del Poder Popular para Defensa de Venezuela]
* [http://www.ejercito.mil.ve/ Sitio oficial del Ejército Libertador (Venezuela)]
* [http://www.armada.mil.ve Sitio oficial de la Armada de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela]
* [http://www.aviacion.mil.ve Sitio oficial de la Aviación Militar de Venezuela]
* [http://www.guardia.mil.ve Sitio oficial de la Guardia Nacional de Venezuela]
* [http://www.aviacionejercito.mil.ve/ Sitio oficial de la Aviación del Ejército de Venezuela]
* [http://www.fav-club.com/ Sitio no oficial de la Fuerza Armada de Venezuela]