Navy of Venezuela - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The navy
Navy
A navy is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions...

of Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...

is officially called the Bolivarian
Simón Bolívar
Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios Ponte y Yeiter, commonly known as Simón Bolívar was a Venezuelan military and political leader...

National Armada
Armada
Armada is the Spanish and Portuguese word for naval fleet, or an adjective meaning 'armed'; Armáda is the Czech and Slovak for armed forces...

of Venezuela .

It serves the purpose of defending the naval sovereignty of the country, including inland, fluvial security, it also serves to prevent illegal activities in the Venezuelan borders and contributes with international organisms to safeguard international waters from criminal activities.

Pre-World War 1

was a former Spanish Navy

Spanish Navy

The Spanish Navy is the maritime branch of the Spanish Armed Forces, one of the oldest active naval forces in the world. The Armada is responsible for notable achievements in world history such as the discovery of Americas, the first world circumnavigation, and the discovery of a maritime path...

second-class protected cruiser

Protected cruiser

The protected cruiser is a type of naval cruiser of the late 19th century, so known because its armoured deck offered protection for vital machine spaces from shrapnel caused by exploding shells above...

of the same name

Spanish cruiser Isla de Cuba

Isla de Cuba was an Isla de Luzon class second-class protected cruiser of the Spanish Navy which fought in the Battle of Manila Bay.-Technical Characteristics:...

, captured by and commissioned into the United States Navy

United States Navy

The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...

as a gunboat

Gunboat

A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.-History:...

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

Caribbean Sea

The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....

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

Cold War

The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...

. 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

Udaloy class destroyer

The Udaloy I class are a series of anti-submarine destroyers built for the Soviet Navy, eight of which are currently in service with the Russian Navy. The Russian designation is Project 1155 Fregat...

and other accompanying ships". The other ships included a tug boat and supply ships.

Escuadra

The headquarters of the naval Escuadra (Fleet), Base Naval Contralmirante Agustín Armario, is located in the city of Puerto Cabello

Puerto Cabello

Puerto Cabello is a city on the north coast of Venezuela. It is located in Carabobo State about 75 km west of Caracas. As of 2001, the city has a population of around 154,000 people. The city is the home to the largest port in the country and is thus a vital cog in the country's vast oil...

, Carabobo

Carabobo

Carabobo State is one of the 23 states of Venezuela, located in the north of the country, about two hours by car from Caracas. The capital city of this state is Valencia, which is also the country's main industrial center. The state's area is 4,650 km² and had an estimated population of...

. It controls the four squads of the Escuadra: frigates, submarines, patrol boats, and amphibious and service ships.
It is also responsible for the Submarine school and Centre of Tactical Training.

Bolivarian Marine Infantry

The marine infantry consists of two Marine Infantry Brigades, two Riverine Security Brigades, an Engineers Brigade, a Naval Police

Military police

Military police are police organisations connected with, or part of, the military of a state. The word can have different meanings in different countries, and may refer to:...

Brigade, a Special Forces Brigade, and a Naval Reserve Brigade.

Coast Guard

Headquartered in La Guaira

La Guaira

La Guaira is the capital city of the Venezuelan state of Vargas and the country's chief port. It was founded in 1577 as an outlet for Caracas, to the southeast. The town and the port were badly damaged during the December 1999 floods and mudslides that affected much of the region...

, Vargas, it is responsible for the surveillance of Venezuelas jurisdictional waters.

Ship organization

Caribbean class patrol boat

The Guaiquerí class patrol vessels are a class of ocean patrol vessels or POVZEE in Venezuelan Navy service...

Guaicamacuto class patrol boat

The Guaicamacuto class patrol vessels is a class of offshore patrol vessels or BVL in Venezuelan Navy service for patrol duty in economic exclusive zone. The contract for the BVL and POVZEE was signed together on the November 25, 2005...

Helicopters

Bell 412

The Bell 412 is a utility helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It is a development of the Bell 212 model, the major difference being the composite four-blade main rotor.-Design and development:...

Frigates

Six Lupo
Lupo class frigate
The Lupo class is a class of frigates built by Cantieri Navali Riuniti for the Italian Navy. Designed as multipurpose warships with emphasis on anti-surface warfare , they have enjoyed some success in the export market, being acquired by the navies of Peru and Venezuela...

/Mariscal Sucre-class missile frigates class
- F-21 Mariscal Sucre, in service since 07-14-1980
- F-22 Almirante Brión, in service since 03-07-1981
- F-23 General Urdaneta, in service since 08-08-1981
- F-24 General Soublette, in service since 12-04-1981
- F-25 General Salóm, in service since 04-03-1982
- F-26 Almirante García, in service since 07-30-1982

, four Spanish-made offshore patrol vessels of the POVZEE class

Caribbean class patrol boat

The Guaiquerí class patrol vessels are a class of ocean patrol vessels or POVZEE in Venezuelan Navy service...

were on order, to be delivered in 2010.

- PC-21 Guaiquerí, in service
- PC-22 Warao
- PC-23 Yekuana
- PC-24 Kariña

Submarines

Two submarines Type 209 acquired in August of 1976 (Sábalo) and March of 1977 (Caribe)
- S-31 Sábalo
- S-32 Caribe

Amphibious and service ships

Four Capana-class LST.
- T-61 Capana, in service since 07-24-1984
- T-62 Esequibo, in service since 07-24-1984
- T-63 Goajira, in service since 11-01-1984
- T-64 Los Llanos, in service since 11-01-1984
One Ciudad Bolívar-class supply ship.
- T-81 Ciudad Bolívar, in service since 09-23-2001
One Bricbarc type/Simón Bolívar training sailboat.
- BE-11 Simón Bolívar, in service since 08-6-1980

Coast patrol corvettes

Four Spanish-made offshore patrol vessels of the BVL class
Guaicamacuto class patrol boat
The Guaicamacuto class patrol vessels is a class of offshore patrol vessels or BVL in Venezuelan Navy service for patrol duty in economic exclusive zone. The contract for the BVL and POVZEE was signed together on the November 25, 2005...

(on order).
- GC-21 Guaicamacuto, in service
- GC-22 Yavire, in service
- GC-23 Naiguata, in service
- GC-24 Tamanaco

Coast guard ships

Four USCG Point-class patrol boats
USCG Point class cutter
The United States Coast Guard Point Class Cutters were a class of 82-foot patrol vessels designed to replace the aging 83-foot wooden hull patrol boat being used at the time. The design utilized a mild steel hull and an aluminum superstructure...

.
Two Los Tanques-class tactical/utility ships.

External links

Sitio oficial del Ministerio del Poder Popular para la Defensa de Venezuela Sitio oficial del Ejército Libertador (Venezuela) Sitio oficial de la Armada de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela Sitio oficial de la Aviación Militar de Venezuela Sitio oficial de la Guardia Nacional de Venezuela Sitio oficial de la Aviación del Ejército del Venezuela Sitio no oficial de la Fuerza Armada de Venezuela

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/venezuela/navy-history.htm

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