Ecuadorian Navy: Difference between revisions

Ecuadorian Navy Armada del Ecuador
Ecuadorian Navy insignia
Active	1832 - present [1]
Country	Ecuador
Branch	Navy
Size	7,258 [2] ~20 Vessels [3] ~25 Aircraft [3]
Part of	Military of Ecuador
Engagements	Ecuadorian-Peruvian War 1941
Commanders
Commander-in-chief	CALM Aland MOLESTINA Malta COMANDANTE GENERAL DE MARINA
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^[2] 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).

Organise, train, equip and maintain naval calpabilities, 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.

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 fulfill its role based on elevated moral, values and principles.

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 cannon-boat Calderon commanded by frigate-lieutenat Rafael Morán Valverde encountered the Peruvian destroyer Almirante Villar in the Jambeli channel. A fire-fight broke out and the Ecuadorian cannon-boat managed to stand its ground. In consequence, it had most probably, prevented a sea blockade between Guayaquil and Puerto Bolivar. 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.

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:

Template:Standard table ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Ship ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service^[4] ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes |----- |BAE Guayas (BE-21) ||  Spain || sail training ship || 1 || 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). |----- |Condell class frigate ||  United Kingdom || ASW Frigate || 2 || Armed with 4 × Exocet MM40 Block 1 SSMs, 1 × Vickers 114 mm/55 Mk 6 twin gun, 1 × 20 mm Phalanx Block 0 CIWS, 2 × Oerlikon 20 mm gun, 2 × Mk.32 triple torpedo tubes & helicopter deck. |----- |Esmeralda class corvette ||  Italy || ASW Corvette || 6 || Built at: Astilleros de Ancona, Italia and at Astilleros Cantieri Navali Ruinniti, Spezia, Italia. Especially built for the Ecuadorian Navy.^[5] Armed with 2 x 3 MM40 Exocet SSM, Mark 46 torpedos, 1 x 4 Aspide SAM, 1 x 76 mm gun, 6 x 324 mm ASTI & helicopter deck.^[6][7] |----- |Quito class Fast Attack Craft ||  Germany || Seawolf TNC 45 || 3 || First unit built in 1974 at Lürssen Werft in Bremen. Armed with Exocet MM 38; 1 OTO Melara 3 in (76 mm)/62 compact; 1 or 2 Bofors 40 mm/70; 2 Oerlikon 81 mm rocket launchers; 2 21 in (533 mm) torpedo launchers, AEG SST-4 torpedoes. |----- |Type 209 submarine ||  Germany || 1300 || 2 || Heavily overhauled and upgraded at ASMAR, in Chile.^[8] The Shyri was slightly damaged after the tsunami in Talcahuano, currently status is unknown. |----- | Auxiliary ship ||  United Kingdom || tanker || 1 || B.A.E. Quisquis, armed with one 50 cal. |----- | Auxiliary ship ||  United Kingdom || re-supply || 1 || B.A.E. Calicuchima, armed with one 50 cal. |----- | Auxiliary ship ||  United States || tanker || 1 || B.A.E Atahualpa, armed with two 50 cal. |----- | Auxiliary ship ||  United States || transport || 1 || B.A.E Chimborazo, armed with Bofors 40 mm, one 50 cal. one 7.62 mm. |----- |}

The Ecuadorian Naval Aviation (Aviacióin 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^[9] and four Searcher MK II^[10] unmanned aerial vehicles ^[11][12] from Israel. These have increased the Navys coastal surveillance capacity significantly.

Template:Standard table ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Aircraft ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Version ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service^[13] ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes |----- |Beechcraft King Air ||  United States || 200
300 || Light transport and surveillance || 5
1 || |----- |T-34 Mentor ||  United States || || military trainer aircraft || 2 || |----- |Bell 206 ||  United States || || utility || 6 || Nine units were delivered in total. Status of two units unknown.^[14] |----- |Bell 230 ||  United States || || radar picket || 1 || Another unit crashed into the sea, late in 2009.^[15] |----- |CASA CN-235 ||  Spain || M-100
MPA || tactical transport
maritime patrol || 2
1 || ^[16] |----- |T-35 Pillán ||  Chile || || trainer aircraft || 4 || |----- |IAI Heron ||  Israel || || Unmanned Aerial Vehicle || 2 || |---- |IAI Searcher ||  Israel || || Unmanned Aerial Vehicle || 4 || Weapons Carrier |----- |}

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 forty smaller, partially very modern patrol vessels.^[17]

The Naval Infantry Corps (Cuerpo de Infanteria de Marina) was formed on 12 November 1962. It maintains a strength of around 1700 ^[18] 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)
• Compania de Seguridad "Guayaquil" (Security Detachment)
• Battalion de Infanteria Marina "Jambeli"
• Battalion de Infanteria Marina "San Eduardo"
• Battalion de Infanteria Marina "San Lorenzo"
• Battalion de Infanteria Marina "Jaramijo"
• Battalion de Infanteria Marina "Esmeraldas"

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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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  Ecuadorian submarine B.A.E. Shyri in 2003. Ecuador owns two of these Submarines.
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  An Ecuadorian Coast-Guard combat-ship (LG-40) during an exercise.
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  The Ecuadorian corvette BAE El Oro (CM 14) during an exercise.
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  The Ecuadorian Navy corvette BAE Manabi (CM 12) during an exercise.
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  The School ship Guayas on a visit in Argentina.
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  The Guayas in Sweden (2008).
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  Ecuadorian Sailors assigned to the Ecuadorian Corvette BAE El Oro (CM 14).
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  Ecuadorian Navy ship Guayas, sisiting Pearl Harbour.
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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 decomissioned 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.^[19]
• 
  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.
• 
  An Ecuadorian maritime interdiction-team, armed with MP5 kurz, assigned to conduct a visit, board, search and seizure exercise.

• Military of Ecuador
• Bolivarian Armada of Venezuela
• Colombian National Armada
• Peruvian Navy

• http://www.armada.mil.ec/ Homepage of the Ecuadorian Navy