Argentine Marines

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Argentine Navy Infantry
Infantería de Marina de la Armada de la República Argentina
IMARA.jpg
IMARA insignia
Active 1 January 1939 - present
Country  Argentina
Branch Marines
Role Amphibious Warfare
Size ~ 5,500
Part of Escudo Armada Argentina.svgArgentine Navy
Motto PATRIAE SEMPER VIGILES
(Always vigilant for the Fatherland)
March Marcha de la Infantería de Marina
(Marine march)
Anniversaries 19 November 1879
Engagements Beagle conflict
Falkland War
Commanders
Current Rear. Adm. Osvaldo Emilio Colombo

The Naval Infantry Command (Spanish: Comando de la Infantería de Marina, abbreviated COIM), also known as the Naval Infantry of the Navy of the Argentine Republic (Spanish: Infantería de Marina de la Armada de la República Argentina, abbreviated IMARA) and generally referred to in English as the Argentine marines are the amphibious warfare branch of the Argentine Navy and one of its four operational commands.

The Argentine marines trace their origins to the Spanish Naval Infantry, which took part in conflicts in South America in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Argentine marines took part in various conflicts of the nineteenth and twentieth century, notably the War of the Triple Alliance and the Falklands War. The marines (represented by the 5th Naval Infantry Battalion) are considered to have been among the best Argentine combat units present in the Falklands. The most recent war in which Argentine naval infantry took part was the Gulf War of 1990.

Today Argentine naval infantry are frequently deployed on UN peace-keeping missions.

History

The Marines trace their origins in Spanish Naval Infantry, at the time of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata. After the Argentine War of Independence, it was under joint administration of the Argentine Army and the Argentine Navy. A 1946 law placed the marines solely under the jurisdiction of the Navy.

Battles and interventions

Under Spanish dominion:

During independence:

  • seizure of Martin Garcia Island in 1814.
  • Landing in Monterey, California, now part of the United States (1817–1818): 200 men commanded by Hipólito Bouchard, 130 of whom were armed with guns and 70 with lances, disembarked one league from the fort of Monterrey, in a creek hidden from the heights. The fort resisted only very weakly, and after an hour-long battle the Argentine flag was raised.

Argentine confederation:

Argentine Republic

Argentine Marines Amtrack in the Falklands patrolling Port Stanley, 1982.

Present

IMARA routinely train in joint exercises with similar units of Brazil, Chile and the United States.[1]

Current deployments

2009: Training on USS Oak Hill

IMARA has two Infantry Companies deployed in Haiti and Cyprus under the auspices of MINUSTAH[2] and UNFICYP respectively in joint operations with the Argentine Army and Argentine Air Force. A small platoon was also deployed in Serbia/UN ProvinceKosovo (NATO KFOR mandate), attached to Argentine Engineers Company, which was in turn attached to the Italian Brigade.

Several Marine Officers and NCO's are routinely deployed as military observers for the UN.

Structure

Argentine Marines have the same rank insignia and titles as the rest of the Navy.

Fleet Marine Force (FAIF)

The FMF was formerly called the Brigada de IM No. 1 ( English: 1st Marine Brigade )

Southern Marine Force (FAIA)

The SMF was formerly called the Fuerza de M No. 1. (English: 1st Marine Force)

River Operations Unit

Marine Security Forces

  • Navy General Staff Security Battalion
  • Puerto Belgrano Naval Base Security Battalion
  • 15 Security Companies at Marine and Naval Air Bases.

Landing Ships

Weapons and vehicles[3]

ERC-90 Recon. Vehicle
VAO - IMARA's Amphibious tracked vehicle LVTP-7
VAR - IMARA's Amphibious wheeled vehicle LARC-Vs with Humvee

3rd Naval Helicopter Sqn. (Bell UH-1H, now in reserve status) was usually attached to the Fleet Marine Force.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Videos from Ops: Intercambio Sur, Anfibio, UNITAS, etc
  2. ↑ (Video Haiti), YouTube
  3. ↑ Armada Argentina - Sitio Oficial
  4. ↑ Youtube video
  5. ↑ Infodefensa.com
  6. ↑ La Infantería de Marina adquirió armamento antitanque descartable

External links

da:ARA

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