Ecuadorian Navy

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Ecuadorian Navy
Armada del Ecuador
Armada del Ecuador.JPG
Ecuadorian Navy insignia
Active 1832 - present
Country  Ecuador
Branch Navy
Size 9,127[1]
2 frigates
6 corvettes
2 submarines
3 fast attack craft
8 Auxiliary ship
Part of Military of Ecuador
Anniversaries 25 July, Navy Day and the anniversary of the Battle of Jambeli
Engagements Ecuadorian-Peruvian War 1941
Commanders
Commander-in-chief of the Navy Rear Admiral Luis Santiago Chávez
Insignia
Ecuadorian Naval Jack Naval Jack of Ecuador.svg
Naval Aviation roundel Ecuadorian Naval Aviation Roundel.svg

The Ecuadorian Navy is responsible for the surveillance and protection of national maritime territory and has a personnel of 9,127[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).

Mission

Organize, 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 whom are able to fulfill this 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 25 July 1941 during the Ecuadorian–Peruvian War, the gunboat Calderon commanded by Rafael Morán Valverde encountered the 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. The Calderon was unharmed in the skirmish and according to Ecuador, the Peruvian Villar suffered from damages, allegation that has always been refuted by Perú.[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 seagoing assets are based at Guayaquil.

Active ships

Currently[when?] 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 diesel-electric submarine Type 209/1300 Yes [5]
BAE Huancavilca (S102)  Germany diesel-electric submarine Type 209/1300 No On September 16, 2011, the submarine BAE Huancavilca, arrival to ASMAR shipyard, to undergo a modernization.[6]
Guided missile frigates (2 in service)
BAE Morán Valverde (FM-01)  United Kingdom guided missile frigate Condell-class frigate Yes extensively refitted between April 2004 and December 2005. Acquired from Chile in March, 2008.[7]
BAE Presidente Eloy Alfaro (FM-02)  United Kingdom guided missile frigate Condell-class frigate Yes acquired from Chile in March, 2008.
Guided missile corvettes (6 in service)
BAE Esmeraldas (CM-11)  Italy guided missile corvette Tipo 550 class corvette Yes refitted in 2006 under the Esmeraldas program[8]
BAE Manabí (CM-12)  Italy guided missile corvette Tipo 550 class corvette Yes
BAE Los Rios (CM-13)  Italy guided missile corvette Tipo 550 class corvette No In modernization in ASTINAVE, Guayaquil [9]
BAE El Oro (CM-14)  Italy guided missile corvette Tipo 550 class corvette Yes
BAE Galápagos (CM-15)  Italy guided missile corvette Tipo 550 class corvette Yes
BAE Loja (CM-16)  Italy guided missile corvette Tipo 550 class corvette Yes
Fast attack craft (3 in service)
LAE Quito (LM-25)  Germany fast attack craft TNC 45 Seawolf class Yes
LAE Guayaquil (LM-26)  Germany fast attack craft TNC 45 Seawolf class Yes
LAE Cuenca (LM-27)  Germany fast attack craft TNC 45 Seawolf 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)[10]
BAE Atahualpa (TR-63)  Italy water harbour tanker Brenta type Yes ex-A 5356 Basento
BAE Quisquis (TR-64)  United Kingdom water harbour tanker Waterfall class Yes ex-Waterside (Y-20)[11]
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-USS Chowanoc (ATF-100)[12]
Scientific research vessels (2 in service)
BAE Orion (BI-91)  Japan Oceanographic research ship Orion class Yes
LAE Sirius  Ecuador oceanographic research ship Sirius class Yes [13]

Naval Weapon Systems

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 corvette
MBDA 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
Black Shark  Italy 533 mm heavyweight torpedo A-184 mod 3 Type 209 submarine [14]
Atlas Elektronik SST  Germany 533 mm heavyweight torpedo SST-4 mod 0 Type 209 submarine

Naval aviation

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[15] 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 SeaRanger		  United States training helicopter 206B
TH-57A		 3
3
Bell 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.[16]
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 [17]
IAI Searcher  Israel patrol UAV Searcher III 4 [18]
Utility Aircraft
Beechcraft Super King Air  United States light transport B200
B300
B350		 2
1
1
CASA 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.[19] In 2011 Ecuador ordered four 26.5 metres (87 ft) patrol vessels based on the Damen Stan 2600 design for the Coast Guard.[20][21][22][23]

Marines

The Naval Infantry Corps (Cuerpo de Infanteria de Marina) was formed on 12 November 1962. It maintains a strength of around 1700[24] 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 Humvees. 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

  • 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).

  • An Ecuadorian Marine with a HK-33 rifle, during an amphibious assault exercise (UNITAS), in the background an US Amphibious Assault Vehicle.

  • Submarino Shyri.jpg

    Ecuadorian submarine B.A.E. Shyri in 2003. Ecuador owns two of these Submarines.

  • An Ecuadorian Coast-Guard combat-ship (LG-40) during an exercise.

  • The Ecuadorian corvette BAE El Oro (CM 14) during an exercise.

  • The Ecuadorian Navy corvette BAE Manabi (CM 12) during an exercise.

  • The School ship Guayas on a visit in Argentina.

  • The Guayas in Sweden (2008).

  • Ecuadorian Sailors assigned to the Ecuadorian Corvette BAE El Oro (CM 14).

  • Ecuadorian Navy ship Guayas, visiting Pearl Harbor.

  • 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.

  • Acquired in 1991 from the Royal Navy. The "Morán Valverde" was decommissioned October 2008.

  • Along with her sister ship Almirante Lynch, and renamed BAE Eloy Alfaro (FM 01). Both ships were handed over by the Chilean Navy to the Navy of Ecuador on 18 April 2008.[25]

  • 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.

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 A Comparative Atlas Of Defence In Latin America / 2014 Edition
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Nikolay Mityukov. "Zagadka boya v prolivye Hambeli" (Mystery of a skirmish in Jambeli channel), Tekhnika i Vooruzhenie 10/2005, p. 28-31 (Russian)
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ http://www.elciudadano.gob.ec/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=36938:termino-proceso-de-modernizacion-del-submarino-shyri-en-los-astilleros-de-chile&catid=40:actualidad&Itemid=63 in Spanish
  6. ↑ http://www.armada.cl/submarino-ecuatoriano-recalo-en-asmar-talcahuano/prontus_armada/2011-11-16/164805.html In Spanish
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ http://www.astinave.com.ec/ in Spanish
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ http://www.armada.mil.ec/wp-content/uploads/Books/fuerza-operativa/index.html#9/z
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Ecuadorian Navy receives delivery of two Bell 430's from URS PDF
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ [1]
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ [2]
  25. ↑ Armada de Chile website (Spanish)

External links

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