Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela

The Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela (Spanish: Armada Bolivariana de Venezuela), commonly known as the Venezuelan Navy, is the naval branch of the National Bolivarian Armed Forces of Venezuela.

Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela
Armada Bolivariana de Venezuela
Coat of Arms of the Navy
Founded	1811
Country	Venezuela
Allegiance	President of Venezuela
Branch	National Armed Forces of Venezuela
Type	Navy
Role	Defense of Venezuela's coastline and maritime and inland waters
Size	2 submarines, 3 frigates, 5 OPV, 25 patrol boats,4 landing ship tank, 3 auxiliary ships
Part of	Ministry of the Popular Participation for the Defense
Patron	Virgen del Valle
Motto(s)	Navigare necesse, vivere non necesse (Latin: "Sailing is necessary, but living is not".)
Colors	Navy blue
March	Marcha Epica de las Fuerzas Navales (English: "Grand March of the National Navy")
Anniversaries	July 24, Birthday of Simon Bolivar, Navy Day and Battle of Lake Maracaibo Anniversary
Engagements	Venezuelan War of Independence and the Battle of Lake Maracaibo
Commanders
Minister of the People's Power for Defense of the Republic of Venezuela	General-in-Chief Vladimir Padrino López
Commanding General, Venezuelan Navy	Admiral Giuseppe Alessandrello Cimadevilla
Inspector General, Venezuelan Navy	Vice Admiral Carlos José Vieira Acevedo
Chief of Naval Staff, Venezuelan Navy	Vice Admiral Jorge Martín Hernández Salazar
Notable commanders	José Prudencio Padilla Luis Brión
Insignia
Naval ensign
Naval jack
Flag
Naval jack (1930–2006)

The Venezuelan Navy serves the purpose of defending the naval sovereignty of Venezuela, including inland and fluvial security, and it also serves to prevent illegal activities on Venezuela's borders and collaborates with international organizations to safeguard international waters from criminal activities.

History

The Venezuelan Navy was born as a coastal defense force during the beginning of the Venezuelan War of Independence. In May 1810, Commander Lino de Clemente, a veteran officer of the Spanish Navy who joined the April 1810 coup against the colonial government, was appointed the first Minister of Defense of the republic and began the long building of the armed forces including the formation of the navy. In April 1811 the Nautical School, with Ensign Vicente Parrado as its first superindentent, was opened by order of the national government in La Guaira to train future naval officers, months before the Venezuelan Declaration of Independence, thus the Navy's origins start from this date, with its first vessels being those formerly used by the naval forces of the Captaincy General of Venezuela, and participated in its first actions in the campaigns in Guayana in 1811-12, the baptism of fire for the fledgling naval service. Colonel Antonio Mendoza from the Venezuelan Army was its first commanding general.

For a long time their vessels, even if obsolete, were maintained properly by its sailors. In 1937 the Navy acquired from Italy two gunboats of the Azio class and rechristened them General Soublette and General Urdaneta; these ships were retained in service until 1951[1] (for other sources in 1948[2] or 1950[3][4]) and scrapped later.[5][6]

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 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.[7][8] The fleet of ships, headed by the nuclear-powered Pyotr Velikiy, set off from its base at Severomorsk in the Arctic on 22 September. 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 and other accompanying ships". The other ships included a tug boat and supply ships.[9]

Crisis in Venezuela

During the crisis in Venezuela, the Venezuelan Navy became engaged in the conflict when it began to prevent the entry of humanitarian aid into the country.[10] A ship departing from Puerto Rico attempted to ship aid into the Venezuelan port city of Puerto Cabello.[10] Six vessels of the Venezuelan Navy, including the Mariscal Sucre-class frigate Almirante Brion and patrol boats, were deployed to prevent the entry of the aid shipment.[11] The ship, carrying civilians, returned to Puerto Rico after the Venezuelan Navy threatened to "open fire" on the humanitarian ship.[10] Governor of Puerto Rico Ricardo Rossello, who ordered the return of the ship, stated that the act by the Venezuelan Navy was "unacceptable and shameful" and that Puerto Rico "notified our partners in the U.S. government about this serious incident".[12]

On 30 March 2020, the Venezuelan patrol boat Naiguatá sank following its purposeful ramming of the polar ice class cruise liner RCGS Resolute, while in international waters.[13][14] According to RCGS Resolute's owner, the Coast Guard ship had fired shots[14] and ordered the cruise ship to follow it to Margarita Island, a Venezuelan harbour.[15] Naiguatá sank following the ramming, with RCGS Resolute informing the international Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) of the incident and offering assistance. After staying in the area for an hour, RCGS Resolute was informed through MRCC that assistance was not required as Naiguatá's crew had been rescued by the Venezuelan Navy.[16]

Organization of the Navy

As of 2016, Admiral Orlando Miguel Maneiro Gaspar is the Commanding General of the National Navy.[17]

Naval Operations Command

The Naval Operations Command is commanded by the Chief of Naval Operations, currently Vice Admiral Antonio Díaz Clemente.[18] This command is aimed towards the defense of the territorial maritime and inland waters and the coastline of the nation, and by extension into its ground and air territories.

Venezuelan Naval Aviation Command

The command serves as the air arm of the Venezuelan Navy, with responsibility for air operations and transport for the entire Navy.[19]

Coast Guard Command

Headquartered in La Guaira, Vargas, it is responsible for the surveillance of Venezuelas jurisdictional waters.[20]

Current ships

Class	Image	Type	Ships	Origin	Note
Submarine(2)
Type 209		Diesel-electric	S-31 Sábalo S-32 Caribe	Germany	1,810 tonnes
Frigates (3)
Mariscal Sucre class		Missile frigates	F-21 Mariscal Sucre F-22 Almirante Brion F-24 General Soublette	Italy	2,506 tonnes
Offshore patrol vessels (5)
Guaiquerí class		Offshore patrol vessels	PC-21 Guaiquerí PC-23 Yekuana PC-24 Kariña	Spain	2,419 tons
Guaicamacuto class		Offshore patrol vessels	GC-21 Guaicamacuto GC-22 Yavire	Spain	1,453 tons
Gunboat (6)
Constitución class		Gunboat	PC-11 Constitución PC-12 Federación PC-13 Independencia PC-14 Libertad PC-15 Patria PC-16 Victoria	United Kingdom	950 tons
Patrol boat (19)
Petrel class		Patrol boat	PG-31 Petrel PG-32 Alcatraz PG-33 Albatros PG-34 Pelícano	USA
Gavión class		Patrol boat	PG-401 Gavión PG-402 Alca PG-403 Bernacia PG-404 Chamán PG-405 Cormorán PG-406 Colimbo PG-407 Fardela PG-408 Sumarela PG-409 Negrón PG-410 Pigargo PG-411 Pagaza PG-412 Serreta	USA
Págalo class		Patrol boat	PG-51 Págalo PG-52 Caricare	Netherlands
Fernando Gómez de Saa class		Patrol boat	PG-61 TN Fernando Gómez de Saa	Netherlands
Amphibious ship and service ships (11)
Capana class		Landing Ship Tank	T-61 Capana T-62 Esequibo T-63 Goajira T-64 Los Llanos	South Korea	?
Los Frailes class		Service ship	T-91 Los Frailes T-92 Los Testigos T-93 Los Roques T-94 Los Monjes	Cuba	?
Ciudad Bolívar class		Supply ship	T-81 Ciudad Bolívar	South Korea	?
Bricbarc type Simón Bolívar		Training sailboat	BE-11 Simón Bolívar	Spain	?
Punta Brava class		Oceanographic ship	BO-11 Punta Brava	Spain	?

Fleet forces and Coast Guard ship organization

Light frigates

Venezuelan frigates General Salóm (foreground) and Mariscal Sucre conduct maneuvers

• Three Lupo/Mariscal Sucre-class missile frigates class[21]
  • F-21 Mariscal Sucre, in service 1980[22]
  • F-22 Almirante Brion, in service 1981[22]
  • F-24 General Soublette, in service (Modernized in Cuba 2014 - 2016 ?) [22]

Offshore patrol vessels

PC-21 Guaiquerí

• Four Spanish-made offshore patrol vessels of the Guaiquerí class. One ship, PC-22 Warao is out of service. It was taken to Fortaleza, Brazil following a grounding incident in 2012,[23] and subsequently to Rio de Janeiro.[24][25]
  • PC-21 Guaiquerí, in service[26]
  • PC-23 Yekuana, in service
  • PC-24 Kariña, in service

GC-21 Guaicamacuto

• Four Spanish-made offshore patrol vessels of the Guaicamacuto class. One ship, GC-23 Naiguatá, was sunk after it rammed a cruise ship in 2020.[27]
  • GC-21 Guaicamacuto, in service[28]
  • GC-22 Yavire, in service
  • GC-24 Tamanaco, in service

Amphibious and service ships

• Four Capana-class LST.
  • T-61 Capana, into service 1983, as of 2001.[22]
  • T-64 Los Llanos, into service 1983, as of 2001.[22]
• Four Los Frailes-class LST
• One Ciudad Bolívar-class supply ship.
  • T-81 Ciudad Bolívar, in service since 09-23-2001[29]
• One Bricbarc type/Simón Bolívar training sailboat.[30]
  • BE-11 Simón Bolívar, in service since 08-6-1980
• One Almirante Francisco de Miranda-class tugboat[31]
  • RA-11 Almirante Francisco de Miranda, in service since 28-03-2007

Coast guard ships

PG-51, a Damen Stan 2606

• Four USCG Point-class patrol boats, as of 2006.[30]
• 16 Gavion-class patrol boats.
• Damen Stan 2606 vessels, built in Venezuela, similar to the United States Coast Guard's Marine Protector class, as of 2008.[32][33] One already in service, 1 completed, 5 more to be built[34]

Naval aviation assets

CASA 212

Airplanes

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	In service as of 2012[35]	Notes
CASA C-212-200 Patrullero	Spain	Maritime Patrol aircraft	C-212-200S43 Patrullero	3
CASA C-212-400 Aviocar	Spain	Transport aircraft	C-212-400 Aviocar	4
Beechcraft Super King Air	USA	Transport/liaison aircraft	B200 B90	1 1
Turbo Commander	U.S.	Transport aircraft		1

Note: The Navy has others two or three light aircraft.

Helicopters

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	In service as of 2012[35]	Notes
Bell 412 Bell 212	U.S.	Assault/transport helicopter		10 (9)	One Bell 212 was taken out of service following an accident on 31 May 2018, which killed the pilot.[36]
Mil Mi-17	Russia	Assault/transport helicopter	Mi-17V-5	6
Bell 206	U.S.	Training light helicopter	TH-57A	2
Harbin Z-9	China	Anti-submarine warfare		8 on order	First delivery was planned for 2015, as of 2019 no unit has been seen operating the type. [37]

List of Commanders of the Navy

Commanders of the Boliviarian Navy of Venezuela
Commanding general	Term of office
COL ANTONIO MENDOZA	1811 - 1812
ADM LUIS BRION DETROX	1816 - 1820
VADM LINO DE CLEMENTE Y PALACIOS	1820 - 1822
RADM AGUSTIN ARMARIO	1822 - 1827
CPT FELIPE SANTIAGO	1827 - 1828
RADM RENATO BELUCHE LAPORTE	1828 - 1829
CPT FELIPE SANTIAGO	1829 - 1830
CDR JOAQUÍN QUINTERO	1860
GEN MANUEL E., BRUZUAL	1863 - 1868
RADM JOSE RAMON YEPES MOREN	1874 - 1879
GEN FROILAN ANZOLA AQUINO	1879
GEN AGUSTIN COLL FONT	1879 - 1880
BRIG/RADM RAMON GIMENEZ GOMEZ	1880
GEN CARLOS T IRWIN	1880 - 1882
GEN FRANCISCO VARGUILLAS AQUINO	1886
GEN FRANCISCO CARABAÑO	1886 - 1888
GEN ANDRES EUSEBIO LEVEL	1888 - 1892
GEN JOSE A PEREZ CALVO	1892
GEN MARTIN JOSE VELARDE	1892 - 1894
GENERAL MANUEL ANTONIO SANCHEZ	1894 - 1895
GENERAL MANUEL SALVADOR BRICEÑO	1895 - 1896
GENERAL RAMON GORDILS	1896 - 1897
COL J M ESPAÑA NUÑEZ	1897 - 1902
COMMO MANUEL VICENTE CASTRO ZAVALA	1902 - 1910
COMMO ISMAEL PEREIRA ALVAREZ	1910 - 1914
GEN DR. NUMA POMPILIO OSUNA	1914 - 1917
COL MARIANO HENRIQUE LOPEZ MENDEZ	1917 - 1931
COL CARLOS SANCHEZ	1931 - 1936
CPT FELIPE LARRAZÀBAL	1936 - 1940
CPT ANTONIO PICARDI	1940 - 1945
RADM MANUEL ANTONIO VEGA GARCIA	1945 - 1947
CDR WOLFGANG LARRAZÀBAL UGUETO	1947 - 1949 (first term)
CPT OSCAR EMILIO GHERSY GOMEZ	1949 - 1958
RADM WOLFGANG LARRAZABAL UGUETO	1958 (second term, acting)
RADM CARLOS LARRAZABAL UGUETO	1958 - 1962
RADM RICARDO SOSA RIOS	1962 - 1964
RDML JUAN PEDRO TORREALBA MORALES	1964 - 1967
RADM JESUS CARBONELL IZQUIERDO	1967 - 1969
RDML JOSE CONSTANTINO SEIJAS VILLALOBOS	1969 - 1973
RDML ARMANDO PEREZ LEEFMANS	1973 - 1974
RDML ALFONSO MENDOZA RAMIREZ	1974 - 1976
RADM FELIX JESUS MENDOZA ACOSTA	1976 - 1977
RADM MAGIN MOISES LA GRAVE FRY	1977 - 1979
RDML ERNESTO JOSE REYES LEAL	1979 - 1980
RADM JESUS RAFEL BERTORELLI MORENO	1980 - 1983
RADM HAROLDO JOSE RODRIGUEZ FIGUEROA	1983 - 1984
RADM JUSTO PASTOR FERNANDEZ MARQUEZ	1984 - 1986
RADM DIOFANTE ANTONIO TORREALBA CHAPARRO	1986 - 1987
RADM FAUSTINO EDUVIGIS ALVARADO RODRIGUEZ	1987 - 1989
RADM HECTOR RICARDO JURADO TORO	1989 - 1990
RADM JUAN ARGENIS GARCIA	1990 - 1991
RADM IGNACIO PEÑA CIMARRO	1991 - 1993
RADM JULIAN ENRIQUE MAUCO QUINTANA	1993 - 1994
RADM CARLOS AUGUSTO RAMOS FLORES	1994 - 1995
RADM JESUS ENRIQUE BRICEÑO GARCIA	1995 - 1996
RADM OSCAR JOSE MORALES MARTINEZ	1996 - 1997
RADM JULIO HENRY CHACON HERNANDEZ	1997 - 1999
RADM OSWALDO PASCUAL QUINTANA CASTRO	1999 - 2000
RADM JORGE M., SIERRAALTA ZAVARCE	2000 - 2002
RADM FERNANDO MIGUEL CAMEJO ARENAS	2002 - 2003
RADM RAMON ORLANDO MANIGLIA FERREIRA	2003 - 2004 (Later appointed Minister of Defense)
RADM ARMANDO JOSE LAGUNA LAGUNA	2004 - 2007
RADM BENIGNO REMIGIO CALVO Díaz	2007 - 2008
VADM ZAIM QUINTANA CASTRO	2008 - 2009
VADM CARLOS ANIASI TURCHIO	2010 - 2011
VADM DIEGO MOLERO BELLAVIA	2011 - 2012 (Later appointed Minister of Defense)
VADM DIEGO ANTONIO GUERRA BARRETO	2012 - 2013
VADM GILBERTO AMILCAR PINTO BLANCO	2013 - 2014
VADM JAIRO AVENDAÑO QUINTERO	2014 - 2015
VADM FRANKLIN MONTPLAISIER	2015–2016
VADM ORLANDO GASPAR	2016–2017
VADM EDGLIS EMILIO BALZA	2017-2018
VADM GIUSEPPE CIMADEVILLA	2018–present

Naval ranks

Professional and enlisted

Equivalent NATO code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5						OR-4				OR-3		OR-2						OR-1
Bolivarian Armada of Venezuela
	Sargento Supervisor			Sargento Ayudante			Sargento mayor de Primera		Sargento mayor de Segunda		Sargento mayor de Tercera			Sargento Primero			Sargento Segundo						Cabo Primero				Cabo Segundo				Distinguido				Marinero Raso

Officers

Equivalent NATO code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D) and student officer
Bolivarian Armada of Venezuela	No equivalent																								Unknown
			Almirante en Jefe		Almirante		Vicealmirante		Contraalmirante		Capitán de Navío		Capitán de Fragata		Capitán de Corbeta		Teniente de Navío		Teniente de Fragata			Alferez de Navío

See also

• Venezuelan Marine Corps

References

1. "Тральщики и минные заградители Италии". Archived from the original on 10 November 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
2. "...:: Museo della Cantieristica ::..." Archived from the original on 24 December 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
3. "Корабли, лодки, яхты…". Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
4. Battleships.ru Archived December 3, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
5. "Italian Dardanelli, ARV General Soublette - Warships 1900-1950". Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
6. "oceania / IN Ostia-1926". Archived from the original on 27 October 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
7. http://wcbstv.com/national/hugo.chavez.venezuela.2.822252.html
8. Reuters: Russia says to send battleship to Caribbean Sea
9. "Russian navy sails to Venezuela". BBC News. September 22, 2008. Archived from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved April 26, 2010.
10. "Venezuela navy threatened to "open fire" on U.S.-financed aid ship, Puerto Rico's governor says". CBS News. Archived from the original on 2019-02-24. Retrieved 2019-02-24.
11. "La llegada de la ayuda humanitaria en Venezuela, en directo: Maduro frena la entrada con violencia". El Mundo (in Spanish). 2019-02-23. Archived from the original on 2019-02-24. Retrieved 2019-02-24.
12. Polanco, Anggy; Armas, Mayela; Bocanegra, Nelson (24 February 2019). "Venezuela's Guaido says "all options open" after Maduro blocks aid". Thomson Reuters Foundation. Archived from the original on 24 February 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
13. "The Strange Saga of RCGS Resolute". The Maritime Executive.
14. Gibbs, Stephen (3 April 2020). "Venezuelan navy ship sinks after ramming reinforced cruise liner". The Times. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
15. Kévin STORME (3 April 2020). "Un navire de croisière coule un patrouilleur du Vénézuela". Le Marin (in French). Archived from the original on 4 April 2020. Retrieved 4 April 2020. According to CCS, the patrol ship contacted RCGS Resolute before ordering him to follow him to Margarita Island.
16. "Kriegsschiff rammt Passagierschiff und sinkt". Bild (in German). Retrieved 2 April 2020.
17. "Armada Bolivariana de Venezuela - Comandante". Archived from the original on 24 December 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
18. "Armada Bolivariana de Venezuela - Poder Naval". Archived from the original on 12 January 2015. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
19. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-04-06. Retrieved 2015-08-01.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
20. Jane's Fighting Ships 2005-2006, ISBN 0-7106-2692-4 p.923
21. John Pike. "Venezuela Warships". Archived from the original on 14 January 2015. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
22. "World Navies Today: Venezuela". 2001-10-26. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
23. Alexandre Galante (2015-04-30). "Crise entre Caracas e Madri congela relação da indústria espanhola com a frota venezuelana - Poder Naval - A informação naval comentada e discutida". Naval.com.br. Retrieved 2020-05-23.
24. "El patrullero oceánico Warao (PC-22) de la Armada de Venezuela será reparado en Brasil". infodefense.com (in Spanish). 9 January 2013. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
25. "El patrullero oceánico Warao de la Armada de Venezuela arriba a Río de Janeiro para su eventual reparación". infodefense.com (in Spanish). 7 March 2013.
26. Archived 2011-10-09 at the Wayback Machine Navantia entrega a la Armada venezolana el primer Patrullero Oceánico de Vigilancia
27. "Venezuelan Navy OPV sinks after collision with passenger ship". Shepherd News. 2 April 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
28. "Navantia Launches and Commissions Two OPVs to Venezuelan Navy". Archived from the original on 2011-08-25. Retrieved 2011-08-29.
29. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-05-31. Retrieved 2010-08-14.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
30. Jane's Fighting Ships 2005-2006, ISBN 0-7106-2692-4 p.925
31. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-02-02. Retrieved 2015-02-28.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
32. Mauricio Miranda (2008-02-26). "Analizan adquisición de un guardacostas en Venezuela" [Analyze acquisition of a cutter in Venezuela]. El Nuevo Diario. Archived from the original on 2014-02-19. Retrieved 2012-02-02.
33. "Casi listo patrullero venezolano similar al ofertado a Nicaragua" [Almost ready like Venezuelan patrol offered to Nicaragua]. Nuestro Mar. 2008-03-06. Archived from the original on 2014-02-01. Retrieved 2012-02-02.
34. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-08-08. Retrieved 2015-08-01.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
35. World Air Forces 2013 Archived 2013-01-13 at the Wayback Machine - Flightglobal.com, pg 30, December 11, 2012
36. "Una teniente de fragata muerta y un oficial herido tras precipitarse helicóptero a tierra en Puerto Cabello - El Carabobeño". El Carabobeño (in Spanish). 2018-05-31. Retrieved 2018-06-01.
37. [ http://dmilt.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7868:venezuela-navy-orders-chinese-z-9-asw-helicopters&catid=35:latin-america&Itemid=58 Venezuela; Navy orders Chinese Z-9 ASW helicopters] - Dmilt.com, 7 September 2013

External links

• (in Spanish) Sitio oficial del Ministerio del Poder Popular para la Defensa de Venezuela
• (in Spanish) Sitio oficial de la Armada Bolivariana de Venezuela