Editor's Foreword

76 The MiLiTAry BALAnCe 2010
EQUIPMENT By TyPE
SUBMARINES • TACTICAL 4
SSK 2 Pijao (GER T-209/1200) each with 8 single 533mm
TT with 14 SUT HWT
SSI 2 Intrepido (ITA SX-506, SF delivery)
PRINCIPAL SURFACE COMBATANTS • CORVETTES
FSG 4 Almirante Padilla (undergoing modernisation
programme) each with 2 quad (8 eff.) with MM-40 Exocet
tactical SSM, 2 B515 ILAS-3 triple 324mm each with A244
LWT, 1 76mm gun, 1 Bo-105 / AS-555SN Fennec utl hel
PATROL AND COASTAL COMBATANTS 86
PSOH 1 Reliance
PFO 1 Espartana (ESP Cormoran)
PCO 3:
2 Lazaga
1 Pedro de Heredia (US tugs) with 1 76mm gun
PFC 1 Quita sueno (US Asheville) with 1 76mm gun
PCC 2 Toledo
PCI 10: 2 Jaime Gomez; 2 Jose Maria Palas (Swiftships 105);
2 Castillo Y Rada (Swiftships 110); 4 Point
PCR 68: 2 Nodriza (PAF-VII/VIII); 6 Nodriza (PAF-II)
with B212 or B412 hel; 3 Arauca; 20 Delfin; 4 Diligente;
11 Rio Magdalena; 2 Rotork; 11 Andromeda (ex-Pirahna); 9
LPR-40 Tenerife (Further vessels on order)
AMPHIBIOUS 8:
LCM 1 LCM-8
LCU 7 Morrosquillo (LCU – 1466)
LOGISTICS AND SUPPORT 6:
AG 2 Luneburg (ex-GER, depot ship for patrol vessels)
AGOR 2 Providencia
AGS 1
ABU 1
FACILITIES
Bases Located at Puerto Leguízamo, Buenaventura,
(Pacific) Málaga, (Main HQ) Catagena,
Barrancabermeja, Puerto Carreño, Leticia, Puerto
Orocue, Puerto Inirida
naval Aviation 146
AIRCRAFT
MP 3: 2 CN-235MPA Persuader (Additional 2 ordered);
1 PA-31 Navajo (upgraded for ISR)
TPT 3: 1 C-212 (Medevac); 2 Cessna 208 Caravan,
UTL 5: 4 Cessna 206; 1 PA-31 Navajo
HELICOPTERS
ASW 2 AS-555SN Fennec
UTL 8: 2 Bo-105; 4 Bell 412; 1 Bell 212; 1 BK-117
Marines 14,000
FORCES By ROLE
SF 1 bn; 2 (River) gp
Marine 1 bde (3 Marine bn, 2 COIN bn & 1 cmd & spt
bn); 3 (River) bde (one with 3 marine inf bn;
second with 3 marine inf bn, 3 assault inf bn
& 1 cmd & spt bn; third with 4 marine inf bn)
EQUIPMENT By TyPE
no hy equipment
APC (W) 8 BTR-80A (12 on order)
ARTY
MOR 97: 20 81mm; 77 Commando 60mm
Air Force 13,134
6 Combat Air Commands (CACOM) plus. CACOM 7
(former Oriental Air Group) responsible for air ops in
specific geographic area. Flts can be deployed or ‘loaned’
to a different CACOM
CACOM 1. (Capitán Germán Olano Air Base) operates 6
sqn (1 with Kfir C-7; 1 with Mirage-5COAM (maybe only
6 op), Mirage-5CODM (command post); 1 with AC-47T,
Hughes 369; 1 with PA-31, 1 PA-42, UH-1H; 1 with T-37C)
and is dedicated to air defence and combat training.
CACOM 2. (CT. Luis F. Gómez Niño Air Base) operates 4
sqn (1 with OV-10; 1 with EMB-312 Tucano*; 1 with EMB-
314 Super Tucano*; 1 with MD500, UH-1H) and is dedicated
to counter-insurgency and offensive operations.
CACOM 3. (Mayor General Alberto Pauwels Rodríguez
Air Base) operates 2 sqn (1 with Super Tucano; 1 with Bell
212, C-95, Queen Air, T-41D*) and is dedicated to SAR and
MP operations along the Caribbean Coast.
CACOM 4. (Teniente Coronel Luis Franciso Pinto Parra Air
Base) operates 5 hel sqn (1 with Hughes 369; 1 with UH-1H,
Hughes 369; 1 with Bell 206, Hughes 369; 2 trg sqn with
Bell 206, Enstrom F-28F, UH-1F) and is dedicated to tactical
support operations and training.
CACOM 5. (Brigadier General Arturo Lema Posada Air Base)
operates 1 gp with AH-60L Arpia III*, UH-60 (CSAR); and is
dedicated to SAR, tpt, and heavy hel support operations.
CACOM 6. (Capitán Ernesto Esguerra Cubides Air Base)
operates 2 sqn with Schweizer SA-2-337, Cessna IV,
Fairchild C-26B, Ce-208 and B-300 Super King Air; and is
dedicated to counter-insurgency operations.
FORCES By ROLE
Ftr/FGA/
Recce
1 sqn with Kfir C-10/12; 1 sqn with Mirage-
5COAM, Mirage- 5CODM (used as command
post); 1 sqn with AC-47T, Hughes 369; 1 sqn
with A-37B/OA-37B; 1 sqn with OV-10; 1
sqn with EMB-312 Tucano*; 1 sqn with EMB-
314/A-29 Super Tucano
Elint/EW 2 sqn with Schweizer SA-2-337, Cessna IV,
Fairchild C-26B, Ce-208, B-300 Super King Air
SAR/ MP 1 sqn with Bell 212, C-95, Queen Air, T-41D*
Tpt 1 sqn with C-130B, C-130H; 1 sqn with CN-
235M, Arava, C-212, King Air C90, Do-328; 1
(Presidential) sqn with B-727, B-707 (tkr/tpt),
B-737-700 (BBJ), B-767ER, C295-M, F-28, Bell
412, Bell 212
Hel 1 gp with AH-60L Arpia III*, UH-60 (CSAR); 1
sqn with MD500, UH-1H; 1 sqn with Hughes
369; 1 sqn with UH-1H, Hughes 369; 1 sqn
with Bell 206, Hughes 369; 2 trg sqn with Bell
206, Enstrom F-28F, UH-1F
Trg 1 (primary trg) sqn with PA-31, PA-42, UH-
1H; 1 sqn with T-37C; 1 (primary trg) sqn with
T-41D*; 1 sqn basic trg with T-34
EQUIPMENT By TyPE
AIRCRAFT 90 combat capable
FGA 31: 24 Kfir (10 C-2 (being upgraded to C-10), 10
C-12, 4 TC-7); 5 Mirage-5COAM; 2 Mirage-5CODM
CCT/TRG 59: 8 AC-47T; 10 A-37B/OA-37B Dragonfly; 25
A-29 Super Tucano; 4 T-37C; 12 EMB-312 Tucano