Air Force of Peru

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Peru Air Force

Peruvian Air Force Su-22
Active 1950 -
Country Peru
Part of Ministry of Defense
Headquarters The "Little" Pentagon
Battles/wars Ecuadorian-Peruvian war
Cenepa war
Commanders
Leadership Miguel Ángel Gómez Vizcarra
(Commander-In-Chief),
Fernando Villacorta Bazán
(Chief of Staff)
Insignia
Roundel
Aircraft flown
Attack A-37, Mirage 5, Su-22, Su-25
Bomber Canberra
Interceptor MiG-29, Mirage 2000
Reconnaissance Lear Jet 25, Lear Jet 36
Trainer EMB-312, MB-339, Zlin 242
Transport An-32, An-72, Boeing 707, Boeing 737, C-26, DC-8, DHC-6, Falcon 20, F-28, L100, PC-6, Y-12

The Air Force of Peru (Spanish: Fuerza Aérea del Perú, abbreviated FAP) is the branch of the Peruvian Armed Forces tasked with defending the nation and its interests through the use of air power. Additional missions include assistance in safeguarding internal security, conducting disaster relief operations and participating in international peacekeeping operations. It celebrates on July 23 the anniversary of the death of Captain José Quiñones in the war against Ecuador (1941).

Contents

[edit] History

Main article: History of the Air Force of Peru

On May 20, 1929, the aviation divisions of the Peruvian Army and Navy were merged into the Cuerpo de Aviación del Perú (Peruvian Aviation Corps, abbreviated CAP). During the Colombian-Peruvian War of 1933, its Vought O2U Corsair and Curtiss F11 Hawk planes fought in the Amazon region. The corps was renamed Cuerpo Aeronáutico del Perú (Peruvian Aeronautical Corps, also abbreviated CAP) on March 12, 1936. In 1941, the CAP participated in the Peruvian-Ecuadorian War. At that time, the CAP were equipped with Caproni Ca.114 and North American NA-50 Torito fighters, Douglas 8A-3P attack fighters and Caproni Ca.310 Libeccio bombers, among others. During this war, Captain José Quiñones died in action and later became the principal hero of the Air Force of Peru.

During the presidency of Manuel A. Odría the corps was reorganized again and on July 18, 1950 it became the Fuerza Aérea del Perú (Air Force of Peru, abbreviated FAP). The service underwent a period of considerable expansion through out the 1970s and early 1980s which included the introduction of an important number of soviet-made aircraft. In 1982, during the Falklands War, the Peruvian Air Force transferred ten of their Mirage V to the Argentine Air Force as a measure of solidarity. The economic crisis of the later 1980s forced reductions in the fleet size as well as cuts in training and general readiness. Under those conditions the FAP fought the Cenepa War against Ecuador in 1995 and lost nine planes and helicopters. After the war, the FAP acquired new material, including MiG-29 fighters and Su-25 attack fighters which, along with Mirage 2000 fighters, are currently the main combat elements of the FAP.

[edit] Organization

A-37Bs are based at Piura with the 7th Air Group
A-37Bs are based at Piura with the 7th Air Group

The current Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force of Peru is General Miguel Ángel Gómez Vizcarra. Aerial forces are subordinated to the Ministry of Defense and ultimately to the President as Commander-in-Chief of the Peruvian Armed Forces. Operational units are organized as follows:

[edit] Ala Aérea Nº1

1st Air Wing, headquarterd at Piura

  • Grupo Aéreo Nº6 (6th Air Group) based at Chiclayo
  • Grupo Aéreo Nº7 (7th Air Group) based at Piura
  • Grupo Aéreo Nº11 (11th Air Group) based at Talara

[edit] Ala Aérea Nº2

Peruvian MiG-29 at "Falcon - Condor 2007" festival.
Peruvian MiG-29 at "Falcon - Condor 2007" festival.

2nd Air Wing, headquarterd at Callao

  • Grupo Aéreo Nº3 (3rd Air Group) based at Callao
  • Grupo Aéreo Nº8 (8th Air Group) based at Callao

[edit] Ala Aérea Nº3

3rd Air Wing, headquarterd at Arequipa

  • Grupo Aéreo Nº2 (2nd Air Group) based at Vítor
  • Grupo Aéreo Nº4 (4th Air Group) based at La Joya
  • Grupo Aéreo Nº51 (51st Training Group) based at Pisco

[edit] Ala Aérea Nº5

5th Air Wing, headquarterd at Iquitos

  • Grupo Aéreo Nº42 (42nd Air Group) based at Iquitos

[edit] Personnel

MB-339s are used for advanced training.
MB-339s are used for advanced training.
Personnel (as of 2001) [1]
Commissioned Officers 1,909
Non-commissioned officers 7,559
Cadets 325
NCO in training 296
Enlisted 7,880
Civilians 8,708
Total 17,969 (excl. civilians)

[edit] Equipment

Numbers shown below are derived from open sources, they should be regarded as estimates due to lack of confirmation from official sources and the fact that undetermined quantities of equipment are non-operational due to lack of funds. [2]

Combat aircraft

Mirage 2000P on display.
Mirage 2000P on display.

Trainers

Transports

An-32s form the bulk of the transport force.
An-32s form the bulk of the transport force.

Utility Aircraft

Bell 212 armed with rocket pods.
Bell 212 armed with rocket pods.

Helicopters

[edit] Notes

  1. ^  http://www.resdal.org/art-rial.htm, based on Supreme Decree DS No. 69 DE/SG of 2001.
  2. ^  Alejo Marchessini, "La Fuerza Aérea del Perú". Defensa 295: 30-42 (November 2002).

[edit] Sources

  • Cobas, Efraín, Las Fuerzas Armadas Peruanas en el Siglo XXI. CESLA, 2003.
  • Marchessini, Alejo, "La Fuerza Aérea del Perú".
    Defensa 295: 30-42 (November 2002).
  • Marchessini, Alejo, "La aviación de combate de origen ruso de la FAP".
    Defensa 342: 34-36 (October 2006).

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

 
Military of Peru		 Flag of Peru
Army of Peru | Navy of Peru | Air Force of Peru
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