Argentine Naval Prefecture

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Argentine Naval Prefecture
Prefectura Naval Argentina
Abbreviation PNA
Motto Robur et quies iuxta litora et in undis
Valour and safety in coasts and waters
Agency Overview
Formed June 1810
Legal personality Governmental agency
Jurisdictional Structure
Federal agency
(Operations jurisdiction)		 Argentina
Legal jurisdiction As per operations jurisdiction.
General nature
Specialist jurisdiction Water ways and bodies and-or coastal areas
Operational Structure
Headquarters Ave. E. Madero 235, Buenos Aires
Agency executives
  • Carlos Edgardo Fernandez, Prefect
  • Ricardo Rodriguez, Subprefect
Zones
10
Facilities
Helicopters 7
Planes 10
Website
http://www.prefecturanaval.gov.ar/
Footnotes
Phone: 54 11 4318 7400

The Argentine Naval Prefecture, in Spanish Prefectura Naval Argentina or PNA, is a military service of the Argentine Interior Ministry charged with protecting the country's rivers and maritime territory. It therefore fulfills the functions of other countries' coast guards, and furthermore acts as a gendarmerie force policing navigable rivers.

A Prefecture vessel in the port of Mar del Plata.
A Prefecture vessel in the port of Mar del Plata.

Contents

[edit] History

The Prefecture was officially founded by the Argentine government in June of 1810. The first commander of the force was Colonel Martin Jacobo Thompson.

The Prefecture had a minor role in the Falklands War (Spanish: Guerra de las Malvinas ). Two PNA patrol vessels, the Islas Malvinas (GC-82) and the Rio Iguazu (GC-83), were sent to provide an Argentine coastguard service to the islands. According to the Prefecture, the Rio Iguazu shot down a British Sea Harrier on 22nd May, although this alleged incident does not tally with British officially recognised losses of aircraft in the war, there being no known (officially recognised) loss of a Sea Harrier on this date.

However it is undisputed that the Prefecture did come into contact with British aircraft and one member of the vessel's crew was killed while firing a 12.7 mm machine gun at the Harrier.[citation needed]

The patrol vessel Islas Malvinas was captured and used by the Royal Navy, as HMS Tiger Bay.

[edit] General Organization

The PNA is subordinate to the Ministry of Interior. The organization is headed by the National Naval Prefect (Prefecto Nacional Naval), currently Prefect-General Carlos Edgardo Fernandez, assisted by the Deputy National Naval Prefect (Subprefecto Nacional Naval), currently Prefect-General Ricardo Rodriguez.

The Prefecture's main facility is located in the Edificio Guardacostas (which translates as "the Coastguard Building") at 235 E. Madero Avenue, Buenos Aires.

The PNA headquarters is divided into three main departments, each headed by a Director-General with the rank of Prefecto General. These are each divided into a number of directorates, each headed by a Director with the rank of Prefect-General (Prefecto General).

  • Dirección General de Seguridad (Directorate-General of Security)
    • Dirección de Operaciones (Directorate of Operations)
    • Dirección de Policía de Seguridad de la Navegación (Directorate of Navigation Security Police)
    • Dirección de Policía Judicial, Protección Marítima y Puertos (Directorate of Judicial Police, Maritime Protection and Ports)
    • Dirección de Protección Ambiental (Directorate of Environmental Protection)
  • Dirección General de Logística (Directorate-General of Logistics)
    • Dirección de Personal (Directorate of Personnel)
    • Dirección de Material (Directorate of Materiel)
    • Dirección de Educación (Directorate of Education)
    • Dirección de Administración Financiera (Directorate of Financial Administration)
    • Dirección de Bienestar (Directorate of Welfare)
  • Dirección General de Planeamiento y Desarrollo (Directorate-General of Planning and Development)
    • Dirección de Planeamiento (Directorate of Planning)
    • Secretaría General (Secretariat-General; headed by the Secretary-General, a Prefecto Mayor)
A PNA boat patrolling near Tigre, Argentina
A PNA boat patrolling near Tigre, Argentina

the Intelligence Service (Servicio de Inteligencia) is directly responsible to the National Naval Prefect and is also headed by a Prefect-General.

[edit] Regional organization

The PNA is divided into ten zones:

[edit] Prefect-General and other ranks

The highest rank of Prefect-General is held by the National Naval Prefect and many of the most senior officers of the prefecture, such as the directors of the different directrates of the national headquarters. It corresponds to the flag officer ranks of the Argentine and other navies.

Officer ranks are as follows:

  • Prefect-General
  • Prefect-Major or Senior Prefect: Equivalent Commonwealth/US naval rank of Captain
  • Principal Prefect: Equivalent to the Commonwealth/US naval rank of Commander
  • Prefect: Equivalent to the Commonwealth/US naval rank of Lieutenant-Commander
  • Sub-prefect
  • Principal Officer
  • Adjutant Officer
  • Auxiliary Officer: Equivalent to the Commonwealth naval rank of Midshipman

The non-commissioned ranks are variations on the ranks of "sub-officer" and "corporal". They are the same as the other ranks of the Argentine Navy.

[edit] Inventory

The PNA operates a small air fleet of 17 aircraft, including 10 helicopters.

Aircraft Origin Type Versions In service[1] Notes
Aérospatiale AS 330 Puma Flag of France France Transport helicopter SA 330L 1
CASA C-212 Aviocar Flag of Spain Spain Maritime Patrol / Transport C-212-300 5
Aérospatiale AS 365N2 Dauphin Flag of France France Search and rescue AS 365N2 3
Piper PA-28 Cherokee Flag of the United States United States Utility 2
Schweizer (Hughes) 300 Flag of the United States United States Utility helicopter 300C 6

[edit] Illegal fishing

The Prefectura is constantly battling illegal fishing vessels in the Argentine Exclusive Economic Zone (ZEE), mostly from eastern countries. The Navy also collaborates in detection of such ships with their P-3 Orion and Beechcraft BE-200 Cormoran maritime surveillance aircraft.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ "World Military Aircraft Inventory", Aerospace Source Book 2007, Aviation Week & Space Technology, January 15, 2007.

[edit] External links

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