Venezuelan Air Force
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| Venezuelan Air Force Aviación Militar Venezolana |
|
|---|---|
| Active | 1946 - |
| Country | Venezuela |
| Insignia | |
| Roundel |  |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Attack | Mirage III, OV-10, |
| Fighter | Su-30, F-16, VF-5 |
| Trainer | C182, SF-260, EMB-312 |
| Transport | C-130, G.222, |
The Air Force of Venezuela, since 2006: (Spanish) Aviación Militar Venezolana (previously Fuerza Aérea Venezolana, FAV) is a professional armed body designed to defend Venezuela's sovereignty and airspace. It is a component in the Venezuelan armed forces.
Contents |
[edit] History
The birth of the FAV goes back to December 10, 1920 when the Military Aviation school of Venezuela was formed. Early aircraft included Farman and Caudron G-3 as well as the amphibian Caudron G-4. The first decades of the FAV saw mainly French, German and Italian influence. After the Second World War, the Air force was reorganised with American aid, eventually leading to the formal inception of the Fuerza Aérea Venezolana, as we know it today, on June 22, 1946.
Most current airbases were built in the 1960s. The main fighter types in those years were Venom, Vampire, and F-86. Bomber squadrons typically operated B-25 Mitchell aircraft. The 70s and 80s saw a considerable increase in capacity, mainly because the rising oil prices enabled the FAV to re-equip most of its units. The mixture of various aircraft types was maintained and Mirage IIIE and V, VF-5A and D, T-2D, OV-10A and E, T-27 were introduced. Venezuela was one of the first export customers for the F-16 which arrived in 1983 to equip the newly formed Grupo Aéreo de Caza 16 at El Libertador Airbase. [1][2]
The Venezuelan military will purchase at least four Mil Mi-28 for the moment. They will be operational by 2009.Also reported that the FAV will purchase at least two IL-76.
FAV purchased 24 Sukhoi Su-30 planes from Russia on July 2005, in response to the spare parts embargo of F-16 planes declared by the United States. Ten of these aircraft are commissioned while 10 others are scheduled to be delivered in 2008.[3]
In 2006, Venezuelan F-16s, F-5s and Mirages participated in the joint exercise Cruzex III held in Brazil along with the air forces of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, France, Peru and Uruguay. [4]
[edit] Organization
The Air Force is organized into four fighter groups, one for each aircraft type in use:
- Group 11 with Mirage 50 planes
- Group 12 with F-5 planes
- Group 16 with F-16 planes
- Group 13 with Su-30MK2 14 planes
[edit] Aircraft in use
- Combat aircraft
- 18 Canadair CF-5 Freedom Fighter
- 18 North American OV-10 Bronco
- 12 Dassault Mirage 50, (to be retired)
- 21 Lockheed F-16 Fighting Falcon, (10 of them operational)
- 24 Sukhoi Su-30MKV Flanker-C (similar with MK2 variant) - 22 commissioned (the remaining 2 are scheduled to arrive in 2008)[5]
- Transport Aircraft
- 1 Airbus A319
- 8 Alenia G.222
- 3 Beechcraft Queen Air 65
- 8 Beech Queen Air 80
- 5 Beechcraft Super King Air
- ? Fairchild C-26 Metroliner
- 2 Boeing 707
- 1 Boeing 737
- 1 Cessna 500 Citation
- 1 Cessna 550 Citation
- 4 Dassault Falcon 20
- 2 Dassault Falcon 50
- 1 Gulfstream II
- 1 Gulfstream III
- 1 Gulfstream IV
- 6 Lockheed C-130H Hercules
- 4 Shorts 360
- 1 Cessna Citation X
- Trainers
- Transport Helicopters
[edit] References
- World Air Forces. Venezuela Air Force. Retrieved on 2007-01-28.
