Peruvian Navy

Peruvian Navy Marina de Guerra del Perú
Coat of arms of the Peruvian Navy
Active	8 October 1821 - today
Country	Peru
Allegiance	Ministry of Defense
Branch	Navy
Size	25,988 active personnel 51 ships, 33 aircraft
Naval Headquarters	Callao Naval Base
Patron	Miguel Grau Seminario
Anniversaries	October 8 - Navy's Foundation Day and Anniversary of the Battle of Angamos
Fleet	6 Submarine 1 Cruiser 7 Frigate 6 Corvette 2 Landing Ship, Tank 6 River gunboat 2 Training Ship (21 Auxiliaries)
Engagements	Gran Colombia-Peru War War of the Peru-Bolivian Confederation Chincha Islands War War of the Pacific Ecuadorian–Peruvian War
Commanders
Commander-in-Chief	Nicolás Ríos Polastri[1]
Insignia
Flag
Naval Ensign
Naval Jack
Roundel
Low-visibility roundel

The Peruvian Navy (Spanish: Marina de Guerra del Perú, abbreviated MGP) is the branch of the Peruvian Armed Forces tasked with surveillance, patrol and defense on lakes, rivers and the Pacific Ocean up to 200 nautical miles (370 km; 230 mi) from the Peruvian littoral. Additional missions include assistance in safeguarding internal security, conducting disaster relief operations and participating in international peacekeeping operations.

The Marina de Guerra del Perú celebrates the anniversary of its creation in 1821 on October 8 and also commemorates the decisive Battle of Angamos, the final part of the naval campaign of the War of the Pacific between Peru and Chile at the end of 1879.

History

19th century

The Marina de Guerra del Perú was established on 8 October 1821 by the government of general José de San Martín. Its first actions were undertaken during the War of Independence (1821–1824) using captured Spanish warships. The Peruvian Naval Infantry was also formed during the war with Spain, performing successfully in their first battle where they seized Arica from the Spanish.^[2]

Shortly afterwards it was engaged in the war against the Gran Colombia (1828–1829) during which it conducted a blockade against the seaport of Guayaquil and then helped with the occupation of this city by Peruvian forces. It saw further action during the wars of the Peru-Bolivian Confederacy (1836–1839) and during the Chincha Islands War with Spain (1866).

The breakout of the War of the Pacific (1879–1883) caught the Peruvian Navy unprepared and with inferior forces in comparison with the Chilean Navy. Even so, hit-and-run tactics carried out by Peruvian Admiral Miguel Grau, commander of the ironclad Huáscar, delayed the Chilean advance by six months until his death and defeat at the Battle of Angamos.

20th century

Following the War of the Pacific, the Peruvian Navy had to be rebuilt from the ground up. In 1900 the force amounted to only one cruiser of 1,700 tons displacement, a screw-driven steamer, and ten smaller ships - the latter described by a contemporary British publication as "of no real value".^[3] The lengthy process of expansion and rebuilding started in 1907 with the acquisition in the United Kingdom of the protected cruisers Almirante Grau and Coronel Bolognesi, followed by the arrival of two submarines, Ferré and Palacios, from France in 1911. During the Presidency of Augusto B. Leguía (1919–1930) a Navy Ministry was established as well as a Navy Aviation Corps, both in 1920.

Border conflicts with Colombia in 1911 and 1932 and a war with Ecuador in 1941 saw Peruvian warships involved in some skirmishes in support of the Army. The attack on Pearl Harbor brought World War II to the Pacific and even though Peru did not declare war on the Axis until 1945, its Navy was involved in patrol missions against possible threats by the Imperial Japanese Navy from early 1942 up to mid-1945.

During the 1970s and the first half of the 1980s the Peruvian Navy carried out a major buildup programme^[4] which allowed it to take advantage over its traditional rival, the Chilean Navy. The navy purchased one cruiser the BAP Almirante Grau (CLM-81) from the Netherlands, eight Carvajal-class frigates from Italy – four newly purchased and four ex-Lupo-class frigates – as well as six PR-72P-class corvettes from France. The buildup proved to be temporary due to the economic crisis of the second half of the 1980s, forcing the decommissioning of several warships and resulting in a general lack of funds for maintenance.

The economic upturn of the 1990s and into the 2000s would later permit some improvement, although at a reduced force level compared to the early 1980s.

21st century

The Peruvian Navy, United States Navy and Russian Navy, are the only remaining navies which operate cruisers.

In 2011, the Carvajal-class frigates began to be modernized by the Peruvian Navy.^[5]

SIMA has continued to construct ships for the Navy. In 2013, SIMA partnered with with Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering of South Korea to construct two Makassar-class landing platform docks.^[6] The BAP Pisco (AMP-156) was launched on 25 April 2017 and provides Peru with increased capabilities in expeditionary warfare, with the ability to accommodate Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel, newly purchased LAV IIs and helicopters.^[6][7]

Organization

Peruvian Navy Marina de Guerra del Perú

History History of the Peruvian Navy Battles of the Peruvian Navy Ships Current ships Historic ships Personnel Senior officers Officer rank insignia Enlisted rate insignia Other Naval School

The current Commander-in-Chief of the Peruvian Navy is Admiral Nicolas Rios Polastri. Naval Forces are subordinated to the Ministry of Defense and ultimately to the President as Commander-in-Chief of the Peruvian Armed Forces. They are organized as follows:

• Comandancia General de la Marina (Navy General Command)
  • Estado Mayor General de la Marina (Navy General Staff)
  • Inspectoría General de la Marina (Navy General Inspectorate)

Operational units are divided between three commands:

Comandancia General de Operaciones del Pacífico

Pacific Operations General Command, it comprises the following units:

• Fuerza de Superficie (Surface Force)
• Fuerza de Submarinos (Submarine Force)
• Fuerza de Aviación Naval (Naval aviation Force)
• Fuerza de Infantería de Marina (Naval Infantry Force)
• Fuerza de Operaciones Especiales (Special Operations Force)

Comandancia General de Operaciones de la Amazonía

Amazon Operations General Command, tasked with river patrolling in the Peruvian portion of the Amazon Basin.

Dirección General de Capitanías y Guardacostas

Coast Guard, tasked with law enforcement on Peruvian territorial waters, rivers and lakes.

Bases

• Ancón - Naval Infantry headquarters and base
• Callao - Main naval base, dockyard and naval aviation base, Naval Medical Center which contains the US Navy unit Naval Medical Research Unit Six
• Chimbote - Minor base and dockyard
• Iquitos - On the Amazon river
• Paita - Minor base
• Pisco - Minor base
• Puno - On Lake Titicaca
• San Juan de Marcona - Naval aviation base

Although most of the fleet is based at Callao, this is not considered an ideal location because it is also the main outlet for Peruvian trade, causing space and security problems. During the 1980s the building of a new naval base at Chimbote was considered but high costs and a bad economic situation made the project unfeasible.^[8]

Personnel

Personnel (as of 2001)[9]
Commissioned Officers	2,107
Non-commissioned officers	16,863
Cadets	620
NCO in training	1,533
Enlisted	4,855
Civilians	5,079
Total	25,988 (excl. civilians)

Ranks

• Ranks of the officers of the Navy ^[10]
• Ranks of the sub-officers of the Navy ^[11]
• Ranks of the enlisted of the navy ^[12]

Ships

Current ships

Vessel	Origin	Type	Class	In service	Notes
Submarines (6 in service)
BAP Angamos (SS-31)	Germany	diesel-electric submarine	Type 209/1200	Yes	ex-BAP Casma.
BAP Antofagasta (SS-32)	Germany	diesel-electric submarine	Type 209/1200	Yes
BAP Pisagua (SS-33)	Germany	diesel-electric submarine	Type 209/1200	Yes
BAP Chipana (SS-34)	Germany	diesel-electric submarine	Type 209/1200	Yes	ex-BAP Blume.
BAP Islay (SS-35)	Germany	diesel-electric submarine	Type 209/1100	Yes	Upgraded in 2008
BAP Arica (SS-36)	Germany	diesel-electric submarine	Type 209/1100	Yes	Upgraded in 2008
Guided missile cruiser (1 in service)
BAP Almirante Grau (CLM-81)	Netherlands	guided missile cruiser	De Zeven Provinciën-class cruiser	Yes	ex-De Ruyter Flagship of the Peruvian Navy
Guided missile frigates (7 in service)
BAP Villavisencio (FM-52)	Italy	guided missile frigate	Carvajal-class frigate	Yes
BAP Montero (FM-53)	Peru	guided missile frigate	Carvajal-class frigate	Yes
BAP Mariátegui (FM-54)	Peru	guided missile frigate	Carvajal-class frigate	Yes
BAP Aguirre (FM-55)	Italy	guided missile frigate	Lupo-class frigate	Yes	ex-Orsa (F-567), overhauled and upgraded in SIMA Callao shipyard along with BAP Bolognesi. Currently in sea trials.
BAP Palacios (FM-56)	Italy	guided missile frigate	Lupo-class frigate	Yes	ex-Lupo (F-564)
BAP Bolognesi (FM-57)	Italy	guided missile frigate	Lupo-class frigate	Yes	ex-Perseo (F-566), overhauled and upgraded in SIMA Callao shipyard with locally-made CMS and ESM systems, a Kronos NV 3D radar, MASS countermeasures system and 4 MM40 Block III Exocet missiles replacing Otomat.[13]
BAP Quiñones (FM-58)	Italy	guided missile frigate	Lupo-class frigate	Yes	ex-Sagittario (F-565)
Guided missile corvettes (6 in service)
BAP Velarde (CM-21)	France	fast attack craft	PR-72P-class corvette	Yes
BAP Santillana (CM-22)	France	fast attack craft	PR-72P-class corvette	Yes
BAP De los Heros (CM-23)	France	fast attack craft	PR-72P-class corvette	Yes
BAP Herrera (CM-24)	France	fast attack craft	PR-72P-class corvette	Yes
BAP Larrea (CM-25)	France	fast attack craft	PR-72P-class corvette	Yes
BAP Sánchez Carrión (CM-26)	France	fast attack craft	PR-72P-class corvette	Yes
Amphibious (2 in service, 1 in construction, 1 ordered)
BAP Paita	Peru	Landing Platform, Dock	Makassar class	No	first ship of its class laid down on 12 July 2013 in the SIMA Callao shipyard[14]
BAP Pisco (AMP-156)	Peru	Landing Platform, Dock	Makassar class	No	second ship is also on order and both are scheduled to be delivered in 2015.[15]
BAP Callao (DT-143)	United States	Landing Ship, Tank	Terrebonne Parish class	Yes	ex-USS Washoe County
BAP Eten (DT-144)	United States	Landing Ship, Tank	Terrebonne Parish class	Yes	ex-USS Traverse County
River gunboats vessels (6 in service)
BAP Loreto (CF-11)	United States	River gunboat	Loreto class	Yes
BAP Amazonas (CF-12)	United States	River gunboat	Loreto class	Yes
BAP Marañón (CF-13)	United Kingdom	River gunboat	Marañón class	Yes
BAP Ucayali (CF-14)	United Kingdom	River gunboat	Marañón class	Yes
BAP Clavero (CF-15)	Peru	River gunboat	Clavero class	Yes	severely damaged by an uncontrolled fire in her first operational deployment on 25 May 2010; leaving two crewmen badly injured.[16] Returned to service on 27 July 2012 during the BRACOLPER 2012 exercise.[17]
BAP Castilla (CF-16)	Peru	River gunboat	Clavero class	Yes	laid down on 9 April 2010 in the SIMA Iquitos shipyard, launched on 8 June 2013 and commissioned on 14 March 2016, second and final ship of its class, has some improvements over its sister ship, mainly in armament[18]
Training ships (2 in service)
BAP Unión (BEV-161)	Peru	Sail training ship	-	Yes	laid down on 8 December 2012 in the SIMA Callao shipyard, commissioned 27 January 2016, with an estimated cost of US$50 millions.[19][20]
BAP Marte (ALY-313)	Canada	Sailing yacht	-	Yes	assigned to the Peruvian Naval School as a training ship
Tugs and support ships (5 in service)
BAP Unanue (AMB-160)	United States	Diving support ship	Sotoyomo class	Yes	ex-USS Wateree
BAP San Lorenzo (ART-323)	Germany	Torpedo recovery vessel	-	Yes
BAP Morales (RAS-180)	Peru	Diving support offshore tugboat	Morales class	Yes	ordered in 2014, 50 TBP class locally designed tugboat, equipped to support diving, firefighting and rescue operations.[21] Delivered in November 2016
BAP Selendón	Peru	Harbour tugboat	20 TBP class tug	Yes	Built in SIMA Callao shipyard, ordered in 2011.[22] Delivered in the first quarter of 2012.
BAP Medina	Peru	Harbour tugboat	20 TBP class tug	Yes	Built in SIMA Callao shipyard, ordered in 2011. Delivered in late 2012.[22]
Tankers and barges (6 in service)
BAP Caloyeras (ACA-111)	United States	Water barge	YW-83 class	Yes	ex-US YW-128
BAP Noguera (ACP-118)	United States	Fuel barge	YO type	Yes	ex-US YO-221
BAP Gauden (ACP-119)	United States	Fuel barge	YO type	Yes	ex-US YO-171
BAP Bayovar (ATP-154)	Russia	Oil tanker	Grigoriy Nesterenko type	Yes	ex-Petr Schmidt
BAP Zorritos (ATP-155)	Russia	Oil tanker	Grigoriy Nesterenko type	Yes	ex-Grigoriy Nesterenko
BAP Tacna (ARL-158)	Netherlands	Replenishment Ship	Amsterdam class	Yes	ex-HNLMS Amsterdam Built in 1995, acquired in July 2014 from the Royal Netherlands Navy, commissioned on 4 December 2014 at the Den Helder naval base, Netherlands.[23]
Hospital vessels (5 in service)
BAP Morona (ABH-302)	Peru	River hospital ship	Morona class	Yes
BAP Corrientes (ABH-303)	Peru	Small river hospital craft	-	Yes
BAP Curaray (ABH-304)	Peru	Small river hospital craft	-	Yes
BAP Pastaza (ABH-305)	Peru	Small river hospital craft	-	Yes
BAP Puno (ABH-306)	United Kingdom	Lake hospital ship	Yavarí class	Yes	ex-Yapura operated by the Peruvian Coast Guard
Scientific research vessels (7 in service)
BIC Humboldt	Peru	Oceanographic research ship	Humboltd class	Yes
BAP Carrasco (BOP-171)	Spain	Oceanographic research ship	NC-704 class	Yes	95-m long steel-hulled vessel designed to operate in the Antarctic region as well as in Peruvian waters. Construction contract signed in December 2014 with Freire Shipyard. Keel-laying scheduled for 22 June 2015, to be delivered July 2016.[24] Commissioned in May 2017.[25]
BAP Stiglich (AH-172)	Peru	Hydrographic survey ship	Morona class	Yes
BAP Zimic (COMBSH-173)	Netherlands	Hydrographic survey ship	Dokkum class	Yes	ex-HNLMS Abcoude minesweeper. ex-BAP Carrasco, repowered in 2006 with 2 Volvo Penta engines at SIMA Callao, in 2015 received a high power multibeam echosounder.
BAP La Macha (AEH-174)	Peru	Hydrographic survey ship	-	Yes
BAP Carrillo (AH-175)	Netherlands	Hydrographic survey ship	van Straelen class	Yes	ex-HNLMS van Hamel minesweeper
BAP Melo (AH-176)	Netherlands	Hydrographic survey ship	van Straelen class	Yes	ex-HNLMS van der Wel minesweeper. Repowered in 2006 with 2 Volvo Penta engines at SIMA Callao.

Museum Ships

Vessel	Origin	Type	Class	Decommissioned	Notes
BAP América (RH-90)	United Kingdom	River gunboat	América class		restored at SIMA Iquitos shipyard, on display in Clavero naval station.
BAP Abtao (SS-42)	United States	Sierra-type submarine[26]	Abtao class	1998	become a museum ship in 2004

Recently Decommissioned Ships

Vessel	Origin	Type	Class	Decommissioned	Notes
BAP Guardian Rios (ARA-123)	United States	Offshore tugboat	Cherokee class	2015	ex-USS Pinto, inactive since 2014, to be scrapped
BAP Dueñas (ARB-126)	United States	Harbour tugboat	PC-461-class	2015	ex-USS PC-1138, decommissioned in 1956 and sold, then first converted into icebreaker and finally into a tugboat (hull shortened), acquired by the Peruvian Navy in 1984. Inactive since 2014, to be scrapped[27]
BAP Unión (ABE-161)	Peru	Transport ship	Ilo class	December 2014	ex-BAP Mollendo (ATC-131). Decommissioned in late 2014, towed to be scrapped in Ecuador.
BAP Carvajal (FM-51)	Italy	guided missile frigate	Carvajal-class frigate	26 December 2013	Transferred to the Coast Guard under the name BAP Guardiamarina San Martin (PO-201) after being stripped down of its missile weaponry and main radar, reclassified as Patrullera Oceánica (Offshore patrol vessel).[28]
BAP Paita (DT-141)	United States	Tank landing ship	Terrebonne Parish class	September 2012	ex-USS Walworth County (LST-1164), sunk as a target during the exercise Independencia
BAP Pisco (DT-142)	United States	Landing Ship, Tank	Terrebonne Parish class	2012	ex-USS Waldo County (LST-1163), scrapped that year after sold.
BAP Ferré (DM-74)	United Kingdom	Guided-missile destroyer	Daring class	13 July 2007[29]	ex-HMS Decoy
BAP Talara (ATP-152)	Peru	Replenishment tanker	Talara class	August 12, 2008[30]	capable of underway replenishment at sea from the stern
BAP Lobitos (ATP-153)	United States	Oil tanker	Sealift Pacific class	July 20, 2008[31]	ex-USNS Sealift Caribbean (T-AOT-174)

Naval Aviation

The Naval Aviation Force ((in Spanish): Fuerza de Aviación Naval, AVINAV) is the air branch of the Peruvian Navy, its roles include anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, maritime surveillance, reconnaissance and transport of marine personnel. It is also responsible for airborne operations of the Peruvian Marines.

Naval infantry

Naval Infantry Brigade

• 1st Naval Infantry Battalion - Ancón
• 2nd Naval Infantry Battalion - Ancón
• Amphibious Support Group
• Fire support Group
• Commando Grouping
• Engineers Unit

Other units

• 3rd Naval Infantry Battalion - Tumbes
• 4th Naval Infantry Battalion - Puno
• 1st Jungle Naval Infantry Battalion - Iquitos
• 2nd Jungle Naval Infantry Battalion - Pucallpa
• Naval Infantry Detachment Litoral Sur - Mollendo

Equipment

Name	Origin	Type	Version	Used by	Notes
Naval artillery
Bofors 152 mm gun	Sweden	dual-purpose naval gun	152/53 model 1942	De Zeven Provinciën-class cruiser
Oto Melara 127/54 Compact Gun	Italy	dual-purpose naval gun	127/54 Compact	Lupo-class frigate
Oto Melara 76/62 Compact Gun	Italy	dual-purpose naval gun	76/62 Compact	PR-72P-class corvette
Oto Melara Twin 40 Compact Gun	Italy	Close-in weapon system (CIWS)	Twin 40L70	De Zeven Provinciën-class cruiser Lupo-class frigate PR-72P-class corvette
Anti-ship missiles
MBDA Otomat	Italy	anti-ship missile (AShM)	Otomat II Block 4	De Zeven Provinciën-class cruiser Lupo-class frigate	on 8 December 2008 an updated Otomat II Block 3 missile was successfully launched from BAP Aguirre, hit a target at a range in excess of 150 km (93 mi).[32]
MBDA Exocet	France	anti-ship missile (AShM)	MM40 Block 3	Lupo-class frigate	four fire control systems and sixteen missiles ordered on 15 December 2010.[33] Scheduled to be installed in the 4 Aguirre class frigates.
MBDA Exocet	France	anti-ship missile (AShM)	MM38	PR-72P-class corvette
MBDA Exocet	France	anti-ship missile (AShM)	AM39 Block 1	ASH-3D Sea King	Land-based. Currently not embarked in any surface unit of the Peruvian Navy
Surface-to-air missile
MBDA Aspide	Italy	surface-to-air missile (SAM)	Aspide 1A	Lupo-class frigate
9K38 Igla	Russia	MANPADS	9K310 Igla-1	PR-72P class corvette Peruvian Naval Infantry	used in MGP-86 mount for close air defence to be replaced with the FN-6 missile system
FN-6	China	MANPADS	FN-6	Peruvian Naval Infantry	a small batch acquired in July, 2009 for US$1.1 million[34]
Torpedoes
Atlas Elektronik SUT	Germany	533 mm heavyweight torpedo	SUT 264	Type 209 submarine
Atlas Elektronik SST	Germany	533 mm heavyweight torpedo	SST-4 mod 0	Type 209 submarine
Mark 44 torpedo	United States	324 mm lightweight torpedo	Mk 44 mod 1	Lupo-class frigate AB-212ASW ASH-3D
Alenia-Whitehead A244/S	Italy	324 mm lightweight torpedo	A244/S	Lupo-class frigate AB-212ASW ASH-3D

Peacekeeping operations

The Peruvian Navy has been actively involved in several United Nations Peacekeeping Operations. As of June 2006 Naval Infantry and Special Operations troops have been deployed to United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) (embedded in the Argentine forces ^[35] ) and United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). Peruvian naval officers have also been deployed to United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI), United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) as United Nations Militar Observers (UNMOs). By 2012 the Peruvian Navy sent its first officer to serve in United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei.

Future orders

• As of December 2013, the Peruvian government was in negotiations with France for the acquisition of two FREMM Frigates.^[36]

Gallery

• 
  BAP Almirante Grau (CLM-81) firing its guns.
• 
  BAP Carvajal (FM-51).
• 
  BAP Sánchez Carrión (CM-26).
• 
  Submarines BAP Pisagua (SS-33), BAP Chipana (SS-34), and BAP Islay (SS-35).
• 
  Naval infantry coming ashore from BAP Callao (DT-143).
• 
  BAP Mollendo (ATC-131).
• 
  Otomat Mk.2 on display.

See also

• Battle of Angamos
• Battle of Iquique
• Battle of Pacocha
• Ironclad Huáscar
• Miguel Grau
• SIFOREX
• War of the Pacific

Notes

Sources

• Baker III, Arthur D., The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World 2002-2003.
  Naval Institute Press, 2002.
• Basadre, Jorge, Historia de la República del Perú. Editorial Universitaria, 1983.
• "La base de Chimbote", Caretas, 855: 31 (June 17, 1985).
• Ortiz Sotelo, Jorge, Apuntes para la historia de los submarinos peruanos. Biblioteca Nacional, 2001.
• Rial, Juan, Los militares tras el fin del régimen de Fujimori-Montesinos.
• "Los Programas de Renovacion y Modernizacion de la Marina de Guerra del Peru", Alejo Marchessini - Revista Fuerzas de Defensa y Seguridad (FDS) N° 430. Paginas 32 a 35.
• "Entrevista al Almirante Carlos Tejada Mera, Comandante General de la MArina de Guerra del Peru", Alejo Marchessini - Revista Fuerzas de Defensa y Seguridad (FDS) N° 430. Paginas 36 a 43.

External links

• Official Peruvian Navy Website
• Maquina de Combate — Photo gallery.
• Servicio Industrial de la Marina — Peruvian Navy Shipyards. In English and Spanish.
• The Peruvian Navy: The XIX Century Maritime Campaigns — a series of articles covering the history of the 19th century Peruvian Navy by Juan del Campo.