Country Venezuela Type Navy Color Navy blue | Allegiance President of Venezuela Founded 1811 | |
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Role Defense of Venezuela's coastline and maritime and inland waters Size 6 frigates, 4 corvettes, 2 submarines, 4 amphibious ships, 8 patrol boats, 3 auxiliary ships Part of Ministry of the Popular Participation for the Defense Motto Navegare necesse, vivere non necesse (Latin: "Sailing is necessary, but living is not".) Branch National Bolivarian Armed Forces of Venezuela Engagement Venezuelan War of Independence Notable commanders José Prudencio Padilla, Luis Brión Similar National Bolivarian Armed Fo, Venezuelan Army, Venezuelan National Guard, Venezuelan Air Force, Venezuelan National Militia | ||
The Navy of Venezuela is officially called the Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela (Spanish: Armada Bolivariana de Venezuela).
Contents
- History
- Joint exercises
- Organization of the Navy
- Naval Operations Command
- Venezuelan Naval Aviation Command
- Coast Guard Command
- Fleet Forces and Coast Guard ship organization
- Light frigates
- Corvettes
- Amphibious and service ships
- Coast patrol
- Coast guard ships
- Airplanes
- References
It serves the purpose of defending the naval sovereignty of the country, including inland and fluvial security, and it also serves to prevent illegal activities in the Venezuelan borders and collaborates with international organizations to safeguard international waters from criminal activities.
History
The Navy was born as a coastal defense force during the beginning of the Venezuelan War of Independence. In May 1810, Commander Lino de Clemente, a veteran officer of the Spanish Navy who joined the April 1810 coup against the colonial government, was appointed the first Minister of Defense of the republic and began the long building of the armed forces including the formation of the navy. In April 1811 the Nautical School, with Ensign Vicente Parrado as its first superindentent, was opened by order of the national government in La Guaira to train future naval officers, months before the Venezuelan Declaration of Independence, thus the Navy's origins start from this date, with its first vessels being those formerly used by the naval forces of the Captaincy General of Venezuela, and participated in its first actions in the campaigns in Guayana in 1811-12, the baptism of fire for the fledgling naval service. Col. Antonio Mendoza from the Venezuelan Army was its first commanding general.
For long time their vessels, even if obsolete, were maintained properly by its sailors. In 1937 the Navy acquired from Italy two gunboats of the Azio class and rechristened them General Soublette and General Urdaneta; these ships where retained in service until 1951 (for other sources in 1948 or 1950) and scrapped later.
Joint exercises
In September, 2008, the Russian Navy's nuclear-powered missile cruiser Pyotr Velikiy, accompanied by three other ships of Russia's Northern Fleet, sailed from its base in Severomorsk on a cruise to the Caribbean Sea for a joint exercise with the Venezuelan Navy. This action represented the first major Russian power projection in that region since the end of the Cold War. The fleet of ships, headed by the nuclear-powered Pyotr Velikiy, set off from its base at Severomorsk in the Arctic on Monday, September 22. Russian Navy spokesman Igor Dygalo told the AFP news agency, "It's the nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser Peter the Great, the anti-submarine warship Admiral Chebanenko and other accompanying ships". The other ships included a tug boat and supply ships.
Organization of the Navy
As of 2016, Admiral Orlando Miguel Maneiro Gaspar is the Commanding General of the National Navy.
Naval Operations Command
The Naval Operations Command is commanded by the Chief of Naval Operations, currently Vice Admiral Antonio Díaz Clemente. This command is aimed towards the defense of the territorial maritime and inland waters and the coastline of the nation, and by extension into its ground and air territories.
Venezuelan Naval Aviation Command
The command serves as the air arm of the Venezuelan Navy, with responsibity for air operations and transport for the entire Navy.
Coast Guard Command
Headquartered in La Guaira, Vargas, it is responsible for the surveillance of Venezuelas jurisdictional waters.
Fleet Forces and Coast Guard ship organization
The following was the roster of active duty vessels and ships of the Venezuelan Navy as of October 2001.
Light frigates
Corvettes
Amphibious and service ships
Coast patrol
Coast guard ships
Airplanes
Note: The Navy has others two or three light aircraft.