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Chilean Navy
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The Chilean Navy (Armada de Chile) is the naval force of Chile.
25,000-person navy, including 5,200 marines, is directed by Admiral Rodolfo Codina. Of the fleet of 66 surface vessels (soon to be increased to seventy-four),21 are major combatant ships and they are based in Valparaíso.
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The Chilean Navy (Armada de Chile) is the naval force of Chile.
Present
The 25,000-person navy, including 5,200 marines, is directed by Admiral Rodolfo Codina. Of the fleet of 66 surface vessels (soon to be increased to seventy-four),21 are major combatant ships and they are based in Valparaíso. The navy operates its own aircraft for transport and patrol; there are no fighter or bomber aircraft. The Navy also operates four submarines and a tender ship to support them, all based in Talcahuano.
The Chilean Navy’s most important asset is the 22,000 men and women that develop, maintain and operate the naval and maritime resources and land-based support installations.
The Naval ships permit the integration of Chile’s Pacific and Southern island regions, thus integrating its disjointed geography and acting as a binding agent for Chile’s tri-continental features. The transport of passengers, especially during the school year or in cases of emergency, together with the supply of provisions and fuel, are of key importance to the inhabitants of these insular zones.
The Chilean Navy is generally considered to be among the most capable and professional in the Americas, and is heavily aligned with significant naval powers such as the US Navy and several european navies, most notably the British Royal Navy.
The Institution regularly carries out civil operations whereby Navy professionals provide social assistance and health care to the civilian population, and provide support in cases of natural catastrophe.
It also undertakes preventative education campaigns for Chile’s population on issues that include security on beaches and seaside resorts and measures to be taken in the case of a tsunami.
The most important naval bases and supply depots are (from north to south): Iquique, Easter Island, Valparaíso, Talcahuano, Puerto Montt, in the atlantic ocean: Punta Arenas, Puerto Williams, and Captain Arturo Prat Base in Antarctica.
Order of Battle
see List of active Chilean Navy ships
- 2 Thomson class (Type 209/1400) submarines
- Thomson (SS-20), refited in ASMAR (MLU)
- Simpson (SS-21), entering midlife upgrade and refit in 2009
- 2 L class frigate
- Almirante Latorre (FFG-14), ex- HNLMS Jacob van Heemskerck
- Capitan Prat (FFG-11), ex- HNLMS Witte de With
- 2 M class frigate
- Almirante Blanco Encalada (FF-15), ex- HNLMS Abraham van der Hulst
- Almirante Riveros (FF-18), ex- HNLMS Tjerk Hiddes
- 1 Type 22 frigate
- Almirante Williams (FF-19), ex- HMS Sheffield. Under a refit in ASMAR Talcahuano, instalation of OTO 76mm gun, Harpoon antiship missile and Barak instead of Sea Wolf for defence.
- 2 Elicura class landing ship medium
- Elicura (LSM-90)
- Orompello (LSM-94)
Recently decommissioned ships
The remaining two Condell class frigates were stricken from Chilean Navy service, after the arrival of their replacements. Despite their age, and due to their excellent condition and constant modernization, both ships were sold and delivered to the Ecuadorian Navy in 2008.
Aircraft inventory
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Versions
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes
|-----
| Bell 206 JetRanger
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| Utility helicopter
| Model 206B TH-57 Sea Ranger
| 4 2
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|-----
| CASA C-212 Aviocar
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| Tactical transport
| C-212A
| 3
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|-----
| Cessna O-2 Skymaster
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| Liaison
| O-2A
| 8
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|-----
| Embraer EMB-111
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| Maritime patrol aircraft transport
| EMB-111AN EMB-111C
| 3 1
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|-----
| Eurocopter Bo 105
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| Utility helicopter
| Bo 105C
| 2
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|-----
| Eurocopter AS 532 Cougar
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| Naval helicopter
| AS 532SC
| 5
| 1 lost in nighttime ASW training accident, 5 remaining.
|-----
| Eurocopter AS 365 Dauphin
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| SAR helicopter
| AS 365
| 8
| 4 former Irish Coastal Guard
|-----
| CASA C-295
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| Maritime patrol aircraft
| C-295 Persuader
| 3
| 3 acquired, with option for 5 more
|-----
| Lockheed P-3 Orion
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| Maritime patrol aircraft VIP transport
| P-3ACH
| 4 (+ 4 spares)
| To be replaced by C-295 in the near future
|-----
| Pilatus PC-7 Turbo Trainer
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| Trainer
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| 7
| Originally 10 PC-7 in fleet. None lost in accidents.
|}
Marines
The Chilean Marines or (Infanteria de Marina de Chile) is the land/amphibious attack force of the Chilean Navy. The 5,200 manned force contains special training and tactics with state of the art equipment.
Equipment
Vehicles
Weapons
History
The beginnings of the Chilean Navy date back to 1817. A year before, following the Battle of Chacabuco, General Bernardo O'Higgins prophetically declared “this victory and another hundred shall be of no significance if we do not gain control of the sea”.
This led to the development of Chilean Navy, and the first legal resolutions outlining the organization of the institution were created. Chile’s First National Fleet and the Academy for Young Midshipmen (predecessor of the current Naval Academy) were founded, as were the Marine Corps and the Supply Commissary.
The Scot Thomas Cochrane was hired by O'Higgins to be the first commander of the Navy, whom in turn hired an all-anglophone officer corps and midshipmen crew (British, Irish and American seamen). He was key in the war against loyalist forces in Peru. Later he took control of the fortresses of Valdivia, but failed in his attempt to conquer Chiloe Island.
The navys Hydrographic Office was founded in 1874 with Francisco Vidal Gormaz as first director.
The Chilean war hero and martyr Arturo Prat has been uplifted as the most outstanding example of the commitment of the navy to its country. Arturo Prats name went down in history for his boarding attempt at the Naval Action at Iquique, on 21 May 1879, during the War against Peru and Bolivia (War of the Pacific).
During the Chilean Civil War of 1891 a large part of the navy rebelled against the president José Manuel Balmaceda and defeated him.
Wars
The Chilean Navy has fought the following wars:
Commanders-in-chief
Historical units
Additional information
External links
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