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El Salvador NATIONAL SECURITY
Armed Forces: Salvadoran armed forces included army,
air force, navy, and security forces (National Guard, National
Police, and Treasury Police). Total strength about 59,000 in late
1980s--47,000 regular armed forces and 12,600 security forces.
Organization: Country divided into six military zones
and fourteen subordinate military regions. In 1980s army
consisted of six infantry brigades, nine cadre infantry
regiments, one mechanized cavalry regiment, one artillery
brigade, one engineer battalion, six independent immediatereaction battalions, and seven detachments. Air force made up of
four squadrons of fixed-wing aircraft and one helicopter
squadron. Air force antiaircraft artillery battalion and
paratrooper battalion manned by army personnel. Navy, in addition
to coastal patrol units based mainly at La Union, included Marine
Infantry Battalion and commando unit.
Equipment: Most weaponry, especially after 1980,
supplied by United States, although some aircraft of Brazilian
and French manufacture.
Police: Responsibilities divided among components of
security forces: National Police handled urban security; National
Guard, rural security; and Treasury Police (including customs and
immigration), border control.
Data as of November 1988
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