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Venezuela The Navy
In 1990 the navy maintained a force level of
approximately
10,000, a figure that included a marine infantry corps of
some
5,000 personnel. The branch was headed by the Commander of
Naval
Operations, who exercised administrative and operational
control
over a number of subordinate commands, among them the main
naval
squadron at Puerto Cabello, the marine infantry crops, the
naval
aviation command at La Carlota Airport near Caracas, a
River
Forces (Fuerzas Fluviales) Command at Ciudad Bolívar on
the Río
Orinoco, and the Coast Guard at Puerto Cabello.
After years of subordination to the army, during which
it
struggled with antiquated equipment, the navy began to
benefit
from civilian democratic rule in 1960, when it purchased a
submarine from the United States Navy. Concerted upgrading
of
naval matériel did not really begin, however, until 1972,
when
Venezuela purchased an American "Guppy II"-type submarine;
another followed in 1973, along with two decommissioned
American
destroyers. From 1974 to 1975, the navy purchased six
"Constitution"-class patrol fast attack craft from
Britain. It
also acquired two German-built Type 209 submarines from
1976 to
1977. Six Italian "Lupo" missile frigates ordered in 1975
were
delivered and in service by the early 1980s (see
table 14,
Appendix).
Venezuelan naval aviation was not established as a
distinct
element until the late 1970s. With the exception of
helicopters,
all of its assets were stationed at La Carlota Airport
near
Caracas. Marine infantry personnel were deployed in four
battalion-sized units, referred to as "tactical combat
units,"
headquartered at Maiquetía, Puerto Cabello, Carúpano in
Sucrey,
and Punto Fijo. The River Forces Command was also
subordinate to
the Marine Infantry Command. The Coast Guard, established
in
1982, maintained its headquarters at Puerto Cabello.
The Venezuelan Naval Academy (Escuela Naval de
Venezuela) at
La Guaira offered a five-year course of study culminating
in a
commission. Other naval schools at La Guaira included the
Naval
Postgraduate School and the Naval Superior War College.
The Naval
Training Center for enlisted personnel was located at
Puerto
Cabello. In addition, there were a Naval Infantry Training
Center, a Naval Armament Training Center, and a Naval
Police
School.
Data as of December 1990
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