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Venezuela The Air Force
The air force benefited greatly from purchases of
upgraded
hardware in the 1970s and 1980s. The most highly
publicized
defense acquisition of the 1980s was the purchase of
twenty-four
F-16 fighters from the United States. At the time of their
delivery in 1984-85, the F-16s represented the most
advanced
military aircraft in the inventory of any South American
air
force. In 1990 other comparatively advanced aircraft in
service
in Venezuela included the French Mirage 50 and older-model
Mirage
IIIs and Mirage Vs, retrofitted to meet the more advanced
performance standards of the Mirage 50s (see
table 15,
Appendix).
In June 1990, the air force also let a contract with
Singapore
Aerospace Industries to upgrade its older, American-made
CF-5A
and CF-5B fighter aircraft.
In 1990 the ranks of the air force included some 5,000
personnel, very few of whom were conscripts. The service,
headed
by the Commander of the Air Forces, was organized into
three
commands: the Air Combat Command, the Air Logistics
Command, and
the Air Training Command. Combat aircraft were organized
into
three attack groups: one bomber group and two special
operations
groups. The bomber group included one squadron equipped
with
Mirage fighter-bombers and based in Palo Negro; two
squadrons,
based in Barquisimeto and Barcelona, equipped with CF-5s;
and two
F-16 squadrons, also based in Palo Negro. Two squadrons of
heavier bombers, British-made Canberras, were based in
Barquisimeto and Barcelona.
The Air Logistics Command controlled three transport
groups,
including the Presidential Squadron based in Caracas. The
logistics command also owned reconnaissance aircraft and
transport helicopters. The primary transport aircraft were
the
American-made C-130H and C-123.
The Air Training Command included Air Training Group
Number
14, which was attached to the Military Aviation School at
Maracay. The primary training craft were the T-34, the
T-2D, and
the EMB-312 Tucano. The six F-16B two-seat trainers were
attached
to the fighter squadrons. The air force required its
officer
candidates to complete a four-year course of study at
Maracay
before receiving their commissions. The air force also had
a
number of specialist schools as well as its own Command
and Staff
School for advanced military studies.
Data as of December 1990
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