| Unit Name: | Ecuadorian Navy |
| Start Date: | 1832 |
| Type: | Navy |
| Specialization: | --> |
| Size: | 9,400[1] 27 vessels |
| Command Structure: | Armed Forces of Ecuador |
| Colours: | --> |
| Colours Label: | --> |
| Anniversaries: | 25 July, Navy Day and the anniversary of the Battle of Jambelí |
| Battle Honours: | Ecuadorian–Peruvian War 1941 |
| Commander1: | Rear Admiral Luis Santiago Chávez |
| Commander1 Label: | Commander-in-chief of the Navy |
| Identification Symbol Label: | Naval Ensign |
| Identification Symbol 2 Label: | Naval Jack |
| Identification Symbol 3 Label: | Naval Aviation roundel |
The Ecuadorian Navy (Spanish; Castilian: Armada del Ecuador) is an Ecuadorian entity responsible for the surveillance and protection of national maritime territory and has a personnel of 9,400[1] men to protect a coastline of 2,237 km which reaches far into the Pacific Ocean. The vessels are identified by a ship prefix of B.A.E.: Spanish; Castilian: Buque de la Armada del Ecuador (Ship of the Ecuadorian Navy) or L.A.E.: Spanish; Castilian: Lancha de la Armada del Ecuador (Boat of the Ecuadorian Navy).
Organize, train, equip and maintain naval capabilities, as well as to assist and support all procedures involving national security and development. Contribute to the achievement of safeguarding national objectives in times of peace and war.
Maintain highly trained naval forces to secure victory within the maritime zone in order to support developing communities. As a consequence operate highly qualified military personnel whom are able to fulfill this role based on elevated moral, values and principles.
The roots of the Ecuadorian Navy or (Spanish; Castilian: Armada Ecuatoriana) date back to 1823 whilst forming a part of the Gran Colombian fleet. The government of President Eloy Alfaro (1906–1911) made one of the most notable naval acquisitions of the time, the torpedo ship, with the aim of restoring the navy. In 1832, the Ecuadorian Congress officially established the Ecuadorian Maritime Department. On 25 July 1941 during the Ecuadorian–Peruvian War, the gunboat commanded by Rafael Morán Valverde encountered the Peruvian destroyer Almirante Villar in the Jambeli channel.[2] The Ecuadorian gunboat opened fire on Villar, keeping its distance while doing shots for elevation, but the Peruvian destroyer returned fire for the duration of the chase, which was ended by the Peruvians when the Calderon took refuge in the channels. The Calderon was unharmed in the skirmish and according to Ecuador, the Peruvian Villar suffered damages, an allegation that has always been refuted by Perú.[3] However, this event had no influence over the general outcome of the war as Puerto Bolivar was lost to Peruvian troops only two days later.
Today, the Ecuadorian Navy is a compact, efficient and well-balanced force. However, limited funds hinder any major acquisitions and the chances of maintaining a strong force within the Pacific Ocean. Since introduction of a restructuring program within the Armed Forces (PATRIA I), the Navy's structure became simplified. It supervises the Pacific Coast and Galápagos Islands as one naval zone. Most seagoing assets are based at Guayaquil.
Currently the Navy consists of the following vessels:
| Vessel | Origin | Type | Class | In service[4] | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Training ship (1 in service) | ||||||
| Sail training ship | steel-hulled barque | As an ambassador of its country, the Guayas is a participant in tall ship regattas. By the end of 2008 the Guayas had visited 60 harbours in 25 countries and covered about 340,000 nautical miles (630,000 km). | ||||
| Submarines (2 in service) | ||||||
| BAE Shyri (S101) | Diesel-electric submarine | Type 209/1300 | [5] | |||
| BAE Huancavilca (S102) | Diesel-electric submarine | Type 209/1300 | On September 16, 2011, the submarine was sent to the ASMAR shipyard in Chile for modernization, which was completed in 2014.[6] [7] | |||
| Guided missile frigates (2 in service) | ||||||
| guided missile frigate | Acquired from Chile in March, 2008. | |||||
| guided missile frigate | Extensively refitted between April 2004 and December 2005. Acquired from Chile in March, 2008.[8] | |||||
| Guided missile corvettes (6 in service) | ||||||
| BAE Esmeraldas (CM-11) | guided missile corvette | Esmeraldas-class | Refitted in 2006 under the Esmeraldas program.[9] | |||
| BAE Manabí (CM-12) | guided missile corvette | Esmeraldas-class | Modernised, returned to fleet 2018. | |||
| BAE Los Rios (CM-13) | guided missile corvette | Esmeraldas-class | Modernised, returned to fleet 2018.[10] | |||
| BAE El Oro (CM-14) | guided missile corvette | Esmeraldas-class | Refitted in 2008 under the Esmeraldas program. | |||
| BAE Galápagos (CM-15) | guided missile corvette | Esmeraldas-class | Refitted in 2010 under the Esmeraldas program. | |||
| BAE Loja (CM-16) | guided missile corvette | Esmeraldas-class | Modernised, returned to fleet 2019. | |||
| Offshore Patrol Vessel (2 in service) | ||||||
| LAE Isla San Cristobal (LG-30) | Offshore Patrol Vessel | Damen Stan patrol vessel 5009 class | ||||
| LAE Isla Isabela (LG-31) | Offshore Patrol Vessel | Damen Stan patrol vessel 5009 class | ||||
| Fast attack craft (3 in service) | ||||||
| LAE Quito (LM-31) | Fast attack craft | TNC 45 Seawolf class | Modernised | |||
| LAE Guayaquil (LM-32) | Fast attack craft | TNC 45 Seawolf class | Modernised | |||
| LAE Cuenca (LM-33) | Fast attack craft | TNC 45 Seawolf class | Modernised | |||
| Auxiliaries (12 in service) | ||||||
| BAE Huacolpo (TR-61) | Cargo ship | Cargo - Hazard B class | ex-Fu Yuan Yu Leng 999 | |||
| BAE Calicuchima (TR-62) | ammunition supply ship | Kintebury class | ex-RMAS Throsk (A379)[11] | |||
| BAE Atahualpa (TR-63) | water harbour tanker | Brenta type | ex-A 5356 Basento | |||
| BAE Quisquis (TR-64) | water harbour tanker | Waterfall class | ex-Waterside (Y-20)[12] | |||
| BAE Taurus (TR-65) | coastal oil tanker | Taurus class | Civilian ship bought in 1987. Built by Astinave, Guayaquil. Currently status is unknown. | |||
| BAE Chimborazo (RA-70) | Fleet Tug | Ex-[13] | ||||
| BAE Sangay (RB-72) | Tugboat | YTM class tug | ||||
| BAE Cotopaxi (RB-73) | Tugboat | |||||
| BAE Wolf (RB-74) | Tugboat | |||||
| BAE Iliniza (RB-75) | Tugboat | YTM class tug | ||||
| BAE Altar (RB-76) | Tugboat | YTM class tug | ||||
| BAE Quilotoa (RB-78) | Tugboat | YTM class tug | ||||
| Scientific research vessels (2 in service) | ||||||
| BAE Orion (BI-91) | Oceanographic research ship | Orion class | ||||
| LAE Sirius | Oceanographic research ship | Sirius class | [14] |
| Name | Origin | Type | Version | Used by | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naval artillery | ||||||
| Dual-purpose naval gun | Mark VI | |||||
| Dual-purpose naval gun | 76/62 Compact | |||||
| Oto Melara Twin 40 Compact Gun | Twin 40L70 | |||||
| Phalanx Block 0 | ||||||
| Two 35mm autocannon | TNC 45 Seawolf class | |||||
| Anti-ship missiles | ||||||
| MM40 Block II MM38 | Condell class frigate Esmeraldas-class TNC 45 Seawolf class FAC | |||||
| Mk 2 | TNC 45 Seawolf class FAC | |||||
| Surface-to-air missile | ||||||
| Albatros Aspide MK-1A | ||||||
| Mistral | ||||||
| Anti-submarine torpedo | ||||||
| Mod 5A | ||||||
| A244/S | ||||||
| Torpedoes | ||||||
| 533 mm heavyweight torpedo | [15] | |||||
| 533 mm heavyweight torpedo | A184 Mod 3 | |||||
| 533 mm heavyweight torpedo | SST-4 Mod 0 | |||||
| 533 mm heavyweight torpedo | AEG SUT 264 | |||||
| 533 mm heavyweight torpedo | DM2A4 | |||||
The Ecuadorian Naval Aviation (Aviación Naval Ecuatoriana) was formed in 1967 with fixed-wing aircraft and received some helicopters in 1973. It remains the least effective section of the navy; capable of performing limited maritime patrol missions, it consists of a fixed wing and a rotary wing element. Aircraft are based at Base Aérea Simón Bolívar in Guayaquil and the Eloy Alfaro Air Base in Manta. The most recent acquisitions of the ANE are two Heron 1 and four Searcher Mk. III[16] from Israel. These have increased the Navy's coastal surveillance capacity significantly.
Currently the Navy consists of the following aircraft:
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Version | In service | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maritime patrol aircraft | ||||||
| Beechcraft Super King Air | Maritime surveillance aircraft | CATPASS 250MP | 3 | Two units delivered in January and June 1997 respectively. CATPASS conversion includes a bottom-mounted surface-search radar, FLIR and ESM provisions. | ||
| CASA CN-235 Persuader | Maritime patrol aircraft | CN-235-100 MP Persuader CN-235-300 MP Persuader | 1 1 | Maritime patrol/multipurpose transport aircraft equipped with the FITS system. | ||
| Helicopters | ||||||
| Bell 206 JetRanger Bell TH-57 SeaRanger | Utility helicopter / Training helicopter | 206B TH-57A | 3 3 | |||
| Bell 230 | Radar surveillance helicopter | 230T | 1 | Two units delivered in total. One unit crashed at sea in 2009. | ||
| Bell 430 | Utility helicopter | 430 | 3 | Two units delivered on August 1, 2010. The first 430 received a Garmin GNS400 GPS coupled to the autopilot. Both were equipped with a Honeywell Mark XXII EGPWS, right hand sliding door, hoist provisions and some maintenance items.[17] Two units delivered on September 11, 2014. 1 crashed in 2024.[18] | ||
| Trainer Aircraft | ||||||
| Beechcraft T-34 Turbo Mentor | Advanced trainer | T-34C-1 | 5 | |||
| ENAER T-35 Pillán | Basic trainer | T-35B | 4 | |||
| Unmanned Aerial Vehicles | ||||||
| IAI Heron | MALE UAV | Heron I | 2 | [19] | ||
| IAI Searcher | Reconnaissance UAV | Searcher III | 4 | [20] | ||
| Utility Aircraft | ||||||
| Beechcraft Super King Air | Light transport | B200 B300 B350 | 2 1 1 | |||
| Beechcraft King Air | Light transport | C90A | 2 | |||
| Cessna 172 | Liaison aircraft | SP | 2 | |||
The Coast Guard (Cuerpo de Guardacostas de la Armada) became fully operational in 1980. Their mission is to control maritime activities on national territory, including all river zones. The objectives are internal security, protection of human life at sea, and environmental protection. It consists of around 250 men and 30 major as well as 40 smaller modern patrol vessels.[21] In 2011 Ecuador ordered four 26.5m (86.9feet) patrol vessels based on the Damen Stan 2600 design for the Coast Guard.
The Naval Infantry Corps (Cuerpo de Infanteria de Marina) was formed on 12 November 1962. It maintains a strength of around 1700[22] marines, with their HQ in Guayaquil. The units are individually spread across the naval coast of Ecuador and are equipped with infantry support weapons, including 60 mm and 81 mm mortars, 106 mm recoilless rifles (RCLs) and Humvees. However, it lacks amphibious assault and sealift capacity. The Ecuadorian Marines are to maintain a high level of alert in order to execute special operations in difficult territory as well as to provide a fast response to counter amphibious incursions. Structure:
| Name | Type | Caliber | Origin | In service | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HK21E | Standard general-purpose machine gun. | |||||
| A2/A4 | Standard assault rifle. | |||||
| A1 | Special Forces. | |||||
| Special Forces. | ||||||
| Special Forces. | ||||||
| Standard pistol. | ||||||
| Hand grenade | ||||||
| M26A1/M61 | ||||||
| Red dot sight | ||||||
| Used by special forces. | ||||||
| Used by special forces. | ||||||
| Grenade launcher coupled in M4 carbines. | ||||||
| Infantry mortar | ||||||
| 81 mm | ||||||
| 81 mm | ||||||
| 60 mm | Light mortar, used by special operations units. | |||||
| Recoilless rifle | ||||||
| 105 mm | ||||||
| 90 mm | ||||||
| Rocket-propelled grenade | ||||||
| 40 mm | ||||||
| Man-portable air-defense system | ||||||
| Some mounted on Humvee and truck platform. | ||||||
| Howitzer | ||||||
| Towed | 105mm Howitzer | |||||
| Light utility vehicle | ||||||
| 4×4 | 30 | Around 30 humvees are in use within the Naval Infantry Corps.[23] [24] [25] | ||||
| Military truck | ||||||
| 6×6 | Donated by the US NAS program in 2003.[26] | |||||
| 6x6 |
See main article: Military ranks of Ecuador.
The rank insignia of commissioned officers.
The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.