National Aeronaval Service Explained

Agencyname:	National Aeronaval Service
Nativename:	Spanish; Castilian: Servicio Nacional Aeronaval de Panamá
Abbreviation:	SENAN
Patch:	File:Escudo actual.png
Patchcaption:	National Aeronaval Service shield
Logocaption:	Roundel of Panama
Badge:	File:Roundel of Panama – Low Visibility.svg
Badgecaption:	Low visibility roundel
Flag:	File:National Aeronaval Service racing stripe.svg
Flagcaption:	Racing Stripe
Motto:	Spanish; Castilian: Dios, Patria y Honor
Mottotranslated:	God, Fatherland and Honor
Sworn:	3,700 officers
Country:	Panama
Paramilitary:	yes
Speciality1:	coast
Chief1name:	Director General Eliécer Antonio Cárdenas Quintero^[1]
Chief1position:	Commandant
Parentagency:	Panamanian Public Forces

The National Aeronaval Service of Panama, also called SENAN (abbreviation for Spanish; Castilian: Servicio Nacional Aeronaval), is a branch of the Panamanian Public Forces which is responsible for carrying out naval and air operations. Its role is to perform protection, surveillance, security and defense of the air and maritime jurisdictional areas.^[2] The service has approximately 3,700 personnel, with 19 boats and approximately 24 aircraft.^[3]

Introduction

The SENAN is the result of a merger between the former National Maritime Service and the National Air Service of Panama in 2008. The unit was created as civilian police forces and component of the Public Forces attached to Ministry of Public Security, protect rights and freedoms of people, maintain public order, prevent and investigate crimes, and protect the air and maritime jurisdictional areas, thus contributing to public policy, humanitarian relief and facilitating an environment for development social and economic development of Panama.^[4]

According to the national law, the SENAN will act as a public security entity in the maritime, air, port and airport areas throughout the national territory, by performing the following functions:^[5]

Organisation

The organisation of SENAN consist of:

• Political-Director Level
  • Director General as head of SENAN.
  • Deputy Director General, along with Director General are appointed by President of Panama with recommendation of Ministry of Public Security.^[6]
• Advisory Level: General Directory, General Inspectorate, General Secretariat and Legal Department.
• Investigator Level: Internal Auditor and Internal Affairs.
• Auxiliary Support Level: National Directorate of Comprehensive Action, National Directorate of Human Resources, National Directorate of Logistics and General Services, National Directorate of Administration and Finances, National Directorate of Aerial Maintenance, National Directorate of Naval Maintenance and National Directorate of Teaching.
• Operational Level: National Directorate of Intelligence, National Directorate of Operations, National Directorate of Technology, National Directorate of Territorial Surveillance and three Aeronaval Region.

Base

The SENAN's bases and stations are located within three region of Aeronaval.^[7]

Personnel

, SENAN personnel consist of approximately 3,700 sworn officers and 200 administrative personnel.^[3] Sworn officers perform SENAN tasks and missions, while administrative personnel only conduct administrative and technical functions.

Sworn offices are consist of following levels:^[8]

Commissioned officer ranks

Other ranks

As branch of Public Forces, SENAN personnel can be transferred to another police service according to service needs and vice versa.^[9]

Equipment

Aircraft

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Variant	In service	Notes
Transport
Super King Air	United States	utility	100/250/350	3
DHC-6 Twin Otter	Canada	utility transport		2	STOL capable aircraft
CASA C-212	Spain	utility / transport		3
Cessna 152	United States	transport		2
Cessna 172	United States	transport		1
Cessna 208	United States			2
Cessna 210	United States	transport		1
Embraer ERJ-135BJ	Brazil	transport		1
Piper PA-31	United States	transport / patrol		1
Piper PA-34	United States	utility		2
Helicopters
AgustaWestland AW139	Italy	SAR		8
Bell 412	United States	SAR / utility		1
McDonnell Douglas MD500	United States	patrol		1
AgustaWestland AW109	Italy			1
Bell 212	United States	transport		2
Bell 407	United States	transport		2
Bell UH-1	United States	utility	UH-1H	6^[10]	donated by United States^[11]
Trainer Aircraft
T-35 Pillán	Chile	trainer		4

Vessels

Vessel	Origin	Type	Class	Notes
Patrol Boat
P-901^[12]	Italy	coastal enforcement	Class 900
P-302 Ligia Elena	United Kingdom	patrol boat	Vosper class
P-301 Panquiaco^[13]		patrol boat
P-204 3 de Noviembre^[14]	United States	patrol boat	Point class
P-206 10 de Noviembre	United States	patrol boat	Point class
P-207 28 de Noviembre	United States	patrol boat	Point class
P-208 4 de Noviembre	United States	patrol boat	Point class
P-209 5 de Noviembre	United States	patrol boat	Point class
P-220 Pdte. Guillermo Endara^[15]		patrol boat
P-221 Pdte. Ernesto P. Balladares		patrol boat
P-222 Pdte. Mireya Moscoso	Italy	patrol boat
P-223 Pdte. Martin Torrijose Herrera	Italy	patrol boat	Super 200 class
P-814 Coclé^[16]	United States	patrol boat	Mark-II class
P-843 Bocas del Toro^[17]	United States	patrol boat	Mark-IV class
Support Vessels
L-24 Lina Maria^[18]	Colombia	Support vessel	Logistica class
A-401 Independencia^[19]	United States	Support vessel	Buoy Tender class
A-402 General Esteban Huertas^[20]	United States	Support vessel	Barcaza class	second hand from the U.S. Navy
Special Boat
Hunter Class		fast boat		2 in service^[21]
Nor-Tech	United States	maritime interdiction	BIM 43 Class	4 in service^[22]
Eduardoño Class	Colombia	fast boat		5 in service^[23]
Donzin Class	United States	fast boat		2 in service^[24]

References

• Book: Donadio, Marcela. Public security index : Central America : Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama . 2013. . 978-987-28638-6-9. Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires .

External links

• SENAN website
• https://www.minseg.gob.pa/descargas/Memoria2019.pdf

Notes and References

1. Web site: DIrector General. 2024-03-28.
2. Web site: National Aeronaval Service Functions . aeronaval.gob.pa . 16 June 2020.
3. Book: The Military Balance 2024. International Institute for Strategic Studies. International Institute for Strategic Studies. 13 February 2024. Routledge. London. 444-445. 9781032780047.
4. Decreto Ley No. 7 - Que crea el Servicio Nacional Aeronaval de la República de Panamá. República de Panamá Órgano Ejecutivo. 20 August 2008. 7. es. 2, 3 and 85.
5. Web site: Functiones. Functions . aeronaval.gob.pa . es. 16 June 2020.
6. Decreto Ley No. 7 - Que crea el Servicio Nacional Aeronaval de la República de Panamá. República de Panamá Órgano Ejecutivo. 20 August 2008. 7. es. 14.
7. Book: Plan Estratégico Institucional (2009 - 2024). 2009. Servicio Nacional Aeronaval.
8. Decreto Ley No. 7 - Que crea el Servicio Nacional Aeronaval de la República de Panamá. República de Panamá Órgano Ejecutivo. 20 August 2008. 7. es. 46.
9. Decreto Ley No. 7 - Que crea el Servicio Nacional Aeronaval de la República de Panamá. República de Panamá Órgano Ejecutivo. 20 August 2008. 7. es. 39.
10. Web site: Hoyle . Craig . World Air Forces 2024. . 2024 . 2024-03-28.
11. Web site: United States Transfers Panama Helicopters, Security Equipment, Training Worth $54 Million. 23 June 2020. Embassy of the United States in Panama. 28 June 2019.
12. Web site: SENAN P-901. 23 May 2020. aeronaval.gob.pa. es.
13. Web site: SENAN P-30x. 23 May 2020. aeronaval.gob.pa. es.
14. Web site: POINT CLASS . gob.pa . 2021 . 4 July 2021.
15. Web site: SENAN P-22x . gob.pa . 2021 . 4 July 2021.
16. Web site: P-814. 23 May 2020. aeronaval.gob.pa. es.
17. Web site: P-843. 23 May 2020. aeronaval.gob.pa. es.
18. Web site: L-24. 23 May 2020. aeronaval.gob.pa. es.
19. Web site: A-401. 23 May 2020. aeronaval.gob.pa. es.
20. Web site: A-402. 23 May 2020. aeronaval.gob.pa. es.
21. Web site: Hunter. 23 May 2020. aeronaval.gob.pa. es.
22. Web site: BIM-430x. 23 May 2020. aeronaval.gob.pa. es.
23. Web site: BPC 380x. 23 May 2020. aeronaval.gob.pa. es.
24. Web site: DONZIN. 23 May 2020. aeronaval.gob.pa. es.