# Venezuelan Air Force

Bolivarian Air Force of Venezuela (Spanish: Aviación Militar Nacional Bolivariana), commonly known as the Venezuelan Air Force, is a professional armed body designed to defend Venezuela's sovereignty and airspace. It is a service component of the National Bolivarian Armed Forces of Venezuela.

## Etymology

The organization is also known as the Bolivarian National Air Force of Venezuela. Its current official name has been in use since the end of 2008. It was previously called the Venezuelan Air Force (FAV; Spanish: Fuerza Aérea Venezolana).

## History

Most of the airbases in Venezuela were built in the 1960s as part of a massive expansion program. The main fighter types in those years were Venom, Vampire, and F-86. Bomber squadrons typically operated B-25 Mitchell aircraft. The 1970s and 1980s saw a considerable increase in capacity, mainly because the rising oil prices enabled the FAV to re-equip most of its units. The mixture of various aircraft types was maintained, and the Mirage IIIE and Mirage 5, VF-5A and D, T-2D, OV-10A and E, and T-27 were introduced. Venezuela was one of the first export customers for the F-16, which arrived in 1983 to equip the newly formed Grupo Aéreo de Caza 16 at El Libertador Airbase.
In the 1992 Venezuelan coup d'état attempts, elements of the Venezuelan Air Force were key participants in the rebellion. FAV units at El Libertador Air Base under the command of Brigadier General Visconti seized control of the airbase and then launched an attack on the capital. OV-10s, T-27s, and Mirage III fighters under Visconti's command bombarded targets in the capital and loyalist air bases, destroying five CF-5 fighters on the ground. Two loyalist pilots escaped with F-16 fighters and shot down two OV-10s and a Tucano, claiming air superiority for the government. Two more rebel OV-10s were lost to ground fire. As the tables turned on the coup attempt, General Visconti and his allies fled in two C-130s, two Mirages, an OV-10, and several SA 330 helicopters.

## Modernization

The AMV purchased 24 Sukhoi Su-30 planes from Russia in July 2006, as a result of the United States embargo on spare parts for their F-16 force. In 2008, Venezuela was reported for a potential acquisition of a number of Su-35 fighter aircraft and a second batch of aircraft 12–24 Sukhoi Su-30 from Russia. It did not proceed further.
In 2010, the Venezuelan Air Force retired their aging F-5 fleet, taking the Hongdu K-8W its place after being received earlier that year.
In October 2015, Venezuela announced the plan to purchase of 12 more Su-30MK2 from Russia for $480 million.

## Inventory

| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Variant | In service | Notes |
| Combat aircraft ||||||
| General Dynamics F-16 | United States | multirole | F-16A/B | ~15 | two B variant are used for training. |
| Sukhoi Su-30 | Russia | multirole | Su-30MK2 | 21 | |
| Electronic warfare ||||||
| Metroliner III | United States | EW / reconnaissance | | 1 | |
| Tanker ||||||
| Boeing 707 | United States | aerial refueling | | 1 | |
| Transport ||||||
| Shaanxi Y-8 | China | transport | | 8 | |
| Dornier Do 228 | Germany | transport | Do 228NG | 3 | |
| Short 360 | United Kingdom | utility transport | | 2 | |
| King Air | United States | utility | 200/350 | 5 | |
| Cessna 208 | United States | light utility | | 4 | |
| Cessna Citation II | United States | VIP transport | | 1 | |
| Metroliner IV | United States | light utility | | 1 | |
| C-130 Hercules | United States | transport | C-130H | 3 | |
| Helicopters ||||||
| Mil Mi-17 | Russia | utility | Mi-8/17 | 6 | |
| Eurocopter AS532 | France | transport | | 10 | |
| Trainer aircraft ||||||
| Hongdu K-8 | China | jet trainer | | 23 | |
| Embraer EMB 312 | Brazil | trainer | | 18 | |
| Diamond DA42 | Canada | multi-engine trainer | | 6 | |
| SIAI-Marchetti SF.260 | Italy | basic trainer | | 12 | |
| Enstrom 280 | United States | rotorcraft trainer | | 2 | |
| Enstrom 480 | United States | rotorcraft trainer | | 12 | 4 on order |
| UAV ||||||
| Ghods Mohajer | Iran | surveillance | SANT Arpía | 12 | |

## Ranks
### Officer ranks

| Venezuelan Air Force vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Venezuelan Air Force vte | | | General en jefe | General en jefe | Mayor general | Mayor general | General de division | General de division | General de brigada | General de brigada | Coronel | Coronel | Teniente coronel | Teniente coronel | Mayor | Mayor | Capitán | Capitán | Primer teniente | Primer teniente | Primer teniente | Teniente | Teniente | Teniente |
| Rank group | General/Flag/Air officers | General/Flag/Air officers | General/Flag/Air officers | General/Flag/Air officers | General/Flag/Air officers | General/Flag/Air officers | General/Flag/Air officers | General/Flag/Air officers | General/Flag/Air officers | General/Flag/Air officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Junior officers | Officer cadet | Officer cadet | Officer cadet | Officer cadet | Officer cadet | Officer cadet | Officer cadet | Officer cadet | Officer cadet | Officer cadet | Officer cadet | Officer cadet |

### Professional and enlisted

| Venezuelan Air Force vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No insignia | No insignia |
| Venezuelan Air Force vte | Sargento supervisor | Sargento supervisor | Sargento supervisor | Sargento ayudante | Sargento ayudante | Sargento ayudante | Sargento mayor de primera | Sargento mayor de primera | Sargento mayor de segunda | Sargento mayor de segunda | Sargento mayor de tercera | Sargento mayor de tercera | Sargento mayor de tercera | Sargento primero | Sargento primero | Sargento primero | Sargento segundo | Sargento segundo | Sargento segundo | Sargento segundo | Sargento segundo | Sargento segundo | Cabo primero | Cabo primero | Cabo primero | Cabo primero | Cabo segundo | Cabo segundo | Distinguido | Distinguido | Distinguido | Distinguido | Distinguido | Distinguido | Aviador | Aviador |
| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted | Enlisted |