# National Aeronaval Service

The National Aeronaval Service of Panama, also called SENAN (abbreviation for Spanish: 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. The service has approximately 3,700 personnel, with 19 boats and approximately 24 aircraft.

## 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.
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:

## 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.
* 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.
| 1st Region (Primera Región) | 2nd Region (Segunda Región) | 3rd Region (Tercera Región) |
| Chiriqui Grande Aeronaval Station Quebrada de Piedra Aeronaval Station Coiba Aeronaval Station De Rambala Air Station Mayor Azael Adames Air Station Subteniente Vicente Vargas Air Station | Captain Lloyd Nunez Command Base Almirante Cristobal Colon Aeronaval Base Vasco Nuñez de Balboa Naval Base Captain Juan Delgado Air Base Isla Chapera Aeronaval Station Punta Coco Aeronaval Station Mensabe Aeronaval Station de Chame Air Station Octavio Rodriguez Garrido Air Station | Major Salvador Cordoba Air Station |

## Personnel

As of 2024, SENAN personnel consist of approximately 3,700 sworn officers and 200 administrative personnel. Sworn officers perform SENAN tasks and missions, while administrative personnel only conduct administrative and technical functions.
Sworn offices are consist of following levels:

### Commissioned officer ranks

| Rank group | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag officers | General / flag 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 |
| National Aeronaval Service vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| National Aeronaval Service vte | | | | | | | Director General | Director General | Subdirector General | Subdirector General | Comisionado | Comisionado | Subcomisionado | Subcomisionado | Mayor | Mayor | Capitán | Capitán | Teniente | Teniente | Teniente | Subteniente | Subteniente | Subteniente |

### Other ranks

| 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 |
| National Aeronaval Service vte | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | No insignia | No insignia |
| National Aeronaval Service vte | | | | | | | | | 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 | | | | | | | Agente | Agente |
As branch of Public Forces, SENAN personnel can be transferred to another police service according to service needs and vice versa.

## Equipment
### Aircraft

| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Variant | In service | Notes |
| Transport ||||||
| Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano | Brazil | light attack | | On order | |
| 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 | MEDEVAC | | 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 | MEDEVAC | | 1 | |
| Bell 212 | United States | transport | | 2 | |
| Bell 407 | United States | transport | | 2 | |
| Bell UH-1 | United States | utility | UH-1H | 6 | donated by United States |
| Trainer aircraft ||||||
| T-35 Pillán | Chile | trainer | | 4 | |

### Vessels

| Vessel | Origin | Type | Class | Notes |
| Patrol boat |||||
| P-901 | Italy | coastal enforcement | Class 900 | |
| P-302 Ligia Elena | United Kingdom | patrol boat | Vosper class | |
| P-301 Panquiaco | United Kingdom | patrol boat | Vosper class | |
| P-204 3 de Noviembre | 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 | Italy | patrol boat | Super 200 class | |
| P-221 Pdte. Ernesto P. Balladares | Italy | patrol boat | Super 200 class | |
| P-222 Pdte. Mireya Moscoso | Italy | patrol boat | Super 200 class | |
| P-223 Pdte. Martin Torrijose Herrera | Italy | patrol boat | Super 200 class | |
| P-814 Coclé | United States | patrol boat | Mark-II class | |
| P-843 Bocas del Toro | United States | patrol boat | Mark-IV class | |
| Support vessels |||||
| L-24 Lina Maria | Colombia | Support vessel | Logistica class | |
| A-401 Independencia | United States | Support vessel | Buoy Tender class | |
| A-402 General Esteban Huertas | United States | Support vessel | Barcaza class | second hand from the U.S. Navy |
| Special boat |||||
| Hunter Class | Honduras | fast boat | | 2 in service |
| Nor-Tech | United States | maritime interdiction | BIM 43 Class | 4 in service |
| Eduardoño Class | Colombia | fast boat | | 5 in service |
| Donzin Class | United States | fast boat | | 2 in service |