Colombian Navy The Colombian Navy ( ) , also known as the " " Armada Nacional " " or just the " " Armada " " in Spanish , is the naval branch of the military forces of Colombia . The Navy is responsible for security and defence in the Colombian zones of both the Atlantic ( Caribbean ) and Pacific oceans , the extensive network of rivers inside the country , and a few small land areas under its direct jurisdiction . As of 2010 , the Colombian Navy had 35 , 502 personnel including approximately 22 , 000 in the Marine Infantry corps . " ARC " , ( ) is used both as the official ship prefix for all the Colombian Navy ships , as well as the common acronym for the navy itself . History . The Colombian Navy was born with Colombian independence from Spain . The president of the Supreme Board of Cartagena , José María García Toledo , created the Naval Command Office by means of a decree dated September 17 , 1810 . The navy was placed under the command of Captain Juan Nepomuceno Eslava , junior son of the ( former ) Spanish Viceroy Sebastián de Eslava . On June 28 , 1822 , General Francisco de Paula Santander created the Naval School , which was later on decommissioned until 1907 , when President Rafael Reyes Prieto created the Naval Academy , through decree 783 of July 6 , 1907 only to be closed off yet again by his successor , Ramón González Valencia on December 28 , 1909 . The conflict with Peru in 1932 made the Colombian Navy reappear , this time to stay . New ships were acquired and the " " Escuela de Grumetes " " ( Navy Sailors School ) was founded in 1934 and the " " Escuela de Cadetes " " ( Navy Officers School ) was founded in 1935 . Nowadays both schools continue their work of instructing the Colombian men and women of the sea . Engagements and Conflicts . World War II , the U - 154 Incident . While initially declaring neutrality , but nevertheless being aligned towards the Allied cause , Colombia declared a state of war against Germany on November 23 , 1943 . The Colombian navy was already active on combat patrols in the Caribbean , after multiple depredations by U - boats in the area towards US and UK ships entering or leaving the Panama Canal . On March 29 , 1944 the tanker ARC " Cabimas " was en route from Cartagena to Panama City , escorted by the destroyer ARC " Caldas " under the command of Captain Federico Diago . Around 8 : 00 pm , the " Caldas " detected the periscope of a U - boat and proceeded to engage with cannon fire and depth mines . Later accounts identified this U - boat as the " U - 154 " . While badly shaken and perhaps damaged , the " U - 154 " managed to escape , and was finally sunk four months later in another engagement with the USS " Frost " and the USS " Inch " . For his quick reaction in defence of the national seas , Captain Diago was later decorated by the Colombian government . Organization . The Navy is part of the executive branch of the Colombian Government , the President of Colombia being the commander - in - chief of all military forces , via the civilian Minister of Defense , and the General Commander of Military Forces ( ) , who is a senior officer appointed by the president from any of the 3 services ( Army , Air Force or Navy ) . The most senior officer organic to the Navy is the Commander of the Navy ( ) . Forces and Commands . The Colombian Navy operates with 7 specialized forces or commands across the territory : Naval educational institutions . Along with the 7 operational commands above , the Colombian Navy maintains 3 major training schools for its personnel : The Navy also has 12 other post graduate schools aimed at sharpening and intensifying the needed capacities and personnel of the various naval services and the Marine Corps . Operating Bases . The ARC maintains a number of major bases in both Caribbean and Pacific littorals , as well as multiple operational riverine bases scattered over the territory . The principal naval bases are : some of the more important operational bases are : Personnel . , the Colombian Navy fields approximately 35 , 000 personnel , including roughly 22 , 000 Marine Infantry , 8 , 000 sailors and NCOs , 2 , 500 Officers , 1 , 300 personnel in training and some 2 , 000 civilians ( these usually deployed to specialty technical or medical posts ) . Ranks & Insignias . The tables below display the rank structures and rank insignias for the Colombian Navy personnel . Equipment . Ships . In keeping with its 3 major operational scenarios : blue - water operations , littoral / riverine operations and coast guard , the ARC maintains a mix of ships suited to each of those profiles . The scope of its operation has been historically oriented towards lightly armed coastal patrol , and as such , the majority of its vessels had been usually mid - size cutters . Traditionally , the ARC has had strong ties to the American and German navies and shipbuilders and much of its equipment traces its roots to them . Similar to other navies in the Latin - American region , the Colombian Navy acquired many vessels in the postwar years of the 50s and 60s , usually as war surplus from the US Navy , and then went through a somewhat dormant period during the 60s to 80s , during which few major acquisitions were performed . In more recent years , the Colombian Navy has seen two major periods of upgrading and modernization of its equipment : The first period , as a result of the rise of the drug trade in the late 70s and 80s as well as , at the time , increased political tensions in the Caribbean due to territorial disputes with some of its neighbors - with Nicaragua over the San Andres archipelago and with Venezuela over the Los Monjes Archipelago - saw the need for a stronger caribbean patrol force , and resulted in the acquisition of its biggest vessels to date , 4 missile corvettes ( later upgraded to light frigates ) in 1983 as well as some additional patrol craft . The second period , as a consequence of the deepening in the internal Colombian conflict , started in late 90s and extended over to 2005 - 2006 , provided strengthening of its riverine and littoral capabilities , involving R & D for new indigenous designs in collaboration with the state - owned Cotecmar shipyards that resulted in new types of vessels such as the state - of - the - art Riverine Support Patrol Boats ( ) , also called " riverine mothership " ( ) like the ARC " Juan Ricardo Oyola Vera " ( NF - 613 ) which have drawn the eye of other navies with similar requirements . Currently , the ARC is working on additional medium and long - term programs , including the development and acquisition of a number of Coastal Patrol Vessels ( Fassmer CPV - 40 ) 7 October 2011 , South Korea is to donate a recently retired Pohang class corvette to Colombia as part of a drive to boost arms exports to the South American region . Kun San ( 757 ) was decommissioned by the Republic of Korea Navy ( RoKN ) on 29 September , having been active for some 27 years since entering service in 1984 . Aircraft . The Navy Aviation Command operates approximately 17 fixed and rotary wing aircraft for naval surveillance and patrol , Search and Rescue ( SAR ) , and logistical support of naval facilities and operations .