frontier brigades included as part of the Marines and a fifth major unit, the Special Operations Brigade. Together, these forces represent approximately 35 per cent of total navy manpower. Their personal and support weapons are essentially the same as those of the infantry units of the army. The 2010 budget has signaled that the Navy will expand its marine forces by two brigades, comprising a marine infantry and a river frontier brigade. 5.2.1. Marine Infantry Venezuela has two marine infantry brigades, the 1st Marine Infantry Brigade “General Carlos Soublette” (HQ Puerto Cabello, Carabobo) and the 2nd Marine Infantry Brigade “CA José Eugenio Hernández” (HQ carupano, These brigades comprise seven infantry battalions: “General. Rafael Urdaneta”; “Generalisimo Francisco de Miranda”; “Contra Almirante Renato Beluche”; “Capitan de Corbeta Miguel Lugo” “General Bolívar”; “Mariscal de Campo Antonio José de Sucre”; and “General José Francisco Bermúdez”. Marine support elements consist of: Mixed Division Support Artillery Group “Vice Almirante Lino de Clemente”; Support Battalion “Almirante Luis Brion”; Naval Replacement Regiment “Rear Admiral Armando Lopez Conde” Replacement Regiment “Contra Almirante Armando López Conde”. The Artillery Group is equipped with two batteries of Oto Melara Model 56 105 mm howitzers and two of Thompson-Brandt 120 mm mortars and one each of M-42A1 S/P A/A guns and of Seacat SAMs, the latter used for base defence at Puerto Cabello. The 4th Marine Infantry Brigade “Almirante Alejandro Peitón” is in the process of formation and will be activated during 2010. 5.2.2. Marine River Frontier Forces Venezuelaʼs riverine forces are comprised of:
General Command. This re-organisation was to allow fulfilment of the navy’s new role in the construction and development of a socialist Venezuela, as drawn up by the 1999 Constitution. The Engineer Corps is composed of two brigades: “Contra Almirante José Yepez”; and “ALM José P. Padilla”. Each brigade comprises one combat engineering brigade and three maintenance and construction battalions. 5.6. Naval Aviation Order of Battle Table 2. Unit Base Type Role Naval Air Helicopter Squadron Naval Air Station Puerto Cabello(1)(2) AB 212AS Anti-Submarine Warfare Naval Air Patrol Squadron Naval Air Station Puerto Cabello(2) C-212-400MP Maritime Patrol Naval Air Transport Squadron Air Station La Carlota(3) C-212-200 Transport Naval Air Transport Squadron Naval Air Station La Carlota(3) C-212-400 Transport Naval Air Transport Squadron Naval Air Station La Carlota(3) King Air 90 Communications Air Transport Squadron Naval Air Station La Carlota(3) King Air 200 Communications Naval Air Transport Squadron Naval Air Station La Carlota(3) Commander 980 Communications Naval Air Training Squadron Naval Air Station Puerto Cabello(2) Cessna 210 Training Naval Air Training Squadron Naval Air Station Puerto Cabello(2) Cessna 402 Training
during 2007 and this led the order of further work to be carried out under a $28 million contract for the refit of another two LST’s, T-63 Goajira and T-64 Los llanos. 9. Equipment in service 9.1. Submarines Table 4. Class Manufacturer Role Original Total In Service Sábalo (209A) Type 1300 Howaldtswerke, Kiel Attack 2 2 1976 9.2. Surface Fleet Table 5. Class Manufacturer Role Original Total In Service Modified Lupo Fincantieri, Riva Trigoso Frigate 6 6 1980 PVOZEE Navantia Missile Patrol Ship 4 2 2010 Constitución Vosper Thornycroft Fast Attack Craft – Missile 6 6 1974 Federación Vosper Thornycroft Fast Attack Craft – Missile 3 3 1974 Capaña (Alligator) Korea Tacoma Marine Landing Ship – Tank 4 4 1984 Ciudad Bolivar Hyundai industries Logistics Support Ship 1 1 2000 LCM-8 n/a Landing Craft 1 1 n/a
695 Commander Jetprop 980 Gulfstream Aerospace VIP Transport 1 1 n/a 412EP Bell Utility 7 6 1999 Mi-17V-5 Kazan Utility 6 6 2009 210E Centurion Cessna Trainer 1 1(1) n/a 402C Cessna Trainer 1 1 1981 206B JetRanger III Bell Trainer 3 1 1988 TH-57A SeaRanger Bell Trainer 2 2 1998 Note: (1) Recently in storage. 9.4. Naval Aviation - Missiles 7. Type Manufacturer Role Marte AOSM Anti-Ship Attack 9.5. Guard 8. Manufacturer Role Original Total In Service BVL Navantia/DIANCA OPV 4 3 2009 Protector 3612 SeaArk Marine, Monticello Patrol Craft 2 2 1994
Dianca Patrol Craft n/a Patrol Craft 1 1 2004 Stan Patrol 2606 UCOCAR, Damen Patrol Craft 4 1 2008 River Patrol Craft Various Patrol Craft - River 7 7 n/a Inshore Patrol Boats Various Patrol - Inshore 18 18(1) 1991 River Transport Craft YRS Landing Craft - Mechanised 2 2(2) 1981 Cholocco Commercial Iron Works, Portland Coastal Tug 1 1 1989 Polaris Cougar Marine Patrol 7 7 1987 Punta Macolla Intermarine Patrol 8 6 1997 Petrel (Point) US Guard Yard, Curtis Bay Patrol Craft 4 4 1962(3) Gavion Halter Marine Patrol Craft 12 12 1999 Notes: (1) All of these craft are used by marines. (2) Both are used by the marines. There are also 12 11 m LCVPs. (3) Transferred from the US Coast Guard between 1991 and 1998.