Central/South American Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

Peru cancels the Mayor inspection program and Modernization An-32B Naval Aviation


(Defensa.com) The Ministry of Defense of Peru has canceled the international tender for major inspection and modernization of the two Antonov An-32B Cline of the Command of Naval Aviation (COMAVINAV) whose contract, valued at $ 10.5 million It was initially awarded to Infora Limited, representing the country at US manufacturer Antonov (Ukraine) in Peru. Despite the scarcity of information, it emerged that the cancellation would result from a claim of AerCaribe (Colombia) - which argued submitting "inadequate documentation" by Infora Limited - and an assessment of the Procurement Agency (ACFAA ) I declare that I founded despite serious irregularities noted in his presentation and a technical-legal report that determined that the process and awarding of the contract was properly awarded.

This is the third time that a process that involved AerCaribe is canceled. In May 2014, the Army Aviation Brigade had canceled a contract for $ 3.2 million for the "Expansion Calendaria two An-32B" by the irregularities detected during the process; while in November the Logistics Directorate of the Ministry of Interior said "desert" International Procurement Process No. 001-2014-IN to supply the "Maintenance and Inspection Service Mayor 3 Antonov An-32B" - valued at 8, 7 million - of the Police Aviation Administration (DIRAVPOL) because it did not have any authorization or certification to perform overhaul and modernization work in Peru.

The cancellation of this contract, which must be called again, seriously affect the availability of the An-32B Naval Aviation for air transport operations and civic action. Mayor Inspection Program and Modernization aims to extend the life of the An-32B Naval Aviation for another 20 years. Both ships, acquired in Hungary in 1994, should be subjected to a series of inspections in the main structure (to detect the presence of cracks, corrosion or defects), engines and auxiliary power plant, flight controls and trains landing, electrical systems, fire, fuel and pneumohydraulic as well as to make changes that will not only increase the payload to 7.5 tonnes but reduce operating costs per flight hour.

The Antonov An-32B Cline is a medium transport aircraft designed and manufactured by US Antonov in Ukraine, which has a length of 23.78 m, a wingspan of 29.20 m. and a height of 8.75 m. It is powered by two engines Ivchenko Progress AI-20DM each of 5,112 hp that give a top speed of 530 km / h and a cruising 470 km / h. The roof of operation is 9,500 m. and 2,500 km. Its maximum takeoff weight is 27,000 kg. It can carry 42 paratroopers, 50 soldiers or 24 stretchers.

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El Salvador activates their new special operations. The organization resembles the Brazilian BOPE


(Defensa.com) A growing gang threat of attacks against the police and the Salvadoran military will face new battalions of Special Reaction Force (ERF), units that started to be operational in late May. There will be 600 soldiers divided into three battalions FER. A first unit became operational in the area of Aguilares, San Salvador, after an attack on a military patrol days after the second battalion was deployed in the city of Jucuapa, Usulutan, in an operation that extended to the districts of Concepción , Amate, Colonia San Joaquin, San Francisco and Paraisal, all with strong support from M1151 vehicles.

These vehicles are the exclusive use of the Cavalry Regiment, suggesting that at least some of the elements of the FER come from the armored cavalry; However, the Armed Forces (FAES) has clarified that the tasks assigned to the battalions are those patrol short and long range, receiving support from sniper teams, shock units, communications components, and medical components as well as part of Helicopter Squadron machines for mobility. It is lightweight and highly mobile battalions reaction, capable of operating in rural or urban terrain, and shaping core is the Special Forces Command. Thus, the FER begin to act flexibly, from a special headquarters, and where are deployed to areas with the highest crime risk.


The National Civil Police, meanwhile, has mobilized 1,200 agents to organize their own units within the new National Mobile Force "Agent Juan Carlos Lopez Sanchez" (FMN). FMN units, part of a new security strategy, have come to be known as cleaning battalions. The FMN merge Tactical Operations staff (UTO) Unit, Police Reaction Group (GRP) of the Order Maintenance Unit (UMO), the Police Special Operations Group (BEPGs) and the Gang Intervention Group (GIAP), being supported by elements of the Special Forces Command of the Armed Forces of El Salvador (FAES). Its base is established in San Salvador, where he now runs a Police Operations Center (COP), coordinating the actions of FMN and composed of the heads of each of the police units in addition to the administrative financial unit, intelligence, and PNC communications.


The FMN is named in honor of a police officer killed in a bus Route 202, which runs between the cities of San Salvador and Ahuachapán. On April 11 this year, gang members attacked the transport unit at kilometer 87 of the Pan American highway in the municipality of Turin, Department of Ahuachapán. The López Sánchez agent traveling on the bus and saw that the gang wanted to burn, he giving confronted them killing one of the attackers, and injuring two others before falling seriously wounded by a shot to the head. The FMN that bears his name will have a reaction time of 30 minutes after an emergency has been declared. Has dedicated an investment of $ 1,566,000 for their teams, to include 12 buses, 200 radio handsets, and additional budget of 200 assault rifles (caliber 5.56 mm), 10 night vision equipment, bulletproof vests 200 is sought and 200 helmets. For now, these teams will be provided by the same units, but it is noted that the unit will consist of 1,200 items divided into units or battalions of 200 each.

The creation of these new battalions recalls largely to the Special Police Operations Battalion (BOPE) of the Military Police (State Police) in Rio de Janeiro, created on January 19, 1978 under the name Core Special Operations Company ( NuCOE), rising to Special Operations Company in the 80s and then to Independent Special Operations Company. Finally, in 1991, he became battalion, but adding only 120 police commandos dependent Regiment Marshal Caetano de Farias. In 2000 it gained operational independence of the Regiment, receiving its own headquarters in the Favela Tavares, Barrio de Catete, and increasing to 400 operators, which high-risk missions are assigned, characterized by their incursions into the favelas (gettos) more dangerous country.

The Salvadoran president, Salvador Sanchez Ceren, told local press that the violence mostly affects 50 of the 262 national municipalities, at a time when violence reaches limits never before experienced by the Salvadoran society, even during the internal conflict. Then will the FER and FMN which be venturing to the most dangerous neighborhoods in the Central American country trying to clean battalions. Because of the violent and aggressive actions by the gangs, the laws are reviewed to determine whether the rule of law gives the tools to fight on the grounds that may no longer be designated as common criminals and perhaps they are considered enemy combatants State.




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FMA IA-58 Pucara wearing the scheme applied to commemorate 40 years of service of the IA-58 with the Air Force.



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Honduras Air Force lost another MXT-7-180 in an accident


(Defensa.com) The Air Force of Honduras lost his second plane Maule M7 in an accident at Toncontin Air Base. The FAH277 crashed when the pilot lost control of the aircraft at the time of takeoff from the Toncontin International Airport. The ship swerved and hit a truck that was parked at the airport, suffer irreparable damage. The two crew members were injured.

In 2008, the FAH acquired four MXT-7-180 aircraft to rejuvenate its fleet of basic trainers. They received the FAH271-274 numbers arriving in the country by 2009. The first of the series, the FAH271, got lost in November of that year. The US, meanwhile, donated two aircraft in 2011, and another pair soon after. FAH277 loss leaves the training Maule flotilla with only six machines. The Maule MXT-7-180 Air is particularly well equipped for pilot training, search, rescue, surveillance, reconnaissance and humanitarian assistance. It's actually a ship belonging to a family of light aircraft manufactured in the US tourism. It is a single-engine machine, equipped with a Lycoming IO-540-W.

Even with this loss, the AHF has been reinforced with air means light. In May, the Administrative Office of Seized (OABI), assigned to the FAH 18 planes, seized the drug trade. They were, in fact, about 45 aircraft and those that were seized deteriorate in the hangars of FAH while their legal status was resolved. Of these, 4 had been seized under the Act Deprivation Domain, another 25 under the Money Laundering Act and seized 15 drug trafficking.

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United States instructs Airtec performing intelligence missions over Colombia. The contract exceeds 80 million


(Defensa.com) Airtec The US company has been awarded a US government contract valued at 80.7 million dollars to carry out missions of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR for its acronym in English) in Colombia. The US Southern Command (US Southern Command or SOUTHCOM) has commissioned Airtec conducting flights for ISR missions until September 2018, so the company to operate an airplane Bombardier DHC-8/200 or Dash-8 equipped with special electronic equipment .

Under the contract, the plane is owned by the company and will be operated by personnel of this government but used electronic equipment and will compete under the US Department of border process (US Customs and Border Protection). The contractor is the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division of the US Navy, which used the information obtained by the company to carry out anti-drug operations in Central America, identifying drug trafficking routes in the area. For this, the plane will make 90% of their missions from Bogota, Colombia and the remaining 10% from California.

Possibly this aircraft will also be used to monitor the movements of the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia), in the framework of an agreement the Colombian government with the United States would have been managed by former Colombian Defense Minister Juan Carlos Pinzon, before it was chosen as ambassador of Colombia in the United States.

Although little known, it would not be the first time that Airtec plays such missions in Colombia since at least no record of two previous contracts with the same US military to operate in Colombia. In the framework of these two previous contracts, much less economic value, Airtec had deployed two aircraft equipped to Bogota ISR missions. The first contract ran from 2012 to January 2014 and the next ended in September last year. Airtec has also worked with the Pentagon in Afghanistan under the Counter Narco-Terrorism Program Office Support (CNTPO).

Airtec is a US company based in California specializing in avionics systems integration, surveillance radars, aerial telemetry and flight safety for what has adapted to these different aircraft missions.

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Grob 120T trainer of the FAM

The Minister of Defense of Peru lays the foundation stone of the National Operations Center Satellite Images


(defensa.com) Peruvian Defense Minister, Jakke Valakivi, accompanied by Jean Pierre Bel, personal envoy of the President of France, presided over the ceremony of laying the first stone of the National Operations Center Satellite Images (CNOIS) in Punta Lobos located about 48 km. south of Lima. The Center is part of Program Perusat Land Observation Satellite-1, acquired Airbus Defence and Space in 2014 for an amount of 210 million dollars and will be delivered in 2016.


The contract Perusat-1 includes a full technology transfer program for engineers and Peruvian technicians ranging from the advanced knowledge of space technology to the operation of the satellite and the development of applications tailored for image processing and delivery services images captured with the fleet of radar and optical satellites Airbus Defence and Space. The event was also attended by the Ambassador of France: Fabrice Maurice, Chief of the Joint Command of the Armed Forces: Admiral Jorge Moscoso and the General Commander of the Army: Army General Ronald Hurtado Jimenez and Air Force: General Air Dante Arevalo Abate and the Head of the National Commission for Aerospace Development (CONIDA): Major General FAP Carlos Rodríguez Pajares.






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Argentina intends to purchase 6 PTS KC-390 companies, "Embraer"

TSAMTO,. According to the results held in Cordoba meeting of defense ministers of Brazil and Argentina, Nelson Jobim Nilda Garre and the parties signed a Declaration of Intent providing for the participation of Argentina in the program to develop a military transport plane KC-390 company Embraer.

The agreement allows you to start negotiations on the participation of the Argentinean company aircraft construction enterprises Argentina im.Sen Martin (FAdeA) in designing and manufacturing new aircraft, as well as the purchase of six KC-390 for the .

Argentina became the to sign an agreement of intent to participate in the program, KC-390. Earlier, on August 24 defense ministers of Chile and Brazil signed an agreement that provides the opportunity to participate in the development of the aircraft of the Chilean aviation companies. Sept. 1 a similar agreement signed by the Minister of Defence of Brazil with a colleague from Columbia, September 10 - Minister of Defence of Portugal, Augusto Santos Silva, and September 13 - Chapter Czech Defense Minister Alexandr Vondra.

Thus, at the moment a potential order book (formal contracts are signed) on the KC-390 aircraft is 60 units including 28 units. for Brazil, 12 - - Chile 6 -Portugal 2 - Czech Republic and 6 - Argentina.

As expected, production of prototypes will start in late 2012, flight tests are scheduled at the end of 2014 - the beginning of 2015. Achieving the initial aircraft state of readiness for combat use is expected in 2015, the total - in 2016. The international market the aircraft can do in 2018.

At the same time Defense Minister Nilda Garre Argentina confirmed its intention to implement the country's leadership for FAdeA two-year investment program of $ 27 million dollars, which includes the purchase and modernization of equipment for enterprises, and development of new training aircraft basic training for IA-73. Flight tests of a new TCB is scheduled for 2013.


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Changes in the leadership of the Military Forces of Colombia


(Defensa.com) As expected, the commanders of the three forces have been changed after the arrival of the new Minister of Defense of Colombia, Carlos Villegas Echeverry, who took up his post last June 22 reaching portfolio Defense in order to soften the speech against the peace process was making his predecessor, Juan Carlos Pinzon, who after his release will serve as ambassador to Colombia in the United States. These changes in the military leadership are due, first, to prepare any post-conflict once it reaches a peace agreement with the narco-terrorist group FARC, a process that today leaves several questions due to the continuous attacks against infrastructure , environment and civilians carried out by this group outside the law. The new FAC Commander, General Carlos Bueno Vargas, was the chief of air operations and was responsible for leading first RED FLAG exercises conducted in 2012 where Kfir aircraft participated, in addition to being commander of Air Command Combat No. 1 and will replace the general Guillermo León.

Gen. Alberto Mejia Ferrero, will be the new Army Commander, formerly head of Special Commands, as well as being head of the Aviation Command Air Assault Army, Army Planning director, Commander of the Fourth Brigade of the Army and Commander Special Forces Brigade and will replace the General Jaime Lasprilla.

Regarding the new Commander of the Navy Vice Admiral takes over Leonardo Santamaria, who will have the challenge to maintain continuous growth that has been experiencing the ARC in increasing its naval capabilities and is expected to lead the development of the "PES" aimed at equipping the Navy a strategic platform surface in its arrival will replace the Admiral Hernando Wills.

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The modernization of the SH-2G Super Seasprite of the Peruvian Naval Aviation begins


(defensa.com) A Committee of the Navy of Peru supervises facilities General Dynamics Canada (in Ottawa) the final design, implementation and acceptance testing of the first of four helicopters Kaman SH-2G (P2) Super Seasprite it acquired in 2014. This aircraft, registration NZ-3604, is from the May 19 at the headquarters of Kaman Aerospace (Bloomflied, Connecticut), who will be in charge of the overhaul and modernization of their systems.

As we have been able to confirm, it would be delivered before the end of the year and the remaining would in 2016.

A fifth aircraft (registration number NZ-3605), called SH-2G (P1) and will not be subject to either overhaul or modernization process must arrive directly from New Zealand to Peru in mid-October to start Crew Training program Naval Air Squadron No. 21.


The Navy of Peru acquired in October 2014, through the Canadian Commercial Corporation (DIRCOMAT Contract No. 371-2014), 5 Helicopters Kaman SH-2G (NZ) Super Seasprite by investing $ 117.3 million. This acquisition was approved on November 23, 2013, to be issued Supreme Decree No. 013, signed by President Ollanta Humala, declaring the national interest of the hiring process - with SNIP No. 251575 code - for " "Recovery of the operational capabilities of surface light helicopters in the Callao Naval Base" and he authorized the Ministry of Defence to issue the necessary acts to formalize the contract.

The Kaman SH-2G (NZ)
The Kaman SH-2G (NZ) Super Seasprite are submarine (ASW) and attack helicopters having a length of 15.9 m, height 4.5 m. and a rotor diameter of 13.4 m. They are powered by two motors General Electric T700-GE-401 / 401C of 1,723 HP that give them a top speed of 256 km / h. Cruise and 220 km / h. The maximum takeoff weight is 6,120 kg. and payload of about 1,990 kg. Its range is 890 nautical miles and a service ceiling of 3,000 m.


They have, among others, of "glass cockpit" with multifunction displays, radar Telephonics APS-143 (V) 3 Ocean Eye 220 mn range, FLIR Systems StarSafire III (AN / AAQ-22) Warning (RWR) LR -100 Bae Protection ALE-47, as well as Trimble GPS Radios TASMAN and Rockwell-Collins VHF-UHF ARC-210. They are equipped with sonobuoys the DIFAR 16 (Directional Frequency Analysis and Recording) and DICASS (Directional Command Activated Sonobuoy System) type. ASW armament includes two MK-46 torpedoes or two Depth Charges MK-11, or two AGM-65D Maverick 25 km. range.

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