Peruvian Air Force

Peruvian Air Force Fuerza Aérea del Perú
Active	1929 (as Peruvian Aviation Corps)
Country	Peru
Part of	Ministry of Defense
Engagements	Colombia–Peru War Ecuadorian-Peruvian war (1941) Paquisha War Cenepa War
Commanders
Commander-In-Chief	Carlos Eduardo Samamé Quiñones
Chief of Staff	Walter Milenko Vojvodic Vargas
Inspector General	Pedro Joaquin Seabra Pinedo
Insignia
Roundel
Aircraft flown
Attack	Su-25, A-37B
Fighter	MiG-29, Mirage 2000
Attack helicopter	Mi-25D, Mi-35P
Patrol	C-26B
Reconnaissance	Learjet 36
Trainer	MB-339, EMB-312, Zlin 242L
Transport	An-32B, C-130 Hercules, Y-12, Boeing 737, DHC-6, PC-6

The Peruvian Air Force (Spanish: Fuerza Aérea del Perú, abbreviated FAP) is the branch of the Peruvian Armed Forces tasked with defending the nation and its interests through the use of air power. Additional missions include assistance in safeguarding internal security, conducting disaster relief operations and participating in international peacekeeping operations.

History

On May 20, 1929, the aviation divisions of the Peruvian Army and Navy were merged into the Cuerpo de Aviación del Perú (Peruvian Aviation Corps, abbreviated CAP). During the Colombia-Peru War of 1933, its Vought O2U Corsair and Curtiss F11C Hawk planes fought in the Amazon region. The CAP lost three aircraft to the Colombian Air Force . The corps was renamed Cuerpo Aeronáutico del Perú (Peruvian Aeronautical Corps, also abbreviated CAP) on March 12, 1936. In 1941, the CAP participated in the Peruvian-Ecuadorian War. At that time, the CAP were equipped with Caproni Ca.114 and North American NA.50 Torito fighters, Douglas DB-8A-3P attack aircraft, and Caproni Ca.135 Tipo Peru and Caproni Ca.310 Libeccio bombers, among others.

During the presidency of Manuel A. Odría the corps was reorganized again and on July 18, 1950 it became the Fuerza Aérea del Perú (Air Force of Peru, abbreviated FAP). In the 1950s the FAP was modernized to the jet age with the arrival of the English Electric Canberra bombers and the Hawker Hunter, Lockheed F-80 Shooting Star and North American F-86 Sabre fighters. The service underwent a period of considerable expansion throughout the 1970s and early 1980s which included the acquisition of French-made Dassault Mirage 5P and 5DP, U.S. made Cessna A-37B Dragonfly attack aircraft, Lockheed C-130 and L-100-20 Hercules transport aircraft, and the introduction of an important number of Soviet-made aircraft, including Sukhoi Su-22 bombers and Antonov An-26 and An-32 transport aircraft, as well as Mil Mi-8, Mi-17 and Mi-25 helicopters. In 1982, during the Falklands War, the Peruvian Air Force transferred ten of their Mirage 5P to the Argentine Air Force as a measure of solidarity. The economic crisis of the later 1980s forced reductions in the fleet size as well as cuts in training and general readiness.

Under those conditions the FAP fought the Cenepa War against Ecuador in 1995 and lost five planes and helicopters. After the war, in 1996 the FAP acquired MiG-29 fighters and in 1998 Su-25 attack fighters arrived, which along with Mirage 2000 fighters acquired in the late 1980s, are currently the main combat elements of the FAP.

Organization

A Peruvian Sukhoi Su-25, the country's main attack aircraft.

A-37Bs are based at Piura with the 7th Air Group

The current Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force of Peru is General Carlos Eduardo Samamé Quiñones. Aerial forces are subordinated to the Ministry of Defense and ultimately to the President as Commander-in-Chief of the Peruvian Armed Forces. Operational units are organized as follows:

Ala Aérea Nº 1

1st Air Wing, headquartered at Piura

• Grupo Aéreo Nº 6 (6th Air Group) based at Chiclayo
  • Escuadrón Aéreo 612 (Fighter Squadron 612 "Fighters Cocks") - operating MiG-29S/SE/UB
• Grupo Aéreo Nº 7 (7th Air Group) based at Piura
  • Escuadrón Aéreo 711 (Fighter Squadron 711 "Scorpions") - operating A-37B
• Grupo Aéreo Nº 11 (11th Air Group) based at Talara
  • Escuadrón Aéreo 112 (Fighter Squadron 112 "Tigers") - operating Su-25/UB

Peruvian MiG-29SE at Halcon-Condor 2010 festival.

Ala Aérea Nº 2

2nd Air Wing, headquartered at Callao

• Grupo Aéreo Nº 3 (3rd Air Group) based at Callao
  • Escuadrón Aéreo 332 (Medium-Airlift Helicopter Squadron 332) - operating Mi-17, Bell 212, Bell 412 and BO-105
  • Escuadrón Aéreo 333 (Helicopter Training Squadron 333) - operating Schweizer 300
• Grupo Aéreo Nº 8 (8th Air Group) based at Callao
  • Escuadrón Aéreo 811 (Transport Squadron 811) - operating B-737, An-32 and L-100

Peruvian Mi-171Sh recently aquired in 2011.

Ala Aérea Nº 3

Peruvian Mirage 2000P are deployed in La Joya Air Base, Arequipa.

3rd Air Wing, headquartered at Arequipa

• Grupo Aéreo Nº 2 (2nd Air Group) based at Vítor
  • Escuadrón Aéreo 211 (Attack Helicopter Squadron 211) - operating Mi-25D, Mi-35P

• Grupo Aéreo Nº 4 (4th Air Group) based at La Joya
  • Escuadrón Aéreo 411 (Fighter Squadron 411 "Hawks") - operating Mirage 2000P/DP
  • Escuadrón Aéreo 513 (Advance Training Squadron 513) - operating MB-339AP [on loan from 51st Air Group]

• Grupo Aéreo Nº 51 (51st Air Group) based at Pisco
  • Escuadrón Aéreo 511 (Basic Training Squadron 511) - operating Zlin 242L
  • Escuadrón Aéreo 512 (Intermediate Training Squadron 512) - operating AT-27

Ala Aérea Nº 5

5th Air Wing, headquartered at Iquitos

• Grupo Aéreo Nº 42 (42nd Air Group) based at Iquitos
  • Escuadron Aereo 421 (Transport Squadron 421) - operating PC-6, DHC-6 and Y-12

Personnel

MB-339s are used for advanced training.

SA-3 Pechora SAM on display at Las Palmas Airbase - 2006

Personnel (as of 2001)
Commissioned Officers	1,909
Non-commissioned officers	7,559
Cadets	325
NCO in training	296
Enlisted	7,880
Civilians	8,708
Total	17,969 (excl. civilians)

Equipment

Numbers shown below are derived from open sources, they should be regarded as estimates due to lack of confirmation from official sources.

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Version	In service	Notes
Fighter Aircraft
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29	Russia	tactical fighter tactical fighter multirole fighter fighter trainer	MiG-29 MiG-29SE MiG-29SMP MiG-29UB	6 3 0+12 2	Contract signed on August 12, 2008 for US$ 106 million with Mikoyan for a custom-made SMT upgrade of eight MiG-29 called MiG-29SMP. In February 10, 2011 the Peruvian Air Force CiC announced the delivery of the eight MiG-29SMP plus an additional 4 MiG-29BM, acquired and upgraded to the SMP standard in Belarus.
Dassault Mirage 2000	France	multirole fighter	Mirage 2000P Mirage 2000DP	10 2	An US$ 140 million budget was announced in Le Bourget Airshow 2009 to invest in the recovery of the Mirage 2000 fleet.
Attack Aircraft
Sukhoi Su-25	Russia	attack aircraft	Su-25 Su-25UB	10 8	The Su-25UB fleet was upgraded for SEAD role between 2004-2005 under the Comadreja program
Cessna A-37 Dragonfly	United States	light attack aircraft	A-37B	48	10 upgraded with U.S. anti-drug assistance, with work on six complete by late 2002, and the rest to be completed by the end of that year. 8 aircraft and the same number of engines were donated by South Korea on February 3, 2010.
Trainer Aircraft
Aermacchi MB-339	Italy	lead-in fighter trainer	MB-339AP	14	16 delivered 1981-1982; local production program cancelled
Embraer EMB 312 Tucano	Brazil	intermediate trainer	AT-27	18	first 20 ordered and delivered 1987, replaced T-37Cs; 10 more acquired in 1992; some used also in interceptor role for drug-interdiction flights; at least three lost to attrition.
Zlin Z 142	Czech Republic	basic trainer	Zlin 242L	15	delivery before July 1998; one lost in April, 2003.
Cessna T-41 Mescalero	United States	basic trainer	Cessna T-41D Mescalero	5
Piper PA-34 Seneca	United States	multi-engine trainer	PA-34-200T Seneca II	1
Reconnaissance Aircraft
Fairchild C-26 Metroliner	United States	surveillance	C-26B	3	Donated for anti-drug role by U.S.; reconditioned for aerial surveillance with a FLIR turret (1 in storage)
Learjet 36	United States	reconnaissance	Learjet 36A	2
Rockwell Turbo Commander 690	United States	reconnaissance	Turbo Commander 690B	1	current status unknown
Transport Aircraft
Boeing 737	United States	transport transport VIP transport	737-200 737-300 737-500	2 3 1
Lockheed C-130 Hercules	United States	transport	L-100-20	5	3 in storage
Antonov An-32	Ukraine	transport	An-32B	5
Harbin Y-12	China	transport	Y-12 II	5	Six ordered in 1991 and scheduled to be delivered by the end of that year; one lost April 1995 in crash on takeoff from Iquitos, three crew killed. All presumed non-operational.
de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter	Canada	utility aircraft utility aircraft	DHC-6-300 DHC-6-400	5 0+12	contract signed for twelve DHC-6-400 in November 2010; to be delivered from June 2011 through 2014.
Pilatus PC-6	Switzerland	liaison	PC-6B Turbo Porter	9
Helicopters
Mil Mi-24	Russia	attack helicopter	Mi-25D	16	twelve Mi-25s delivered in 1982; seven Mi-25s were procured from Nicaragua in 1992, one Mi-25 shot down by Ecuadoran SA-16 in 1995; two crashed in collision in August 1995 near Arequipa
Mil Mi-35	Russia	attack helicopter	Mi-35P	2	two Mi-35 initially ordered in late 2010 for COIN duties in the VRAE jungle. A second, undetermined batch is expected to be acquired in the near future.
Mil Mi-17	Russia	transport helicopter	Mi-17	14
Mil Mi-171	Russia	transport helicopter	Mi-171Sh	3	six Mi-171Sh were acquired along with the Mi-35P, three for the Air Force and the rest for the Peruvian Army. A second, undetermined batch is expected to be acquired in the near future.
Schweizer 300	United States	utility helicopter	Schweizer 300C	6
Bölkow Bo 105	Germany	utility helicopter	Bo-105LS	5	six delivered in 1991
Bell 212	United States	utility helicopter	Bell 212	6
Bell 412	United States	utility helicopter	Bell 412EP	1	originally two, second unit fate is unknown

Gallery

• 

  MiG-29 on display, Las Palmas Air Base

• 

  Mirage 2000P on display at Halcon-Condor 2007 festival

• 

  The Sukhoi Su-22 was the backbone of the Peruvian Air Force until the late 90s

• 

  Bell 212 armed with rocket pods

• 

  Boeing 737

• 

  EMB-312 AT-27 "Tucano"

Sources

• Cobas, Efraín, Las Fuerzas Armadas Peruanas en el Siglo XXI. CESLA, 2003.
• Marchessini, Alejo, "La Fuerza Aérea del Perú"; Defensa 295: 30-42 (November 2002).
• Marchessini, Alejo, "La aviación de combate de origen ruso de la FAP"; Defensa 342: 34-36 (October 2006).
• Marchessini, Alejo, "El Servicio de Material de Guerra de la FAP"; Defensa 355: 48-50 (November 2007).

See also

• Cenepa War
• Ecuadorian-Peruvian war
• Falso Paquisha War
• José Quiñones Gonzáles

External links

• Official Air Force of Peru Website
• Peruvian military aircraft Order of Battle
• Aeroflight

• Maquina de Combate
• Order of Battle at Scramble
• World Air Forces