| Bolivarian Military Aviation | |
|---|---|
| Aviación Militar Bolivariana | |
 Coat of arms of the Bolivarian Military Aviation | |
| Founded | 22 June 1946 |
| Country |
 Venezuela |
| Type | Air force |
| Role | Aerial warfare |
| Part of | Bolivarian Armed Forces |
| Nickname(s) | AMB |
| Patron | Our Lady of Loreto |
| Motto(s) |
Latin language: Spatium superanus palatinus "The paladin of the sovereign space" |
| Colours | Bleu celeste |
| March |
Spanish language: Himno de la Aviacion Militar Nacional "Hymn of the National Military Aviation" |
| Anniversaries | 10 December (Air Force Day) |
| Commanders | |
| Commander-in-Chief | President Nicolás Maduro |
| Minister of Defence | General Vladimir Padrino López |
| Commander | Major General José Silva Aponte |
| Insignia | |
| Roundel |
  |
| Fin flash |
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| Flag |
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| Aircraft flown | |
| Electronic warfare | Dassault Falcon 20C Prometeo, Fairchild C-26B Metro EW |
| Fighter | Su-30MK2, F-16 |
| Trainer | SF-260, EMB-312, K-8 |
| Transport | C-130, Y-8, Boeing 707-320C, Short 360 |
Bolivarian Military Aviation (Spanish language: Aviación Militar Nacional Bolivariana ) is a professional armed body designed to defend Venezuela's sovereignty and airspace. It is a service component of the National Bolivarian Armed Forces of Venezuela.
Etymology[]
The organization is also known as the Bolivarian National Air Force of Venezuela. Its current official name has been in use since the end of 2008. It was previously called the Venezuelan Air Force (FAV; Spanish language: Fuerza Aérea Venezolana ).[1]
History[]
Most of the airbases in Venezuela were built in the 1960s as part of a massive expansion program. The main fighter types in those years were Venom, Vampire, and F-86. Bomber squadrons typically operated B-25 Mitchell aircraft. The 1970s and 1980s saw a considerable increase in capacity, mainly because the rising oil prices enabled the FAV to re-equip most of its units. The mixture of various aircraft types was maintained, and the Mirage IIIE and Mirage 5, VF-5A and D, T-2D, OV-10A and E, and T-27 were introduced. Venezuela was one of the first export customers for the F-16, which arrived in 1983 to equip the newly formed Grupo Aéreo de Caza 16 at El Libertador Airbase.[2][3]
In the 1992 Venezuelan coup d'état attempts, elements of the Venezuelan Air Force were key participants in the rebellion. FAV units at El Libertador Air Base under the command of Brigadier General Visconti seized control of the airbase and then launched an attack on the capital. OV-10s, T-27s, and Mirage III fighters under Visconti's command bombarded targets in the capital and loyalist air bases, destroying five CF-5 fighters on the ground. Two loyalist pilots escaped with F-16 fighters and shot down two OV-10s and a Tucano, claiming air superiority for the government. Two more rebel OV-10s were lost to ground fire. As the tables turned on the coup attempt, General Visconti and his allies fled in two C-130s, two Mirages, an OV-10, and several SA 330 helicopters.[4]
Modernization[]
The AMV purchased 35 Sukhoi Su-30 planes from Russia in July 2006, as a result of the United States embargo on spare parts for their F-16 force.[5] In 2008, Venezuela was reported for a potential acquisition of a number of Su-35 fighter aircraft and a second batch of aircraft 12–24 Sukhoi Su-30 from Russia.[6][7] It did not proceed further.
In October 2015, Venezuela announced the purchase of 12 more Su-30MK2 from Russia for $480 million.[8][9]
Current inventory[]
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A Venezuelan Air Force F-16
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A C-130H Hercules on approach
A Sukhoi SU-30 lift off
Ranks[]
Officer ranks[]
| Venezuela (Edit) |
No equivalent | 
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| General en Jefe | Mayor General | General de Division | General de Brigada | Coronel | Teniente Coronel | Mayor | Capitán | Primer Teniente | Teniente | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Equivalent NATO Code | OF-10 | OF-9 | OF-8 | OF-7 | OF-6 | OF-5 | OF-4 | OF-3 | OF-2 | OF-1 | OF(D) and Student Officer | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Professional and enlisted[]
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No insignia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Sargento Supervisor | Sargento Ayudante | Sargento mayor de Primera | Sargento mayor de Segunda | Sargento mayor de Tercera | Sargento Primero | Sargento Segundo | Cabo Primero | Cabo Segundo | Distinguido | Aviador | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Equivalent NATO Code |
OR-9 | OR-8 | OR-7 | OR-6 | OR-5 | OR-4 | OR-3 | OR-2 | OR-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
References[]
- ↑ "Sukhoi Su-30 story in colours. Sukhoi Su-30 fighter worldwide camouflage and painting schemes". Mars.slipsk.pl. http://www.mars.slupsk.pl/fort/sukhoi/su-30-ve.htm. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
- ↑ "F-16s for Venezuela". F-16.net. http://www.f-16.net/f-16_users_article25.html. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
- ↑ "Venezuelan F-16s". Airtoaircombat.com. http://www.airtoaircombat.com/background.asp?id=8&bg=59. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
- ↑ Cooper, Tom. "Venezuelan Coup Attempt, 1992". ACIG.org. http://www.acig.info/CMS/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=95&Itemid=47. Retrieved 22 January 2013.
- ↑ [1] Archived 14 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ "Venezuela Buying Su-30s, Helicopters, etc. From Russia". defenseindustrydaily.com. http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/venezuela-buying-su30s-helicopters-et-al-from-russia-02472/. Retrieved 25 May 2017.
- ↑ "Venezuela buys Russian aircraft, tanks to boost power". UPI. http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Security-Industry/2008/10/15/Venezuela_buys_Russian_aircraft_tanks_to_boost_power/UPI-11881224089163/. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
- ↑ "Venezuela allocates $480m to buy Sukhoi aircraft from Russia". November 2015. http://www.airforce-technology.com/news/newsvenezuela-allocates-480m-to-buy-sukhoi-aircraft-from-russia-4708156. Retrieved 2 November 2015.[unreliable source?]
- ↑ "Pese a la crisis económica, Venezuela compra doce cazas rusos". 29 October 2015. http://www.clarin.com/mundo/Venezuela-cazas_rusos-crisis_economica-Sukhoi-30_0_1457854530.html. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
- ↑ 10.00 10.01 10.02 10.03 10.04 10.05 10.06 10.07 10.08 10.09 10.10 10.11 10.12 10.13 10.14 10.15 10.16 10.17 10.18 10.19 10.20 "World Air Forces 2020". Flightglobal Insight. 2020. https://www.flightglobal.com/reports/world-air-forces-2020/135665.article. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
- ↑ "La Fuerza Aérea Venezolana exhibe sus vehículos aéreos no tripulados ANT-1X". Infodefensa.com. 25 November 2011. http://www.infodefensa.com/?noticia=la-fuerza-aerea-venezolana-exhibe-sus-vehiculos-aereos-no-tripulados-ant-1x-2. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
External links[]
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Category:Air force of Venezuela. |
- (in Spanish) Sitio oficial de la Aviación Militar de Venezuela
- U.S. Arms Sales to Venezuela from the Dean Peter Krogh Foreign Affairs Digital Archives
The original article can be found at Bolivarian Military Aviation and the edit history here.