The Peruvian Navy (Spanish: Marina de Guerra del Perú, abbreviated MGP) is the branch of the PeruvianArmed Forces tasked with surveillance, patrol and defense on lakes, rivers and the Pacific Ocean up to 200 nautical miles (370 km; 230 mi) from the Peruvian littoral. Additional missions include assistance in safeguarding internal security, conducting disaster relief operations and participating in international peacekeeping operations.
The Marina de Guerra del Perú celebrates the anniversary of its creation in 1821 on October 8 and also commemorates the decisive Battle of Angamos, the final part of the naval campaign of the War of the Pacific between Peru and Chile at the end of 1879.
History
19th century
The Marina de Guerra del Perú was established on 8 October 1821 by the government of general José de San Martín. Its first actions were undertaken during the War of Independence (1821–1824) using captured Spanish warships. The Peruvian Naval Infantry was also formed during the war with Spain, performing successfully in their first battle where they seized Arica from the Spanish.[2]
Shortly afterwards it was engaged in the war against the Gran Colombia (1828–1829) during which it conducted a blockade against the seaport of Guayaquil and then assisted in the subsequent Peruvian occupation. The Navy saw further action during the war of the Peru-Bolivian Confederacy (1836–1839) and during the Chincha Islands War with Spain (1866).
Following the War of the Pacific, the Peruvian Navy had to be completely rebuilt. In 1900 the force consisted of only one cruiser of 1,700 tons displacement, a screw-driven steamer, and ten smaller ships – the latter described by a contemporary British publication as "of no real value".[3] The lengthy process of expansion and rebuilding started in 1907 with the acquisition from the United Kingdom of the scout cruisersAlmirante Grau and Coronel Bolognesi, followed by the arrival of two submarines, Ferré and Palacios, from France in 1911. During the Presidency of Augusto B. Leguía (1919–1930) a Navy Ministry was established as well as a Navy Aviation Corps, both in 1920.
Border conflicts with Colombia in 1911 and 1932 and a war with Ecuador in 1941 saw Peruvian warships involved in some skirmishes in support of the Army. The attack on Pearl Harbor brought World War II to the Pacific and even though Peru did not declare war on the Axis until 1945, its Navy was involved in patrol missions against possible threats by the Imperial Japanese Navy from early 1942 up to mid-1945.
During the 1970s and the first half of the 1980s the Peruvian Navy carried out a major buildup programme[4] which allowed it to take advantage over its traditional rival, the Chilean Navy. The navy purchased one cruiser the BAP Almirante Grau (CLM-81) from the Netherlands, eight Carvajal-class frigates from Italy – four newly purchased and four ex-Lupo-class frigates – as well as six PR-72P-classcorvettes from France. The buildup proved to be temporary due to the economic crisis of the second half of the 1980s, forcing the decommissioning of several warships and resulting in a general lack of funds for maintenance.
The economic upturn of the 1990s and into the 2000s would later permit some improvement, although at a reduced force level compared to the early 1980s.[citation needed]
21st century
Into the 21st century, the Peruvian Navy began to modernize their ships. In 2008, the Type 209/1100 submarines were modernized[5] while the Carvajal-class frigates began to be modernized in 2011.[6] The Type 209/1200 submarines began to be modernized in late-2017 beginning with the BAP Chipana (SS-34).[5]
Coast Guard, tasked with law enforcement on Peruvian territorial waters, rivers and lakes. The Peruvian Coast Guard often performs anti-drug trafficking operations within the nation's waters. The Coast Guard has approximately 1,000 personnel.[14]
The Naval Aviation Force (in Spanish): (Fuerza de Aviación Naval, AVINAV) is the air branch of the Peruvian Navy, its roles include anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, maritime surveillance, reconnaissance and transport of marine personnel. It is also responsible for airborne operations of the Peruvian Marines. Naval Aviation has about 800 personnel.[15]
Although most of the fleet is based at Callao, this has not been considered an ideal location since it is also the main outlet for Peruvian trade, causing space and security problems. In the 1980s the building of a new naval base at Chimbote was considered though high costs and a poor economic situation made the project unfeasible.[16]
ex-Perseo (F-566), overhauled and upgraded in SIMA Callao shipyard with locally-made CMS and ESM systems, a Kronos NV 3D radar, MASS countermeasures system and 4 MM40 Block III Exocet missiles replacing Otomat.[20]
Ordered in 2013. Derived design of Taegeuk-class patrol vessel from Republic of Korea Navy. Laid down in SIMA Chimbote shipyard and commissioned on March 18, 2016. Operated by the Peruvian Coast Guard
Ordered in 2013. Derived design of Taegeuk-class patrol vessel from Republic of Korea Navy. Laid down in SIMA Chimbote shipyard and commissioned on March 18, 2016. Operated by the Peruvian Coast Guard
Laid down in the SIMA Iquitos shipyard. Damaged by an uncontrolled fire in her first operational deployment on May 25, 2010; leaving two crewmen badly injured.[24] Returned to service on July 27, 2012, during the BRACOLPER 2012 exercise.[25]
Laid down on April 9, 2010, in the SIMA Iquitos shipyard, launched on June 8, 2013, and commissioned on March 14, 2016, second and final ship of its class, has some improvements over its sister ship, mainly in armament[26]
ex-HNLMS Amsterdam Built in 1995, acquired in July 2014 from the Royal Netherlands Navy, commissioned on December 4, 2014, at the Den Helder naval base, Netherlands.[31]
Hospital vessels (10 in service, 1 in construction)
95-m long steel-hulled vessel designed to operate in the Antarctic region as well as in Peruvian waters. Construction contract signed in December 2014 with Freire Shipyard. Keel-laying scheduled for June 22, 2015, to be delivered July 2016.[32] Commissioned in May 2017.[33]
ex-HNLMS Abcoude minesweeper. ex-BAP Carrasco, repowered in 2006 with 2 Volvo Penta engines at SIMA Callao, in 2015 received a high power multibeam echosounder.
ex-USS PC-1138, decommissioned in 1956 and sold, then first converted into icebreaker and finally into a tugboat (hull shortened), acquired by the Peruvian Navy in 1984. Inactive since 2014, to be scrapped[37]
^Keltie, J. S., ed. (1900). The Statesman's Year Book: Statistical and Historical Annual of the States of the World for the Year 1900. New York: MacMillan. p. 887. (Retrieved via Google Books 3/4/11.)
Baker III, Arthur D., The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World 2002–2003. Naval Institute Press, 2002.
Basadre, Jorge, Historia de la República del Perú. Editorial Universitaria, 1983.
"La base de Chimbote", Caretas, 855: 31 (June 17, 1985).
Gibbs, Jay (2005). "Question 30/04: The Bolivian Navy in the War of the Pacific". Warship International. XLII (3): 242–247. ISSN0043-0374.
Ortiz Sotelo, Jorge, Apuntes para la historia de los submarinos peruanos. Biblioteca Nacional, 2001.
Pixley, William & Walker, Hartley P. (2001). "Question 33/00: Peruvian Warships Loa and Victoria". Warship International. XXXVIII (3). International Naval Research Organization: 248. ISSN0043-0374.
Rial, Juan, Los militares tras el fin del régimen de Fujimori-Montesinos.
"Los Programas de Renovacion y Modernizacion de la Marina de Guerra del Peru", Alejo Marchessini – Revista Fuerzas de Defensa y Seguridad (FDS) N° 430. Paginas 32 a 35.
"Entrevista al Almirante Carlos Tejada Mera, Comandante General de la MArina de Guerra del Peru", Alejo Marchessini – Revista Fuerzas de Defensa y Seguridad (FDS) N° 430. Paginas 36 a 43.