Armed Forces of the Nation | |
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Fuerzas Armadas de la Nación | |
![]() Paraguayan Coat of Arms | |
Motto | Vencer o morir ("Win or die") |
Service branches | Paraguayan Army Paraguayan Air Force Paraguayan Navy |
Website | ffmm |
Leadership | |
Commander-in-chief | President Santiago Peña |
Minister of Defense | General EJ (R) Oscar Luis González Cañete. |
Commander of the Armed Forces | General of the Army Óscar Arnaldo Cardozo |
Personnel | |
Military age | 18 |
Available for military service | 1,678,335[1], age 16–49 (2010 est.) |
Fit for military service | 1,409,859, age 16–49 (2010 est.) |
Reaching military age annually | 73,367 (2010 est.) |
Active personnel | 15,650 active military (2016)[2] 14,800 paramilitary (2012)[2] |
Reserve personnel | 168,500 (2012)[2] |
Expenditure | |
Budget | $US 248 million (2011)[2] |
Percent of GDP | 1% (2020)[3] |
Industry | |
Foreign suppliers | Brazil Canada France India Israel Italy Japan Russia United States |
Related articles | |
Ranks | Military ranks of Paraguay |
The Armed Forces of Paraguay (Spanish: Fuerzas Armadas de Paraguay) officially the Armed Forces of the Nation (Spanish: Fuerzas Armadas de la Nación)[4] consist of the Paraguayan army, Paraguayan navy (including naval aviation and marine corps) and air force.
The constitution of Paraguay establishes the president of Paraguay as the commander-in-chief.
Paraguay has compulsory military service, and all 18-year-old males and 17-year-olds in the year of their 18th birthday are liable for one year of active duty. The 1992 constitution allows for conscientious objection to obligatory military service, it was legislated and sanctioned by both chambers of the Congress, to be promulgated by the Executive Power on June the 17th of 2010. This law is known as, «Law number 4013/10, "That established the exercise of the right to conscientious objection to obligatory military service and establishes the substitute service for it for the benefit of the civilian population"»
In July 2005, military aid in the form of U.S. Special Forces began arriving at Paraguay's Mariscal Estigarribia air base, a sprawling complex built in 1982.[5][6]
Main article: Paraguayan Army |
In land forces the Paraguayan Army is composed of a Presidential Guards Regiment, composed two battalions (infantry and military police), an armored squadron, and a battery of field artillery, plus the operationally attached Mounted Ceremonial Squadron "Aca Caraya" (which serves independently but as the mounted escort in state events, and serves as part of the 4th Cavalry Regiment). Their equipment includes three Argentinean modified M-4 tanks, four EE-9 armored cars, four EE-11 armored personnel carriers (APCs), three M-9 half-tracks mounting 20mm guns, and four M-101 105 mm howitzers. Arguably, this "flagship" of military rule is structurally and physically the strongest of the EP. The REP is an independent unit from other commands. The EP features two artillery groups (GAC 1–12 88 mm QF-25 and GAC 2–12 105mm M-101) and one antiaircraft artillery group (GAA 13 40 mm L 40/60, Oerlikon 20 mm cannons, and six M-55 4x12, 7.0 mm).
Six battalions of combat engineers, one communications battalion, one Special Forces battalion, seven regiments of infantry, six regiments of cavalry (R.C.-2 equipped with 12 M3A1, five operational, 20 M9 half-tracks modernized and R.C.-3: 24 EE-9 Cascavels, eight EE-11 Urutu APCs plus utility trucks for motorized infantry). This has little organic aviation available to it.
Each corps has a weapons school run by its command. The logistical command manages 10 addresses materials, mobilization, health care, etc. The command of the Army Institute of Education administers three schools, commissioned and noncommissioned officers, a military academy, and the CIMEFOR (a center for pre-military study that trains Reserve officers).
Each of the nine divisions that make up the three corps has one or two regiments of infantry or cavalry, its platoon of engineers, its communications section, military police units, etc.
Main article: Paraguayan Air Force |
The air force, the newest and smallest of the services, has about 1,100 personnel as of 2012.[8] The Paraguayan Air Forces is organised in an Air Brigade of seven air groups and a brigade of paratroopers on battalion level. Almost all operating units are based in premises at Silvio Pettirossi International Airport (SGAS) in Asunción.
The units comprising the force are: the Aerotactico group (TAG) with three fighter squadrons (numbered 1 to 3), respectively equipped with the MB-326, T-33 and EMB-312. The first two are in storage or operating either by withdrawal of this aircraft. The squadron "Moros", equipped with Tucanos, has only one squadron (3 airplanes active). The Air Transport Group (GTA) operates aircraft of the CASA, DHC-6, and Beechcraft types. The Helicopter air group (HLG) has a SAR squadron, a utility squadron, and a squadron of attack craft, and is equipped with ex-Taiwanese UH-1H and Brazilian HB-350B aircraft. The Air Group Instruction (AFI) has materials and T-25 and T-35 aircraft. Photogrammetric called air group (GAF) and group aviation maintenance section (SEMAER) do not have aircraft assigned. The Parachute Brigade operates CASA aircraft. Paraguayan Helicopters constantly flew the skies of Asuncion during the visit of Pope Francis in July 2015.
Besides these groups is a command of Institutes of Education and one of regions air, this latter has nominal jurisdiction over 12 tracks and airports as six of these are considered Air Bases.[9]
Per Arasunu (December 2021-No. XVI), the magazine of the PAF, the current organizational structure:
- Comandante Interino de la Fuerza Aerea Paraguaya (CC-Gral Div Aer) -- Jefe del Estado Mayor General de la Fuerza Aerea Paraguaya (CV-Gral Div Aer) --- Comandante de la Brigada Aerea (Gral Brig Aer) --- Comandante del Comando de Regiones Aereas (Gral Brig Aer) --- Comandante Interino de la Brigada Aerotransportada "SP" (CNEL DCEM) --- Comandante Interino del Comando de Instituteos Aeronauticos de Ensenanza (CNEL DCEM) --- Comandante Interino de la Brigada Logistica (CNEL DCEM)
The current PAF/CC is Arturo Javier Gonzalez Ocampo. The PAF/CV is Ruben Dario Piris Fernandez.
Main article: Military ranks of Paraguay |
Main article: Commander of the Armed Forces (Paraguay) |