Dominican Navy

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Dominican Navy

The Navy of the Dominican Republic (Armada de la República Dominicana, ARD) is one of the three branches of the country’s armed forces, along with the Army and the Air Force. It was created after the Dominican Republic’s independence in 1844.

History
- After independence, three schooners were commissioned to form a naval fleet: Separación Dominicana (the flagship), María Chica, and Leónor.
- The Navy fought in the Battle of Tortuguero, sinking several Haitian ships.
- During later conflicts, including the Dominican Civil War in 1963, the Navy played roles on both sides of the dispute. The conflict also involved naval actions around Las Calderas and other bases. The United States later intervened in the region in the mid-1960s.

Bases
- Base Naval 27 de Febrero in Santo Domingo (the main base and home to the Naval Academy).
- Base Naval Las Calderas in Peravia Province (the largest base with the Bahia Las Calderas Shipyard, ANABALCA).
- Base Naval Boca Chica, located near Santo Domingo.

Fleet and capabilities (simplified)
- The ARD operates a mix of patrol ships, coast guard cutters, rescue and auxiliary vessels, and training ships.
- The flagship and several patrol ships come from former United States Coast Guard or other foreign builds, some donated or sold and then integrated into Dominican service.
- The navy recently added a modern training vessel, a three-masted barquentine named Juan Bautista Cambiaso, acquired in 2018 and used for midshipman training and sea familiarization.
- In addition to combat and patrol craft, the ARD uses smaller patrol boats and rescue craft for coastal work, search and rescue, and humanitarian missions.

Specialized units
- Naval Commandos: the Navy’s special operations unit, trained for unconventional warfare, hostage rescue, counter-terrorism, Visit, Board, and Seizure (VBSS), and explosive handling. They use various small arms and inflatable boats for operations, including nighttime and amphibious tasks. Some personnel have been deployed overseas as part of multinational missions.
- Marine Infantry Command (MIC): established in 2008, this is the Navy’s amphibious force. It currently maintains a Marine Battalion and is the youngest Marine unit in Latin America.
- Dominican Naval Auxiliary Corps: a civilian force created by Decree 887-09. It includes volunteers from business and professional communities who operate private boats, barges, and aircraft to assist in search and rescue, environmental protection, and non-military missions at sea. The Auxiliary Corps has a nationwide presence.

Ranks
- The ARD uses a system of commissioned and non-commissioned ranks similar to other Dominican military services, with insignia and titles aligned to the country’s naval traditions.

See also
- Military of the Dominican Republic

Note: This version provides a concise, easy-to-understand overview of the Dominican Navy, focusing on its history, bases, general fleet composition, special units, and auxiliary forces.