Ecuadorian Navy

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

The Ecuadorian Navy (Armada del Ecuador) is Ecuador’s maritime defense force. It has about 9,400 personnel and 27 ships, protecting a coastline of roughly 2,237 km that reaches into the Pacific Ocean. Ships use the prefixes B.A.E. (Buque de la Armada del Ecuador) or L.A.E. (Lancha de la Armada del Ecuador). Its duties include organizing, training, equipping, and maintaining naval power, supporting national security, and helping communities in peace and war.

History and origins
- The navy’s roots go back to 1823 as part of the Gran Colombian fleet.
- In the early 1900s, President Eloy Alfaro oversaw major naval acquisitions, including the torpedo ship Libertador Bolívar.
- In 1832, Ecuador’s Congress officially established the Maritime Department.
- In 1941, during the Ecuadorian–Peruvian War, the gunboat Abdón Calderón engaged the Peruvian destroyer Almirante Villar at Jambelí. Calderón was unharmed, while Peru claimed damage; two days later Puerto Bolivar fell to Peru, but the war’s overall outcome was not changed.

Modern navy
- Today the force is compact and efficient but limited by funds for large new acquisitions.
- After the PATRIA I restructuring, the Navy’s duties focus on the Pacific coast and the Galápagos Islands, with most seagoing assets based in Guayaquil.

Naval aviation
- The Ecuadorian Naval Aviation was formed in 1967 and operates from Guayaquil and Manta.
- It has limited patrol capability and includes fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters.
- Recent acquisitions include two Heron 1 drones and four Searcher Mk. III aircraft from Israel to boost coastal surveillance.

Coast guard
- The Coast Guard became fully operational in 1980.
- It has about 250 personnel and around 70 patrol vessels (30 major and 40 smaller).
- Its mission is to enforce maritime law, protect lives at sea, and safeguard the environment.
- In 2011, Ecuador ordered four 26.5-meter patrol vessels based on the Damen Stan 2600 design.

Marine infantry
- The Naval Infantry Corps was formed in 1962 and numbers about 1,700 Marines, based mainly in Guayaquil and spread along the coast.
- They are equipped with mortars, recoilless rifles, Humvees, and other infantry weapons.
- They lack amphibious assault and large-scale sealift capabilities, but are trained for special operations and rapid response to coastal threats.

Overall
The Ecuadorian Navy is a small but capable force aimed at protecting Ecuador’s waters and coast, operating within tight budgets while maintaining a presence across the Pacific, the Galápagos, and national river zones.