Peruvian Naval Aviation
# Peruvian Naval Aviation

The Peruvian Naval Aviation (Spanish: Fuerza de Aviación Naval) is the air branch of the Peruvian Navy. It was originally formed in 1919 as the Naval Aviators Corps (Cuerpo de Aviadores Navales) but was merged in 1932 with the Peruvian Army Aviation. The service was recreated under its current name on July 3, 1963. It is currently made up of three operational squadrons and the Naval Aviation School (Escuela de Aviación Naval). The squadrons are distributed among three bases: Lima-Callao, which is part of Lima's Jorge Chávez International Airport, San Juan de Marcona and Pucallpa. About 800 personnel comprise Peruvian Naval Aviation.

## Organization

### Naval Air Squadron 11

Tasked as maritime surveillance squadron, also undertakes MEDEVAC and transportation roles. Is based in the Callao Aeronaval Station at Jorge Chavez Airport.

* Fokker 60 MPA
* Beechcraft 200T Super King Air
* Fokker 50 SIGINT

### Naval Air Squadron 21

Embarked for anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare missions for the Lupo-class frigate.

* Kaman SH-2G(P) Super Seasprite
* Agusta-Bell AB-212ASW

### Naval Air Squadron 22

Had assigned the entire Sea King fleet, provides anti-submarine, anti-surface and general utility roles from ashore or embarked in the largest units of the fleet.

* Agusta-Sikorsky ASH-3D Sea King
* Sikorsky UH-3H Sea King

### Naval Air Squadron 23

Provides logistical support and general utility helicopters

* Agusta-Bell AB-412SP

### Naval Air Squadron 31

Basic training squadron for fixed-wing pilots, based at San Juan de Marcona aeronaval station.

* Beech T-34C-1 Turbo Mentor

### Naval Air Squadron 32

Heavy-duty and general transportation squadron, operated also in the Amazon basin and VRAEM, includes:

* Fokker 60 UTA
* Antonov An-32B
* Cessna 206 Stationair
* Mil Mi-8T

### Naval Air Squadron 33

Training squadron for helicopter pilots, also based at San Juan de Marcona.

* Enstrom F-28F

## Aircraft

| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Version | In service | Notes |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Electronic-warfare aircraft ||||||
| Fokker 50 | Netherlands | SIGINT | Fokker 50 | 2 | Two aircraft built in 1996, both acquired with spare parts in October 2014, to be upgraded by FAdeA for use as signal intelligence platform |
| Fokker F27 Friendship | | ELINT | Fokker F27 Friendship | 1 | |
| Maritime patrol aircraft ||||||
| Beechcraft Super King Air | United States | maritime surveillance aircraft | B200T | 4 | equipped with surface-search radar and cameras for coastal surveillance and EEZ duties, the entire fleet received a complete upgrade of sensors and systems, finished in December 2010 |
| Fokker 60 | Netherlands | maritime patrol aircraft | Fokker 60 MPA | 2 | Two aircraft acquired in February 2010, delivered on June 8, 2010. equipped with surface-search radar and electronic countermeasures. |
| Combat aircraft ||||||
| Bell 212 | United States | ASW helicopter | AB‑212ASW | 2 | |
| Kaman SH-2G Super Seasprite | USA | ASuW / ASW helicopter | SH-2G(P) | 1 | Peruvian and Canadian defence authorities signed an agreement for five Kaman SH-2G Super Seasprite multirole helicopters. The deal covers the acquisition of SH-2G helicopters in service with the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) since 2001. |
| Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King | United States | ASuW / ASW helicopter | ASH-3D | 3 | Four delivered in 1978, two in 1979, and four ordered in 1984; deliveries of only the first six confirmed. All but first four virtually identical in capability to Italian ASH-3Hs; equipped to carry AM39 Exocet anti-ship missiles. |
| Trainer aircraft ||||||
| Beechcraft T-34 Mentor | United States | training aircraft | T-34C1 | 3 | Six purchased in 1978; replaced surviving T-34As |
| Enstrom F-28 | United States | training helicopter | F-28F | 5 | Six acquired in January 2008; all delivered before July. One lost in a training accident on July 9, 2009. Additional one acquired in 2010 for US$506,000. |
| Bell 212 | United States | training aircraft | AB‑212ASW | 2 | Six transferred from Italy in 1976. two upgraded with RDR-1700B ISAR radars in 2009, one in storage. replace Bell 206 in training role, also used as utility aircraft |
| Utility aircraft ||||||
| Fokker 60 | Netherlands | utility aircraft | Fokker 60 UTA | 2 | Two aircraft and spare parts acquired in September 2010. |
| Mil Mi-8 | Russia | transport helicopter | Mi-8 | 2 | |
| Antonov An-32 | Ukraine | transport aircraft | AN-32B | 2 | acquired from Hungary in 1994, fitted with ventral racks for general-purpose bombs, antisubmarine torpedoes and depth charges |
| Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King | United States | transport helicopter | UH-3H | 6 | Six acquired from the US Foreign Military Sales program along with 12 GE T58-GE-40 engines for US$6 million. First two delivered in December, 2010, to be employed in the Makassar class LPDs, two for the Coast Guard, two in storage. |
| Beechcraft Super King Air | United States | medical evacuation / liaison aircraft | B200T | 1 | |
| Cessna 206 Stationair | United States | liaison aircraft | Cessna 206 | 1 | |
| Agusta-Bell 412SP | Italy | medical evacuation and SAR helicopter | AB-412SP | 3 | acquired from Royal Dutch Airforce in 2015; ex-RNLAF 303/SAR Sqn |

## Recently decommissioned aircraft

| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Version | Retired | Notes |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Bell 206 JetRanger | United States | training helicopter | Bell 206B | 2017 | At least four acquired since 1982 from U.S.; one crashed in April 2002. Remaining 2 units receive a Night Vision Imaging System (NVIS) in February 2012, as a part of the NVIS upgrade program for the aircraft fleet, which includes cockpit modifications, NGV googles and training. |

## Gallery

* The AB-212ASW is the main embarked helicopter of the Peruvian Navy.
* The ASH-3D Sea King can be armed with AM-39 Exocet missiles.
