Air Force
Fuerzas Aereas or Aviacion
In 1990 the ranks of the air force included some 5,000 personnel, very few of whom were conscripts. The service, headed by the Commander of the Air Forces, was organized into three commands: the Air Combat Command, the Air Logistics Command, and the Air Training Command. Combat aircraft were organized into three attack groups: one bomber group and two special operations groups. The bomber group included one squadron equipped with Mirage fighter-bombers and based in Palo Negro; two squadrons, based in Barquisimeto and Barcelona, equipped with CF-5s; and two F-16 squadrons, also based in Palo Negro. Two squadrons of heavier bombers, British-made Canberras, were based in Barquisimeto and Barcelona.
The Air Logistics Command controlled three transport groups, including the Presidential Squadron based in Caracas. The logistics command also owned reconnaissance aircraft and transport helicopters. The primary transport aircraft were the American-made C-130H and C-123.
The Air Training Command included Air Training Group Number 14, which was attached to the Military Aviation School at Maracay. The primary training craft were the T-34, the T-2D, and the EMB-312 Tucano. The six F-16B two-seat trainers were attached to the fighter squadrons. The air force required its officer candidates to complete a four-year course of study at Maracay before receiving their commissions. The air force also had a number of specialist schools as well as its own Command and Staff School for advanced military studies. Air force officer insignia were silver up through captain and gold for higher ranks, worn on a blue shoulder board. Enlisted rank insignia consisted of chevrons worn on the sleeve, blue with black or gold markings for the air force.
The origin of the Venezuelan Air Force began on December 10th, 1920, when Colonel David Lopez Enriquez and advisers from the French company FARMAN, opened the Venezuelan Military Aviation School. The National Executive at the time, concerned about the strength and modernization of the National Armed Forces in the post-war period, contracted with the Republic of France to help build Venezuelan air power. France provided not just material, but flight instructors and technicians. The first planes, the Caudron single-engine G-3 (1920) and later, the twin-engine G-4 hydroplane (1922), were put into service at the Marine Aviation school of Punta Palmita on Lake Valencia.
The fleet was soon expanded to include the American Curtiss, the 110 HP Italian Macchi, the 220 HP Italian Salmson, and two Farman 130 HP F-40 Hydroplanes. Initially, Venezuelan Aviation was aided by the contribution and experience of three aeronautical missions: the French (1921 tp 1929); the Germans (1930 to 1933), and the Italians (1938 to 1940). The German mission introduced the Junkers Bremen, one of which, the "Bolivar," was used on December 17th, 1930, in the first Venezuelan international flight to Columbia to mark the centennial death of the Liberator Simon Bolivar.
The Italian Aeronautical Mission significantly boosted Venezuelan aviation with the arrival of Colonel Ivo de Bittembeschi, a bombing instructor, and the Major Oscar Molinari, a flight combat instructor. Both men played considerable roles in the developement of these two areas of Venezuelan military aviation.
The first American Aeronautical Mission arrived in Venezuela on January 13, 1944. The intent of the Americans was to make an evaluation of the personnel, equipment, and facilities, since much of the Venezuelan inventory had deteriorated for lack of spare parts due to World War II. The military aviation was reorganized and the Service of Aeronautics was assigned to the main department of Aviation, which fell under the offices of the Army and the Navy. On June 22nd, 1946, a stellar date for the Venezuelan Air Force, the Revolutionary Military junta government that come into power following the events of October 18, 1945, decreed law No. 349, which established the Venezuelan Air Force and assigned it equal ranking with the Army and the Navy within the Military Armed Forces of the Nation.
On October 10th, 1947, Ministerial No. 342 of the National Executive was issued and signed by the Minister of Defense, Colonel Carlos Delgado Chalbaud. It reorganized the newly created "Venezuelan Air Force" and the document is considered the birth certificate of the present structure of the air force, as it specified in detail the first plan of organization for the rising institution. In the same year, Major Félix Román Moreno Huérfano, the first Commander-in-Chief of Aviation, organized the first Post of the Inter-American Military Airmail. In addition, the technical services of Meteorology and Communications were created, as well as that of Aeronautical Health, and the Carlota air base was established in Caracas.
Starting from the period of 1960 to today, the FAV began the process of spreading out and de-centralizing FAV operations. This then enabled the activation of the airbases Captain Landaeta Gil at Barquisimeto (1964), Captain Luis del Valle Garcia in Barcelona (1965), General Francisco de Miranda in Caracas (1966), General Rafael Urdaneta in Maracaibo (1971), Major Buenaventura Vivas Guerro in Santo Domingo (1972), Captain Manuel Rios in Carrizales (1973), Colonel Teofilo Luis Mendez in Puerto Ordaz (1979) and General Jose Antonio Paez in Puerto Ayacucho. Together, they serve as logistic-operational support for the weapon systems for aerial monitoring of the Republic's territorial and marine space. The Air Force's military command was officially headquartered at the General Francisco de Miranda airbase on December 5th, 1970, and has remained there to the present day.
The logistic capabilities and operations of the Air Force were strengthened with the purchase of the advanced trainer Rockwell T2-D Buckeye and the addition of the Beechcraft Systems King Air 90 and Super King Air 200 for liaison purposes. Support for the Office of the Presidency is provided by the Boeing 737 and Gulstream II systems. For aerial acrobatic demonstrations, the FAV accquired the Pitt System airplane decorated with the insignia of "The Hawks," the Venezuelan acrobatic flight team.
The undeniable predominance of the application of technology and electronics of other branches of science has made possible the horizontal and vertical integration of said technology, and resulted in revolutionary advances in design, production and flight ability. The end product's operational capacity is truly surprising. The advances do not include just military aviation battle survival systems and support of the aeronutical armament plants, but also they have optimized civil, business, and general aviation as well.
The air force benefited greatly from purchases of upgraded hardware in the 1970s and 1980s. The most highly publicized defense acquisition of the 1980s was the purchase of twenty-four F-16 fighters from the United States. At the time of their delivery in 1984-85, the F-16s represented the most advanced military aircraft in the inventory of any South American air force. In 1990 other comparatively advanced aircraft in service in Venezuela included the French Mirage 50 and older-model Mirage IIIs and Mirage Vs, retrofitted to meet the more advanced performance standards of the Mirage 50s. In June 1990, the air force also let a contract with Singapore Aerospace Industries to upgrade its older, American-made CF-5A and CF-5B fighter aircraft.
In order to reinforce his fleet of Helicopters, it acquired the Bell systems 214 and 412, as well as the French system Super Puma. For the medium transport it operates the system Aeritalia G-222 and for the executive transport the systems are procured 20 Falcon and Gulfstream III.
The US moved to block a proposed $100 million Israeli update of Venezuela's American-bought F-16s, and also on a $2 billion Spanish sale to Venezuela of 12 C-295/C-235MP aircraft.
On 29 March 2005, Spanish President José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero and Venezuela’s President Hugo Chávez announced that a $1.7 billion (€1.3 billion) sale of vessels and airplanes was being negotiated. This deal would involve coast guard boats, frigates and aircraft. The US said in November 2005 that it would "review" technology licensing issues related to the sale of 12 Spanish transport aircraft to Venezuela. The Tucano prop planes are built by Brazil's Empresa Brasileira de Aeronáutica SA, the world's fourth-largest aircraft maker. The US blocked efforts to acquire 24 Super Tucano Brazilian military aircraft as part of an ongoing "war" between the two countries. Brazil needed US approval to sell the aircraft as they utilize US technology.
On February 9, 2006, pursuant to an ICE investigation, Ko-Suen Moo and Maurice Serge Voros, a French national currently living in France, were indicted by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida for conspiracy to export defense articles to the People’s Republic of China. Both Moo and Voros were indicted for violation of 18 USC 371, conspiracy; 22 USC 2778, Arms Export Control Act (AECA); 22 CFR 129.2(a), brokering the sale and transfer of defense articles; 18 USC 1956(a), financial transaction involving proceeds of unlawful activity; 18 USC 1956(h), conspiring to commit a money laundering offense; and 18 USC 981 (a)(1)(C) and 982 (a)(1), forfeiture of all real and personal property and proceeds involved in the offense. In March 2004, ICE/Fort Lauderdale developed information that Moo and Voros were allegedly seeking to acquire controlled technology for export to the PRC. Pursuant to several undercover meetings, ICE agents determined that Moo and Voros were attempting to acquire F-16 military aircraft engines for export from the United States to China without an export license. In November 2005, Moo arrived from Taiwan and ICE undercover agents showed him several F-16 military fighter aircraft engines at Homestead Air Force Base in Homestead, FL. Moo subsequently wire transferred approximately $140,000 to an ICE undercover bank account to cover the transportation costs of the engine. Following the wire transfer of funds, Moo was arrested by ICE. Moo’s trial is scheduled for July 12, 2006. ICE Ft. Lauderdale and the U.S. Attorney’s Office are currently coordinating with the ICE Attaché/Paris and the French National Police to gain the cooperation of Voros.
Hugo Chávez has embarked on a multi-billion-dollar weapons purchasing program that includes 24 modern Sukhoi SU-30MK2 fighter jets. Contracts were signed for 24 Su-30MK2 planes on 17 July 2006. At that time Sergei Ivanov said 30 Su-30 Flanker air-superiority fighters and 30 helicopters would be supplied to Venezuela. The Russian Su-30 Flankers will replace the Venezuelan contingent of US F-16 multi-role fighters. Washington imposed an embargo on arms sales to the country 15 May 2006.
On 28 September 2006, Russia arms exporter Rosoboronexport announced that in accordance to a 3.5 billion dollar arms deal signed with Venezuela, it planned to establish helicopter maintenance and upgrade facilities, as well as deliver 58 Mi-17B5 Hip H, Mi-35M Hind and Mi-26T Havoc helicopters. As part of the deal, Venezuela purchased 24 Su-30MK fighters for 1.5 billion dollars. Two of the fighters were expected by the end of 2006, and the rest were to be delivered by 2008 [by November 2008 this had not happened].
Negotiations were underway on the purchase of 12 Il-76 Candid military transport aircraft for the Venezuelan Air Force. Russia has several Il-76 transport planes available for sale after a deal with China fell through. By May 2008 negotiations were underway on the purchase of 10 Il-76 Candid military transport planes and two Il-78-MK aerial tankers for the Venezuelan Air Force. The contract will be worth a total of $600 million.
During his visit to Beijing on 24 September 2008, Chavez signed an agreement to purchase 24 Chinese-made K-8 light attack aircraft, which Venezuelan air force officials said would be used for training purposes. The K-8s, which were scheduled to arrive in Venezuela during 2009, would operate from the Teniente Vicente Landaeta Gil Air Base near the city of Barquisimeto in Lara state.
