Chilean Army
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Through reason or force. |
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CHILEAN ARMY | |
Military manpower | |
Military age | 18 years of age required for military service (2006) |
Availability | age 18-49: 3,815,761 (2005 est.) |
Fit for military service | 3,123,281 (2005 est.) |
Reaching military age annually | 150,084 (2005 est.) |
Military expenditures | |
Dollar figure | $3.6 billion (2006 est.) |
Percent of GDP | 3.9% (2006 est.) |
See Also | Military of Chile |
The Chilean Army (Spanish: Ejército de Chile) is the land arm of the Military of Chile. This 45,000-person army (12,700 of which are conscripts)[1] is organized into seven divisions, a special operations brigade and an air brigade.
In recent years and after several major reequipment programs, the Chilean Army has become one of the most technologically advanced and professional armies of the Americas.[2][3]
The Chilean Army is mostly supported by the United States, Israel, Germany, The Netherlands, Switzerland, United Kingdom, France, India and Spain.
Contents |
[edit] Peacekeeping
- UNIFIL withdrew in the early 90's
- MINUSTAH United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Haiti.
- UNFICYP United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, embedded in the Argentine Battalion [1]
[edit] Structure
[edit] Military Equipment
The Chilean Army has acquired in the last few years Leopard 1V tanks,'s from the Netherlands Army (via RDM), M113 armoured personnel carriers (APCs) from USA and Italy, M-109´s SPH from Switzerland and AIFV-B APCs from the Belgian Army (via SABIEX). Now is due to receive new Leopard 2 A4 main battle tanks (MBTs) from the German Army to boost defence capabilities. Also 200 Humvees are expected to arrive during 2007. Their goal is to have a completely modernized (and mostly mechanized) army by 2015. They are also modifiying the operational structure, creating Armoured (and 1 Special Operations) Brigades throughout the entire territory, while conserving the current divisional scheme. Further acquisitions of more M-109's self propelled howitzers, Flakpanzer Gepard self propelled anti air vehicles and new attacks helicopters are in progress.
In all, the Chilean army has about 202 Leopard 1's, 427 M113's, 139 AIFV's and are going to receive 140 Leopard 2's from Germany. They also have around 300 of FAMAE Piranhas (Mowag Piranha) LAV's. Their main assault rifles are currently the SIG SG 510-4, SIG-FAMAE 542-1 all in .308 caliber and still in service. A small number of licenced built SG-540 and the SG-543 in caliber .223 are in use.
[edit] Statistics
Chilean army Statistics | |
Personnel (Regular Army) | 45,000 |
Main Battle Tanks | 140 Leopard 2A4, 202 Leopard 1 |
Reconnaissance vehicles | 200+ HMMWV, 450+ IMI Storm |
Infantry Fighting vehicles | Marder 1A3, AIFV YPR-765 |
Armoured Personnel Carriers | 120 Marder 1A3, 427+M-113A2, 139 AIFV YPR-765, 300 Mowag Piranha LAV |
Artillery pieces and mortar | 24 M-109 KAWEST, 44 AMX-13 MK F-3, Soltam M-68, M-101, 8 LAR-160 |
Small Arms PISTOLS
- CZ-75 Semi-automatic pistol (Main Pistol of the army)
RIFLES
- SIG SG 540 and SIG 543 manufactured by FAMAE
- SIG SG 510-4 manufactured by SIG and Beretta (main assault rifle)
- SIG SG 542-1 manufactured in Chile by FAMAE (main assault rifle)
- M4 Carbine used by the Special Forces.
- M82 Barrett rifle (A1 version) high-powered sniper rifle
OTHER GUNS
- HK21 (machinegun issued to mountain troops)
- MG 710
- Rheinmetall MG3 and MG42/58 (second later known as MG1)(standard machine gun)
- M2 Browning machine gun
- FN Minimi
- FAMAE SAF and MINI-SAF (main submachine guns)
GRENADE LAUNCHERS
- Mk 19 grenade launcher
- Milkor MGL grenade launcher
[edit] Air defense
- Mistral missile launchers
- 40+ RAMTA 20mmm AA twin guns
- 24 x Oerlikon 35 mm twin cannon GDF-005
[edit] Anti tanks systems
- M40 recoilless rifle 106mm Recoilless Gun mounted on IMI Storm jeeps. (Reserve.)
- IMI MAPATS mounted on IMI (replaced by the Spike ATGM)
- Rafael Spike ATGM, on YPR-765 and man portable (manufactured in Israel)
Man portable systems:
- AT4 Anti-tank weapon (Infantry Squad AT weapon)
- Carl Gustav recoilless rifle Anti-tank weapon
- Armbrust (Infantry Squad AT weapon In Reserve )
- M72 LAW (Infantry Squad AT weapon In Reserve)
[edit] Transport
Land transport assets:
- 200+ HMMWV (Some will replace the "AT role" Storm Jeeps. The rest for Recon units).
- The standard small transport vehicle for troop commanders is the IMI Storm.
- MB-1017A truck (ex-Bundeswehr).
- 4x4 Unimog truck.
[edit] Aircraft inventory
Aircraft | Origin | Type | Versions | In service[4] | Notes |
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Aérospatiale Lama | France | search and rescue | SA 315B | 1 | Last remaining example, many sold to civilian market. |
Aérospatiale Puma | France | transport helicopter | SA 330L | 4 | 3 in Haiti under UN peacekeeping mission. Originally 8 units, 4 have been retired, some put up for sale. |
CASA C-212 Aviocar | Spain | tactical transport | C-212-100 C-212-300 |
4 2 |
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CASA CN-235 | Spain | tactical transport | 3 | ||
Cessna 172 | United States | utility | 3 | ||
Cessna 208 | United States | utility | 8 | ||
Cessna Citation | United States | VIP transport | Citation II Citation III |
1 1 |
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Eurocopter Cougar | France | transport helicopter | AS 332B AS 332M2 |
1 1 |
8 second-hand machines purchased in Germany, currently undergoing refurbishment. Total requirement of 18-20 machines. |
Eurocopter Ecureuil | France | utility helicopter | AS 350 AS 355 |
3 1 |
Slated to replace Lama and then MD 530, probably a total of 18-24 machines, to be equipped with anti-tank missiles (Spiker-ER) |
MD Helicopters MD 530 | United States | utility helicopter | MD 530F | 19 | 13 currently in service. 2 lost in accidents, rest sold in civilian market. |
[edit] Commanders-in-chief
Rank | Name | Entered Office | Exited Office | Position |
Brigadier | José Miguel Carrera Verdugo | March 31, 1813 | November 23, 1813 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Colonel | Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme | November 27, 1813 | September 2, 1814 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Brigadier | José Miguel Carrera Verdugo | August 28, 1814 | October 2, 1814 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Captain General | Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme | April 17, 1819 | January 28, 1823 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Captain General | Ramón Freire Serrano | February 21, 1823 | April 2, 1830 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Division General | José Joaquín Prieto Vial | April 2, 1830 | September 18, 1841 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Division General | Manuel Bulnes Prieto | September 18, 1841 | October 18, 1866 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Division General | Marcos Maturana del Campo | October 18, 1866 | December 21, 1870 | Senior General Officer |
Division General | Juan Manuel Jarpa Caamaño | August 8, 1871 | December 31, 1875 | Senior General Officer |
Division General | Basilio Urrutia Vásquez | August 8, 1871 | April 7, 1879 | Senior General Officer |
Division General | Justo Arteaga Cuevas | April 8, 1879 | July 18, 1879 | Field Commander-in-chief |
Division General | Erasmo Escala Arriagada | July 18, 1879 | March 28, 1880 | Field Commander-in-chief |
Division General | Manuel Baquedano González | April 3, 1880 | May 3, 1881 | Field Commander-in-chief |
Division General | Cornelio Saavedra Rodríguez | May 3, 1881 | December 19, 1883 | Inspector General |
Division General | Emilio Sotomayor Baeza | January 4, 1884 | August 22, 1888 | Inspector General |
Division General | José Francisco Gana Castro | August 22, 1888 | September 4, 1891 | Field Commander-in-chief |
Division General | Marco Aurelio Arriagada | September 14, 1891 | August 28, 1894 | Inspector General |
Division General | Adolfo Holley Urzúa | August 28, 1894 | October 13, 1900 | Inspector General |
Division General | Emilio Körner Henze | October 13, 1900 | April 19, 1910 | Inspector General |
Division General | Jorge Boonen Rivera | April 19, 1910 | April 26, 1921 | Inspector General |
Division General | Arístides Pinto Concha | April 26, 1921 | February 13, 1922 | Inspector General |
Division General | Luis Altamirano Talavera | February 13, 1922 | November 28, 1924 | Inspector General |
Division General | Pedro Pablo Dartnell Encina | November 28, 1924 | January 23, 1925 | Inspector General |
Division General | Mariano Navarrete Ciris | January 31, 1925 | November 10, 1925 | Inspector General |
Division General | Juan Emilio Ortiz Vega | November 11, 1925 | January 7, 1927 | Inspector General |
Division General | Francisco Javier Diaz Valderrama | February 18, 1927 | March 20, 1930 | Inspector General |
Division General | Pedro Charpin Rival | March 21, 1930 | November 7, 1930 | Inspector General |
Division General | Bartolomé Blanche Espejo | November 7, 1930 | August 4, 1931 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Division General | Pedro Charpin Rival | August 5, 1931 | August 22, 1931 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Division General | Indalicio Téllez Cárcamo | August 25, 1931 | June 11, 1932 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Division General | Agustín Moreno Ladrón de Guevara | June 15, 1932 | August 2, 1932 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Division General | Luis Otero Mujica | August 3, 1932 | December 26, 1932 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Division General | Pedro Vignola Cortés | December 26, 1932 | December 21, 1933 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Division General | Marcial Urrutia Urrutia | December 23, 1933 | March 27, 1934 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Division General | Oscar Novoa Fuentes | March 27, 1934 | December 20, 1938 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Division General | Carlos Fuentes Rabe | December 26, 1938 | August 23, 1940 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Division General | Oscar Escudero Otárola | August 23, 1940 | March 8, 1943 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Division General | Arturo Espinoza Mujica | August 12, 1943 | October 11, 1944 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Division General | Alfredo Portales Mourgues | November 8, 1943 | November 12, 1945 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Division General | Oscar Fuentes Pantoja | November 12, 1945 | November 29, 1946 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Division General | Guillermo Barrios Tirado | November 29, 1946 | August 2, 1947 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Division General | Ramón Cañas Montalva | August 2, 1947 | October 8, 1949 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Division General | Guillermo Barrios Tirado | October 8, 1949 | January 9, 1950 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Division General | Rafael Fernández Reyes | January 9, 1950 | October 28, 1952 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Division General | Santiago Danús Peña | November 3, 1952 | March 11, 1953 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Division General | Carlos Mezzano Camino | March 11, 1953 | June 10, 1954 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Division General | Enrique Franco Hidalgo | June 11, 1954 | March 17, 1955 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Division General | Raúl Araya Stiglich | March 17, 1955 | May 8, 1956 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Division General | Luis Vidal Vargas | May 8, 1956 | November 3, 1958 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Division General | René Vidal Merino | November 3, 1958 | November 13, 1958 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Division General | Oscar Izurieta Molina | November 14, 1958 | November 3, 1964 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Division General | Bernardino Parada Moreno | November 4, 1964 | July 4, 1967 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Division General | Luis Miqueles Caridi | July 5, 1967 | May 3, 1968 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Division General | Sergio Castillo Aránguiz | May 3, 1968 | October 24, 1969 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Division General | René Schneider Chereau | October 27, 1969 | October 22, 1970 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Division General | Carlos Prats González | October 26, 1970 | August 23, 1973 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Captain General | Augusto Pinochet Ugarte | August 23, 1973 | March 10, 1998 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Lieutenant General | Ricardo Izurieta Caffarena | March 11, 1998 | March 10, 2002 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Lieutenant General | Juan Emilio Cheyre Espinosa | March 11, 2002 | March 10, 2006 | Army Commander-in-chief |
Army General | Oscar Izurieta Ferrer | March 11, 2006 | Present | Army Commander-in-chief |
[edit] References
- ^ International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), The Military Balance, 2002-2003
- ^ Chile : Country Studies - Federal Research Division, Library of Congress
- ^ Chile (01/08)
- ^ "World Military Aircraft Inventory", Aerospace Source Book 2007, Aviation Week & Space Technology, January 15, 2007.
[edit] External links
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Ejército de Chile (Army) Armada de Chile (Navy) Fuerza Aérea de Chile (Air Force) Carabineros de Chile (Military Police) |