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The Peruvian Air Force (Spanish: Fuerza Aérea del Perú, abbreviated FAP) is the branch of the Peruvian Armed Forces tasked with defending the nation and its interests through the use of air power. Additional missions include assistance in safeguarding internal security, conducting disaster relief operations and participating in international peacekeeping operations.
HistoryOn May 20, 1929, the aviation divisions of the Peruvian Army and Navy were merged into the Cuerpo de Aviación del Perú (Peruvian Aviation Corps, abbreviated CAP). During the Colombia-Peru War of 1933, its Vought O2U Corsair and Curtiss F11 Hawk planes fought in the Amazon region. The corps was renamed Cuerpo Aeronáutico del Perú (Peruvian Aeronautical Corps, also abbreviated CAP) on March 12, 1936. In 1941, the CAP participated in the Peruvian-Ecuadorian War. At that time, the CAP were equipped with Caproni Ca.114 and North American NA.50 Torito fighters, Douglas 8A-3P attack fighters and Caproni Ca.310 Libeccio bombers,[1] among others. During the presidency of Manuel A. Odría the corps was reorganized again and on July 18, 1950 it became the Fuerza Aérea del Perú (Air Force of Peru, abbreviated FAP). The service underwent a period of considerable expansion through out the 1970s and early 1980s which included the introduction of an important number of Soviet-made aircraft. In 1982, during the Falklands War, the Peruvian Air Force transferred ten of their Mirage 5P to the Argentine Air Force as a measure of solidarity. The economic crisis of the later 1980s forced reductions in the fleet size as well as cuts in training and general readiness. Under those conditions the FAP fought the Cenepa War against Ecuador in 1995 and lost nine planes and helicopters. After the war, the FAP acquired new material, including MiG-29 fighters and Su-25 attack fighters which, along with Mirage 2000 fighters, are currently the main combat elements of the FAP. OrganizationThe current Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force of Peru is General Miguel Ángel Gómez Vizcarra. Aerial forces are subordinated to the Ministry of Defense and ultimately to the President as Commander-in-Chief of the Peruvian Armed Forces. Operational units are organized as follows: Ala Aérea Nº 11st Air Wing, headquarterd at Piura
Ala Aérea Nº 22nd Air Wing, headquarterd at Callao
Ala Aérea Nº 33rd Air Wing, headquarterd at Arequipa
Ala Aérea Nº 55th Air Wing, headquarterd at Iquitos
Personnel
EquipmentNumbers shown below are derived from open sources, they should be regarded as estimates due to lack of confirmation from official sources.
Gallery
Notes
Sources
See alsoExternal links
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