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Peruvian Naval Infantry

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Peruvian Naval Infantry
Infantería de Marina del Perú
Coat of Arms of the Peruvian Naval Infantry
FoundedNovember 6, 1821; 203 years ago (1821-11-06)
Countries Peru
TypeNaval infantry
RoleAmphibious warfare
Combined Arms
Counterinsurgency
Expeditionary warfare
Jungle warfare
Size4,000 [1]
Part of Peruvian Navy
Motto(s)Acción y valor (English: Action and valor)

The Peruvian Naval Infantry (IMAP) (Spanish: Infantería de Marina del Perú) is the marine infantry branch of the Peruvian Armed Forces. Consisting of 4,000 personnel, the branch, which falls under the Pacific Operations General Command, includes an amphibious warfare brigade made up of three battalions, internal security units, two troopships, four landing craft and forty armoured personnel carriers. Since 1982, IMAP detachments have been deployed in counterinsurgency operations in the Ayacucho and Huancavelica departments of Peru.[1]

History

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Founding

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Following the creation of the Peruvian Navy on 23 October 1821, the Commander General of the Navy, Jorge Martín Guise, requested a garrison of 38 troops to be stationed at Balcarce and Belgrano. The formal request was made on 6 November 1821 to the Minister of War and Navy, creating the Navy Battalion. The Navy Brigade was later formed after another battalion was formed and on 2 June 1823, the brigade attacked the Spanish in Arica, successfully taking the city. During the War of the Confederation, the Navy Brigade fought in the Siege of Talcahuano on 23 November 1837. In 1847, President Ramón Castilla reorganized the Peruvian Navy, creating six companies of the naval infantry.[2]

War of the Pacific

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During the War of the Pacific, the Marine Garrison Battalion under the direction of the Commander General of the Navy was created on 10 January 1880 with a force of 600 men. The Marines participated in the Battle of Miraflores on 15 January 1881 with 524 Marines led by Juan Fanning and Guardia Chalaca. Both of the commanders were killed along with nearly all Marines, with the infamous shout of Fanning becoming a motto of the Peruvian Marines, "¡Adelante marina, marina adelante!" or "Forward Marine, Marine forward!".[2]

Modernization

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BAP Paita, (USS LST-512 in image), one of Peru's first amphibious warfare ships purchased during its modernization.

The Marines were received an update on 2 February 1919 when the Battalion of the Navy was organized into two companies of riflemen, one section of machine gunners and another section of servicemen, commanded by corvette captain Héctor Mercado. The Peruvian Navy in charge of defending the oil port of Talara then allied itself with the United States, patrolling the continent and the Panama Canal. On 9 June 1943, President Manuel Prado decreed the creation of the Infantería de Marina as part of the Naval Coast Defense Force. Through the 1950s and into the 1960s, multiple amphibious warfare ships and weapons were purchased. The Naval Station of Ancon was created on October 8, 1971, with the Amphibious Command Company headquartered there a year later providing logistical information to better organize amphibious operations.[2]

Counterterrorism

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Further information: Terrorism in Peru
Peruvian Ministry of Defense and military personnel commemorating the operation in 2013.

Following over a decade of an authoritarian government in Peru, elections were held in 1980. Leftist armed groups arose, such as the Shining Path and later the Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA). The Marines began counterterrorist operations against such groups stationed in the Ayacucho Region from 1985 to 1991, creating Task Force 90, later expanding to Ucayali, Huánuco and Loreto. In 1995, Marines also participated in the brief the Cenepa War, a brief territorial conflict with Ecuador.[2]

On 17 December 1996, hundreds of diplomats, businessmen, as well as government and military officers were taken hostage by the MRTA at the Japanese ambassadors residence, initiating the Japanese embassy hostage crisis. Over the year, some hostages were released, though 72 hostages remained. Peruvian Marines were then involved in a hostage rescue operation, Operation Chavín de Huántar, named after the Chavín de Huantar archaeological site due to the tunnels dug by troops to access the ambassadors compound. The operation resulted in two commandos and one hostage dead while all fourteen militants were killed.[2]

Organization

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Peruvian marines of various specialities.

Brigada de Infanteria de Marina

Other units

Equipment

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Weapons

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Model Image Caliber Origin Details
Pistols
Beretta 92 9×19mm Parabellum  Italy Marine officer sidearm[3]
Browning Hi-Power 9×19mm Parabellum  Belgium Marine officer sidearm[3]
Assault rifles
AKM 7.62×39mm  Soviet Union Used by Special Operations Forces (FOES)[3]
Daewoo K2 5.56 × 45 mm NATO  South Korea Standard issue rifle[3]
Carabina SAR-21 5.56 × 45 mm NATO  Singapore Used by Marine Special Forces[4]
Carbon 15 5.56 × 45 mm NATO  United States Used by Marine Special Forces
FN F2000 5.56 × 45 mm NATO  Belgium Used by Marine Special Forces.[5]
FN FAL 50.623 7.62×51mm NATO  Belgium Standard issue rifle[3]
HK-53 5.56 × 45 mm NATO  West Germany Standard issue rifle[3]
IMI Galil SAR 5.56 × 45 mm NATO  Israel Used by Marine Special Forces[3][6]
IMI MicroGalil 5.56 × 45 mm NATO  Israel Standard issue rifle[4]
IMI Tavor 5.56 × 45 mm NATO  Israel Used by Marine Special Forces[4]
M16A1 5.56 × 45 mm NATO  United States Used by Special Operations Forces (FOES)[3]
Sub-machine guns
Heckler & Koch HK21 9 x 19mm Parabellum  Germany Used by Marine Special Forces
IMI Uzi 9 x 19mm Parabellum  Israel Used by Marine Special Forces[6]
FN P90 5.7 x 28 mm  Belgium Used by Marine Special Forces[4]
MGP 9 x 19mm Parabellum  Peru Standard issue[3]
Machine guns
M60 7.62 × 51 mm NATO  United States
FN Minimi 7.62 × 51 mm NATO  Belgium [7]
Ultimax 100 5.56 × 45 mm NATO  Singapore
Grenade launchers
Milkor MGL 40 × 46mm grenade  South Africa Used as an attachment to the IMI Galil[3][8]

Vehicles

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Name Image Type Quantity Origin Details
Armoured vehicles
LAV‑II APC 32[1]  Canada All 32 delivered to the Amphibious Expeditionary Brigade (BEA) of the Marines in mid-2016.[9]
BMR-600 APC 8  Spain 4 Units donated to the National Police of Peru. The rest are kept as transport for the troops of the United Nations peacekeeping missions. It is projected to go into retirement together and be replaced by a new batch of LAV II
Bravia Chaimite APC 9  Portugal It is projected to go into retirement together and be replaced by a new batch of LAV II
Utility vehicles
Can-Am Commander Max Off-road vehicle  Canada
RAM MK3 Armoured light vehicle 7[1]  Israel Purchased in 2016[10]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) (2021). "The Military Balance 2021". The Military Balance.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Comandancia de Fuerzas de Infanteria - Marina de Guerra del Perú". www.marina.mil.pe. Marina de Guerra del Perú. Archived from the original on 29 December 2016. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Montes, Julio A. (August 2011). "Peruvian Small Arms: Gunning for the Shining Path" (PDF). Small Arms Defense Journal: 25–29.
  4. ^ a b c d "www.portierramaryaire.com • Ver Tema - Marina de Guerra del Perú". www.portierramaryaire.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 June 2017.
  5. ^ "PLAYAS DE HUACHO FUERON ESCENARIO DE GRAN DESEMBARCO ANFIBIO EN EL MARCO DE OPERACIÓN UNITAS 2017".
  6. ^ a b ":.DintelGID. Fotografías Desfile Militar día Nacional del Perú, 2007". 25 May 2009. Archived from the original on 25 May 2009. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  7. ^ "轻武器大杂烩：秘鲁军队阅兵式枪的种类可真不少！_陆军版_三军论坛_军事论坛_新浪网". club.mil.news.sina.com.cn. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  8. ^ "Reclamo a la adquisición de Armamento para las Fuerzas Especiales de la Marina de Guerra del Perú-noticia defensa.com". Defensa.com. 14 February 2017. Retrieved 3 June 2017.
  9. ^ "GDLS culmina las entregas de LAV II a la Infantería de Marina peruana-noticia defensa.com". Defensa.com. 19 August 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2017.
  10. ^ "La Marina de Perú adquiere siete blindados RAM MK3 de IAI - Noticias Infodefensa América". Infodefensa.com (in Spanish). 21 January 2016. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
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