Page 54 - AirForces - Monthly (February 2020)

Force
Report Peruvian Air Force

Serial 526 is a Learjet 45 operated by Lima-based Escuadrón Aéreo 331. Built in
2007, the single example of this type was acquired secondhand from the US civilian
market and was operational by mid-March 2013. The Learjet replaced a Falcon 20F
that crashed in June 2010. The squadron also flies a pair of Learjet 36As.
Fuerza Aérea del Perú, air order of battle sovereignty, thanks to the to the government’s Legislative
Decree 11741, dated July 18, 1950,
deployment of CAP units under
Wing/Group Squadron Type Location the command of the Teatro de that established the Fuerza
Ala Aérea No 1 HQ Piura Operaciones del Norte (TON, Aérea del Perú (FAP, Peruvian Air
Grupo Aéreo Escuadrón Aéreo 612 MiG-29SM-P, Chiclayo Northern Theatre of Operations) Force), abandoning the previous
No 6 MiG-29UBM-P
and Teatro de Operaciones del CAP denomination. The same
Grupo Aéreo No 7 Escuadrón Aéreo 711 A-37B, OA-37B Piura Nor Oriente (TONO, Northeast year, the FAP saw the creation of
Grupo Aéreo No 11 Escuadrón Aéreo 112 Su-25, Su-25UB Talara Theatre of Operations). These the Servicio de Mantenimiento
Ala Aérea No 2 HQ Lima- units undertook bombing, attack, (SEMAN, Maintenance Service).
Callao liaison, reconnaissance and air In 1968 the FAP became the
Grupo Aéreo No 3 Lima-Callao superiority missions, facilitating first Latin American air force to
Escuadrón de Helicópteros 315 Bo 105LSA-3 a rapid advance and eventual enter the supersonic era with
the introduction of the Dassault
Peruvian victory. On July 23 that
Escuadrón de Helicópteros 332 Bell 212, Bell 412HP year, during the conflict, Lt José Mirage 5P. In the summer of
Escuadrón de Helicópteros 342 Mi-8MTV-1, Mi-17, Abelardo Quiñones Gonzales was 1977, it also became the first –
Mi-171Sh-P killed in action when he crashed his and only – Latin American air
Grupo Aéreo No 8 Lima-Callao bomb-laden North American NA-50 force to incorporate a variable-
Escuadrón de Transporte 841 Boeing 737-282(A), into Ecuadorian Army positions after geometry aircraft into its
Boeing 737-528 being hit by groundfire, becoming inventory with the Soviet-built
Escuadrón de Transporte 842 An-32B a hero of Peruvian military aviation. Sukhoi Su-22 Fitter replacing
Escuadrón de Transporte 843 L-100-20 Hercules On October 27, 1941, shortly after the FAP’s Hawker Hunters and
Escuadrón de Transporte 844 C-27J signing the Acta de Talara that North American F-86F Sabres.
Ala Aérea No 3 HQ ended military operations along In January and February of 1981
Arequipa the Peru-Ecuador border, the the FAP took part in military
Grupo Aéreo No 2 Escuadrón Aéreo 211 Mi-25, Mi-35P Vítor Peruvian government established operations over the Cordillera
(Arequipa) the Ministerio de Aeronáutica del Cóndor mountain range
Grupo Aéreo No 4 Escuadrón Aéreo 412 Mirage 2000P/DP La Joya (MA, Aeronautics Ministry), thus on the Peru/Ecuador border
(Arequipa) recognising the importance of in the so-called Paquisha War.
Ala Aérea No 5 HQ Iquitos aviation during the recent conflict. During these operations, FAP
Grupo Aéreo Escuadrón Aéreo 421 DHC-6 Series 300 Iquitos The creation of the MA centralised
No 42 and 400 all matters relating to military
Escuadrón Aéreo 422 PC-6 aviation, including the organisation
Base Aérea de No permanent Iquitos of existing training centres such
Santa Clara aircraft assigned as the ‘Jorge Chávez Dartnell’
Dirección de Vigilancia y Reconocimiento Aéreo (DIVRA), Santiago de Surco, Lima Central Aviation School, the Sub-
Escuadrón Aéreo 330 Various UAVs Officers School and the Seaplane
Escuadrón Aéreo 331 Learjet 36A, School at Ancón. Likewise, the CGA
Learjet 45 also ordered the establishment
Escuadrón Aéreo 334 C-26B Metroliner, of an Aviation Reserve, and the
Twin Commander creation of a new flying school at
690B Collique, on the outskirts of Lima.
Escuela de Formación de Pilotos (EFOPI, formerly Grupo Aéreo No 51), Pisco The following year the CGA also
Escuadrón Aéreo 510 de Schweizer S-300C laid the foundations for an aerial
entrenamiento básico and meteorological service, whose
Escuadrón Aéreo 511 de Zlin Z-242L, contributions would prove invaluable
entrenamiento primario CH-2000 Zenith to the development of the country.
Escuadrón Aéreo 512 de KT-1P
entrenamiento básico Creation of the FAP
Escuadrón Aéreo 513 de KA-1P
entrenamiento Avanzado Adapting the organisation and
Note: The Escuela de Aviación Civil (EDACI, Civil Aviation School), which relocated structure of Peruvian military
its operations from Collique to Las Palmas in 2009, supports elementary training of aviation to face the challenges of
FAP pilots. Equipment includes T-41D Mescalero and PA-34 Seneca aircraft. modern times more efficiently, led

52 // February 2020 #383 www.Key.Aero

06/01/2020 11:48:00
48-55 PeruAF AFM Feb2020.indd 52
48-55 PeruAF AFM Feb2020.indd 52 06/01/2020 11:48:00