Land component of Ecuadorian Armed Forces
Military unit
The
Ecuadorian Army
(
Spanish
:
Ejercito Ecuatoriano
) is the land component of the
Ecuadorian Armed Forces
. Its 24,000 active soldiers are deployed in relation to its
military doctrine
. The contemporary Ecuadorian Army incorporates many
jungle
and
special forces infantry units
into its structure.
[1]
Main objectives
[
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]
- To defend the national territory as part of a Joint Task Force.
- To represent a strong military image as part of the
Ecuadorian Armed Forces
, national as well as international.
- Take part in activities and support the development and co-operation in times of crisis.
- Take part in Peacekeeping and international security operations.
- To reach and maintain a high operational level within the Ground Forces.
- To represent, implement an integrated institution, within the operational system.
- To guarantee the disposition of prepared military personnel in order to accomplish all missions and assignments.
- To dispose of an investigations and development element, with focus on national defense.
- To correctly execute administration procedures involving all institutional issues.
Mission
[
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]
To develop territorial power, in order to accomplish institutional objectives, which guarantee the integrity and sovereignty of the national territory and contribute to the security and development of the nation, as well as to accomplish all objectives indicated by military strategic planning.
[2]
Vision
[
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]
To be an institution of the highest level and credibility, systematically integrated, with professional military personnel, orientated on ethics and moral. Capable of adapting itself to new requirements which guarantee peace, security and the nations development.
History
[
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]
The
Ecuadorian Armed Forces
' history could be traced as early as 1531, when
civil war
ravaged through the
Inca Empire
. In a key battle near
Riobamba
, where
Huascar
's troops were met and defeated by
Atahualpa
's troops. This did not save
Atahualpa
and his army from total defeat, only a year later at the
Battle of Cajamarca
against the
Spanish conquerors
.
It would take almost 300 years, when
Ecuador
's struggle for emancipation from the
Spanish colonial rule
would reach its peak at the
Battle of Pichincha
. Following a victory, Ecuadorian troops would become part of the
Gran Colombian
coalition. These were years in which warfare dominated. First, the country was on the front line of Gran Colombia's efforts to free Peru from Spanish rule between 1822 and 1825; then, in 1828 and 1829, the Ecuadorian troops would be in the middle of an armed struggle between Peru and Gran Colombia for the location of their common border. After the naval victory and the blockade of Guayaquil by the Peruvian army the land campaign became favorable to the great Colombians, the forces of Gran Colombia, under the leadership of Marechal Sucre and the Venezuelan general Juan Jose Flores, were victorious in the battle of the Portete de Tarqui but this result did not define the final result of the war. Months later, Gran Colombia dissolved for good. The Treaty of 1829 fixed the border on the line that had divided the
Quito Audiencia
and the
Viceroyalty of Peru
before independence.
By 1859 the nation was on the brink of anarchy. This led to a
civil war
and the first war between Ecuador and Peru, the
Ecuadorian?Peruvian War of 1857?1860
. Backed by
Guillermo Franco
(an Ecuadorian General) the Peruvian army led by General
Ramon Castilla
arrived in
Guayaquil
and forced Ecuador to sign the Mapasingue Treaty which declared the allocation of Peruvian lands null and forced the suspension of the Ecuadorian-English business. Accusing
Guillermo Franco
of treason for signing a treaty with the Peruvians,
Gabriel Garcia Moreno
, allied with former enemy General
Juan Jose Flores
, attacked Franco's forces. After several battles, Garcia Moreno's forces were able to force Franco's troops to retreat back to
Guayaquil
, the site of the final battle.
Ecuadorian troops would face their greatest challenge and defeat, when in 1941, under controversial circumstances, another
Ecuadorian?Peruvian War
erupted. A much larger and better-equipped Peruvian force, quickly overwhelmed the Ecuadorian forces, driving them back from
Zarumilla
and invading the Ecuadorian province of
El Oro
. The government of
Ecuador
saw itself forced to accept
Peru
's territorial claims. Subsequently, Peruvian troops withdrew from the invaded El Oro province. However, occasional clashes kept occurring and flared into another outbreak of serious fighting in January 1981 called the
Paquisha War
, for the control of three watch posts set up by Ecuadorian troops inside a disputed border area. The conflict ceased with the
Peruvian army
controlling the disputed area, evicting the Ecuadorian troops.
In 1995, Ecuadorian troops would become part of the longest-running source of armed international conflict in the Western Hemisphere when both sides encountered again in the
Cordillera del Condor
. The focus of all fighting would become a small outpost called
Tiwintza
by the Ecuadorians (and
Tiwinza
or
Tihuintsa
by the Peruvians) until the signing of a ceasefire. In 1998 the
Brasilia Act
was signed, where
Peru
was granted the disputed territory (Tiwinza).
Structure
[
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]
Already back in 1989 the Army was with around 40.000 troops nearly four times the combined strength of the
Navy
and
air force
.
[3]
In 2003, it was structured into four independent
Army Divisions
operating around 25
Infantry
Battalions
. These
battalions
were implemented in
Brigades
which were not numbered consecutively but carried odd numbers in the series 1 to 27. All
Brigades
had also a
Special Forces
and
engineer
, or at least a
communications
and
Logistic Support
Company
.
[4]
As of 2008, along with the Air Force and Navy, the Army (also referred to as Land Forces) is undergoing a reform in order to maximize is joint capability. This process involves the creation of U.S. like Operational Commands. There are 4 Operational Joint Commands to be geographically distributed.
Leadership
[
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]
The General of the Army is the highest rank of the Ecuadorian Army. Usually the Chief of Staff of the Army is also the General of the Army, and it is common for this general to hold the Chief of the Joint Staff position as well.
PATRIA I
[
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]
Since 2009 a restructuring within the
Ecuadorian Armed Forces
has been launched under the name of PATRIA I. It was to be completed by 2011 and improve military structure, equipment, and operations within the Ecuadorian territory. The Ecuadorian territory has been also newly divided into five Joint Task Force Zones or
Fuerzas de Tarea Conjunta
, four on mainland
Ecuador
, with the fifth being the maritime territory (including the
Galapagos Islands
). Changes concerning structure and troop deployment as of 2010 are not available due to the fact that the
Ecuadorian Armed Forces
keep such information restricted.
[5]
[6]
[7]
[8]
- 1st North or
Fuerza de Tarea Conjunta No. 1 "Norte"
, (HQ
Ibarra
).
- 2nd West or
Fuerza de Tarea Conjunta No. 2 "Guayas"
, (HQ
Guayaquil
).
- 3rd South or
Fuerza de Tarea Conjunta No. 3 "Cuenca"
, (HQ
Cuenca
).
- 4th Central or
Fuerza de Tarea Conjunta No. 4 "Central"
, (HQ
Quito
).
- 5th Maritime or
Fuerza de Tarea Conjunta No. 5 "Mar y Galapagos"
, (HQ ?).
Specialties
[
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]
Speciality badges mirror the US practice.
Special forces
[
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]
- The
Military Intelligence
remains until today the greater unit of the Intelligence Weapon of the Terrestrial Forces.
[9]
- The
9th Special Forces Brigade ''PATRIA''
, consists of
paratroopers
, specialized as
commandos
,
Operational Free Jumpers
,
mountain warfare
,
frogmen
,
snipers
and
dog guides
.
[10]
- The
Commando
Special Forces
School, the
GEK-9
is an independent operating body transforming soldiers into future
Commandos
.
[11]
- The
Counter-terror
unit GEO (
Grupo Especial de Operaciones
), formed in 1985, it was trained by the US
Navy Seals
and the British
SAS
and maintains the highest standards.
[10]
- The 17th, 19th and 21st Jungle
Brigades
, trained and experienced in
jungle warfare
.
[10]
- The
Jungle Warfare
Special Operations
Iwia
Battalion
No. 60, recruited from local
warrior
tribes
like the
Shuar
,
Zaparo
,
Kichwa
and
Achuar
.
[12]
[13]
[14]
[15]
- The
Jungle Warfare
and
Counter-insurgency
Iwia
School is at
Coca
in the
Oriente
.
[12]
[13]
[14]
[15]
- The special boat detachments called
ratas de rio
or
fusileros fluviales
(sea rats); three
battalions
with a strength of 550 men, equipped with forty
Vector
and
Phantom
tactical speed-patrol boats. These undergo a three-week training in the
Special Forces
center in
Coca
. In addition, the
United States
provides training and assistance.
[16]
[17]
Army aviation
[
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]
The aviation element of the Army was formed in 1954 and originally named
Servicio Aereo del Ejercito (SAE)
. It was renamed
Aviacion del Ejercito Equatorina (AEE)
in 1978. From 1981 onward the flying elements were concentrated into an aviation brigade, effectively transforming the army aviation into an operational brigade within the army structure. Honouring the army aviation's role in the
Paquisha War
in 1981, the unit was renamed
Brigada de Aviacion del Ejercito No.15 "Paquisha" (BAE)
on July 1, 1987. Finally, in 1996 the BAE gained the status of a full arm within the army recognising its vital role in the
Cenepa War
of 1995. At present the BAE No.15 consists of:
- Grupo Aero del Ejercito No. 43 "PORTOVIEJO"
- Grupo Aero del Ejercito No. 44 "PASTAZA"
- Gupo Aero del Ejercito No. 45 "PICHINCHA"
- Escuela de Aviacion del Ejercito "CAPT. FERNANDO VASCONEZ"
Organization
[
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]
As of November 2004, the Ecuadorian Land Forces Order of Battle was:
- I Army Division
Shyris
(HQ
Quito
)
- 1st Armored Cavalry Brigade
Galapagos
- 13th Infantry Brigade
Pichincha
- 9th Special Forces Brigade
Patria
- 24th Special Forces Group
Rayo
- 25th Special Forces Group
Santo Domingo de los Colorados
- 26th Special Forces Group
Quevedo
- 27th Special Forces Group
Latacunga
- II Army Division
Libertad
(HQ
Guayaquil
)
- 5th Infantry Brigade
Guayas
- III Army Division
Tarqui
(HQ
Cuenca
)
- 1st Infantry Brigade
El Oro
- 3rd Infantry Brigade
- 7th Infantry Brigade
Loja
- 27th Artillery Brigade
Bolivar
- IV Army Division
Amazonas
(HQ
El Coca
)
- 17th Jungle Infantry Brigade
Pastaza
- 17th Special Forces Company
- 49th Jungle Infantry Battalion
- 50th Jungle Infantry Battalion
- 51st Jungle Infantry Battalion
- 19th Jungle Infantry Brigade
Napo
- 19th Special Forces Company
Aguarico
- 55th Jungle Infantry Battalion
Putumayo
- 56th Jungle Infantry Battalion
Tungurahua
- 57th Jungle Infantry Battalion
Montecristi
- 21st Jungle Infantry Brigade
Condor
(HQ Patuca)
- 60th Special Forces Battalion
Capitan Calles
- 61st Jungle Infantry Battalion
Santiago
- 62nd Jungle Infantry Battalion
Zamora
- 63rd Jungle Infantry Battalion
Gualaquiza
- Independent Units
Equipment
[
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]
Historically, the Army depended on a wide variety of foreign suppliers for virtually all of its equipment needs. Only in the 1980s did it begin to develop a modest domestic arms industry as the Directorate of Army Industries manufactured rifle ammunition, uniforms, boots, and other consumable items. The Army's present day equipment is mostly of western origins.
Equipment gallery
[
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]
See also
[
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]
References
[
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]
- ^
International Institute for Strategic Studies
(February 13, 2024).
The Military Balance 2024
(1st ed.). Routledge. p. 432.
ISBN
978-1032780047
.
- ^
Ley Organica De La Defensa Nacional
(PDF)
(Ley 74, Article 26).
- ^
"Ecuador - Army"
. country-data.com.
Archived
from the original on 2015-09-23
. Retrieved
2014-03-22
.
- ^
"saorbats.com.ar ? Fuerzas armadas iberoamericanas"
. saorbats.com.ar. Archived from
the original
on 2007-09-27
. Retrieved
2014-03-22
.
- ^
"Chile wants transparency in arms buying"
. spacewar.com.
Archived
from the original on 2014-08-10
. Retrieved
2014-03-22
.
- ^
"UNASUR pledges Latin arms trade transparency - UPI.com"
. upi.com.
Archived
from the original on 2014-03-23
. Retrieved
2014-03-22
.
- ^
"UNASUR Agrees to Boost Defense Expenditure Transparency — MercoPress"
. en.mercopress.com.
Archived
from the original on 2014-03-23
. Retrieved
2014-03-22
.
- ^
[1]
Archived
June 12, 2010, at the
Wayback Machine
- ^
Janq Designs.
"Special Operations.Com"
. Archived from
the original
on 2000-12-13
. Retrieved
2014-03-22
.
- ^
a
b
c
Janq Designs.
"Special Operations.Com"
. Archived from
the original
on 2000-11-20
. Retrieved
2014-03-22
.
- ^
Janq Designs.
"Special Operations.Com"
. Archived from
the original
on 2000-12-13
. Retrieved
2014-03-22
.
- ^
a
b
[2]
Archived
November 20, 2008, at the
Wayback Machine
- ^
a
b
[3]
[
dead link
]
- ^
a
b
"26 anos de la Escuela de Soldados Iwias - NOV. 02, 2007 - El Pais - Historicos - EL UNIVERSO"
. eluniverso.com. 2 November 2007.
Archived
from the original on 2015-09-24
. Retrieved
2014-03-22
.
- ^
a
b
"Naturaleza sin fronteras: Iwias, los "demonios de la selva"
"
. naturalezasinfronteras-belit.blogspot.com. 21 June 2009.
Archived
from the original on 2014-03-23
. Retrieved
2014-03-22
.
- ^
[4]
"Archived copy"
. Archived from
the original
on July 6, 2011
. Retrieved
May 4,
2010
.
{{
cite web
}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (
link
)
- ^
"Welcome to www.mgp-club.com!"
. Archived from
the original
on 2010-03-16
. Retrieved
2014-03-22
.
External links
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]