Current Title:	Servicio de Aviación de la Armada de Chile
Title in English:	Naval Aviation Service of the Chile Navy
Abbreviation:

Narrative Summary:
Naval Aviation started in 1915, when the Armada Aeronaval was formed as part of the Dirección de Artillería y Fortificaciones. The first pilots were trained at the Escuela de Aeronáutica Militar at BA El Bosque in 1916. In March 1919 the Departamento de Aviación was transformed in the Dirección de la Fuerza Aérea Nacional incorporating both Army and Navy units. In 1919 the service bought its first aircraft, six Short 184 and two Sopwith Baby. The first flight of an naval aviation aircraft was an Sopwith Baby at Puerto Talcahuano on 3.7.1919.

Due to rivalries between the Army and Navy, the Inspección General de Aviación was formed on 15.7.1920 as and independent unit directly responsible to the Ministerio de Guerra y de Marine. The first air base of the service was established in 1921 as Base Aeronaval Los Torpederas at Valparaiso.

On 16.3.1923 the Aviación Naval became an integral part of the Armada de Chile. In 1925 the service moved to the recently built Base Aeronaval Quintero at Valparaiso and bought about twenty new aircraft. On 21.3.1930 the service merged with the Army Aviation Service to form the Fuerza Aérea de Chile (FACh) as an independent service.

The Servicio de Aviación Naval was reactivated on 4.7.1953 at Base Aeronaval El Belloto/Quilpué as main operation base with four Bell 47 and later four Beech D18S Expeditor. In 1956 the Grupo Aeronaval Nº 1 was formed and the Grupo Aeronaval Nº 2 in 1962. In 1989 the service moved to its present location at Base Aeronaval Viña del Mar.

Key Dates:
1915		Armada Aeronaval was formed as part of the Dirección de Artillería y Fortificaciones.
3 July 1919		The first flight of an naval aviation aircraft was an Sopwith Baby at Puerto Talcahuano.
15 July 1920		The Inspección General de Aviación was formed.
1921		Base Aeronaval Los Torpederas at Valparaiso was established.
16 March 1923		Aviación Naval became an integral part of the Armada de Chile.
21 March 1930		The service merged with the Army Aviation Service to form the Fuerza Aérea de Chile (FACh) as an independent service.
4 July 1953		The Servicio de Aviación Naval was reactivated.
1956		The Grupo Aeronaval Nº 1 was formed.
1962		The Grupo Aeronaval Nº 2 was formed.
1989		The service moved to its present location at Base Aeronaval Viña del Mar.

 

Current Status:
Units of the Naval Aviation are fully operational.

Future Plans:
No information available.

National Insignia:
Current --- Historical

Aircraft Serial Numbering System(s):
Serial numbers were normally allocated in three main blocks:

050 to 099 helicopters

100 to 199 transpots

200 to 299 training and patrol aircraft

Unit/Base Aircraft Code System(s):
Coding system not used.

Aircraft Designation System(s):
None.

Current Aircraft Inventory:
Table of Current Service Aircraft

All-Time Aircraft Used List:
Alphabetical Order --- Chronological Order

Main Headquarters:
Piso 7, Galvez 45, Santiago

Current Organisational Structure:
The Naval Aviation Service ist divided into two Naval Air Forces.

Current Order of Battle:
Table of Current Order of Battle

Historical Orders of Battle:

Historical Order of Battle (as at 1929)

Historical Order of Battle (as at 1959)

Historical Order of Battle (as at 1969)

Historical Order of Battle (as at 1979)

Historical Order of Battle (as at 1989)

Historical Order of Battle (as at 1999)

All-Time Flying Units List: (only units, which are not included in the Orders of Battle)

Escuadrón de Ataque VA-1

Current Air Bases:
The Chile Naval Aviation currently operates two mayor airbases and five secondary airfields.

Military Air Bases Listing

All-Time Air Bases Used List:
Military Air Bases Listing

Books:

None.
 

'Magazines: