Current Title:	Comando de Aviación Naval de Armada de República Colombia
Title in English:	Naval Aviation Command
Abbreviation:	ARC

Narrative Summary:
Colombian Naval Aviation started in August 1933, when the Base Anfibias del Pacífico at Buenaventura was formed under the command of the Air Force. In 1934 the Base Anfibias del Atlántico at Cartagena was opened. Dornier Wal, Consolidated P2Y and Curtiss F-8 Falcon operated from this base, which was however closed in 1936. On 14.8.1944 the Comando de Aviación was formed but the service was deactivated in 1949, when the Base Anfibias del Pacífico at Buenaventura was closed.

Modern naval aviation started in 1972, when the Patrulla Aeronaval de Cartagena was formed with a Piper PA-22 Tripacer. In 1975 the Escuela de Aviación was established. Helicopter operations started in 1983 with the arrival of two MBB Bo-105CB helicopters. The name of the Patrulla Aeronaval was changed in 1985 to Comando de Aviación Naval.

The first operational unit was formed in 1987, when the Grupo Aeronaval del Atlántico was established at Cartagena / Rafael Nuñez IAP. A second unit was formed in 1997 with the formation of the Grupo Aéronaval del Pacifico at Bahía Málaga / Estación Aeronaval Juanchaco. The last operational unit to be formed was the Grupo Aéronaval de Transporte y Apoyo Fluvial at Bogotá in 2000. During these years the service received some fixed wing aircraft for maritime surveillance and communication duties. In 1998 the service got a large number of helicopter for SAR, liaison and transportation duties.

Key Dates:
1933		Base Anfibias del Pacífico at Buenaventura was formed.
14 August 1944		Comando de Aviación was formed.
1949		Comando de Aviación was disbanded.
1972		Patrulla Aeronaval de Cartagena was formed.
1975		Escuela de Aviación was established.
1985		Comando de Aviación Naval was formed.

 

Current Status:
The aircraft of the Naval Aviation are fully operational.

Future Plans:
No information available.

National Insignia:
Current --- Historical

Aircraft Serial Numbering System(s):
From 1983 ARC is used as a prefix and the serial numbers consists of three digits.

Aircraft Designation System(s):
None.

Current Aircraft Inventory:
Table of Current Service Aircraft

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

Main Headquarters:
Edif. Centro Administrativo Nacional, Av El Dorado con Carrera 52 Can, Bogotá

Current Organisational Structure:
The Naval Aviation operates from three main operation bases and three secondary airfields.

Current Order of Battle:
Table of Current Order of Battle

Historical Orders of Battle:

None.

Current Air Bases:
The Naval Aviation operates from three main operation bases and three secondary airfields.

Military Air Bases Listing

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

Books:

None.