Paraguayan Army

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Paraguayan Army
General Darío Martin Cáceres Snead
Notable
commanders		José Félix Estigarribia
Francisco Solano López

The Paraguayan Army (

Paraguayan People's Army insurgency
.

Mission

  • Maintaining the sanctity of the land borders of the Republic of Paraguay.
  • To strengthen civil-military relations.
  • Cooperate in emergency rescue and relief operations during disasters.
  • Organize, compose and manage reservations.
  • To organize, equip and train strength to face any domestic or international threat/
  • Cooperate in activities to support the country's national development.
  • To cooperate with scientific and technological development of the country.

History

War of the Triple Alliance
.
Officers and NCOs of the Paraguayan Army wearing variants of the Pickelhaube helmet in the early 1910s.

Paraguay's army was formally established in 1811, the year of the country's independence. For the first several years of Paraguay's existence the commanders of the army, such as

captain could be achieved, and that after three years of service officers were to be retired. By 1816 there were no officers in the army who had fought at the Tacuarí or the Paraguarí
. Francia's horse-grenadier guard company was the first new unit created and was to form the nucleus of the army. Each captain was given command of a branch of the service, which consisted of line infantry, light infantry, dragoons, chasseurs, hussars and artillery. The infantry, artillery and hussars were stationed in the capital
Chaco Indians, particularly the sub-groups of the Guaykuru
tribes, raged in the borderlands. The size of the army varied according to the magnitude of threat. In 1825 it was 5000 strong, but in 1834 it was only 649 strong. There was also a large number of militia troops, which usually numbered around 25,000.

After Francia's death in 1840, Carlos Antonio López assumed power and modernized the army and expanded the navy. He opened an iron foundry at Ybycuí that produced arms and bullets and also built up a railway system in the country to transport troops and materiel.

Following the succession of Lopez's son, Francisco Solano López, the army was expanded yet further until it was one of the largest in South America, consisting by 1864 of 44 infantry battalions, 46 cavalry regiments and four artillery regiments. In that same year Paraguay fought its first actual war against Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina. Despite Paraguayan numerical superiority and initial success, the allies soon upped their game and Paraguay eventually found itself surrounded. Despite constant defeat on the field by the allies, the Paraguayans did not capitulate until Lopez had been killed in 1870, in the Battle of Cerro Corá, having been on the run with his 200 remaining men.

Presence in UN Missions

  • MINUSTAH
    )
  • Cyprus (UNIFICYP) (a section-size group attached to the Argentinean Battalion)
  • MONUC
    )
  • MINURCAT
    )
  • ONUCI
    )

Structure

As of 2016, the Paraguayan Army had a total strength of 10,600 personnel, including 2,500 conscripts.[1]

The Paraguayan Army is composed of Presidential Guard Regiment, organized into a regimental HQ, two battalions (

air defense artillery group (GAA 13 40 mm L 40/60, Oerlikon 20 mm cannons
, and six M-55 4×12, 7.0 mm).

Six battalions of combat engineers, one communications battalion, one Special Forces battalion, seven regiments of infantry and six regiments of cavalry comprise the rest of the force. There is little organic aviation available to it.

Each corps has a weapons school run by its command. The logistical command manages and addresses materials, mobilization, health care, etc. The command of the Army Institute of Education administers three schools, commissioned and noncommissoned officers, a military academy and the CIMEFOR (a center for pre-military study that trains Reserve officers).

Each of the nine divisions that make up the three corps has one or two regiments of infantry or cavalry, its platoon of engineers, its communications section, military police units, etc.

  • Presidential Guard Regiment with its base in Asunción
  • 1st Army Corps (Curuguaty)
    • Infantry Division 3
    • Infantry Division 4
    • Cavalry Division 3
  • 2nd Army Corps (San Juan Bautista)
    • Infantry Division 1
    • Infantry Division 2
    • Cavalry Division 2
  • 3rd Army Corps (Mariscal Estigarribia)
    • Infantry Division 5
    • Infantry Division 6
    • Cavalry Division 1
  • Special forces command (Cerrito)
    • One Special Forces battalion and one Special Forces school.
  • Army Artillery command (Paraguari)
    • Two artillery groups and one
      anti-aircraft
      group, one artillery school.
  • The Infantry School and the Infantry Training Battalion.
  • Army Command of engineers (Tacumbu)
    • One school and six battalions.
  • Army communications command(Tacumbu)
    • One school and one signal battalion.
  • Army Training and Doctrine Command
    • Operates the
      Francisco López Military Academy
      , three military schools, and a noncommissoned officers school
  • Army logistic command (Asunción)
    • The logistic command manages and addresses materials, mobilization, health care, etc.

Equipment

Armored vehicles

Name Image Type Origin Quantity Status Notes
M3 Stuart Light tank  United States 10[2] INS 10 operational as of 2014, 4 more in storage[2]
M2 half-track Half-track
Artillery tractor 		 United States 8[3] INS
M3 half-track
Armored personnel carrier
  United States 23[3] INS
M8 Greyhound Armored car  United States 12[4] INS
EE-9 Cascavel Armored Car  Brazil 28[3] INS Upgraded in Brazil in 2008.
EE-11 Urutu
Armored personnel carrier
  Brazil 12[3] INS

Utility vehicles

Land Rover Defender Utility vehicle  United Kingdom 90 110 and 130
Ford Ranger Utility vehicle  United States
 Argentina 		19
Agrale Marruá[5] Utility vehicle  Brazil 17
Chevrolet S-10 Utility vehicle  United States
 Brazil 		104
M151[6]
 Utility vehicle  United States
ARGO 8×8
 Amphibious all-terrain vehicle  Canada 12
Mitsubishi L200
 Utility vehicle  Japan
 Brazil 		+11
Trucks
Mercedes-Benz Unimog
 4x4 truck  West Germany
Mercedes-Benz Atego 4x4 truck  Germany
 Brazil
Mercedes-Benz 1414/51 4x4 truck  Germany
 Brazil
MAN KAT1 4x4 truck  Germany 20 Ordered in 2013
Ford Cargo 17-22 6x6 truck  United States
 Brazil 		78+
M54 6x6 truck  United States

Artillery

Name Image Type Origin Quantity Status Notes
Field artillery
M101 105 mm howitzer  United States 20/26 INS
M30 mortar[7] 107 mm mortar  United States 8 INS

Air defence systems

Name Image Type Origin Quantity Status Notes
Oerlikon GAI-BO1 Autocannon   Switzerland 3 INS 20mm autocannon
Bofors L/60[8] Autocannon  Sweden 13 INS 40mm autocannon

Anti-tank weapons

Name Image Type Origin Caliber Notes
M72 LAW Rocket-propelled grenade launcher  United States 66mm 80 guns in service.
M20 Super Bazooka Rocket-propelled grenade  United States 88mm 136 guns in service.
M20[9] Recoilless rifle  United States 105mm 32 guns in service.

Small arms

Name Image Caliber Type Origin Notes
Pistols
Browning Hi-Power[10]
9×19mm
 Semi-automatic pistol  Belgium
Taurus PT92
9×19mm
 Semi-automatic pistol  Brazil
Submachine guns
M3 Grease Gun[11]
9×19mm
 Submachine gun  United States
Uzi[10]
9×19mm
 Submachine gun  Israel
Carl Gustaf m/45[10]
9×19mm
 Submachine gun  Sweden
Madsen M-50[12]
9×19mm
 Submachine gun  Denmark
Rifles
FN FAL[10]
7.62×51mm
 Battle rifle  Belgium In reserve.
Heckler & Koch G3[10]
7.62×51mm
 Battle rifle  West Germany In reserve.
PA md. 86[10] 5.45×39mm Assault rifle  Socialist Republic of Romania
M16[10]
5.56×45mm
 Assault rifle  United States Limited use.
M4[10]
5.56×45mm
 Assault rifle
Carbine 		 United States Special Forces.
T65K2[10]
5.56×45mm
 Assault rifle  Taiwan Standard issue.
Norinco CQ
5.56×45mm
 Assault rifle  China Norinco CQ-5.56mm Type A adopted by the Special Forces.
Beretta AR70[10]
5.56×45mm
 Assault rifle  Italy
vz. 24
7.92×57mm
Bolt-action rifle
  First Czechoslovak Republic
vz. 33[13]
7.92×57mm
 Carbine  First Czechoslovak Republic
Machine guns
FN MAG
7.62×51mm
 General-purpose machine gun  Belgium Use for EE-9 Cascavel,Land Rover Defender 110.
Heckler & Koch 21E[14]
7.62×51mm
 General-purpose machine gun  West Germany
IWI Negev[15]
5.56×45mm
 Light machine gun  Israel
Browning M1919
7.62×51mm
 Medium machine gun  United States
Browning M2[10]
 .50 BMG Heavy machine gun  United States
ZB vz. 26
7.92×57mm
 Light machine gun  First Czechoslovak Republic Upgraded by IMBEL (Brazil) in the 80s
Grenade launchers
M203[10]
40 mm
 Grenade launcher  United States
M79[10]
40 mm
 Grenade launcher  United States

Ranks

It is important to note that the two most famous military leaders of Independent Paraguay,

Field Marshal of the Paraguayan Armies. However, this rank is just a "honorific distinction" for these two individuals who led the nation during the largest military conflicts Paraguay had to face, the Paraguayan War and the Chaco War
.

Moreover, it is unknown if they ever had the garments of a Field Marshal. Solano López only received a "Marshal's Baton" but he kept wearing the uniform of a General of the Army while Estigarribia, apparently, never got nor received any type of Marshal's garments other than the honorific rank.

Officially, both Solano López and Estigarribia held the rank of General of the Armies of Paraguay.

Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of

commissioned officers
.

Rank group General / flag officers Senior officers Junior officers Officer cadet
 Paraguayan Army[16]
General de ejército General de división General de brigada Coronel Teniente coronel Mayor Capitán Teniente primero Teniente Subteniente


Other ranks

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Rank group Senior NCOs Junior NCOs Enlisted
 Paraguayan Army[16]
Sub-oficial principal Sub-oficial mayor Sub-oficial Sargento ayudante Sargento primero Vice sargento primero Sargento segundo Cabo primero Cabo segundo Soldado

See also

References

Notes
  1. ^ a b IISS (2012), p. 398
  2. ^ a b de Cherisey, Erwan (29 December 2015). "Paraguay keeping M3 Stuart, M4 Sherman tanks in service". IHS Jane's Defence Weekly. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
  3. ^ a b c d IISS (2012), p. 399
  4. ^ "Trade Registers". Armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved 2013-06-20.
  5. ^ "El Ejército del Paraguay presenta sus nuevos vehículos y ametralladoras".
  6. ^ "Annex C Appendix II". US Army Technical Manual of Foreign Military Sales: Battlefield Damage Assessment and Repair (PDF). Washington, D.C. 18 December 1987. p. 262. TM 9-2320-356-BD. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 September 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2013.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  7. ^ Gander, Terry J. (22 November 2000). "National inventories, Paraguay". Jane's Infantry Weapons 2001-2002. p. 3240.
  8. ^ Military Balance 2016, p. 408.
  9. ISBN 9780710623171
    .
  10. ^
    ISBN 978-0-7106-2869-5
    .
  11. ^ "wiw_sa_paraguay - worldinventory". 2016-11-24. Archived from the original on 2016-11-24. Retrieved 2023-03-07.
  12. ISBN 978-0-7106-1241-0
    .
  13. ^ Ball 2011, p. 278.
  14. ^ World Armies (30 December 2009). "Paraguayan Police Special Forces". flicker.com. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  15. ^ "Paraguay Army Chooses IWI's "Negev"". Israel Defense. 1 August 2015.
  16. ^
    LCCN 89600299
    . Retrieved 5 October 2021.

Works cited

External links
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