The Ecuadorian Army ( es, ''Ejército Ecuatoriano'', italic=unset) is the land component of the

Ecuadorian Armed Forces The Ecuadorian Armed Forces ( es, Fuerzas Armadas del Ecuador) is the national military force of Ecuador. The commander-in-chief is the President of Ecuador, currently Guillermo Lasso. The military is generally under civilian control, specifica ...

. Its 160,500 soldiers are deployed in relation to its military doctrine. The contemporary Ecuadorian Army incorporates many

jungle A jungle is land covered with dense forest and tangled vegetation, usually in tropical climates. Application of the term has varied greatly during the past recent century. Etymology The word ''jungle'' originates from the Sanskrit word ''ja� ...

and special forces infantry units into its structure.

Main objectives

*To defend the national territory as part of a Joint Task Force. *To represent a strong military image as part of the

, 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

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 the military strategic planning.

Vision

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

The

history could start as early as 1531, when

civil war A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

ravaged through the

Inca Empire The Inca Empire (also known as the Incan Empire and the Inka Empire), called ''Tawantinsuyu'' by its subjects, ( Quechua for the "Realm of the Four Parts", "four parts together" ) was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The adm ...

. In a key battle near

Riobamba Riobamba (, full name San Pedro de Riobamba; Quechua: ''Rispampa'') is the capital of Chimborazo Province in central Ecuador, and is located in the Chambo River Valley of the Andes. It is south of Ecuador's capital Quito and located at an ele ...

, 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 The Battle of Cajamarca also spelled Cajamalca (though many contemporary scholars prefer to call it Massacre of Cajamarca) was the ambush and seizure of the Inca ruler Atahualpa by a small Spanish force led by Francisco Pizarro, on November 16, ...

against the Spanish conquerors. It would take almost 300 years when

Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ' ...

's struggle for emancipation from the Spanish colonial rule would reach its peak at the

Battle of Pichincha The Battle of Pichincha took place on 24 May 1822, on the slopes of the Pichincha volcano, 3,500 meters above sea-level, right next to the city of Quito, in modern Ecuador. The encounter, fought in the context of the Spanish American wars of i ...

. Following a victory, Ecuadorian troops would become part of the ''

Gran Colombia Gran Colombia (, "Great Colombia"), or Greater Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia (Spanish language, Spanish: ''República de Colombia''), was a state that encompassed much of northern South America and part of southern Central Ameri ...

n'' coalition. These were years in which warfare dominated. First, the country was in 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 José 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, the Gran Colombia dissolves forever. The Treaty of 1829 fixed the border on the line that had divided the and the

Viceroyalty of Peru The Viceroyalty of Peru ( es, Virreinato del Perú, links=no) was a Spanish imperial provincial administrative district, created in 1542, that originally contained modern-day Peru and most of the Spanish Empire in South America, governed fro ...

before independence. By 1859 the nation was on the brink of anarchy. This led to a

and the first EEcuadorian–Peruvian War of 1857–1860. Backed by

Guillermo Franco Guillermo "Guille" Luis Franco Farquarson (born 3 November 1976) is a former professional footballer who played as a striker. Born in Argentina, he represented the Mexico national team. Early life Guillermo Franco was born in Corrientes, th ...

, an Ecuadorian General, the Peruvian army led by General

Ramón Castilla Ramón Castilla y Marquesado (; 31 August 1797 – 30 May 1867) was a Peruvian ''caudillo'' who served as President of Peru three times as well as the Interim President of Peru (Revolution Self-proclaimed President) in 1863. His earliest pr ...

arrived in

Guayaquil , motto = Por Guayaquil Independiente en, For Independent Guayaquil , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Ecuador#South America , pushpin_re ...

and forcing Ecuador to sign the Mapasingue Treaty which declares the allocation of Peruvian lands null and forcing the suspension of the Ecuadorian-English business. Accusing

of treason for signing a treaty with the Peruvians,

Gabriel García Moreno Gabriel Gregorio Fernando José María García Moreno y Morán de Butrón (24 December 1821 – 6 August 1875), was an Ecuadorian politician and aristocrat who twice served as President of Ecuador (1861–65 and 1869–75) and was assassinated d ...

, allied with former enemy General

Juan José Flores Juan José Flores y Aramburu (19 July 1800 – 1 October 1864) was a Venezuelan-born military general who became the first (in 1830), third (in 1839) and fourth (in 1843) President of the new Republic of Ecuador. He is often referred to as "The ...

, attacked Franco's forces. After several battles, García Moreno's forces were able to force Franco's troops to retreat back to

Guayaquil , motto = Por Guayaquil Independiente en, For Independent Guayaquil , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Ecuador#South America , pushpin_re ...

, 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 The Ecuadorian–Peruvian War, known locally as the War of '41 ( es, link=no, Guerra del 41), was a South American border war fought between 5–31 July 1941. It was the first of three military conflicts between Ecuador and Peru during the 20th ...

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

, saw itself forced to accept

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National seal , national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...

'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 The Paquisha War or Fake Paquisha War () was a military clash that took place between January and February 1981 between Ecuador and Peru over the control of three watchposts. While Peru felt that the matter was already decided in the Ecuadorian� ...

, for the control of three watchposts set up by Ecuadorian troops inside a disputed border area. The conflict ceased with the control of the

Peruvian army The Peruvian Army ( es, Ejército del Perú, abbreviated EP) is the branch of the Peruvian Armed Forces tasked with safeguarding the independence, sovereignty and integrity of national territory on land through military force. Additional missi ...

of 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 . Focus of all fighting would become a small outpost called by the Ecuadorians (and or by the Peruvians) until the signing of a ceasefire. In 1998 the Brasilia Act is signed where Perú is granted the disputed territory (Tiwinza).

Structure

Already back in 1989 the Army was with around 40.000 troops nearly four times the combined strength of the

Navy A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It in ...

and

air force An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an ...

. In 2003, it was structured into four independent

Army Division A division is a large military unit or formation, usually consisting of between 6,000 and 25,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades; in turn, several divisions typically make up a corps. Hist ...

s operating around 25

Infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and mar ...

Battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions a ...

s. These

battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions a ...

s were implemented in

Brigade A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division. B ...

s which were not numbered consecutively but carried odd numbers in the series 1 to 27. All

s had also a Special Forces and

engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the limit ...

, or at least a

communications Communication (from la, communicare, meaning "to share" or "to be in relation with") is usually defined as the transmission of information. The term may also refer to the message communicated through such transmissions or the field of inquir ...

and Logistic Support Company. 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

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"

Since 2009 a restructurization within the

has been launched under the name of "PATRIA I". It shall 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 , four on mainland

, 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

keep such information restricted. *1st "North" or , (HQ Ibarra). *2nd "West" or , (HQ

Guayaquil , motto = Por Guayaquil Independiente en, For Independent Guayaquil , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Ecuador#South America , pushpin_re ...

). *3rd "South" or , (HQ Cuenca). *4th "Central" or , (HQ Quito). *5th "Maritime" or , (HQ ?).

Specialties

Speciality badges mirror the US practice. *

(Badge: Crossed Mauser 1895 rifles) *

Armoured cavalry Armoured cavalry are combat units using armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs) instead of horses. They began to replace horse cavalry in the heavy shock and the light reconnaissance, skirmishing and exploitation/pursuit roles in most armies commen ...

(Badge: M4 Sherman with crossed lances) *

Artillery Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...

(Badge: Crossed Spanish era cannons) * Engineer Corp (Badge: Castle) *

Signals In signal processing, a signal is a function that conveys information about a phenomenon. Any quantity that can vary over space or time can be used as a signal to share messages between observers. The ''IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing'' ...

(Badge: Crossed signal flags and a torch) * Army aviation (Badge: Wing and propeller) *

Logistics Logistics is generally the detailed organization and implementation of a complex operation. In a general business sense, logistics manages the flow of goods between the point of origin and the point of consumption to meet the requirements of ...

(Badge: Sword and leaf) * Special Forces *

Transportation Transport (in British English), or transportation (in American English), is the intentional movement of humans, animals, and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, land (rail and road), water, cable, pipeline, ...

(Badge: Wheel) * Ordnance (Badge: Grenade)

Special forces

*The

Military Intelligence Military intelligence is a military discipline that uses information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to assist commanders in their decisions. This aim is achieved by providing an assessment of data from a ...

remains until today the greater unit of the Intelligence Weapon of the Terrestrial Forces. *The

9th Special Forces Brigade ''PATRIA'' 9 (nine) is the natural number following and preceding . Evolution of the Arabic digit In the Brahmi numerals, beginning, various Indians wrote a digit 9 similar in shape to the modern closing question mark without the bottom dot. The Kshat ...

, consists of

paratrooper A paratrooper is a military parachutist—someone trained to parachute into a military operation, and usually functioning as part of an airborne force. Military parachutists (troops) and parachutes were first used on a large scale during Worl ...

s, specialized as

Commandos Royal Marines from 40 Commando on patrol in the Sangin">40_Commando.html" ;"title="Royal Marines from 40 Commando">Royal Marines from 40 Commando on patrol in the Sangin area of Afghanistan are pictured A commando is a combatant, or operativ ...

, Operational Free Jumpers,

Mountain Warfare Mountain warfare (also known as alpine warfare) is warfare in mountains or similarly rough terrain. Mountain ranges are of strategic importance since they often act as a natural border, and may also be the origin of a water source (for example, ...

Frogmen A frogman is someone who is trained in scuba diving or swimming underwater in a tactical capacity that includes military, and in some European countries, police work. Such personnel are also known by the more formal names of combat diver, comb ...

Snipers A sniper is a military/paramilitary marksman who engages targets from positions of concealment or at distances exceeding the target's detection capabilities. Snipers generally have specialized training and are equipped with high-precision ri ...

and Dog guides. *The

Commando Royal Marines from 40 Commando on patrol in the Sangin">40_Commando.html" ;"title="Royal Marines from 40 Commando">Royal Marines from 40 Commando on patrol in the Sangin area of Afghanistan are pictured A commando is a combatant, or operativ ...

Special Forces School, the ''GEK-9'' is an independent operating body transforming soldiers into future

. *The Counter-terror unit "GEO" (), formed in 1985, it was trained by the US

Navy Seal The United States Navy Sea, Air, and Land (SEAL) Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the U.S. Navy's primary special operations force and a component of the Naval Special Warfare Command. Among the SEALs' main functions are conducting s ...

s and the British SAS and maintains the highest standards. *The 17th, 19th and 21st Jungle

s, trained and experienced in

jungle warfare Jungle warfare is a term used to cover the special techniques needed for military units to survive and fight in jungle terrain. It has been the topic of extensive study by military strategists, and was an important part of the planning for bo ...

. *The

Jungle Warfare Jungle warfare is a term used to cover the special techniques needed for military units to survive and fight in jungle terrain. It has been the topic of extensive study by military strategists, and was an important part of the planning for bo ...

Special Operations Special operations (S.O.) are military activities conducted, according to NATO, by "specially designated, organized, selected, trained, and equipped forces using unconventional techniques and modes of employment". Special operations may include ...

''Iwia''

No. 60, recruited from local

warrior A warrior is a person specializing in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based warrior culture society that recognizes a separate warrior aristocracies, class, or caste. History Warriors seem to have be ...

tribe The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide usage of the term in English is in the discipline of anthropology. This definition is contested, in part due to confli ...

s like the ''

Shuar The Shuar are an Indigenous people of Ecuador and Peru. They are members of the Jivaroan peoples, who are Amazonian tribes living at the headwaters of the Marañón River. Name Shuar, in the Shuar language, means "people". The people who spea ...

'', ''Záparo'', ''Kichwa'' and ''Achuar''.

/ref> *The

and Counter-insurgency ''Iwia'' School is at

Coca Coca is any of the four cultivated plants in the family Erythroxylaceae, native to western South America. Coca is known worldwide for its psychoactive alkaloid, cocaine. The plant is grown as a cash crop in the Argentine Northwest, Bolivia, ...

in the Oriente. *The Special boat detachments called or (engl. sea rats). Three

s 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

. In addition the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

provide training and assistance.

Army aviation

The aviation element of the Army was formed in 1954 originally named . It was renamed 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

in 1981, the unit was renamed 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 The Cenepa War (26 January – 28 February 1995), also known as the Alto Cenepa War, was a brief and localized military conflict between Ecuador and Peru, fought over control of an area in Peruvian territory (i.e. in the eastern side of the Cord ...

of 1995. At present the BAE No.15 consists of: * * * *

Organization

As of November 2004, the Ecuadorian Land Forces Order of Battle was: * I Army Division "''Shyris''" (HQ Quito) **1st Armored Cavalry Brigade "''Galápagos''" ***'' Presidential Horse Guards Squadron "Tarqui Grenadiers"'' *** 4th Armored Cavalry Group *** 6th Mechanized Cavalry Group *** 12th Mechanized Cavalry Group *** 16th Mechanized Cavalry Group *** 28th Armored Cavalry Group *** 36th Mechanized Cavalry Group ***Horseback-riding school **13th Infantry Brigade "''Pichincha''" **9th Special Forces Brigade "''Patria''" ***24th Special Forces Group "''Rayo''" ***25th Special Forces Group "''

Santo Domingo de los Colorados Santo Domingo de los Colorados, often simply referred to as Santo Domingo (Quechua: Tsachila), is an Ecuadorian city and seat of the canton that bears its name and the Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas Province. It is the fourth most populous city ...

''" ***26th Special Forces Group "''Quevedo''" ***27th Special Forces Group "''Latacunga''" *II Army Division "''Libertad''" (HQ

Guayaquil , motto = Por Guayaquil Independiente en, For Independent Guayaquil , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Ecuador#South America , pushpin_re ...

) **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 "''Bolívar''" *IV Army Division "''Amazonas''" (HQ

El Coca Puerto Francisco de Orellana (), also known as El Coca (), is the capital of province of Orellana in eastern Ecuador. The city is located in the Amazon Rainforest at the confluence of the Coca River and the Napo River (the smaller Payamino R ...

) **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 "''Cóndor''" (HQ Patuca) ***60th Special Forces Battalion "''Capitán Calles''" ***61st Jungle Infantry Battalion "''Santiago''" ***62nd Jungle Infantry Battalion "''Zamora''" ***63rd Jungle Infantry Battalion "''Gualaquiza''" *Independent Units ** 1st Foot Guards (Honor Guard) Battalion "''Libertadores''" (HQ Quito) **23rd Engineers Command "''Cenepa''" (HQ Quito) **25th Logistics Support Brigade "''Reino de Quito''" (HQ Quito)

Equipment

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

File:Ecuadorian AS 532 COugar.JPEG, Ecuadorian AS 532 Cougar of the Army's Aviation Branch. File:Relevo-ecu.JPG, Photo taken during the

, Ecuadorian Special Forces during a troop relief, near the Tiwintza area where fighting was particularly intense. File:EE-9 Cascavel.jpg, Ecuadorian

EE-9 Cascavel The EE-9 ''Cascavel'' (, translated to ''Rattlesnake'') is a six-wheeled Brazilian armoured car developed primarily for reconnaissance. It was engineered by Engesa in 1970 as a replacement for Brazil's ageing fleet of M8 Greyhounds. The vehicle w ...

during a military display. File:Superpuma-ecu.JPG, Ecuadorian Puma helicopter of the Army's Aviation Branch. File:HPIM0627.JPG, Tarqui grenadiers during a military parade. File:Tarqui grenadiers.jpg, Uniform of the grenadiers dating from the time of the

Battle of Tarqui The Battle of Tarqui, also known as the Battle of Portete de Tarqui, took place on 27 February 1829 at Tarqui, near Cuenca, today part of Ecuador. It was fought between troops from Gran Colombia, commanded by Antonio José de Sucre, and Peruvia ...

, today worn by the presidential guard of honor at the presidential palace of Quito. File:MARPAT woodland pattern.jpg, The MARPAT (short for MARine PATtern) is a pixelated

camouflage Camouflage is the use of any combination of materials, coloration, or illumination for concealment, either by making animals or objects hard to see, or by disguising them as something else. Examples include the leopard's spotted coat, the b ...

pattern in use with the Ecuadorian Army. File:US Woodland pattern.svg, 'Woodland' is the name of the default

pattern issued to the Ecuadorian soldiers.

References

External links

Official site
Order of Battle & Equipment of South American Armed Forces.

Ecuador Army Aviation {{Armies in Latin America Armies by country

Army An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

Main objectives

Mission

Vision

History

Structure

Leadership

"PATRIA I"

Specialties

Special forces

Army aviation

Organization

Equipment

Equipment gallery

See also

References

External links