Bolivia's Military Might: A Comprehensive Overview

Bolivia's military, the Bolivian Armed Forces, is comprised of the Bolivian Army, the Bolivian Air Force, and the Bolivian Navy. Bolivia is landlocked and has been since the War of the Pacific in 1879. The Bolivian Navy is a naval force of around 5,000 personnel. The Bolivian Army is estimated to have between 26,000 and 60,000 men, while the Bolivian Air Force has nine air bases. The Bolivian police are also considered part of the reserves and are estimated to have around 40,000 troops.

Bolivia's military branches

The Armed Forces of Bolivia are responsible for the defence of the country from both external and internal threats. They are constituted by the Bolivian Army, the Bolivian Air Force, and the Bolivian Navy. The Bolivian National Police Force is also part of the reserves of the Armed Forces.

Bolivian Army

The Bolivian Army is the land force branch of the Armed Forces of Bolivia. It is estimated that the army has between 26,000 and 60,000 men. The army has six military regions (regiones militares—RMs) covering the various departments of Bolivia. The army is organized into ten territorial divisions, plus a mechanized division. The army maintains a small fleet of utility aircraft, primarily to support headquarters.

Bolivian Air Force

The Bolivian Air Force is the air branch of the Armed Forces of Bolivia. It has nine air bases located at La Paz, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz, Puerto Suárez, Tarija, Villamontes, Cobija, Riberalta, and Roboré. The Air Force has four air brigades with thirteen subordinate air groups.

Bolivian Navy

The Bolivian Navy, also known as the Bolivian Naval Force, is a naval force that is around 5,000 strong. Although Bolivia is landlocked, the Navy exists to cultivate a maritime consciousness and keep alive the hope of recovering the coast lost to Chile in the War of the Pacific (1879-1884). The Navy has ten naval districts, with flotilla headquarters in Guaqui, Guayaramerín, Puerto Suárez, Riberalta, and San Pedro de Tiquina, and bases in Puerto Busch, Puerto Horquilla, Puerto Villarroel, Trinidad, and Rurrenabaque. The Navy has a total of 173 vessels, mostly stationed on Lake Titicaca.

Bolivian Army size

The Bolivian Army is the land force branch of the Armed Forces of Bolivia. Bolivia's military includes the Bolivian Army, the Bolivian Air Force, and the Bolivian Navy. The Bolivian National Police Force is also considered part of the reserves of the Armed Forces.

There is little official data available on the size and composition of the Bolivian Army. However, it is estimated that the army has between 26,000 and 60,000 men. Another source estimates the army to have around 55,500 men. The Bolivian Army has six military regions and is organized into ten divisions.

The Bolivian Army's primary role is to defend the country against external and internal threats and ensure Bolivia's independence. The army maintains a small fleet of utility aircraft, primarily to support its headquarters.

In addition to the regular army, Bolivia also has a paramilitary force, the Bolivian Pre-militars (Premilitares), which are reserve corps units serving mandatory duties.

Bolivian Navy size

Bolivia is a landlocked country that ceded its 250-mile coastline to Chile during the War of the Pacific, which lasted from 1879 to 1883. Despite this, Bolivia established a River and Lake Force in 1963, which became a separate branch of the armed forces in 1966 and was renamed the Bolivian Naval Force (Fuerza Naval Boliviana in Spanish).

The Bolivian Navy is about 5,000 strong and has approximately 173 vessels, most of which are stationed on Lake Titicaca, which Bolivia shares with Peru. The Navy also has a naval presence on Bolivia's large rivers, which are tributaries to the Amazon. The vessels include several dozen boats, with a dozen or more used for riverine patrol, as well as seagoing vessels.

The Navy is organised into ten naval districts, with flotilla headquarters in Guaqui, Guayaramerín, Puerto Suárez, Riberalta, and San Pedro de Tiquina, and bases in Puerto Busch, Puerto Horquilla, Puerto Villarroel, Trinidad, and Rurrenabaque.

The Bolivian Navy's 5,000 troops navigate the country's Amazonian rivers and Lake Titicaca, which is more than two miles above sea level. The Navy has several important functions, including fighting drug traffickers, delivering medical supplies to remote communities, and responding to disasters.

Bolivian Air Force size

The Bolivian Air Force (FAB) is the air force branch of the Bolivian Armed Forces. It has nine air bases located at La Paz, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz, Puerto Suárez, Tarija, Villamontes, Cobija, Riberalta, and Roboré.

The FAB is organized into air brigades, which are formed by one to three air groups. The air groups are based at La Paz, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Puerto Suárez, Tarija, Villamontes, Cobija, Trinidad, Riberalta, Roboré, Uyuni, Oruro, Sucre, and Chimoré.

The exact number of personnel in the FAB is unknown, but estimates place the total number of troops across the three main forces (army, navy, and air force) at between 40,000 and 70,000. The FAB is led by Commander of the Air Force, Ciro Orlando Álvarez Guzmán, who was appointed by interim president Jeanine Áñez Chávez in 2019.

The FAB has a long history dating back to the 1930s. By 1938, the Bolivian Air Force consisted of about 60 aircraft, including Curtiss Hawk fighters, Curtiss T-32 Condor II bombers, and Junkers W 34 bombers. The officers were trained in Italy. Over the years, the FAB has gone through modernization efforts, and in 2017, Bolivia retired the Lockheed T-33 after 44 years of service, becoming the last operator of this aircraft.

The FAB plays a crucial role in the defense of Bolivia, both externally and internally, and is an essential component of the country's military capabilities.

Bolivian military ranking

The Bolivian military is comprised of four main branches: the Army, Navy, Air Force, and National Police Force. Each branch has a similar structure, with four pay grades: non-commissioned officers, senior non-commissioned officers, commissioned officers, and general staff.

The Army trains its personnel at the Army NCO School in Sucre and the Military College of Bolivia in La Paz. The Army is led by a Commander in Chief, currently Gen. Carlos Orellana Centellas, who is appointed by the President of Bolivia. The Army is organised into ten divisions, with six military regions covering various departments of Bolivia. The Army has an estimated 26,000 to 60,000 men, including special forces and combat units.

The Navy, despite Bolivia being landlocked, has a large quantity of rivers and lakes where most of its operations take place, such as Lake Titicaca, which is shared with Peru. The Navy has different specialisations for non-commissioned officers and senior non-commissioned officers once they reach the rank of 'seaman'. The Navy is led by a Commander, currently Rear Admiral Moisés Orlando Mejía Heredia, who is also appointed by the President. The Navy has a total of 173 vessels, mostly stationed on Lake Titicaca.

The Air Force has nine air bases located across Bolivia, in cities such as La Paz, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz, and Puerto Suárez. The Air Force is led by a Commander, currently Ciro Orlando Álvarez Guzmán, and has an estimated 20,000 personnel.

The National Police Force, while dependent on the Ministry of Government in times of peace, is part of the reserves of the Armed Forces. The Police Force has around 40,000 troops.

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