Naval Infantry Command
Encyclopedia
The Argentine Marine Corps, officially Comando de la Infantería de Marina or COIM ( Marine Infantry Command ), but better known as Infantería de Marina de la Armada de la República Argentina or IMARA ( Marine Infantry of the Navy of the Argentine Republic ), is the land warfare amphibious branch of the Argentine Navy
and one of its four operational commands.
Argentine Marines have the same rank insignia and titles as the rest of the Navy.
, at the time of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata
. After the Argentine War of Independence
, it was under joint administration administration of the Argentine Army
and the Argentine Navy. A 1946 law placed the marines solely under the jurisdiction of the Navy.
Under Spanish dominion:
During independence:
Argentine confederation:
Argentine Republic
, Chile
and the United States
.
and Cyprus
under the auspices of MINUSTAH and UNFICYP respectively in joint operations with the Argentine Army
and Argentine Air Force
. A small platoon was also deployed in Serbia
/UN ProvinceKosovo
(NATO KFOR mandate), attached to Argentine Engineers Company, which was in turn attached to the Italian Brigade
.
Several Marine Officers and NCO's are routinely deployed as military observers for the UN.
3rd Naval Helicopter Sqn. (Bell UH-1H, now in reserve status) was usually attached to the Fleet Marine Force.
Argentine Navy
The Navy of the Argentine Republic or Armada of the Argentine Republic is the navy of Argentina. It is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic, together with the Army and the Air Force....
and one of its four operational commands.
Argentine Marines have the same rank insignia and titles as the rest of the Navy.
History
The Marines trace their origins in Spanish Marine CorpsInfanteria de Marina
The Spanish Navy Marines is a corps within the Spanish Navy responsible for providing amphibious warfare from the sea utilizing naval platforms and resources...
, at the time of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata
Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata
The Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, , was the last and most short-lived Viceroyalty of the Spanish Empire in America.The Viceroyalty was established in 1776 out of several former Viceroyalty of Perú dependencies that mainly extended over the Río de la Plata basin, roughly the present day...
. After the Argentine War of Independence
Argentine War of Independence
The Argentine War of Independence was fought from 1810 to 1818 by Argentine patriotic forces under Manuel Belgrano, Juan José Castelli and José de San Martín against royalist forces loyal to the Spanish crown...
, it was under joint administration administration of the Argentine Army
Argentine Army
The Argentine Army is the land armed force branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic and the senior military service of the country.- History :...
and the Argentine Navy. A 1946 law placed the marines solely under the jurisdiction of the Navy.
Battles and interventions
- Reconquest of the Falklands Islands in 1767.
- Falklands Crisis (1770)Falklands Crisis (1770)The Falklands Crisis of 1770 was a diplomatic standoff between Britain and Spain over possession of the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean. These events were nearly the cause of a war between France, Spain and Britain — the countries poised to dispatch armed fleets to contest the barren...
- Defense of the East Coast 1776.
- British invasions of the Río de la PlataBritish invasions of the Río de la PlataThe British invasions of the Río de la Plata were a series of unsuccessful British attempts to seize control of the Spanish colonies located around the La Plata Basin in South America . The invasions took place between 1806 and 1807, as part of the Napoleonic Wars, when Spain was an ally of...
1806 and 1807.
During independence:
- seizure of Martin Garcia IslandIsla Martín GarcíaIsla Martín García is an Argentine island off the Río de la Plata coast of Uruguay. The enclave island is within the boundaries of Uruguayan waters; in 1973 both countries reached an agreement establishing Martín García as an Argentine territory and also as a nature reserve.The island of has a...
in 1814. - Landing in Monterey, CaliforniaMonterey, CaliforniaThe City of Monterey in Monterey County is located on Monterey Bay along the Pacific coast in Central California. Monterey lies at an elevation of 26 feet above sea level. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,810. Monterey is of historical importance because it was the capital of...
, now part of the United States (1817–1818): Forces commanded by Hipólito Bouchard, 200 men of which 130 were armed with guns and 70 with lances, disembarked to one leagueLeague (unit)A league is a unit of length . It was long common in Europe and Latin America, but it is no longer an official unit in any nation. The league originally referred to the distance a person or a horse could walk in an hour...
from the fort of Monterrey, in a hidden creek from the heights. The resistance of the fort was very weak, and after one hour battle the Argentine flag was raised.
Argentine confederation:
- Argentina-Brazil WarArgentina-Brazil WarThe Cisplatine War or the Argentine–Brazilian War was an armed conflict over an area known as Banda Oriental or "Eastern Shore" in the 1820s between the United Provinces of River Plate and the Empire of Brazil in the aftermath of the United Provinces' emancipation from Spain.-Background:Led by...
. (1820's) - War of Costa BravoUruguayan Civil WarThe Uruguayan Civil War, also known as "Guerra Grande", was a series of armed conflicts that took place between the Colorado Party and the National Party in Uruguay from 1839 to 1851...
(1842), against the forces under the control of Giuseppe GaribaldiGiuseppe GaribaldiGiuseppe Garibaldi was an Italian military and political figure. In his twenties, he joined the Carbonari Italian patriot revolutionaries, and fled Italy after a failed insurrection. Garibaldi took part in the War of the Farrapos and the Uruguayan Civil War leading the Italian Legion, and...
. - Battle of Vuelta de ObligadoBattle of Vuelta de ObligadoThe naval Battle of Vuelta de Obligado took place on the waters of the Paraná River on November 20, 1845, between the Argentine Confederation, under the leadership of Juan Manuel de Rosas, and an Anglo-French fleet.- Background :...
(1845) - War of the Triple AllianceWar of the Triple AllianceThe Paraguayan War , also known as War of the Triple Alliance , was a military conflict in South America fought from 1864 to 1870 between Paraguay and the Triple Alliance of Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay...
. (1845)
Argentine Republic
- Snipe incidentSnipe incidentThe Snipe incident was a military incident that took place between Chile and Argentina during 1958 as a result of an disputed border line in the Beagle Channel....
- Dirty WarDirty WarThe Dirty War was a period of state-sponsored violence in Argentina from 1976 until 1983. Victims of the violence included several thousand left-wing activists, including trade unionists, students, journalists, Marxists, Peronist guerrillas and alleged sympathizers, either proved or suspected...
(1976 to 1983) - Operation SoberaniaOperation SoberaníaOperación Soberanía was the codename of a planned Argentine military invasion of Chile to be carried out on 22 December 1978 due to the Beagle conflict dispute. The invasion was halted at the last minute and did not take place....
- Falklands WarFalklands WarThe Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
(1982): Falklands1982 invasion of the Falkland IslandsOn 2 April 1982, Argentine forces mounted amphibious landings of the Falkland Islands . The invasion involved an initial defence force organised by the Falkland Islands' Governor Sir Rex Hunt giving command to Major Mike Norman of the Royal Marines, the landing of Lieutenant-Commander Guillermo...
and South GeorgiaInvasion of South GeorgiaThe Invasion of South Georgia , also known as the Battle of Grytviken, took place on 3 April 1982, when Argentine naval forces seized control of the east coast of South Georgia after overpowering a small group of Royal Marines at Grytviken...
invasions and Battle of Mount TumbledownBattle of Mount TumbledownThe Battle of Mount Tumbledown was an engagement in the Falklands War, one of a series of battles that took place during the British advance towards Stanley.-Overview:...
, . - Gulf WarGulf WarThe Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
. (1990) - UN Peacekeeper, observers/peace missions in CyprusCyprusCyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, Western SaharaWestern SaharaWestern Sahara is a disputed territory in North Africa, bordered by Morocco to the north, Algeria to the northeast, Mauritania to the east and south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Its surface area amounts to . It is one of the most sparsely populated territories in the world, mainly...
, the BalkansBalkansThe Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
and HaitiHaitiHaiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
.
Present
IMARA routinely train in joint exercises with similar units of BrazilBrazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Current deployments
IMARA has two Infantry Companies deployed in HaitiHaiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
and Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
under the auspices of MINUSTAH and UNFICYP respectively in joint operations with the Argentine Army
Argentine Army
The Argentine Army is the land armed force branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic and the senior military service of the country.- History :...
and Argentine Air Force
Argentine Air Force
The Argentine Air Force is the national aviation branch of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic. , it had 14,606 military and 6,854 civilian staff.-History:...
. A small platoon was also deployed in Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
/UN ProvinceKosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
(NATO KFOR mandate), attached to Argentine Engineers Company, which was in turn attached to the Italian Brigade
Italian Army
The Italian Army is the ground defence force of the Italian Armed Forces. It is all-volunteer force of active-duty personnel, numbering 108,355 in 2010. Its best-known combat vehicles are the Dardo infantry fighting vehicle, the Centauro tank destroyer and the Ariete tank, and among its aircraft...
.
Several Marine Officers and NCO's are routinely deployed as military observers for the UN.
Fleet Marine Force (FAIF)
The FMF was formerly called the Brigada de IM No. 1 ( 1st Marine Brigade )- 2nd Marine Corps Battalion
- 1st Amphibious Vehicles Battalion
- Amphibious Engineers Battalion
- Command and Logistical Support Battalion
- 1st Communications Battalion
- 1st Field Artillery Battalion
- Anti-aircraft artillery Battalion
- Amphibious Commandos GroupAmphibious Commandos GroupThe Amphibious Commandos Group is a special operations force of the Argentine Marine Corps, trained to perform quick and objective amphibious reconnaissance, assault raids, and direct action operations. It was created in 1952 by the Vigilance and Security Company of Submarine Bases...
(APCA)
Southern Marine Force (FAIA)
The SMF was formerly called the Fuerza de IM No. 1.- 4th Marine Corps Battalion
- 5th Marine Corps BattalionBatallón de Infantería de Marina 5The 5th Marine Infantry Battalion is a battalion of the Argentine Marine Corps.- Current :...
- Naval Detachment Río Grande
Marine Security Forces
- Navy General Staff Security Battalion
- Puerto Belgrano Naval BasePuerto BelgranoBase Naval Puerto Belgrano is the largest naval base of the Argentine Navy, situated next to Punta Alta, near Bahía Blanca, about south of Buenos Aires...
Security Battalion - 15 Security Companies at Marine and Naval Air Bases.
Weapons and vehicles
- LVTP-7Amphibious Assault VehicleThe Assault Amphibious Vehicle —official designation AAV-7A1 is a fully tracked amphibious landing vehicle manufactured by U.S. Combat Systems .The AAV-7A1 is the current amphibious troop transport of the United States Marine Corps...
Amphibious APC (local name VAO Vehiculo Anfibio a Orugas) (21 units) - LARC-VLARC-VLARC-V , is an aluminium-hulled amphibious cargo vehicle capable of transporting 5 tons. It was developed in the United States during the 1950s, and is used in a variety of auxiliary roles to this day....
Amphibious Truck (local name VAR Vehiculo Anfibio a Ruedas) - ERC-90F1ERC 90 SagaieThe Panhard ERC 90 is a French six-wheeled armoured all terrain vehicle which is highly mobile and amphibious with an option of being NBC-proof. While various models were tested, only two versions of the ERC were developed and produced: the Lynx and the Sagaie...
6x6 "Lynx" Recon. Vehicle (14 units) - Panhard VCR/TTPanhard VCRThe Panhard VCR is a light armored personnel carrier designed by Panhard for the export market and later used by several countries...
4x4 APCArmoured personnel carrierAn armoured personnel carrier is an armoured fighting vehicle designed to transport infantry to the battlefield.APCs are usually armed with only a machine gun although variants carry recoilless rifles, anti-tank guided missiles , or mortars... - VCR/AA 4x4 AAAAnti-aircraft warfareNATO defines air defence as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures. It may be to protect naval, ground and air forces...
- VCR/AT wheeled armoured recovery vehicleArmoured recovery vehicleAn armoured recovery vehicle is a type of armoured fighting vehicle used to repair battle- or mine-damaged as well as broken-down armoured vehicles during combat, or to tow them out of the danger zone for more extensive repairs...
- Agrale MarruáAgrale MarruáThe Marruá is a family of four-by-four wheeled transport and utility vehicles, built by Agrale in Caxias do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil...
- American Motors M35A3M35 2-1/2 ton cargo truckThe M35 family of trucks is a long-lived vehicle initially deployed by the United States Army, and subsequently utilized by many nations around the world. A truck in the 2½ ton weight class, it was one of many vehicles in U.S...
2-1/2 ton cargo truck - Mercedes-BenzMercedes-BenzMercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
MB1720 truck - M-997/1025 HMMWV
- Bofors 40 mm L 70 radar guided AAA
- RBS-70 man-portable SAMSurface-to-air missileA surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...
- AT4AT4The AT4 is an 84-mm unguided, portable, single-shot recoilless smoothbore weapon built in Sweden by Saab Bofors Dynamics...
anti-tank weapon - M-101M101 howitzerThe 105 mm M2A1 howitzer was the standard light field howitzer for the United States in World War II, seeing action in both European and Pacific theaters. Entering production in 1941, it quickly entered the war against the Imperial Japanese Army in the Pacific, where it gained a reputation...
105 mm Howitzer - M-56OTO Melara Mod 56The OTO-Melara Mod 56 is an Italian-made 105 mm pack howitzer built and developed by OTO-Melara. It fires the standard US type M1 ammunition.-History:...
105 mm Pack Howitzer - M-114A1M114 155 mm howitzerThe M114 155 mm howitzer was a towed howitzer used by the United States Army. It was first produced in 1942 as a medium artillery piece under the designation of 155 mm Howitzer M1. It saw service with the US Army during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, before being...
155 mm Howitzer - SOLTAM 81 mm Mortar
- Mk 19 grenade launcherMk 19 grenade launcherThe Mk 19 Grenade Launcher is a 40 mm belt-fed automatic grenade launcher or grenade machine gun that entered U.S. military service during the Cold War, first seeing action during the Vietnam War and remaining in service today.-Overview:...
- Browning 12,7 mm HMGHeavy machine gunThe heavy machine gun or HMG is a larger class of machine gun generally recognized to refer to two separate stages of machine gun development. The term was originally used to refer to the early generation of machine guns which came into widespread use in World War I...
- FN MAG GPMG
- M-249 LMGLight machine gunA light machine gun is a machine gun designed to be employed by an individual soldier, with or without an assistant, as an infantry support weapon. Light machine guns are often used as squad automatic weapons.-Characteristics:...
- M16A2M16 rifleThe M16 is the United States military designation for the AR-15 rifle adapted for both semi-automatic and full-automatic fire. Colt purchased the rights to the AR-15 from ArmaLite, and currently uses that designation only for semi-automatic versions of the rifle. The M16 fires the 5.56×45mm NATO...
ARAssault rifleAn assault rifle is a selective fire rifle that uses an intermediate cartridge and a detachable magazine. Assault rifles are the standard infantry weapons in most modern armies... - M4A1 ARAssault rifleAn assault rifle is a selective fire rifle that uses an intermediate cartridge and a detachable magazine. Assault rifles are the standard infantry weapons in most modern armies...
- Steyr AUGSteyr AUGThe AUG is an Austrian bullpup 5.56mm assault rifle, designed in the early 1970s by Steyr Mannlicher GmbH & Co KG . The AUG was adopted by the Austrian Army as the StG 77 in 1977, where it replaced the 7.62mm StG 58 automatic rifle...
ARAssault rifleAn assault rifle is a selective fire rifle that uses an intermediate cartridge and a detachable magazine. Assault rifles are the standard infantry weapons in most modern armies...
3rd Naval Helicopter Sqn. (Bell UH-1H, now in reserve status) was usually attached to the Fleet Marine Force.
See also
- Argentine ground forces in the Falklands WarArgentine ground forces in the Falklands WarThis is a list of the ground forces from Argentina that took part in the Falklands War . For a list of ground forces from the United Kingdom, see British ground forces in the Falklands War.- Operation Rosario :...
- Argentine NavyArgentine NavyThe Navy of the Argentine Republic or Armada of the Argentine Republic is the navy of Argentina. It is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic, together with the Army and the Air Force....
- Marines
- Military history of ArgentinaMilitary history of ArgentinaThe military history of Argentina spans a period of over two centuries. During the course of those years, it broke colonial ties with Spain, waged a civil war to define its organization and wars with Brazil, Paraguay, Britain and France...