Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Frente Sandinista de Liberacion Nacional (FSLN)- Sandinista Front for National Liberation.
The FSLN came into power in 1979 after fighting a bloody civil war against the U.S. backed Somoza government forces.
After the FSLN came into power, the U.S. trained the Contra guerrillas to fight against the communist FSLN.
The FSLN lost power in 1990 after a national referendum and democratic elections.
FSLN leader Daniel Ortega was elected as president in 2006.
Armed Forces of Nicaragua
Fuerzas Armadas de Nicaragua
14,000 personnel?
The Armed Forces of Nicaragua have been significantly downsized since 1990.
Russia donated 6 field hospitals to Nicaragua in 2012.
Air Force
Fuerza Aerea de Nicaragua
An-26 transport aircraft
Aermacchi SF.260 trainer/light attack aircraft
An-2 utility aircraft
Piper Cherokee utility aircraft
Cessna 337 utility aircraft
Cessna 421 utility aircraft
Cessna 172 utility aircraft
Cessna T-41 Mescalero trainer aircraft
Mi-24 attack helicopters ?
CH-47 Chinook transport helicopters
Mi-17 transport helicopters
Mi-8 transport helicopters
Mi-2 utility helicopters
Super Mystere fighter aircraft retired from service in 1996.
Much of the listed equipment is not serviceable. All are in small numbers (under 10)
Conflicting data on types of aircraft and amount of aircraft..
Nicaraguan Army Naval Force
Fuerza Naval- Ejercito Nicaragua (FN-EN)
Around 800 personnel?
The Sandinista navy's mission was to deter Contra rebel and CIA maritime operations.
The Sandinistas purchased a number of Mine Sweepers and patrol boats after the CIA led Contra rebel attack and destruction of diesel storage facilities at Corinto in 1983 and the mining of Nicaraguan harbors in 1984.
Mine Warfare vessels (10)
Coastal Artillery
Anti-aircraft weapons
ZU-23 anti-aircraft guns
Navy blue berets
Blue camouflage uniforms
DP-61 anti-saboteur grenade launchers
Combat Divers
2 Molniya M Class (Project 12411) missile boats on order from Russia?
With either 3M80 Moskit (SS-N-22 Sunburn) or 3M24 Uran (SS-N-25 Switchblade) anti-ship missiles, Igla-1M surface-to-air missiles, AK-176 gun and two AK-630 guns.
Army
T-72B tanks (20)?
PT-76 light tanks (22)
M4 Sherman medium tanks (decommissioned)
BTR-152 armored personnel carriers (120)
BTR-50 armored personnel carriers
BTR-50 armored personnel carriers
M2 Half Track (decommissioned)
BRDM-1 armored reconnaissance vehicles (80)
Jeeps
Land Rover Defenders
Tank destroyers
BRDM-2 with AT-3 anti-tank missiles (12)
M-160 160mm mortars
Soltam M-65 120mm mortars
M-43 120mm mortars
81mm mortars
60mm mortars
BGM-71 TOW anti-tank guided missiles
AT-3 anti-tank guided missiles
B-11 107mm recoilless guns
M40 106mm recoilless guns
M67 90mm recoilless guns
B-10 82mm recoilless guns
M20 75mm recoilless guns
M18 57mm recoilless guns
RPG-7 anti-tank rocket launchers
M-72 LAW anti-tank rocket launchers
AGS-17 automatic grenade launchers
M-79 grenade launchers
DShK heavy machine guns
M2 Browning .50 cal machine guns
PKM machine guns
M-60 machine guns
FN MAG machine guns
RPD machine guns
RPK light machine guns
M40A1 sniper rifles
Dragunov SVD sniper rifles
AKM assault rifles
AKMS assault rifles
AK-47 assault rifles
AK-74 assault rifles
Galil assault rifles
FN FAL assault rifles
M-16 assault rifles
G-3 assault rifles
Czech Vz 52
Czech Vz 57
SKS carbines
Remington 700 shotguns
Ithaca Model 37 shotguns
HK MP5 sub-machine guns
Uzi sub-machine guns
Mini Uzi sub-machine guns
PPsh-41 sub-machine guns
Glock 17 pistols
Jericho 941 pistols
Smith and Wesson Mod 10 .38 caliber
Grad-1P single fired tube 122mm rockets (100)
ZiS-2 towed 57mm anti-tank gun (354)?
ZiS-3 towed 76mm gun (85)
BS-3 towed 100mm field gun (24)
D-20 towed 152mm howitzer (60)
D-30 towed 122mm howitzer (67)
M1938 towed 122mm howitzer (24)
Air Defense
SA-8 Gecko surface-to-air missiles
SA-9 Gaskin surface-to-air missiles
SA-16 Gimlet shoulder fired surface-to-air missiles
SA-14 Gremlin shoulder fired surface-to-air missiles
FIM-92 Stinger shoulder fired surface-to-air missiles
FIM-43 Redeye shoulder fired surface-to-air missiles
ZSU-57-2 self propelled 57mm anti-aircraft guns
ZSU-23-4 self propelled 23mm anti-aircraft guns
KS-19 towed 100mm anti-aircraft guns
S-60 towed 57mm anti-aircraft guns
ZU-23-2 towed 23mm anti-aircraft guns
Hispano Suiza HS 404 towed 2x20mm anti-aircraft guns
M45 (Four .50 caliber machine guns)
ZPU-4 anti-aircraft guns
ZPU-2 anti-aircraft guns
ZPU-1 anti-aircraft guns
Special Forces
Red berets?
Black berets?
COE? Comandos de Operaciones Especiales?
COE? Comandos de Operaciones Especiales?
Policia Nacional
Brigadas Especiales Policia National
DOEP
Direccion de Operaciones Especiales Policiales
Police Special Forces
Tacticas de Armas Policiales de Intervencion y Rescute (TAPIR)
Intelligence