Paraguayan Army
Paraguayan Army Seal
FoundedOfficially since 1811
Country Paraguay
TypeArmy
Size20,000 active personnel[1]
160,000 reserves
Part ofArmed Forces of Paraguay
Motto(s)Spanish: Vencer o Morir
To win or to die
MarchMarcha al Mariscal Lopez
Anniversaries24 of July (Mariscal Lopez Birthday)
EngagementsWar of the Triple Alliance
Chaco War
Paraguayan People's Army insurgency
Commanders
Chief of the Paraguayan ArmyGeneral Darío Martin Cáceres Snead
Notable
commanders		José Félix Estigarribia
Francisco Solano López

The Paraguayan Army (Spanish: Ejército Paraguayo) is the ground force branch of the Armed Forces of Paraguay. It is organized into three corps and nine divisions, and several commands and direction. It has gone to war on many occasions, notably in the War of the Triple Alliance (1864–1870) against Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay; the Chaco War against Bolivia; and the ongoing 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

Uniforms of cavalry and infantry of the Paraguayan army at the time of the 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 Fulgencio Yegros and Pedro Juan Caballero, formed the majority of the cabinet until 1814, when they were replaced by Dr. José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia, who installed himself as supreme dictator for life after a series of political clashes with Yegros. Francia removed all army personnel from the government and reformed the army, which was by now inept and corrupt. He limited the power of the army by declaring that no rank above 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 Asunción, and the rest of the army was stationed in outposts around the country to defend from attacks by Indians. The cavalry would go dismounted during peacetime, and were distinguished by the yellow aiguillette sewn onto their left shoulder. Although no formal wars were fought, conflicts with the 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 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, on the run with his 200 remaining men.

Presence in UN Missions

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 (infantry and military police), an armored squadron and a battery of field artillery (plus the Mounted Ceremonial Squadron "Aca Caraya"). The regimental equipment includes three Argentine modified M4 Sherman tanks, four EE-9 armored cars, four EE-11 armored personnel carriers (APCs), three M-9 halftracks mounting 20mm guns and four M-101 105 mm howitzers. Arguably, this "flagship" unit is structurally and physically the strongest of the whole of the Army. The REP is an independent unit from other commands. The EP features two field artillery groups (GAC 1–12 88 mm QF-25 and GAC 2–12 105mm M-101) and one 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
  • 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 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, Francisco Solano López (during his own lifetime) and José Félix Estigarribia (after his death) were distinguished with the rank of 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. 1 2 IISS (2012), p. 398
  2. 1 2 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. 1 2 3 4 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. ↑ Gander, Terry J.; Cutshaw, Charles Q., eds. (2001). Jane's Infantry Weapons 2001/2002 (27th ed.). Coulsdon: Jane's Information Group. ISBN 9780710623171.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Jones, Richard D. Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010. Jane's Information Group; 35 edition (January 27, 2009). 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. ↑ Gander, Terry J.; Hogg, Ian V. Jane's Infantry Weapons 1995/1996. Jane's Information Group; 21 edition (May 1995). 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. 1 2 Cooke, Melinda W. (1990). "Chapter 5: National Security". In Hanratty, Dennis M.; Meditz, Sandra W. (eds.). Paraguay: A Country Study. Area Handbook Series (2nd ed.). Library of Congress. pp. 216–217. LCCN 89600299. Retrieved 5 October 2021.

Works cited

  • Ball, Robert W. D. (2011). Mauser Military Rifles of the World. Iola: Gun Digest Books. ISBN 9781440228926.
  • International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) (2012). "The Military Balance 2012". The Military Balance: Annual Estimates of the Nature and Size of the Military Forces of the Principal Powers. London: IISS. ISSN 0459-7222.
  • International Institute for Strategic Studies (February 2016). The Military Balance 2016. Vol. 116. Routlegde. ISBN 978-1-85743-835-2.
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