[MilCom] Venezuelan Navy Exercise- Wrap Up

[Rapbep at aol.com]

All,

The Venezuelan Navy conducted a large-scale exercise "Operation Liberating 
Armada",  from 5-12 Dec 2004. 

According to their web site " the Venezuelan Navy (Armada) is mounting battle 
simulation exercises supposedly for the first time in its history. Although 
the Navy and other branches of the Venezuelan Armed Force (FAN) annually take 
part in joint exercises with the Armed Forces of other countries such as the 
USA, it has never organized one of its own. 

The exercise will be commanded from Puerto Cabello between December 5-12 and 
will go by the code name "Operation Liberating Armada." 

Central Naval Zone chief, Rear Admiral (LH) Francisco Ugarte Acosta says the 
Air Force (FAV) will take part in joint attack and interception exercises and 
together with the Army there will be firing practices off Orchila island. The 
island of La Orchila is located approximately 50 km. east of the Los Roques 
archipelago and 160 km. northwest of Caracas. Its geographical coordinates are 
approximately: 11° 47' to 11° 55' North latitude, and 66° 05' to 66° 12' West 
longitude.  

Two navy frigates are taking part along with a transport ship, 4 patrol boats 
ands 4 helicopters. Naval War School director, Rear Admiral Gerardo Casanas 
Arroyo reports that each one of the navy commands will plan the exercises as a 
part of a new policy of unifying military actions." 

       Using my Icom R-75 (with PC-ALE) and Sangean ATS 909 with 
attic-mounted wire antennas I was able to capture extensive HF ALE, voice and data 
communications used during this exercise. Unfortunately my Spanish-language 
capability is rather weak so I was only able to capture some callsigns, numbers, and 
common radio procedures. I was not able to decode the encrypted voice or data 
signals.

       Below is a compilation of information I was able to derive from the HF 
ALE portion of the exercise along with some research on the web.

Venezualan Navy

Freqs:

04632.0 USB 
06357.0 LSB
06888.0 LSB
06890.0 USB
06895.0 USB
07849.0 USB (shared w/Army & Nat'l Guard)
08270.0 LSB
08280.0 LSB
08285.0 LSB
08291.0 LSB
08297.0 LSB
08340.0 LSB
08358.0 LSB
08525.0 LSB
08582.0 LSB
08810.0 LSB
08825.0 USB & LSB
08500.0 USB
09017.0 LSB
09070.0 LSB
09075.0 LSB
09190.0 USB
09350.0 LSB
09355.0 LSB
09380.0 LSB
09390.0 LSB
09400.0 LSB
10272.0 USB (shared w/Army & Nat'l Guard)
10600.0 USB (shared w/Army & Nat'l Guard)
10650.0 LSB
12220.0 LSB
12479.0 LSB
12480.0 LSB
12528.5 LSB
12546.0 LSB
12600.0 LSB
12660.0 LSB
13139.0 LSB
13500.0 USB
14759.0 LSB
14790.0 LSB
14911.0 LSB
16458.0 LSB
16680.0 LSB
17080.0 LSB
17380.0 LSB
19098.0 LSB
19200.0 USB
20400.0 LSB
22245.0 LSB

ALE Identifiers as seen in traffic:

Naval Organizations:

Armario- Naval base (named after Agustin Armario de Puerta Cabella),Puerto 
Cabella
BDIRCO- Batallon de Ingenieros de Combata (Combat Engineer Battalion)
BNA = Naval Base "Amario"
BNARCO- Commando, Basa Navale "Amario"
BNF = Naval Base  "Mariscal Juan Crisóstomo Falcon", Punto Fijo
BNFACO- Naval Base  "Mariscal Juan Crisóstomo Falcon",Punto Fijo 
BNG = Naval Base "Guira"
CANCO-  Commander, Naval Aviation Commnand (Commando Aviacion Navale)
CEDOP- Fleet Command, Director of Operations--Comando de Escuadra, Direccion 
de Operaciones 
CFLCO- Commander, HQS Riverine Force-- Commando, Cuartel Fluvial
CGARM- Navy HQs (Cuartel General de Armada)
CGA = Navy HQs, (Cuartel General Armada)
CGACO- Commander, Venezuelan Navy- Comando, Cuartel General Armada
CNZACE- Central Naval Zone, Squadron Commander
COFFRI1- Commando Fluvial Fronterizo " General de Brigada Franz Rizquez 
Iribarren"
CUMANA- Naval Base, Cumana 
DCCOP--  Naval Operations Directorate--Direccion de Coordination Y Control 
Operacional,
DHN-- Hydrographic & Navigation Directorate--Direccion de Hidrgrafia y 
Navigacion 
DIVIMBO- Division de Infanteria de Marina (Naval Marine Infantry) 
DIVIMCO1-  unidentified
EPG- Coast Guard Station (Estacion Principale de Guardacostas)
EPGLG- Coast Guard Station, La Guaira (Estacion Principale de Guardacostas)
Falcon- Naval Base “Mariscal Juan Crisóstomo Falcón”
PR1- Radio Station 1 (Puesto Radio)
PR2  Radio Station 2 (Puesto Radio)
PR4  Radio Station 4 (Puesto Radio)
PR5  Radio Station 5 (Puesto Radio)

Naval Vessels:

ALB-Venezuelan Coast Guard Point Class cutter "Albatroz" 
ALBATROZ-Venezuelan Coast Guard Point Class cutter "Albatroz"
BE-11- Training Ship "Simon Bolivar", BE-11
BOLIVAR- Training Ship "Simon Bolivar", BE-11
BOLIVAR- Replenishment Oiler " Ciudad Bolivar" T-81
BRION-- Frigate, "Almirante Brion", F-22
CAPANA- Capana-class Medium Landing Ship " Capana", T-61
CLEMENTE-Venezuelan Coast Guard Frigate, "Almirante Clemente", GC-11 
CONSTITUCION-Constitucion-class Missile/Fast Attack Craft, "Constitucion", 
PC-11
FEDERACION-Constitucion-class Missile/Fast Attack Craft, "Federacion", PC-12
F-21-Frigate "Mariscal Sucre" F-21
F-22-Frigate "Almirante Brion" F-22
F-24-Frigate "General Soublette", F-24 
F-26 Frigate "Almirante Garcia" F-26
GC11--Venezuelan Coast Guard Frigate, "Almirante Clemente", GC-11
GC12- Venezuelan Coast Guard Frigate " General Jose Trinidad Moran" GC-12
Goijaira-LSM "Goijaira", T-63 
INDEPENDENCIA-Constitucion-class Missile/Fast Attack Craft, "Independencia", 
PC-13
LIB- Constitucion-class Missile/Fast Attack Craft "Libertad", PC-14
LIBERTAD- Constitucion-class Missile/Fast Attack Craft "Libertad", PC-14
LLANOS--Amphibious Support Ship, "Los Llanos", T-64
NEGRON- Protector-class Patrol Boat, "Rio Negro", B-8424
PC12- Constitucion-class Missile/Fast Attack Craft, "Federacion", PC-12
PC13- Constitucion-class Missile/Fast Attack craft, "Independencia" PC-13
PC16- Constitucion-class Missile/Fast Attack craft, "Victoria", PC-16
PUNTABRAVA--Oceanographic Support Ship "Punta Brava", BO-11
RIONEGRO1 (Venezuelan National Guard Protector-class patrol craft) 
SOUBLETTE (Frigate "General Soublette", F-24
SUCRE--Frigate "Mariscal Sucre", F-21
T-61, LST "Capana" T-61
T-63- LSM "Goijaira" T63
T-64- LSM "Los LLanos" T64
T-72- LCU " La Orchila" T-72
T-81- Replenishment Oiler " Ciudad Bolivar" T-81
VICTOR-Constitucion-class Missile/Fast Attack craft, "Victoria", PC-16 


ALE "Order of Battle":

1. Naval Base at Puerto Cabella ("Amario")

a. Frigate Squadron:

F-21-Frigate "Mariscal Sucre" F-21
F-22-Frigate "Almirante Brion" F-22
F-24-Frigate "General Soublette", F-24 
F-26 Frigate "Almirante Garcia" F-26
BRION-- Frigate, "Almirante Brion", F-22
SOUBLETTE (Frigate "General Soublette", F-24
SUCRE--Frigate "Mariscal Sucre", F-21

b. Amphibious Support & Auxiliaries Squadron:

T-61, LST "Capana" T-61
T-63- LSM "Goijaira" T63
T-64- LSM "Los LLanos" T64
T-72- LCU " La Orchila" T-72
T-81- Replenishment Oiler " Ciudad Bolivar" T-81
PUNTABRAVA--Oceanographic Support Ship "Punta Brava", BO-11
LLANOS--Amphibious Support Ship, "Los Llanos", T-64
CAPANA- Capana-class Medium Landing Ship " Capana", T-61
BE-11- Training Ship "Simon Bolivar", BE-11
BOLIVAR- Training Ship "Simon Bolivar", BE-11
BOLIVAR- Replenishment Oiler " Ciudad Bolivar" T-81


2. Naval Base at Punto Fijo (“Mariscal Juan Crisóstomo Falcón”)

Patrol Squadron:

CONSTITUCION-Constitucion-class Missile/Fast Attack Craft, "Constitucion", 
PC-11
VICTORIA-Constitucion-class Missile/Fast Attack craft, "Victoria", PC-16
INDEPENDENCIA-Constitucion-class Missile/Fast Attack Craft, "Independencia", 
PC-13 
LIBERTAD- Constitucion-class Missile/Fast Attack Craft "Libertad", PC-14
FEDERACION-Constitucion-class Missile/Fast Attack Craft, "Federacion", PC-12
PC11-Constitucion-class Missile/Fast Attack Craft, "Constitucion", PC-11
PC12- Constitucion-class Missile/Fast Attack Craft, "Federacion", PC-12 
PC13- Constitucion-class Missile/Fast Attack craft, "Independencia" PC-13
PC16- Constitucion-class Missile/Fast Attack craft, "Victoria", PC-16

3. Coast Guard at La Guaira

GC11--Venezuelan Coast Guard Frigate, "Almirante Clemente", GC-11
GC12- Venezuelan Coast Guard Frigate " General Jose Trinidad Moran" GC-12
CLEMENTE-Venezuelan Coast Guard Frigate, "Almirante Clemente", GC-11
MORAN-Venezuelan Coast Guard Frigate " General Jose Trinidad Moran" GC-12

RON(Rapbep at aol.com)
Utility Station Monitoring
Maryland, USA