112-743: The Lockheed Martin A-4AR Fightinghawk is a major upgrade of the McDonnell Douglas A-4M Skyhawk attack aircraft developed for the Argentine Air Force which entered service in 1998. The program was named Fightinghawk in recognition of the F-16 Fighting Falcon , which was the source of its new avionics. The Falklands War in 1982 took a heavy toll on the Argentine Air Force , which lost over 60 aircraft . The supply of modern combat aircraft had been restricted since
224-524: A fully laden aircraft capable of flying from Singapore to Paris , against strong headwinds during mid-winter ; the MD-11 did not have sufficient range for this at the time. Due to the less-than-expected performance figures, Singapore Airlines canceled its order for 20 MD-11s on August 2, 1991, and ordered 20 Airbus A340-300s instead. In 1992, McDonnell Douglas unveiled a study of a double deck jumbo-sized aircraft designated MD-12 . Despite briefly leaving
336-478: A letter of intent with Denmark to acquire 24 used F-16 fighter aircraft as likely replacements for its Fightinghawks. As of July 2024 five of the type have been lost since initiation of service: Data from FAA Official site and A-4 Skyhawk General characteristics Performance Armament Related development Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Related lists McDonnell Douglas McDonnell Douglas Corporation
448-532: A major military fighter supply role. Douglas created a series of experimental high-speed jet aircraft in the Skyrocket family, with the Skyrocket DB-II being the first aircraft to travel at twice the speed of sound in 1953. Both companies were eager to enter the new missile business, Douglas moving from producing air-to-air rockets and missiles to entire missile systems under the 1956 Nike program and becoming
560-661: A military variant of the Douglas DC-3 , from 1942 to 1945. The workforce swelled to 160,000. Both companies suffered at the end of the war, facing an end of government orders and a surplus of aircraft. Douglas continued to develop new aircraft, including the DC-6 in 1946 and the DC-7 in 1953. The company moved into jet propulsion, producing the F3D Skyknight in 1948 and then the more "jet age" F4D Skyray in 1951. In 1955, Douglas introduced
672-557: A more bigger guards brigade targeted for the immediate security of the Liberator, and the early 20th century 1st Cavalry Regiment "Ambrosio Plaza" that until the 1950s, albeit reduced to squadron size, provided the ceremonial security of the President and was modeled on the Prussian practices of the late 19th century. The Presidential Honor Guard Brigade is composed today by the personnel from both
784-649: A new A-4AR simulator were also delivered. The Fightinghawks, having received Air Force serials C-901 to C-936, saw their first group arrive in Argentina on 18 December 1997 and the first "Argentine" A-4AR was rolled out on 3 August 1998 at Cordoba. The last one, number 936, was delivered to the Air Force in March 2000. Two aircraft (a one-seat and a two-seat) remained some time in the United States for weapons homologation . All of
896-581: A newly created national guards brigade. It is an autonomous and auxiliary force for the Armed Forces' service branches, with its own chain of command and service arms, reporting directly to the President, the Minister of Defense and the Operational Strategic Command. It can be estimated at the present time about 400,000 men and women are on various training levels, but the target of its authorities
1008-644: A partnership with St. Louis pharmacy chain Medicare-Glaser Corp. to form Express Scripts to provide drugs for the Sanus HMO. McDonnell Douglas acquired Microdata Corporation in 1983. The division was spun out as a separate company, McDonnell Douglas Information Systems in 1993. The corporation also produced the Sovereign (later M7000) series of systems in the UK, which used the Sovereign operating system developed in
1120-532: A pitch for such a jet with Boeing wings, but nothing came of any of the proposals. In 1999, Boeing completed the spin off of the civilian line of helicopters to form MD Helicopters , which was formerly part of McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems. Starting August 17, 2006, Boeing closed down the Long Beach factory as orders for the C-17 ceased. Some of the company's lasting legacies are non-aviation related. They are
1232-679: A standing Army, weapons, and creating new services including the Corps of Sappers. This phase of the Venezuelan Army, is marked by infighting and a domain of local militias with no training (the Federal War was one example). The little outside help in military matters at this stage is limited to the British and the later Chilean military missions, which began the long modernization of the army and navy. The military figures (there were other political figures) of
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#17328511340451344-552: A sustained growth of the military budget, which was made possible by oil revenues. The reform had a strong German influence. This is due mainly to the fact the Prussian/German army was the most modern of the era and in this sense become a model internationally. The most important political consequence of this reform, from 1913, was a sense of the rising political power of the Venezuelan military while retaining its traditional role as
1456-430: Is composed of armored units, infantry, engineers, special forces and artillery, with resources that allow it to develop various types of airlift operations. It is the largest military branch of Venezuela's armed forces. Its current commanding general is Major General Juan de Jesús García Toussaintt. The Venezuelan Navy ( Fuerzas Navales or Armada Bolivariana ) and Marines ( Infanteria de Marina ) primary mission
1568-723: Is currently in the planning stages. Navy Day is celebrated on the date of Simon Bolivar's birthday, 24 July, the day of the final battle of the Venezuelan War of Independence, the Battle of Lake Maracaibo , in 1823. The Commanding General of the Navy (as of 2015) is Admiral Franklin Montplaisier. Founded in 1946 through the merger of the army and navy aviation wings, the Venezuelan Air Force ( Fuerzas Aérea or Aviación Militar )
1680-606: Is made up today of roughly 63,000 troops (including conscripts). Its main function is planning, implementing and monitoring terrestrial military operations in coordination with the other components of the national armed forces, in pursuit of the Integrated National Defense mission. Currently, it is organized in six operating divisions plus the other components: the Army Aviation Command, 6th Corps of Engineers, Army Logistics Command, and Army Education Command. It
1792-809: Is organized the same as the other military components, with the following commands: Air Operations Command (integrated in thirteen Air Groups, consisting of squadrons of transport aircraft, helicopters, fighter and attack aircraft and training aircraft), the Air Defense Forces Command, the Airborne Command, the Air Logistics Command, the Air Personnel Command, including the Air Force Police and the Air Force Corps of Engineers, and
1904-969: Is the Coastal Surveillance Command, the Air Support Command, the Corps of Engineers, the Logistics Support Command, the National Guard Command School and the National Guard Academy and the various other institutions under its Education Command. It is planned to structure the National Guard in divisions, under the command of the Territorial Commands. In 2007, the National Guard was renamed as the Bolivarian National Guard of Venezuela, and
2016-493: Is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces under constitutional provisions, thus he has overall supervision and control over it. He also appoints the Minister of Defense, the commandant of the Operational Strategic Command and the commanding generals of the service branches and has full authority over all uniformed personnel. In doing this, he is assisted by the Commander-in-Chief's General Staff. The Venezuelan Ministry of
2128-764: Is the joint service military unit mandated to ensure the immediate security of the President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and his First Family and for the performance of public duties in the most important places in the country. The most distant antecedents of the Presidential Honor Guard go back to the Hussars Troop of Bolivar, of the Venezuelan War of Independence and of the larger Spanish American wars of independence , raised in June 1815 and part of
2240-513: Is to implement, manage and control naval operations, naval aircraft, and the Coast Guard in support of Navy activities to ensure the execution of plans of employment. The staff is estimated at 30,000 personnel including 12,000 Marines and 600 personnel from the Naval Aviation. There are five major commands: Naval Logistics Command, Naval Personnel Command, Naval Education and Training Command and
2352-491: Is to reach 1,100,000 part-time national servicemen and women, including a newly raised youth cadet arm for university students and a women's militia component. As of 2021, the National Militia is a 3 million strong force of male and female reservists and part-time national service personnel. And as part of its expansion the National Militia has been active in training exercises with the other service branches in preparation for
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#17328511340452464-543: The Advanced Tactical Fighter and Joint Strike Fighter , severely hurt McDonnell Douglas. McDonnell Douglas built only a small wind tunnel test model. At its peak in mid-1990, McDonnell Douglas employed 132,500 people, but dropped to about 87,400 by the end of 1992. In 1991, the MD-11 was not quite a success; ongoing tests of the MD-11 revealed a significant shortfall in the aircraft's performance. An important prospective carrier, Singapore Airlines , required
2576-604: The Airbus A300 , but it never progressed to a prototype. Such an aircraft might have given McDonnell Douglas an early lead in the huge twinjet market that developed in the 1970s, as well as commonality with many of the DC-10's systems. In 1977, the next generation of DC-9 variants, dubbed the "Super 80" (later renamed the MD-80 ) series, was launched. In 1977, the KC-10 Extender became
2688-843: The Argentina Bicentennial shows. In August 2010, the aircraft enforced a no-fly zone at San Juan for the Mercosur's Presidents Summit. In September they joined the rest of the air force aircraft at Reconquista, Santa Fe for the ICARO III integration manoeuvers. On November they deployed to Tandil airbase for the XX Ibero-American Summit held at Mar del Plata . In January 2016, Argentine Minister of Defence Julio Martinez confirmed that all Air Force Lockheed Martin A-4AR Skyhawk (Fightinghawk) fighters were grounded. Originally this
2800-757: The Boeing 707 . McDonnell was also developing jets, but being smaller it was prepared to be more radical, building on its successful FH-1 Phantom to become a major supplier to the Navy with the F2H Banshee and F3H Demon ; and producing the F-101 Voodoo for the United States Air Force (USAF). The Korean War -era Banshee and later the F-4 Phantom II produced during the Vietnam War helped push McDonnell into
2912-505: The Minister of Defense . In addition to the army , navy , and air force there is also a national guard and national militia primarily focused on internal security. The armed forces primary purpose is to defend Venezuelan territory from attack, combat drug trafficking , provide search and rescue capabilities, aid the civilian population in case of natural disasters protection, as well as numerous internal security assignments. As of 2018 ,
3024-616: The National Pantheon of Venezuela complex, also in Caracas, with guard mounting duties done daily, with all of them open to the public. The dress uniform used by the Presidential Honor Guards mirrors the uniform of Bolivar's Hussar Troop during the Venezuelan War of Independence: red short jacket polo with black trousers or pants with sabre and scabbard, long black belt, black boots and a busby hat. The Mounted Platoon wears
3136-459: The Sabretache with the dress uniform when mounted in appropriate occasions like military parades. In both cases the brigade personnel carry sabres and lances with the full dress uniform (only the color guard carries rifles). Red berets with the distinctive unit insignia are worn with the service dress green and combat dress uniforms except by personnel from the Venezuelan Air Force who are part of
3248-669: The Southern Falcon joint exercise, known as Aguila (Spanish for Eagle) in Argentina. In 2004, the A-4ARs went abroad for the joint exercise Cruzex , along with Brazilian F-5s and Mirages, Venezuelan F-16s and French Mirage 2000s. In November 2005 they were deployed to Tandil airbase to enforce a no-fly zone for the Mar del Plata Summit of the Americas and later met Chilean Mirage Elkans , Brazilian AMXs and Uruguayan A-37 at Mendoza for
3360-683: The UNASUR Presidents summit. Later that month they participated at Reconquista, Santa Fe of the Pre-Salitre an exercise of preparation for the Salitre II of next October in Chile with Chile, Brazil, France and the United States. On 1 May 2010, they participated in the Air Fest 2010 show at Morón Airport and Air Base . On 25 May 2010 three A-4AR flew over the 9 de Julio Avenue at Buenos Aires as part of
3472-665: The Viceroyalty of New Granada (today, Colombia) for the defense of the area. In 1732 the Spanish crown created a Military Directorate and established a number of battalions, and had a few units from infantry regiments based in Spain arrive in the area. Reform of the military in the colonies began a few decades later. The first squadrons of cavalry arrived from Spain in 1751. The first batteries of Artillery were officially raised just two years later. Both Creole whites and blacks were allowed to enter
Lockheed Martin A-4AR Fightinghawk - Misplaced Pages Continue
3584-633: The 1970s was a serious shock to the commercial aviation industry. McDonnell Douglas was hit by the economic shift and forced to contract while diversifying into new areas to protect against more downturns. In 1984, McDonnell Douglas expanded into helicopters by purchasing Hughes Helicopters from the Summa Corporation for $ 470 million. Hughes Helicopters was made a subsidiary initially and renamed McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems in August 1984. McDonnell Douglas Helicopters's most successful product
3696-534: The 747, but ultimately the double deck concept would not see the light of day until the Airbus A380 in the 2000s. Following Boeing's 1996 acquisition of Rockwell 's North American division, McDonnell Douglas merged with Boeing in August 1997 in a US$ 13 billion stock swap , with Boeing as the surviving company. Boeing introduced a new corporate identity based on the McDonnell Douglas logo, which showed
3808-542: The A-4ARs were delivered to the 5th Air Brigade ( V Brigada Aérea ) at Villa Reynolds, San Luis Province , where they replaced two squadrons of Falklands/Malvinas veteran A-4P (locally known as A-4B) and A-4C. They were soon deployed in rotation around the country from Rio Gallegos in the south to Resistencia in the north where they were used to intercept smugglers and drug trafficking airplanes. In September 1998, just months after their arrival and again in April 2001, United States Air Force F-16s visited Villa Reynolds for
3920-439: The Air Education and Training Command, including the Air Force Academy, Air Personnel Training School, and the Air Power College. Its main objective is to protect the airspace of Venezuela in coordination with the other components of the National Armed Forces. In 2007, the Air Force was renamed as the Bolivarian National Military Air Force of Venezuela and has gone into an expansion and modernization program. The Commanding General of
4032-406: The Carabobo Reorganizational Plan, aimed to enhance the capability of the Army and marked an increase of regular army units and materiel. The Air Force, Navy and National Guard increased their capabilities as well with modern equipment to satisfy all those who serve. Born again under a turbulent internal and external picture for the nation is the modern National Bolivarian Armed Forces, in the midst of
4144-428: The Commandant of the Operational Strategic Command, the Commanding General of the Army, the Commanding General of the Navy, the Commanding General of the Air Force, the Commanding General of the National Guard, and the Commanding General of the National Militia General Command (AFOL Art. 42). The National Armed Forces High Council is made by the Military High Command. It is the principal organ for consultation and advice of
4256-422: The French Revolution, or after completing their studies in Europe. With them came a number of mercenaries and volunteers of many different nationalities: English, Scottish, Irish, French, German, Brazilian, Poles, Russians, and others. It was only in 1810 in the aftermath of the coup d'état of 19 April that year that formally began the process of raising the national armed services. Several of the military officers of
4368-402: The Maritime Region, 4 Maritime and Insular Integral Defense Operations Zones (MAIINDOZ), created in July 2015. A brand new region, the National Capital Region Command, was created on 7 July 2016. All of these are led by officers of Lieutenant General or Vice Admiral rank. The armed forces is divided into six service branches, the Army, Navy, Air Force, National Guard, National Reserve and
4480-532: The McDonnell Douglas Corporation (MDC). Earlier, McDonnell bought 1.5 million shares of Douglas stock to help its partner meet "immediate financial requirements". The two companies seemed to be a good fit for each other. McDonnell's military contracts provided an instant solution for Douglas' cash flow problems, while the revenue from Douglas' civil contracts would be more than enough for McDonnell to withstand peacetime declines in procurement. McDonnell Douglas retained McDonnell Aircraft's headquarters location at what
4592-400: The Minister of Defense and the Commandant of the OSC, and assisted by the Assistant Commandant and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, service branch commanding generals, commanding generals of the Integral Strategic Defense Regions, and a secretary general of the HCA. The Operational Strategic Command (CEOFAN) is the highest organ of command of the National Armed Forces. It was created by
Lockheed Martin A-4AR Fightinghawk - Misplaced Pages Continue
4704-503: The Naval Operations Command, which in turn is composed of the following commands: Fleet Forces Command, Riverline Command, Naval Aviation Command, Coast Guard Command and the Marine Division. Operationally, the country is divided into two Naval zones; Western Naval Zone (HQ: Punto Fijo) and Eastern Naval Area (HQ: Carupano) that currently covers the Atlantic coast. The activation of the projected areas: Central Naval Area (HQ: Puerto Cabello), Atlantic (HQ: Güiria) and South (HQ: Caicara Orinoco)
4816-409: The OSC, NBAF, alongside the air defense units of the Army, Air Force and Navy under the banner of the OSC Air Defense Forces Command , albeit being commanded by an Air Force general officer, as of 2017 Division General Juan Manuel Diaz. The Integral Strategic Defense Regions or ISDRs (REDI, Regiones Estrategicas de Defensa Integral ) were formally activated on 13 September 2008, in compliance with
4928-446: The People's Power for Defense is the federal-level organ responsible for maintaining the Venezuelan armed forces. As of November 2014, this ministry is headed by General Vladimir Padrino Lopez , who replaced Admiral Carmen Meléndez who was appointed Venezuela's first woman minister of interior. The ministry coordinates numerous counter-narcotics operations, organizes various civil protection measures and operations, and generally oversees
5040-423: The President of the Republic, of the National Defense Council and Minister of Defense, on issues of organization, operation, development and employment of the Armed Forces, either in peacetime or in state of emergency. Per the 2014 amendments to the Armed Forces Organic Law, the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the OSC is now renamed as the National Armed Forces Senior General Staff Authority, and now has been expanded, led by
5152-416: The Spanish Navy also operated naval bases in the Captaincy General's territorial coastline, open to both whites and blacks as well. Already in the early 19th century, many of these Venezuelans who had formed the bulk of the officer corps at the start of the formation of the national armed forces began to arrive in the country after participating in military campaigns abroad in the American Revolutionary War ,
5264-434: The TV and laser spot tracker Hughes AN/ASB-19 Angle Rate Bombing System, but this was removed after the conversion into A-4ARs, as the radar could provide the same data. The contract stipulated that 8 airframes would be refurbished at the Lockheed-Martin Plant in Palmdale , California and the rest (27) in Córdoba, Argentina at LMAASA. At least ten TA-4J and A-4M airframes for use as spare parts, eight additional engines, and
5376-524: The Territorial Guard. The Army, Navy, Air Force and National Guard will serve under the Strategic Operational Command ( Comando Estratégico Operacional ), the National Reserve and the Territorial Guard will serve under the National Reserve and Mobilization Command ( Comando General de la Reserva Nacional y Movilizacion Nacional ), since 2009 now called as the National Militia General Command ( Comando General de la Milicia Nacional ). The Venezuelan Army ( Fuerzas Terrestres or Ejército ),
5488-409: The U.S. Navy's first attack jet, the A4D Skyhawk . Designed to operate from the decks of the World War II Essex -class aircraft carriers , the Skyhawk was small, reliable, and tough. Variants of it continued in use in the Navy for almost 50 years, finally serving in large numbers in a two-seat version as a jet trainer. Douglas also made commercial jets, producing the DC-8 in 1958 to compete with
5600-420: The UK and which was not based on Pick , unlike the "Reality" family of systems listed above. Sovereign, largely a Data Entry solution, had a reasonable market in the United States supporting data entry shops. Military of Venezuela The Bolivarian National Armed Forces ( Spanish : Fuerza Armada Nacional Bolivariana - FANB) of Venezuela are controlled by the Commander-in-Chief (the President ) and
5712-434: The United States had imposed an arms embargo in 1978 for human rights abuses; there were further restrictions when the United Kingdom also imposed an arms embargo in 1982. The only combat aircraft that the Air Force could obtain were 10 Mirage 5Ps transferred from the Peruvian Air Force , 19 Six-Day War veteran Mirage IIICJs from Israel , and 2 Mirage IIIB trainers from the French Air Force . In 1989, Carlos Menem
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#17328511340455824-511: The Venezuelan Air Force, as of July 2015, is Major General Edgar Valentín Cruz Arteaga. The National Guard of Venezuela ( Fuerzas Armadas de Cooperacion or Guardia Nacional ), according to the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a military corps with police functions. With roughly 23,000 troops, its organized into 9 regional commands (division size) and 24 state level zone commands (brigade sized), with plans to expand that number to fifteen commands. Additionally, there
5936-419: The aim of making the national armed services uniform, modern and technically advanced in this era of the 20th century. The reform coincided with the centennial anniversary of the Venezuelan Declaration of Independence, which contributed to the doctrinal and political cohesion of the army and the navy. The most important milestones of this reform were: In 1910, operation of the Military Academy of Venezuela that
6048-440: The armed forces had 123,000 active personnel and 8,000 reservists. The origin of an organized and professional armed forces in Venezuela dates to the Spanish troops quartered in the former Province of Venezuela in the 18th century. Politically and militarily until the creation of the Captaincy General of Venezuela in 1777, the Province of Venezuela depended on the Real Audiencia of Santo Domingo (in today's Dominican Republic) or
6160-403: The armed forces who were the most important at this stage were Marshal Juan Crisóstomo Falcón , General in Chief Cipriano Castro , Brigadier General Ezequiel Zamora and Manuel Ezequiel Bruzual . Already in the first half of the 20th century, President General in Chief Juan Vicente Gómez , who originally based on the plans of General in Chief Cipriano Castro, began a thorough modernization in
6272-537: The armed services of Venezuela, formed on the basis of the various reserve commands of the National Armed Forces first as the Armed Reserve Forces, then as the National Reserve and Mobilization Command, and from 2008, as the National Bolivarian Militia. Today the General Command of the National Boliviarian Militia is divided into two major commands: 1. The National Reserve Service, consisting of all Venezuelan citizens who are either not in active military service, have completed their military service, or serve voluntarily in
6384-444: The armed services, but does not create a new army as some historians point out. This modernization was done with the help of instructors and advisers from Chile, France, Italy and Germany. The late Prussian influence did not reach the Venezuelan Army from the Germans, but from the Chilean military instructors in 1910. One of the most important reforms undertaken during the Gómez regime of the National Armed Forces, which began in 1910 with
6496-427: The assistance of the British Crown for the formation of the regular army and navy for the growing republic. And he did made no mistake indeed: the 19th century, ultimately, was dominated by British and Prussian military influences. Once in battle, Bolívar began to develop his own tactics, military strategies and practices, whose legacy remains till this day in the National Armed Forces, and led to victory after victory and
6608-409: The battles of the Venezuelan War of Independence emerged. Among them were Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda , Simón Bolívar (Bolívar's own father had been Colonel of the Militia of Aragua), General in chief Santiago Mariño , Rafael Urdaneta , among many other heroes. With the establishment of an independent captaincy general in the latter half of the 18th century, the Spanish troops quartered in
6720-458: The benefit of the people of Venezuela. According to the Article 3 of the Armed Forces Organic Law, the fundamental mission of the National Bolivarian Armed Forces is to ensure the independence and sovereignty of the nation and ensure the integrity of the geographical territories of the country, by means of military defense, cooperation in the maintenance of internal order and active participation in national development. The President of Venezuela
6832-465: The biggest of those new military allies. The military doctrine of the armed forces today is based on policy laid out by the late Hugo Chávez (President and Commander in Chief from 1999 to 2013). According to Chávez's policy, the military would also follow defense principles of a "people's war of resistance" against the enemies of the republic and to assist in "internal order," as well as participate in government economic development plans and programs for
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#17328511340456944-416: The brigade. The Commanding General of the Presidential Honor Guard Brigade (as of 20 January 2014) is Brigadier General Jesus Rafael Salazar Velasquez. The general directorate of military intelligence ( Dirección General de Inteligencia Militar , DGIM), is the bureau in charge to collect all the strategic intelligence data, and to coordinate the diverse institutions or departments of military intelligence of
7056-432: The collapse of the A-12 program led to the layoff of 5,600 employees. The advanced tactical aircraft role vacated by the A-12 debacle would be filled by another McDonnell Douglas program, the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet . However the purchasing of aircraft was curtailed as the Cold War came to an abrupt end in the 1990s. This curtailment in military procurements combined with the loss of the contracts for two major projects,
7168-442: The colonial military forces supported the coup and the subsequent creation of a junta. That Supreme Junta later appointed Commander Lino de Clemente to be in charge of defense affairs for the Captaincy General, and thus the armed forces began to be formed through their efforts, including the opening of a full military academy in Caracas for the training of officers, later joined by a naval academy in La Guaira for naval officer education
7280-440: The company's St. Louis headquarters where he continued sales efforts on the DC-10 and managed the company as a whole as president and chief operating officer through 1971. The DC-10 began production in 1968 with the first deliveries in 1971. As early as 1966 and for decades thereafter, McDonnell Douglas considered building a twin-engined aircraft named the "DC-10 Twin" or DC-X. This would have been an early twinjet similar to
7392-476: The computer systems and companies developed in the company's subsidiary McDonnell Automation Company (McAuto) which was created in the 1950s initially used for numerical control for production starting in 1958 and computer-aided design (CAD) starting in 1959. Its CAD program MicroGDS remains in use with the latest official version 11.3 issued in June 2013. By the 1970s, McAuto had 3,500 employees and $ 170 million worth of computer equipment. This made it one of
7504-424: The contract's termination: the government claimed that the contractors had defaulted on the contract and were not entitled to the final progress payments, while McDonnell Douglas and General Dynamics believed that the contract was terminated out of convenience, and thus the money was owed. The case was contested through litigation until a settlement was reached in January 2014. The chaos and financial stress created by
7616-439: The conventional military capabilities of Venezuela. The office of minister is filled by a general or flag officer of the armed forces with the rank of general or admiral in chief (which is the only officer who holds this rank in the armed forces). The president is assisted by the Military High Command of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, which consists of the Minister of Defense, the Chief of Inspectorate General for Defense,
7728-454: The current Article 60 of the Organic Law of the National Armed Forces (LOFAN) as amended in September 2005. It reports to both the President and to the Minister of Defense and is responsible for coordinating the action of military units belonging to the different service branches of the Armed Forces. The Commandant may or may not be also a concurrently serving Minister of Defense in some cases. The newly created military regions are subordinate to
7840-450: The defense forces of the State. Since 1914 Gomez always retained the post of Commanding General of the Army, even when not holding the presidency of the Republic. The power base of support of the regime after 1913, apart from the liberals and nationalists, was the armed forces, which became an essential element of repression to ensure public order and national progress. At this stage the military and political figures more relevant (apart from
7952-492: The duties of national wartime defense. In honor of the reservists' honorable service during 13 April 2002 coup d'état in defense of the presidency, armed forces and the people, that day, which also honors its formal foundation, is celebrated yearly as National Militia Day (until 2009 this was celebrated on 4 February). The commanding general of the National Militia is Major General Manuel Bernal Martínez, Venezuelan Army. The Presidential Honor Guard Brigade [ es ]
8064-464: The economic crises of the 1980s and the subsequent military coups of the early 1990s. Under the governments of Hugo Chávez and his successor Nicolás Maduro , the armed forces have undergone significant changes, including in its name (from National Armed Forces to National Bolivarian Armed Forces). There has also been a political change in partnerships switching from cooperation with the United States and its allies to expanded cooperations with Russia as
8176-403: The entire history of the armed forces. So jealous of the Venezuelan Army, over the subsequent decades, the armed forces kept a precarious existing French influence, as a balance to the overwhelming American influence in the armed forces. Between the years 1945 and 1952, there was a major program of military equipment purchases almost monopolized by the United States (although other military material
8288-512: The final two battles of the Venezuelan War of Independence, the Battle of Carabobo on 24 June 1821, fought at the very grounds where the tomb is located, where a Guard Mounting ceremony is held daily in the midday hours. And from 2013 onward the Brigade is also charged with mounting the guard at the tomb of the late President Hugo Chávez at Fort Montana in Caracas plus in Bolivar's renovated mausoleum in
8400-737: The firm the Douglas Aircraft Company . McDonnell founded J.S. McDonnell & Associates in Milwaukee , Wisconsin, in 1926 to produce a personal aircraft for family use. The economic depression from 1929 ruined his ideas and the company collapsed. He worked at three companies, joining Glenn Martin Company in 1933. He left Martin in 1938 to try again with his own firm, McDonnell Aircraft Corporation , this time based at Lambert Field , outside St. Louis, Missouri . Douglas Aircraft profited during World War II . The company produced about 10,000 C-47s,
8512-851: The five service components of the National Armed Forces and the civil security services, and is commanded by a brigadier general or colonel or equivalent. At the moment, it is a unit of Brigade size. The Brigade provides the honor guard to the President in State Arrival Ceremonies at the Miraflores Palace and to the President in every activity held in the grounds and at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Carabobo Field, Valencia Municipality, Carabobo, in honor of its participation in one of
8624-528: The following year. It could be said that in the first two decades of the 19th century, the nascent Liberation Army and Navy, was in the midst of the intellectual training of their military cadres, in various attempts to unleash the revolutionary war, and trying to build a modern army and navy. In the midst of that task came the generalissimo Francisco de Miranda, and the Liberator Simón Bolívar, who called for immediate action to, once and for all, ensure
8736-412: The full liberation of not just Venezuela, but of northern South America, through battles in both land and sea until the wars ended in 1824. During the second half of the 19th century, a school for officers continued (Military Academy of Mathematics, which was decades in advance of the policy of unification of arms and services of the Spanish military academy, which was in fact after to the Venezuelan one),
8848-425: The functional setup where engineers with specific expertise in aerodynamics, structural mechanics, materials, and other technical areas worked on several different aircraft. This was replaced by a product-oriented system where they focus on one specific airplane. As part of reorganization, 5,000 managerial and supervisory positions were eliminated at Douglas. The former managers could apply for 2,800 newly created posts;
8960-546: The general Gómez himself), were General in Chief Eleazar López Contreras (who founded the National Guard in 1937) and Major General Isaías Medina Angarita , both Presidents of the Republic. With Angarita's ouster in 1945, civilians took over the government for the first time since 1922, albeit only briefly, but it was during those times that the Venezuelan Air Force was officially founded. The ouster of Angarita saw
9072-423: The globe being encircled in tribute to the first aerial circumnavigation which was accomplished in 1924 by Douglas aircraft. It was designed by graphic designer Rick Eiber, who had been the corporate identity consultant for Boeing over ten years. Between 1993 and just after the merger in 1997, McDonnell Douglas performed studies on the feasibility of a twin-engine jet using MD-11 components, and ultimately made
9184-501: The government of Major General Marcos Pérez Jiménez , who led the country as president and Commander in Chief from the early 1950s to 1958 (he was, under LTCOL Carlos Delgado Chalbaud and Germán Suárez Flamerich, the Minister of Defense) and the American influence (cultural, political and military), which started with the 1944 arrival of the first US military mission, became more prominent then in
9296-458: The independence of the nation, achieved through the aforementioned 19 April coup of 1810 and later through the formal enactment of the 1811 Venezuelan Declaration of Independence. Bolívar surprised his military colleagues, when he rejected part of the Napoleonic military assumptions, habits and behaviors, took more British soldiers and those from other nations, and even through third parties requested
9408-535: The joint exercise Ceibo . In July 2006, they were deployed to Cordoba province for the Mercosur 's 30th Presidents Summit, while in August and September they went north again to Brazil for the Cruzex III joint exercise with Brazil, Chile, France, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. In June 2008, they were deployed to Tucumán province for the Mercosur's Presidents Summit. In August 2009, they were deployed to Bariloche for
9520-553: The largest computer processors in the world during this era. In 1981, McAuto acquired Bradford Systems and Administrative Services for $ 11.5 million and began processing medical claims. In 1983, two principals of Bradford who had to come work at McAuto—Joseph T. Lynaugh and Howard L. Waltman —formed the Sanus Corporation, a health maintenance organization that was a wholly owned subsidiary of McDonnell Douglas. In 1986, after McDonnell Douglas reduced its control, Sanus announced
9632-648: The main contractor of the Skybolt ALBM program and the Thor ballistic missile program. McDonnell made a number of missiles, including the unusual ADM-20 Quail , as well as experimenting with hypersonic flight, research that enabled it to gain a substantial share of the NASA projects Mercury and Gemini . Douglas also gained contracts from NASA, notably for part of the enormous Saturn V rocket. The two companies were now major employers, but both were having problems. McDonnell
9744-487: The market, the study was perceived as merely a public relations exercise to disguise the fact that MDC was struggling under intense pressure from Boeing and Airbus . It was clear to most in the industry that MDC had neither the resources nor the money to develop such a large aircraft, and the study quickly sank without a trace. A similar double deck concept was used in Boeing's later Ultra-Large Aircraft study intended to replace
9856-456: The military reserve. 2. The Territorial Guard Component, consisting of all Venezuelan citizens who voluntarily serve to organize local resistance to any external threat to national independence in all levels of society. A third component, the People's Navy Branch, created in 2013, serves as a naval militia component composed of volunteer national servicemen and women contributing to the defense of
9968-407: The militia battalions raised in the 18th century during the Spanish era, that later formed the basis of the armed forces upon the independence of the nation, and two militiamen from that period, Jose Maria España and Manuel Gual, began the long road towards national independence with their failed revolt of 1797. It was only in the 21st century that the militias were revived this time as a full branch of
10080-724: The nation's maritime waters and coastline. It is itself divided into the Naval Reserve (part of the NRS) and the Workers' Naval Employment Territorial Militias, part of the TGC. At present the National Militia is organized on the basis of nine (09) Reserve brigades, present throughout the national territory, dozens of Special Resistance Corps (grouped around workers contingents of state and private enterprises and federal, state, city and township government institutions) and territorial militia units nationwide, plus
10192-521: The participation of what is now today the 411th Armored Battalion "General in Chief Juan Francisco Bermudez", whose M3 Stuart light tanks and Jeeps saw action, and which foresaw the beginning of the modernization of the armed services. The second half of the 20th century, was just as turbulent for the entire Venezuelan military, but it was projected into the future as a modern force for the coming years, though not yet cohesive. Already under
10304-823: The privatization of the Fabrica Militar de Aviones (Military Aircraft Factory – FMA), which was renamed Lockheed Martin Aircraft Argentina SA (LMAASA) afterward. In 2010, LMAASA reverted to the Argentine government as Fabrica Argentina de Aviones (FADEA). Argentine Air Force technicians chose 32 A-4M (built between 1970/1976) and 4 TA-4F airframes from the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona to upgrade. The upgrade plans included: The A-4Ms were equipped with
10416-469: The province passed to the direct command of Caracas. The troops in the other provinces of the country, under the command of local governors, were overseen by the Captain General of Caracas, who served as commander in chief of the armed services. In this way a series of autonomous units was created for the peoples of the area and for defense duties, open to all fit males regardless of color. Aside from these
10528-538: The provisions of the amended Organic Law of the National Armed Forces. Equivalent to a military district , these regional commands are mandated to serve the defense, social and economic needs of their respective areas of responsibility. These are divided into the Integral Defense Operations Zones or INDOZ (In Spanish, Zona Operativa del Defensa Integral or ZODI) subdivided into state commands ( State Integral Defense Operations Zones or STINDOZ) and in
10640-412: The ranks of the artillery companies. That same year, a Fixed Caracas Battalion was established. Until the creation of this battalion, defense had been based on small colonial militia companies , which initially only accepted whites. Gradually, this racist policy yielded and the entry of mixed-race people was allowed in the militias. It was from these various units that the bulk of the officers who fought in
10752-625: The remaining 2,200 would lose their managerial responsibilities. The reorganization reportedly led to widespread loss of morale at the company and TQMS was nicknamed "Time to Quit and Move to Seattle" by employees referring to the competitor Boeing headquartered in Seattle, Washington. Technical issues, development cost overruns, growing unit costs, and delays led to the termination of the A-12 Avenger II program on January 13, 1991, by Defense Secretary Dick Cheney . Years of litigation would proceed over
10864-681: The second McDonnell Douglas transport aircraft to be purchased by the U.S. Air Force, after the C-9 Nightingale/Skytrain II . Through the Cold War , McDonnell Douglas had introduced and manufactured dozens of successful military aircraft, including the F-15 Eagle in 1974 and the F/A-18 Hornet in 1978, as well as other products such as the Harpoon and Tomahawk missiles . The oil crisis of
10976-415: The service components of National Armed Forces and the National Militia. The chief of the general directorate is Brigadier General Ivan Hernandez Darlan as of 20 January 2014. According to the law of the approved budget for the 2012 Fiscal year, the budget allocated to the defense sector, is US$ 4.959 billion, which represents 6.5% of Venezuela's gross domestic product (GDP). Another source indicates that
11088-527: The time of the merger, Douglas Aircraft was estimated to be less than a year from bankruptcy. Flush with orders, the DC-8 and DC-9 aircraft were 9 to 18 months behind schedule, incurring stiff penalties from the airlines. Lewis was active in DC-10 sales in an intense competition with Lockheed's L-1011 , a rival tri-jet aircraft. In two years, Lewis had the operation back on track and in positive cash flow. He returned to
11200-549: Was a major American aerospace manufacturing corporation and defense contractor , formed by the merger of McDonnell Aircraft and the Douglas Aircraft Company in 1967. Between then and its own merger with Boeing in 1997, it produced well-known commercial and military aircraft, such as the DC-10 and the MD-80 airliners, the F-15 Eagle air superiority fighter , and the F/A-18 Hornet multirole fighter. The corporation's headquarters were at St. Louis Lambert International Airport , near St. Louis , Missouri . The company
11312-638: Was a stretched version of the MD-80, powered by International Aero Engines V2500 turbofans, the largest rear-mounted engines ever used on a commercial jet. The MD-95 , a modern regional airliner closely resembling the DC-9-30, was the last McDonnell Douglas designed commercial jet to be produced. On January 13, 1988, McDonnell Douglas and General Dynamics won the US Navy Advanced Tactical Aircraft (ATA) contract. The US$ 4.83 billion contract
11424-521: Was acquired from other countries, mostly NATO countries) plus the military missions sent by that country, and later repeated again in the early years of the decade of the 1970s, albeit in a more balanced way by their countries of origin. At this time, the armed forces were composed of the traditional air force, army, navy and national guard. The armed services made their mark in the 1960s in stopping anti-government actions and even two rebellions from within its very own ranks. The 1970s were also marked with
11536-483: Was due to the expiry of the explosive cartridges in their ejection seats, but later it became apparent that there were additional problems. Only 4-5 were found airworthy with the rest in storage at Villa Reynolds . In May 2017, they participated in the celebrations of the 2017 anniversary of the May Revolution . By 2020, as few as six of the aircraft were still reported as operational. In March 2024, Argentina signed
11648-529: Was elected President of Argentina and quickly established a pro-United States foreign policy which led to the country gaining Major non-NATO ally status. Although the economic situation improved, the funds to purchase new combat aircraft like the Mirage 2000 remained unavailable. In 1994, the United States made a counteroffer to modernize 36 former US Marine Corps A-4M Skyhawks in a US$ 282 million deal that would be carried out by Lockheed Martin and included
11760-477: Was established. It was located in Maracay and was inaugurated the first of January of the next year to train the nation's military pilots. In 1923/1930 a new Code of Military law was adopted that superseded all previous military laws and responded to the new political and military situation in the country. This process was accompanied by the modernization of the infrastructure, provision of arms, equipment, uniforms and
11872-478: Was expanded even further to include the People's Guards Command in 2011 and the Anti-extortion and Sequestration Command in 2013, with a Social Action Division in the planning stage as of present. The Commanding General of the National Guard is Major General Nestor Luis Reverol Torres. The Venezuelan militia traces its origins to both the long struggle against Spanish rule by the indigenous peoples of Venezuela and
11984-560: Was formed from the firms of James Smith McDonnell and Donald Wills Douglas in 1967. Both men were of Scottish ancestry, were graduates of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology , and had worked for the aircraft manufacturer Glenn L. Martin Company . Douglas had been chief engineer at Martin before leaving to establish Davis-Douglas Company in early 1920 in Los Angeles. The following year, he bought out his backer and renamed
12096-437: Was primarily a defense contractor, without any significant civilian business. It frequently suffered lean times during downturns in military procurement. Meanwhile, Douglas was strained by the cost of the DC-8 and DC-9 . The two companies began to sound each other out about a merger in 1963. Douglas offered bid invitations from December 1966 and accepted that of McDonnell. The two firms were officially merged on April 28, 1967, as
12208-671: Was reformed in 1903 started, and within it, the Naval Academy (then called Naval School of Venezuela), establishing the School of Application for Military officers in active service with the aim of upgrading their military expertise. In 1913 the Superior Technical Office responsible for the development of military doctrine, organization and training of the army, was founded. In 1920 the Military Aviation School of Venezuela
12320-559: Was the Hughes-designed AH-64 Apache attack helicopter. In 1986, the MD-11 was introduced, an improved and upgraded version of the DC-10. The MD-11 was the most advanced trijet aircraft to be developed. Since 1990 it sold 200 units, but was discontinued in 2001 after the merger with Boeing as it competed with the Boeing 777 . The final commercial aircraft design to be produced by McDonnell Douglas came in 1988. The MD-90
12432-481: Was then known as Lambert–St. Louis International Airport , in Berkeley, Missouri , near St. Louis . James McDonnell became executive chairman and CEO of the merged company, with Donald Douglas Sr. as honorary chairman. In 1967, with the merger of McDonnell and Douglas Aircraft, David S. Lewis , then president of McDonnell Aircraft, was named chairman of what was called the Long Beach, Douglas Aircraft Division. At
12544-654: Was to develop the A-12 Avenger II , a stealth, carrier-based, long-range flying wing attack aircraft that would replace the A-6 Intruder . In January 1989, Robert Hood, Jr was appointed president to lead the Douglas Aircraft Division, replacing retiring President Jim Worsham. McDonnell Douglas then introduced a major reorganization called the Total Quality Management System (TQMS). TQMS ended
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