List of equipment of the Bolivian Armed Forces
This is a list of modern military equipment currently in service with the Bolivian Armed Forces.
Infantry weapons
[edit]This section contains mainly the infantry weapons of the Bolivian Army contingent, but also of the Bolivian Air Force and Bolivian Navy contingents, since they share some weapons. Consequently, the infantry weapons of the three branches of the Bolivian Armed Forces are regrouped in this section.
Pistols
[edit]Name | Origin | Type | Cartridge | Image | Details |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
FN35[1] | United States / Belgium Belgium |
Semi-automatic pistol | 9×19 mm | — | |
Makarov[1] | Soviet Union | Semi-automatic pistol | 9×18 mm | — | |
Beretta Mod. 92F[1] | Italy | Semi-automatic pistol | 9×19 mm | — | |
Taurus PT111 | Brazil | Semi-automatic pistol | 9×19 mm | Pistol preferred by Bolivian Army officers.[2] | |
Norinco[3] | China | Semi-automatic pistol | 9 mm | — | — |
CZ[3] | Czech Republic | Semi-automatic pistol | 9 mm | — | — |
IWI Jericho 941[1] | Israel | Semi-automatic pistol | 9×19 mm | — | |
HK | West Germany Germany | Semi-automatic pistol | 9 mm | — | The special forces of the Bolivian Army have been provided with an HK pistol.[1] |
Beretta M9A3 | United States / Italy |
Semi-automatic pistol | 9×19 mm | Pistols that were acquired in 2022 and distributed among the army, air force and navy.[4] |
Submachine guns
[edit]Name | Origin | Type | Cartridge | Image | Details |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
MAT-49[1] | French Fourth Republic | Submachine gun | 9×19 mm | — | |
Uzi[1] | Israel | Submachine gun | 9×19 mm | — | |
Beretta[1] | Italy | Submachine gun | 9 mm | — | — |
Taurus[1] | Brazil | Submachine gun | 9 mm | — | — |
FMK-3[1][5] | Argentina | Submachine gun | 9×19 mm | — | |
CZ Scorpion Evo 3 A1 | Czech Republic | Submachine gun | 9×19 mm | Submachine gun received by the army in 2019.[6] |
Shotguns
[edit]Name | Origin | Type | Cartridge | Image | Details |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Remington Model 870[1] | United States | Shotgun | 12 gauge | — | |
Mossberg 500[7] | United States | Shotgun | 12 gauge | — |
Battle / assault rifle / carbines
[edit]Name | Origin | Type | Cartridge | Image | Details |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
FN FAL | Belgium | Battle rifle | 7.62×51 mm | Used by regular army units. These rifles were repowered.[1][8] | |
AK-47[1] | Soviet Union | Assault rifle | 7.62×39 mm | — | |
Type 56 | China | Assault rifle | 7.62×39 mm | Variant of the AK-47 rifle developed by Norinco. Used by regular army units and by the Bolivian Marine Corps.[8][9] | |
HK G3[1] | Germany | Battle rifle | 7.62×51 mm | — | |
AR-15A1[1] | United States | Assault rifle | 5.56×45 mm | — | |
M16A2[1] | United States | Assault rifle | 5.56×45 mm | It is used by units of the regular army and the special forces of the Bolivian Navy.[1][8] | |
IMI Galil AR[1] | Israel | Assault rifle | 5.56×45 mm | It is used by regular army units, by the Bolivian Marine Corps and by the Bolivian Air Force infantry.[7][8] | |
AK-74[1] | Soviet Union | Assault rifle | 5.45×39 mm | It is also used by the Bolivian Marine Corps.[8] | |
SIG SG 540/540-1[1] | Switzerland | Assault rifle | 5.56×45 mm
7.62×51 mm |
— | |
Steyr AUG A1[1] | Austria | Assault rifle / carbine | 5.56×45 mm | — | |
SA80[9] | United Kingdom | Assault rifle | 5.56×45 mm | Used by special forces units.[10] | |
M4A3/A4[1] | United States | Assault rifle / carbine | 5.56×45 mm | Also used by the special forces of the Bolivian Navy.[1] |
Sniper and anti-materiel rifles
[edit]Name | Origin | Type | Cartridge | Image | Details |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
FAL Sniper[1] | Belgium | Sniper rifle | 7.62×51 mm | — | |
Dragunov[1] | Soviet Union | Designated marksman rifle / sniper rifle | 7.62×54 mm | — | |
NDM-86 Type 79[1][11] | China | 7.62×54 mm | A clone of the Dragunov rifle made by Norinco.[12] | ||
Steyr SSG 69 P1[1] | Austria | Sniper rifle | 7.62×51 mm | — | |
Accuracy International PM[1] | United Kingdom | Sniper rifle | 7.62×51 mm | — | |
Steyr HS .50 M1 | Austria | Anti-materiel sniper rifle | 12.7×99 mm | Sniper and anti-materiel rifles acquired in 2019 for army, air force and navy special forces.[13][14][15][16] | |
Steyr SSG 04 A1 | Austria | Sniper rifle | 7.62×51 mm |
Machine guns
[edit]Name | Origin | Type | Cartridge | Image | Details |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Browning M2HB[1] | United States | Heavy machine gun | 12.7×99 mm | Also used by the special forces of the Bolivian Navy.[1] | |
RPD[8] | Soviet Union | Light machine gun | 7.62×39mm | — | |
SIG MG 710-3[1] | Switzerland | General-purpose machine gun | 7.62×51 mm | — | |
M60[1] | United States | General-purpose machine gun | 7.62×51 mm | Also used by the special forces of the Bolivian Navy.[1] | |
HK21[1] | West Germany Germany | General-purpose machine gun | 7.62×51 mm | — | |
CS/LM3 | China | Heavy machine gun | 12,7×99 mm | — | Norinco machine guns mounted on 27 Tigr 4x4 vehicles of Shaanxi Baoji Special Vehicles Co., Ltd. incorporated in 2016; in the troop transport variant, and distributed among the army, air force and navy.[17]
The 6 Chinese type 928 YC patrol boats incorporated in 2019 by the Bolivian Navy also mount these machine guns.[18] |
FN MAG[1] | Belgium | General-purpose machine gun | 7.62×51 mm | They are also used mounted on Toyota Hilux 4x4 pickup trucks; which were acquired in 2017.[19] |
Grenade launchers
[edit]Name | Origin | Type | Cartridge | Image | Details |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
M79[1] | United States | Grenade launcher | 40×46 mm | Also used by the special forces of the Bolivian Navy.[1] | |
MK 19 Mod 3 | United States | Automatic grenade launcher | 40×53 mm | It is used by the special forces of the Bolivian Navy.[1] | |
M203[citation needed] | United States | Coupled grenade launcher | 40×46 mm | Also used by the special forces of the Bolivian Navy.[1] | |
QLZ-87[20] | China | Automatic grenade launcher | 35×32 mm | — |
Anti-material weapons
[edit]Name | Origin | Type | Cartridge | Image | Details |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Type 65/78[8][21] | China | Recoilless rifle | 82 mm | It is a variant of the B-10 recoilless rifle produced by Norinco.[22] | |
M40[8] | United States | Recoilless rifle | 106 mm | — | |
RPG-7[8] | Soviet Union | Rocket-propelled grenade | 40 mm | It is also used by the Bolivian Marine Corps.[8] | |
M72 LAW[8] | United States | Rocket-propelled grenade | 66 mm | — | |
HJ-8[8][21] | China | Anti-tank guided missile | 155 mm | — |
Vehicles
[edit]Armored combat vehicles
[edit]Name | Image | Origin | Quantity | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
LT TK | ||||
SK-105A1 Kuerassier | Austria | ~36 | [23] | |
SK-105A2 Kuerassier | ~18 | [23] | ||
RECCE | ||||
EE-9 Cascavel | Brazil | ~24 | [23] | |
APC | ||||
M113 | United States | 50+ | [23] | |
M9 | ~37 | [23] | ||
EE-11 Urutu | Brazil | ~24 | [23] | |
MOWAG Roland | Switzerland | ~22 | [23] | |
V-100 Commando | United States | ~15 | [23] | |
AUV | ||||
ZFB-05 | China | ~19 | [23] |
Utility vehicles
[edit]Name | Image | Type | Origin | Quantity | Status |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jeep CJ | Utility vehicle | United States | Unknown | In service | |
M151[24] | Utility vehicle | United States | Unknown | In service | |
Humvee | Light utility vehicle | United States | 30[25] | In service | |
Trucks | |||||
GAZ Sadko | Utility truck | Russia | Unknown | In service | |
Dodge M37 | Utility truck | United States | 37 | In service | |
M35[24] | Utility truck | United States | Unknown | In service | |
M54[24] | Utility truck | United States | Unknown | In service | |
Ford F-750 | Utility truck | United States | 16 | In service |
Artillery
[edit]Material used by the Bolivian Army. It will be specified in "details" if there is material from another branch of the Bolivian Armed Forces.
Mortars
[edit]Name | Origin | Type | Cartridge | Image | Details |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
M30[8] | United States | Mortar | 107 mm | — | |
M29[8] | United States | Mortar | 81 mm | — | |
M224[8] | United States | Mortar | 60 mm | — | |
Soltam M120[26] | Israel | Mortar | 120 mm | — |
Howitzers
[edit]Name | Origin | Type | Cartridge | Image | Details |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Schneider L.15.05 model 1928 | French Third Republic | Towed howitzer | 155 mm | 16 units donated by the Argentine Army in 1976, which correspond to an Argentine modernization of the howitzer Schneider model 1917.[26] | |
Bofors L40 Mod. 1935 | Sweden | Mountain gun | 75 mm | Undetermined number of units donated by the Argentine Army.[26] | |
M116[26] | United States | Pack howitzer | 75 mm | — | |
M101A1[26] | United States | Towed howitzer | 105 mm | — | |
Type 54-1[21][26] | China | Towed howitzer | 122 mm | Improved variant of the howitzer M-30 developed by Norinco.[27] |
Air defense systems
[edit]Name | Origin | Type | Cartridge | Image | Details |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Type 64/74[8][21] | China | Anti-aircraft gun | 37 mm | — | |
HN-5A[8][21][28] | China | MANPADS | 72 mm | It is also used by the Bolivian Air Force.[8]
37 of these missiles belonging to the Bolivian Army were brought to the United States in 2005 for dismantling, creating a controversial case within the Bolivian Armed Forces. In 2010, some missiles that were already deactivated were returned to the army.[28] |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am Grupo Edefa (2020). "Anuario Latinoamericano de la Defensa 2020". Bolivia. Anuario Latinoamericano de la Defensa (in Spanish): 92–95.
- ^ Ríos, Luzmila (28 November 2019). "Bolivia en estado de 'shock': a una semana de la masacre de Senkata". elsaltodiario.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 July 2023.
- ^ a b Aránguiz, Óscar E. (9 September 2021). "Carabineros de Chile detiene a tres militares bolivianos en el territorio nacional". infodefensa.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 July 2023.
- ^ Hernández, Carlos E. (20 May 2022). "Bolivia dota a sus Fuerzas Armadas de un millar de pistolas Beretta M9A3 y sables". infodefensa.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 July 2023.
- ^ Suciu, Peter (12 September 2020). "The Domestically Produced Argentinean Submachine Gun: The FMK-3". nationalinterest.org. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
- ^ Hernández, Carlos E. (27 May 2019). "Bolivia dota de armamento y otros equipos a sus tropas de frontera". infodefensa.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 July 2023.
- ^ a b Gullo, Emiliano; Bertoia, Luciana; Ortega, Sebastián N.; Mena, Paúl; Paredes, Iván (8 June 2022). "La ruta de las armas a Bolivia". revistaanfibia.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 August 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "Especial Bolivia". Tecnología Militar (in Spanish). No. 3. 2018. pp. 4–17. ISSN 0722-2904.
- ^ a b Hernández, Carlos E. (9 March 2017). "Bolivia posterga la compra de fusiles en favor de simuladores de tiro". infodefensa.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 July 2023.
- ^ Johnson, Steve (31 December 2012). "SA80 in Bolivia". thefirearmblog.com. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
- ^ FirearmsWorld (17 February 2015). "Firearmsworld.net" 79/85式狙击步枪 (in Chinese). firearmsworld.net. Archived from the original on 23 July 2017. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
- ^ "SVD". weaponsystems.net. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
- ^ Hernández, Carlos E. (1 March 2019). "El Ejército de Bolivia dota a sus unidades con rifles de precisión Steyr HS .50 M1". infodefensa.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 July 2023.
- ^ Hernández, Carlos E. (16 March 2019). "Steyr entrega una nueva partida de 50 fusiles al Ejército de Bolivia". infodefensa.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 July 2023.
- ^ Hernández, Carlos E. (8 April 2019). "Bolivia dota a sus comandos anfibios de fusiles de precisión Steyr". infodefensa.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 August 2023.
- ^ "Gobierno entrega fusiles de precisión y antimateria a unidades de élite de las FFAA". opinion.com.bo (in Spanish). 7 March 2019. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
- ^ Hernández, Carlos E. (9 August 2016). "China donará a Bolivia material militar por un valor de 30.000.000 de dólares". infodefensa.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 July 2023.
- ^ "La Armada de Bolivia incorpora seis patrulleras chinas tipo 928 YC". infodefensa.com (in Spanish). 21 August 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
- ^ Hernández, Carlos E. (10 January 2017). "Bolivia refuerza sus fronteras con vehículos armados y sistemas de comunicaciones". infodefensa.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 July 2023.
- ^ Smallwood, Michael (29 April 2016). "Kurdish Forces with Chinese QLZ87 Automatic Grenade Launcher & M99 Anti-materiel Rifle". Small Arms Defense Journal. Vol. 8, no. 1.
- ^ a b c d e Hernández, Carlos E. (17 June 2022). "Norinco ofrece a Bolivia servicios de mantenimiento para equipo pesado". infodefensa.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 August 2023.
- ^ "B-10". weaponsystems.net. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i International Institute for Strategic Studies (February 13, 2024). The Military Balance 2024 (1st ed.). Routledge. p. 415. ISBN 978-1032780047.
- ^ a b c "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) - ^ 2011 Army Weapon Systems Handbook (PDF) (Report). Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology. 2011. p. 137. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 September 2012. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f Hernández, Carlos E. (21 November 2022). "Obuses remolcados y morteros pesados, pilares de la Artillería de Bolivia". infodefensa.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 August 2023.
- ^ "M-30". weaponsystems.net. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
- ^ a b Hernández, Carlos E. (5 September 2017). "Más de 20 años de cárcel para los implicados en el caso de los misiles chinos". infodefensa.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 August 2023.