Military of Ecuador - Equipment Sources

Equipment Sources

Historically, Ecuador depended on a wide variety of foreign suppliers for virtually all of its equipment needs. Only in the 1980s did it begin to develop a modest domestic arms industry as the Directorate of Army Industries manufactured rifle ammunition, uniforms, boots, and other consumable items.

In the 1960s and 1970s, France became a leading supplier and delivered AMX-13 tanks and various aircraft. Ecuador purchased also Type 209 submarines and Lürssen-Seawolf TNC 45 patrol boats from West Germany. Whereas various types of Infantry weapons were acquired from Belgium.

Ecuador became a substantial customer for Israeli arms in the 1970s, purchasing Arava aircraft, Gabriel missile for naval patrol crafts and Uzi submachine guns. Under technical assistance contracts, Israel serviced Israeli planes within the air force inventory as well as Boeing civilian aircraft flown by TAME and Ecuatoriana Airlines. Ecuador reportedly also employed Israeli security specialists as consultants in the fight against terrorism. In 1976 Ecuador became the first foreign country to order the Kfir, an advanced jet-fighter equipped with the General Electric J-79 engine produced in Israel under license. The transaction, which required United States government approval because of the engine technology, was rejected by the administration of President Jimmy Carter in order to discourage the proliferation of sophisticated military equipment in the Third World. The action caused an uproar in Israel where the sale was regarded as an important breakthrough in Israels efforts to develop international markets for the Kfir. In 1981, after the inauguration of President Ronald Reagan, Washington removed its objection to the sale. Although the contract called for the purchase of 12 Kfirs and an option to purchase an additional 12, Ecuador acquired only the original group, at a price estimated at US$196 million.

Ecuador became a relatively heavy importer of arms in the late 1970s and early 1980s, averaging US$150 million annually and reaching a peak of US$280 million in 1982. These imports declined sharply to an average of only US$50 million annually between 1985 and 1987, presumably as a result of a dramatic reduction in oil revenues and the precipitous drop in the value of the sucre, which made imported arms extremely expensive. Between 1983 and 1987, Ecuador imported an estimated US$460 million of arms, primarily from Italy, France, the United States and Britain. In 1995, during the Cenepa War against Peru, Argentina gave to Ecuador in a controversial move, 6.500 tons of rifles, cannons, anti-tank rockets, and ammunition.

Recent times saw changes within Ecuadors foreign policy and it decided to look for alternative weapon suppliers. These were found also, in its long-term allies Chile, which sold since 2008 Leopard 1 tanks, Leander class frigates. Israel, delivered in 2009 its unmanned aerial vehicles and Brazil, supplied additional military vehicles and Super Tucano combat-aircraft. Countries like Russia and China had already delivered a small quantity of military equipment some years earlier, but gained on importance during the past few years. Since then, Chinese radars, anti-aircraft systems and infantry weapons were purchased. In 2009 two additional Mil Mi-17 helicopters have been ordered from Russia with further deals planned. India delivered HAL Dhruv helicopters and South Africa is about to deliver 12 Atlas Cheetah supersonic-aircraft. Ecuadors political ally Venezula, donated military equipment and six Mirage 50 aircraft. In 2010, the U.S. embassy in Ecuador announced that it had delivered $1.2 million of donated military equipment to the Ecuadorian military. The donations were intended to support operations countering drug-smuggling and guerilla activity along its Colombian border. Although the U.S. have been refused to renew their lease on the Manta military airbase, deliveries included trucks, patrol boats, GPS, night-vision and rifles.