Base Aérea Lima-Callao

Aviación del Ejército del Peru

24 October 2003

Sharing the military side of Jorge Chavez International Airport, known to the military as Lima-Callao, with the flying services of Peru's Navy and National Police as well as of course the Air Force's transport unit Grupo 8 is the Aviación del Ejercito.  Apart from providing the Peruvian Army with it's air mobility requirements, the Aviación del Ejercito also has an important civil support role. The latter involves e.g. supporting foreign oil prospecting companies. 

Peru's Army Aviation element was first formed in 1973 and today operates both fixed- as well as rotary winged types. Lima-Callao houses two Battalions, Battalion de Assalto y Transporte 811 with mostly fixed wing transport types and Battalion de Assalto y Transporte 821 with helicopters.

Thanks go to the Peruvian authorities as well as to Graham Dinsdale and Garreth le Sueur for making this visit possible.

All pictures (c) Hans Rolink.

Peru is a country where East meets West as far as aircraft types go. Among the rarities anywhere in the world however are the Army's primary trainers. This is an Ilyushin Il.103. Six, among which EP-817, have been delivered and serve with the Escuela de Aviación del Ejército at Moquegua/ Torque Podesta, on the Pacific coast close to the border with Chile.

Robust and capable of operating from unpaved strips characterizes the Antonov An.28. A pair of these machines serve with BAT 811 at Callao in the light transport role. Note the Army roundel on EP-827, a normal Air Force roundel superimposed on a sword.

The Czech Let L.410 Turbolet is a useful small transport that was in widespread service by the time the Eastern Bloc fell apart in Europe. This is a L.410-UVP serialled EP-830 and it is the only one of it's type serving with BAT 811 at Callao.

The Beech 350 derivative of the original Super King Air serves in a passenger transport capacity alongside the other types at BAT 811.Only one example, EP-825, serves with the Peruvian Army's BAT 811.

Peru's transport helicopter fleet is centered around the Mil Mi.8 and M.17 family. EP-645 is an Mi.17, characterized by the tail rotor mounted on the left side of the tail. It has been sprayed in the same high visibility scheme as some of the transport aircraft above. Other Mi.8 and Mi.17 helicopters have been sprayed green overall. Some 30 Mi.17's are thought to have been delivered.

EP-706 is one of two Mil Mi.26 heavy lift helicopters with the Peruvian Army's Aviation. For the time rotorless, this Mi.26 is about to undergo maintanance following employment in Timor with the UN-force on that island. The helicopter still wears the UN white paint scheme, the UN titles are just barely discernable.