Nicaragua Navy

How is the neighborhood with whom countries have border disputes affected by a neighbor that acquires modern warships? Russian shipyards will supply Nicaragua with two missile and four patrol boats. This was announced 04 July 2013 by Deputy Director General of Sredne-Nevsky Shipyard Alexander Vlasov at the 6th International Naval Show in St. Petersburg.

What priorities should take the second poorest country in the Americas take - social spending and military spending? The questions are many after the Army of Nicaragua admitted in February 2016 that seeks, with the support of Russia, buy "defensive" ships to combat international drug trafficking in the Caribbean Sea. The announcement raised concern alarms outside Nicaragua's borders and criticism inside.

Elvira Cuadra, director of the Institute for Strategic and Political Studies Public (IEEPP), said the argument of the Army to seek Russian ships and renew their weapons to combat international drug trafficking is debatable. "The argument now is to renew and purchase weapons for the fight against drug trafficking. But that's a moot argument several questions floating in the air: Does Nicaragua defined a country strategy for fighting drug trafficking? How is this strategy articulated or complements the rest of Central American countries?

How it is articulated about security policies of other countries such as Mexico, Colombia, United States? Does the weapons being purchased responds to that strategy? Is it appropriate for the fight against drug trafficking? What considerations have been taken regarding the agreement "reasonable balance of forces" and the Framework Treaty on Democratic Security in Central America? Have you considered the reactions of other Central American countries, it was considered that this may give rise to an arms race in the region?"

Somoza's National Guard

The "navy" of Somoza's National Guard consisted of a few old patrol boats.

Marina de Guerra Sandinista

The Sandinistas acquired more modern vessels, although none was larger than fifty tons. The navy's mission was to discourage seaborne Contra attacks and to deter CIA-run operations such as the destruction of diesel storage facilities at Corinto in 1983 and the mining of Nicaraguan harbors in 1984. The Sandinista Navy (Marina de Guerra Sandinista—MGS), which had reached a peak strength of 3,000 personnel in 1990, suffered a sweeping reduction to 500 by 1993.

The commander of the navy is an EPS officer with the rank of major. The principal bases of the MGS are at the ports of Corinto on the Pacific and Puerto Cabezas on the Caribbean. Other installations are at El Bluff near Bluefields and San Juan del Sur On the Pacific.

The Sandinistas had eight Soviet minesweeping boats, of which seven remained in 1993, but none was known to be in operating condition. Three Soviet Zhuk-class patrol boats were believed to be seaworthy, out of seven that remained at the end of 1990. Also believed to be operational were three North Korean fast patrol boats and two Vedette-type boats built in France and armed with Soviet 14.2mm machine guns.