Cuban Revolutionary Navy

Cuban Revolutionary Navy
Marina de Guerra de la República de Cuba
Badge of the Cuban Revolutionary Navy
Founded	1909(1909)
Country	Republic of Cuba
Type	Naval
Role	Naval warfare
Size	3,550 personnel
Part of	Revolutionary Armed Forces
Nickname(s)	MGR
Engagements	Battle of Santiago de Cuba
Insignia
Naval Jack of Cuba
Naval Aviation roundel

TheCuban Revolutionary Navy(Spanish:Marina de Guerra Revolucionaria) is thenavyof Cuba.

History

The Constitutional Navy of Cuba was the navy of Cuba that existed prior to 1959. DuringWorld War II,it sank theGerman submarineU-176on 15 May 1943.

The helicopter carrier patrol vesselRio Damujin° 390in Havana (July 2011)

During the Cold War, the Cuban Navy successfullycaptured the freighters Leyla Express and Johnny Express,both vessels blamed for CIA-related activities against Cuba. In 1988, the Cuban Navy boasted 12,000 men, threesubmarines,two modernguided-missile frigates,oneintelligence vessel,and a large number ofpatrol craftandminesweepers.However, most of the Soviet-made vessels have beendecommissionedor sunk to makereefs.By 2007, the Cuban Navy was assessed as being 3,000 strong (including up to 550+Navy Infantry) by theIISSwith sixOsa-IIand onePauk-class corvette.The Cuban Navy also includes a smallmarinebattalion called theDesembarco de Granma.It once numbered 550 men though its present size is not known.

Cuban Navy today

A CubanFoxtrot-class submarine

After the old Soviet submarines were put out of service, Cuba searched for help from North Korea's experience inmidget submarines.North Korean defectorsclaimed to have seen Cubans in mid to late 1990s in a secret submarine base and appeared in public view years later a single picture of a small black native submarine in Havana harbour. It is rumored to be called 'Delfin' and is to be armed with twotorpedoes.Only a single boat is in service and the design appears original, even if influenced both by North Korea and Soviet designs.

The Cuban Navy rebuilt one, large ex-SpanishRio Damujifishing boat.BP-390is now armed with two C-201W missiles, one twin 57 mm gun mount, two twin 25 mm gun mounts and on 14.5 mm machine gun. This vessel is larger than theKoni class,and it is used as a helicopter carrier patrol vessel. A second unit (BP-391) was converted and entered service in 2016.

The Cuban Navy today operates its own missile systems, the made-in-Cuba Bandera (a copy of the dated Styx Soviet missiles) and Remulgadas anti-ship missile systems, as well as the nationally produced Frontera self-propelled coastal defence multiple rocket launcher. The navy's principal threats are drug smuggling and illegal immigration. The country's geographical position and limited naval presence has enabled traffickers to utilise Cuban territorial waters and airspace.

The Cuban Navy's air wing is an ASW helicopter operator only and is equipped with 2MI-14 Hazehelicopters.

Fleet

Current

Fleet equipment

• 2Rio Damuji-class frigates,1 × 57 mm gun, 2 Styx surface-to-surface missiles, 1 × 12.7 mm machine gun, 2 × 25 mm autocannons.
• 1 Delfin-class submarine, possibly 2 torpedo launchers. Rumored derived from North KoreanYugo-class submarine.
• 1Pauk II-class fast patrol corvettes,Coastal with 1 × 76 mm gun, 4 anti-submarine torpedo tubes, 2 anti-submarine weapon rocket launcher – 495 tons full load – commissioned 1990.
• 6 former Soviet Union (FSU)Osa II-class PFM missile boats;13 Type II transferred.
• 3 ex-Soviet Union (FSU)Sonya-class minesweepers;4 transferred.
• 5 Former Soviet Union (FSU)Yevgenya-class minesweeper;11 transferred.
• 1Intelligence collection vessel.

Ground forces organization

• 2 amphibious assault battalions.
• 1 coastal defense field artillery regiment
• 1 coastal defense missile artillery regiment
• 1 light armored battalion (amphibious)

Naval Ground forces equipment

• 122 mm artillery.
• M-1931/3 artillery.
• 130 mm:M-46artillery.
• 152 mm:M-1937artillery.
• ≈10SSC-3surface-to-surface missile systems.
• 18–24 Remulgadas coastal defense surface multiple missile launchers
• 20 Bandera coastal defense surface multiple missile launchers
• 12 RBU-6000 Frontera coastal defense multiple rocket launchers
• 18–22PT-76light tanks

Naval Aviation aircraft

Cuban naval aviation

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Notes
Mil Mi-14	USSR	ASW	2

The border guards have: 2Stenka class patrol boatsand as of 2007 approximately a dozen, down from 30/48,Zhuk patrol craft.Cuba makes Zhuk patrol craft and some are seen with an SPG-9 mounted on front of the twin 30mm guns.

Historic

• 1 SovietFoxtrot-class submarinewith 533 mm and 406 mm torpedo tube (non-operational); 3 transferred
• 3 SovietKoni-classcorvettes with 2 Anti-Submarine Weapon Rocket Launcher (non-operational); 3 transferred
• 4 SovietOsa I/II-classmissile boats with 4SS-N-2Styx surface-to-surface missile+
• 1 SovietPauk II-classfast patrol corvettes, coastal with 2 anti-submarine weapon rocket launcher, 4 anti-submarine torpedo tube
• 1 Soviet/PolishPolnocny-classmedium landing ship,capacity 180 troops, 6 tanks (non-operational)

Military ranks

Main article:Ranks of the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces

Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia ofcommissioned officers.

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
Cuban Revolutionary Navy
					Almirante		Vicealmirante		Contralmirante		Capitán de flotilla	Capitán de navío	Capitán de fragata		Capitán de corbeta		Teniente de navío		Teniente de fragata		Teniente de corbeta		Alférez

Other ranks

The rank insignia ofnon-commissioned officersandenlisted personnel.

Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted
Cuban Revolutionary Navy																													No insignia						No insignia
	Suboficial mayor		Primer suboficial		Segundo suboficial		Suboficial		Sargento primero		Sargento de segunda						Sargento de tercera										Cabo		Marinero de primera						Marinero