The Navy of the Dominican Republic (), is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Dominican Republic, together with the Army and the Air Force.

History

The three Dominican schooners later on in [[Santo Domingo circa 1850.|left|thumb|300px]]

After the Dominican Republic gained its independence from Haiti on February 27, 1844, there was a need to create a naval fleet. Three schooners were commissioned for this, (flagship), María Chica and Leonor. These were the original three Dominican vessels which were incorporated in the newly created Dominican Navy as authorized by the Junta Central Gubernativa with the Naval Act of 1844 on April 23, 1844, the same day the Navy was created. Even though, the three schooners had been in action since April 15 at the Battle of Tortuguero, where they were led by Admiral Juan Bautista Cambiaso and sank six Haitian ships.

During the Dominican Civil War, a part of the Navy opposed the "Return to the Legitime Government" which was victim of a coup d'état in September 1963 and used the frigate to bombard the National Palace with the help of the Air Force.

On the other side of the conflict, The elite navy force "Hombres Ranas" (Frog Men) under Commander Ramon Montes Arache, fought to bring the 1962 democratically elected president back in office. The other navy commanders were afraid of the "Hombres Ranas" taking control over Las Calderas Naval Base. See United States occupation of the Dominican Republic (1965–1966)

The Navy maintains several naval stations and detachments, but has three main bases:

  • Base Naval 27 de Febrero, located in the city of Santo Domingo, the Chief of Staff and the Naval Academy "Vice-Admiral Cesar de Windt Lavandier".
  • Base Naval de Las Calderas, located in Peravia Province, is the largest naval base. The Bahia Las Calderas Naval Shipyard (ANABALCA) is located here. This shipyard is responsible for the maintenance of naval units of the fleet, as well as civilian vessels. Military and civilian vessels, such as tugs, boats, barges, pilot boats have also been built at this site.
  • Base Naval Boca Chica, located in Boca Chica, 35 km east of Santo Domingo.

List of current vessels

{| class="wikitable"

|-

! style="text-align: left; width:22%;"|Class

! style="text-align: left; width:12%;"|Name

! style="text-align: left;"|Origin

! style="text-align: left; width:7%;"|In service

! style="text-align: left;"|Notes

! style="text-align: left;"|Image

|-

! style="align: center; background: lightgray;" colspan="7" | Patrol Division

|- style="background:#efefef; color:black"

|-

| USCG seagoing buoy tender (Mesquite class)

|PA-301

|

|1

|The flagship of the Dominican Navy, she was transferred by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) in 2001. She is used for coastal patrol, navigational aid maintenance, midshipman cruises, humanitarian assistance, naval training exercises, troop transport, and at sea refueling. She is armed with two M-2 0.50 caliber machine guns and two single Oerlikon 20 mm cannon, but can also be armed with two extra 0.50 cal. machine guns, two M60 machine guns and one 3/50 (single) gun.

|200px|PA-301 Almirante Juan Alejandro Acosta

|-

| White-class coastal buoy tender

|PM-203 Tortuguero <br />PM-204 Capotillo

|

|2

|Tortuguero and Capotillo were transferred to the Navy by the USCG in 1999 and in 2002, respectively. They are used for coastal patrol, navigational aids maintenance, midshipman cruises, humanitarian assistance, naval training exercises, and at sea refueling. They are armed with two M2 0.50 cal. machine guns.

|200px|PM-204 Capotillo

|-

| Tejo class Offshore Patrol Vessel

|

|4 on order

|-

! style="align: center; background: lightgray;" colspan="7" | Coast Guard Division

|- style="background:#efefef; color:black"

|-

| s

|GC-101 Aries <br /> GC-105 Antares <br /> GC-110 Sirius

|

|2

|They are used for coastal patrol, search and rescue operations, anti-narcotics operations. They are armed with two M2 0.50 cal. machine guns.

|200px|GC-105 Antares

|-

|Seawart-class patrol boat

|GC-103 Procion <br /> GC-104 Aldebarán <br /> GC-106 Bellatrix <br /> GC-108 Capella

|

|4

|They were acquired between 1968 and 1971. Between 2003 and 2005 they underwent a general renovation, receiving new engines, new generators, new radars, GPS navigation system, auto-pilot system, etc. They are used for coastal patrols, search and rescue operations, and anti-narcotics operations. They are armed with three M-2 0.50 cal. machine guns.

|200px|GC-106 Bellatrix

|-

|Swiftships 110'-class patrol boat

|GC-107 Canopus <br /> GC-109 Orión

|

|2

|Built in 1984 by the Swiftships shipbuilders. Between 2003 and 2005 they underwent a general renovation, receiving new engines, new generators, new radars, a GPS navigation system, and an auto-pilot system. They are used for coastal patrols, search and rescue operations, and anti-narcotics operations. They are armed with two M2 0.50 cal. machine guns, one Oerlikon 20&nbsp;mm cannon (single) and one M60 machine gun.

|200px|GC-109 Orion

|-

|Swiftships 35-meter patrol boat

|GC-112 Altair

|

|1

|Built in 2003 by the Swiftships shipbuilders. It is used for coastal patrols, search and rescue operations, and anti-narcotics operations. It is armed with two M2 0.50 cal. machine guns and one single-mounted Oerlikon 20&nbsp;mm cannon.

|200px|GC-112 Altair

|-

|Swiftships 36 meter

|GC-111 Centaurus

|

|1

|Built in 1976 by the Swiftships shipbuilders as research vessel for University of Delaware. The Dominican Navy acquired it in 2017. Is used for coastal patrols, search and rescue operations, and anti-narcotics operations.

|[http://www.shipspotting.com/photos/middle/4/7/1/1107174.jpg] EX-Hispaniola in Santo Domingo before was acquired by the ARD.

|-

| ||GC-102 Betelgeuse <br /> GC-114 Arcturus

|

|Built by Metal sharks shipbuilders. Used for coastal patrols, search and rescue operations, and anti-narcotics operations.

  • Marina de Guerra Dominicana