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Patino agrees that the Air Force is “diminished.”
Posted On 28 Oct 2016
The Ecuadorian Air Force (FAE) yesterday celebrated its 96 years of institutional life and during the military ceremony in Quito, its general commander, Cesar Merizalde, used his speech to talk about the importance of having the necessary financial resources “to keep the operational force.”
He did not refer to the fact that the FAE no longer has the seven Dhruv helicopters because four suffered accidents and three were left out of operation. Defense Minister Ricardo Patino acknowledged that the operational capacity of the Ecuadorian Air Force is “diminished” by the tasks executed in the area devastated by the earthquake of April 16. However, he said, that capacity is recovering.
Patino did not want to talk about the Dhruv helicopters because of the demand the Indian company HAL started against the country by the unilateral termination of the purchase of seven aircraft. What he did mention was the support that the Government has given to the armed forces in the last ten years.
In this context, he announced that resources for repairing the track of the Taura air base, which is deteriorated, were achieved.
He also announced that soon -a the end of this year- the four radars purchased in Spain and which are being installed in various parts of the country, will be operational.
