FRANCISCO OLIVARES
EL UNIVERSAL
 
Military forces are measured not only by the number of arms, but by operational and defense capabilities, experience in combat, funding, mobilization capacity and, particularly, steps toward self-sufficiency.
 
For instance, having 100,000 troops does not mean that they will be continuously fighting. At least 70 percent of mobilization expenses should be covered. How can 8,000 casualties be replaced? Some capacity is needed. Is this capacity available in Venezuela?
 
Which steps should be taken in the case of losing 20,000 out of 100,000 rifles? No new purchase from abroad is to be awaited. They should be manufactured and replaced immediately.
 
Venezuela, for instance, bought 100,000 Russian rifles -a process that takes time - but cannot manufacture a rifle to replace any losses in the event of a war, as in the Argentinean case.
 
And here, experts say, the needs of this force should be assessed.
 
Strategic components enable the state to use domestic input to produce items and refrain from using imported items to ensure a minimum defense capacity.
 
Partnerships such as NATO and other military agreements reinforce such capacity. Based on a military agreement, the Chile-Brazil-Argentina axis strengthened their capacity and defensive and offensive potential because the three of them compose a military force able to resist foreign aggression.
 
Military autonomy

At the present time, Brazil manufactures 90 percent of its ammunitions; Argentina, 77.8 percent, and Chile, 65 percent. Venezuela does not manufacture any. It just assembles a small percentage of 9 mm and 45 mm ammunitions.
 
Argentina manufactures three types of sniper rifles, three types of assault rifles and submachine guns. Brazil has three types of sniper rifles, six types of assault rifles and nine types of submachine guns.
 
Argentina manufactures all its barrels -from 4 mm to 105 mm. As Chileans cannot take 105 mm firearms to some places, they have focused on saturation gunnery and develop skyrockets.
 
Brazil, Argentina and Chile manufacture their own light, transportation and armored vehicles.
 
High-tech development

Chile has produced an armored, light carrier. Argentina developed an armored, medium carrier and Brazil designed a number of big tanks.
 
Chile has its own fighters, Argentina the Pampa 2000 and Pucará -a tracker.
 
Brazil has manufacturing plants of planes and helicopters. Chile manufactures carriers, landing crafts, missile and interceptor patrols. Argentina produces high-speed patrol boats, heavy patrol boats and even a destroyer. Brazil manufactures a wide range of patrols, missile aircraft, corvettes, frigates and submarines.
 
Chile makes turbines for its aircrafts. It also manufactures drives, hydraulic systems and everything needed to have F5 planes updated and self-sufficient weaponry.
 
Aerospace

Chile has two micro-satellites that went already into orbit. Argentina developed four satellites and a space outfit, and Brazil is a giant in this area.
 
High-ranking military officers in those fellow nations are indeed senior managers with superior technical and scientific skills, the heads of programs and leaders of competitive enterprises. They are officers who realized that the military world in 1982 was a failure. They are people who think in the long term rather than political pettiness.
 
Sources: National Security Agenda; Venezuelan Armed Force; Venezuelan Military Industry (CAVIM); Military Industries of Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Colombia; specialized magazines.

Translated by Conchita Delgado