National Aeronaval Service

"SENAN" redirects here. For other uses, see Senan.

The National Aeronaval Service of Panama, also called SENAN (abbreviation for Spanish: Servicio Nacional Aeronaval), is a branch of the Panamanian Public Forces which is responsible for carrying out naval and air operations. Its role is to perform protection, surveillance, security and defense of the air and maritime jurisdictional areas.^[2] The service has approximately 3,700 personnel, with 19 boats and approximately 24 aircraft.^[3]

National Aeronaval Service Servicio Nacional Aeronaval de Panamá
National Aeronaval Service shield
Roundel of Panama
Low visibility roundel
Racing Stripe
Abbreviation	SENAN
Motto	Dios, Patria y Honor God, Fatherland and Honor
Agency overview
Formed	August 8, 2008 (2008-08-08)
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction	Panama
Specialist jurisdiction	Coastal patrol, marine border protection, marine search and rescue.
Operational structure
Sworn members	3,700 officers
Agency executive	Director General Luis Antonio De Gracia[1], Commandant
Parent agency	Panamanian Public Forces
Website
www.aeronaval.gob.pa

Introduction

The SENAN is the result of a merger between the former National Maritime Service and the National Air Service of Panama in 2008. The unit was created as civilian police forces and component of the Public Forces attached to Ministry of Public Security, protect rights and freedoms of people, maintain public order, prevent and investigate crimes, and protect the air and maritime jurisdictional areas, thus contributing to public policy, humanitarian relief and facilitating an environment for development social and economic development of Panama.^[4]

According to the national law, the SENAN will act as a public security entity in the maritime, air, port and airport areas throughout the national territory, by performing the following functions:^[5]

Organisation

The organisation of SENAN consist of:^[6]

• Political-Director Level
  • Director General as head of SENAN.
  • Deputy Director General, along with Director General are appointed by President of Panama with recommendation of Ministry of Public Security.^[7]
• Advisory Level: General Directory, General Inspectorate, General Secretariat and Legal Department.
• Investigator Level: Internal Auditor and Internal Affairs.
• Auxiliary Support Level: National Directorate of Comprehensive Action, National Directorate of Human Resources, National Directorate of Logistics and General Services, National Directorate of Administration and Finances, National Directorate of Aerial Maintenance, National Directorate of Naval Maintenance and National Directorate of Teaching.
• Operational Level: National Directorate of Intelligence, National Directorate of Operations, National Directorate of Technology, National Directorate of Territorial Surveillance and three Aeronaval Region.

Base

The SENAN's bases and stations are located within three region of Aeronaval.^[8]

1st Region (Primera Región)	2nd Region (Segunda Región)	3rd Region (Tercera Región)
Chiriqui Grande Aeronaval Station Quebrada de Piedra Aeronaval Station Coiba Aeronaval Station De Rambala Air Station Mayor Azael Adames Air Station Subteniente Vicente Vargas Air Station	Captain Lloyd Nunez Command Base Almirante Cristobal Colon Aeronaval Base Vasco Nuñez de Balboa Naval Base Captain Juan Delgado Air Base Isla Chapera Aeronaval Station Punta Coco Aeronaval Station Mensabe Aeronaval Station de Chame Air Station Octavio Rodriguez Garrido Air Station	Major Salvador Cordoba Air Station

Personnel

As of 2024^[update], SENAN personnel consist of approximately 3,700 sworn officers and 200 administrative personnel.^[3] Sworn officers perform SENAN tasks and missions, while administrative personnel only conduct administrative and technical functions.^[6]

Sworn offices are consist of following levels:^[9]

Commissioned officer ranks

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
National Aeronaval Service[10] v t e
							Director General		Subdirector General		Comisionado		Subcomisionado		Mayor		Capitán		Teniente			Subteniente

Other ranks

Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted
National Aeronaval Service[10] v t e																																			No insignia
									Sargento primero								Sargento segundo						Cabo primero				Cabo segundo								Agente

As branch of Public Forces, SENAN personnel can be transferred to another police service according to service needs and vice versa.^[11]

Equipment

Aircraft

Panama's Servicio Nacional Aeronaval Cessna 208B

An AW-139 helicopter landing on the USNS Comfort

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Variant	In service	Notes
Attack
Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano	Brazil	light attack		4 (in order) [12][13]
Transport
CASA 295	Spain	Tactical transport		2 (in order)[12][13]
Super King Air	United States	utility	100/250/350	3[3]
DHC-6 Twin Otter	Canada	utility transport		2[3]	STOL capable aircraft
CASA C-212	Spain	utility / transport		3[3]
Cessna 152	United States	transport		2[3]
Cessna 172	United States	transport		1[3]
Cessna 208	United States	MEDEVAC		2[3]
Cessna 210	United States	transport		1[3]
Embraer ERJ-135BJ	Brazil	transport		1[3]
Piper PA-31	United States	transport / patrol		1[3]
Piper PA-34	United States	utility		2[3]
Helicopters
AgustaWestland AW139	Italy	SAR		8[3]
Bell 412	United States	SAR / utility		1[3]
McDonnell Douglas MD500	United States	patrol		1[3]
AgustaWestland AW109	Italy	MEDEVAC		1[3]
Bell 212	United States	transport		2[3]
Bell 407	United States	transport		2[3]
Bell UH-1	United States	utility	UH-1H	6[14]	donated by United States[15]
Trainer aircraft
T-35 Pillán	Chile	trainer		4[3]

Vessels

A patrol boat similar to this one is used by the SENAN

Vessel	Origin	Type	Class	Notes
Patrol boat
P-901[16]	Italy	coastal enforcement	Class 900
P-302 Ligia Elena	United Kingdom	patrol boat	Vosper class
P-301 Panquiaco[17]	United Kingdom	patrol boat	Vosper class
P-204 3 de Noviembre[18]	United States	patrol boat	Point class
P-206 10 de Noviembre[18]	United States	patrol boat	Point class
P-207 28 de Noviembre[18]	United States	patrol boat	Point class
P-208 4 de Noviembre[18]	United States	patrol boat	Point class
P-209 5 de Noviembre[18]	United States	patrol boat	Point class
P-220 Pdte. Guillermo Endara[19]	Italy	patrol boat	Super 200 class
P-221 Pdte. Ernesto P. Balladares[19]	Italy	patrol boat	Super 200 class
P-222 Pdte. Mireya Moscoso[19]	Italy	patrol boat	Super 200 class
P-223 Pdte. Martin Torrijose Herrera[19]	Italy	patrol boat	Super 200 class
P-814 Coclé[20]	United States	patrol boat	Mark-II class
P-843 Bocas del Toro[21]	United States	patrol boat	Mark-IV class
Support vessels
L-24 Lina Maria[22]	Colombia	Support vessel	Logistica class
A-401 Independencia[23]	United States	Support vessel	Buoy Tender class
A-402 General Esteban Huertas[24]	United States	Support vessel	Barcaza class	second hand from the U.S. Navy
Special boat
Hunter Class	Honduras	fast boat		2 in service[25]
Nor-Tech	United States	maritime interdiction	BIM 43 Class	4 in service[26]
Eduardoño Class	Colombia	fast boat		5 in service[27]
Donzin Class	United States	fast boat		2 in service[28]