Peru Military Forces 🇵🇪

Peru's military is oriented towards countering significant internal security threats while maintaining a credible, albeit secondary, conventional deterrent in the Andean region. The primary challenges are not from state actors but from narco-trafficking, illegal mining, and the remnants of the Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path) insurgency, particularly in the VRAEM (Valley of the Apurímac, Ene, and Mantaro rivers) region. While historical tensions with neighbors like Chile exist, the possibility of interstate warfare is considered remote.

Military Forces

The Peruvian Armed Forces are undergoing their most significant recapitalization in decades, backed by a 2025 defense budget of approximately $3 billion. This modernization aims to replace obsolete equipment and standardize platforms to improve logistics.

• Air Force: The FAP is the top priority, with over $2 billion allocated to acquire 24 new multi-role fighters to replace its aging fleet of French Mirage 2000 and Russian MiG-29 jets. Leading contenders include the US F-16, Swedish Gripen, and French Rafale. Two Boeing 737 transport aircraft are also planned for acquisition to improve mobility.
• Navy: The Navy is slated to receive $1.3 billion to expand its fleet with six multi-role frigates, three offshore patrol vessels, and four submarines, among other assets, to enhance maritime security.
• Army: The Army is undergoing a more modest modernization, with $78 million designated for the JUCRAM program to acquire 40 new multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS).

Defense Industry

Peru lacks a robust indigenous industry for major military platforms and remains dependent on foreign imports for advanced systems. However, government strategy emphasizes developing local capabilities through technology transfer and international partnerships. A key example is the partnership between the state-run shipyard SIMA and South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries to co-produce a frigate, an offshore patrol vessel, and two logistical ships. This model seeks to boost self-reliance and foster economic growth.

Strategic Trends

The foremost trend is Peru’s determined shift from a military equipped with disparate and aging Cold War-era hardware to a more modern, cohesive, and sustainable force. This overhaul is focused on enhancing capabilities for internal security operations and sovereignty protection, such as patrolling borders and responding to natural disasters. While the approved budget marks a significant commitment, Peru's history of political instability and complex procurement processes could present challenges and potential delays to these ambitious modernization timelines. Affordability remains a key factor, with spending historically low at around 1% of GDP.