Peru – Direccion de Vigilancia y Reconocimiento Aeroe (DIVRA)

Oct 2, 2023 | Aviation Article

Author & photographer: Ian French
The Dirección de Vigilancia y Reconocimiento Aérea (DIVRA) was established in 2015 to address the growing threat of drug trafficking and terrorism and to better organise the country’s surveillance operations. It is based at Las Palmas in Lima as are its subordinate units.

DIVRA consists of three squadrons:
– Escuadrón Aéreo de Reconocimiento Remoto 330
– Escuadrón 331
– Escuadrón Aéreo 334

Its origins can be traced back to the Servicio de Aerofotografía Nacional (SAN) which was formed in 1942 to undertake the cartography of the country and this was funded by the Defense Mapping Agency of the United States of America.
Escuadrón Aéreo de Reconocimiento Remoto 330 operates a variety of drones.

Escuadrón de Reconocimiento 331

Around 2020 Escuadrón Aéreo 334 was established and the C-26B, PC-6 and RC690B were transferred to it. Escuadrón 331 now only operates two Learjet 36As fully equipped for electronic intelligence missions.

Aircraft operated: Falcon 20F 1983-2010, Learjet 25B 1974-1991 & Learjet 36A from 1991, C-26B 1996-2020, RC690B 2002-2020 & PC-6 2019-2020

Escuadrón Aéreo 334

This unit was established around 2020 to operate DIVRA’s non jet aircraft. Four C-26B are operated to support operations against the production and distribution of drugs in the valleys of the Apurimac, Ene and Mantaro rivers. They are equipped with geolocation systems, FLIR, VHF, UHF, SATCOM and Data link communication equipment.

Aircraft operated: C-26B from 2020, RC690B from 2020 & PC-6 from 2020

Aviation Press would like to thank the Fuerza Aérea del Perú for allowing and hosting our visit and Forest Aviation Tours for organising the trip.

331 PC-6/B2-H4 of Escuadrón Aéreo 334 at BA Las Palmas

331 PC-6/B2-H4 of Escuadrón Aéreo 334 at BA Las Palmas

331 PC-6/B2-H4 of Escuadrón Aéreo 334 & 524 Learjet 36A of Escuadrón 331 at BA Las Palmas

524 Learjet 36A of Escuadrón Aéreo 334 at BA Las Palmas

529 C-26B of Escuadrón Aéreo 334 at BA Las Palmas

529 C-26B of Escuadrón Aéreo 334 at BA Las Palmas

708 RC690B of Escuadrón Aéreo 334 at BA Las Palmas

The DIVRA hangar at BA Las Palmas full with two Learjets & C-26B

524 Learjet 36A of Escuadrón Aéreo 334 at BA Las Palmas

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