List of equipment of the Bolivian Armed Forces

This is a list of modern military equipment currently in service with the Bolivian Armed Forces.

Infantry weapons

This section contains mainly the infantry weapons of the Bolivian Army contingent, but also of the Bolivian Air Force and Bolivian Navy contingents, since they share some weapons. Consequently, the infantry weapons of the three branches of the Bolivian Armed Forces are regrouped in this section.

Pistols

Name	Origin	Type	Cartridge	Image	Details
FN35 [1]	United States /   Belgium   Belgium	Semi-automatic pistol	9×19 mm		—
Makarov [1]	Soviet Union	Semi-automatic pistol	9×18 mm		—
Beretta Mod. 92F [1]	Italy	Semi-automatic pistol	9×19 mm		—
Taurus PT111	Brazil	Semi-automatic pistol	9×19 mm		Pistol preferred by Bolivian Army officers. [2]
Norinco [3]	China	Semi-automatic pistol	9 mm	—	—
CZ [3]	Czech Republic	Semi-automatic pistol	9 mm	—	—
IWI Jericho 941 [1]	Israel	Semi-automatic pistol	9×19 mm		—
HK	West Germany   Germany	Semi-automatic pistol	9 mm	—	The special forces of the Bolivian Army have been provided with an HK pistol. [1]
Beretta M9A3	United States /   Italy	Semi-automatic pistol	9×19 mm		Pistols that were acquired in 2022 and distributed among the army, air force and navy. [4]

Submachine guns

Name	Origin	Type	Cartridge	Image	Details
MAT-49 [1]	French Fourth Republic	Submachine gun	9×19 mm		—
Uzi [1]	Israel	Submachine gun	9×19 mm		—
Beretta [1]	Italy	Submachine gun	9 mm	—	—
Taurus [1]	Brazil	Submachine gun	9 mm	—	—
FMK-3 [1] [5]	Argentina	Submachine gun	9×19 mm		—
CZ Scorpion Evo 3 A1	Czech Republic	Submachine gun	9×19 mm		Submachine gun received by the army in 2019. [6]

Shotguns

Name	Origin	Type	Cartridge	Image	Details
Remington Model 870 [1]	United States	Shotgun	12 gauge		—
Mossberg 500 [7]	United States	Shotgun	12 gauge		—

Battle / assault rifle / carbines

Name	Origin	Type	Cartridge	Image	Details
FN FAL	Belgium	Battle rifle	7.62×51 mm		Used by regular army units. These rifles were repowered. [1] [8]
AK-47 [1]	Soviet Union	Assault rifle	7.62×39 mm		—
Type 56	China	Assault rifle	7.62×39 mm		Variant of the AK-47 rifle developed by Norinco. Used by regular army units and by the Bolivian Marine Corps. [8] [9]
HK G3 [1]	Germany	Battle rifle	7.62×51 mm		—
AR-15A1 [1]	United States	Assault rifle	5.56×45 mm		—
M16A2 [1]	United States	Assault rifle	5.56×45 mm		It is used by units of the regular army and the special forces of the Bolivian Navy. [1] [8]
IMI Galil AR [1]	Israel	Assault rifle	5.56×45 mm		It is used by regular army units, by the Bolivian Marine Corps and by the Bolivian Air Force infantry. [7] [8]
AK-74 [1]	Soviet Union	Assault rifle	5.45×39 mm		It is also used by the Bolivian Marine Corps. [8]
SIG SG 540/540-1 [1]	Switzerland	Assault rifle	5.56×45 mm 7.62×51 mm		—
Steyr AUG A1 [1]	Austria	Assault rifle / carbine	5.56×45 mm		—
SA80 [9]	United Kingdom	Assault rifle	5.56×45 mm		Used by special forces units. [10]
M4A3/A4 [1]	United States	Assault rifle / carbine	5.56×45 mm		Also used by the special forces of the Bolivian Navy. [1]

Sniper and anti-materiel rifles

Name	Origin	Type	Cartridge	Image	Details
FAL Sniper [1]	Belgium	Sniper rifle	7.62×51 mm		—
Dragunov [1]	Soviet Union	Designated marksman rifle / sniper rifle	7.62×54 mm		—
NDM-86 Type 79 [1] [11]	China		7.62×54 mm		A clone of the Dragunov rifle made by Norinco. [12]
Steyr SSG 69 P1 [1]	Austria	Sniper rifle	7.62×51 mm		—
Accuracy International PM [1]	United Kingdom	Sniper rifle	7.62×51 mm		—
Steyr HS .50 M1	Austria	Anti-materiel sniper rifle	12.7×99 mm		Sniper and anti-materiel rifles acquired in 2019 for army, air force and navy special forces. [13] [14] [15] [16]
Steyr SSG 04 A1	Austria	Sniper rifle	7.62×51 mm

Machine guns

Name	Origin	Type	Cartridge	Image	Details
Browning M2HB [1]	United States	Heavy machine gun	12.7×99 mm		Also used by the special forces of the Bolivian Navy. [1]
RPD [8]	Soviet Union	Light machine gun	7.62×39mm		—
SIG MG 710-3 [1]	Switzerland	General-purpose machine gun	7.62×51 mm		—
M60 [1]	United States	General-purpose machine gun	7.62×51 mm		Also used by the special forces of the Bolivian Navy. [1]
HK21 [1]	West Germany   Germany	General-purpose machine gun	7.62×51 mm		—
CS/LM3	China	Heavy machine gun	12,7×99 mm	—	Norinco machine guns mounted on 27 Tigr 4x4 vehicles of Shaanxi Baoji Special Vehicles Co., Ltd. incorporated in 2016; in the troop transport variant, and distributed among the army, air force and navy. [17] The 6 Chinese type 928 YC patrol boats incorporated in 2019 by the Bolivian Navy also mount these machine guns. [18]
FN MAG [1]	Belgium	General-purpose machine gun	7.62×51 mm		They are also used mounted on Toyota Hilux 4x4 pickup trucks; which were acquired in 2017. [19]

Grenade launchers

Name	Origin	Type	Cartridge	Image	Details
M79 [1]	United States	Grenade launcher	40×46 mm		Also used by the special forces of the Bolivian Navy. [1]
MK 19 Mod 3	United States	Automatic grenade launcher	40×53 mm		It is used by the special forces of the Bolivian Navy. [1]
M203 [ citation needed ]	United States	Coupled grenade launcher	40×46 mm		Also used by the special forces of the Bolivian Navy. [1]
QLZ-87 [20]	China	Automatic grenade launcher	35×32 mm		—

Anti-material weapons

Name	Origin	Type	Cartridge	Image	Details
Type 65/78 [8] [21]	China	Recoilless rifle	82 mm		It is a variant of the B-10 recoilless rifle produced by Norinco. [22]
M40 [8]	United States	Recoilless rifle	106 mm		—
RPG-7 [8]	Soviet Union	Rocket-propelled grenade	40 mm		It is also used by the Bolivian Marine Corps. [8]
M72 LAW [8]	United States	Rocket-propelled grenade	66 mm		—
HJ-8 [8] [21]	China	Anti-tank guided missile	155 mm		—

Vehicles

Armored combat vehicles

Name	Image	Origin	Quantity	Notes
LT TK
SK-105A1 Kuerassier		Austria	~36	[23]
SK-105A2 Kuerassier			~18	[23]
RECCE
EE-9 Cascavel		Brazil	~24	[23]
APC
M113		United States	50+	[23]
M9			~37	[23]
EE-11 Urutu		Brazil	~24	[23]
MOWAG Roland		Switzerland	~22	[23]
V-100 Commando		United States	~15	[23]
AUV
ZFB-05		China	~19	[23]

Utility vehicles

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Quantity	Status
Jeep CJ		Utility vehicle	United States	Unknown	In service
M151 [24]		Utility vehicle	United States	Unknown	In service
Humvee		Light utility vehicle	United States	30 [25]	In service
Trucks
GAZ Sadko		Utility truck	Russia	Unknown	In service
Dodge M37		Utility truck	United States	37	In service
M35 [24]		Utility truck	United States	Unknown	In service
M54 [24]		Utility truck	United States	Unknown	In service
Ford F-750		Utility truck	United States	16	In service

Artillery

Material used by the Bolivian Army. It will be specified in "details" if there is material from another branch of the Bolivian Armed Forces.

Mortars

Name	Origin	Type	Cartridge	Image	Details
M30 [8]	United States	Mortar	107 mm		—
M29 [8]	United States	Mortar	81 mm		—
M224 [8]	United States	Mortar	60 mm		—
Soltam M120 [26]	Israel	Mortar	120 mm		—

Howitzers

Name	Origin	Type	Cartridge	Image	Details
Schneider L.15.05 model 1928	French Third Republic	Towed howitzer	155 mm		16 units donated by the Argentine Army in 1976, which correspond to an Argentine modernization of the howitzer Schneider model 1917. [26]
Bofors L40 Mod. 1935	Sweden	Mountain gun	75 mm		Undetermined number of units donated by the Argentine Army. [26]
M116 [26]	United States	Pack howitzer	75 mm		—
M101A1 [26]	United States	Towed howitzer	105 mm		—
Type 54-1 [21] [26]	China	Towed howitzer	122 mm		Improved variant of the howitzer M-30 developed by Norinco. [27]

Air defense systems

Name	Origin	Type	Cartridge	Image	Details
Type 64/74 [8] [21]	China	Anti-aircraft gun	37 mm		—
HN-5A [8] [21] [28]	China	MANPADS	72 mm		It is also used by the Bolivian Air Force. [8] 37 of these missiles belonging to the Bolivian Army were brought to the United States in 2005 for dismantling, creating a controversial case within the Bolivian Armed Forces. In 2010, some missiles that were already deactivated were returned to the army. [28]

References

1. Grupo Edefa (2020). "Anuario Latinoamericano de la Defensa 2020". Bolivia. Anuario Latinoamericano de la Defensa (in Spanish): 92–95.
2. Ríos, Luzmila (28 November 2019). "Bolivia en estado de 'shock': a una semana de la masacre de Senkata". elsaltodiario.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 July 2023.
3. Aránguiz, Óscar E. (9 September 2021). "Carabineros de Chile detiene a tres militares bolivianos en el territorio nacional". infodefensa.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 July 2023.
4. Hernández, Carlos E. (20 May 2022). "Bolivia dota a sus Fuerzas Armadas de un millar de pistolas Beretta M9A3 y sables". infodefensa.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 July 2023.
5. Suciu, Peter (12 September 2020). "The Domestically Produced Argentinean Submachine Gun: The FMK-3". nationalinterest.org. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
6. Hernández, Carlos E. (27 May 2019). "Bolivia dota de armamento y otros equipos a sus tropas de frontera". infodefensa.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 July 2023.
7. Gullo, Emiliano; Bertoia, Luciana; Ortega, Sebastián N.; Mena, Paúl; Paredes, Iván (8 June 2022). "La ruta de las armas a Bolivia". revistaanfibia.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 August 2023.
8. "Especial Bolivia". Tecnología Militar (in Spanish). No. 3. 2018. pp. 4–17. ISSN   0722-2904.
9. Hernández, Carlos E. (9 March 2017). "Bolivia posterga la compra de fusiles en favor de simuladores de tiro". infodefensa.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 July 2023.
10. Johnson, Steve (31 December 2012). "SA80 in Bolivia". thefirearmblog.com. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
11. FirearmsWorld (17 February 2015). "Firearmsworld.net" 79/85式狙击步枪 (in Chinese). firearmsworld.net. Archived from the original on 23 July 2017. Retrieved 8 August 2017.
12. "SVD". weaponsystems.net. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
13. Hernández, Carlos E. (1 March 2019). "El Ejército de Bolivia dota a sus unidades con rifles de precisión Steyr HS .50 M1". infodefensa.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 July 2023.
14. Hernández, Carlos E. (16 March 2019). "Steyr entrega una nueva partida de 50 fusiles al Ejército de Bolivia". infodefensa.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 July 2023.
15. Hernández, Carlos E. (8 April 2019). "Bolivia dota a sus comandos anfibios de fusiles de precisión Steyr". infodefensa.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 August 2023.
16. "Gobierno entrega fusiles de precisión y antimateria a unidades de élite de las FFAA". opinion.com.bo (in Spanish). 7 March 2019. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
17. Hernández, Carlos E. (9 August 2016). "China donará a Bolivia material militar por un valor de 30.000.000 de dólares". infodefensa.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 July 2023.
18. "La Armada de Bolivia incorpora seis patrulleras chinas tipo 928 YC". infodefensa.com (in Spanish). 21 August 2019. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
19. Hernández, Carlos E. (10 January 2017). "Bolivia refuerza sus fronteras con vehículos armados y sistemas de comunicaciones". infodefensa.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 July 2023.
20. Smallwood, Michael (29 April 2016). "Kurdish Forces with Chinese QLZ87 Automatic Grenade Launcher & M99 Anti-materiel Rifle". Small Arms Defense Journal. Vol. 8, no. 1.
21. Hernández, Carlos E. (17 June 2022). "Norinco ofrece a Bolivia servicios de mantenimiento para equipo pesado". infodefensa.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 August 2023.
22. "B-10". weaponsystems.net. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
23. International Institute for Strategic Studies (February 13, 2024). The Military Balance 2024 (1st ed.). Routledge. p. 415. ISBN   978-1032780047.
24. "Annex C Appendix II". US Army Technical Manual of Foreign Military Sales: Battlefield Damage Assessment and Repair (PDF). Washington, D.C. 18 December 1987. p. 262. TM 9-2320-356-BD. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 September 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
25. 2011 Army Weapon Systems Handbook (PDF) (Report). Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology. 2011. p. 137. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 September 2012. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
26. Hernández, Carlos E. (21 November 2022). "Obuses remolcados y morteros pesados, pilares de la Artillería de Bolivia". infodefensa.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 August 2023.
27. "M-30". weaponsystems.net. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
28. Hernández, Carlos E. (5 September 2017). "Más de 20 años de cárcel para los implicados en el caso de los misiles chinos". infodefensa.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 August 2023.