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Colombia - Naval Flags

Last modified: 2024-07-13 by daniel rentería
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Colombian Naval Ensign

(2:3)
image by Zoltán Horváth, 8 May 2024


In war time (doubtful)
image by Željko Heimer, 20 May 2001

Ratio 2:3. Adopted: 12 November 1932. In use except small changes of the shield.
Jaume Ollé, 25 July 1996

Like the National Flag, with a white circle in the center, with the Coat of Arms inside.
Jan Zrzavy
, 16 January 1998

'Pavillons nationaux et marques distinctives' [pay00], Fig. 2 (naval ensign) - Note 1 says in wartime it have red border around the disk containing the Coat of Arms.
Željko Heimer, 9 January 2001

On <www.presidencia.gov.co>, there is the law on the national flag in spanish, but as far as I have understood in quick glance, it deals quite detailed (centimeters-wise) on the national flag and civil and war ensigns, as well as the "war flag for wartime" (as it is explained in Album) with red circle around the white disk with Coat of Arms.
Is this indeed the "war flag for wartime", or just the "usual" war ensign? It seems that the inscription in the red annulet is prescribed after all, and not "unofficial addition" as it is hinted here.
Željko Heimer, 14 May 2001

If Željko is referring to Article 3 of the decree which describes the "bandera de guerra en uso en el eje'rcito," a "bandera de guerra" in this context normally means simply a military color, not a flag flown only in wartime. 
Joe McMillan, 14 May 2001

According to [pay00] - Naval Ensign. ---/--W 2:3: National flag with a white disk (1/2 the hoist in diameter) with the Coat of Arms on it. Note to the figure explains that "during war time, the coat of arms is surrounded by a red ring 5 cm wide". The translation of the abovementioned laws would clear this up a bit, but 5 cm should be considered relative to 1.30 m. hoist of naval flags and it also include the name of the unit hoisting the flag in yellow letters. Also, the "war time" is highly doubtful - probably mistranslation.
Željko Heimer, 16 May 2001

Red ring around white disc with Coat of Arms is according to Smith and others the President's flag. My informations: naval ensign: 300 x 200 cm., white disc with Coat of Arms is 30 cm. diameter. Red ring is around in the warflag on land, but this flag is 135 x 100 cm., white disc 30 cm., red ring 5 cm.
Ralf Stelter, 17 May 2001

On presidential flag the red ring is smaller in diameter then the naval ensign and not reaching (or just touching, depending on source) the red stripe.
Željko Heimer, 17 May 2001

Naval ensign as legislated and as it is used. Naval ensign, military flag and cavalry standart was kept without change by resolutions 64 (9-1-1961) and 4235 (1965) and still in use.
Jaume Ollé, 27 October 2001

The flag with a Coat of Arms over a red-bordered white circle is very common. According to the presidency web-site the law says that flags with Coat of Arms are only suposed to be used by the presidency and the military, but they can be seen anywhere, from private corporations, to private citizens to school classrooms, etc.
Carlos Thompson, 24 March 2003

The Album 2000 says that the red disk only appears on the flag in time of war and shows the flag without, but Carlos tells us that it is generally shown.  What is the position, does it, perhaps, appear on the naval ensign in time of war only, and on the state flag all the time?
Christopher Southworth, 24 March 2003

I think the notion that the red ring appears only in time of war stems from the Spanish term used in much of South America for a military unit color:  "bandera de guerra," or war flag. 
Joe McMillan, 24 March 2003

Joe is perfectly right, I looked again at my sources and I must amend Album here : Colombian warships show naval ensign in all time, war and peace My fault was in translating spanish language
Armand Noel du Payrat, 24 March 2003

I took my New Year holidays at Cartagena. Navy ships used a tricolor with the shield in a white circle with no red border, but the white circle did not touched the red band. the School Ship ARC Gloria was in Cartagena too and open to tourists.  It exibited a big flag as can be seen in this picture. Here, the Coat of Arms in the white circle is unusually small, but in the other ships I saw, the diameter of the white circle was between 1/4 and 1/3 of the hoist.
Carlos Thompson, 9 January 2004

Variants (?)


image by Jaume Ollé, 27 October 2001


image by Jaume Ollé, 27 October 2001


image by Željko Heimer, 20 May 2001


Colombian Navy Flag


official flag
image by Eugene Ipavec, 3 December 2009


standard
image by Eugene Ipavec and Jaume Ollé, 6 September 2005

Armada de la Republica de Colombia - This flag can be seen (in an arty, animated way), at the frame "organizacion" at <www.mindefensa.gov.co>.
Guillermo Tell, 3 June 2000

Image based on scan of page 217 of the book "Himnos y Símbolos de Nuestra Colombia", by Julio César García, Camer Editores. 2000 ISBN 958-33-1489-7. The offcial explanation for the Coat of Arms (in Spanish) is at <www.armada.mil.co>>
E.R., 6 September and 12 December 2005

The flag shows the "Escudo Heráldico" (or Heraldic Arms"). The Heraldic Arms can be found at <www.armada.mil.co/simbarc2.jpg>. The explanation (in Spanish) for the Heraldic Arms can be located at <www.armada.mil.co/heraldica_armada.htm>.
E.R., 22 June 2006

The official flag is the Colombian tricolor with the Coat of Arms and below it reads ARMADA NACIONAL (National Navy) in bold golden capital letters.
The flag was spotted on the official website of the newspaper El Espectador, on October 30, 2009.
E.R., 3 December 2009

Plain Flag


image by Carlos Thompson, 2 June 2003

Unit (Ships') flags

Since all surface vessels and submarine in the Colombian Navy are operational Units in the Order of Battle of the (Naval) Force, they all have their respective Unit flags.
For instance, here's the flag for the "A.R.C. 20 de Julio" (Armada República de Colombia, Republic of Colombia Navy, 20th of July) OPV (Offshore Patrol Vessel), or PZM (Patrulleros de Zona Marítima, in English: Maritime Zone Patrol Boats).
Sources: http://www.webinfomil.com/2012/02/armada-nacional-incorpora-patrullero.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrulleros_de_Zona_Mar%C3%ADtima
The flag pattern is the Colombian tricolor, pluse the official name of the country encircling the coat of arms and below, the Unit's flag, as seen for the ARC Barranquilla.
Esteban Rivera, 06 March 2016


Naval Jack


image by Željko Heimer, 20 May 2001

According to Album 2000 [pay00] - Jack (2:3) - Light blue flag (Album 2000 shows it in dark blue) with the Coat of Arms on a red bordered white disk. At least [zna99] claims on page 95 that Colombia uses a jack that is equal to the national flag , but I think that this is just not so (and maybe never was). However, I have not researched this quite enough to claim anything for sure.
Željko Heimer, 16 May 2001


Naval Pennant


image by Željko Heimer, 23 May 2001

According to Album 2000 [pay00] - Masthead Pennant - Long blue pennant with the national flag at hoist. Ratio approximately 2:35, the national flag at hoist being about 1:3. Both Album 2000 and Jaume Ollé report this pennant being light blue (both giving considerably different ratio, but that may not be indicative). The question of light vs. dark blue was touched several times already. Album 2000 should be corrected (for current practice at least).
Željko Heimer, 23 May 2001


Naval Aviation


image by Eugene Ipavec, 3 September 2005


detail
image by Eugene Ipavec, 3 September 2005


additional flag
image by Eugene Ipavec, 7 February 2006


aircraft marking
image from wikipedia

Aviación Naval (Naval Aviation) which is a Branch within the Armada República de Colombia - ARC (Republic of Colombia Navy).
E.R., 3 September 2005

Blue flag, dark blue ring with golden borders & inscriptions "Armada Nacional" and "Aviación Naval" in all caps, also gold. Inside the ring is a golden-winged and bordered shield over an anchor, divided into three horizontal compartments. The sheld is the same as tho one in the national Coat of Arms:  Top - a pomegranate  with a slice missing, bracketed by two cornucopias. Middle - A red Jacobin hat. Bottom - two seas separared by green hills and a three-masted sailing ship afloat on each.
Eugene Ipavec, 3 September 2005

The additional flag (as all military formations and units) is the tricolor Colombian flag with the Coat of Arms of Colombia reading on top REPUBLICA DE COLOMBIA and on the bottom AVIACION NAVAL.
Source: Picture taken at an air show on June, 2005.
E.R., 7 February 2006

Aircraft Marking

According to a photo of a Colombian (Navy) helicopter, the Aviación Naval is using the same roundel of the Colombian Air Force but superimposed on an anchor (white one in the photo).
Julio Novoa, 6 May 2006


Marine Infantry


obverse
image by Eugene Ipavec, 9 July 2010


reverse
image by Eugene Ipavec, 8 March 2006


detail
image by Eugene Ipavec, 9 July 2010

The flag of the Colombian Marine Infantry (Infantería de Marina) based on photo at a monthñy bulletin published by the Colombian Navy called "BoletIM" (from the Spanish words 'Boletín', meaning Bulletin, and 'IM' from Infantería de Marina, meaning Marine Infantry, <www.armada.mil.co>) and image taken from the book "Himnos y Símbolos de Nuestra Colombia", written by Julio C'sar García. Camer Editing (2000).
E.R., 10 December 2005

The Coat of Arms includes the Latin Motto VOLUNTAS OMNIA SUPERAT in black, on the Golden fringe, below the Coat of Arms.
E.R., 22 December 2006

I finally found what is the inscription on the obverse of the Colombian Marine Infantry flag you drew. It reads VOLUNTAS OMNIAS SUPERAT, which means "will overcomes everything". It can be seen on page 264 of an online Marine Infantry book in PDF format, available here: http://www.armada.mil.co/index.php?idcategoria=537842
Esteban Rivera, 2 December 2007


"Admiral Padilla" School of Naval Cadets


obverse
image by Eugene Ipavec, 7 February 2006


reverse
image by Eugene Ipavec, 7 February 2006

Here is the flag of the Escuela Naval Almirante Padilla (Admiral Padilla Naval School). The official abbreviation is ENAP. It's full name is Escuela Naval de Cadetes "Almirante Padilla" ("Admiral Padilla" School of Naval Cadets).
Sources:
- TV cap from regional TV channel called TeleAntioquia <www.teleantioquia.com.co> during the Independene Day parade held in Bogota on July 20, 2004. The flags on the picture are a set of naval flags (all reverse side), so that you get a good idea of the shade of blue and also to see that all military flags in Colombia have a plain color reverse (blue).
- Picture taken directly from ENAP's official website at <www.escuelanaval.edu.co>. Note that the colors on the Coat of Arms are inverted in order to fir the blue background of the flag.
- Scan of the Coat of Arms from the book "Himnos y Símbolos de Nuestra Colombia", by Julio César García, Camer Editing (2000) page 222.
E.R., 7 February 2006


Naval NCO School ARC Barranquilla


image by Eugene Ipavec, 25 June 2006


image by Eugene Ipavec, 8 July 2006

The flag of the Escuela Naval de Suboficiales "ARC Barranquilla" (Naval NCO School ARC Barranquilla). This school is located in the port city of Barranquilla, in the Department of Atlántico, on the northwestern coast of Colombia, facing the Caribbean. The flag is a plain yellow background (much like the flag of Colombia). It has the School's Coat of Arms in the middle.
E.R., 25 June 2006

It looks more like a sail to me.
Eugene Ipavec, 25 June 2006

The flag is actually a sail because the school is on board a ship, the ARC Barranquilla. ARC is the prefix used on all surface units used by the Colombian Navy and it stands for Armada República de Colombia. The official abbreviation of the NCO Naval School is ENSB (Escuela Naval de Suboficiales Barranquilla). The official website is <www.armada.mil.co>.
E.R., 30 June 2006

I recently found the alternate version for the NCO School ARC Barranquilla. This is the "traditional" Colombian tricolor flag with the coat of arms but on the bottom it read ARC BARRANQUILLA in yellow capital letters.
E.R., 8 July 2006