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The Armed Forces of Equatorial Guinea (Spanish: Fuerzas Armadas de Guinea Ecuatorial; French: Forces armées de la Guinée équatoriale; Portuguese: Forças Armadas da Guiné Equatorial) consists of approximately 2,500 service members. The army has almost 1,400 soldiers, the navy 200 service members, and the air force about 120 members.[citation needed] There is also a gendarmerie, but the number of members is unknown. The Gendarmerie is a new branch of the service in which training and education is being supported by the French Military Cooperation in Equatorial Guinea.[2] Military appointments are all reviewed by President Teodoro Obiang, and few of the native militiamen come from outside of Obiang's Mongomo-based Esangui clan. Obiang was a general when he overthrew his uncle, Francisco Macías Nguema.
| Armed Forces of Equatorial Guinea | |
|---|---|
| |
 Coat of arms of Equatorial Guinea | |
| Service branches | Army of Equatorial Guinea Navy of Equatorial Guinea Air Force of Equatorial Guinea |
| Leadership | |
| Commander-in-Chief | Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo |
| Minister of Defence | General Antonio Mba Nguema |
| Personnel | |
| Conscription | 18 years of age, 2 years selective compulsory service |
| Available for military service | 136,725 males, age 16–49, 138,018 females, age 16–49 |
| Fit for military service | 105,468 males, age 16–49, 107,919 females, age 16–49 |
| Reaching military age annually | 6,983 males, 6,726 females |
| Active personnel | 2,400 |
| Expenditure | |
| Percent of GDP | 0.1% (2006 est.) |
| Industry | |
| Foreign suppliers |  United States Russia Belgium North Korea Israel[1] |
| Related articles | |
| Ranks | Military ranks of Equatorial Guinea |
History
edit
The Armed Forces were reorganized in 1979. In 1988, the United States donated a 68-foot patrol boat to the Equatoguinean navy to patrol its exclusive economic zone. The U.S. patrol boat Isla de Bioko is no longer operational.[3] U.S. military-to-military engagement has been dormant since 1997 (the year of the last Joint Combined Exchange Training exercise). Between 1984 and 1992, service members went regularly to the United States on the International Military Education Training program, after which funding for this program for Equatorial Guinea ceased. The government spent 6.5% of its annual budget on defense in 2000 and 4.5% of its budget on defense in 2001. It recently acquired some Chinese artillery pieces, some Ukrainian patrol boats, and some Ukrainian helicopter gunships. Cooper and Weinert 2010 says that all aircraft are based on the military side of Malabo International Airport.[4]
In 2002, an International Consortium of Investigative Journalists report said:
"The oil companies do not view Equatorial Guinea's military – a product of decades of brutal dictatorial rule – with much confidence. The army is believed to have only about 1,320 men under arms, the navy 120, and the air force 100. Seven of the army's nine generals are relatives of the president; the other two are from his tribe. There is no clear command structure, the level of discipline is low, and professionalism and training are almost non-existent, according to locals and foreign oil workers. Even the presidential guard – an indication of the lack of trust in the country's forces – is composed of 350 Moroccan troops."[5]
Equipment
editArmour
edit
| Name | Origin | Type | In service | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Armored fighting vehicle | ||||||
| T-55 | Soviet Union | Main battle tank | 3[6] | |||
| BRDM-2 | Soviet Union | Armored scout car | 6[6] | |||
| BMP-1 | Soviet Union | IFV | 20[6] | Acquired from the Czech Republic in 2007.[7] | ||
| BTR-152 | Soviet Union | Armoured personnel carrier | 10[6] | |||
| Reva | South Africa | Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected | 25[6] | |||
| WZ-551 | China | IFV | Unknown number, IFV, recovery and fire-support variants seen.[8] | |||
Small arms
edit| Name | Origin | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| AKM | Soviet Union | Assault rifle | |
| FN FAL | Belgium | Battle rifle | |
| RPD | Soviet Union | Light machine gun | |
| RPG-7 | Soviet Union | Rocket-propelled grenade |
Aircraft
editThe Equatorial Guinea Air Corps was founded in 1979 with mainly French and Spanish air frames. In 2005, 4 Su 25s including 2 Su-25UB combat trainers were delivered to the Equatorial Guinea Air Corps.[citation needed] The current status of the aircraft is unknown.[9] In 2015 two CASA C-295 (one transport and one surveillance) aircraft were ordered for delivery from September 2016.[10]
Current inventory
edit| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Variant | In service | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat aircraft | ||||||
| Sukhoi Su-25 | Russia | attack | 4[11] | |||
| Transport | ||||||
| Ilyushin Il-76 | Soviet Union | heavy transport | ||||
| Antonov AN-12 | Soviet Union | heavy transport | 1[11] | |||
| Let L-410 Turbolet | Czech Republic | transport | 2[11] | |||
| Helicopters | ||||||
| Kamov Ka-27 | Russia | utility | Ka-29 | 1[11] | ||
| Mil Mi-26 | Russia | utility / transport | 1[11] | |||
| Harbin Z-9 | China | utility | Z-9WE | 2[12] | ||
| Trainer aircraft | ||||||
| Aero L-39 | Czech Republic | jet trainer | 2[11] | |||
Navy
edit_1655_leads_the_Equatorial_Guinea_Navy_in_formation_behind_Africa_Partnership_Station_(APS)_flagship_USS_Fort_McHenry_(LSD_43),_a_dock_landing_ship,_as_they_pass_along_the_E.jpg)
The Equatorial Guinean main task is to counter piracy and robbery at sea. In July 2010, after the visit of Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, an order for a Barroso-class corvette was announced.[13][14] However, as of 2014[update] no further news has been announced.[15] On 3 June 2014, the frigate Wele Nzas was commissioned and became the navy's flagship.[16]
| Vessel | Origin | Type | In service | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wele Nzas (F073) | Bulgaria | Frigate | 1[17][16] | Ukrainian designed - modified locally[18] |
| Bata | Bulgaria | Corvette | 1[19] | Ukrainian design[16][20] |
| PV-50 | Ukraine | Patrol vessel | 2[17] | |
| Isla de Corisco | Israel | Patrol boat | 1[17] | Shaldag class |
| Isla de Annobon | Israel | Patrol boat | 1[17] | Shaldag class |
| Sa'ar 4 class | Israel | Patrol boat | 2[21] | |
| Osa | China | Landing ship | 1[21] | Salamandra class |
| Daphne | Denmark | Patrol boat | 1[21] |
Higher education and training
editOn 6 November 2016, the Zimbabwe Defence Forces deployed a training contingent to the Equatorial Guinea to train the country's military officers on operational and logistic matters following an urgent request by the West African country. The security personnel contingent is composed of members of the Zimbabwe National Army and Air Force of Zimbabwe.[22] In 2018, 28 graduates from the military received diplomas from the Nakhimov Naval Academy in Sevastopol.[23]
Notes
edit- ^ "Israel selling military wares to Mideast countries, Britain says". Haaretz.com.
- ^ "Equatorial Guinea". Flightglobal Insight. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
- ^ U.S. Department of State, Equatorial Guinea Background Note 01/02
- ^ Cooper and Weinert 2010, p142
- ^ Sunday Dare, The Curious Bonds of Oil Diplomacy Archived 13 June 2010 at the Wayback Machine, Center for Public Integrity, 6 November 2002
- ^ a b c d e International Institute for Strategic Studies (2021). The Military Balance. p. 463. ISBN 9781032012278.
- ^ "Trade Registers". armstrade.sipri.org.
- ^ "Equatorial Guinea announces formation of Rapid Intervention Brigade". Janes Defence News. 23 October 2024.
- ^ "Equatorial Guinea National Guard". Scramble.nl. Retrieved: 3 January 2009. Archived 21 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Stevenson, Beth (2 February 2016). "Equatorial Guinea orders two C295 transports". Flightglobal. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f "World Air Forces 2023". Flightglobal Insight. 2023. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
- ^ Las Fuerzas Armadas de Guinea Ecuatorial se dotan con dos helicópteros chinos Harbin Z-9
- ^ Felipe Salles. "Lula anuncia venda de navio da classe Barroso para Guiné Equatorial". Archived from the original on 18 August 2022. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
- ^ "Equato Guinea inks corvette deal with Brazil: report". defenceWeb. 19 July 2010. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
- ^ Pryce, Paul. "Africa's Newest Navy". NAOC. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
- ^ a b c "Equatorial Guinea inducts new frigate". IHS Jane's 360. 6 July 2014. Archived from the original on 6 July 2014. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
- ^ a b c d "Equatorial Guinea commissions new frigate". Flightglobal Insight. 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
- ^ "Equatorial Guinea commissions new frigate". defenceWeb. 24 June 2014. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
- ^ "Africa 2017: Patrol Boat Requirements Shaping an Emergent Market" (PDF). AMI International. 2017. p. 41. Archived (PDF) from the original on 17 August 2018.
- ^ "Armed Forces of Equatorial Guinea (Fuerzas Armadas de Guinea Ecuatorial)". www.globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
- ^ a b c "Peace Research Institute". Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. 2018. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
- ^ "Ministry of Defence – Home". www.defence.gov.zw. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
- ^ МЕЛЬНИКОВА, Анна (17 June 2018). "Севастополь: выпускники из Африки получают дипломы Нахимовского военно-морского училища". crimea.kp.ru.
References
edit
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). "CIA – The World Factbook – Equatorial Guinea". The World Factbook. CIA. Retrieved 12 January 2010.
- International Institute for Strategic Studies (2009). The Military Balance. Routledge. ISBN 978-1857435160.
Further reading
edit- Cooper, Tom & Weinert, Peter (2010). African MiGs: Volume I: Angola to Ivory Coast. Harpia Publishing LLC. ISBN 978-0-9825539-5-4.
- Jeremy Binnie, 'Boom Time – Equatorial Guinea,' Jane's Defence Weekly, 30 May 2012.
- Рост военно-морской мощи Экваториальной Гвинеи и украинские корни этого роста (The growth of Equatorial Guinea's naval power and the Ukrainian roots of this growth)