Benin Armed Forces

Benin Armed Forces
Benin Armed Forces
Forces Armées Béninoises
	Coat of arms of Benin
Founded	1960
Service branches	Army ; Benin Navy ; Benin Air Force ; National Gendarmerie
Leadership
Commander-in-Chief	Patrice Talon
Minister of Defence	Yarou Robert Theophile
Chief of the Defence Staff	Fructueux Gbaguidi
Personnel
Conscription	No
Active personnel	4,750[1]
Expenditures
Budget	$US73 million (2011)[1]
Percent of GDP	1% (2011)[1]
Industry
Foreign suppliers	United States ; Russia ; France
Related articles
Ranks	Military ranks of Benin

The Benin Armed Forces (French: Forces Armées Béninoises; FAB) constitutes the army, navy, air force, and national gendarmerie of Benin. For a number of years, the Belgian Armed Forces have had an active programme of co-operation with Benin, offering training and coaching, donating redundant military equipment and using the country for limited military exercises.[2]

History

The constitution of 11 December 1990 ordered the Benin Armed Forces to ensure effective, permanent and efficient security coverage of the territory, as well as border vigilance.

The national gendarmerie no longer exists since 2019. It has been merged with the national police.

Branches

Army

As of 2012, the Army had a strength of 4,300.[1] It includes 1 armoured squadron, 3 infantry battalions, 1 commando/airborne battalion, 1 artillery battery, and 1 engineer battalion, and 1 National Fire Brigade.[1] The army has the following units:

1st Parachute Commando Battalion
1st Motorized Intervention Battalion
1st Armoured Group
National Group of Firefighters
1st Combined Arms Battalion
2nd Combined Arms Battalion
3rd Combined Arms Battalion
7th Combined Arms Battalion
8th Combined Arms Battalion
1st Mixed Artillery Battalion
1st Engineer Battalion
1st Signal Battalion
1st Materiel Battalion
1st Train Battalion
Headquarters Group

Air Force

After achieving independence from France in 1960 the Benin Air Force was transport equipped with seven French-supplied Douglas C-47s, four MH.1521 Broussards and two Agusta-Bell 47Gs. Two F-27s entered service in 1978 for transport duties before being transferred to Air Benin. Also during the same era, two AN-26s were acquired. In late 1985 two Dornier Do-28s entered service to replace the C-47s. A single DHC-6 Twin Otter was acquired in 1989.

Navy

As of 2012, the navy has a strength of approximately 200 personnel. It operates two ex-Chinese patrol boats, which are designated the Matelot Brice Kpomasse class.[1]

Republican Guard

The Republican Guard is responsible for the security of the President of the Republic, ministers, members of the government, institutions of the Republic and their leader.

Equipment

Small arms

Name	Caliber	Type	Origin	Notes
Pistols
TT-33[3]	9×19mm	Semi-automatic pistol	Soviet Union
Submachine guns
PPSh-41[3]	7.62×25mm	Submachine gun	Soviet Union
MAT-49[3]	9×19mm	Submachine gun	France
Rifles
SKS[3]	7.62×39mm	Semi-automatic rifle	Soviet Union
AKM[3]	7.62×39mm	Assault rifle	Soviet Union
Type 56[4]	7.62×39mm	Assault rifle	China
MAS-36[3]	7.5×54mm	Bolt-action rifle	France
MAS-49/56[3]	7.5×54mm	Semi-automatic rifle	France
Machine guns
RPD[3]	7.62×39mm	Squad automatic weapon	Soviet Union
RP-46[3]	7.62×54mmR	General-purpose machine gun	Soviet Union
KPV[5]	14.5×114mm	Heavy machine gun	Soviet Union
DShK[3]	12.7×108mm	Heavy machine gun	Soviet Union
FM 24/29[6]	7.5×54mm	Light machine gun	France
AA-52[3]	7.62×51mm	General-purpose machine gun	France
Browning M2[3]	.50 BMG	Heavy machine gun	United States	M2HB and M2HB-QCB
Rocket propelled grenade launchers
RPG-2	40mm	Rocket-propelled grenade	Soviet Union
RPG-7[7]	40mm	Rocket-propelled grenade	Soviet Union
LRAC F1[8]	89mm	Shoulder-launched missile weapon	France

Artillery

Name	Type	Origin	Quantity	Status
Field artillery
M101[9]	Howitzer	United States	4	INS
L118[9]	Howitzer	United Kingdom	12	INS
MO-81-61[9]	Mortar	France	Unknown	INS

Air defence systems

Name	Type	Origin	Quantity	Status
ZPU-4	Anti-aircraft gun	Soviet Union	Unknown	INS
9K31 Strela-1[10]	Surface-to-air missile	Soviet Union	4	INS
9K32 Strela-2[11]	MANPADS	Soviet Union	Unknown	INS

Tanks

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Quantity	Status	Notes
PT-76[9]		Amphibious Light tank	Soviet Union	18	INS

Armored vehicles

Name	Type	Origin	Quantity	Status	Notes
BRDM-2[9]	Amphibious armored scout car	Soviet Union	14	INS
Eland-90[12]	Armoured car	South Africa	3	INS
M8 Greyhound[9]	Armoured car	United States	7	INS
Panhard VBL[9]	Scout car	France	10	INS
Casspir[9]	MRAP	South Africa	10	INS	Casspir 2000
VAB[13]	Armoured personnel carrier	France	8/15	INS
M113[9]	Armored personnel carrier	United States	22	INS
ACMAT Bastion[9]	Armoured personnel carrier	France	2	INS

References

IISS (2012), p. 422
Mathurin C. Houngnikpo, Samuel Decalo, Historical Dictionary of Benin, 78.
Jane's Infantry Weapons 2007
Photo Details Archived 4 August 2012 at archive.today. Marines.mil (16 June 2009). Retrieved on 2012-05-20.
Gander, Terry J. (22 November 2000). "National inventories, Benin". Jane's Infantry Weapons 2001-2002. p. 948.
Gander, Terry J.; Cutshaw, Charles Q., eds. (2001). Jane's Infantry Weapons 2001/2002 (27th ed.). Coulsdon: Jane's Information Group. ISBN 9780710623171.
Jones, Richard D. Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010. Jane's Information Group; 35 edition (27 January 2009). ISBN 978-0-7106-2869-5.
Shea, Dan (February 2010). "LRAC F1: 89mm Shoulder Fired Launcher". Small Arms Review. Vol. 13, no. 5. Archived from the original on 18 October 2019. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
International Institute for Strategic Studies (2021). The Military Balance. p. 450. ISBN 9781032012278.
"KB Tochmash 9K31 Strela-1 (SA-9 'Gaskin') low-altitude surface-to-air missile system". Jane's. 15 August 2007. Retrieved 31 July 2008.
Michael Ashkenazi; Princess Mawuena Amuzu; Jan Grebe; Christof Kögler; Marc Kösling (February 2013). "MANPADS: A Terrorist Threat to Civilian Aviation?" (PDF). Bonn International Center of Conversion (BICC) – Internationales Konversionszentrum Bonn GmbH. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 August 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
DIO blindé au Bénin
"Army of Benin receives VAB armored vehicles from France | Defense News March 2023 Global Security army industry | Defense Security global news industry army year 2023 | Archive News year".

Works consulted

International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) (2012). The Military Balance 2012. London: IISS. ISSN 0459-7222.

This article incorporates public domain material from The World Factbook. CIA.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

[IISS_2012_422-1] IISS (2012), p. 422

[2] Mathurin C. Houngnikpo, Samuel Decalo, Historical Dictionary of Benin, 78.

[Jane's_Infantry_Weapons_2007-3] Jane's Infantry Weapons 2007

[4] Photo Details Archived 4 August 2012 at archive.today. Marines.mil (16 June 2009). Retrieved on 2012-05-20.

[5] Gander, Terry J. (22 November 2000). "National inventories, Benin". Jane's Infantry Weapons 2001-2002. p. 948.

[jones2002-6] Gander, Terry J.; Cutshaw, Charles Q., eds. (2001). Jane's Infantry Weapons 2001/2002 (27th ed.). Coulsdon: Jane's Information Group. ISBN 9780710623171.

[jones2009-7] Jones, Richard D. Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010. Jane's Information Group; 35 edition (27 January 2009). ISBN 978-0-7106-2869-5.

[Shea2010-8] Shea, Dan (February 2010). "LRAC F1: 89mm Shoulder Fired Launcher". Small Arms Review. Vol. 13, no. 5. Archived from the original on 18 October 2019. Retrieved 16 May 2023.

[IISS-9] International Institute for Strategic Studies (2021). The Military Balance. p. 450. ISBN 9781032012278.

[janes-10] "KB Tochmash 9K31 Strela-1 (SA-9 'Gaskin') low-altitude surface-to-air missile system". Jane's. 15 August 2007. Retrieved 31 July 2008.

[2013a-11] Michael Ashkenazi; Princess Mawuena Amuzu; Jan Grebe; Christof Kögler; Marc Kösling (February 2013). "MANPADS: A Terrorist Threat to Civilian Aviation?" (PDF). Bonn International Center of Conversion (BICC) – Internationales Konversionszentrum Bonn GmbH. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 August 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2018.

[12] DIO blindé au Bénin

[13] "Army of Benin receives VAB armored vehicles from France | Defense News March 2023 Global Security army industry | Defense Security global news industry army year 2023 | Archive News year".

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