Benin Armed Forces
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]
| 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 |
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.[citation needed]
The national gendarmerie no longer exists since 2019. It has been merged with the national police.[citation needed]
Branches
Army
As of 2012[update], 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.
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
Artillery
| Name | Image | Type | Origin | Quantity | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Image | Type | Origin | Quantity | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Image | 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
- ^ a b c d e f IISS (2012), p. 422
- ^ Mathurin C. Houngnikpo, Samuel Decalo, Historical Dictionary of Benin, 78.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Jane's Infantry Weapons 2007
- ^ Photo Details. 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.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j 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. (PDF) from the original on 21 August 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
- ^
- ^ "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.