Benin Armed Forces | |
---|---|
Forces Armées Béninoises | |
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]
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 2018. It has been merged with the national police. [3]
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:
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]
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.
Name | Image | Caliber | Type | Origin | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pistols | |||||
TT-33 [4] | 9×19mm | Semi-automatic pistol | Soviet Union | ||
Submachine guns | |||||
MAT-49 [4] | 9×19mm | Submachine gun | France | ||
Rifles | |||||
SKS [4] | 7.62×39mm | Semi-automatic rifle | Soviet Union | ||
AK-47 [4] | 7.62×39mm | Assault rifle | Soviet Union | ||
AKM [4] | 7.62×39mm | Assault rifle | Soviet Union | ||
MAS-49/56 [4] | 7.5×54mm | Semi-automatic rifle | France | ||
Machine guns | |||||
RPD [4] | 7.62×39mm | Light machine gun | Soviet Union | ||
RP-46 [4] | 7.62×54mmR | Light machine gun | Soviet Union | ||
FM 24/29 [4] | 7.5×54mm | Light machine gun | France | ||
AA-52 [4] | 7.62×51mm | General-purpose machine gun | France | ||
KPV [4] | 14.5×114mm | Heavy machine gun | Soviet Union | ||
Browning M2 | .50 BMG | Heavy machine gun | United States | M2HB variant used. [4] | |
Rocket propelled grenade launchers | |||||
RPG-7 [4] | 40mm | Rocket-propelled grenade | Soviet Union |
Name | Image | Type | Origin | Quantity | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Field artillery | |||||
M101 | Howitzer | United States | 4 [5] | ||
L118 | Howitzer | United Kingdom | 12 [5] | ||
PP-87 [5] | Mortar | China | 81 mm mortar | ||
W-86 [5] | Mortar | China | 120 mm mortar |
Name | Image | Type | Origin | Quantity | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
PT-76 | Light tank | Soviet Union | 18 | Serviceability doubtful. [5] |
Name | Image | Type | Origin | Quantity | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
BRDM-2 | Scout car | Soviet Union | 14 [5] | ||
Panhard VBL | Scout car | France | 10 [5] | ||
Panhard AML-90 | Armoured car | France | 3 [5] | ||
M8 Greyhound | Armoured car | United States | 7 [5] | ||
M113 | Armoured personnel carrier | United States | 22 [5] | ||
ACMAT Bastion | Armoured personnel carrier | France | 2 [5] | ||
VAB | Armoured personnel carrier | France | 15 [5] | ||
Casspir NG | MRAP | South Africa | 10 [5] | ||
Dongfeng Mengshi | MRAP | China | 9 [5] |
This article incorporates public domain material from The World Factbook. CIA.
Benin Armed Forces | |
---|---|
Forces Armées Béninoises | |
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]
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 2018. It has been merged with the national police. [3]
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:
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]
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.
Name | Image | Caliber | Type | Origin | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pistols | |||||
TT-33 [4] | 9×19mm | Semi-automatic pistol | Soviet Union | ||
Submachine guns | |||||
MAT-49 [4] | 9×19mm | Submachine gun | France | ||
Rifles | |||||
SKS [4] | 7.62×39mm | Semi-automatic rifle | Soviet Union | ||
AK-47 [4] | 7.62×39mm | Assault rifle | Soviet Union | ||
AKM [4] | 7.62×39mm | Assault rifle | Soviet Union | ||
MAS-49/56 [4] | 7.5×54mm | Semi-automatic rifle | France | ||
Machine guns | |||||
RPD [4] | 7.62×39mm | Light machine gun | Soviet Union | ||
RP-46 [4] | 7.62×54mmR | Light machine gun | Soviet Union | ||
FM 24/29 [4] | 7.5×54mm | Light machine gun | France | ||
AA-52 [4] | 7.62×51mm | General-purpose machine gun | France | ||
KPV [4] | 14.5×114mm | Heavy machine gun | Soviet Union | ||
Browning M2 | .50 BMG | Heavy machine gun | United States | M2HB variant used. [4] | |
Rocket propelled grenade launchers | |||||
RPG-7 [4] | 40mm | Rocket-propelled grenade | Soviet Union |
Name | Image | Type | Origin | Quantity | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Field artillery | |||||
M101 | Howitzer | United States | 4 [5] | ||
L118 | Howitzer | United Kingdom | 12 [5] | ||
PP-87 [5] | Mortar | China | 81 mm mortar | ||
W-86 [5] | Mortar | China | 120 mm mortar |
Name | Image | Type | Origin | Quantity | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
PT-76 | Light tank | Soviet Union | 18 | Serviceability doubtful. [5] |
Name | Image | Type | Origin | Quantity | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
BRDM-2 | Scout car | Soviet Union | 14 [5] | ||
Panhard VBL | Scout car | France | 10 [5] | ||
Panhard AML-90 | Armoured car | France | 3 [5] | ||
M8 Greyhound | Armoured car | United States | 7 [5] | ||
M113 | Armoured personnel carrier | United States | 22 [5] | ||
ACMAT Bastion | Armoured personnel carrier | France | 2 [5] | ||
VAB | Armoured personnel carrier | France | 15 [5] | ||
Casspir NG | MRAP | South Africa | 10 [5] | ||
Dongfeng Mengshi | MRAP | China | 9 [5] |
This article incorporates public domain material from The World Factbook. CIA.