Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force
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| Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force |
|
|---|---|
| Branches of service | |
| Antigua and Barbuda Regiment Antigua and Barbuda Coast Guard Antigua and Barbuda Cadet Corps |
|
| Leadership | |
| Headquarters: | Camp Blizard |
| Civilian authority: | Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer |
| Personnel | |
| Active personnel: | 185 (1999) |
| Reserve personnel: | 30 (1999) |
| Military age population: | 18,952 males 18,360 females |
| Total fit for service: | 14,859 males 14,947 females |
| Reaching military age annually: | 507 males 494 females |
| Military age: | 18 years old |
| Service law: | voluntary service |
| Industry | |
| Major international suppliers: |  United States |
| History | |
| Founded: | 1 November 1981 |
| Organized as current: | 1995 |
| Ranks and insignia | |
The Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force is the armed force of Antigua and Barbuda. The RABDF consists of four major units:
- 1st Battalion, Antigua and Barbuda Regiment - this is the infantry unit and fighting arm of the defence force.
- Service and Support Unit - established in 1997, this provides administrative, logistic and engineer support to the rest of the defence force.
- Coast Guard - this is the maritime element of the defence force, and is divided into four units:
- Commanding Officer's office
- Engineer Unit
- Administration Unit
- Flotilla - the flotilla is the operational part of the Coast Guard, and consists of four vessels.
- Antigua and Barbuda Cadet Corps
The RABDF has responsibility for several different roles: Internal security, prevention of drug smuggling, the protection and support of fishing rights, prevention of marine pollution, search and rescue, ceremonial duties, assistance to government programs, provision of relief during natural disasters, assistance in the maintenance of essential services and support of the police in maintaining law and order.
The RABDF is the world's smallest military, consisting of 170 people. It is thus much better equipped for fulfilling its civil roles as opposed to providing a deterrance against would-be aggressors or in actually defending the nation during a war.
[edit] Alliances
[edit] See also
Antigua and Barbuda · Bahamas · Barbados · Belize · Canada · Costa Rica · Cuba · Dominica · Dominican Republic · El Salvador · Grenada · Guatemala · Haiti · Honduras · Jamaica · Mexico · Nicaragua · Panama · Saint Kitts and Nevis · Saint Lucia · Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Trinidad and Tobago · United States
Dependencies and other territories
Anguilla · Aruba · Bermuda · British Virgin Islands · Cayman Islands · Greenland · Guadeloupe · Martinique · Montserrat · Navassa Island · Netherlands Antilles · Puerto Rico · Saint Pierre and Miquelon · Turks and Caicos Islands · U.S. Virgin Islands
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