| Tanzania People's Defence Forces Jeshi la Wananchi wa Tanzania |
|
|---|---|
| Founded | 1 September 1964 |
| Service branches | Land Forces Command Naval Command Air Force Command Military Intelligence |
| Leadership | |
| Commander-in-Chief | President Jakaya Kikwete |
| Chief of Defence Force | Gen. Davis Mwamunyange |
| Manpower | |
| Military age | 15–49 |
| Available for military service |
8,477,193 (2003 est.), age 15–49 |
| Fit for military service |
4,911,235 (2003 est.), age 15–49 |
| Reaching military age annually |
unknown |
| Active personnel | 27,000 |
| Expenditures | |
| Budget | $19.68 million (FY02) |
| Percent of GDP | 0.2% (2005 estimate)[1] |
| Related articles | |
| History | The Tanganyika Rifles |
The Tanzania Peoples’ Defence Force (TPDF) (Swahili: Jeshi la Ulinzi la Wananchi wa Tanzania (JWTZ)) was set up in September 1964. From its inception, it was ingrained in the troops that they were a people’s force under civilian control. They were always reminded of their difference from the colonial armed forces. The TPDF was given a very clear mission: to defend Tanzania and everything Tanzanian, especially the people and their political ideology. Tanzanian citizens are able to volunteer for military service from 15 years of age, and 18 years of age for compulsory military service upon graduation from secondary school. Conscript service obligation was 2 years as of 2004.
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The formation of the TPDF was a result of the disbandment of the Tanganyika Rifles after a mutiny in 1964. Soldiers of the regiment mutinied on January 1964. The Mutiny began in Colito barracks in Dar es Salaam, then spread to Kalewa barracks in Tabora with Nachingwea, a new barracks, following suit. The mutiny was over pay, promotions, the removal of British officers and Africanisation. Julius Nyerere conceded that the "soldiers had genuine grievances and the demands presented a perfectly reasonable case." However, he could not tolerate a mutiny. The mutiny raised questions about the place of the military in the newly independent Tanganyika — a military under a foreign command and not integrated into the country’s system. After the mutiny, the army was disbanded and fresh recruits were sought within the Tanganyika African National Union (TANU) youth wing as a source.
TPDF officers also trained African National Congress fighters in Morogoro. TPDF officers also participated in the training of the new Democratic Republic of Congo army, but were later withdrawn because of the war in the Congo.
The most significant TPDF involvement in the Uganda-Tanzania War following a Ugandan invasion of Kagera in 1978. Idi Amin with the help of Libya, accused Julius Nyerere of being at the root of his troubles and of waging war against Uganda. Amin invaded Tanzanian territory on 1 November 1978 and annexed Kagera. Julius Nyerere told the nation that Tanzania had the reason to fight Amin, was intent on fighting Amin and had the ability to defeat him. The war effort was not for the army alone on 22 November 1978, but for the entire population, the nation understood him and the reaction was predictable. In April 1979, Tanzania took Kampala and Amin fled the country to Libya and eventually ending up in Saudi Arabia after falling out of favour with Muammar al-Gaddafi. Unlike Amin’s soldiers, the TPDF had a relaxed relationship with the locals and at times went out of their way to assist them.
The TPDF employs a delibarate policy of drawing its officers from various regions of the country. This policy has ensured a development of a national force that has tended to promote stability.
The army, which makes up the majority of the TPDF, is currently in the throes of converting from a socialist style army structure into something approaching the Western model and is suffering considerable difficulties in the process, having major disciplinary problems and a large inventory of equipment, much of which is unserviceable.[2] Still organised in infantry brigades, the army is in reality a battalion-based organisation. One informed observer previously described the current Tanzanian Army as being a force of about 15 lightly armed infantry battalions mounted in transport that sometimes works. While a very large slice of the equipment inventory remains in storage, great efforts have been made in improving the mechanical serviceability of the logistical vehicle fleet and infantry transport.
Current senior officers include:
In 1989-90 Tanzania added 30 T-62 Soviet made tanks, 80 85 mm Chinese made artillery, 20 122 mm Chinese made howitzers. This added to an existing 40 76 mm howitzer, 40 85 mm guns, 200 122 mm howitzer and 50 130 mm guns. The following below are tanks currently in use by the Tanzanian Forces:
There is only one howitzer currently in service for the TPDF.
Small arms
| Tanzanian People's Defence Force Air Wing | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1964-present |
| Country | Tanzania |
| Insignia | |
| Roundel | |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Attack | Shenyang F-5 Fresco |
| Fighter | Chengdu F-7 Skybolt |
| Trainer | Shengyang FT-5, Nanchang BT-6 |
| Transport | Shaanxi Y-8, Harbin Y-12.de Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo |
The current Commander of Air Force Command: is Maj Gen Ulomi.
A few of the Tanzanian air wing's transport remain serviceable. However, its Shenyang F-5s, and Chengdu F-7s are reported to fly rarely because of airworthiness problems.[3] Tanzania's long coastline means that transports are also used for patrol flights.
In Tanzania, early 1980s; Contrary to what is usually reported, Tanzania never purchased any J-7Is from China. Instead, the Jeshi La Wananchi La Tanzania (Tanzanian People's Defence Force Air Wing, TPDF/AW) was given 14 MiG-21MFs and two MiG-21Us by the USSR in 1974. Many of these were lost in different accidents due to the poor training, and two were said to have been lost when their pilots defected. Nevertheless, the few surviving examples took part in the war against Uganda, in 1978-1979, when they saw much action, even if one was shot down in a case of fratricide fire (it was lost to SA-7s fired by Tanzanian troops). The Tanzanian Army captured seven MiG-21MFs and one MiG-21U trainer from the Ugandan Air Force, as well as a considerable amount of spare parts. All of these were flown out to Mwanza AB, to enter service with the TPDF/AW. In 1998, Tanzania purchased four additional MiG-21MFs from the Ukraine, but these were reportedly in a very poor shape, and not used very often. Meanwhile, in 1980, an order for 10 F-7Bs and two TF-7s was issued to China, and in 1997 also two F-7Ns were purchased from Iran, together with four ex-Iraqi Air Force transports of an unknown type. Today, no Russian-supplied MiG-21s remain in service with the TPDF/AW, and only three or four F-7s remain operational. The TPDF/AW MiG-21MFs are now confirmed to have carried serials - in black or green - underneath the cockpit, but no details about these are known.
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Versions | In service | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shenyang F-5 Fresco | China | Ground attack fighter | 8 | |||
| Shenyang F-6 Farmer | China | Multi role fighter | 3 | *At least 3 Operational, total numbers in operation unknown.[4] | ||
| Chengdu F-7 Skybolt | China | Multi role fighter | 11 | reportedly at the airfield at Ngerengere (Air Forces Monthly, November 2009 | ||
| Shaanxi Y-8 | China | Medium transport | ? | Status unknown | ||
| Harbin Y-12 | China | Light transport | ? | Status unknown | ||
| de Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo | Canada | Medium transport | 4 | |||
| Beechcraft King Air A100 | USA | Light transport | 1 | |||
| Gulfstream V | USA | VIP transport | ? | status unknown | ||
| Fokker F27 Friendship | Netherlands | medium transport | ? | Status unknown | ||
| Agusta-Bell AB205 | Italy | Light helicopter | 1 | Licenced copy built by Italy | ||
| Agusta-Bell AB206 JetRanger | USA | Light helicopter | 2 | Licenced copy built by Italy | ||
| Shengyang FT-5 | China | Basic trainer | 2 | |||
| Nanchang BT-6 | China | Basic trainer | 2 | TPDF operates four air bases at Dar es Salaam, Morogoro, Tabora and Zanzibar. | ||
| Agusta-Bell AB412 Griffon | Italy | Police helicopter | ? | Status unknown |
The navy operates 7 fast attack craft and 12 patrol boats.
The current Commander of the Naval Command: is Rear Admiral (Maj Gen) SS Omar.