Military of Equatorial Guinea

Military of Equatorial Guinea
Fuerzas Armadas de Guinea Ecuatorial

Coat of arms of Equatorial Guinea
Service branches Army, Navy, Air Wing
Leadership
President of Equatorial Guinea Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo
Manpower
Conscription 18 years of age, 2 years selective compulsory service
Available for
military service		 136,725 males, age 16–49,
138,018 females, age 16–49
Fit for
military service		 105,468 males, age 16–49,
107,919 females, age 16–49
Reaching military
age annually		 6,983 males,
6,726 females
Active personnel 1,540
Expenditures
Percent of GDP 0.1% (2006 est.)

The military of Equatorial Guinea (in Spanish: Fuerzas Armadas de Guinea Ecuatorial) consists of approximately 2,500 service members. The army has almost 1,400 soldiers, the police 400 paramilitary men, the navy 200 service members, and the air force about 120 members. There is also a Gendarmerie, but the number of members is unknown. The Gendarmerie is a new branch of the service in which training and education is being supported by the French Military Cooperation in Equatorial Guinea.[1] Military appointments are all reviewed by President Teodoro Obiang, and few of the native militiamen come from outside of Obiang's Mongomo-based Esangui clan. Obiang was a general when he overthrew his uncle, Francisco Macías Nguema.

Overall the military is poorly trained and equipped. It has mostly small arms, RPGs, and mortars. Almost none of its Soviet-style light-armored vehicles or trucks are operational.

The Armed Forces were reorganized in 1979. In 1988, the United States donated a 68-foot patrol boat to the Equatoguinean navy to patrol its exclusive economic zone. The U.S. patrol boat Isla de Bioko is no longer operational.[2] U.S. military-to-military engagement has been dormant since 1997 (the year of the last Joint Combined Exchange Training exercise). Between 1984 and 1992, service members went regularly to the United States on the International Military Education Training program, after which funding for this program for Equatorial Guinea ceased. The government spent 6.5% of its annual budget on defense in 2000 and 4.5% of its budget on defense in 2001. It recently acquired some Chinese artillery pieces, some Ukrainian patrol boats, and some Ukrainian helicopter gunships. The number of paved airports in Equatorial Guinea can be counted on one hand, and as such the number of airplanes operated by the air force is small. The Equatoguineans rely on foreigners to operate and maintain this equipment as they are not sufficiently trained to do so. Cooper and Weinert 2010 says that all aircraft are based on the military side of Malabo International Airport.[3]

In 2002, a report said "The oil companies do not view Equatorial Guinea's military – a product of decades of brutal dictatorial rule – with much confidence. The army is believed to have only about 1,320 men under arms, the navy 120, and the air force 100. Seven of the army's nine generals are relatives of the president; the other two are from his tribe. There is no clear command structure, the level of discipline is low, and professionalism and training are almost non-existent, according to locals and foreign oil workers. Even the presidential guard – an indication of the lack of trust in the country's forces – is composed of 350 Moroccan troops."[4] One general may be General Agustin Ndong Ona, reported in 2004.

In July 2010, after the visit of Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the sale of a Barroso-class corvette to be constructed in Brazil was announced.[5]

Military vehicles

Name Image Origin Type Variants Quantity Notes
Tank
T-55  Soviet Union Medium tank T-55
3
Infantry fighting vehicle
BMP-1  Soviet Union AIFV BMP-1
20
Amphibious Armoured Scout Car
BRDM-2  Soviet Union Amphibious Armoured Scout Car BRDM-2
10
Armoured personnel carrier
BTR  Soviet Union Armoured personnel carrier BTR-152
10
Trucks
Ural  Soviet Union Truck6x6
Ural-4320

Small arms

Vehicles

Artillery

Air Force

The Air Force operates 13 aircraft plus the presidential flight.

Aircraft Origin Type In service[6] Notes
Aero L-39 Albatros  USSR light attack 2 (024 and 025)
Antonov An-72 Coaler C  USSR tactical transport 2 (032)
Antonov An-32 Cline  USSR transport 1
Casa C-212-200 Aviocar  SPA transport 3
Enstrom 480B  USA training helicopter 2 (015 and 017)
Bell 206 B3USA} training helicopter 2 ( 050 and 052)
Mil Mi-24 HindV (Hind E)  USSR attack 6 (010, 012, 018, 020 and 022)
Sukhoi Su-25K  USSRattack 4 (Including 2 SU-25UBK) (026, 027, 031 and 032)

Retired aircraft

Presidential Flight

Navy

Notes

  1. ↑ http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=30337:equatorial-guinea&catid=119:african-militaries
  2. ↑ U.S. Department of State, Equatorial Guinea Background Note 01/02
  3. ↑ Cooper and Weinert 2010, p142
  4. ↑ Sunday Dare, The Curious Bonds of Oil Diplomacy, Center for Public Integrity, November 6, 2002
  5. ↑ Felipe Salles. "Lula anuncia venda de navio da classe Barroso para Guiné Equatorial". Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  6. ↑ "World Military Aircraft Inventory", Aerospace Source Book 2007, Aviation Week & Space Technology, January 15, 2007.
  7. ↑ http://www.janes.com/article/39665/equatorial-guinea-inducts-new-frigate
  8. ↑ "Defense & Security Intelligence & Analysis: IHS Jane's - IHS". Retrieved 23 October 2014.

References

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Further reading