Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force
| Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1 November 1981 <!-- Date of original founding of the armed forces --> |
| Current form | 1995 <!-- Date armed forces reorganized into current structure --> |
| Disbanded | <!-- Date of the disbanding or other end of existence of the armed forces --> |
| Service branches | Antigua and Barbuda Regiment<br>Antigua and Barbuda Coast Guard<br>Antigua and Barbuda Cadet Corps <!-- list wikilinked branch names separated by BR --> |
| Headquarters | Camp Blizard <!-- Main headquarters of the nation's military --> |
| Leadership | |
| Commander-in-Chief | Queen Elizabeth II |
| Minister of Defense | Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer <!-- Civilian minister/secretary in charge of the military ministry of the country --> |
| Chief of staff | Colonel Sir Trevor Thomas <!-- Person in command of all armed forces --> |
| Manpower | |
| Military age | 18 <!-- Ages qualified by country for military service --> |
| Available for military service |
18,952 males, age 15–49, 18,360 females, age 15–49 |
| Fit for military service |
14,859 males, age 15–49, 14,947 <!-- Population of military age fit for military service --> females, age 15–49 |
| Reaching military age annually |
507 males, 494 <!-- Population reaching military age per year --> females |
| Active personnel | 170 (1998) |
| Reserve personnel | 75 (1998) |
| Deployed personnel | <!-- Number of personnel deployed outside of the country --> |
| Expenditures | |
| Percent of GDP | 0.7% <!-- Percent of GDP spent on military --> |
| Related articles | |
| History | <!-- List main historical articles on wiki --> |
| Ranks | <!-- List rank articles on wiki --> |
The Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force is the armed force of Antigua and Barbuda. The ABDF 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 ABDF is the world's smallest military, consisting of 245 people. It is much better equipped for fulfilling its civil roles as opposed to providing a deterrence against would-be aggressors or in defending the nation during a war.
Organization
380X Defender of the ABDF Coast Guard during the "Tradewinds 2013" joint training exercise
The ABDF consists of four major units:
- Antigua and Barbuda Regiment - comprises four line companies and is the infantry unit and fighting arm of the defence force.
- Service and Support Unit - provides administrative, logistic and engineer support to the rest of the defence force.
- Coast Guard - 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 the following vessels and watercraft:
- 1 Swiftships Shipbuilders 65-foot Commercial Cruiser-class patrol boat (P-01 Liberta), in service since 1984<ref name="wertheim">Wertheim, Eric (2007). The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World: Their Ships, Aircraft, and Systems. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. p. 6. ISBN 9781591149552. Retrieved 18 March 2014.</ref>
- 1 SeaArk Boats Dauntless-class patrol boat (P-02 Palmetto), in service since 1995<ref name="wertheim"/>
- 1 Point-class cutter (P-03 Hermitage), transferred from the US Coast Guard in 1998<ref name="wertheim"/>
- 1 Defender 380X-class all-weather interceptor (D-8), date of acquisition unknown<ref>Okula, Christopher (30 May 2013). "130524-N-HP195-034". DefenseImagery.mil. Retrieved 18 March 2014.</ref>
- 2 Boston Whaler 27-foot-class launches (071 and 072), in service since 1988<ref name="wertheim"/>
- 1 Zodiac Marine & Pool 8.23-meter Hurricane-type rigid-hulled inflatable boat, in service since 1998<ref name="wertheim"/>
- Antigua and Barbuda Cadet Corps
Former deployments
- In 1982 14 men of the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force were deployed to Grenada during the Operation Urgent Fury.
- In 1990 12 soldiers were sent to Trinidad after a failed coup attempt by radical Black Muslims against the constitutionally elected government headed by Prime Minister A.N.R. Robinson.
- In 1995 members of the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force were deployed in Haiti as a part of Operation Uphold Democracy.<ref>Phillips, Dion E. "Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force: A Preliminary Look". Conference papers, 2004. University of the West Indies. Retrieved 24 November 2013.</ref>
Alliances
United Kingdom - The Mercian Regiment
References
<references/>
External links
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