Armed Forces of the Republic of the Congo
| Armed Forces of the Republic of the Congo Forces Armées de la République du Congo | |
|---|---|
|
Flag of the Republic of the Congo | |
| Founded | 1960 |
| Service branches | Army, Air Force, Navy, Gendarmerie, Presidential Guard |
| Manpower | |
| Military age | 20 |
| Expenditures | |
| Budget | $110 million (FY93) |
| Percent of GDP | 3.8% (FY93) |
| Industry | |
| Domestic suppliers | None |
The Armed Forces of the Republic of the Congo include an Army, the Congolese Air Force, and a Navy (est. 800). Paramilitary organisations include 2,000 Gendarmerie in 20 companies, and a Presidential Guard, possibly organised into a battalion. (IISS 2007, p. 269)
On 5 February 2012, there were munitions explosions at a tank regiment (seemingly 'Regiment Blinde') barracks located in Brazzaville's fifth arrondissement, Ouenze. Some 206 people were initially reported killed. There are five military barracks in the city, and after the explosion officials said the government had promised to move all munitions out of the capital.[1]
Army
Equipment
Tanks
Tanks are mostly older examples from the USSR.
- T-54/55 - 25
- Type 59 - 15
- Type 63 - 8
- PT-76 - 3 ordered in 1971 from the Soviet Union and delivered in 1972 (the vehicles were second hand)
- T-34/85
Infantry fighting vehicles
Self Propelled guns
- ZSU-23-4 - 8
- BM-21 Grad - 6
Small Arms
- AKM[2]
- AK-47[2]
- FN FAL[2]
- DShK[2]
- RPK[2]
- RPD[2]
- RP-46[2]
- MAT-49[2]
- Walther PP[2]
- TT pistol[2]
- RPG-7[2]
Anti-Aircraft guns
Navy
The Navy has some 800 personnel. In October 2007, the US Navy provided some training to Congolese Navy personnel in Pointe Noire, a port city that is the second largest settlement in the country.[3]
Air Force
After achieving independence from France in 1960, the Congolese air force (Force Aerienne Congolaise) was started with equipment such as the Douglas C-47s, Broussards and Bell 47Gs, these were followed by Nord Noratlas tactical transports and Sud Alouette helicopter. In the 1970s the air force switched to Soviet equipment. This included five Ilyushin IL-14 and six turboprop Antonov An-24 transports and an An-26 in return for providing bases for Cuban MiG-17 operations over Angola. These fighters and a few MiG-15UTI combat trainers were transferred to the FAC. In 1990 these fighter were replaced by 16 USSR supplied MiG-21MF/bis Fishbeds plus a couple of MiG-21US trainers. Together with a Soviet training mission which stayed until late 1991, during that time there were numerous accidents that involved both Soviet and Congolese personnel. After the Soviets left there was only limited funding for MiG operations and they were withdrawn. Six Mi-8 helicopters were delivered from Ukraine in mid-1997 before the Cobra rebel takeover.
In 1990, the Air Force was reformed into its present state. Most fighter aircraft it possessed were scrapped in 2001. France and China provided most training to the Air Force in recent times.
Aircraft Inventory
The Congo's 10 military aircraft, including 3 helicopters, are operated by the Air Force.
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Versions | In service[4] | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aérospatiale SA 318 Alouette II |  France | utility helicopter | SA 318C | 1 | |
| Aérospatiale SA 316 Alouette III | France | utility helicopter | SA 316C | 1 | |
| Antonov An-24 |  Soviet Union /  Ukraine | transport | An-24 | 5 | |
| Antonov An-26 | Soviet Union | transport | An-26 | 1 | |
| Eurocopter SA 365 Dauphin | France | utility helicopter | SA 365 | 1 | |
References
- ↑ http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/206-people-dead-arms-depot-explodes-republic-congo-article-1.1033182, accessed 6 February 2012
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Jones, Richard D. Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010. Jane's Information Group; 35 edition (January 27, 2009). ISBN 978-0-7106-2869-5.
- ↑ US Navy teaches Congolese sailors
- ↑ Congolese military aviation OrBat
This article incorporates public domain material from the CIA World Factbook document "2003 edition".