Tanzania People's Defence Force

The Tanzania People’s Defence Force (TPDF) are the armed forces of Tanzania They were 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. Unlike some of its neighbors, Tanzania has never suffered a coup d'état or civil war.

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.

History
After an aborted mutiny in 1964, the army was disbanded and fresh recruits were sought within the Tanganyika African National Union youth wing as a source. For the first few years of the TPDF, the army was even smaller than the 2,000 strong Tanganyika Rifles, the air force was minuscule, and no navy had yet been formed. However the army was four battalions strong by 1967.

From 1964 to 1974, the TPDF was commanded by Marisho S.H. Sarakikya, trained at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, who was promoted from lieutenant to brigadier in 1964 and became the force's first commander.

In 1972, the International Institute for Strategic Studies listed the army with 10,000 personnel, four infantry battalions, 20 T-59, 14 Chinese T-62 light tanks, some BTR-40 and BTR-152, Soviet field artillery and Chinese mortars. 'Spares [were] short and not all equipment was serviceable.' (IISS 1972-73, p. 40)

In 1992, the IISS listed the army with 45,000 personnel (some 20,000 conscripts), 3 division headquarters, 8 infantry brigades, one tank brigade, two field artillery battalions, two Anti-aircraft artillery battalions (6 batteries), two mortar, two anti-tank battalions, one engineer regiment (battalion sized), and one Surface to air missile battalion with SA-3 and SA-6. Equipment included 30 Chinese Type 59 and 32 T-54/55 main battle tanks.

In 2007 Tanzania pledged forces for the SADC Brigade of the African Standby Force.

Tanzanian Army
, the army is gradually modernising and restructuring. Much of the inventory is in storage or unreliable.
 * 5 × infantry brigade
 * 1 × tank brigade
 * 3 × artillery battalion
 * 2 × air defence artillery battalion
 * 1 × mortar battalion
 * 2 × anti-tank battalion
 * 121st Engineer Regiment (battalion size; unit identification from usaraf.army.mil and Flickr)
 * 1 × central logistic/support group

Current senior officers include:
 * Chief of Staff: Lt. General Samuel Albert Ndomba
 * Commander of Land Forces Maj Gen Salum Mustafa Kijuu
 * Chief of National Service: Maj General Raphael Muhuga

Air Force Command


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. Tanzania's long coastline means that transports are also used for patrol flights.

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 Tanzania-Uganda War, in 1978-1979, when they saw much action, even if one was shot down in a case of friendly 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.

Naval Command
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.

Former CDFs

 * Major General Marisho Sarakikya 1964-1974;
 * Lieutenant General Abdallah Twalipo 1974-1980;

United Nations missions


As of 30 June 2013, the army is involved in the following United Nations peacekeeping missions: