Togolese Armed Forces

The Military of Togo, in French FAT (Forces armées togolaises, "Togolese armed forces"), consists of the army, navy, air force, and gendarmerie. Total military expenditure during the fiscal year of 2005 was 1.6% of the country's GDP. Military bases exist in Lomé, Temedja, Kara, Niamtougou, and Dapaong. The current Chief of the General Staff is Brigadier General Titikpina Atcha Mohamed, who took office on May 19, 2009.

Army
The current chief of staff of the army is Colonel Blakimwé Wiyao Balli. The elite presidential bodyguards of the Togolese Armed Forces are reportedly trained by Benjamin Yeaten, an internationally wanted Liberian military commander and war criminal.

Vehicles

 * 7 T-34-85 medium tanks - status unknown
 * 4 T-55 main battle tanks
 * 20 FV101 Scorpion
 * 20 BMP-2 Infantry fighting vehicles
 * Engesa EE-9 Cascavel - between 3 and 36.
 * 10 Panhard AML: 7 AML-90 + 3 AML-60
 * 6 M8 Greyhound
 * 3 M20 Armored Utility Car
 * 2 Véhicule Blindé Léger
 * 30 UR-416 armoured personnel carrier
 * 6 Véhicule d'Action dans la Profondeur
 * 110 TC-54 Panhard light trucks
 * 4 M101 A2 105mm towed howitzer
 * 6 2S1 Gvozdika 122mm self-propelled howitzer
 * 5 Panhard M3 4x4 APC

Air Force


The Togolese Air Force (French: Armée de l'Air Togolaise) was established in 1964, and a French influence remains on the choice of aircraft used. Since 2005, the air force's chief of staff is Colonel Bouraïma Bonfoh.

The C-47 Skytrain was the first aircraft used; it was part of the force from 1960 to 1976. Replacing the C-47s were two DHC-5D Buffalo STOL transports in 1976. Also in the same year Togo acquired five ex-German Air Force Fouga Magister armed jet trainers and seven EMB.326GBs from Brazil to form the Escadrille de Chasse. Togo's armed jet trainer fleet was upgraded in 1981 by the deliveries of five Alpha jets and by three piston engine Aerospatiale TB-30 Epsilons in 1986. The Fouga Magisters were returned to France in 1985.

During its existence the official name changed from Section Air der Forces armées Togolais in 1964 to Escadrille Nationale Togolaise in 1973, to Groupement Aerienne Togolaise (GAT) in 1980, and finally to Armée de l'Air Togolaise in 1997.

At present its operations are concentrated to the Base Transport de Lomé (Lomé Transport Base) at Lomé Tokoin Airport, where the transport aircraft are based, and the Base Chasse Niamtougou (Niamtougou Fighter Base) at Niamtougou International Airport, where the combat units are located.

Navy
The Togolese navy (French: Marine Togolaise) officially the National Navy (French: Marine Nationale), was created on May 1, 1976 to guard the roughly 55 kilometers of Togolese coast and the seaport of Lomé. It currently has 2 wooden-hulled patrol boats, the Kara (P 761), and the Mono (P 762), which have both been in service since 1976. On 7 July 2014, the Togolese navy got a RPB 33 patrol boat that was named Agou (P 763). Currently, the navy's chief of staff is ship captain Atiogbé Ametsipe.