Military of Belize

The Belize Defence Force (BDF) is the military of Belize, and is responsible for protecting the sovereignty of Belize The BDF, along with the National Forensic Science Service, the National Coast Guard, and the Immigration Department, is a department of the Ministry of National Security, which is headed by Carlos Perdomo; the BDF itself is commanded by Brigadier General Dario Tapia. In 2005, the Belizean government spent $1.2 million on the military, constituting 1.87% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP).

History
The military of Belize dates back to 1817, when the Prince Regent Royal Honduras Militia, a volunteer organization, was founded; this militia became the Belize Volunteer Guard of the British Territorial Army. The BDF was founded in 1978 following the disbanding of the Belize Volunteer Guard and the Police Special Force the year before.

After Belize achieved independence in 1981 the United Kingdom maintained a deterrent force in the country to protect it from invasion by Guatemala (see Guatemalan claim to Belizean territory). The main British force left in 1994, three years after Guatemala recognised Belizean independence, but the United Kingdom maintains a training presence via the British Army Training and Support Unit Belize (BATSUB) and 25 Flight Army Air Corps. The BDF Maritime Wing became part of the Belizean Coastguard in November 2005.

Organization
The BDF consists of:


 * Ground Forces
 * First Infantry Battalion
 * Second Infantry Battalion


 * Air Wing
 * Troop Transport
 * Freight Transport
 * Search and Rescue (Casualty/Medical Evacuation)
 * Reconnaissance
 * Exclusive Economic Zone Patrol
 * Parachute Resupply
 * Light Ground Attack
 * Showing of the Belizean Flag
 * Air Wing Cadet Corps


 * Volunteer Guard
 * Volunteer Battalion

The Belize National Police is a quasi-military unit in Belize.

Facilities

 * Mountain Pine Ridge Training Area
 * Price Barracks
 * Fairweather Camp
 * Orange Walk
 * Belizario Camp
 * Corozal Training Centre
 * Dangriga Training Centre
 * Phillip SW Goldson International Airport

Aircraft
Aircraft Inventory as of January 26, 2009

Naval
Personnel: year 2008, 152
 * 13 Boats