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Military of Equatorial Guinea
Fuerzas Armadas de Guinea Ecuatorial
Coat of arms of Equatorial Guinea
Coat of arms of Equatorial Guinea
Service branches Army, Navy, Air Wing
Leadership
President of Equatorial Guinea Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo
Manpower
Conscription 18 years of age, 2 years selective compulsory service
Available for
military service
136,725 males, age 16–49,
138,018 females, age 16–49
Fit for
military service
105,468 males, age 16–49,
107,919 females, age 16–49
Reaching military
age annually
6,983 males,
6,726 females
Active personnel 1,540
Expenditures
Percent of GDP 0.1% (2006 est.)
Industry
Foreign suppliers United States
Flag of the People's Republic of China China
Flag of France France
Flag of Italy Italy
Flag of Spain Spain
Flag of Cuba Cuba
Flag of North Korea North Korea

The military of Equatorial Guinea (in Spanish: Fuerzas Armadas de Guinea Ecuatorial) consists of approximately 2,500 service members. The army has almost 1,400 soldiers, the police 400 paramilitary men, the navy 200 service members, and the air force about 120 members. There is also a Gendarmerie, but the number of members is unknown. The Gendarmerie is a new branch of the service in which training and education is being supported by the French Military Cooperation in Equatorial Guinea.[1] Military appointments are all reviewed by President Teodoro Obiang, and few of the native militiamen come from outside of Obiang's Mongomo-based Esangui clan. Obiang was a general when he overthrew his uncle, Francisco Macías Nguema.

Overall the military is poorly trained and equipped. It has mostly small arms, RPGs, and mortars. Almost none of its Soviet-style light-armored vehicles or trucks are operational.

The Armed Forces were reorganized in 1979. In 1988, the United States donated a 68-foot patrol boat to the Equatoguinean navy to patrol its exclusive economic zone. The U.S. patrol boat Isla de Bioko is no longer operational.[2] U.S. military-to-military engagement has been dormant since 1997 (the year of the last Joint Combined Exchange Training exercise). Between 1984 and 1992, service members went regularly to the United States on the International Military Education Training program, after which funding for this program for Equatorial Guinea ceased. The government spent 6.5% of its annual budget on defense in 2000 and 4.5% of its budget on defense in 2001. It recently acquired some Chinese artillery pieces, some Ukrainian patrol boats, and some Ukrainian helicopter gunships. The number of paved airports in Equatorial Guinea can be counted on one hand, and as such the number of airplanes operated by the air force is small. The Equatoguineans rely on foreigners to operate and maintain this equipment as they are not sufficiently trained to do so. Cooper and Weinert 2010 says that all aircraft are based on the military side of Malabo International Airport.[3]

In 2002, a report said "The oil companies do not view Equatorial Guinea's military – a product of decades of brutal dictatorial rule – with much confidence. The army is believed to have only about 1,320 men under arms, the navy 120, and the air force 100. Seven of the army's nine generals are relatives of the president; the other two are from his tribe. There is no clear command structure, the level of discipline is low, and professionalism and training are almost non-existent, according to locals and foreign oil workers. Even the presidential guard – an indication of the lack of trust in the country's forces – is composed of 350 Moroccan troops."[4] One general may be General Agustin Ndong Ona, reported in 2004.

In July 2010, after the visit of Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the sale of a Barroso-class corvette to be constructed in Brazil was announced.[5]

Equipment[]

Armor[]

Name Origin Type In service Notes
Armored fighting vehicle
BTR-152 Soviet Union APC 10[1]
T-54/55 Soviet Union Main battle tank 3[1]
BMP-1 Soviet Union Infantry fighting vehicle 20 [1] former Czech military
BTR-70 Soviet Union amphibious scout vehicle 8[1]
Ural-4320[1] Russia multi purpose truck
Artillery
M-43[1] Soviet Union 160mm mortar

Small arms[]

Aircraft[]

Current inventory[]

Antonov An-72P, Equatorial Guinea - Air Force AN1593110

An Antonov An-72P on lift off

Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Combat Aircraft
Su-25 Russia attack 4[6]
Transport
An-72 Ukraine heavy transport 1[6]
Helicopters
Ka-27 Russia utility Ka-29 1[6]
Mil Mi-26 Russia utility / transport 1[6]
Mil Mi-24 Russia attack Mi-35 7[6]
Trainer Aircraft
L-39 Czech Republic jet trainer 2[6]

On 26 January 2016 the Air Force of Equatorial Guinea signed a contract for the delivery of two CASA C-295 transport aircraft, the first as a troop transport and the second for maritime surveillance to be delivery in 2017.[7]

Navy[]

  • Flagship: Frigate 'Wele Nzas' [8] (F 073). 2,500 tonnes, 107 m
  • Corvette ‘Bata’ (OPV-88). 1,360 tonnes, 88 m
  • 2 Shaldag class fast patrol boat[9]
  • 1 Daphne patrol boat - 170 tons full load - commissioned 1963
  • 2 Zhuk patrol boats
  • 2 Kalkan patrol craft - 8.5 tons full load
  • 1 Esturaio de Muni class OPV
  • 1 P-183\P-6 class FAC -status unknown.

Notes[]

References[]

Further reading[]

  • Cooper, Tom & Weinert, Peter (2010). African MiGs: Volume I: Angola to Ivory Coast. Harpia Publishing LLC. ISBN 978-0-9825539-5-4.
  • Jeremy Binnie, 'Boom Time - Equatorial Guinea,' Jane's Defence Weekly, 30 May 2012.
All or a portion of this article consists of text from Wikipedia, and is therefore Creative Commons Licensed under GFDL.
The original article can be found at Military of Equatorial Guinea and the edit history here.
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