Armed Forces of Gabon

Template:Short description Template:Infobox national military The Armed Forces of Gabon (Template:Langx), officially the Gabonese Defense and Security Forces (Template:Langx), is the national professional military of Gabon, divided into the Army, Air Force, Navy, and a National Gendarmerie, consisting of about 5,000 personnel. The armed forces includes a well-trained, well-equipped 1,800-member guard that provides security for the President of Gabon. Although the President of Gabon has authority over all of the armed forces, the Ministry of National Defense administers it.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Organizational structure

Army

File:Exercise Central Accord 2016 kicks-off in Gabon (27628084966) (2).jpg

Personnel of the Armed Forces stand in formation during the opening day ceremony of the Central Accord Exercise in Libreville.

The Gabonese Army (Template:Langx) is the land component of the armed forces, specializing in infantry and mechanized reconnaissance. It was created on December 6, 1960, by decree of president Léon M'ba from non-commissioned officers who served in the French colonial army, mainly the 2nd company of the 21st BIMA. Following independence, Gabon signed defense agreements with France, mainly on technical assistance and training. Until June 1964, the title of Chief of Staff of the Gabonese Armed Forces was held by a senior French Army officer. In 1962 a detachment of the Auxiliary Women of the Gabonese Armed Forces (AFFAG), commanded by Lieutenant Ba Oumar at the military camp of Owendo, was created. President M'ba promoted the initiative following a visit to Tel Aviv, Israel, where he met female staff in its Defense Forces.

Order of battle

• Republican Guard Battalion (Libreville)
  • • 1 Light Armoured recon unit
  • 3 Infantry companies
    • 1 Artillery battery
  • 1 Air Defence battery
• Airborne Regiment
  • 1 Command company
  • 1 Recon & Support company
  • 3 Airborne companies
• 1 Light Armoured Recon Battalion
  • 2 Armoured squads
  • 1 Command & Logistics company
• Support Command Regiment
  • 1 Artillery battery
  • 1 Mortar battery
  • 1 MRLS battery (8 Teruel MRL)
  • 1 Engineer company
  • Logistic units
• 7 Military Regions
  • 7 Motorised infantry battalions (1 battalion for each region)

Air Force

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Order of battle

• Fighter Squadron 1-02 Leyou at BA02 Franceville with:
  • Mirage F-1AZ
  • MB-326M Impala I
• Heavy Transport Squadron at BA01 Libreville with:
  • C-130 Hercules
  • CN-235
• Ministerial Air Liaison Group ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}} or GLAM) at BA01 Libreville with:
  • 1 Falcon-900EX
  • 1 Gulfstream-III

Facilities

• BA01 Libreville
• BA02 Franceville
• Tchibanga

Navy

File:Tapageuse-01.jpg

The Gabonese Navy uses a P400-class patrol vessel similar to this one

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} The Gabonese Navy (Template:Langx) is the official maritime branch of the armed forces. It was created in December 1960 as part of the army, and only became an independent entity in 1983. The navy's core purpose is to monitor the country's coastal waters, including 800 km of coastline.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• Headquarters Staff (Libreville)
• Port-Gentil Naval Base
• Mayumba Naval Base
• Port-Gentil Aviation BaseTemplate:Citation needed
• Marine Rifle Battalion (since 1984)

Other security forces

National Gendarmerie

The National Gendarmerie of Gabon (Gendarmerie nationale gabonaise) is the national police force of Gabon responsible for law enforcement in the country. It was formed on March 10, 1960, when Gabon, formerly French Equatorial Africa, gained its independence from France. It originated from Libreville Gendarmerie Detachment 1929, which was commanded by Governor General of French Equatorial Africa, Félix Eboue. The main tasks of the gendarmerie are to defend the country's borders, ensure public safety, and to enforce actions taken by judicial and government authorities. The National Gendarmerie is under the direct command of the President of Gabon.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Republican Guard

The Gendarmerie is also in charge of the Republican Guard (Template:Langx).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It is viewed as the most powerful and sophisticated of the security forces. It is primarily tasked with protecting the president and ensures regime stability.

Equipment

Small arms

Name	Origin	Type	Variant	Notes
M16 rifle<ref name="jones2009">Jones, Richard D. Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010. Jane's Information Group; 35 edition (January 27, 2009). Template:ISBN.</ref>	United States	Assault rifle
FN FAL<ref name="jones2009"/>	Belgium	Battle rifle
FN CAL<ref name="jones2009"/>	Belgium	Assault rifle
FN MAG<ref name="jones2009"/>	Belgium	General-purpose machine gun
AK-47<ref name="jones2009"/>	Soviet Union	Assault rifle
AKM<ref name="jones2009"/>	Soviet Union	Assault rifle
RPD<ref name="jones2009"/>	Soviet Union	Light machine gun
FAMAS<ref name="jones2009"/>	France	Assault rifle		Bullpup design
MILAN<ref name=IISS>Template:Cite book</ref>	France	Anti-tank guided missile
M40<ref name=IISS/>	United States	Recoilless rifle	M40A1

Armour

Name	Origin	Type	In Service	Notes
Armored fighting vehicles
AML-60/AML-90	France/South Africa	Reconnaissance vehicle	24<ref name=IISS/>	Including the South African Eland derivative.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
EE-3 Jararaca	Brazil	Reconnaissance vehicle	12<ref name=IISS/>
EE-9 Cascavel	Brazil	Reconnaissance vehicle	14<ref name=IISS/>
ERC-90F4 Sagaie	France	Reconnaissance vehicle	6<ref name=IISS/>
RAM MK3	Israel	Reconnaissance vehicle	7<ref name=IISS/>
Véhicule Blindé Léger	France	Reconnaissance vehicle	14<ref name=IISS/>
EE-11 Urutu	Brazil	Infantry fighting vehicle	12<ref name=IISS/>	Armed with 20 mm gun.<ref name=IISS/>
VN-1	China	Infantry fighting vehicle	5<ref name=IISS/>
Type 07P	China	Infantry fighting vehicle	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
V-150 Command	United States	Armoured personnel carrier	9<ref name=IISS/>
Bastion	France	Armoured personnel carrier	5<ref name=IISS/>
WZ-523	China	Armoured personnel carrier	3<ref name=IISS/>
Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé	France	Armoured personnel carrier	5<ref name=IISS/>
VXB-170	France	Armoured personnel carrier	12<ref name=IISS/>
Pandur I	Austria	Armoured personnel carrier	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=IISS/>
ZFB-05	China	Armoured personnel carrier	3<ref name="armstrade.sipri.org"/>
Aravis	France	Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected	8<ref name=IISS/>
Matador	South Africa	Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected	24<ref name="armstrade.sipri.org"/>
Ashok Leyland MPV	India	Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected	34<ref name=IISS/>

Artillery

Name	Origin	Type	In Service	Notes
M101	United States	105 mm towed howitzer	4<ref name=IISS/>
Type 63	China	107 mm multiple rocket launcher	16<ref name=IISS/>
Type 90	China	122 mm multiple rocket launcher	4<ref name="armstrade.sipri.org"/>
Teruel	Spain	140 mm multiple rocket launcher	8<ref name=IISS/>
MO-120-RT	France	120 mm mortar	4<ref name=IISS/><ref name="armstrade.sipri.org"/>

Air defense

Name	Origin	Type	In Service	Notes
ERC-20	France	20mm self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon	4<ref name=IISS/>
ZPU-4	Soviet Union	14.5mm towed anti-aircraft gun	Unknown<ref name=IISS/>
ZU-23-2	Soviet Union	23 mm towed anti-aircraft gun	24<ref name=IISS/>
M1939	Soviet Union	37 mm towed anti-aircraft gun	10<ref name=IISS/>
L/70	Sweden	40 mm towed anti-aircraft gun	3<ref name=IISS/>

Current inventory

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Retired aircraft

Previous aircraft operated were the CM.170 Magister, Embraer EMB 110, Fokker F28, Aérospatiale N 262, Reims C.337, and the Alouette II helicopter.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Naval equipment

Vessel	Origin	Type	In service	Notes
Kership	France	Offshore patrol		citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
P400	France	Coastal patrol	3<ref name="sipri1">Trade Registers Template:Webarchive. Armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved on 29 May 2015</ref>
BATRAL	France	Landing craft	1<ref name="sipri1"/>	2 ordered, only one received

Ceremonial traditions

• In April 2001, then-Defense Minister Bongo visited China, during which he reviewed the PLA honor guard upon arrival, and proposed to his Chinese counterpart Chi Haotian that members of the battalion will go to Gabon to help set up and train professional ceremonial units in the Gabonese military. In March 2003, after just under three years, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense sent four officers led by Lieutenant Colonel Wang Yuanjing to Libreville by the end of November of that year, after which they stayed to train the Gabonese guard of honour for more than six months.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• The Principal Music Band of the Gabonese Defense Forces was created in 2010. It brings together elements of the Band of the National Gendarmerie, the Armed Forces and the Prytanée militaire de Libreville. It has a staff of 50 professional currently directed by Captain Jean-Baptiste Rabimbinongo. Its conductor, Lieutenant Léa Nzoufa Nze, was the first woman to conduct a military band to the Saumur International Festival of Military Bands. It takes part in many official ceremonies such as National Flag Day and the military parade marking the country's independence.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>