Editing Kenya Defence Forces (section)

==Service branches==
The Kenya Defence Forces is composed of the Kenya Army, Kenya Air Force and Kenya Navy.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mod.go.ke/the-constitution-of-kenya-2010/|title=The Constitution of Kenya, 2010 – Ministry of Defence – Kenya|website=mod.go.ke}}</ref>

===Kenya Army===
[[File:Military helicopter over Westgate shopping mall.jpg|thumb|300px|An [[MD 500 Defender]] helicopter over the [[Westgate, Nairobi|Westgate Shopping Mall]] during the [[Westgate shopping mall attack|siege]], 2013.]]
As of 2006, the Kenya Army had five brigades: two infantry, one with three battalions and one with two battalions; the [[Kenya Army Armoured Brigade]] with three battalions; the [[Kenya Army Artillery Brigade]] with two battalions; and the [[Kenya Army Engineers Brigade|Engineer Brigade]] with two battalions. In addition, the army included an air defense artillery, 20 Parachute Battalion, independent infantry, and the independent 50 Air Cavalry Battalion with 35 armed helicopters at [[Embakasi]].
<ref>Federal Research Division [https://www.refworld.org/docid/46f9134a0.html Country Profile Kenya], Library of Congress, June 2007.</ref>

In February 2014, the official [http://www.mod.go.ke/ Ministry of State for Defence] listed the following Army formations and services:<ref name=forms>{{cite web|url=http://www.mod.go.ke/army/?page_link=formations|title=The Kenya Army Formations|publisher=Kenya Government, Ministry of State for Defence|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140204011034/http://www.mod.go.ke/army/?page_link=formations |archive-date=2014-02-04 |access-date=10 January 2021}}</ref>

* [[Kenya Army Infantry]]
* Kenya Army Paratroopers – Ranger D Company of 20 Parachute Battalion is the only commando unit in the Kenyan Army trained to fight terrorist activities by the US through Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) and its predecessors. Main tasks include reconnaissance, raids, ambushes, infiltration and border patrol in joint operations. The unit was deployed for counter-insurgency operations in the Mt Elgon area in 2008 amid accusations of torture and illegal detention.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/en/news/2008/07/29/trained-terror|title=Trained in terror|publisher=Human Rights Watch (republished from [[The Guardian]] article of 30 July 2008)|access-date=8 July 2011|date=31 July 2008}}</ref>
* [[Kenya Army Armoured Brigade]] (includes one armoured [[reconnaissance]] [[battalion]] (76th), 78 Tank Battalion, [[Isiolo]])
* [[Kenya Army Artillery Brigade]] (includes 77 Artillery Battalion, 88 Artillery Battalion. 88 Artillery Battalion was established at Larisoro, Isiolo County, 27 April 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ka.mod.go.ke/?p=1937|title=88 Artillery Battalion Flag Handover|access-date=29 June 2018|archive-date=17 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180717072442/http://ka.mod.go.ke/?p=1937|url-status=dead}}</ref>)
* [[Kenya Army Engineers Brigade]]
* 50 Air Cavalry Battalion
* Kenya Army Ordnance Corps
* [[Kenya Army Corps of Transport]]
* Kenya Army Electrical and Mechanical Engineering
* [[Kenya Army Corps of Signals]]
* Military Police Corps
* [[Kenya Army Education Corps]]
* Medical Battalion
* [[Defence Forces Constabulary]] (DFC)

The Kenya Ranger Strike Force initiative began in 2006 with a request from the Ministry of Defence; creation of KRSF highlighted extensively in KMOD White Paper on Military Cooperation for 2011–2016.<ref>[https://www.conferences.state.gov/RM/programevaluation2011/Related%20Documents/Defense%20Workshops/3Ds%20in%20Nairobi%20-%20An%20overview%20of%20diplomacy,%20development,%20and%20defense%20at%20the%20U.S.%20Mission,%20Nairobi,%20Kenya.pdf]  {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708231354/https://www.conferences.state.gov/RM/programevaluation2011/Related%20Documents/Defense%20Workshops/3Ds%20in%20Nairobi%20-%20An%20overview%20of%20diplomacy%2C%20development%2C%20and%20defense%20at%20the%20U.S.%20Mission%2C%20Nairobi%2C%20Kenya.pdf|date=8 July 2011}}</ref> The total U.S. investment was $40M. Leveraged IMET courses for Ranger and Ranger Instructor courses, Section 1206 funding to secure training and equipment, multiple Joint Combined Exchange and Training (JCET) events, and East African Regional Security Initiative (EARSI now PREACT) to fund training and equipment. The first class taught by all Kenya Army Ranger Instructors graduated on 18 March 2011. Kenya formed a [[Special Operations Regiment (Kenya)]] composed of 20th Parachute Battalion, 30th Special Operations Battalion and 40th Kenya Ranger Strike Force Battalion. Kabete Barracks off Waiyaki Way in Nairobi is reported to house forces which are 'special'.<ref>https://issuu.com/micnyams/docs/dipad_newsletter_2014, 34.</ref>

By 2019–2020, the [[International Institute for Strategic Studies]] listed the army's formations as including one armoured brigade (one armoured reconnaissance battalion, two armoured battalions); one special operations battalion; one ranger battalion; one infantry brigade with three infantry battalions, and another infantry brigade with two infantry battalions; one independent infantry battalion; one air cavalry battalion [50 Air Cavalry Battalion]; one airborne battalion; one artillery brigade with two artillery battalions and a mortar battery; one air defence battalion; and one engineer brigade with two engineer battalions (IISS MB 2020, p.&nbsp;483).

===Kenya Air Force===
[[File:Soldiers shaking hands near Harbin Y-12 turboprop utility aircraft of Kenya Air Force.jpg|thumb|Soldiers near a turboprop utility aircraft of Kenya Air Force]]
The [[Kenya Air Force]] was formed on 1 June 1964, soon after independence, with the assistance of the United Kingdom.

After a failed coup by a group of Air Force officers on 1 August 1982, the Air Force was disbanded. Air Force activity was reconstituted and placed under tighter army control as the 82 Air Force. The Air Force regained its independent status in 1994.

The main airbase operating fighters is [[Laikipia Air Base]] in [[Nanyuki]], while [[Moi Air Base]] in [[Eastleigh, Nairobi]] is the headquarters. Other bases include Wajir Air Base, Forward Operating Base (FOB) Mombasa ([[Moi International Airport]]), FOB Mandera, & FOB Nyeri (mainly helicopters/small planes).

===Kenya Navy===
The [[Kenya Navy]] is the naval branch of the Kenyan Defence Forces. The Navy was established on 12 December 1964, exactly one year after [[Kenya]] gained independence. It was preceded by the colonial [[Royal East African Navy]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mod.go.ke/Navysite/history.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080219095248/http://www.mod.go.ke/Navysite/history.htm|url-status=dead|title=Kenya Navy: History|archive-date=19 February 2008}}</ref>

The Navy operates several bases, Mtongwe base in [[Mombasa]], Shimoni, Msambweni, Malindi, Kilifi and since 1995<ref name="memorable">{{Cite web|url=http://www.mod.go.ke/Navysite/memorable2.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20070701161234/http://www.mod.go.ke/Navysite/memorable2.htm|url-status=dead|title=Kenya Navy: Memorable events|archive-date=1 July 2007}}</ref> another base located in [[Manda Island|Manda]] (part of [[Lamu Archipelago]]).