Guyana Defence Force
 |
| Guyana Defence Force | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Founded | 1966 |
| Leadership | |
| Commander-in-Chief | David A. Granger |
| Minister of Foreign affairs | Carl B. Greenidge[1] |
| Chief-of-Staff | Brigadier Patrick West |
| Personnel | |
| Military age | 16 years of age for selection process, 17 years of age is actual serving age (As of 2007) |
| Reaching military age annually | (2005 est.) |
| Expenditures | |
| Percent of GDP | 1.09% (2010)  This article incorporates public domain material from The World Factbook. CIA. |
| Industry | |
| Foreign suppliers |  United States Soviet Union (former) China Japan Brazil United Kingdom Russia Germany Belgium |
The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) is the military service of Guyana.
History
The GDF was formed on 1 November 1965. Members of the new Defence Force were drawn from the British Guiana Volunteer Force (BGVF), Special Service Unit (SSU), British Guiana Police Force BGPF and civilians. Training assistance was provided by British instructors.
The GDF is an integral part of the Guyanese nation. Resources and equipment of the GDF are used to help other Guyanese; examples include medical mercy flights and the construction of roads and airstrips by the Engineering Corps.
Enlistment into the Force is Voluntary for officers and soldiers. Basic training is done within GDF training schools, which has also trained officers and soldiers from Commonwealth Caribbean territories. However, Officers are trained at two of the world-renowned British officer training schools: Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (Infantry Training) and Britannia Royal Naval College (Coast Guard Training).
The training and skills gained by the members of the GDF have been used when they move either into civilian life or into the sister military organizations, the Guyana People's Militia (now the Second Infantry Battalion Group Reserve) and the Guyana National Service.
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Role of the GDF
- Defend the territorial integrity of Guyana.
- Assist the civil power in the maintenance of law and order when required to do so.
- Contribute to the economic development of Guyana.
Motto
The motto of the Guyana Defence Force is "SERVICE". [2]
Organization
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- 1st Infantry Battalion group
- 2nd Infantry Battalion group (Reserve)
- 1 Special Forces Company
- 1 Support Weapons Company
- 21st Artillery Company
- Engineer Battalion
- 41st Construction Company
- 42nd FD Company
- 43rd EME Company
- Signals
- Headquarters
- Defense Communication Center
- Signal Center and Switchboard
- Technical Workshop
- School of Signals
- Technical Stores
- Military Band
- Medical Corps
- Air Corps
Army equipment
Infantry weapons
- Walther PPK
Germany - M16A2
United States - Type 56
China - Type 63 assault rifle China
- AKM
Soviet Union - AK 47 Soviet Union
- Heckler & Koch G3 Germany
- FN MAG
Belgium - RPG-7 Soviet Union
Armoured vehicles
- 10 Ford F-350 United States
- 04 Shorland
United Kingdom - 06 EE-9 Cascavel
Brazil - 12 EE-11 Urutu Brazil
Artillery and mortars
- 12 D-30 122mm towed howitzer Soviet Union
- 06 M-46 130mm towed howitzer Soviet Union
- 12 L16 81mm Mortar United Kingdom
- 18 M-43 82mm mortar Soviet Union
- 18 M1938 mortar 120mm Soviet Union
- 06 Type 65 82mm recoilless rifle China
- 06 Type 63 multiple rocket launcher China
- 06 ZPU 4x 14.5 mm anti-aircraft gun Soviet Union
- 18 Launchers of 100 missiles SA-7 Grail MANPAD Soviet Union
Aircraft Inventory
The Defence force air wing was formed in 1968 and was then renamed the Guyana Defence force air command in 1973. Seven Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander were delivered over a five-year period in the 1970s and then were supplemented by Short Skyvans series 3Ms in 1979. In 1986 3 Mil Mi-8 were delivered. The GDF currently operates two fixed-wing aircraft and four helicopters.
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Versions | In service [3] | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transport and liaison aircraft | ||||||
| Short Skyvan [4][5][6] | United Kingdom |
Utility transport | SC-7 Skyvan 3M | 1 | In service since 1979. | |
| Harbin Y-12 Panda | People's Republic of China |
Utility transport | Y-12 | 1 | In service since 2002. | |
| Helicopters | ||||||
| Bell 206 JetRanger |  United States |
Utility helicopter | 206B | 2 | In service since 1976. | |
| Bell 412 [7] | United States |
Utility Helicopter | 412 | 1 | In service since 1984. | |
| RotorWay Exec 162F | United States |
Light helicopter | 162F | 1 | In service since 2004. | |
Former aircraft
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Versions | In service[3] | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transport and liaison aircraft | ||||||
| Beechcraft Super King Air | United States |
Transport and patrol aircraft | King Air 200 | 1 | In service from 1975 to 1992. | |
| Britten Norman Islander [8] | United Kingdom |
Transport and patrol aircraft | BN-2A | 7 | In service from 1971 to 2001.[9][10][11] One (8R-GES) crashed on the 15th of December 1986 and another (8R-GFN) was destroyed in a crash on the 6th of January 2001.[12][13] | |
| Cessna 182 | United States |
Liaison aircraft | 182J Skylane | 1 | In service from 1982 to 1994. | |
| Cessna 206 | United States |
Transport and patrol aircraft | U206G Stationair | 1 | In service from 1975 to 1995. | |
| Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante | Brazil |
Transport aircraft | 110P | 1 | In service from 1984 to 1994. | |
| Helio Super Courier | United States |
Liaison and patrol aircraft | H-295 Super Courier | 3 | In service from 1968 to 1971. | |
| Helicopters | ||||||
| Aerospatiale Alouette III [14] |  France |
Utility helicopter | SA-319B | 2 | In service from 1975 to 1982. | |
| Bell 212 [15] | United States |
Utility helicopter | 3 | In service from 1976 to 1994. | ||
| Mil Mi-8 | Soviet Union |
Transport and utility helicopter | Hip | 3 | In service from 1985 to 1991. | |
The Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard is the naval component of the Guyana Defence Force.
- GDFS Essequibo Mine sweeper-River class (UK) United Kingdom
- 1 River patrol boats - 890 tons full load - commissioned 1985
- 8 T-44 patrol boats - 18 tons full load
- 1 Kimbala class LCU
Netherlands
References
- ^ http://www.minfor.gov.gy/index.php/about-us/the-minister
- ^ http://www.gdf.mil.gy/index.php/about-us/history/where-it-all-began.html
- ^ a b "World Military Aircraft Inventory", Aerospace Source Book 2007, Aviation Week & Space Technology, January 15, 2007.
- ^ "Video footage of the 8R-GRR Skyvan shortly after landing (piloted by Mike Rogers)". 2008-01-23. Retrieved 2013-01-21.
- ^ "Photo of the GDF Short SC-7 Skyvan, 8R-GGK (airliners.net)". 2008-12-07. Retrieved 2013-01-21.
- ^ "Article with exterior and interior photos of the 8R-GGK Skyvan". 2007-04-06. Retrieved 2013-01-21.
- ^ "Article about the Bell 412 and other GDF aircraft at the Guyana Times website (with a larger resolution photograph of the Bell 412 in flight)". 2012-02-09. Retrieved 2013-01-21.
- ^ "Historical photograph of the BN-2A Islander, code 8R-GEE (post in discussion thread at Key Publishing Ltd. forums)". 2009-01-10. Retrieved 2013-01-21.
- ^ "Video footage of the 8R-GFN Islander while it was still operating". 2008-01-24. Retrieved 2013-01-21.
- ^ "Video footage of the 8R-GFN Islander while it was still operating". 2008-01-24. Retrieved 2013-01-21.
- ^ "Video footage of the 8R-GFN Islander while it was still operating". 2008-01-24. Retrieved 2013-01-21.
- ^ "Overview of accidents and crashes of Guyanese civilian and military aircraft". 2013-01-11. Retrieved 2013-01-21.
- ^ "Photo of the tail section of the crashed GDF BN Islander 8R-GFN". 2013-12-14. Retrieved 2013-01-21.
- ^ "Historical photograph of the GDF Aerospatiale Alouette III, 8R-GEL (post in discussion thread at Key Publishing Ltd. forums)". 2006-03-25. Retrieved 2013-01-21.
- ^ "Historical photographs of the GDF Bell 212 (post in discussion thread at Key Publishing Ltd. forums)". 2009-01-12. Retrieved 2013-01-21.
World aircraft information files Brightstar publishing file 344 sheet 2
