Military of Benin
| Benin Armed Forces |
|
|---|---|
| Service branches | Army (l'Armée de Terre) Benin Navy (Forces Navales Beninois, FNB) Benin People's Air Force (Force Aerienne Populaire de Benin, FAPB) National Gendarmerie |
| Leadership | |
| Commander-in-Chief | President Yayi Boni |
| Expenditures | |
| Percent of GDP | 1.7% (FY96) |
The Benin Armed Forces (FAB) constitutes the army, navy, air force, and national gendarmerie of Benin. For a number of years, the Belgian Armed Forces have had an active programme of co-operation with Benin, offering training and coaching, donating redundant military equipment and using the county for limited military exercises.
Contents |
[edit] Army
The Army has a strength of 4,800. It includes 1 armoured squadron, 3 infantry battalions, 1 commando/airborne battalion, 1 artillery battery, and 1 engineer battalion.
[edit] Small Arms
- Machine guns
- Mortars
[edit] Armoured vehicles
[edit] Tanks
[edit] Armoured cars
[edit] APC
[edit] Artillery
[edit] Air Force
After achieving independence from France in 1960 the Benin Airforce was transport equipped with seven French-supplied Douglas C-47s, four MH.1521 Broussards and two Agusta-Bell 47Gs. Two F-27s were entered service in 1978 for transport duties before being transferred to Air Benin. Also during the same era two AN-26s were acquired. In late 1985 two Dornier Do-28s entered service to replace the C-47s. A single DHC-6 Twin Otter was acquired in 1989.
The Benin Air Force maintains a small transport and utility fleet of 14 aircraft, including seven helicopters.
| Aircraft | Type | Versions | In service[3][4] | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helicopters | ||||||
| Agusta A109 | scout/attack helicopter | A109HO | 2 | 5 delivered | ||
| Eurocopter AS 350 Ecureuil | utility helicopter | AS 350B | 1 | 2 AS-350B+1 AS-355M delivered | ||
| Transports | ||||||
| Boeing 727 | VIP-transport | 727-256 Adv. | 1 | Acquired from Iberia and modified in 2007/08.[4] | ||
| British Aerospace HS.748 | transport | HS.748 | 1 | 2 delivered | ||
| de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter | transport | DHC-6-300 | 1 | |||
| Dornier Do 28 | utility | Do.28D-2 | 2 | |||
| Douglas DC-3 | transport | C-47B | 2 | 8 delivered | ||
| Aero Commander | transport | 500B | 1 | |||
| Surveillance | ||||||
| LH-10 Ellipse | Surveillance | Grand Duc | 2.[5] | In service 2011 | ||
Beninese Air Force also has two An-26s, and one Boeing 707, but these are currently grounded.[6]
[edit]
- 2 patrol boats donated by China in 2003. In service class name Matelot Brice Kpomasse[2]
China
[edit] References
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Military of Benin |
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Jane's Ifantry Wearons 2007
- ^ a b c d e f g h Military Balance 2010, page 295
- ^ Aviation Week & Space Technology 2009, 26 January 2009 240. Web.11 August 2009. <http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/sourcebook/content.jsp?channelName=pro&story=xml/sourcebook_xml/2009/01/26/AW_01_26_2009_p0240-112924-15.xml&headline=World%20Military%20Aircraft%20Inventory%20-%20Benin>.
- ^ a b Airliners.net
- ^ Afrique, Benin, Aeronautique, un avion pour la surveillance active, 21 November 2010
- ^ Beninese military aviation OrBat
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the CIA World Factbook.
- Much of the material in this article is adapted from the CIA World Factbook 2000.
- New information from IISS World Military Balance 2008 and Jane's World Fighting Ships 2007-2008.
- World Aircraft Information Files. Brightstar Publishing, London. File 338 Sheet 01
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