Benin Armed Forces

The Benin Armed Forces (FAB - Forces armées béninoises) 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 country for limited military exercises.[2]

Benin Armed Forces
Forces armées béninoises
Coat of arms of Benin
Founded	1960
Service branches	Army Benin Navy Benin Air Force National Gendarmerie
Leadership
Commander-in-Chief	President Patrice Talon
Minister of Defence	Yarou Robert Theophile
Chief of the Defence Staff	Laurent Amoussou
Manpower
Conscription	No
Active personnel	4,750[1]
Expenditures
Budget	$US73 million (2011)[1]
Percent of GDP	1% (2011)[1]
Industry
Foreign suppliers	US  Russia  France
Related articles
Ranks	Military ranks of Benin

Army

As of 2012, the Army had a strength of 4,300.[1] It includes 1 armoured squadron, 3 infantry battalions, 1 commando/airborne battalion, 1 artillery battery, and 1 engineer battalion, and national fire brigade.[1]

Infantry weapons

Name	Origin	Type	Variant	Notes
Small arms
TT pistol[3]	United States	Semi-automatic pistol
MAT-49[3]	France	Submachine gun
AKM[3]	Russia	Assault rifle
AK-47[3]	Russia	Assault rifle	AK-103, AK-12, RPK-74
Type 56[4]	China	Assault rifle
MAS-36 rifle[3]	France	Bolt-action rifle
SKS[3]	Soviet Union	Semi-automatic rifle
MAS-49 rifle[3]	France	Semi-automatic rifle
AA-52[3]	France	general purpose
Degtyaryov[3]	Soviet Union	general purpose	RP-46
RPD[3]	Soviet Union	general purpose
DShK[3]	Soviet Union	general purpose
M2 Browning[3]	United States	general purpose	M2HB, M2HB-QCB
RPG-7	Soviet Union	Rocket-propelled grenade

Heavy weapons

Beninese soldiers training with Type 56s.

Name	Origin	Type	In service	Notes
Armored fighting vehicle
PT-76	Soviet Union	Light tank	18[1]
M8 Greyhound	United States	Anti-armor vehicle	7[1]
Eland-90	South Africa	Armored car	3[5]	provided with French training[6][7]
Panhard VBL	France	Armored car	10[1]
BRDM-2	Soviet Union	Armored car	14[1]
Casspir 2000	South Africa	APC		10 on order[8]
M113	United States	APC	18[9]
Artillery
L118 Light Gun	United Kingdom	Howitzer	12[1]
M101 howitzer	United States	Howitzer	4[1]

Air Force

After achieving independence from France in 1960 the Benin Air Force was transport equipped with seven French-supplied Douglas C-47s, four MH.1521 Broussards and two Agusta-Bell 47Gs. Two F-27s 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 roundel of the Benin Air Force

Aircraft

Current inventory

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Variant	In service	Notes
Transport
Boeing 727	United States	VIP		1[10]
DHC-6 Twin Otter	Canada	utility transport		1[11]

Navy

As at 2012, the navy has a strength of approximately 200 personnel. It operates two ex-Chinese patrol boats, which are designated the Matelot Brice Kpomasse class.[1]

References

1. IISS (2012), p. 422
2. Mathurin C. Houngnikpo, Samuel Decalo, Historical Dictionary of Benin, 78.
3. Jane's Infantry Weapons 2007
4. Photo Details. Marines.mil (16 June 2009). Retrieved on 2012-05-20.
5. DIO blindé au Bénin
6. "Senegal Instruction Operationelle Au Profit Des Forces Armees Beninoises".
7. Republique du Benin Archived 3 January 2014 at the Wayback Machine
8. Benin purchases ten Casspir 2000 mine protected vehicles Archived 13 February 2013 at the Wayback Machine - Armyrecognition.com, 10 February 2013
9. "Trade Registers". Armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
10. "Benin Government B-727". xairforces.net. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
11. "World Air Forces 2020". Flightglobal Insight. 2020. Retrieved 16 January 2020.

Works consulted

• International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) (2012). The Military Balance 2012. London: IISS. ISSN 0459-7222.

 This article incorporates public domain material from the CIA World Factbook website https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html.