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.

Army

Beninese soldiers on a firing range at Bembèrèkè in June 2009

Beninese soldiers training with a Type 56.

A Beninese soldier with a Type 56

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.

Small Arms

• Pistols
  • TT pistol ^[1]  Soviet Union

• Sub-machine guns
  • MAT-49^[1] France

• Rifles
  • AK-47\AKM^[1]  Soviet Union
  • MAS-49^[1]  France
  • SKS^[1]  Soviet Union

• Machine guns
  • AA-52^[1]  France
  • Degtyaryov machine gun^[1]  Soviet Union
  • RPD^[1]  Soviet Union
  • DsHK^[1]  Soviet Union
  • Browning M-2HB^[1]  United States

• Anti-tank
  • RPG-7 ^[1] Soviet Union

• Mortars
  • Brandt 60 mm LR Gun-mortar^[1] France

Armoured vehicles

Tanks

• Light
  • 18 PT-76 light tanks (operation status uncertain)^[2]  Soviet Union

Armoured cars

• 7 M8 Greyhound^[2]  United States
• 10 Véhicule Blindé Léger^[2]  France
• 14 BRDM-2^[2]  Soviet Union

APC

• 22 M113^[2]  United States

Artillery

• 12 L118 Light Gun^[2]  United Kingdom
• 4 M101 howitzer^[2]  United States

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	Origin	Type	Versions	In service[3][4]	Notes
Helicopters
Agusta A109	Italy	scout/attack helicopter	A109HO	2	5 delivered
Eurocopter AS 350 Ecureuil	France  Germany  Spain	utility helicopter	AS 350B	1	2 AS-350B+1 AS-355M delivered
Transports
Boeing 727	United States	VIP-transport	727-256 Adv.	1	Acquired from Iberia and modified in 2007/08.[4]
British Aerospace HS.748	United Kingdom	transport	HS.748	1	2 delivered
de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter	Canada	transport	DHC-6-300	1
Dornier Do 28	Germany	utility	Do.28D-2	2
Douglas DC-3	United States	transport	C-47B	2	8 delivered
Aero Commander	United States	transport	500B	1
Surveillance
LH-10 Ellipse	France	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]

Navy

Template:Needs expansion

• 2 patrol boats donated by China in 2003. In service class name Matelot Brice Kpomasse^[2]  China

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l} Jane's Ifantry Wearons 2007
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h} Military Balance 2010, page 295
3. ^ 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>.
4. ^ ^{a b} Airliners.net
5. ^ Afrique, Benin, Aeronautique, un avion pour la surveillance active, 21 November 2010
6. ^ 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