Angolan Armed Forces
Encyclopedia
The Angolan Armed Forces (Portuguese
: Forças Armadas Angolanas) are the military
in Angola
that succeeded Forças Armadas de Libertação de Angola following the abortive Bicesse Accord with UNITA
in 1991. As part of the peace agreement, troops from both armies were to be demilitarized and then integrated. Integration was never completed as UNITA
went back to war in 1992. Later, consequences for UNITA
members in Luanda were harsh with FAPLA veterans persecuting their erstwhile opponents in certain areas and reports of vigilantism.
The FAA is headed by Chief of Staff Geraldo Sachipengo Nunda since 2010, who reports to the Minister of Defense, actually Cândido Pereira Van-Dúnem.
There are three components, the Army (Forças Armadas), Navy (Marinha de Guerra) and Air Force Força Aérea Nacional Angolana. Total manpower is about 130,500. (2007). The army is by far the largest of the services with about 120,000 men and women. The Navy numbers about 2,500 and operates seven small patrol craft and barges. Airforce personnel total about 8,000; its equipment includes eight Russia
n-manufactured Sukhoi Su-27
fighter aircraft
and transport planes. In 2002 one got lost during the civil war with UNITA
forces.
A small number of FAA personnel are stationed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
(Kinshasa) and the Republic of the Congo
(Brazzaville). A presence during the unrest in the Ivory Coast, 2010/2011, were not officially confirmed. Angola is basically interested in the participation of the FAA operations of the African Union
and has formed special units for this purpose.
The Angolan army has around 29,000 "ghost workers" who remain enrolled in the ranks of the FAA and therefore receive a salary. Major equipment included over 140 main battle tank
s, 600 reconnaissance
vehicles, over 320 armored vehicles, infantry fighting vehicle
s, 298 howitzers carriers.
In 1990-91, the Army had ten military regions and an estimated 73+ 'brigade
s', each with a mean strength of 1,000 and comprising infantry
, tank
s, APC, artillery
, and AA units
as required (IISS Military Balance 1990 or 1991). The Navy had an estimated 2,500 personnel whose major naval units consisted of nine patrol/coastal vessels from Spain and France. There are talks with the German government to deliver some 12 navy fast speed vessels for sea border protection. The Air Force /Air Defense Forces had 8,000 personnel and 90 combat capable aircraft, including 22 fighters, 59 fighter ground attack aircraft and 16 attack helicopters.
The defense budget in 2005 totaled 1.16 billion US-Dollars.
for border protection from 2011.
The navy also has several aircraft for maritime patrol:
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Versions
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes
|-----
| Fokker F27
|
| Medium transport
|
| 1
|
|-----
| EMB 111
|
| Maritime patrol
|
| 2
|
|-----
| Boeing 707
|
| Maritime patrol
|
| 1
|
|-----
Armour
Field Artillery
Air Defense Artillery
ATGM
General Purpose
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
: Forças Armadas Angolanas) are the military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
in Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
that succeeded Forças Armadas de Libertação de Angola following the abortive Bicesse Accord with UNITA
UNITA
The National Union for the Total Independence of Angola is the second-largest political party in Angola. Founded in 1966, UNITA fought with the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola in the Angolan War for Independence and then against the MPLA in the ensuing civil war .The war was one...
in 1991. As part of the peace agreement, troops from both armies were to be demilitarized and then integrated. Integration was never completed as UNITA
UNITA
The National Union for the Total Independence of Angola is the second-largest political party in Angola. Founded in 1966, UNITA fought with the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola in the Angolan War for Independence and then against the MPLA in the ensuing civil war .The war was one...
went back to war in 1992. Later, consequences for UNITA
UNITA
The National Union for the Total Independence of Angola is the second-largest political party in Angola. Founded in 1966, UNITA fought with the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola in the Angolan War for Independence and then against the MPLA in the ensuing civil war .The war was one...
members in Luanda were harsh with FAPLA veterans persecuting their erstwhile opponents in certain areas and reports of vigilantism.
The FAA is headed by Chief of Staff Geraldo Sachipengo Nunda since 2010, who reports to the Minister of Defense, actually Cândido Pereira Van-Dúnem.
There are three components, the Army (Forças Armadas), Navy (Marinha de Guerra) and Air Force Força Aérea Nacional Angolana. Total manpower is about 130,500. (2007). The army is by far the largest of the services with about 120,000 men and women. The Navy numbers about 2,500 and operates seven small patrol craft and barges. Airforce personnel total about 8,000; its equipment includes eight Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n-manufactured Sukhoi Su-27
Sukhoi Su-27
The Sukhoi Su-27 is a twin-engine supermanoeuverable fighter aircraft designed by Sukhoi. It was intended as a direct competitor for the large United States fourth generation fighters, with range, heavy armament, sophisticated avionics and high manoeuvrability...
fighter aircraft
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
and transport planes. In 2002 one got lost during the civil war with UNITA
UNITA
The National Union for the Total Independence of Angola is the second-largest political party in Angola. Founded in 1966, UNITA fought with the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola in the Angolan War for Independence and then against the MPLA in the ensuing civil war .The war was one...
forces.
A small number of FAA personnel are stationed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
(Kinshasa) and the Republic of the Congo
Republic of the Congo
The Republic of the Congo , sometimes known locally as Congo-Brazzaville, is a state in Central Africa. It is bordered by Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the Angolan exclave province of Cabinda, and the Gulf of Guinea.The region was dominated by...
(Brazzaville). A presence during the unrest in the Ivory Coast, 2010/2011, were not officially confirmed. Angola is basically interested in the participation of the FAA operations of the African Union
African Union
The African Union is a union consisting of 54 African states. The only all-African state not in the AU is Morocco. Established on 9 July 2002, the AU was formed as a successor to the Organisation of African Unity...
and has formed special units for this purpose.
The Angolan army has around 29,000 "ghost workers" who remain enrolled in the ranks of the FAA and therefore receive a salary. Major equipment included over 140 main battle tank
Main battle tank
A main battle tank , also known as a battle tank or universal tank, is a tank that fills the heavy direct fire role of many modern armies. They were originally conceived to replace the light, medium, heavy and super-heavy tanks. Development was spurred onwards in the Cold War with the development...
s, 600 reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
vehicles, over 320 armored vehicles, infantry fighting vehicle
Infantry fighting vehicle
An infantry fighting vehicle , also known as a mechanized infantry combat vehicle , is a type of armoured fighting vehicle used to carry infantry into battle and provide fire support for them...
s, 298 howitzers carriers.
In 1990-91, the Army had ten military regions and an estimated 73+ 'brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
s', each with a mean strength of 1,000 and comprising infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
, tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
s, APC, artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
, and AA units
Anti-aircraft warfare
NATO defines air defence as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures. It may be to protect naval, ground and air forces...
as required (IISS Military Balance 1990 or 1991). The Navy had an estimated 2,500 personnel whose major naval units consisted of nine patrol/coastal vessels from Spain and France. There are talks with the German government to deliver some 12 navy fast speed vessels for sea border protection. The Air Force /Air Defense Forces had 8,000 personnel and 90 combat capable aircraft, including 22 fighters, 59 fighter ground attack aircraft and 16 attack helicopters.
The defense budget in 2005 totaled 1.16 billion US-Dollars.
Navy Fleet (Marinha de Guerra)
Most of the craft detailed are from the 1980s or earlier, but the navy acquired new boats from Spain and France in the 1990s. Germany will deliver Fast Attack CraftFast Attack Craft
Fast Attack Craft are small, fast, agile and offensive warships, that are armed with anti-ship missiles, guns or torpedoes. These are usually operated in close proximity to land as they lack both the sea-keeping and all-round defensive capabilities to survive in blue water. The size of the vessel...
for border protection from 2011.
- Fast missile craft
- OSA-II with four SS-N-2 Styx missiles - 6
- Fast torpedo craft
- Shershen class torpedo boatShershen class torpedo boatThe Shershen class was the NATO reporting name for a class of torpedo boats built for the Soviet Navy and allies. The Soviet designation was Project 206 Shtorm.-Design:...
with four 533mm heavyweight torpedo tubes 4 or 5
- Shershen class torpedo boat
- Inland-water and coastal patrol boats
- Argos 4
- Poluchat-I 2
- Zhuk - 1 or 2
- Jupiter 1 or 2
- Bellatrix 4 or 5
- Mandume Class patrol craft - 4
- Patrulheiro Class patrol boat - 3
- Mine warfare craft
- Yevgenya class minesweeperYevgenya class minesweeperThe Yevgenia class are a group of minesweepers built for the Soviet Navy and export customers between 1967 and 1980. The Soviet designation was Project 1258 Korund.-Design:These were small minehunters built for inshore work...
MH1 2
- Yevgenya class minesweeper
- Amphibious vessels
- Polnocny class landing shipPolnocny class landing shipThe Polnocny -class ships are amphibious warfare vessels. They were designed in Poland, in cooperation with the Soviet Navy and were built in Poland between 1967 and 2002. They now serve in several different navies, and some have been converted to civilian use...
3 - Alfange - 1
- Landing craft tankLanding craft tankThe Landing Craft, Tank was an amphibious assault ship for landing tanks on beachheads. They were initially developed by the British Royal Navy and later by the United States Navy during World War II in a series of versions. Initially known as the "Tank Landing Craft" by the British, they later...
(LCT 1 - T-4 4 or 5
- LDM-400 - 9 or 10
- Polnocny class landing ship
- Coastal defense equipment
- SS-C1 Sepal radar system
The navy also has several aircraft for maritime patrol:
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Versions
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes
|-----
| Fokker F27
Fokker F27
The Fokker F27 Friendship is a turboprop airliner designed and built by the Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker.-Design and development:Design of the Fokker F27 started in the 1950s as a replacement to the successful Douglas DC-3 airliner...
|
| Medium transport
|
| 1
|
|-----
| EMB 111
|
| Maritime patrol
|
| 2
|
|-----
| Boeing 707
Boeing 707
The Boeing 707 is a four-engine narrow-body commercial passenger jet airliner developed by Boeing in the early 1950s. Its name is most commonly pronounced as "Seven Oh Seven". The first airline to operate the 707 was Pan American World Airways, inaugurating the type's first commercial flight on...
|
| Maritime patrol
|
| 1
|
|-----
Equipment - Army
Light equipment- AK-74AK-74The AK-74 is an assault rifle developed in the early 1970s in the Soviet Union as the replacement for the earlier AKM...
assault rifle - used by commando battalion - G-3Heckler & Koch G3The G3 is a 7.62mm battle rifle developed in the 1950s by the German armament manufacturer Heckler & Koch GmbH in collaboration with the Spanish state-owned design and development agency CETME ....
battle rifle - RPKRPKThe RPK is a 7.62x39mm light machine gun of Soviet design, developed by Mikhail Kalashnikov in the late 1950s, parallel with the AKM assault/battle rifle...
light machine gun - PK machine gunPK machine gunThe PK is a 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun designed in the Soviet Union and currently in production in Russia. The PK machine gun was introduced in the 1960s and replaced the SGM and RPD machine guns in Soviet service...
Armour
- T-72T-72The T-72 is a Soviet-designed main battle tank that entered production in 1970. It is developed directly from Obyekt-172, and shares parallel features with the T-64A...
main battle tank - 22 - T-62T-62The T-62 is a Soviet main battle tank, a further development of the T-55. Its 115 mm gun was the first smoothbore tank gun in use.The T-62 was produced between 1961 and 1975. It became a standard tank in the Soviet arsenal, partly replacing the T-55, although that tank continued to be...
main battle tank - 18 - T-54/T-55T-55The T-54 and T-55 tanks were a series of main battle tanks designed in the Soviet Union. The first T-54 prototype appeared in March 1945, just before the end of the Second World War. The T-54 entered full production in 1947 and became the main tank for armored units of the Soviet Army, armies of...
main battle tank - about 100 - PT-76PT-76The PT-76 is a Soviet amphibious light tank which was introduced in the early 1950s and soon became the standard reconnaissance tank of the Soviet Army and the other Warsaw Pact armed forces. It was widely exported to other friendly states, like India, Iraq, North Korea and North Vietnam. Overall,...
light tank - about 12 - BRDM-2BRDM-2The BRDM-2 is an amphibious armoured patrol car used by Russia and the former Soviet Union. It was also known under designations BTR-40PB, BTR-40P-2 and GAZ 41-08...
amphibious armoured patrol/scout car - 50 - BMP-1BMP-1The BMP-1 is a Soviet amphibious tracked infantry fighting vehicle. BMP stands for Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty 1 , meaning "infantry fighting vehicle". The BMP-1 was the world's first mass-produced infantry fighting vehicle...
amphibious infantry fight vehicle - 150 - BMP-2BMP-2The BMP-2 is a second-generation, amphibious infantry fighting vehicle introduced in the 1980s in the Soviet Union, following the BMP-1 of the 1960s....
infantry fighting vehicle - 62 (ex-PolishPolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
) - BTR-60BTR-60The BTR-60 is the first vehicle in a series of Soviet eight-wheeled armoured personnel carriers. It was developed in the late 1950s as a replacement for the BTR-152 and was seen first time in public in 1961...
amphibious armoured personnel carrier - 100 - BTR-80BTR-80BTR-80 is an 8x8 wheeled armoured personnel carrier designed in the Soviet Union. Production started in 1986 and replaced the previous versions, BTR-60 and BTR-70 in the Soviet army. -Description:The Soviets based the BTR-80 on the BTR-70 APC...
armoured personnel carrier - 70 - BMD-1BMD-1The BMD-1 is a Soviet airborne amphibious tracked infantry fighting vehicle, which was introduced in 1969 and first seen by the West in 1970. BMD stands for Boyevaya Mashina Desanta . It can be dropped by parachute and although it resembles the BMP-1 it is in fact much smaller...
airborne amphibious infantry fighting vehicle - 10 - EE-11 UrutuEE-11 UrutuThe EE-11 Urutu is a 6x6 armored personnel carrier developed in the seventies by Engesa of Brazil. It used as many commercially available parts as possible. It also shares many components with the EE-9 Cascavel Armoured fighting vehicle. The suspension includes Engesa's Boomerang double-axle rear...
armoured personnel carrier - 5
Field Artillery
- D-30 122 mm howitzer - 500
- M-46130 mm towed field gun M1954 (M-46)The 130 mm towed field gun M-46 M1954 is a manually loaded, towed 130 mm artillery piece, manufactured in the Soviet Union in the 1950s. It was first observed by the west in 1954...
130 mm field gun - 48 - D-20152 mm towed gun-howitzer M1955 (D-20)The 152 mm gun-howitzer M1955, also known as the D-20, is a manually loaded, towed 152 mm artillery piece, manufactured in the Soviet Union during the 1950s. It was first observed by the west in 1955, where it was designated the M1955. Its GRAU index is 52-P-546...
152 mm towed howitzer - 4 - 2S12S1The 2S1 Gvozdika, ; is a Soviet 122-mm self-propelled howitzer that resembles the PT-76 but is essentially a version of the MT-LB APC, mounting the 2A18 howitzer. "2S1" is its GRAU designation. An alternative Russian designation is SAU-122 but in the Russian Army it is commonly known as Gvozdika...
122 mm self-propelled howitzer - 8 - 2S32S3 AkatsiyaSO-152 is a Soviet 152.4 mm self-propelled artillery developed in 1968. It was a response to the American 155 mm M109. The development started in 1967 according to the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of USSR from July 4, 1967. In 1968 the SO-152 was completed and in 1971 entered...
152 mm self-propelled howitzer - 4 - BM-21BM-21The BM-21 launch vehicle , a Soviet truck-mounted 122 mm multiple rocket launcher, and a M-21OF rocket were developed in the early 1960s. BM stands for boyevaya mashina, ‘combat vehicle’, and the nickname means ‘hail’. The complete system with the BM-21 launch vehicle and the M-21OF rocket...
122 mm MRL - 50 - RM-70 122 mm self-propelled MRL - 40
- 2B9 Vasilyok 82 mm mortar - 250 - mounted on BMD-1
- 120 mm Mortar - 500
Air Defense Artillery
- SAM - 500
- SA-3 Goa (Neva/Pechora)
- SA-9 Gremlin
- SA-16 Gimlet
- SA-7 Strela/Grail portable AA SAMs
- ZSU-23-4ZSU-23-4The ZSU-23-4 "Shilka" is a lightly armored, self-propelled, radar guided anti-aircraft weapon system . ZSU stands for Zenitnaya Samokhodnaya Ustanovka , meaning "anti-aircraft self-propelled mount". The "23" signifies the bore diameter in millimeters. The "4" signifies the number of gun barrels. It...
Shilka self propelled AA Gun - 20 - ZPU-4ZPU-4The ZPU-4 is a towed, quadruple-barreled anti-aircraft gun based on the Soviet KPV 14.5 mm machine gun. It entered service with the Soviet Union in 1949 and is used by over 50 countries worldwide...
14.5 mm AA gun - M-1939 37 mm self-propelled automatic air defense gun
- S-6057 mm AZP S-6057 mm AZP S-60 ; literally: Automatic anti-aircraft gun S-60) is a Soviet towed, road-transportable, short- to medium-range, single-barrel anti-aircraft gun from the 1950s. The gun was extensively used in Warsaw Pact, Middle Eastern and South-East Asian countries.-History:In the late 1940s, the...
57 mm self-propelled autocannon
ATGM
- AT-4 SpigotAT-4 SpigotThe 9K111 Fagot is a SACLOS wire-guided anti-tank missile system of the Soviet Union. "9M111" is the GRAU designation of the missile. Its NATO reporting name is AT-4 Spigot.-Development:...
anti-tank weapon - 100
General Purpose
- UAZ-469UAZ-469The UAZ-469 is an all-terrain vehicle manufactured by UAZ. It was used by the Red Army and other Warsaw Pact forces, as well as paramilitary units in Eastern Bloc countries. In the Soviet Union, it also saw widespread service in all state organizations that needed a robust off-road vehicle.The...
jeeps - Land RoverLand RoverLand Rover is a British car manufacturer with its headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire, United Kingdom which specialises in four-wheel-drive vehicles. It is owned by the Indian company Tata Motors, forming part of their Jaguar Land Rover group...
s - purchased 1980s