Benin Armed Forces

Benin Armed Forces
Forces Armées Béninoises
Flag of the Benin Armed Forces
Founded1960
Service branchesArmy
Navy
Air Force
Republican Guard
Leadership
Commander-in-ChiefRomuald Wadagni
Minister of DefenceYarou Robert Theophile
Chief of the Defence StaffFructueux Gbaguidi
Personnel
ConscriptionNo
Active personnel4,750
Expenditure
Budget$US73 million (2011)
Percent of GDP1% (2011)
Industry
Foreign suppliers United States
Russia
France
China
South Africa
United Kingdom
Related articles
RanksMilitary ranks of Benin

The Benin Armed Forces (French: Forces Armées Béninoises; FAB) constitutes the army, navy, air force, and republican guard of the Republic of Benin. For several years, the Belgian Armed Forces have had an active programme of co-operation with Benin, offering training and coaching, donating surplus military equipment, and conducting limited military exercises in the country.

History

Beninese peacekeepers, part of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali, 2018

The constitution of 11 December 1990 ordered the Benin Armed Forces to ensure effective, permanent, and efficient security coverage of the territory, as well as border vigilance.[citation needed]

The national gendarmerie no longer exists since 2018. It has been merged with the national police.

Branches

Army

Beninese Army soldier on range at Bembèrèkè, 2012
A Beninese military honor guard, 2025

As of 2012, the army had a strength of 4,300. It includes 1 armoured squadron, 3 infantry battalions, 1 commando/airborne battalion, 1 artillery battery, and 1 engineer battalion, and 1 National Fire Brigade. The army has the following units:

Air Force

After achieving independence from France in 1960, the Benin Air Force was 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.

As of 2012, the navy had approximately 200 personnel. It operates two ex-Chinese patrol boats, which are designated the Matelot Brice Kpomasse class.

Republican Guard

The Republican Guard is responsible for the security of the President of the Republic, ministers, members of the government, institutions of the Republic, and their leader.

Equipment

Small arms

Name Image Caliber Type Origin Notes
Pistols
TT-30/33 7.62×25mm Semi-automatic pistol Soviet Union
Submachine guns
MAT-49 9×19mm SMG France
Rifles
AK 7.62×39mm Assault rifle Soviet Union
AKM 7.62×39mm Assault rifle Soviet Union
Type 56 7.62x39mm Assault rifle China
Type 81 7.62×39mm Assault rifle China
M16 5.56×45mm Assault rifle United States
SKS 7.62×39mm Semi-automatic rifle Soviet Union
MAS-49/56 7.5×54mm Semi-automatic rifle France
Shotguns
Remington Model 1100 .410 bore Semi-automatic shotgun United States
Machine guns
FM 24/29 7.5×54mm LMG France
RP-46 7.62×54mmR LMG Soviet Union
RPD 7.62×39mm LMG Soviet Union
AA-52 7.62×51mm GPMG France
M240G 7.62×51mm GPMG United States
KPV 14.5×114mm HMG Soviet Union
Browning M2 .50 BMG HMG United States
Rocket propelled grenade launchers
RPG-7 40mm RPG Soviet Union
Grenade launchers
LRAC F1 83mm Shoulder-launched missile weapon France

Tanks

Name Image Type Origin Quantity Notes
PT-76 Amphibious Light tank Soviet Union 18 Delivered by Soviet Union from 1982

Scout cars

Name Image Type Origin Quantity Notes
BRDM-2 Amphibious Scout car Soviet Union 14
MBTS Cayman Scout car Belarus 9
Eland-90 Armored car Scout car South Africa 3
Panhard VBL Scout car France 10 Delivered by France from 1986
M8 Greyhound Armored car Scout car United States 7

Armored personnel carriers

Name Image Type Origin Quantity Notes
M113 Armoured personnel carrier United States 22
ACMAT Bastion Armoured personnel carrier France 2
VAB Armoured personnel carrier France 15

Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected

Name Image Type Origin Quantity Notes
Casspir NG MRAP South Africa 10

Artillery

Name Image Type Origin Quantity Notes
Mortars
MO-81-61 Mortar France Unknown
W-86 Mortar China Unknown
Field artillery
L118 Howitzer United Kingdom 12
M101A1 Howitzer United States 4

Man-portable air-defense systems

Name Image Type Origin Quantity Notes
9K32 Strela-2 MANPADS Soviet Union

Bibliography

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 IISS (2012), p. 422
  2. ↑ Mathurin C. Houngnikpo, Samuel Decalo, Historical Dictionary of Benin, 78.
  3. ↑ "Décret n° 2017-41 portant création de la Police républicaine en République du Bénin". Présidence de la République du Bénin (in French). 29 December 2017. Archived from the original on 3 June 2023. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Jones & Ness 2010, p. 904.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Jones, Richard D., ed. (27 January 2009). Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010 (35th ed.). Jane's Information Group. ISBN 978-0-7106-2869-5.
  6. ↑ Jurado, Carlos Caballero (1990). Central American Wars 1959–89. Men-at-Arms 221. London: Osprey Publishing. pp. 20, 45. ISBN 9780850459456.
  7. ↑ "Benin Infantry Arms List (Current and Former Types)".
  8. ↑ McManners, Hugh (2003). Ultimate Special Forces. DK Publishing, Inc. ISBN 0-7894-9973-8.
  9. ↑ Gander, Terry J. (22 November 2000). "National inventories, Benin". Jane's Infantry Weapons 2001-2002. p. 948.
  10. ↑ Shea, Dan (February 2010). "LRAC F1: 89mm Shoulder Fired Launcher". Small Arms Review. Vol. 13, no. 5. Archived from the original on 18 October 2019. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 IISS 2024, p. 473.
  12. ↑ "Санкции в действии: ремонтный завод в Борисове не может выпускать броневики «Кайман»". charter97.org (in Russian). Retrieved 8 February 2026.
  13. ↑ REFORM.news (14 August 2025). "На параде в Бенине показали беларусские бронемашины «Кайман»". REFORM.news (ранее REFORM.by) (in Russian). Retrieved 8 February 2026.
  14. ↑ "DIO blindé au Bénin". Cotonou: Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs. 7 December 2010. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  15. ↑ Hounsou, Ludovic (June 2017). "Levée des indisponibilités de trois pelotons". Le Mirador. 1 (11): 23. Archived from the original on 23 May 2024.
  16. ↑ Gander, Terry J. (22 November 2000). "National inventories, Benin". Jane's Infantry Weapons 2001-2002. p. 949.

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from The World Factbook (2025 ed.). CIA.