Belize Defense Force

Belize Defense Force
guide
Commander in Chief de jure :	Queen Elizabeth II
Commander in chief de facto :	Governor General of Belize Colville Young
Defense Minister:	John Saldivar
Military Commander:	Brigadier General David Jones
Headquarters:	Price Barracks ( Ladyville )
Military strength
Active soldiers:	1050
Reservists:	700
Conscription:	exposed
Resilient population:	approx. 160,000 (men and women, ages 16–49; 2010)
Eligibility for military service:	Reaching the age of 16
household
Military budget:	$ 17 million (2011)
Share of gross domestic product :	1.08% (2011)
history
Founding:	1978

The Belize Defense Force (BDF) make up the military of Belize . They consist of 1,050 professional soldiers and volunteers , as well as approximately 700 reservists and two trains (platoon) with soldiers .

The BDF is led by a brigadier general , a colonel and seven lieutenant colonels . The main tasks mentioned are: deterring internal and external threats, supporting the police, involving neighbors and international partners. Traditionally, the BDF cooperates primarily with the British Army (British Army Training Support Unit Belize - BATSUB) and the US Army (equipment and training aid). In 2007 a staff officer of the BDF took part in a general staff course at the command academy of the Bundeswehr in Hamburg for the first time.

Defense budget

The defense budget totaled 17 million US dollars in 2012, which corresponds to about 1% of the national gross national product .

history

The Belize Defense Force dates back to 1817 when the Prince Regent Royal Honduras Militia was established as a militia .

This association was renamed several times and had the following names:

• Prince Regent's Royal Militia (1817–1866)
• Belize Volunteer Force (1866–1868)
• Belize Volunteer Corps (1868-1883)
• Belize Light Infantry Volunteer Force (1897-1905)
• British Honduras Volunteers (1905-1916)
• British Honduras Territorial Force (1916–1928)
• British Honduras Defense Force (1928–1944)
• British Honduras Home Guard (1942-1943)
• British Honduras Volunteer Guard (1943–1973)
• Belize Volunteer Guard (1973-1977).

In 1978 the Belize Defense Force was established.

structure

The Belize Defense Force is structured as follows:

• Army :
  • three battalions of infantry with three companies each
  • three reserve companies
  • Anti-Terrorist Group ( Belize Special Assignment Group )
• Air Force :
  • Air Wing

equipment

army

Ground weapons

image	Make / model	Weapon type	Country of manufacture	Duration
	FFV Carl Gustaf	reactive anti-tank rifle	Sweden	6th
	L16 81mm mortar	mortar	United Kingdom	6th

Air Wing

Aircraft

Make / model	operation area	Country of manufacture	In stock	notes
Britten-Norman Defender	Air transport	United Kingdom	2	1 BN-2A Defender and 1 BN-2B Defender since 2012
Cessna 182 J.	Air transport	United States	1	BDF-03
Slingsby T67M-260	Trainer aircraft	United Kingdom	1

More powers

The Minister of National Security also reports to the Belize Police Department with 1,073 police officers and 141 civilian employees and the Belizean Coast Guard Service (coast guard).

The British Army has 40 soldiers stationed in Belize.

Web links

Commons : Belize Defense Force  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Official website of the Belize Defense Force

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Greetings from the Defense Minister, accessed March 2015
2. ↑ Announcement of the Commander, accessed in March 2015 ( Memento of the original from April 2, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
3. ↑ Contact details with office, accessed March 2015
4. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g h} IISS (2012), p. 374
5. ^ CIA - The World Factbook, accessed March 2015
6. ^ World Fact Book, accessed March 2015