Sierra Leone Armed Forces

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Sierra Leone flag Armed Forces of the Republic of Sierra Leone
Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF)
RSLAF coat of arms
guide
Commander in Chief : President Julius Maada Bio
( Commander-in-Chief )
Defense Minister: Julius Maada Bio
Simeon Sheriff (Vice Minister)
Military Commander: Brima Sesay
( Lieutenant General )
Headquarters: Paramount Hotel , Freetown
Military strength
Active soldiers: 13,000
Conscription: no
Resilient population: total (men and women; ages 16–49) 1.57 million
Eligibility for military service: 16–29 years
Share of gross domestic product : 0.72% (2012)
history
Founding: 2002
Factual foundation: 1961

The armed forces of the Republic of Sierra Leone ( English Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces , abbreviated RSLAF ) have been the military of the Republic of Sierra Leone since 2002 . The headquarters of the army is like the Ministry of Defense since 21 January 2002, former Paramount Hotel in Freetown . In practice, the army is led from the Joint Force Command headquarters in Freetown.

It is a volunteer army that included 300 women for the first time in 2018.

history

The RSLAF was originally founded in 1961 under the name Royal Sierra Leone Military Forces (RSLMF) and renamed the Republic of Sierra Leone Military Force (RSLMF) in 1971. The armed forces emerged from the Sierra Leone Battalion of the British Royal West African Frontier Force .

After the end of the civil war (1991–2002), in which more than 15,000 soldiers lost their lives fighting primarily against the Revolutionary United Front , the building of a functioning army was slowly pushed forward. It currently comprises around 13,000 soldiers. The training of the soldiers takes place in particular with the help of around 100 British Army personnel .

task

The RSLAF serves three main defense purposes:

  • Defense of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sierra Leone. Securing civilians and defending important interests of society and the state.
  • Assisting the government in enforcing laws, assisting civil society in reconstruction, emergency situations and through ceremonial gestures.
  • Support of further national interests through, among other things, peace missions

Armed forces

Land Forces

The Republic of Sierra Leone Army (RSLA) represents the vast majority of the armed forces, serves to defend the country and is responsible for deployments abroad in the context of international inquiries. The army has up to 13,000 soldiers. Equipment is sparse and is still under construction after the civil war. The army currently has two T-72 tanks, several armored amphibious troop transports of the type OT-64 SKOT , some BMP-2 armored personnel carriers, anti -aircraft missiles 9K32 Strela-2 (9K32), AK-47 assault rifles and RPG-7 grenade launchers.

The army is structured as follows:

  • 3rd Infantry Brigade (formerly Freetown Garrison ), stationed in Freetown-Murray Town and responsible for the Western Area and the northwest of the country. This is divided into
    • 5th Battalion (Freetown Defense Battalion), based in Freetown-Wilberforce
    • 15th Battalion, based in Lungi
    • 11th Battalion, based in Kambia
    • as well as three stations in the area of ​​responsibility
  • 4th Infantry Brigade, stationed in Makeni and responsible for the north, northeast and southeast of the country. This is divided into
    • 4th Battalion, based in Makeni
    • 9th Battalion, based in Kono
    • 12th Battalion, based in Kabala
  • 5th Infantry Brigade, stationed at Bo and responsible for the south and southeast of the country. This is divided into
    • 1st Battalion, stationed at Daru
    • 2nd Battalion, based in Kenema
    • 14th Battalion, based in Pujehun

Naval forces

Sierra Leone Naval War Flag

The Republic of Sierra Leone Navy (SLN) was founded in 1981. It served with an initial stock of 3 officers and 40 men, who were withdrawn from technical units of the army, to operate the only existing patrol boat of the type Tracker Mk. II . After taking over two patrol boats from the People's Republic of China in 1986, the workforce was increased by a further 14 officers and 125 NCOs and men. Today the Navy has a staff of 500 soldiers and operates several small patrol and landing craft. Their main role is to protect the territorial integrity of Sierra Leone's waters .

Air Force

Sierra Leone airplane ticket

The Republic of Sierra Leone Air Wing is the smallest of the three armed forces and was de facto established in 1995. It has a staff of 144 soldiers and five helicopters. In 2004, the number of aircraft with two combat helicopters , two additional helicopters and two aircraft was given. The main base of the Air Force is in the Cockerill Barracks . A move to Hastings Airport was planned (as of 2004).

equipment

Aircraft origin use version active Ordered Remarks
Mil Wed-24 RussiaRussia Russia Attack helicopter 2
Mil Wed-8 RussiaRussia Russia Multipurpose helicopter Mil Wed-17 2
Aérospatiale SA.319 Alouette III FranceFrance France Light multipurpose helicopter 1

Web links

Commons : Military of Sierra Leone  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b CIA World Factboo.k military section from the article on Sierra Leone. Retrieved March 11, 2014
  2. ↑ THE HISTORY OF THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE (MOD)… A New Building for MOD. Ministry of Defense, Sierra Leone. Retrieved May 21, 2014.
  3. ^ A b THE REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE ARMED FORCES (RSLAF) ... Ministry of Defense, Sierra Leone, accessed on May 21, 2014.
  4. ^ Bio government achievements in one year. The Patriotic Vanguard, April 9, 2019.
  5. ↑ THE REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE ARMED FORCES (RSLAF) - BRIGADES…. Ministry of Defense, Sierra Leone. Retrieved May 21, 2014.
  6. ↑ World Air Force 2019. Flight International , December 8, 2018, accessed January 12, 2019 .
  7. ↑ FUTURE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE AIR WING. RSLAF. Retrieved March 29, 2019.