Gambia Armed Forces

Independence to the coup d'etat (1965–1981) At independence from the United Kingdom in 1965, defence and security in The Gambia was the responsibility of the Field Force. The Field Force was a paramilitary unit of the police, consisting of roughly 140 men at independence and rising to around 500 in 1980. It has been formed in 1958 following the disbandment of the Gambia Regiment, part of the British Army. There was little concern about security in The Gambia due to its small size and the safety provided by being totally surrounded by Senegal, with which it had signed a mutual defence pact in 1965. This lax attitude to defense changed following the 1981 coup d'etat. Executed by members of the Field Force and led by radical leftist politician Kukoi Samba Sanyang, the rebels took advantage of President Dawda Jawara being out of the country to execute a coup d'etat. Having broken into the Field Force armory, the rebels proceeded to release all the prisoners from Mile Two Prison, distributing weapons to those they felt were on their side. The rebels held Jawara's wife and children hostage, one of several acts that undermined public support for the coup. As the remaining members of the Field Force opted to remain neutral, Jawara asked for Senegal to intervene. They sent hundreds of soldiers into The Gambia, including airborne and sea assault units. The rebels were defeated four days after the coup began, having cost the lives of 33 Senegalese soldiers and an estimated 500 Gambians, many of whom were innocent civilians. == Foreign relations ==

The Gambia's relations with Taiwan, which began following the coup and lasted until 2013, had a number of material benefits for the military. They regularly trained Gambian troops and offered scholarships at Taiwanese military academies to Gambian officers. They also donated uniforms and high-speed boats as well as funding improvements to military facilities. Turkey was another key defense partner for the GAF, with Turkish trainers involved in training 5000 Gambian troops between 1991 and 2005. Around 60 officers and NCOs were also sent to Turkey for training. The agreement ended in 2005, but a Military Advisory Mechanism remained in place. A new bi-lateral defense agreement with Turkey was signed in 2014. From 2007 to 2009, the Gambia also hosted a team of military advisors from Pakistan, including Brig. Gen Amir Mumtaz, Captain (Navy) Baber Bilal and Gp. Capt Shakir Qazi. The Pakistan Armed Forces Advisory Mission helped establish frameworks and structures to model the Gambian army and navy. The Gambia has also hosted US and British training teams. Since 2006, soldiers of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment of the British Army have deployed bi-annually to the Gambia. In January 2017, they helped train them prior to their deployment to Sudan as part of the peacekeeping operation. It was the site of Exercise African Endeavour in 2011, which was organised by United States Africa Command (US AFRICOM). Since 2000, a contingent of Gambian troops have at all times been deployed to peacekeeping activities, first in the ECOWAS Mission in Liberia (ECOMIL) and the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), but since 2004 primarily in the African Union United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID). Following the election of Adama Barrow as President of Gambia in 2016, it submitted an application to re-join the Commonwealth of Nations on 22 January 2018 and rejoined on 8 February 2018. == Organisation ==

Leadership • Commander-in-Chief: President of the Republic of The Gambia: President Adama Barrow • Chief of the Defence Staff: Major General Mamat .O. Cham • Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff: Major General Ousman Gomez • Commander, Gambia National Army: Brigadier General Sait Njie • Commander, Gambia Navy: Commodore Sambou Lamin Barrow • Commander, Republican National Guard: Brigadier General Yaya Drammeh Branches The Gambia Armed Forces Act 1985 established four branches: the Gambia National Army, the Gambia Navy, the Gambia Air Force, and the Gambia National Gendarmerie. 1,000 soldiers, or 900 soldiers. It is said to comprise two infantry battalions, one engineering squadron, and a Presidential Guard company. The army has barracks in Fajara, Yundum, Kudang, and Farafenni. In terms of vehicles and equipment, the army has eight Ferret armoured cars, and four M8 Greyhound armoured cars. and 2 Katmerciler Hızır MRAP vehicles. In addition to 17 Cobra-1s, many high-frequency radios, mine detectors, uniforms, winter jackets and similar military equipment were donated to Gambia. Gambia Navy .The strength of the Gambian Navy was most recently estimated at approximately 500 personnel. It exists to enforce fishery legislation and regulation, and assistance has been given in that task by the Senegalese Navy. In February 2008, officers of the US Navy helped to install an automatic identification system in the Gambia called the Maritime Security and Safety Information System (MSSIS). In September 2011, a team from the HSV-2 Swift docked in Banjul to conduct a two-week intensive training programme for the Navy. In August 2013, Taiwan donated three new patrol vessels to the Gambia to replace the four ageing vessels of the Dvora-class that it donated in 2009. Gambia Air Force The government considered creating a Gambian Air Force in 2002 and sent pilots to be trained by Ukraine. It purchased its first aircraft, a Sukhoi Su-25, from Georgia in 2003. However, it did not go ahead with the programme and did not announce the creation of an air force. Republican National Guard An amendment to the Gambia Armed Forces Bill in April 2008 included the creation of a new branch of the GAF, the Republican National Guard (NRG). The NRG is thought to have a strength of 50 personnel and is made up of a State Guard unit, a Special Forces unit, and a Presidential Guard unit. Independent formations • The Gambia National Army Band is the military band of the GAF. It was formed in 1998 by Major Momodou Dibba. It is the successor to the former Gambia Defence Force Band. It consists of 15 soldiers. In July 2001, it released an album called Afingjang which was recorded by Ndaabi studios in Serekunda. In November 2010, the band hosted the United States Navy Band at the Buffer Zone in Tallinding. • The Child Welfare Unit was founded in 2007 and is responsible for ensuring the protection of children by the military. It is partnered with the child protection services of ECOWAS states. • Joint Officer's Mess ==Missions==

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the Gambia has contributed troops to a number of peacekeeping operations: • Since 1997, the Gambia has sent peacekeeping forces to the following places: Sierra Leone, Kosovo, Timor Leste, Ethiopia/Eritrea, Liberia, Côte d'Ivoire, Sudan, Burundi, Darfur, Afghanistan, Nepal, and Chad. • The Gambia has contributed over 200 troops per year to African Union missions from 2005 to 2007. • The Gambia contributed to an ECOWAS mission in 2003, sending over 150 troops. • Former President Jammeh also contributed over 100 troops to UN missions in 2003 and 2004 (over 100 troops each year), and over 200 troops from 2008 to 2010 == Inventory ==

Air Force inventory In 2012 FlightGlobal reported that two Air Tractor AT-802 aircraft were in service in COIN/CAS roles in addition to one Sukhoi Su-25. Navy inventory Below is a current fleet of the Gambian Navy, estimated in 2015. ==See also==