The Army is modelled on the
British Army and came into existence after independence in 1961. The core of the army was based on the Sierra Leone Battalion of the
Royal West African Frontier Force, which became the Royal Sierra Leone Regiment and later the Republic of Sierra Leone Regiment. In 1991, around the start of the
Sierra Leone Civil War, the army went on the offensive towards the end of the year with support from
Guinea. In 1992, the army had grown to 6,150 personnel under President
Joseph Saidu Momoh in a 'poorly designed strategy that eradicated the few remaining elements of cohesion in the military... recruits were mainly drifters, rural and urban unemployed, a fair number of hooligans, drug addicts, and thieves.' A similar expansion effort after
Valentine Strasser took over aimed to build the army to 14,000, using young criminals, school drop-outs, and semi-literate youths. 'In consequence, the army became further fragmented, leading to the complete breakdown of command and control during the war, and again after the AFRC coup of 1997.' During the long
Sierra Leone civil war which the government fought against the
Revolutionary United Front from 1991 to 2002, the
1992 Sierra Leonean coup d'état brought the armed forces into power again. In 1997 the
Armed Forces Revolutionary Council seized power. Over 15,000 perished during the war. After peace returned, the armed forces were slowly reduced in size, from around 13,500 personnel in 2007 to 8,500 in 2010. The
British Armed Forces, in the shape of the roughly 100-strong International Military Assistance Training Team (IMATT), is assisting in the formation of the new armed forces. IMATT is slated to downsize to 45–55 personnel by the end of 2010. Today the army is by far the largest Armed Forces branch and is responsible for protection of the state borders, the security of administered territories and defending the national interests of Sierra Leone within the framework of its international obligations. It had an active force of about 13,300 personnel circa 2007. There were plans to reduced strength to 8,500 by 2011. However, the reduction in strength to 8,500 was achieved by the end of 2009. 3 Brigade probably includes 9th Battalion RSLAF at Simbakoro outside
Koidu). From 1985 to 1991, 1st Battalion was at Wilberforce Barracks, Freetown. Elsewhere are 4 Brigade, at Teko Barracks,
Makeni, which covers the
Northern Province (including 2nd Battalion RSLAF at Teko Barracks, Makeni, as of 2003), and 5 Brigade, which covers the
Southern Province from headquarters at Gondama Barracks,
Bo. As of 2002, about six IMATT advisors were deployed with each RSLAF brigade to assist with training, planning, personnel, and operations. As stability and peace deepened in Sierra Leone, the RSLAF aimed to create a capability to contribute to international peace support operations. Official websites stated that '..To this end the RSLAF has targeted 2007 as the base year to initiate a Company for Peace Support Operations for the
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the
African Union and the UN. This would be gradually increased to a battalion strength by 2010. As a demonstration of this desire, a Peace Support Operations Course was introduced into the curriculum of the Horton Military Academy in
Freetown. The course was intended to enhance capacity building, and to train and prepare officers of the RSLAF for their future role and participation in international peace support operations, and especially for the proposed ECOWAS Standby Force.' The contingent is under the command of Lieutenant Colonel S.E.T. Marah. , 2025 Despite the enormous resources invested by the UK into security sector reform in Sierra Leone, there are continuing financial pressures. Pay for soldiers is only GBP 45 plus some rice for a private per month, rising to GBP 350 for the Chief of Defence Staff. There are continued serious financial pressures on monthly running costs, with fuel, rations, stationery, and maintenance 'for both equipment and the estate' rarely funded. Without holidaying, commanders at all levels are steadfast to project on the force outfits and outputs. This line of thought strictly conforms to the dynamics of the strategically, operational and tactical construction of our thinking. Thus, the establishment of Artillery, tailoring and the Armed forces Agricultural Units sit between these initiatives. The translation of these efforts is the Establishment review of 2010. Painstakingly as a force we are striving to catch up with information technology. The Africa Endeavour programme pioneered by the United States of Africa Command (AFRICOM) has however served an eye opener to our communications need both within and out. Our data over HF communication platform continue to play a central role in facilitating communication force wide.
Equipment Sierra Leone has very limited modern weaponry. The country has a wide variety of used second-hand foreign imported arms. The IISS Military Balance 2020 lists 31 mortars,
Carl Gustav recoilless rifles, and three air defence guns in service. Other army equipment may include the
Heckler & Koch G3,
FN FAL,
AK-47,
RPD light machine gun, and the
RPG-7. Special forces use the
L85 bullpup rifle. Two
T-72 tanks were ordered from Ukraine in 1994 and were delivered to Sierra Leone via Poland in 1995. Although briefly serviced and maintained by South African firm
Executive Outcomes, their operational status is currently unknown. Freetown's mechanized forces are backed by at least ten ex-
Slovak OT-64 and three
Casspir wheeled
armoured personnel carriers. ==Naval component==