Defence Forces Explained

The phrase Defence Force(s) (or Defense Force(s) in US English - see spelling differences) is in the title of the armed forces of certain countries and territories.

Defence forces

Federal Defence Forces of Germany.

the unified armed forces of the Kingdom of Denmark

Syrian pro-government militia

Paramilitary Force in Sudan. Disbanded in 2019, reactivated in 2023 due to the ongoing civil war.

provides emergency services in Singapore

Air Defence Forces

Air Force of Kazakhstan

Part of the Algerian People's National Armed Forces

At the start of the Cold War, the United States Air Force had established the Aerospace Defense Command. It was broken into three different regions:

(1949-1960)

(1951-1960)

(1949-1960)

Defunct Defence Forces

Regular force of British Ceylon (1881-1949)

A unit of former British Army soldiers and Irish Volunteers organised by Ireland during the Irish Civil War (1922)

(1991-1993)

(1974-1981)

Wehrmacht translated to defence forces (1935-1945)

A short-lived Wehrmacht-backed Lithuanian military unit made to defend Lithuania against the Soviet Army (1944)

(1951-2006)

(1917-1920)

(1944)

Liberian Rebel Group (1993-1996)

(1968-1989)

South Vietnamese militia (1968-1975)

(1960s-1970)

(2011-2015)

(1957-1994)

(1983-2006)

(1918-1992)

(1924-1955)

(1990-1992)

(1969-1992)

Predecessor to the South African Defence Force (1912-1957)

(1997-2008)

(1914-????)

South Africa

In South Africa under apartheid the nominally independent Bantustans had their own forces, separately from the South African Defence Force:

(1977-1994)

(1981-1994)

(1981-1994)

(1979-1994)

Myanmar Civil War

Within the ongoing civil war in Myanmar, several different rebel groups have declared themselves "defense forces":

Football clubs

A number of football clubs related to defence forces are also named such, for example:

See also