| Cameroon Armed Forces | |
| Native Name: | French: Forces armées camerounaises (FAC) |
| Founded: | 1960 |
| Headquarters: | Yaoundé |
| Commander-In-Chief Title: | Commander-in-Chief |
| Commander-In-Chief: | Paul Biya |
| Chief Minister Title: | Deputy Commander-in-Chief |
| Chief Minister: | Joseph Ngute |
| Minister Title: | Minister of Defense |
| Minister: | Joseph Beti Assomo |
| Commander Title: | Chief of the Defence Staff |
| Commander: | René Claude Meka |
| Active: | 40000 |
| Amount: | US$347 million |
| Percent Gdp: | 1.6[1] |
| Foreign Suppliers: | |
| History: | Bamileke War Bakassi conflict CAR Civil War Boko Haram insurgency Anglophone Crisis |
| Ranks: | Military ranks of Cameroon |
The Cameroon Armed Forces (French: Forces armées camerounaises (FAC)) are the military of the Republic of Cameroon. The armed forces number 40,000[2] personnel in ground, air, and naval forces. There are approximately 40,000 troops in the army across three military regions. Approximately 1,300 troops are part of the Cameroonian Navy, which is headquartered at Douala. Under 600 troops are part of the Air Force. There is an additional 12,500 paramilitary troops that serve as a gendarmerie (policing force) or reconnaissance role.[3]
The Cameroonian armed forces have bases spread all over Cameroon, including in Ngaoundéré. Air Force bases are located in Garoua, Yaoundé, Douala and Bamenda.
It has generally remained loyal to the government and acted to ensure the stability of the regime, and not acted as an independent political force.[4] [5] Traditional dependence on the French defense capability, although reduced, continues to be the case as French military advisers remain closely involved in preparing the Cameroonian forces for deployment to the contested Bakassi Peninsula.
With over 40,000 troops, the Army remains the most important component in terms of numbers.[6] The Army is under the responsibility of the Chief of Staff, Major-General Nkoa Atenga, whose staff is in Yaoundé.
Currently, the organization dates from 2001 with a distribution in several types of units: combat units, response units (unités d'intervention), unités de soutien et d'appui, and finally special reserve units as part of 3 joint military régions (interarmées) and the 10 military land sectors.[7]
Army units have been trained and equipped to fight in the swampy coastal terrain facing the Bakassi peninsula. Although prepared for an armed conflict with Nigeria in recent years, the Cameroon Army does not have operational experience against other forces, therefore, it is not possible to assess its ability to respond to changing threats and opposing tactics.
Combat units of the army include:[8]
The territory is divided into 5 combined arms military regions (RMIA):[12]
See main article: List of equipment of the Cameroon Army.
See main article: Cameroon Air Force. The air force has bases in Garoua, Koutaba, Yaoundé, Douala, and Bamenda. The Cameroonian Air Force was founded in 1960, the year of independence from France. There are under 400 troops in the air force.[3] Cameroon's Air Force has 9 combat-capable aircraft.[3]
There are about 1,300 troops in the navy including naval infantry.[3]
Around May 1999, Philip Njaru wrote a newspaper article where he alleged ill-treatment of civilians conducted by the 21st Navy Battalion based in Ekondo-Titi. In late May Njaru was approached by the local captain who asked Njaru "to stop writing such articles and to disclose his sources". Refusing to do this, Njaru five days later found his house encircled by armed soldiers, and escaped to Kumba.[14] Here, he was assaulted by police in June 2001, with no particular reason stated.[14] Njaru complained to the local authorities, but later learned that "his complaint had not been received".[14]
Cameroon's Marine Nationale République modernised and increased its capabilities during 2000 with the acquisition of a number of small Rodman patrol craft and the retirement of some small older craft. A number of small patrol boats have been acquired or ordered from France. Latest estimates indicate naval strength consists of two combat patrol vessels, three coastal patrol vessels and approximately 30 smaller inshore and river patrol craft allocated to both the navy and the local gendarmerie. These include two 135 tonne Yunnan-class landing craft, which are able to carry and launch smaller craft for troop insertions. Some effort has been made to assess equipment needs to bring L'Audacieux P103 and Bakassi P104 to an effective combat status. This has resulted in weapons capabilities being reduced in favour of an increase in serviceability and the service is now effectively without missile attack capabilities. Bakassi (a Type P 48S missile patrol craft) completed a major refit at Lorient, France in August 1999. This included removing the Exocet missile system and EW equipment, and fitting a funnel aft of the mainmast to replace the waterline exhausts. New radars were also installed. Bakassi is now armed only with 40 mm cannon. Although the Bizerte (P48 large patrol craft) class L'Audacieux is fitted for SS-12M missiles these are not embarked and its operational status is in some doubt, having not been reported at sea since 1995. The Quartier-Maître Alfred Moto patrol boat was listed as out of service in 1991 but has since been reactivated.
List of active ships.
Two 32-metre patrol boats are expected to be delivered in February 2014.[15]
The Gendarmerie is a paramilitary force composed of about 9,000 soldiers as of 2016. It performs both law enforcement and national security responsibilities across the country. (See Gendarmerie)
After an initial period of development, training requirements were formalized in an April 1967 per government decree. There was a shortage of Cameroonian instructors at that time. The two educational institutions of the nation are the following:
Both commissioned and noncommissioned officers were sent to various military schools in France, Greece, and the Soviet Union. The total number of Cameroonian military cadets with a Russian educational background were few.[18]