The Armed Forces of Senegal () consists of about 17,000 personnel in the army, air force, navy, and gendarmerie. The Senegal military force receives most of its training, equipment, and support from France and the United States. Germany also provides support but on a smaller scale.
Military noninterference in political affairs has contributed to Senegal's stability since independence. Senegal has participated in many international and regional peacekeeping missions. Most recently, in 2000, Senegal sent a battalion to the Democratic Republic of Congo to participate in MONUC, the United Nations peacekeeping mission.
Senegal also agreed to deploy a United States-trained battalion to Sierra Leone to participate in UNAMSIL, another UN peacekeeping mission. The training operation was designated Operation Focus Relief and involved U.S. Army Special Forces from 3rd Special Forces Group training a number of West African battalions, including Nigerian ones.
As one of the largest troop contributors in Africa (per capita) to African Union missions, United Nations missions, and other regional security organizations, the Senegalese military has been described as an effective military force on the African continent. This is notable given that Senegal is poorer than the average Sub-Saharan African country. Most importantly, the army of Senegal is multi-ethnic, not coup-proofed, and has never attempted a coup d'état, which is a uncommon in Africa. Harmonious Senegalese civil-military relations since independence have permitted the creation of 'military enclave' that functions as an institution separate from political leadership in Dakar.
Summary of past military actions
In October 1980 and August 1981, the Senegalese military was invited into the Gambia by President Dawda Kairaba Jawara to put down a coup attempt. In August 1989, Senegalese-Gambian military cooperation ceased with the dissolution of the Senegambian Confederation. In 1990, 500 Senegalese troops were deployed to Saudi Arabia to take part in the Gulf War. 92 of them were killed after the end of the conflict in a plane crash on 21 March 1991. In 1992 1,500 men were sent to the ECOMOG peacekeeping group in Liberia. In 1994, a battalion-sized force was sent to Rwanda to participate in the UN peacekeeping mission there. Senegal intervened in the Guinea-Bissau civil war in 1998 at the request of former President Vieira. A Senegalese contingent deployed on a peacekeeping mission to the Central African Republic in 1997. In 2017, Senegal deployed troops into the Gambia to support newly elected President Adama Barrow, an action legally justified by UN resolution 2337.
The Army () is the leading force within the Senegalese armed forces and provides the chief of staff and the .
Organization
Military Areas
At the present time, there are seven military zones:État Major des Armees, Zones militaires , accessed August 2009 Zone n°1 - Dakar Zone n°2 - Saint-Louis Zone n°3 - Kaolack Zone n°4 - Tambacounda Zone n°5 - Ziguinchor Zone n°6 - Kolda Zone n°7 - Thiès Each zone comprises a garrison office that caters to military issues and a social service office. The IISS Military Balance listed four zones in 2007.
Branches
Army
Since independence from France in 1960, the army has gone through a large number of reorganisations. The army's heritage includes the Tirailleurs sénégalais. In 1978, Senegal dispatched a battalion to the Inter-African Force in Zaire, in the aftermath of the Shaba II fighting. The Senegalese contingent was under the command of Colonel Osmane Ndoye. The Senegalese force comprised a parachute battalion from Thiaroye.
The Army currently consists of two divisions, the Operations Division and the Logistic Division. The IISS estimated in 2012 that the Army had a strength of 11,900 soldiers, three armoured battalions the 22nd, 24th, and 25th (at Bignona) and the 26th at Kolda; there are six infantry battalions numbered 1st to 6th.IISS Military Balance 2012, 449. 3rd Battalion may have been at Kaolack with 4th at Tambacounda at one point.
Also reported is the 12th Battalion of the 2nd Military Zone at Saint Louis (Dakhar Bango), along with the Prytanée militaire de Saint-Louis, a military secondary school.
Although the Senegalese Air Force is geared towards supporting it, the army may have previously maintained its own very small aviation branch, called the "" (like the French army's equivalent), which may have counted up to five light helicopters and two SA330 Puma transport helicopters. The IISS Military Balance 2012 does not list any helicopters in army service.
National Gendarmerie
The Gendarmerie is a military force which provides policing and security. It includes a Territorial Gendarmerie with general policing duties, and a Mobile Gendarmerie for special tasks and serious public disorder.
The Senegalese gendarmerie evolved out of a French colonial Spahi detachment sent to Senegal in 1845. This detachment (which became today's Red Guard of Senegal) was the cadre around which the "Colonial Gendarmerie" was formed. On independence this became the National Gendarmerie.
The commander is General Abdoulaye Fall (a different person from the current Armed Forces Chief of Staff of the same name), whose rank is divisional general, and whose full job title is "High Commander of the Gendarmerie and Director of Military Justice".
Navy
The navy (), also known as the , is of small size and is commanded by a ship-of-the-line captain. It is responsible for securing Senegal's Atlantic coastline which is strategically located on the extreme west of the African continent. The coastline is divided in two by The Gambia. The navy was created in 1975. The Navy operates two bases, one at Dakar and the other at Elinkine. The navy also patrols the territorial waters as well as a declared exclusive economic zone.
The Navy is divided into three branches known as "groupings":Bryden & N'Diaye (eds), 'Security Sector Governance in Francophone West Africa, DCAF, 2011, 207.
The Operational Naval Grouping (), which is divided into three flotillas and one group: The High Seas Patrol Boats (), The Coastal Surveillance Vessels (), The Fast Coastal Boats () and The Transport Group (). The Naval Support Grouping () responsible for ports, repairs, training, and logistics. The Fluvial-Maritime Surveillance Grouping.
Air Force
The air force () is orientated towards providing support for ground forces and resembles an army aviation corps. It possesses Mil Mi-24 gunship helicopters, as well as transport and reconnaissance aircraft.
Equipment +Infantry Attire and GearsNameImageTypeNotesCombat HelmetModèle 1951 helmetCombat HelmetLimited usePASGTCombat HelmetStandard issueFASTCombat HelmetUsed by Special ForcesTSh-4MCrewman HelmetStandard issueAttire/Combat UniformCamouflage Central-EuropeAttireCombat uniformStandard issued.Desert Camouflage UniformAttireCombat uniformUsed by Special ForcesMultiCamAttireCombat uniformUsed by Special Forces
Army
Small arms Name Image Caliber Type Origin Notes Pistols Walther PPJones, Richard D. Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010. Jane's Information Group; 35 edition (January 27, 2009). . .25 ACP Semi-automatic pistol PAMAS G1 9×19mm Semi-automatic pistol MAC 50 9×19mm Semi-automatic pistol Manurhin MR 73 .357 Magnum Revolver Submachine guns MAS-38 7.65×20mm Submachine gun MAT-49 9×19mm Submachine gun SMT9Moss, Matthew (June 8th, 2020) "Senegal's Security Forces Buy Taurus Carbines & SMGs" TheFirearmBlog.com, 2024, https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2020/06/08/taurus-sells-carbines-smgs-to-senegal/, Date accessed: 8/10/20249×19mm Submachine gun Rifles FAMAS 5.56×45mm BullpupAssault rifle M16 5.56×45mm Assault rifle M4 5.56×45mm CarbineAssault rifle CAR-15 5.56×45mm CarbineAssault rifle Taurus T4Moss, Matthew (June 8th, 2020) "Senegal's Security Forces Buy Taurus Carbines & SMGs" TheFirearmBlog.com, 2024, https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2020/06/08/taurus-sells-carbines-smgs-to-senegal/, Date accessed: 8/10/2024 5.56×45mm CarbineAssault rifle Norinco CQ 5.56×45mm Assault rifle Daewoo K1 .223 Remington CarbineAssault rifle Received 280 K1A rifles in 2003. Daewoo K2 5.56×45mm CarbineAssault rifle IWI Tavor 5.56×45mm BullpupAssault rifle IWI Tavor X95 5.56×45mm BullpupAssault rifle Heckler & Koch G3 7.62×51mm Battle rifle French-made G3s SIG SG 540 7.62×51mm Battle rifle MAS-36 7.5×54mm Bolt-action rifle MAS-49/56 7.5×54mm Semi-automatic rifle Sniper rifles SVD 7.62×54mmR Sniper rifleDesignated marksman rifle KNT-76 7.62×51mm Designated marksman rifle IWI Galatz 5.56×45mm Designated marksman rifle Machine guns IWI Negev 5.56×45mm Light machine gun AA-52 7.62×51mm General-purpose machine gun Heckler & Koch HK21 7.62×51mm General-purpose machine gun M60 7.62×51mm General-purpose machine gun Browning M2 .50 BMG Heavy machine gun Rocket propelled grenade launchers RPG-7 40mm Rocket-propelled grenade LRAC F1 89mm Shoulder-launched missile weapon
Anti-tank weapons Name Image Type Origin Caliber Notes MILAN Anti-tank missile 496
Anti-aircraft weapons Name Image Type Origin Quantity Status Notes Bofors L/60 Autocannon 12 20 mm modèle F2 gun Autocannon 21 Used for air defence.
Artillery Name Image Type Origin Quantity Status Notes Rocket artillery Bastion-01 Multiple rocket launcher 6 Field artillery M101 Howitzer 6 M-50 Howitzer 6 TRF1 Howitzer 8 Mortars MO-120-RT-61 Towed mortar 32
Tank destroyers Name Image Type Origin Quantity Status Notes WMA-301 Tank destroyer 12
Infantry fighting vehicles Name Image Type Origin Quantity Status Notes Ratel IFV Infantry fighting vehicle 26
Armored personnel carriers Name Image Type Origin Quantity Status Notes Panhard M3 Armoured personnel carrier 16 M3 half-track Half-trackArmored personnel carrier 12 WZ-551 Command post 1 EE-11 Urutu Amphibious Armored personnel carrier Unknown RG-31 Nyala Infantry mobility vehicle Unknown Dozor-B Infantry mobility vehicle 6
Reconnaissance Name Image Type Origin Quantity Status Notes Panhard AML Armored car 53 Eland-90 Armored car 47 RAM MK3 Armored Car 55
Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected Name Image Type Origin Quantity Status Notes Casspir MRAP 9Katmerciler Hizir IIMRAPN/A PUMA M26-15 MRAP 30 Ejder Yalçın MRAP 25
Utility vehicles Name Image Type Origin Quantity Status Notes Humvee Light utility vehicle 23 M151 Utility vehicle Unknown
Navy 2 Metal Shark patrol ships 3 Shaldag MK II patrol ships
1 Shaldag MK V patrol ships
Aircraft
Citations
Part of this article is derived from the equivalent article at French Wikipedia
References
External links Website of the Armed Forces of Senegal (in french)