Kenya Defence Forces
Index
1. Order of battle
2. Overview
3. Defence economics
4. State of military forces
5. Country threat report
6. External deployments
1. Order of Battle
Total force strength | Army: 20 000 Air Force: 2 500 Navy: 1 600 Paramilitary: 5 000 |
Army | |
Armour | 78: Vickers Mk 3 110: T-72 (Numbers unconfirmed) |
Reconnaissance | 72: AML-60/90 12: Ferret 8: S52 Shorland BOV M11 3: Saladin 5: Saracen |
AIFV | 8: BRDM-3 (Another 80 reportedly on order) 24: BTR-60 |
APC | 100: Humvee (4 x 4 wheeled) 8: M-3 Panhard 38: UR-416 32: Type-92A/WZ-551 150: Puma M-26 85: BRM |
Self-propelled artillery | 30: Nora B-52 152 mm (On order) 25: 2S7 203 mm |
Towed artillery | 8: Model 56 L5 105 mm |
Multiple Rocket Launcher | 11: BM-21 |
Mortar | 20: 81 mm 8: Brandt 120 mm |
Anti-armour | 40: Milan Swingfire |
Rocket launcher | 56: Carl Gustav 84 mm ?: RPG-7 Knout 73 mm |
Air defence gun | 50: TCM-20: 20 mm 11: Oerlikon 70: TCM-20 30: L-70 40 mm |
Air defence missile | Mistral/ASPIC BUK |
Structure | 1 armoured brigade (3 armoured battalions) 2 infantry brigades 1 airborne battalion 1 artillery brigade 1 anti-aircraft defence battalion 1 engineer brigade 1 support battalion 1 transport battalion 1 para-commando battalion |
Air Force | |
Combat aircraft | 22: F-5E/F Tiger II |
Trainer aircraft | 10: Bulldog 12: Tucano 8: Hawk |
Transport aircraft | 5: DHC-5 3: DHC-8 11: Y-12 |
VIP | 1: Fokker 70 |
Transport helicopter | 39: MD 500 (Used in combat support role as well) 3: SA 330 Puma 6: IAR 330 8: Z-9 3: Mi-171E |
Navy | |
Patrol/Strike boat (Gun/Missile/OPV/IPV) | 1: Harambee P 400 class (ex-La Rieuse) 2: Shupavu class (Patrol) 2: Nyayo class (Missile) 1: Mamba class (Missile) 1: Archangel 5: Defender |
Amphibious/Transport/Supply | 2: Galana class (Transport/Landing craft) |
Scientific (Survey) | 1: Jasiri class (Fitted with armaments) |
Harbour/River patrol | 5: P 101 class |
Logistics and support | 1: tug |
2. Overview
Head of state and government and commander-in-chief of the armed forces: President Uhuru Kenyatta
Secretary for Defence: Raychelle Omamo
Chief of General Staff: General Samson Mwathethe
Commander Kenyan Army: Lieutenant General Leonard Ngondi
Commander Kenyan Navy: Major General Ngewa Mukala
Commander Kenyan Air Force: Major General Samuel Thuita
Member of: UN, Commonwealth, AU, EAC, Seabeds Committee, IAEA, AfDB
3. Defence economics
Defence budget percentage per GDP (2000-2010)
Defence budget per US$ Mil (2000-2011)
Defence budget percentage growth (2000-2011)
4. State of military forces
Kenya’s armed forces are considered to be the most powerful in East and Central Africa. They are highly competent and experienced, as they have fought in neighbouring Somalia and have taken part in numerous peacekeeping operations.
Kenya’s Navy is the best equipped force on the East African coast, benefitting from regular training and assistance from countries like the United States, UK, France and South Africa, something that has proven useful in combating piracy, maritime crime and al Shabaab militants in neighbouring Somalia.
Kenya is one of the top ten defence spenders in Africa, resulting in a well-equipped military force that has received a large amount of new equipment over the last several years, including small arms, aircraft, ships and armoured vehicles.
It has been reported that Kenya has received five Mi-28 attack helicopters from Russia, with another 11 on order, but this cannot be confirmed. Also not confirmed is Kenya’s acceptance of 110 T-72 tanks from the Ukraine, as it is believed that many of these were sent to neighbouring South Sudan in 2010.
Although Kenya’s military has a reputation for being a strong force, it has been accused of human rights abuses, such as against Somali refugees, as well as corruption.
Kenya has a modest local defence industry, but it is expanding its capabilities. For instance, in late 2012 South African company Osprea Logistics announced it was setting up a facility to assemble Mamba Mk 5 armoured personnel carriers in Kenya, and aims to produce 100 in its first year of operation.
5. Country threat report
Threat type | Overview |
External | • Kenya initiated military action against al Qaeda affiliate al Shabaab, crossing into Somalia on October 16, 2011. In response to the Kenyan intervention, al Shabaab and its sympathizers have conducted retaliatory attacks against civilian and government targets in Kenya. • Incidences of maritime piracy remain a concern on Kenya’s coastline. • Political tension between Kenya and Uganda concerning the ownership of the Magingo Island remains a concern. |
Internal | • Violent ethnic clashes regularly occur in the north of the country and have on previous occasions affected the country’s political and security systems. |
Regional | • Military and political tensions between North and South Sudan may affect Kenya’s foreign security policy. |
Political | • Kenya is currently considered to be politically stable following successful elections in early 2013 |
Economic | • Kenya’s economy is mainly market-based making the country’s economy highly vulnerable to fluctuations on international markets. |
6. External deployments
Operation | Country | Personnel/assets |
Peace enforcement | Somalia | 4 650 troops |
Peacekeeping | South Sudan | 701 troops |
Contact
The Permanent Secretary
Ministry of Defence
Ulinzi House
Lenana Road
P O Box 40668
Nairobi
Tel: ++254 2721100
Fax: ++254 2737322
The Chief of Defence Forces
Kenya Defence Forces
Ulinzi House
Lenana Road
P O Box 40668
Nairobi
Tel: ++254 2721100/2712054
Mobile no: ++254 723502413
Tel/Fax no: ++254 2722270
E-Mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.mod.go.ke