African Militaries

Algerian People’s National Army

Written by Reuters -

5th Nov 2014

48944

Algerian People’s National Army

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: 110 000 (including 60 000 conscripts) Air Force: 14 000 Navy: 6 600 Paramilitary: 187 200
Army
Armour	300: T-90S 325: T-72 300: T-62 270: T-54/T-55 100: BMP-3 304: BMP-2M with 9M133 Kornet (AT-14 Spriggan) 685: BMP-1 50: AMX-13
Reconnaissance	44: AML-60 26: BRDM-2 64: BRDM-2M with 9M133 Kornet (AT-14 Spriggan)
APC	250: BTR-60 150: BTR-80 150: OT-64 55: M3 Panhard 100: Fahd (for Gendarmerie) 2: Marauder 48: BVP-2 200: Nimr 54: Tpz-1 Fuchs 1200: Tpz-1 Fuchs (ordered)
Self-propelled artillery	140: 2S1 122mm 30: 2S3 152mm 50: PLZ-45 155 mm 20: ISU-152 152 mm
Towed artillery	160: D-30 122mm 25: D-74 100: M-1931/37 60: M-30 10: M-46 130mm 20: ML-20 M-1937 152mm 18: Type-88 (PLL-01) 155mm
Multiple Rocket Launcher	48: BM-21122mm 48: BM-14/16 140mm 30: BM-24 240mm 18: 9A52 Smerch 300mm
Mortar	150: M-37 82mm 120: M-1943 120mm 60: M-1943 160mm
SSM:	18: Frog-4/7 launchers with 50 rockets
Anti-armour	9K133 Kornet-E (AT-14 Spriggan) 9K115-2 Metis-M1 (AT-13 Saxhorn-2) 9K11 (AT-3 Sagger) 9K111 (AT-4 Spigot) 9K113 (AT-5 Spandrel) 160: ZIS-2 M-1943 57mm 80: D-44 85mm 10: T-12 (50 SU-100 SP in store) 100mm 700: Ingwe Milan
Recoilless rifle	60: B-11 107mm 120: B-10 82mm
Air defence gun	225: ZSU-23-4 100: 60 ZPU-2 14.5mm 40: ZPU-4 14.5 mm 100 ZU-23 23mm 150: M-1939 37mm 75: S-60 57mm 20:M-1939 KS-12 85mm 150: KS-19 100mm 10: KS-30 130mm 24: KS12 85 mm
Air defence missile	48: 9K33 Osa (SA-8 Gecko) 40: SA-6 32: SA-13 20: 9K31 Strela-1 (SA-9 Gaskin) 20: Pantsir-S1 (SA-22 Greyhound) 200: 9K32 Strela-2 (SA-7A/B Grail) 750: 9M311/SA-19 Grison 3: S-300PMU-2/SA-20B 24: 2S6M Tunguska gun/missile self propelled systems 38: Pantsir S1-E gun/missile self propelled systems
Structure	Armoured 2 (1st & 8th) Armoured Divisions (3 Tank regiments, 1 mechanised regiment and 1 artillery group) 1 Independent armoured brigade Mechanised 2 (12th & 40th) mechanised divisions (1 tank regiment, 3 mechanised regiments and 1 artillery group) 3 Independent mechanised brigades Light 2 Independent motor brigade Air Manoeuvre 1 Airborne division (4 paratrooper regiments, 1 Special forces regiment) Combat Support 2 Artillery battalion 7 Air defence battalions 4 Engineers battalions 2 Ranger battalions
Air Force
Combat aircraft	12: MiG-25 Foxbat 23: MiG-29C/UB Fulcrum 44: Su-30MKA 34: Su-24M/MK Fencer D
Trainer aircraft	6: Il-78 Midas 36: L-39ZA Albatros 7: L-39C Albatros 16: Yak-130 Mitten 40: Zlin-142/143/242
Maritime/EW/RECCE aircraft	4: MiG-25RBSh Foxbat D* 4: Su-24MR Fencer E*
Transport aircraft	3: Il-76MD Candid B 9: Il-76TD Candid 9: C-130H Hercules 7: C-130H-30 Hercules 2: L-100-30 3: Beech C90B King Air 5: Beech 200TKing Air 6: Beech 300 King Air 12: Beech 1900D 5: C-295M 3: SE-210 5: An-12 2: PC-6 3: F-27 Friendship
VIP aircraft	1: A340 4: Gulfstream IV-SP 1: Gulfstream V 1: Falcon 20 3: Gulfstream III
Combat helicopter	3: Mi-24 Hind 3: Ka-27PS Helix D 3: Bell 412EP 42: Mi-28N (possible order)
Transport helicopter	75: Mi-8 Hip (med tpt)/Mi-17 Hip H 5: Ka-32T Helix 8: AS355Ecureuil 28: PZL Mi-2 Hoplite 15: A109K (for border guard and police) 4: AW139 (for search and rescue) 5: W-3A Sokol 6: Mi-26 (possible order) 6: AW101 (naval) 10: Super Lynx Mk 130 (naval) 2: Mi-6 (serviceability doubtful) 4: Mi-4 (serviceability doubtful) 3: Bell 206
UAV	Seeker II
Navy
Submarines	4: Kilo 2: Improved Kilo (on order)
Frigate	3: Mourad Rais (FSU Koni) with 2 twin 533mm TT, 2RBU 6000 Smerch 2, 2 twin 76mm gun 3: F-22 2: Meko A-200 (ordered)
Corvettes	3: Rais Hamidou (FSU Nanuchka II) 3: Djebel Chenona 2: Tigr (on order)
Patrol/Strike boat	9: Osa II (3 unserviceable) 9: Kebir FAC 6: Baglietto 20 (coast guard) 6: Baglietto Mangusta (coast guard) 12: Jebel Antar 21: Deneb (FPB-98) 4:El Mounkid 6: Kebir 6: El Yadek class inshore patrol boat 6: ex-Chinese Shangai class (training)
Amphibious/Transport/Supply	1: Polnochny B LSM with 1 twin AK230 CIWS (capacity 6MBT; 180 troops) 2: Kalaat class logistic landing ships (capacity 7 tanks; 240 troops) with 1 med hel landing platform 1: Kalaat Beni-Abbes (San Giorgio class on order) 1: El Idrissi 1: Daxin (training) 2: Ras Tara 1: Poluchat I (used for SAR) 1: El Chadid; 1: Kader; 4: Mazafran 1: El Mourafek 7: El Mouderrib

2. Overview
Head of State and Government: Abdelaziz Bouteflika

Defence Minister: Abdelaziz Bouteflika

Chief of Defence Staff: Lieutenant-General Ahmed Gaid Salah
Chief of Staff of the Army: Major General Ahcène Tafer
Chief of Staff of the Air Force: Brigadier General Achour Laoudi
Member of: UN, AU, LAS, AfDB, G15, etc
3. Defence economics
Military expenditure (ME) as percentage of GDP (2004-2013)

Military expenditure per US$ Mil (2000-2013)

Military expenditure (ME) percentage growth (2000-2013)

4. State of military forces

Algeria has one of the strongest and largest militaries on the African continent. This is deemed necessary to respond to internal and external security threats. Algeria’s military strength grew from the Algerian Civil War of the 1990s and tensions with Morocco and Western Sahara, where Algeria supported a guerrilla war against Morocco. Tensions still remain with Morocco, which is considered to be Algeria’s main rival in the region, although Algeria has been affected by instability in Libya and Mali.

Domestically, Algeria is facing a strong terrorist threat, particularly from al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). Due to the threats it faces, Algeria’s military has a strong focus on counter terrorism. This has also lead the country to increase its military spending substantially year on year. The focus of this spending has been on modernisation, advanced training programmes and weapons procurement. Defence spending in the country is expected to remain high into the future as the country will most likely expand its purchases specifically with regard to drones, combat aircraft and helicopters, submarines, landing docks and armoured vehicles. Russia remains the country’s largest supplier of arms, however, Algeria is also increasingly diversifying its purchases to Western Europe and the USA.

Algeria’s military is a leading player in the region with regards to capacity building in the fight against terrorism. The country’s armed forces have also completed various training courses abroad in order to enhance their ability. Improving the army’s flexibility and mobility has been a major focus particularly due to the country’s large size and vast swathes of desert. This has been assisted through the creation of two new military sub-regions, one in Ouargla and the other in Tamanrasset.

Algeria’s navy has also participated in various maritime operations particularly the 8th Phoenix Express exercise which looks to promote safety and security within the Mediterranean.
5. Country threat report

Threat type	Overview
External	• Algeria is currently facing no external security threat.
Internal	• Algeria is currently facing internal security threats presented by the rise of Islamic extremism in the country
Regional	• Algeria faces terrorist threats as a result of the instability present in Libya to the East and Mali to the south
Political	• Algeria is considered to be politically stable along with having a relatively efficient and transparent government
Economic	• Algeria’s main economic activity is primarily associated with hydrocarbons. The country has large reserve of natural gas and oil.