Algerian People’s National Army
- Order of battle
- Overview
- Defence economics
- State of military forces
- Country threat report
- External deployments
- Order of battle
Total force strength | Army: 101 000 (including 62 000 conscripts, ~160 000 reserves) Air Force: 12 000 Navy: ~10 000 Gendarmerie: 24 000 Territorial Air Defence Forces: 10 000 |
Army | |
Main Battle Tanks |
50: AMX-13 (Obsolescent) 110: T-34-85 (Obsolescent) 165: T-54 (Obsolescent) ~175: T-55 (Obsolescent) ~330: T-62 (Obsolescent) ~121: T-72 ~267: T-72M1 ~508: T-90S |
APC |
~54: AML-60 (Armoured car) 10: BTR-60PU-12 (Command Post, for use with SA-9/9K31) 100: BTR-40 (Obsolete) ~30: BTR-50 400: BTR-60PB 50: BTR-80 350: BTR-152 (obsolete) 100: BRDM-2 (Reconnaissance Vehicle) 100: Fahd (Gendarmerie) 531: Fuchs-2 (another 449 on order, assembled in Algeria) ~50: M3 VTT (For presidential guard, 5 Command Post (VPC), 2 AEV (VLA), 2 ARV (VAT), 2 ambulance (VTS) 2: Marauder 10: MaxxPro (MRAP) 200: Nimr ~76: OT-64 75: OT-64A 20: Walid (obsolete) |
IFV/Tank destroyer |
500: Boxer (on order, to be assembled in Algeria) 800: BMP-1 (being upgraded to BMP-2M) 289: BMP-2 120: BMPT-72 (another 180 on order, Tank Support Fighting Vehicle) 20: BRDM-2 9P148 (Tank destroyer, uses 9M14 (AT-5) missiles) 54: BVP-2 (included BVP-2K command post) 70: SU-100 (Tank destroyer, reserve) 11: Tigr-M (Fitted with Kornet-EM anti-tank missile system) |
Artillery |
12: 9P78 Iskander (Mobile short range ballistic missile) 145: 2S1 (Self-propelled gun) 25: 2S3 (Self-propelled gun) 100: A-19 (Towed gun, reserve) 18: BM-9A52 Smerch (Self-propelled MRL) 48: BM-14 (Self-propelled MRL) 48: BM-21 Grad (Self-propelled MRL) 30: BM-24 (Self-propelled MRL) ~200: D-30 (Towed gun) 30: D-74 (Towed gun) 20: ISU-122 (Self-propelled gun, obsolete?) 6: ISU-152 (Self-propelled gun, obsolete?) 3: Luna/FROG (Mobile surface to surface missile launcher) 18: Luna-M (Mobile surface to surface missile launcher) 20: ML-20 (Towed gun) 60: M-30 (Towed gun) 120: M-43 (Mortar) 10: M-46 (Towed gun) 50: PLZ-45 (Self-propelled gun) 18: SM-4 (Self-propelled mortar) 18: SR-5 (Self-propelled MRL) 4: TOS-1 (Self-propelled MRL) 18: WA-021/Type-88 (Towed gun) 10: W-86 (Mortar) |
Air Defence |
10 – 2K12 Kvadrat/SA-6A (SAM system) 40 – 9K31 (Mobile SAM system) 20 – 9K33 Osa (Mobile SAM system) 38 – 96K9 Pantsyr-S1 (Mobile AD system) 1 – Buk-M2 (SAM system) 6 – S-75 Dvina (SAM system) 5 – S-125 Pechora (SAM system) 3 – S-300PMU2 Favorit (SAM system) 210 – ZSU-23-4 Shilka (SPAAG) 45 – ZSU-57-2 (SPAAG) |
Missiles |
600 – 3M9 (SAM) 300 – 48N6 (SAM, for S-300PMU-2 SAM system) 900 – 57E6 (SAM, for Pantsyr-S1 air-defence systems) 600 – 9M33 (SAM) 1250 – 9M120 Ataka (another 2250 on order, anti-tank missile, for BMPT AFSV) 400 – 9M113 Konkurs/AT-5 (Anti-tank missile, for BRDM-2 tank destroyers) 4000 – 9M133 Kornet (Anti-tank missile, for BMP-1M) 4000 – 9M133 Kornet 100 – 9M317 (SAM) 75 – 9M723 (SSM, for Iskander SSM system, recipient uncertain (reported as ‘state in Middle East or North Africa’) 25 – ASTER-15 (SAM, For BDSL AALS?) 100 – Red Arrow-12 (anti-tank) 4290 – Fagot (Anti-tank missile, for BMP-2 IFV) 200 – Fagot (Anti-tank missile) 9000 – Malyutka (Anti-tank missile, for BMP-1 IFV and Mi-24 helicopters) 500 – Metis-M (Anti-tank missile) 600 – Strela-1 (SAM) 1000 – Strela-2 (Portable SAM) 175 – V-601 (SAM) 150 – V-750 (for S-75 Dvina) |
Structure |
7 Military Regions (1st Blida, 2nd Oran, 3rd Béchar, 4th Ouargia, 5th Constantine, 6th Tamanrasset, 7th Illizi) 3 armoured divisions (each with 3 armoured regiment, 1 mechanised regiment) 4 mechanised divisions (each with 3 mechanised regiments, 1 armoured regiment) 1 airborne division (4 paratrooper regiments, 1 Special forces regiment) 2 independent armoured brigades) 4-5 independent motorised infantry brigades 8 independent artillery battalions 4 engineer battalions 5 air defence battalions 2 ranger battalions |
Air Force | |
Combat Aircraft |
~11 – MiG-25PDS (Foxbat-E) 2 – MiG-29M/M2 (12 on order, Fulcrum-E) ~30 – MiG-29S (Fulcrum-C) 5 – MiG-29UB (Fulcrum-B) ~57 – Su-30MKA (Flanker-C/G/H, 16 on order) |
Bomber Aircraft | 35 – Su-24 (Fencer, all being upgraded to Su-24M2) |
Trainer Aircraft |
8 – AW119Ke Koala 6 – Aero L-39C Albatros 49 – L-39ZA Albatros (Light attack) 3 – MiG-25PU (Foxbat-C) 16 – Yak-130 (Mitten, light attack) ~46 – Zlin-142/Firnas-142 5 – Zlín-43/ Safir-43 |
VIP Transport |
1 – A340-541 (Government) 2 – ATR72-212A (Government) 2 – AW101 Model 642 4 – Gulfstream IV-SP (Government) 1 – Gulfstream V (Government) |
Maritime Patrol |
1 – Commander 680E 2 – Super King Air B200T |
Refueling Aircraft | 5 – Il-78M (Modernised) |
Reconnaissance Aircraft |
3 – G-550 (On order, ISR) ~3- MiG-25RB (Foxbat-B, recon-bomber) 2 – Su-24MR |
Transport Aircraft |
6 – Beech 1900D 6 – Beech 1900HISAR/MMSA ~5 – Super King Air B200 2 – Super King Air C90B 6 – Super King Air B350 8 – C-130H 5 – C-130H-30 4 – C-130J (On order) 5 – C-295 ~5 – Il-76TD 2 – PC-6 Turbo Porter |
Combat Helicopter |
~27 – Mi-24 MkIII 30 – Mi-24V 42 – Mi-28NE |
Transport Helicopter |
15 – A-109LUH (For Gendarmerie, border guard and police) 9 – AS-350/550 Fennec (For Gendarmerie) 8 – AS-355N Fennec 14 – AW139 (For search and rescue) 3 – Bell 412EP ~3 – Ka-32S (Helix-C, Maritime utility) 2 – Ka-32T (Helix-C) 28 – Mi-2 Hoplite 47 – Mi-8MTV 42 – Mi-171Sh armed version 14 – Mi-26T2 version 8 – W-3A Sokol |
UAV |
5 – CH-3 (Can be armed) 5 – CH-4 (Armed) 10 – Seeker 5 – Yabhon Flash-20 (Possibly Algeria-55 or El Djazair-55) 5 – Yabhon United-40 (Possibly Algeria-54 or El Djazair-54) |
Missiles |
1000 – 9M120 Ataka (Anti-tank missile, for Mi-28 combat helicopters) 250 – K-13A (SRAAM, for MiG-21 combat aircraft) 200 – K-13A (SRAAM, for Su-7 combat aircraft) 1500 – K-13M (SRAAM, for MiG-21, MiG-23 and Su-20 combat aircraft) 125 – Kh-31M (Anti-ship missile, for Su-30MK combat aircraft) 125 – Kh-59 (ASM, for Su-30MK combat aircraft) 100 – Mokopa (ASM, anti-tank missile, for Lynx helicopters) 50 – Raptor-2 (ASM) 300 – R-23 (SRAAM, for MiG-23MF combat aircraft) 537 – R-27R/T (BVRAAM) 164 – R-40 (BVRAAM, for MiG-25P combat aircraft) 555 – R-73 (BVRAAM, for Su-30MK combat aircraft) 250 – R-77 (BVRAAM, for Su-30MK combat aircraft) 700 – ZT-3 Ingwe (Anti-tank missile, for Mi-24 helicopters) |
Navy | |
Frigates |
2: Al Radi class C-28A: Adhafer El Fatih Ezzadjer MEKO A200 (Option for 2 more): Erradi (910) El-Moudamir (911) Koni class (Modernised): Mourad Rais Rais Kellik Rais Korfo |
Corvettes |
1: Type 056 class (Pattani, on order, possibly more) Nanuchka II class (Modernised): Ras Hamidou Salah Reis Reis Ali Djebel Chenoua class: Djebel Chenoua El Chihab El Kirch Hassan Barbiear 3: Steregushchiy class (on order, missile corvette) |
Submarines |
Project 636: Messali el Hadj (021) Akram Pacha (022) El Ouarsenis (031) El Hoggar (032) Project 877EKM (Possibly another two on order, upgraded): Rais Hadj Mubarek (012) El Hadj Slimane (013) |
Mine countermeasures | 2: Lerici class (El-Kasseh) |
Patrol boats |
8: Osa II class (possibly obsolete) ~14: El Yadekh class (Kebir) 31: Denebi class (FPB-98) 12: El Mounkid class (Alusafe 2000) |
Amphibious warfare vessels |
1: Kalaat Béni Abbès (San Giorgio class, transport dock) Kalaat Beni Hammed (Landing ship) Kalaat Beni Rached (Landing ship) 1: Project-771 (Polnocny-class, landing ship) |
Training |
Soummam El Mellah |
Survey vessels |
OSV-95: El Masseh |
Towing vessel | El Moussanid |
Salvage vessel | El Mourafik |
Naval aviation |
5 – AW101-610 4 – Super Lynx Mk-130 6 – Super Lynx Mk-140 |
Coast Guard |
9: Soviet PG 6: Mangusta type 10: Baglietto type |
Missiles |
90 – 9M33 (SAM, Osa-M, SA-N-4 version, for Koni frigates) 90 – 9M33 (SAM, Osa-M, SA-N-4 version, for Nanuchka-2 corvettes) 80 – 53-65 (AS torpedo, for Project-636 submarines) 40 – 53-65 (AS torpedo, for Project-877 submarines) 25 – C-802 (anti-ship, for Djebel Chenoua FAC) 50 – C-802 (anti-ship, for C-28A frigates) 50 – FM-90 (SAM, for C-28A frigates) 60 – Kh-35 (Anti-ship missile, for modernized Nanuchka corvettes) 50 – MU90 IMPACT (ASW torpedo, for MEKO-A200 frigates and Super Lynx helicopters) 75 – P-15M (Anti-ship missile, P-20, SS-C-3 version for coast defence systems) 25 – P-15M (Anti-ship missile, for Nanuchka-2 corvettes) 75 – P-15U (Anti-tank missile, for Project-205M, Osa-2 FAC) 65 – RBS-15 Mk-3 (Anti-ship missile, for MEKO-A200 frigates) 44 – TEST-71 (For ASW torpedo, for Koni frigate) 80 – TEST-71 (ASW torpedo, for Project-636 submarines) 40 – TEST-71 (ASW torpedo, Project-877 submarines) 100 – Umkhonto-IR (SAM, for MEKO-A200 frigates) |
- Overview
Head of State: Abdelmadjid Tebboune
Prime Minister: Aymen Benabderrahmane
Defence Minister: Abdelmadjid Tebboune
Chief of Defence Staff: Lieutenant general Saïd Chengriha
Commander of Land Forces: Major General Ammar Atamnia
Commander of the Air Force: Major General Mahmoud Laraba
Commander of Navy: Mohammed Al-Arabi Hawalli
Member of: UN, ENP, Arab League AU, AfDB, G15, etc
- Defence economics
Military expenditure (ME) from 2011 to 2021 in USD billion:
2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | |
ME | 8.65 | 9.33 | 10.16 | 9.72 | 10.41 | 10.21 | 10.07 | 9.58 | 10.3 | 9.7 |
Military expenditure (ME) as percentage of GDP (2011-2020) in USD billion:
2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | |
GDP in USD billion | 200 | 209.1 | 209.8 | 213.8 | 116 | 160 | 170.1 | 175.4 | 171.2 | 145.2 |
ME in USD billion | 8.65 | 9.33 | 10.16 | 9.72 | 10.41 | 10.21 | 10.07 | 9.58 | 10.3 | 9.7 |
ME% of GDP | 4.33 | 4.46 | 4.85 | 5.55 | 6.27 | 6.39 | 5.92 | 5.47 | 6.02 | 6.66 |
Military expenditure (ME) growth as percentage from 2011-2020:
2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | |
ME% Growth | 52.59 | 7.79 | 8.96 | -4.31 | 7.08 | -1.88 | -1.41 | -4.85 | 7.51 | -5.78 |
- 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 led 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. The country continues to purchase new equipment 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.
- 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. |
- Major external deployments
Operation | Country | Personnel/Assests |
MONUSCO | Democratic Republic of Congo | Experts: 2 |
UNAMID | Darfur | Troops: 619
Experts: 8 Police: 125 |
Contact
Ministry of Defence
Avenue des Tagarins
Algeris/Algeria
Tel: +213 261 1515
021.71.15.15
National People’s Army HQ
C/o Ministry of National Defence
Avenue Ali Khoudja
Algeris/Algeria
Tel +213 263 1476/765/611515