Burundi military
Index
1. Order of battle
2. Overview
3. Defence economics
4. State of military forces
5. Burundi threat report
6. External deployments
1. Order of Battle
| Total force strength | Army: 20 000 (restructuring process is continuing) Air Wing: 200 Reserves: 10 Battalions (Reported, battalion size is unknown) Paramilitary: 31 000 Local Defence Militia: 30 000 (Estimated) Total: 81 200 |
| Army | |
| Reconnaissance | 6: AML-60 12: AML-90 30: BDRM-2 7: S52 Shorland |
| APC | 10: BTR-80 20: BTR-40 9: M-3 Panhard 12: RG-31 Nyala 6: Walid |
| Towed artillery | 18: D-30 122 mm |
| Multiple Rocket Launcher | 12: BM-21 122 mm |
| Mortar | 15: 82 mm M-43 75: 120 mm |
| Anti-armour | Milan (Reported) |
| Recoilless rifle | 60: Type-52 (M-20) |
| Rocket launcher | ?: RL-83 Blindicide (Reported) |
| Air defence gun | 15: ZPU-4 14.5mm 135: ZU-23 23mm |
| Air defence missile | 30: SA-7 Strela-2 |
| Structure Lightly armed Infantry Artillery Engineers Air Defence |
2 battalions 7 battalions and some independent companies 1 battalion 1 battalion 1 battalion |
| Air Wing | |
| Trainer aircraft | 2: SF-260 TP/SF/W Warrior |
| Transport aircraft | 2: Cessna 150L 2: DC-3 |
| Combat helicopter | 2: Mi-24 Hind |
| Transport helicopter | 3: SA-316B Alouette III 2: SA-342L Gazelle 4: Mi-8 Hip (Considered to be non operational) |
| Marine Police | |
| Boats | 2: Rigid Raiders |
2. Overview:
Defence Minister: Major General Pontien Gaciyubwenge
Chief of General Staff: Major General Prime Niyongabo
Member of: UN, AU, EAC
3. Burundi defence economics
Defence budget percentage per GDP (2000-2008)
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | |
| DB% per GDP | 6.0 | 8.0 | 7.2 | 7.3 | 6.6 | 6.2 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 3.8 |
Defence budget per US$ Mil (2000-2008)
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | |
| DB per US$ Mil | 57.9 | 57.1 | 62.0 | 63.0 | 74.9 | 78.2 | 84.2 | 104 | 113 |
Defence budget percentage growth (2000-2008)
| 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | |
| DB% growth | -1.4 | 8.6 | 1.6 | 18.9 | 4.4 | 7.7 | 23.5 | 8.7 |
4. State of military forces
Burundi’s military was restructured between 2004 and 2009 following the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement and the end of the 1993-2003 civil war. The military is required to have a 50/50 ethnic mix of Tusis and Hutus, including former rebels (until the 2001-2005 transition, the army had been dominated by Tutsis). The new National Defence Forces (FDN) are projected to number around 30 000 members. There is also a 20 000 strong National Police force.
Although Burundi is landlocked, it has a small naval component that monitors its 175 km of shoreline along Lake Tanganyika.
Burundi’s defence budget is relatively high in terms of % of GDP but in numerical terms is small as the country’s GDP is only $3.397 billion and per capital GDP $300. This means that little money is available for procurement and the serviceability of much of the military’s heavy equipment and aircraft is questionable.
5. Burundi threat report
| Threat type | Overview |
| External | • Burundi is currently facing no external military threat. • Due to Burundi’s military presence in Somalia the country could be targeted by Islamic extremists. |
| Internal | • Internal instability is a possibility due to ethnic tensions lingering between the ruling Hutu majority and Tutsi minority. |
| Regional | • Instability within the DRC could affect Burundi’s foreign security policy design. |
| Political | • Political tension still lingers within Burundi due to its now finished civil war. |
| Economic | • Agriculture accounts for 57% of Burundi’s economy and supports more than 70% of the country’s labour force. Instability within this sector could lead to political instability. |
6. External deployments
| Operation | Country | Personnel/assets |
| Peace building | Somalia | 3 000 (Estimated) |
Address
Ministry of National Defence
Bujumbura
Burundi
Tel +257 224611
Fax +257 248715
Defence Forces HQ
c/o Ministry of National Defence
Tel +257 2226700
