Cape Verde

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Cape Verde military

Index
1. Order of battle
2. Defence economics
3. State of military forces
4. Threat report

1. Order of Battle

Total force strength National Guard: 1200 (Cape Verde is in the process of reducing its armed forces to 1000 troops, with 800 for the National Guard)
Air Force: 100
Coast Guard: 200
Total: 1 500
National Guard
Reconnaissance 10: BRDM-2
Towed artillery 12: 75 mm
12: 76 mm
Mortar 12: 82 mm
6: 120 mm M-1943
Rocket launche RPG-7 Knout
Air defence gun 18: ZPU-1 14.5 mm
12: ZU-23 23 mm
Air defence missile 50: SA-7
Structure 1 infantry battalion, 1 marine infantry battalion (including special forces) and a military police unit
Air Force
Maritime/EW/RECCE aircraft 1: Do 228
1: EMB-110
1: CASA C212 (Civilian operated)
Transport aircraft 2: An-26 (serviceability doubtful)
Coast Guard
Patrol/Strike boat (Gun/Missile/OPV/IPV) 1: Guardiao OPV (P511; Damen Stanaxe)
1: Vigilante patrol boat (ex-German Kondor I)
1: Espadarte class (Peterson Mk 4 11.5 m patrol)
1: Tainha
Sea Ray patrol craft

 
2. Overview
Defence Minister: Jorge Tolentino
Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces: Colonel Alberto Fernandes
Commander of the Coast Guard: Lieutenant Colonel Antonio Duarte Monteiro
Member of: UN, AU, AfDB
3. Defence economics
Defence budget percentage per GDP (2000-2010)

2000 2001 2002 2003   2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
DB% per GDP 0.8 1.3 .8 .7 .7 .7 .7 .6 .6 .5 .5 .5

alt

Defence budget per US$ Mil (2000-2011) 

2000 2001 2002 2003   2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
DB per US$ Mil 12.4 8.4 7.7 8.1 8.4 8.9 8.5 8.5  8.0 8.2 8.3 8.8

alt

Defence budget percentage growth (2000-2011)

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
DB% growth  -32.3 -8.3 5.2  3.7 6.0 -4.5 0.0 -5.9 2.5 1.2 6.0

alt


4. State of military forces

Cape Verde has a very small defence force but faces almost no military threats, especially due to its traditional non-aligned status. The military is being reorganized, with the armed forces to have a total strength of around 1 000. This will consist of the National Guard on land and Coast Guard on land, as well as a small support staff. The military’s main roles will be counter-terrorism, combating drug trafficking, providing disaster relief and patrolling the seas.

As the archipelago of ten islands has no navy, the Coast Guard provides maritime security although its main duties are peaceful. Drug smuggling, illegal fishing and illegal migration are all problems in Cape Verde’s waters, but this has been addressed by the Coast Guard’s new flagship offshore patrol vessel, the 51 metre Damen Guardiao, which was commissioned in January 2012. Cape Verde’s Coast Guard receives assistance from Brazil, Portugal and the United States in both materiel and training. Cape Verde sold its Embraer Bandeirante to South Africa in 2008 but in 2012 Brazil announced that it would donate Bandeirante aircraft to the archipelago.
5. Country threat report

Threat type Overview
External • None
Internal • None
Regional • None
Political • Elections were successfully held in 2011 and the country is considered to be politically stable.
Economic • Cape Verde economy is highly dependent on remittances from emigrants and foreign aid.
• The country faces extreme water shortages and 75 percent of its food must be imported. Any disruption to the islands lines of maritime supply could lead to internal instability.

Address:

Ministry of Defence

Palacio do Governo

P.O. Box 202

Praia, Santiago

Cabo Verde

Tel +238 261 0511

Fax: +238 2610348

General Staff Headquarters:

Largo Desastre da Assitencia

P.O. Box 29

Praia, Santiago

Cabo Verde

Tel: +238 261 1650

Fax: +238 261 2562