Zimbabwe 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: 25 000 Air Force: 4 000 Navy: Paramilitary: 21 800 |
| Army | |
| Armour | 30: Type-59 8: Type-69 |
| Reconnaissance | 20: Eland 15: Ferret 80: EE-9 Cascavel (90 mm) 20: AML-90 |
| APC | 30: 8 Type-63 22: VTT-323 55: ACMAT TPK 4.20 VSC 36: UR-416 |
| Self-propelled artillery | 12: 2S1 122 mm |
| Towed artillery | 4: D-30 122 mm; 16: Type-60 (D-74) |
| Multiple Rocket Launcher | 16: Type-63 107 mm 6: RM-70 Dana 122 mm |
| Mortar | 140: 81 mm/82 mm 60: M-43 120 mm |
| Air defence gun | 36: ZPU-1/ZPU-2/ZPU-414.5 mm 45: ZU-23 23 mm 35: M-1939 37 mm |
| Air defence missile | 30: 9K32 Strela-2 (SA-7 Grail) |
| Structure | 7: brigade HQs 1: armoured regiment 23: infantry battalions 2: artillery regiments 1: engineer support regiment 3: Presidential Guard battalions 1: commando battalion |
| Air Force | |
| Combat aircraft | 6: F-7 II 2: FT-7 12: Hawker Hunter in store 3: MiG-23 |
| Trainer aircraft | 11: K-8 Karakorum 5: SF-260M 12: SF-260C/W 6: SF-260F |
| Maritime/EW/RECCE aircraft | 2: O-2A Skymaster |
| Transport aircraft | 5: BN-2 Islander 3: Cessna 337 Skymaster 6: C-212-200 Aviocar |
| VIP aircraft | 2: C-212-200 Aviocar |
| Combat helicopter | 4: Mi-35 Hind; 2: Mi-35P Hind |
| Transport helicopter | 8: Bell 412 Twin Huey 2: SA316 Alouette III 2: AS532UL Cougar (VIP) 2: Bell 205 |
2. Overview
Head of State and Government: Robert Mugabe
Defence Minister: Sydney Tigere Sekeramayi
Chief of Defence Staff: General Constantine Guveya Chiwenga
Chief of Staff of the Army: Lt Gen Phillip Velario Sibanda
Chief of Staff of the Air Force: Air Marshall Perrance Shiri
Member of: UN, AU AFDB, G15, SADC, 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
The Zimbabwean military is known to have some of the most adept and well-trained soldiers in Africa, partly as a result of their training from a variety of different international armies. After independence the armed forces were trained by the British and since then the government has relied heavily on training programmes as offered through China and North Korea.
However, the armed forces are facing a crisis in that many of the country’s experienced veterans are exiting the armed forces due to age. Another factor hampering the army’s development is the prevalence of HIV/AIDS through its ranks. Zimbabwe’s military is also hampered by the country’s weak economy; as such wage issues often plague the armed forces. Due to an arms embargo placed on the country by the USA and the UK, Zimbabwe has developed a very close relationship with China. China is estimated to be the source of over a third of the country’s major weapon imports.
As Zimbabwe is landlocked it does not possess a navy, however it has developed a strong and effective air force. However, a significant number of its aircraft are either grounded or in storage.
5. Country threat report
| Threat type | Overview |
| External | • Zimbabwe is currently facing no external security threat. |
| Internal | • Zimbabwe is facing no internal threats. |
| Regional | • Zimbabwe is facing no regional threats. |
| Political | • Zimbabwe is facing a crisis of leadership as it is not known who will succeed Robert Mugabe within the ZANU-PF. This uncertainty could cause problems in the future and lead to factionalism and possible political violence. |
| Economic | • Zimbabwe’s economy is in tatters; the country’s currency has collapsed and is now based around the US$. Foreign investment has also plunged, crippling any future growth |
6. Major external deployments
| Operation | Country | Personnel/assets |
| UNOCI | Ivory Coast | Troops : 3 |
| MUNUSCO | Democratic Republic of Congo | Troops: 20 |
| UNAMID | Sudan/Darfur | Police: 41 Troops: 9 |
| UNISFA | Sudan/Abyei region | Troops: 3 Police: 4 |
| UNMIL | Liberia | Troops: 1 Police: 30 |
| UNMISS | South Sudan | Police: 110 Troops: 202 |
Contact
Ministry of Defence – H/Q
Defence House
Cnr Kwame Nkuruma/ 3rd Street
Telephone: +263-4 250042, 252050 – 7, 700155 – 8, 70077- 8
Ministry of Defencehttp://www.mod.gov.zw/
Zimbabwean National Army http://www.zna.gov.zw/en/
