Armed Forces of Gabon: Difference between revisions

| name = Armed Forces of Gabon

| native_name = {{lang|fr|Forces armées gabonaises}}

| image = [[File:Gabonese Coat of arms.svg|180px]]

| branches = [[Gabonese Army|Army]]<ref name="CIA World Fact 2015">{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/gabon/|title=CIA World Fact 2015|publisher=cia.gov|year=2015|access-date=4 June 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref><br>[[Gabonese Air Force|Air Force]]<br>[[Gabonese Navy|Navy]]<br>[[National Gendarmerie of Gabon|National Gendarmerie]]

| commander-in-chief_title = [[President of Gabon|Commander in Chief]]

| foreign_suppliers = {{flag|France}}<br/>{{flag|United States}}<br/>{{flag|China}}<br/>{{flag|Israel}}<br/>{{flag|South Africa}}<br/>{{flag|Soviet Union}} (former)<br/>{{flag|Belgium}}<br/>{{flag|Brazil}}<br/>{{flag|Spain}}<br/>{{flag|Sweden}}<br/>{{flag|Austria}}<br/>{{flag|India}}

The '''Armed Forces of Gabon''' ({{langx|fr|Forces armées gabonaises}}), officially the '''Gabonese Defense and Security Forces''' ({{langx|fr|forces de défense et de sécurité gabonaises|links=no}}), is the national professional military of [[Gabon]], divided into the Army, Air Force, Navy, and a National Gendarmerie, consisting of about 5,000 personnel. The armed forces includes a well-trained, well-equipped 1,800-member guard that provides security for the [[President of Gabon]]. Although the [[President of Gabon]] has authority over all of the armed forces, the [[Ministry of National Defense (Gabon)|Ministry of National Defense]] administers it.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Yates |first1=Douglas A. |last2=Gardinier |first2=David E. |title=Historical dictionary of Gabon |date=2018 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |location=Lanham, Maryland |isbn=9781538110119 |edition=Fourth}}</ref>

The '''Gabonese Army''' ({{langx|fr|Armée de terre gabonaise}}) is the land component of the armed forces, specializing in infantry and mechanized reconnaissance. It was created on December 6, 1960, by decree of president [[Léon M'ba]] from non-commissioned officers who served in the French colonial army, mainly the 2nd company of the 21st BIMA. Following independence, Gabon signed defense agreements with France, mainly on technical assistance and training. Until June 1964, the title of Chief of Staff of the Gabonese Armed Forces was held by a senior [[French Army]] officer. In 1962 a detachment of the Auxiliary Women of the Gabonese Armed Forces (AFFAG), commanded by Lieutenant Ba Oumar at the military camp of Owendo, was created. President M'ba promoted the initiative following a visit to [[Tel Aviv]], [[Israel]], where he met female staff in its [[Israel Defence Forces|Defense Forces]].

* In April 2001, then-Defense Minister Bongo visited China, during which he reviewed the [[Beijing Garrison Honor Guard Battalion|PLA honor guard]] upon arrival, and proposed to his Chinese counterpart [[Chi Haotian]] that members of the battalion will go to Gabon to help set up and train professional ceremonial units in the Gabonese military. In March 2003, after just under three years, the [[Ministry of National Defense of the People's Republic of China|Chinese Ministry of National Defense]] sent four officers led by Lieutenant Colonel Wang Yuanjing to [[Libreville]] by the end of November of that year, after which they stayed to train the Gabonese guard of honour for more than six months.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://en.people.cn/200405/21/eng20040521_143989.html|title=People's Daily Online -- PLA helps traing &#91;sic&#93; honor guard for Gabon|website=en.people.cn|access-date=2020-05-10|archive-date=2022-03-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220326090352/http://en.people.cn/200405/21/eng20040521_143989.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gov.cn/misc/2009-09/29/content_1429235.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191012211510/http://www.gov.cn/misc/2009-09/29/content_1429235.htm|url-status=dead|title=Gabon's Communication minister appreciates good Gabono-Chinese relations|archive-date=2019-10-12|access-date=2021-09-17}}</ref>

[[Category:Military of Gabon]]