Military and Security Forces
Army, Navy, Air Force, National Guard (aka Republican Guard)Republican Police (Police Republicaine, DGPR) (2023)FAB is under the Ministry of Defense and is responsible for external security and supporting the DGPR in maintaining internal security, which has primary responsibility for enforcing law and maintaining order; the DGPR was formed in 2018 through a merger of police and gendarmes
Military Service Age and Obligation
18-35 years of age for voluntary and selective compulsory military service for men and women; a higher education diploma is required; conscript service is 18 months (2023)
Military and Security Service Personnel Strengths
approximately 12,000 active-duty troops, including about 3,000 National Guard; estimated 5,000 Republican Police (2023)
Military Equipment Inventories and Acquisitions
the FAB is equipped with a small mix of mostly older or secondhand French, Soviet-era, and US equipment; in recent years, France has provided it with limited amounts of newer military hardware such as armored vehicles and helicopters (2023)
Military Deployments
250 Mali (MINUSMA) (2023)