Armed Forces of Equatorial Guinea
The Armed Forces of Equatorial Guinea consists of approximately 2,500 service members. The army has almost 1,400 soldiers, the navy 200 service members, and the air force about 120 members. There is also a gendarmerie, but the number of members is unknown. The Gendarmerie is a new branch of the service in which training and education is being supported by the French Military Cooperation in Equatorial Guinea. Military appointments are all reviewed by President Teodoro Obiang, and few of the native militiamen come from outside of Obiang's Mongomo-based Esangui clan. Obiang was a general when he overthrew his uncle, Francisco Macías Nguema.
History
The Armed Forces were reorganized in 1979. In 1988, the United States donated a 68-foot patrol boat to the Equatoguinean navy to patrol its exclusive economic zone. The U.S. patrol boat Isla de Bioko is no longer operational. U.S. military-to-military engagement has been dormant since 1997. Between 1984 and 1992, service members went regularly to the United States on the International Military Education Training program, after which funding for this program for Equatorial Guinea ceased. The government spent 6.5% of its annual budget on defense in 2000 and 4.5% of its budget on defense in 2001. It recently acquired some Chinese artillery pieces, some Ukrainian patrol boats, and some Ukrainian helicopter gunships. Cooper and Weinert 2010 says that all aircraft are based on the military side of Malabo International Airport.In 2002, an International Consortium of Investigative Journalists report said:
Equipment
Small arms
Aircraft
The Equatorial Guinea Air Corps was founded in 1979 with mainly French and Spanish air frames. In 2005, 4 Su 25s including 2 Su-25UB combat trainers were delivered to the Equatorial Guinea Air Corps. The current status of the aircraft is unknown. In 2015 two CASA C-295 aircraft were ordered for delivery from September 2016.Navy
The Equatorial Guinean main task is to counter piracy and robbery at sea. In July 2010, after the visit of Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, an order for a Barroso-class corvette was announced. However, as of 2014 no further news has been announced. On 3 June 2014, the frigate Wele Nzas was commissioned and became the navy's flagship.| Vessel | Origin | Type | In service | Notes |
| Wele Nzas | Bulgaria | Frigate | 1 | Ukrainian designed - modified locally |
| Bata | Bulgaria | Corvette | 1 | Ukrainian design |
| PV-50 | Ukraine | Patrol vessel | 2 | |
| Isla de Corisco | Israel | Patrol boat | 1 | |
| Isla de Annobon | Israel | Patrol boat | 1 | Shaldag class |
| Sa'ar 4 class | Israel | Patrol boat | 2 | |
| Osa | China | Landing ship | 1 | Salamandra class |
| Daphne | Denmark | Patrol boat | 1 |