Editor's Foreword

djibouti DJB
Djiboutian Franc fr 2008 2009 2010
GDP fr 186bn
US$ 1.04bn
per capita US$ 1,473
Growth % 5.9 5.1
inflation % 12.0 5.5
Def bdgt fr 2.72bn 2.34bn 1.72bn
US$ 15m 13m
FMA (US) US$ 1.9m 2.0m 2.5m
US$1=fr 178 174
Population 724,622
ethnic groups: Somali 60%; Afar 35%
Age 0–14 15–19 20–24 25–29 30–64 65 plus
Male 22% 5% 5% 4% 14% 2%
Female 22% 5% 5% 4% 12% 2%
capabilities
acTive 10,450 (Army 8,000 navy 200 Air 250
Gendarmerie 2,000) national Security Force 2,500
organiSaTionS by Service
army ε8,000
forceS by role
MOD and Army HQs, 4 military districts (Tadjourah,
Dikhil, Ali-Sabieh and Obock)
Rep
Guard
1 regt (1 sy sqn, 1 spt sqn (arty, armd and
motorcycle pls), 1 close prot sqn, 1 ceremonial
sqn,1 comd and spt sqn; incl CT and cdo role)
Armd 1 regt (3 armd sqns, 1 Ratel sqn, 1 antismuggling
coy)
Inf 4 joint regts (3–4 coys, comd and spt coy,
training camp(s), 1 rapid reaction regt (4 coys,
comd and spt coy, 1 hvy spt sect; incl CT and
cdo / abn role)
Arty 1 regt
Engr 1 demining coy, 1 plant coy
Comd 1 HQ regt, 1 comms comd, 1 CIS sect
Spt 1 log sp regt
eQuipmenT by Type
RECCE 39: 4 AML-60†; 15 VBL; 16-20 Ratel
APC (W) 20: 8 BTR -80; 12 BTR-60†
ARTY 96
TOWED 122mm 6 D-30
MOR 45: 81mm 25; 120mm 20 Brandt
AT
RCL 106mm 16 M-40A1
RL 73mm RPG-7 Knout; 89mm LRAC
AD • GUNS 15+
SP 20mm 5 M-693 (SP
TOWED 10: 23mm 5 ZU-23; 40mm 5 L/70
navy ε200
Sub-Saharan Africa
eQuipmenT by Type
PATROL AND COASTAL COMBATANTS 8
PCI 2: 1 Sawari less than 100 tonnes; 1 Plascoa
PB 6: 4 (USCG); 2 Battalion-17
faciliTieS
Base Located at Djibouti
air force 250
305
forceS by role
Tpt some sqn with An-28 Cash; L-410UVP Turbolet;
Cessna U-206G Stationair; Cessna 208
Caravan I
Hel some sqn with AS-355F Ecureuil II; Mi-17 (Mi-
8MT) Hip H; Mi-24 (atk)
Trg unit with EMB-314 Super Tucano
eQuipmenT by Type
AIRCRAFT
TPT 4: 1 An-28 Cash; 1 Cessna 402 (in store); 2
L-410UVP Turbolet
UTL 2: 1 Cessna U-206G Stationair; 1 Cessna 208
Caravan I
TRG Some EMB-314 Super Tucano
HELICOPTERS • ATK 2 Mi-24 Hind
SPT 3: 1 AS-355F Ecureuil II; 1 Mi-8 in store; 1 Mi-17 (Mi-
8MT) Hip H;
gendarmerie 2,000 +
Ministry of Defence
forceS by role
Paramilitary 1 bn
eQuipmenT by Type
PATROL AND COASTAL COMBATANTS 1 PB
paramilitary ε2,500
national Security force ε2,500
Ministry of Interior
deploymenT
WeSTern Sahara
UN • MINURSO 2 obs
foreign forceS
France 1,690 Army; 1 (Foreign Legion) BG with ( 1 engr
coy, 1 arty bty, 2 recce sqn, 2 inf coy); 1 (Marine) combined
arms regt with ( 1 engr coy, 1 arty bty, 2 recce sqn, 2 inf
coy) Navy; 1 LCT Air Force; 1 air sqn with 10 M-2000C/D
Mirage; 1 C-160 Transall; 3 SA-342 Gazelle; 7 SA-330 Puma;
1 AS-555 Fennec; 1 SA-319 Alouette III
United States US Africa Command: Army 190; Navy 717;
USAF 125; USMC: 133; 1 naval air base
Sub-Saharan
Africa