View source for Revolutionary Armed Forces of the People (Guinea-Bissau)

{{Infobox national military
| name = Revolutionary Armed Forces of the People
| native_name = {{lang|pt|Forças Armadas Revolucionárias do Povo}}
| image = Military flag of Guinea-Bissau.svg
| alt =
| caption = Military flag of Guinea-Bissau
| image2 =
| alt2 =
| caption2 =
| motto =
| founded = 1964 (as the [[Revolutionary Armed Forces of the People|military branch]] of [[African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde|PAIGC]])
| current_form = 1973 (as the national armed forces of Guinea-Bissau)
| disbanded =
| branches = Army<br />Navy<br />[[Guinea-Bissau Air Force|Air Force]]
| headquarters = Bissau
| flying_hours =
| website = {{URL|https://farp.gw/}}
| commander-in-chief = [[President of Guinea-Bissau|President]] [[Umaro Sissoco Embaló]]
| chief minister = [[Rui Duarte de Barros]]
| chief minister_title = [[List of prime ministers of Guinea-Bissau|Prime Minister]]
| minister = [[Sandji Fati]]
| minister_title = Minister of Defence
| chief_of_staff =
| chief_of_staff_title =
| commander = General [[Biague Na Ntan]]
| commander_title = Chief of General Staff
<!-- Manpower -->| age =
| conscription = Selective compulsory military service
| manpower_data =
| manpower_age = 16 to 49
| available =
| available_f =
| fit =
| fit_f =
| reaching =
| reaching_f =
| active = 4,000
| ranked =
| reserve =
| deployed = <!-- Financial -->
| amount = $23.3 million
| percent_GDP = 1.7%
| domestic_suppliers =
| foreign_suppliers = {{IND}}<br />{{PRT}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.portugal.gov.pt/pt/gc22/comunicacao/noticia?i=portugal-entrega-equipamento-e-material-individual-a-republica-centro-africana|title = Portugal sends military equipment to Guinea}}</ref><br />{{RUS}}
| imports =
| exports = <!-- Related articles -->
| history = [[Guinea-Bissau War of Independence]] <br /> [[Guinea-Bissau Civil War]] <br /> [[2010 Guinea-Bissau military unrest]] <br /> [[2012 Guinea Bissau coup d'état]]
| ranks = [[Military ranks of Guinea-Bissau]]
}}
[[File:Hastear da bandeira da Guiné Bissau após o arrear da de Portugal.jpg|thumb|300px|Soldiers of the [[PAIGC]] raise the [[flag of Guinea-Bissau]] in 1974.]]
The '''Revolutionary Armed Forces of the People''' ({{langx|pt|Forças Armadas Revolucionárias do Povo}}, abbr. FARP) is the national military of [[Guinea-Bissau]]. It consists of an army, a navy, an air force, and paramilitary forces. The [[World Bank]] estimated that there were around 4,000 personnel in the armed forces.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Armed forces personnel, total - Guinea-Bissau {{!}} Data |url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/MS.MIL.TOTL.P1?locations=GW |access-date=2022-06-17 |website=data.worldbank.org}}</ref> The estimated military expenditure are $23.3 million,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Military expenditure (current USD) - Guinea-Bissau {{!}} Data |url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/MS.MIL.XPND.CD?locations=GW |access-date=2022-06-17 |website=data.worldbank.org}}</ref> and military spending as a percentage of GDP is 1.7%.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Military expenditure (% of GDP) - Guinea-Bissau {{!}} Data |url=https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/MS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS?locations=GW |access-date=2022-06-17 |website=data.worldbank.org}}</ref>
The [[World Fact Book]] reports that the military service age is 18–25 years of age for selective compulsory military service, and 16 years of age or younger for voluntary service, with parental consent.
== Origins ==
{{Main|Revolutionary Armed Forces of the People}}
== Internal culture ==
===2010 Guinea-Bissau military unrest===
{{main|2010 Guinea-Bissau military unrest}}
Major General [[Batista Tagme Na Waie]] was chief of staff of the [[Guinea-Bissau]] armed forces until his assassination in 2009.
Military unrest occurred in Guinea-Bissau on 1 April 2010. Prime Minister [[Carlos Gomes Júnior]] was placed under house arrest by soldiers, who also detained Army Chief of Staff [[Zamora Induta]]. Supporters of Gomes and his party, [[PAIGC]], reacted to the move by demonstrating in the capital, [[Bissau]]; [[Antonio Indjai]], the Deputy Chief of Staff, then warned that he would have Gomes killed if the protests continued.<ref name=Assimo>Assimo Balde, [https://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gJesugYieOra7PfjTwVraPl9gg_wD9EQGRQG2 "Soldiers put Guinea-Bissau PM under house arrest"]{{dead link|date=June 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}, Associated Press, 1 April 2010.</ref>
The EU ended its mission to reform the country's security forces, EU SSR Guinea-Bissau, on 4 August 2010,  a risk that may further embolden powerful generals and drug traffickers in the army and elsewhere. The EU mission's spokesman in Guinea-Bissau said the EU had to suspend its programme when the mastermind of the mutiny, General [[Antonio Indjai]], became army chief of staff. "The EU mission thinks this is a breach in the constitutional order. We can't work with him".<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-10871260 EU pull-out hits Guinea-Bissau reforms] ''BBC''</ref>
=== International drug trade ===
The multitude of small offshore islands and a military able to sidestep government with impunity has made it a favourite trans-shipment point for drugs to Europe. Aircraft drop payloads on or near the islands, and speedboats pick up bales to go direct to Europe or onshore.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6274590.stm Africa – new front in drugs war] ''BBC''</ref> UN chief [[Ban Ki-moon]] has called for sanctions against those involved in Guinea-Bissau's drugs trade.<ref>BBC, [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7650063.stm G Bissau drugs sanctions threat]</ref>
Air Force head Ibraima Papa Camara and former navy chief [[Bubo Na Tchuto|Jose Americo Bubo Na Tchuto]] have been named "drug kingpins".<ref>[[British Broadcasting Corporation]], [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8610924.stm US names two Guinea-Bissau military men 'drug kingpins']</ref>
=== Angolan assistance ===
Angola, at the presidency of the [[Community of Portuguese Language Countries]] (CPLP) since 2010, has since 2011 participated in a military mission in Guinea-Bissau (MISSANG) to assist in the reform of defence and security.<ref>MENAFN, [http://www.menafn.com/menafn/qn_news_story.aspx?storyid={d3113355-7c17-48ba-8258-3c79f4d7229d} MISSANG Trains Police Staff in Guinea-Bissau] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130517142135/http://www.menafn.com/menafn/qn_news_story.aspx?storyid=%7Bd3113355-7c17-48ba-8258-3c79f4d7229d%7D |date=2013-05-17 }}, July 25, 2011</ref>
MISSANG had a strength of 249 Angolan men (both soldiers and police officers), following an agreement signed between the defence ministers of both countries, as a complement to a Governmental accord ratified by both parliaments.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.portalangop.co.ao/motix/en_us/noticias/politica/2012/5/25/Military-equipment-used-Guinea-Bissau-Luanda,461e9972-e612-4230-bfc5-c7c465600b6e.html|title=Military equipment used in Guinea-Bissau in Luanda|work=ANGOP|access-date=2017-07-12|language=EN-US|archive-date=2013-05-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130517015637/http://www.portalangop.co.ao/motix/en_us/noticias/politica/2012/5/25/Military-equipment-used-Guinea-Bissau-Luanda,461e9972-e612-4230-bfc5-c7c465600b6e.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
The Angolan assistance mission included a programme of technical and military cooperation focused on a reform of the Guinean armed forces and police, including the repair of barracks and police stations, organisation of administrative services and technical and military training locally and in Angolan institutions. The mission was halted by the Angolan Government, following a politico-military crisis that led to the ousting of the interim president of Guinea-Bissau, Raimundo Pereira, and the prime minister, Gomes Júnior. By 22 June 2012, the Angolan vessel ''Rio M'bridge'', carrying the mission's equipment, had arrived back in Luanda.
==Equipment==
{{Main|List of equipment of the Guinea-Bissau Army}}
Large parts of the equipment of the army of Guinean-Bissau are of [[Warsaw Pact]] origin.
==Air Force==
{{main|Guinea-Bissau Air Force}}
After achieving [[Guinea-Bissau War of Independence|independence from Portugal]], the air force was formed by officers returning from training in [[Cuba]] and the [[USSR]]. The FAGB was re-equipped by the Soviet Union with a limited aid package in which its first combat aircraft were introduced.
==Navy==
In September 2010, Rear-Admiral Jose Americo Bubo Na Tchuto attempted a coup, but was arrested after failing to gain support. "Guinea-Bissau's navy chief, who was arrested last week and accused of trying to stage a coup, has escaped custody and fled to nearby Gambia, the armed forces said on Tuesday."<ref>http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100828082659/http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/|date=2010-08-28}}...
[https://www.reuters.com/article/homepageC]{{dead link|date=July 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/default.stm {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060209020056/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/default.stm|date=2006-02-09}}, retrieved on 12 August 2008, via afdevinfo, 16 September 2010</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
* [[The Two Faces of War]]
* ''World Aircraft Information Files. Brightstar Publishing, London. File 338 Sheet 02
* {{Cite book|author1=Cooper, Tom  |author2=Weinert, Peter  |name-list-style=amp |title= African MiGs: Volume I: Angola to Ivory Coast |publisher= Harpia Publishing LLC |year= 2010 |isbn= 978-0-9825539-5-4}}
== Further reading ==
*B Embaló, Civil–military relations and political order in Guinea-Bissau, The Journal of Modern African Studies, 2012
*Shaw, Mark, Drug trafficking in Guinea-Bissau, 1998-2014: the evolution of an elite protection network, The Journal of Modern African Studies, Vol. 53.3 (Sep 2015): 339–364.
==External links==
*http://africansecuritysector.blogspot.com/2010/09/guinee-bissau-restructuration-de-larmee.html, September 2010
*[[United Nations]], [http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/EGUA-8ATQUH?OpenDocument Report of the Secretary-General on UNIOGBIS], S/2010/550, 25 October 2010. [[UNIOGBIS]] is the former [[United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office in Guinea-Bissau]] (UNOGBIS) and is closely involved in reform of the armed forces.
*http://www.slateafrique.com/85917/secrets-de-la-crise-bissau-guineenne
{{Guinea-Bissau topics}}
{{Military of Africa}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Military Of Guinea-Bissau}}
[[Category:Military of Guinea-Bissau| ]]
[[Category:Government of Guinea-Bissau]]