The following is a list of active equipment of the Somali Armed Forces. Retired equipment is listed at the bottom.

Small arms

Name Image Caliber Type Origin Notes
Pistols
Makarov PM[1] 9×18mm Semi-automatic pistol  Soviet Union
Submachine guns
Uzi[1] 9×19mm Submachine gun  Israel
Rifles
AKM[2] 7.62×39mm Assault rifle  Soviet Union
AK-74 5.45×39mm Assault rifle  Soviet Union Used by National Intelligence and Security Agency special forces Gaashaan and Waran.[3] and Danab commandos.[4]
AK-74M 5.45×39mm Assault rifle  Russia Used by NISA special forces Gaashaan and Waran.[5] and Danab commandos.[6]
Vz. 58[7] 7.62×39mm Assault rifle  Czechoslovak Socialist Republic
PM md. 63 7.62×39mm Assault rifle  Socialist Republic of Romania
AK-63[8] 7.62×39mm Assault rifle  Hungarian People's Republic
Zastava M70 7.62×39mm Assault rifle  Yugoslavia
Type 56[9] 7.62×39mm Assault rifle  China
MPT-76 7.62×51mm Battle rifle  Turkey 450 delivered.[10]
M16[11] 5.56×45mm Assault rifle  United States
M4A1 5.56×45mm Carbine
Assault rifle 		 United States Used by Special Forces.[citation needed]
M14 7.62×51mm Battle rifle  United States
Heckler & Koch G3 7.62×51mm Battle rifle  West Germany Used by the Danab Brigade and the "Gorgor" Brigade, also used by Camp TURKSOM NCOs and officer cadets.[12][13]
Type 56 7.62×39mm Semi-automatic rifle  China Used for ceremonial purposes by the Presidential Guard.[citation needed]
Sniper rifles
SVD[14] 7.62×54mmR Designated marksman rifle
Sniper rifle 		 Soviet Union
Machine guns
RP-46[1] 7.62×54mmR Light machine gun  Soviet Union
SG-43[15] 7.62×54mmR Medium machine gun  Soviet Union
Browning M1919[15] 7.62×51mm Medium machine gun  United States
KPV 14.5×114mm Heavy machine gun  Soviet Union
DShK[16] 12.7×108mm Heavy machine gun  Soviet Union
RPD[1] 7.62×39mm Squad automatic weapon  Soviet Union
RPK[1] 7.62×39mm Squad automatic weapon  Soviet Union
PKM[2] 7.62×54mmR General-purpose machine gun  Soviet Union
Zastava M84[17] 7.62×54mmR General-purpose machine gun  Yugoslavia
MG-3 7.62×51mm General-purpose machine gun  West Germany
FN MAG[1] 7.62×51mm General-purpose machine gun  Belgium
AA-52[1] 7.62×51mm General-purpose machine gun  France
Rocket propelled grenade launchers
RPG-2[15] 40mm Rocket-propelled grenade  Soviet Union
RPG-7[2] 40mm Rocket-propelled grenade  Soviet Union
Grenade launchers
AGS-17[citation needed] Grenade launcher Soviet Union

Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected

Name Image Type Origin Quantity Notes
Casspir MRAP  South Africa 9[18] Status:In_service
BMC Kirpi MRAP  Turkey 24[19] Status:In_service

Armored personnel carriers

Name Image Type Origin Quantity Notes
AT105 Saxon[18] Armored personnel carrier  United Kingdom 50 Status:In_service

Donated second hand by Djibouti April 2013.

Iveco VM 90[18] Armored personnel carrier  Italy Unknown Status:In_service

Donated by Italy.

RG-31 Nyala[18] Infantry mobility vehicle  South Africa Unknown Status:In_service

Utility vehicles

Name Image Type Origin Quantity Notes
Toyota 4Runner Utility vehicle  Japan Unknown Status:In_service

Unknown amount in service, Used by Armed Forces for awareness against SARS-nCov-2[20][21]

Toyota Land Cruiser Utility vehicle  Japan 10[22] Status:In_service

Donated by Turkey.

Mitsubishi Triton Utility vehicle  Japan 26+[23] Status:In_service

Donated by Turkey.

Trucks
M939[24] Utility truck  United States Unknown Status:In_service
BMC 245-16P 4x4 Utility truck  Turkey 14[25] Status:In_service

Donated by Turkey.

Iveco 4x4 Utility truck  Italy 3+[26] Status:In_service

Donated by Turkey.

Unmanned aerial vehicles

Name Image Type Origin Quantity Notes
Bayraktar TB2[27] UCAV  Turkey Unknown Status:In_service

Boats

Name Image Type Origin Quantity Notes
ONUK MRTP 16 Patrol boat  Turkey Unknown Status:In_service
Grand RIB Rigid inflatable boat  Ukraine Unknown

Individual Equipment

Model Origin Image Type Notes
PASGT  United States

 Turkey

Combat helmet Donated from Turkey[when?][citation needed]
FAST  United States

 Turkey

Combat helmet Utilised by Commando Brigade, donated from Turkey.
M1 Woodland  United States

 Somalia

Camouflage pattern Bought from the U.S. in the 1980s; Standard issue across all branches.[1][page needed]
Desert Battle Dress Uniform  United States

 Somalia

Camouflage pattern Bought from the U.S. in the 1980s.[citation needed]
M2008 Digital Camouflage  Turkey Camouflage pattern Donated from Turkey.[1]

Retired equipment

A T-55, one of several SNA tanks
Abandoned Somali tanks in Mogadishu, discovered by U.S. Army troops on 1 December 1993

Among firearms associated with the Somali National Army and reported by Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/10 were Soviet TT pistols, British Sterling submachine guns; German Heckler & Koch G3 and Belgian FN FAL assault rifles, U.S. M14 rifles, Soviet RPD machine guns; Soviet RPK machine guns; Soviet RP-46 machine guns; French AA-52 machine guns; Belgian FN MAG machine guns; Soviet DShK heavy machine guns; U.S. M2 Browning .50 cal heavy machine guns; and U.S. M79 grenade launchers and Soviet RPG-2 grenade launchers.[1]

Previous arms acquisitions included the following equipment, much of which was unserviceable circa June 1989:[28] 293 main battle tanks (30 Centurions; 123 M47 Patton, 30 T-34, 110 T-54/55 from various sources). Christopher F. Foss, writing in the second edition of Jane's Main Battle Tanks said that 'Kuwait was believed to have supplied Somalia with about 35 Centurions.'[29] The Military Balance 1987–88 (p. 112) listed 30 Centurions held by the Somali Army.

Other armoured fighting vehicles included 10 M41 Walker Bulldog light tanks, 30 BRDM-2 and 15 Panhard AML-90 armored cars (formerly owned by Saudi Arabia). The IISS estimated in 1989 that there were 474 armoured personnel carriers, including 64 BTR-40/BTR-50/BTR-60, 100 BTR-152 wheeled armored personnel carriers, 310 Fiat 6614 and 6616s, and that BMR-600s had been reported. SIPRI also reported BTR-70s had been sold to Somalia.[30] The IISS estimated that there were 210 towed artillery pieces (8 M-1944 100 mm, 100 M-56 105 mm, 84 M-1938 122 mm, and 18 M198 155 mm towed howitzers). Other equipment reported by the IISS included 82 mm and 120 mm mortars, 100 Milan and BGM-71 TOW anti-tank guided missiles, rocket launchers, recoilless rifles, and a variety of Soviet air defence guns of 20 mm, 23 mm, 37 mm, 40 mm, 57 mm, and 100 mm calibre. SIPRI also reported that 9K32 Strela-2 air defence missiles had been transferred.[30]

In addition, U.S. M151 trucks had been sold to Somalia by December 1987.[31]

IISS Military Balance 2022 lists only armoured personnel carriers and utility vehicles.

Name Image Type Origin Quantity Notes
BRDM-2 Amphibious armored scout car  Soviet Union Unknown Status:In_service
ZU-23-2[18] Autocannon  Soviet Union Unknown Status:In_service
Name Image Type Origin Quantity Notes
Rocket artillery
BM-21 Grad[32] Multiple rocket launcher  Soviet Union Unknown Status:In_service

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Jones & Ness 2009.
  2. ^ a b c AfricaNews (9 May 2017). "Several soldiers killed in al Shabaab attack on Somali army base – Africanews". africanews.com. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  3. ^ NISA (23 January 2016). "HSNQ_NISA Director General with his Elite Gaashaan & Waran, We will defend our ppl, #TweetLiidoPicturespic.twitter.com/MsZeyfukIX". @HSNQ_NISA. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
  4. ^ TP 🤟🏻 (24 March 2018). "Somali Army SOF operators #DANABpic.twitter.com/QphsTHOC1O". @tacticalporn. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
  5. ^ NISA (23 January 2016). "HSNQ_NISA Director General with his Elite Gaashaan & Waran, We will defend our ppl, #TweetLiidoPicturespic.twitter.com/MsZeyfukIX". @HSNQ_NISA. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
  6. ^ TP 🤟🏻 (24 March 2018). "Somali Army SOF operators #DANABpic.twitter.com/QphsTHOC1O". @tacticalporn. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
  7. ^ "Daawo Sawirada: Qaabka ay Ciidamada Puntland ula wareegen Qandala". caasimada.net. 8 December 2016. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  8. ^ "AKM 63 Assault Rifle : Somalia". awm.gov.au. Australian War Memorial.
  9. ^ Charbonneau, Louis (10 October 2014). "Exclusive: Somalia army weapons sold on open market – U.N. monitors". Reuters. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  10. ^ "Turkish Firms Receive Orders to Manufacture 45000 Locally-made MPT-76 Rifles". defenseworld.net. Archived from the original on 21 February 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  11. ^ Jane's Special Forces Recognition Guide, Ewen Southby-Tailyour (2005) p. 446.
  12. ^ "Image of Somali Cadets at Camp TURKSOM". Kashaale. 2018.
  13. ^ "Image of Somali Commandos training in Turkey".
  14. ^ "Somali daily News – Meydadka Askar Itoobiyaan ah oo lagu soo bandhigay Gobolka Galgaduud+SAWIRO". shinganinews.com. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  15. ^ a b c Small Arms Survey 2012, p. 338.
  16. ^ "SNA troops in southern Somalia". SNA Radio. September 2019. Archived from the original on 12 June 2020. Alt URL
  17. ^ "Mortar Rounds Shake Mogadishu Ahead of Somali Presidential Vote | Voice of America - English".
  18. ^ a b c d e Military Balance 2017
  19. ^ "Turkey donates 12 military vehicles to Somalia". www.aa.com.tr. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  20. ^ Reform, Somalia's Security Sector (10 May 2020). ".@SNAForce continued the #COVIDー19 awareness in several districts in Mogadishu, including Cabdicasiis, Shangaani, Xamar Weyne, Xamar Jajab, Dharkeynley, and Wadajir. #SNACovid19Awareness #CXDSpic.twitter.com/SfxKfDBNVR". @SomaliaSSR. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  21. ^ Reform, Somalia's Security Sector (8 May 2020). "SNA is visiting the overpopulated areas and underprivileged communities in Mogadishu to communicate the #COVIDー19 awareness message, and distribute face masks. #SNACovid19Awareness #XooggaDalkapic.twitter.com/7C12ISMeqR". @SomaliaSSR. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  22. ^ Oryx. "From Türkiye With Love: Tracking Turkish Military Donations". Oryx. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  23. ^ Oryx. "From Türkiye With Love: Tracking Turkish Military Donations". Oryx. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  24. ^ "The Mighty Somali Army 1980's - YouTube". YouTube. Archived from the original on 14 June 2014. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  25. ^ Oryx. "From Türkiye With Love: Tracking Turkish Military Donations". Oryx. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  26. ^ Oryx. "From Türkiye With Love: Tracking Turkish Military Donations". Oryx. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
  27. ^ Azman, Kaan (3 October 2022). "Bayraktar TB2 SİHA Somali'de görüntülendi". DefenceTurk (in Turkish). Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  28. ^ IISS 1989, p. 113.
  29. ^ Foss, Christopher (1986). Jane's Main Battle Tanks. London, UK/New York City: Jane's. p. 186. ISBN 0-7106-0372-X.
  30. ^ a b "Trade Registers". Armstrade.sipri.org. Archived from the original on 14 April 2010. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
  31. ^ "Annex C Appendix II". US Army Technical Manual of Foreign Military Sales: Battlefield Damage Assessment and Repair (PDF). Washington, D.C. 18 December 1987. p. 262. TM 9-2320-356-BD. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 September 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2013.((cite book)): CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  32. ^ Military Balance 2016, p. 466.

Bibliography

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