Revolutionary Armed Forces of the People
Forças Armadas Revolucionárias do Povo
Military flag of Guinea-Bissau
Founded	1964 (as the military branch of PAIGC)
Current form	1973 (as the national armed forces of Guinea-Bissau)
Service branches	Army Navy Air Force
Headquarters	Bissau
Leadership
President	Umaro Sissoco Embaló
Prime Minister	Nuno Gomes Nabiam
Minister of Defence	Sandji Fati
Chief of General Staff	General Biague Na Ntan
Personnel
Conscription	Selective compulsory military service
Active personnel	4,000
Expenditures
Budget	$23.3 million
Percent of GDP	1.7%
Industry
Foreign suppliers	China  Portugal[1]  Russia
Related articles
History	Guinea-Bissau War of Independence Guinea-Bissau Civil War 2010 Guinea-Bissau military unrest 2012 Guinea Bissau coup d'état
Ranks	Military ranks of Guinea-Bissau

The Revolutionary Armed Forces of the People (Portuguese: 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.^[2] The estimated military expenditure are $23.3 million,^[3] and military spending as a percentage of GDP is 1.7%.^[4]

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.

Internal culture

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.^[5]

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".^[6]

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.^[7] UN chief Ban Ki-moon has called for sanctions against those involved in Guinea-Bissau's drugs trade.^[8]

Air Force head Ibraima Papa Camara and former navy chief Jose Americo Bubo Na Tchuto have been named "drug kingpins".^[9]

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.^[10] 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.^[11]

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.

Army equipment

Small arms

Name	Image	Caliber	Type	Origin	Notes
Pistols
TT-33[12]		7.62×25mm	Semi-automatic pistol	Soviet Union
Submachine guns
PPS-43[12]		7.62×25mm	Submachine gun	Soviet Union
Sa 23[12]		9×19mm	Submachine gun	Czechoslovak Socialist Republic
MP-40[12]		9×19mm	Submachine gun	Nazi Germany
MAT-49[12]		9×19mm	Submachine gun	France
Rifles
Vz. 52[12]		7.62×45mm	Semi-automatic rifle	Czechoslovak Socialist Republic
SKS[12]		7.62×39mm	Semi-automatic rifle	Soviet Union
AKM[12]		7.62×39mm	Assault rifle	Soviet Union
FN FAL[12]		7.62×51mm	Battle rifle	Belgium
MAS-36[13]		7.5×54mm	Bolt-action rifle	France
Machine guns
RPK[12]		7.62×39mm	Squad automatic weapon	Soviet Union
PKM[12]		7.62×54mmR	General-purpose machine gun	Soviet Union
KPV[14]		14.5×114mm	Heavy machine gun	Soviet Union
DShK[12]		12.7×108mm	Heavy machine gun	Soviet Union
Rocket propelled grenade launchers
RPG-7[12]		40mm	Rocket-propelled grenade	Soviet Union
M20 Super bazooka[15]		60mm	Rocket-propelled grenade	United States

Anti-tank weapons

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Caliber	Notes
B-10[16]		Recoilless rifle	Soviet Union	82mm
Type 52[16]		Recoilless rifle	United States  China	75mm

Tanks

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Quantity	Status	Notes
PT-76		Amphibious light tank	Soviet Union	15[16]	INS
T-34-85		Medium tank	Soviet Union	10[16]	INS

Scout cars

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Quantity	Status	Notes
BRDM-2		Amphibious armored scout car	Soviet Union	10[16]	INS

Armored personnel carriers

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Quantity	Status	Notes
Type 56		Armored personnel carrier	Soviet Union  China	20[16]	INS	Acquired from China in 1984.[17]
BTR-40		Armored personnel carrier	Soviet Union	15[16]	INS
BTR-60		Armored personnel carrier	Soviet Union	15[16]	INS

Artillery

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Quantity	Status	Notes
Mortars
PM-41		Mortar	Soviet Union	8[17]	INS
PM-43		Mortar	Soviet Union	8[16]	INS
Field artillery
D-44		Field gun	Soviet Union	8[16]	INS
M-30		Howitzer	Soviet Union	18[16]	INS
D-30		Howitzer	Soviet Union		INS

Air defence systems

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Quantity	Status	Notes
61-K		Autocannon	Soviet Union	6[16]	INS
S-60		Autocannon	Soviet Union	10[16]	INS
ZU-23-2		Autocannon	Soviet Union	18[16]	INS
9K32 Strela-2[16]		MANPADS	Soviet Union		INS

Air Force

After achieving 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."^[18]