Uganda People's Defence Force 56928 223640523 2008-07-05T01:02:05Z Squids and Chips 2947772 Disambiguate [[Western]] to [[Western world]] using [[:en:Wikipedia:Tools/Navigation_popups|popups]] {{Infobox National Military |country=Uganda |image= |caption= |age=15 years of age |manpower_age=15&ndash;49 |manpower_data=2000 est. |available=4,952,945 |fit=2,687,924 |reaching=unknown |active=40-45,000 ([[IISS]] 2007) |branches=land forces, Air Wing (plus paramilitary forces) |amount=$95 million (FY98/99) |percent_GDP=1.9% (FY98/99) }} The '''Uganda Peoples Defence Force''' ('''UPDF'''), previously the [[National Resistance Army]], is the armed forces of [[Uganda]]. The [[International Institute for Strategic Studies]] estimates the UPDF has a total strength of 40-45,000, and consists of land forces and an Air Wing.<ref>IISS Military Balance 2007, p.297</ref> The IISS Military Balance 2007 says there are 1,800 paramilitary personnel also, which include the Marines - Uganda's [[navy|naval force]] - with 400 personnel, and eight riverine patrol craft, all of less than 100 tonnes. There is also a 800-strong [[Uganda Police Force]] Air Wing with one Bell JetRanger, and a 600-strong Border Defence Unit equipped only with small arms. == History == [[Image:Guard in Labuje IDP camp, Uganda.jpg|thumb|right|Soldier in an [[internally displaced person]]s camp in northern Uganda]] On 9 October 1962 [[Uganda]] became independent from the United Kingdom, with one battalion of the [[King's African Rifles]] becoming the Uganda Rifles.<ref>Regiments.org, [http://www.regiments.org/wars/20thcent/64eafric.htm East African mutinies], accessed December 2007</ref> On 23 January 1964 1st Battalion, Uganda Rifles, plus the embryonic 2nd Battalion mutinied, seizing its British officers. Following an invitation from President Obote British forces from Kenya ([[24th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|24th Infantry Brigade]]) intervened later the same day, and two days later brought the mutiny to an end. In 1970, the [[International Institute for Strategic Studies]] assessed the Ugandan armed forces to consist of 6,700 personnel, comprising an Army of 6,250 with two brigade groups, each of two battalions, plus an independent infantry battalion, with some Ferret scout cars and [[BTR-40]] and [[BTR-152]] armoured personnel carriers, plus an air arm of 450 with 12 Magister armed trainers and seven [[MiG-15]]s and [[MiG-17]]s.<ref>IISS Military Balance 1970-71, p.53</ref> In 1979, before the [[Uganda-Tanzania War]], the Ugandan armed forces were reported, by the [[IISS]], as comprising of 20,000 land forces personnel, with two four-battalion brigades and five other battalions of various types, plus a training regiment.<ref>[[IISS]] Military Balance 1979-80, p.55</ref> There were a total of 35 T-34, T-55, and [[M-4 Sherman]] medium tanks. An air arm was 1,000 strong with 21 MiG-21 and 10 MiG-17 combat aircraft. The IISS noted that the Ugandan armed forces collapsed in the face of the Tanzanian onslaught and the serviceable aircraft were removed to Tanzania. The National Resistance Army was renamed the Uganda People's Defence Force following the enactment of the 1995 Constitution of Uganda. At present UPDF's primary focus is the conflict with the [[Lord's Resistance Army]] (LRA), a rebel group operating in the country's North which has been condemned by the UN and was designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. government in 2001. Since March 2002 UPDF has been granted permission to carry out operating against LRA bases across the border in the Sudan, and these raids, collectively known as [[Operation Iron Fist]], have resulted in the repatriation of many [[abducted children]] being held by the rebels as [[child soldier]]s or [[sex slave]]s. The UPDF has also been the subject of controversy for having a minimum age for service of 13. Many international organizations have condemned this as being [[military use of children]]. This has created an image problem for the UPDF and may have impacted the international aid Uganda receives. [[Western world|Western]] nations have sent a limited level of military aid to Uganda.<ref>[http://www.un.org/events/tenstories_2006/story.asp?storyID=100 Uganda: Child soldiers at centre of mounting humanitarian crisis<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> As of 2003 at least, there was a severe problem of 'ghost' soldiers within the UPDF.<ref>The Weekly Observer, [http://www.ugandaobserver.com/new/archives/2005arch/news/jun/news200505266.php Committee wants death penalty for ghost creators], 2005</ref> Prior to 2000, [[Military of the United States|US military forces]] participated with UPDF in training activities under the [[African Crisis Response Initiative]]. This cooperation was terminated in 2000 as a result of Uganda's incursion into the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]] (DRC). Following the June 2003 UPDF withdrawal of troops from the DRC, limited nonlethal military assistance has restarted. The UPDF participates in the [[African Contingency Operations Training and Assistance]] with the [[United States]]. == Land forces == [[Image:Uganda military officer.jpg|thumb|UPDF officer]] [[Image:AMISOM T-55.jpg|thumb|Ugandan T-55 tank, serving in [[AMISOM]], [[Somalia]]]] The [[IISS]] Military Balance 2007 estimates that the land forces include five divisions (each with up to five brigades), one armoured and one artillery brigade. The divisions are the 1st at [[Kakiri]] in [[Wakiso District]], the 2nd, HQ at [[Mbarara]], the 3rd (HQ [[Mbale]]),<ref>[http://www.afdevinfo.com/htmlreports/org/org_53987.aspx 3rd Division Mbale - Uganda<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> the 4th with its headquarters at [[Gulu]], <ref>[http://www.statehouse.go.ug/news.detail.php?category=News&newsId=373 The Official Website: State House, Republic of Uganda<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> and the 5th at [[Pader]]. The armoured brigade appears to be at [[Masaka]].<ref>[http://defenceuganda.mil.ug/details.php?item=47 The Republic Of Uganda Ministry Of Defence Official Website<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The 2nd Division, according to afdevinfo.com, includes of the divisional headquarters at Mbarara, the 17th, 69th, 73rd, and 77th Battalions, the Rwenzori Mountain Alpine Brigade, possibly another Alpine brigade, and the 3rd Tank Battalion, and has been heavily involved with border operations since the [[Congo Civil War]] began in the 1990s. Most of its military equipment used are [[Soviet]] made but recently it has been receiving weapons from [[People's Republic of China|China]]. *'''MBT''' 20x [[T-55]], 20x [[PT-76]] (IISS Military Balance 2007 lists 152 T-54/55, but indicates their serviceability is in doubt). *'''IFV''' 19x [[BMP-2]] *'''APC''' [[BTR-152]], [[Buffel]] *'''AA Gun''' [[ZPU-4]] *2 [[Chubby (mine detection system)]] [[Image:Military escort for WFP convoy in Uganda.jpg|thumb|A UPDF escort for a [[World Food Programme]] convoy in northern Uganda.]] ==UDPF Air Wing== There are conflicting reports on what aircraft the Air Wing has in service. According to the [[IISS]] Military Balance 2007, it includes some 15 combat capable aircraft, which include 5 [[Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23|Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 Flogger]]s and 6 [[Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21|Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 Fishbed]]s, 3 [[Aero L-39|Aero L-39 Albatros]]es, one [[Aermacchi SF-260]], and one [[Mil Mi-24|Mil Mi-24 Hind]], with five further 'Hinds' unserviceable. An earlier report says aircraft include 3 [[Bell 206|Agusta-Bell AB-206 JetRanger]]s, 4 [[Agusta]] [[Bell 212|AB-212]], 1 [[FFA AS-202 Bravo]], 5 [[Bell 412]], 1 [[Gulfstream III]], 3 [[Aero L-39 Albatros|L-39ZA Albatros]], 4 [[Aermacchi SF.260]], 7 [[Mil Mi-17|Mil-17 Hip-H]]s, 5 [[Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21|Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21MF Fishbed-J]]s, and 2 [[Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21|Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21UM Mongol-B]]s. == Notes and references == {{reflist}} ==External links== *[http://www.defenceuganda.mil.ug www.defenceuganda.mil.ug] (Ministry of Defence website) * [http://www.sundayvision.co.ug/detail.php?mainNewsCategoryId=7&newsCategoryId=132&newsId=506988 "Assessing the cost of an army"] by Joshua Kato, ''[[New Vision|Sunday Vision]]'', [[30 June]] [[2006]] *[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/ugtoc.html#ug0143 Library of Congress Uganda Country Study] {{Uganda topics}} {{Africa topic|Military of}} <!--Categories--> [[Category:Military of Uganda| ]] <!--Other languages--> [[bn:উগান্ডার সামরিক বাহিনী]] [[bg:Въоръжени сили на Уганда]] [[hu:Uganda hadereje]] [[id:Tentara Pertahanan Rakyat Uganda]]