Namibian Army

Namibian Army

Official emblem, NA
Active 3 September 1990 – present
(26 years, 3 months)
Allegiance Constitution of Namibia
Type Army
Part of Namibian Defence Force
Garrison/HQ Grootfontein, Namibia
Anniversaries 3 September 1990[1]
Engagements Caprivi Conflict
Second Congo War
United Nations Mission in Liberia
Commanders
Commander In Chief President Hage Geingob
Minister of Defence Penda ya Ndakolo
Army Commander Major-General Tomas Nopoudyuu Hamunyela

The Namibian Army is the landward defence branch of the Namibian Defence Force.

History

Development of Namibia's army was fastest of the three arms of Service. The first units of the Army were deployed as early as 1990.The Army was formed when two enemies South West African Territorial Force and the People's Liberation Army of Namibia where inducted after Namibia's independence into the newly created Namibian Defence Force.

Role

Wer'wolf MKII on parade in downtown Windhoek on 20 March 2015 during Namibia's Independence celebrations

The Ministry of Defence has outlined the Army policy as follows

"The Army's principal roles will continue to be as already outlined in the defence policy. The Army will strive to maximise its operational effectiveness through the recruitment of the best young men and women who wish to pursue a military career, their effective training and employment. The Army's equipment priorities are improved troop-lift capacity (road and air); engineer, artillery, anti-tank and air defence and communication systems: the aim being to create a secure, integrated, efficient and cost-effective systems." "The Army will remain a well-disciplined and accountable, professional (all volunteer) force; it will include development of a Reserve; it will continue to train along the lines of other Commonwealth armies; it will train with other Namibian forces (such as the police) to rehearse plans for aid to the civil authorities, civil ministries and civil community; and it will promote a good public image and contribute to the communities in which it is based."[2]

Organisation

The Army is a hierarchical organisation with the Army commander exercising overall command. The Army headquarters are located at Grootfontein military base,a former SADF logistics base. The Army has several thousand members.

Deployments

Local deployments

Caprivi Conflict
The Namibian Army had a convoy service on Namibia's Trans Caprivi Highway which runs from Otavi, Grootfontein, Rundu, Katima Mulilo until Ngoma border post on the Namibia and Botswana border. The convoy system ran twice daily between Bagani and Kongola in the then Caprivi region. The convoy system was run from the year 2000 till 2002.[3]

SADC deployments

Angola
The Namibian Army also deployed troops to help fight UNITA insurgents active in and around the Kavango region. The operation codenamed Mandume ya Ndemufayo was a response to UNITA attacks on Namibian citizens. The Namibian cross border pursuit operations were carried out with consent of the Angolan government.[4] Alteast two soldiers were killed in operation Mandume ya Ndemufayo.[5] In an operation between 30 January 2001 to 14 February 2001 an estimated 19 UNITA rebels were killed while various weaponry such as Anti Tank and Anti personnel landmines assault rifle ranging from AK47 and R-1 rifles were recovered.[6] In a joint operation with the Angolan Armed Forces, the Namibian Defence Force in May 2001 helped dislodge UNITA from Mavinga in May 2001.[7]

DRC
The Namibian Army deployed a reinforced battalion during the Second Congo War that numbered about 2000 troops and support personnel, about 30 Namibian Serviceman died in the DRC operations.[8] The SADC coalition force commander was always a Zimbabwean and deputy force commander a Namibian while the Chief of Staff was an Angolan.[9] 11 Namibian soldiers were held as prisoners of war in Rwanda, they were released in June 2000.[10] The soldiers were captured in April 1999 in the Lusambo area which is about 120 kilometers east of Mbuji-Mayi.[11] In January 2001 after Laurent-Désiré Kabila's death the Namibian army contingent was reinforced to not only provide security to Heads of States at the funeral but also to reinforce the SADC contingents in Kinshasa and Lubumbashi.[12] Namibia was also the first foreign country to withdraw its troops and by September 2001 all Namibian soldiers had been withdrawn.[13] Seven Soldiers who have been missing in action have since been declared dead. The seven have gone missing around the Deya River close to Kabalo, Deya-Katutu and Lusambo areas.[14]

UN deployments

UNAMIC
The army deployed a Battalion sized unit to UNAMIC.[1]
UNAVEM II
UNAVEM III
MONUA
UNMIL
For the peacekeeping operation in Liberia the Namibian Army contribution was known as Namibian Battalion (NAMBATT) and about 800 infantry troops per NAMBATT contingent were mustered to form a battalion for this operation. Troops were rotated and rotations numbered up to NAMBATT V. A NAMBATT contingent Commanding Officer stated his Unit to comprise "two Mot Inf Coys, two rifle companies, headquarters company and fire support company while the battalion is equipped with 10 Wolf APC's, 12 Casspir APC's and 11 WER Wolf APC's".[15]

Unit Structure

The standard operational units are structured according to the British commonwealth system:[16]

Type of Unit Division Brigade Battalion / Regiment Company / Squadron Platoon / Troop Section Fire Team
Contains 2–3 Brigades 3–5 Battalions 5–7 Companies 3 Platoons 3 Sections 2 Fire Teams 4 Individuals
Personnel 10,000 5,000 550–900 120 30 8–10 4
Commanded by Maj-Gen Brig-Gen Lt Col Maj Capt, Lt or 2nd Lt Cpl LCpl

Units

Air Defence Units

Artillery Units

Based in Otjiwarongo[17]

Infantry Units

Based in Windhoek the brigade is responsible for the protection of the Capital City and providing ceremonial duties.[20] It is the brigade to which 211, 212 and 213 Mechanized Infantry Battalions are likely attached to. The Brigade General Officer Commanding is Brig Gen Erastus Nomongula Kashopola. He succeeded Brig Gen Philipus Shikuma Kamati.[18]

Based in Windhoek

Based in Keetmanshoop and it is likely the Brigade to which 124, 125 & 126 Motorized Infantry battalions are attached to,The Brigade General Officer Commanding is Brig Gen Peter Nghipunyati Nghilukilwa. He succeeded Brig Gen Bernard Kawa who was posted as Defence Attache to the DRC. The Brigade was formed in 1999.[23]

Based at Walvis Bay[24]

Based in Gobabis.[25]

It is likely the Brigade to which 261, 262 & 263 Motorized Infantry Battalions are likely attached to. The Brigade General Officer Commanding is Brig Gen Ernos Lasarus Kahuna who took over from Brig Gen Peter Shikolalye.[27] Brig Gen Peter Shikolalye predecessor is Brig Gen Holden Uulenga.[26]

Based in Rundu.The Commanding Officer is Lt Col Liyali Given Numwa who succeeded Lt Col David Diyeve.[26]

Based in Katima Mulilo

Based at Oshakati[29]

Engineering Units

Based in Otavi[24]

Logistics Units

Provost Units

Signals Units

Training Units

Based at the former Oshivelo SADF training base has been transformed into an army battle school. The commandant of the battle school is Colonel Joel Kapala[31] as-off 6 January 2015,Colonel Kapala succeed Colonel Kashindi Eusebi Kashindi.[32]

The Army TTC offers training to army soldiers covering mechanics and electrical configurations of armaments,military weapons and equipment[34]

Based at the Oluno Military Base the school is responsible for the training requirement of all soldiers specializing to become Artillery gunner's.[35]Lt Col Ambrosius Kwedhi is the Commandant of the School.

Army commander

The position of Army commander is held by a commissioned officer with the rank of Major General. The Army Commander exercises the overall command of the Army. The current Army commander is Major General Tomas Nopoudyuu Hamunyela.

As of April 2014 the Deputy Army Commander is Brigadier-General Frederick Siluzungila. .[36] Brigadier General Siluzungila succeeded Brigadier General B Shomeya.[37]

Army equipment

Individual weapons

Vehicles

Vehicles of the Namibian Army are made up of a variety of suppliers including from Soviet Union, Russia&South Africa. Some vehicles were donated by SWAPO formerly a liberation movement which later became the ruling party of the country at Independence and SWATF the security of the then South West Africa administration. The army has received WZ523 Infantry Fighting Vehicles from China which serve with mechanized infantry units. These vehicle are supplemented by the Namibian made Wolf series of MRAP's. South African made Casspir's are also in service which were inherited from the South-West Africa Territorial Force. To enhance mobility it was announced that the Army will receive the Agrale Marruá which appeared at the 25th Independence celebration parade in 2015 and are primarily used by the Namibian Special Forces.[43]

Origin Type Acquired In service Notes
T-54/55  USSR Main Battle Tank 20[44] 7[45] Serviceability doubtful.[46]
T-34  USSR Medium Tank 4[45] Serviceability doubtful.[46]
BTR-60  Soviet Union Armoured Personnel Carrier 10[46] Serviceability doubtful
BTR-152  Soviet Union Armoured Personnel Carrier 20[42] 6[46] Formerly SWAPO[42]&Serviceability doubtful
WZ523  China Infantry Fighting Vehicle 21[47] Armed with 2A28 Grom.[48]
Wer’wolf MKII  Namibia Multipurpose Armoured Vehicle 10[42] 30[45]
Wolf Turbo II  Namibia Armoured Personnel Carrier
Casspir  South Africa MRAP 20[45] 20[49]
BRDM-2  Soviet Union Scout Car 12[46] 12[49] Serviceability doubtful
SAMIL  South Africa Utility Vehicle 160[8] Donated by South Africa in the late 1990s.
Agrale Marruá  Brazil Utility Vehicle 141 -- Being assembled locally.[43]
Toyota Hilux  Japan Utility Vehicle --
Toyota Land Cruiser  Japan Utility Vehicle --

Artillery

Artillery is also dominated by soviet made weapons that were also donated by SWAPO. They have been supplemented by 24 G2 artillery donated by South Africa.[50]

Origin Type Acquired In service Notes
BL 5.5  United Kingdom Howitzer 24[47] South African variant G2.
Ordnance QF 25 pounder  United Kingdom Howitzer 8[45]
152 mm howitzer-gun M1937 (ML-20)  Soviet Union Howitzer
BM-21 Grad  Soviet Union Multiple Rocket Launcher 5[45] 4[46]
ZIS-3  Soviet Union Antitank Gun 12[46]
ZIS-2  Soviet Union Antitank Gun 6[42]

Anti Aircraft Weapons

Air Defence equipment of the Army is also made up of Soviet era weaponry.

Origin Type Acquired In service Notes
ZPU-4  Soviet Union Anti-aircraft Gun 50[46]
37 mm automatic air defense gun M1939 (61-K)  Soviet Union Anti-aircraft Gun
ZU-23-2  Soviet Union Anti-aircraft Gun 15[45] 12[46]
9K32 Strela-2  Soviet Union MANPAD >

Special forces

The Army commandos and airborne paratroopers are part of the Namibian Special Forces.

Ranks and insignia

Army ranks are based on Commonwealth ranks. The highest rank in peace time a commissioned officer can attain in the Army is Major General. There may however be an exception when an Army officer is appointed as Chief of the Defence Force for which the individual which ascend to the Lieutenant General.The highest rank an enlisted member can attain is Warrant Officer Class 1.

General officer ranks
Lieutenant General
Major General
Brigadier General
Senior officers
Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel
Major
Junior officers
Captain
Lieutenant
2nd Lieutenant
Non-commissioned officers/Other ranks
Warrant Officer Class 1
Warrant Officer Class 2
NCO's
Staff Sergeant
Sergeant
Corporal
Lance Corporal
Private

Gallery

Citations

  1. 1 2 http://www.mod.gov.na/pdfs/fina.pdf
  2. ↑ "Ministry of Defence".
  3. ↑ http://www.irinnews.org/report/32530/namibia-convoy-system-suspended-in-caprivi
  4. ↑ http://www.irinnews.org/report/21536/namibia-namibian-troops-pursue-bandits-in-southern-angola
  5. ↑ http://www.irinnews.org/report/24582/namibia-defence-ministry-admits-to-deaths-against-unita
  6. ↑ http://www.irinnews.org/report/18237/namibia-ndf-hails-angolan-operations-as-a-success
  7. ↑ http://www.irinnews.org/report/21270/namibia-ndf-claims-major-victory-against-unita
  8. 1 2 http://www.irinnews.org/report/25872/namibia-troops-home-from-drc
  9. ↑ http://digital.unam.na/bitstream/handle/11070.1/883/nelumbu_regional_2011.pdf?sequence=1
  10. ↑ http://www.irinnews.org/report/15877/namibia-ndf-captives-may-be-released-on-friday
  11. ↑ http://www.irinnews.org/report/9422/namibia-icrc-visits-ndf-prisoners
  12. ↑ http://www.irinnews.org/report/17097/namibia-more-troops-sent-to-drc
  13. ↑ http://www.irinnews.org/report/23239/drc-namibia-to-withdraw-all-troops-by-end-of-august
  14. ↑ http://www.namibian.com.na/archive19982004/2003/January/national/03ABB7D2A5.html?highlight=namibia+seven+soldiers+missing+in+drc+declared+dead
  15. ↑ "UN Mission In Liberia Decorates Namibian Peacekeepers".
  16. ↑ "British Army Formation & Structure". WhoDaresWins.com. 2011. Retrieved 15 April 2011.
  17. ↑ http://www.thevillager.com.na/articles/5756/Change-of-Command-parade-ongoing-in-Otjiwarongo/
  18. 1 2 Tomas, M (July 2011). "Inauguration of 21 Inf Bde Commander". NDF Journal'. 41: 4.
  19. 1 2 3 http://www.mod.gov.na/pdfs/oct-dec%202013.pdf
  20. 1 2 http://www.mof.gov.na/documents/27827/235390/BRM+Estimates+2015-2016/bbee3cb8-1cfb-4d9e-a172-deb14950840b
  21. ↑ http://www.newera.com.na/2014/07/22/trigger-happy-soldier-in-court/
  22. ↑ Dumeni, R (September 2011). "12 Mot int Bde Hosted computer course for trainers". NDF Journal'. 49: 7.
  23. ↑ http://www.lelamobile.com/content/11708/Army-base-at-Keetmanshoop-gets-new-commander/
  24. 1 2 http://www.informante.web.na/node/8182
  25. ↑ Tomas, M (December 2013). "Mighty Scorpions Sport tournament". NDF Journal'. 46: 10.
  26. 1 2 3 Tomas, M (December 2014). "Maj Numwa takes over 261 Mot Inf Bn reign". NDF Journal'. 54: 16.
  27. ↑ http://www.nbc.na/news_article.php?id=17749&title=Brigadier-General-Ernos-Lasarus-Kahuna-is-the-new-Commander-of-the-26-Motorised-Infantry-Brigade
  28. ↑ https://www.newera.com.na/2007/08/30/us-assists-ndf-training/
  29. ↑ http://www.namibian.com.na/indexx.php?archive_id=46729&page_type=archive_story_detail&page=3687
  30. ↑ http://www.namibweb.com/article2.htm
  31. ↑ http://www.nbc.na/news_article.php?id=14988&title=Colonel-Joel-Kapala-takes-over-as-new-Commandant-of-King-Nehale-lyaMpingana-Army-Battle-School-in-the-Oshikoto-Region
  32. ↑ Shino, G (December 2013). "Army Battle School Commandant retires". NDF Journal'. 46: 10.
  33. ↑ http://www.namibian.com.na/index.php?id=134213&page=archive-read
  34. ↑ http://www.lelamobile.com/content/48901/Army-and-Airforce-Technical-Training-Centres-open-at-Grootfontei/
  35. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5fBOvkbnI0
  36. ↑ "Namibia Press Agency".
  37. ↑ Hikumwa, A (September 2011). "Platoon Commander Course". NDF Journal'. 41: 4.
  38. ↑ Soldier Claims Ignorance About AK-47 Used to Murder Farmer
  39. ↑ Elena Torreguitar. National Liberation Movements in Office: Forging Democracy with African Adjectives in Namibia (2009 ed.). Peter Lang GMBH. p. 159. ISBN 978-3-631-57995-4.
  40. ↑ "SALW Guide - Country Detail - Namibia".
  41. ↑ "NAMPA: WHK NDF parade 20 March 2015 hd". Youtube. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  42. 1 2 3 4 5 Copley, Gregory. Defense & Foreign Affairs Handbook 1994. p. 1207.
  43. 1 2 http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=37339:namibia-defence-force-orders-marrua-vehicles&catid=50:Land&Itemid=105
  44. ↑ "Армии стран мира : Вооруженные силы иностранных государств на 2001 год : N".
  45. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Scramble for the Congo - Anatomy of an Ugly War" (PDF). ICG Africa. 2000-12-20. Retrieved 2013-06-18.
  46. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Guy Martin. "Namibia Defence Force".
  47. 1 2 "Trade Registers". Armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved 2013-06-20.
  48. ↑ "Namiba fields a new Chinese APCs".
  49. 1 2 Hussein Solomon. Towards a Common Defence And Security Policy in the Southern African Development Community (2004 ed.). Africa Institute of South Africa. p. 91. ISBN 978-0798301749.
  50. ↑ Leon Engelbrecht. "South African Arms Exports". Retrieved 26 November 2015.

Further reading

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