Namibian Army

Namibian Army
Emblem of the Namibian Army
Founded3 September 1990; 33 years ago (1990-09-03)
Country Namibia
TypeArmy
Part ofNamibian Defence Force
Garrison/HQGrootfontein, Otjozondjupa Region, Namibia
Anniversaries3 September 1990
EngagementsCaprivi Conflict
Second Congo War
United Nations Mission in Liberia
Commanders
Commander-In-ChiefNangolo Mbumba
Minister of DefenceFrans Kapofi
Army CommanderMajor General Aktofel Nambahu
Insignia
Flag

The Namibian Army is the ground warfare branch of the Namibian Defence Force.

History

Development of Namibia's army was the fastest of the three arms of service. The first units of the Army were deployed as early as 1990. The Army was formed when the two former enemies South West African Territorial Force and the People's Liberation Army of Namibia were 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."

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. Senior Army officers also dominate staff positions at Defence Headquarters.

Deployments

Ural Logistics Truck

Local deployments

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 2000 till 2002.

SADC deployments

Angola (Operation Mandume ya Ndemufayo)
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. At least two soldiers were killed in operation Mandume ya Ndemufayo. 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, and assault rifles ranging from AK-47 and R-1s were recovered. In a joint operation with the Angolan Armed Forces, the Namibian Defence Force in May 2001 helped dislodge UNITA from Mavinga in May 2001.

Democratic Republic of the Congo (Operation Atlantic)
The Namibian Army deployed a battle group during the Second Congo War that numbered about 2000 troops and consisted of Infantry, Artillery Signals, and Air Force Detachments. The first commander of the battle group was Brigadier James Auala. About 30 Namibian Serviceman died in the DRC operations. The Operation was Code named Atlantic . The SADC coalition force commander was always a Zimbabwean and deputy force commander a Namibian, and the Chief of Staff was an Angolan. 11 Namibian soldiers were held as prisoners of war in Rwanda, they were released in June 2000. The soldiers were captured in April 1999 in the Lusambo area which is about 120 kilometers east of Mbuji-Mayi. 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. Namibia was also the first foreign country to withdraw its troops and by September 2001 all Namibian soldiers had been withdrawn. Seven soldiers who have been missing in action have since been declared dead. The seven had gone missing around the Deya River close to Kabalo, Deya-Katutu, and Lusambo areas. 137 soldiers that had survived the encirclement during the siege of Ikela were presented with commendation medals.

UN deployments

Ural fuel Truck

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 was 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".

Unit structure

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

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

Units

WZ-523 IFV

Air Defence Corps

Artillery Corps

  • 4 Artillery Brigade
    • 12 Artillery Regiment
    • 44 Artillery Regiment
    • 46 Artillery Regiment
    • 21 Artillery Regiment
    • 26 Artillery Regiment

Infantry Corps

Based in Windhoek

Based at Walvis Bay

    • 126 Battalion

Based in Gobabis.

Based in Rundu. The commanding officer is Lt Col Liyali Given Numwa who succeeded Lt Col David Diyeve.

    • 262 Motorized Infantry Battalion

Based in Katima Mulilo. Previous commanding officers include Erastus Kashopola.

    • 263 Motorized Infantry Battalion

Based at Oshakati. The current commanding officer is Lt Col Wesley Muruko. Previous commanding officers included Erastus Kashopola and Colonel Abed Mukumangeni.

Engineer Corps

Based in Otavi

Logistics Formation

Provost Corps

  • Military Police Battalion

Recce Formation

  • Recce Regiment

Signals Corps

Training Corps

Based at the former Oshivelo SADF training base, transformed into an army battle school. The commandant of the battle school is Colonel H. Mvula who succeeded Colonel Joel Kapala as-off 6 January 2015, Colonel Kapala succeed Colonel Kashindi Eusebi Kashindi.

  • Technical Training Centre (TTC)

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

  • School of Artillery

Based at the Oluno Military Base, the school is responsible for the training requirement of all soldiers specializing to become artillery gunners. Lt Col Ambrosius Kwedhi is the commandant of the School.

Command Structure

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 Matheus Alueendo.

Senior Appointments

Sleeve insignia Appointment Rank and Name
Army Commander Major General Aktofel Nambahu
Deputy Army Commander Brigadier General Andreas Diyeve
General Officer Commanding 21 Motorised Infantry Brigade Brigadier General Martin Nangolo Shikomba
General Officer Commanding 12 Motorised Infantry Brigade Brigadier General Johannes Shimweetheleni
General Officer Commanding 26 Motorised Infantry Brigade Brigadier General Paulus Iipinge
General Officer Commanding 4 Artillery Brigade Brigadier General
General Officer Commanding Air Defence Brigade Brigadier General Patrick Owen Orange

Army equipment

Small arms

Name Image Caliber Type Origin Notes
Pistols
Makarov PM 9×18mm Semi-automatic pistol  Soviet Union
CZ-75 9×19mm Semi-automatic pistol  Czechoslovak Socialist Republic
Browning Hi-Power 9×19mm Semi-automatic pistol  Belgium
Submachine guns
Sten 9×19mm Submachine gun  United Kingdom
Sterling 9×19mm Submachine gun  United Kingdom
PP-19 Vityaz 9×19mm Submachine gun  Russia
Rifles
SKS 7.62×39mm Semi-automatic rifle  Soviet Union
AK-103 7.62×39mm Assault rifle  Russia
AK-105 5.45×39mm Carbine
Assault rifle
 Russia
Lee-Enfield[citation needed] .303 British Bolt-action rifle  British Empire
Sniper rifles
Mosin-Nagant 7.62×54mmR Bolt-action
Sniper rifle
 Russian Empire
SVD 7.62×54mmR Designated marksman rifle
Sniper rifle
 Soviet Union
Machine guns
RPK 7.62×39mm Squad automatic weapon  Soviet Union
RPK-74 5.45×39mm Squad automatic weapon  Soviet Union
PKP Pecheneg 7.62×54mmR General-purpose machine gun  Russia
FN MAG 7.62×51mm General-purpose machine gun  Belgium
NSV «Utyos» 12.7×108mm Heavy machine gun  Soviet Union
Kord .50 BMG Heavy machine gun  Russia
KPV 14.5×114mm Heavy machine gun  Soviet Union
Browning M2 .50 BMG Heavy machine gun  United States
Rocket propelled grenade launchers
RPG-7 40mm Rocket-propelled grenade  Soviet Union
RPG-75 68mm Rocket-propelled grenade  Czechoslovak Socialist Republic
Grenade launchers
GP-25 40mm Grenade launcher  Soviet Union
AGS-30 30×29mm Automatic grenade launcher  Russia
QLZ-87[citation needed] 35×32mm Automatic grenade launcher  China

Anti-tank weapons

Name Image Type Origin Caliber Notes
B-10[citation needed] Recoilless rifle  Soviet Union 82mm
9M133 Kornet Anti-tank missile  Russia

Vehicles

Vehicles of the Namibian Army are made up of a variety of suppliers including those from the former Soviet Union, Russia, Brazil, & 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 force of the then South West Africa administration. The army has received WZ523 Infantry Fighting Vehicles from China which serve with mechanized infantry units. These vehicles are supplemented by the Namibian made Wolf series of MRAPs. South African made Casspirs 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.

Tanks

Name Image Type Origin Quantity Status Notes
T-54 Medium tank  Soviet Union 7 INS

Scout cars

Name Image Type Origin Quantity Status Notes
BRDM-2 Amphibious armored scout car  Soviet Union 12 INS

Armored personnel carriers

Name Image Type Origin Quantity Status Notes
BTR-60 Amphibious Armored personnel carrier  Soviet Union 10 INS
WZ-523 Armored personnel carrier  China 21 INS Armed with 2A28 Grom.

Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected

Name Image Type Origin Quantity Status Notes
Wer'wolf MKII MRAP  Namibia 400 INS
Casspir MRAP  South Africa 20 INS

Utility vehicles

Name Image Type Origin Quantity Status Notes
Agrale Marruá Light Utility Vehicle  Brazil 141 INS Being assembled locally.
Toyota Hilux Utility vehicle  Japan Unknown INS
Toyota Land Cruiser Utility vehicle  Japan Unknown INS
Trucks
Ural-375 Utility Truck  Soviet Union Unknown INS
Ural-4320 Utility Truck  Russia 183 INS Delivered in October 2015.
MAN KAT1 Utility Truck  West Germany Unknown INS
XC2200 Utility Truck  China Unknown INS
Steyr 91 Utility Truck  Austria Unknown INS
SAMIL 100 Utility Truck  South Africa 160 INS Donated by South Africa in the late 1990s.

Artillery

Artillery is also dominated by Soviet-era weapons, also donated by SWAPO. They have been supplemented by 24 G2 artillery donated by South Africa.

Name Image Type Origin Quantity Status Notes
Rocket artillery
BM-21 Grad Multiple rocket launcher  Soviet Union 5 INS
PHL-81 Multiple rocket launcher  China 2 INS
Field artillery
ZiS-2 Anti-tank gun  Soviet Union 6 INS
ZiS-3 Field gun  Soviet Union 12 INS
QF-25 Howitzer  United Kingdom 8 INS
G2 Howitzer  United Kingdom
 South Africa
24 INS

Anti aircraft weapons

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

Name Image Type Origin Quantity Status Notes
ZPU-4 Anti-aircraft gun  Soviet Union 40 INS
ZU-23-2 Autocannon  Soviet Union 12 INS
9K32 Strela-2 MANPADS  Soviet Union INS

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 will ascend to the lieutenant general. The highest rank an enlisted member can attain is warrant officer class 1.

Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank group General / flag officers Senior officers Junior officers Officer cadet
 Namibian Army
General Lieutenant general Major general Brigadier general Colonel Lieutenant colonel Major Captain Lieutenant Second lieutenant Officer cadet

Other ranks

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Rank group Senior NCOs Junior NCOs Enlisted
 Namibian Army
No insignia
Warrant officer class 1 Warrant officer class 2 Staff sergeant Sergeant Corporal Lance corporal Private
(or equivalent)

Citations

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Further reading


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