The Angolan Armed Forces (Portuguese: Forças Armadas Angolanas) are the military in Angola that succeeded Forças Armadas de Libertação de Angola (FAPLA) following the abortive Bicesse Accord with UNITA in 1991. As part of the peace agreement, troops from both armies were to be demilitarized and then integrated. Integration was never completed as UNITA went back to war in 1992. Later, consequences for UNITA members in Luanda were harsh with FAPLA veterans persecuting their erstwhile opponents in certain areas and reports of vigilantism.
The FAA is headed by Chief of Staff Geraldo Sachipengo Nunda since 2010, who reports to the Minister of Defense, actually Cândido Pereira Van-Dúnem.
There are three components, the Army (Forças Armadas), Navy (Marinha de Guerra) and Air Force Força Aérea Nacional Angolana. Total manpower is about 130,500. (2007). The army is by far the largest of the services with about 120,000 men and women. The Navy numbers about 2,500 and operates seven small patrol craft and barges. Airforce personnel total about 8,000; its equipment includes eight Russian-manufactured Sukhoi Su-27 fighter aircraft and transport planes. In 2002 one was lost during the civil war with UNITA forces.
A small number of FAA personnel are stationed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Kinshasa) and the Republic of the Congo (Brazzaville). A presence during the unrest in Côte d'Ivoire, 2010–2011, were not officially confirmed. Angola is basically interested in the participation of the FAA operations of the African Union and has formed special units for this purpose.
The Angolan army has around 29,000 "ghost workers" who remain enrolled in the ranks of the FAA and therefore receive a salary. Major equipment included over 140 main battle tanks, 600 reconnaissance vehicles, over 320 armored vehicles, infantry fighting vehicles, 298 howitzers carriers.
In 1990-91, the Army had ten military regions and an estimated 73+ 'brigades', each with a mean strength of 1,000 and comprising infantry, tanks, APC, artillery, and AA units as required (IISS Military Balance 1990 or 1991). The Navy had an estimated 2,500 personnel whose major naval units consisted of nine patrol/coastal vessels from Spain and France. There are talks with the German government to deliver some 12 navy fast speed vessels for sea border protection. The Air Force /Air Defense Forces had 8,000 personnel and 90 combat capable aircraft, including 22 fighters, 59 fighter ground attack aircraft and 16 attack helicopters.
The defense budget in 2005 totaled 1.16 billion US Dollars.
Read more about Angolan Armed Forces: Navy Fleet (Marinha De Guerra), Controversies
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