The military of the Central African Republic (Forces armées centrafricaines or FACA), currently numbers at approximately 2,000, and military expenditures amount to 1.1% of the GDP of that nation.

Under military restructuring plans formulated 1999-2000, the civilian Minister of Defense controlled and directed all armed forces, including the Presidential Security Unit (UPS), which had previously been seen as a militia supporting the president. In April 2001, the C.A.R. armed forces numbered about 3,000, including army, navy, air force, gendarmerie, national police, Presidential Security Unit, and local police personnel. An estimated 1,200 members of the army and gendarmerie fled to the Democratic Republic of the Congo following the failed coup attempt of May 2001.

Following the 2003 coup, Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CAEMC-Communauté Économique et Monétaire de l'Afrique Centrale) and C.A.R. armed forces assumed responsibility for securing the capital city. CEMAC forces currently total approximately 400 soldiers, which are supported by an additional 200 French soldiers. The C.A.R. armed forces number approximately 2,000. Working with the French, the C.A.R. military is attempting to provide professional training and decentralize its troops in an effort to combat road bandits, thievery, and poaching throughout the C.A.R. territory.

Military branches: Central African Armed Forces (FACA): Republican Guard, Ground Forces, Naval Forces, Air Force FACA can be an acronym for: the United States law known as the Federal Advisory Committee Act; les Forces armées centrafricaines, the Central African Armed Forces This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

Military manpower - availability:
males aged 15-49: 878,980 (2004 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males aged 15-49: 460,469 (2004 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $15.5 million (2005)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1% (2005)

Aircraft inventory

The air force operates 7 light aircraft, including a single helicopter.

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	In service[1]	Notes
Aermacchi AL-60	Italy	utility	AL-60C-5 Conestoga	6
Eurocopter Ecureuil	France	utility helicopter	AS 350B	1

The AL-60 was a light civil utility aircraft originally designed by United States but which never went into production in that country. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Italy. ... The Eurocopter Ecureuil (Squirrel) is a single-engine helicopter manufactured by Eurocopter. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_France. ...

References

Aviation Week & Space Technology (often abbreviated as Aviation Week or AW&ST) is a weekly magazine which reports upon the state of the aerospace industry. ... January 15 is the 15th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini (common) era. ...

External links

• CIA World Factbook
• US Department of State - Bureau of African Affairs: Background note

This article contains material from the CIA World Factbook (2004 edition) which, as a US government publication, is in the public domain. The World Factbook 2007 (government edtion) cover. ... The public domain comprises the body of all creative works and other knowledge—writing, artwork, music, science, inventions, and others—in which no person or organization has any proprietary interest. ...