Eritrea's military role stems from its strategic geographical location. It is located on the Red Sea with a foothold on the Straits of Bab al-Mandeb. Of all African countries, Eritrea has the longest Red Sea coast line at over 1,000 km. Location of the Red Sea The Red Sea is an inlet of the Indian Ocean between Africa and Asia. ...

History

In the 16th century the ports of Massawa were used by the Ottomans to protect sea lanes from disruption while more recently it was used by the Italians. The Colony of Eritrea was founded by the Italians in 1890 shortly after the opening of the Suez Canal. The Italians expanded their possessions into Ethiopia. Eritrean 'Askaris' (native soldiers), along with Italian troops occupied Ethiopia in 1936 however, this was reversed by British troops in 1941. Massawa in the 19th century Massawa or Mitsiwa (15° 36′ 33″ N 39° 26′ 43″ E) is a port on the Red Sea coast of Eritrea. ...

During the war for Eritrea's independence, the rebel movements (the ELF and the EPLF) used volunteers. In the final years of the Struggle for independence, the EPLF ranks grew to 110,000 volunteers (some 3% of the population). Wikipedia does not yet have a page called Eritrean Liberation Front. ... The Eritrean Peoples Liberation Front (EPLF) was an armed organization that fought for the independence of Eritrea from Ethiopia. ...

Manpower

Female soldiers marching in a parade.

The size of Eritrea's population is small, particularly when compared to its neighbours. A military composed fully of career soldiers would not be adequate to meet the nation's defence needs. During peacetime the military of Eritrea numbers approximately 45,000^[1] with a reserve force approximately 250,000^[2] strong and growing. Image File history File linksMetadata Soldiers_of_Eritrea_(women). ... Image File history File linksMetadata Soldiers_of_Eritrea_(women). ...

National service

Every able bodied man and woman is required to serve for 1½ years. In this time they will receive six months of military training and the balance will be spent working on national reconstruction projects. This is outlined in both the Constitution of Eritrea and Proclamation 82 issued by the National Assembly in 1995-10-23.^[3] The period of enlistment may be extended during times of national crisis. This program aims to compensate for Eritrea’s lack of capital and to reduce dependence on foreign aid, while welding together an ethnically diverse society, half Christian and half Muslim, representing nine ethnic groups.^[4] The National Assembly (Hagerawi Baito) has 104 members, 60 members appointed and 44 members representing the members of the Central Committee of the Peoples Front for Democracy and Justice. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... October 23 is the 296th day of the year (297th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Military training is given at the Sawa Defence Training Centre. At the end of the 1½ year national service, the serviceman can elect to stay on and become a career military officer. If the serviceman elects otherwise they return to their civilian lives but will continue to be a reservist.

Current issues

As of 2006, Eritrea is embroiled in a military stalemate with its neighbour and rival, Ethiopia. It is estimated that Eritrea maintains a force of at least 300,000 soldiers on the border with Ethiopia. While this matches the Ethiopian side, it is done so at considerably greater proportionate expense, given the far larger population from which Ethiopia is able to draw. 2006 is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The pressure on the economy posed by the consequences of maintaining the mobilization of such a large percentage of the working population is deemed by many observers to be the single greatest pressure on the Eritrean government at the present time.

To resolve the stalemate is in Eritrea's favour; to maintain the stand-off indefinitely is in Ethiopia's. One of the fears voiced for the Horn of Africa region is that Eritrea may opt to escalate the conflict further in order to resolve its uncomfortable situation. Ironically, this would arguably work in Ethiopia's favour as well, given the well-equipped state of the Ethiopian military and its desire for a casus belli^{[citation needed]} in order to pursue its territorial goals, notably the strategic port of Assab and the symbolic village of Badme. Eritrea therefore faces a dilemma, which, at the present time, appears to be negotiable only should international intervention materialise.

Branches of the EDF

The Eritrean Defence Forces (EDF) are composed of three branches: Air Force, Army, and Navy. By far the Army is larger than the Air Force and Navy. The Commander-in-Chief of the EDF is the President of Eritrea. The Minister of Defence oversees the EDF on a day-to-day basis. List of Heads of State of Eritrea (Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office) Political Affiliations See also Eritrea Heads of Government of Eritrea Provincial Heads of Eritrea Lists of incumbents Categories: Lists of office-holders | Eritrea ...

Eritrean Army

The Eritrean Army is based in the Eritrean capital, Asmara, ZM. The Eritrean army has a cooperation agreement with China.^[5]

Tanks

• T-54/T-55

The T-54 and T-55 tank series was the Soviet Unions front-line main battle tank from 1947 until 1962, and remains in service throughout the world to this day, especially by former client states of the Soviet Union. ...

IFV/APC

• BMP-1
• BTR-60

The BMP-1 is a Soviet infantry fighting vehicle which was first introduced in the early 1960s. ... The BTR-60 is the first vehicle in a series of Soviet eight-wheeled armoured personnel carriers. ...

Reconnaissance vehicles

• BRDM-2

The BRDM-2 (Boyevaya Razvedyvatelnaya Dozornaya Mashina, Боевая Разведывательная Дозорная Машина, literally Combat Reconnaissance/Patrol Vehicle †) is an armoured scout car used by Russia and the former Soviet Union. ...

Anti-armor

• D-44 85 mm anti-tank/field gun

Artillery

• BM-21 122 mm multiple rocket system
• D-30 122 mm howitzer
• M-46 130 mm field gun

BM-21 battery. ... M46 or M-46 may be: M46 Patton tank, circa 1949 Open Cluster M46, a Messier object and open cluster in the Puppis constellation discovered in 1771 Volvo M46 transmission, a four-speed gearbox with electric overdrive, used in new cars from 1975 through 1991. ...

Eritrean Navy

The Commander of the Eritrean Naval Forces is Major General Hummed Ahmed Karikare. The Eritrean Naval Forces Headquarters is in Massawa.^[6] The Eritrean Navy has a cooperation agreement with Pakistan.^[7] Massawa in the 19th century Massawa or Mitsiwa (15° 36′ 33″ N 39° 26′ 43″ E) is a port on the Red Sea coast of Eritrea. ...

Patrol boats

• Swiftships type small patrol boats (3) (more info)

Landingcraft

• Denden utility landing craft (1)

Eritrean Air Force

The Commander of the Eritrean Air Force is Major General Teklai Habteselassie. The Eritrean Air Force ^[8] Headquarters is in Asmara, Eritrea.

In 1999, the ERAF bought ten MiG-29's. The MiG-29's are probably flown and maintained by Eritean, Russian and Ukrainian pilots and technicians.^{[citation needed]} In 2000 the ERAF bought eight Su-25's from Georgia, and six more MiG-29's from Moldavia. Unconfirmed reports mention that at least two MiG-29's were brought down by Ethiopian Flankers.

Nowadays, Eritrea has received 6 Su-27 Flankers. Other recent additions to the ERAF are four Mi-17's.^[9] The MiG-21's which were taken from the Ethiopian Air Force are believed to be no longer in service.

Fighters

• MiG-29, Fulcrum (8)
• Su-27 (6)

The Mikoyan MiG-29 (NATO reporting name Fulcrum) is a Russian fighter aircraft used in the air superiority role. ... The Sukhoi Su-27 (NATO reporting name Flanker) is a Russian fighter aircraft designed by the Sukhoi Design Bureau (SDB). ...

Training Aircraft

• Aermacchi MB 339D (4)
• Valmet L-90 TP Redigo (9)

The Aermacchi MB-339 is an Italian military trainer and attack aircraft. ... The Aermacchi M-290 TP RediGO is a turboprop-powered military basic trainer aircraft. ...

Helicopters

• Mil Mi-8, Hip (2)
• Mil Mi-17, Hip (1)

The Mil Mi-8 (NATO reporting name Hip) is a large twin-turbine transport helicopter that can also act as a gunship. ... Mil Mi-17 The Mil Mi-17 (Also known as the Mi-8MT, NATO reporting name Hip-H) is a Russian helicopter currently in production at two factories in Kazan and Ulan-Ude. ...

Misc. Aircraft

• IAI Astra 1125 (1)
• Harbin Y-12 (4)

This aircraft article has not been updated to WikiProject Aircrafts current standards. ... The Harbin Y-12 is a high wing twin-engine turboprop utility aircraft built by Harbin Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation (HAMC). ...

References and links

1. ^ Killion, Tom (1998). Historical Dictionary of Eritrea. The Scarecrow Press. ISBN 0-8108-3437-5. 
2. ^ Asmara's Finest. Retrieved on 2006-09-04.
3. ^ Eritrea. Retrieved on 2006-10-13.
4. ^ Connell, Dan (September 1997). Eritrea. Retrieved on 2006-09-19.
5. ^ "Exchanges and cooperation in the fields of culture, medical work and military affairs". Retrieved on 2006-10-12.
6. ^ Blieqat Veteran Women Fighters Association stages exhibition in Massawa (2006-03-06). Retrieved on 2006-06-08.
7. ^ "Pakistan to train Eritrean navy" (2006-09-18). Retrieved on 2006-10-12.
8. ^ Eritrea Aircraft. Retrieved on 2006-06-08.
9. ^ http://www.scramble.nl/er.htm

• ACIG
• AFVID (Mika Golf's armored vehicles) Eritrean fighting vehicles
• Hazegray World Navies Today - Eritrea

• This article incorporates public domain text from U.S. State Department Background Notes.