View source for Cape Verdean Armed Forces

{{Short description|Military of Cape Verde}}
{{Infobox national military
| name               = Cape Verdean Armed Forces
| native_name        = {{lang|pt|Forças Armadas Cabo Verdeanas}}
| image              =
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| caption            = 
| image2             =
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| caption2           =
| motto              =
| founded            = 
| current_form       =
| branches           = {{nowrap| Coast Guard}}<br />
{{nowrap| National Guard}}
| headquarters       = 
| flying_hours       =
| website            = {{URL|fa.gov.cv/}}
<!-- Leadership -->
| commander-in-chief = [[José Maria Pereira Neves]]
| commander-in-chief_title = [[List of presidents of Cape Verde|Commander-in-Chief]]
| chief minister     = 
| chief minister_title =  
| minister           = Janine Tatiana dos Santos Lélis
| minister_title     = [[Ministry of National Defense (Cape Verde)|Minister of National Defense]]
| commander          = Major general [[Anildo Emanuel da Graça Morais]]
| commander_title    = [[Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces (Cape Verde)|Chief of Staff]]
| manpower           =
| age                = 18
| conscription       = 14 months
| manpower_data      = 
| manpower_age       =
| available          =
| available_f        =
| fit                =
| fit_f              =
| reaching           =
| reaching_f         =
| active             = 1,200
| ranked             =
| reserve            =
| deployed           =
<!-- Financial -->
| amount             = $11.2 million (2018)<ref name="IISS">{{cite book |date= 2019 |title= Military Balance 2019 |publisher= IISS |page=458}}</ref>
| percent_GDP        = 0.6% (2018)<ref name="IISS"/>
<!-- Industrial -->
| domestic_suppliers =
| foreign_suppliers  ={{flag|China}}<br>{{flag|Germany}}<br>{{flag|Portugal}}<br>{{flag|Russia}}<br>{{flag|United States}}
| imports            =
| exports            =
<!-- Related aricles -->
| history            =
| ranks              = [[Military ranks of Cape Verde]]
}}
The '''Cape Verdean Armed Forces''' ({{langx|pt|Forças Armadas Cabo Verdeanas}}), '''Cabo Verdean Armed Forces''' or '''FACV''' are the [[armed forces|military]] of [[Cape Verde]]. They include two branches, the National Guard and the Coast Guard.

==History==
[[File:Marins du Cap-Vert en 2011.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Cape Verdean Marines]]
Before 1975, Cape Verde was an overseas province of [[Portugal]], having a small Portuguese military garrison that included both Cape Verdean and European Portuguese soldiers.

At the same time, some Cape Verdeans were serving in the People's Revolutionary Armed Forces ({{lang|pt|Forças Armadas Revolucionarias do Povo}}, FARP), the military wing of the [[African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde]] that was fighting for the joint independence of Guinea and Cape Verde in the [[Guinea-Bissau War of Independence]]. The FARP became the national armed forces of [[Guinea-Bissau]] when its independence was recognized by Portugal in 1974.

The Armed Forces of Cape Verde were created when the country became independent in 1975, being also officially designated the People's Revolutionary Armed Forces ({{lang|pt|Forças Armadas Revolucionarias do Povo}}, FARP). The Cape Verdean FARP consisted of two independent branches, the Army ({{lang|pt|Exército}}) and the Coast Guard ({{lang|pt|Guarda Costeira}}).

In the early 1990s, the designation "FARP" was dropped and the military of Cape Verde was designated the Cape Verdean Armed Forces ({{lang|pt|Forças Armadas Cabo Verdeanas}}, FACV).

In 2007, the FACV started a major reorganization that included the transformation of the Army into the National Guard ({{lang|pt|Guarda Nacional}}).

Together with the Cape Verdean Police, the FACV carried out Operation Flying Launch ({{lang|pt|Operacão Lancha Voadora}}), a successful operation to put an end to a [[drug trafficking]] group which smuggled [[cocaine]] from [[Colombia]] to the [[Netherlands]] and [[Germany]] using Cape Verde as a reorder point. The operation took more than three years, being a secret operation during the first two years, and ended in 2010.

Although located in Africa, Cape Verde has always had close relations with Europe. Because of this, it has been argued that Cape Verde may be eligible for entry into the [[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe]] and [[NATO]].<ref>{{cite web| url = http://davidnoack.net/v2/2010/01/sprungbrett-nach-westafrika| title = sprungbrett-nach-westafrika}}</ref>

The most recent engagement of the FACV was the [[Monte Tchota massacre]] that resulted in 11 deaths.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-capeverde-killings-idUSKCN0XN2LA|title=Eleven shot dead in Cape Verde, including two Spanish citizens|date=2016-04-27|newspaper=Reuters|access-date=2016-04-28}}</ref>

==Structure==
The Cape Verdean Armed Forces are part of the Ministry of National Defense of Cape Verde and include:
* the military bodies of command:
** Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces
** Office of the CEMFA
** Staff of the Armed Forces (EMFA)
** Personnel Command
** Logistics Command
* the National Guard
* the Coast Guard

===National Guard===
[[Image:Policia Militar Cabo Verde 2006.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Military Police in [[Mindelo]]]]
The National Guard (''Guarda National'') is the main branch of the Cape Verdean Armed Forces for the military defense of the country, being responsible for the execution of land and maritime environment operations and the support to internal security. It includes:
* Territorial commands:
** 1st Military Region Command
** 2nd Military Region Command
** 3rd Military Region Command
* Corps:
** Military Police Corps
** Marine Corps
** Artillery Corps

There is no general command of the National Guard. Each military region command is headed by a lieutenant-colonel directly subordinate to the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, and includes units of the three corps.

===Coast Guard===
[[File:HMS Argyll with Cape Verde Coast Guard Cutter Guardião (8555456612).jpg|thumb|right|250px|Coast Guard patrol vessel ''Guardião'' (P511), in manoeuvres with a British frigate]]
The Coast Guard (''Guarda Costeira'') is the branch of the Cape Verdean Armed Forces responsible for the defense and protection of the country's economic interests at the sea under national jurisdiction and for providing air and naval support to land and amphibious operations. It includes:
* Coast Guard Command
* Maritime Security Operations Center (COSMAR)
* Naval Squadron
* Air Squadron

The Coast Guard is headed by an officer with the rank of lieutenant colonel. The Naval and Air Squadrons incorporate, respectively, all the vessels and aircraft of the Cape Verdean Armed Forces.

==Ranks==
The rank insignia for commissioned officers for the national guard and coast guard.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Anexo A |journal=Boletim Oficial |volume=1 |issue=4 |date=18 January 2017 |pages=132–137 |language=pt}}</ref>
{| style="border:1px solid #8888aa; background-color:#f7f8ff; padding:5px; font-size:95%; margin: 0px 12px 12px 0px;"
{{Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Armed Forces/OF/Blank}}
{{Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Armies/OF/Cape Verde}}
{{Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Navies/OF/Cape Verde}}
|}

The rank insignia of enlisted for the national guard and coast guard.
{| style="border:1px solid #8888aa; background-color:#f7f8ff; padding:5px; font-size:95%; margin: 0px 12px 12px 0px;"
{{Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Armies/OR/Blank}}
{{Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Armies/OR/Cape Verde}}
{{Ranks and Insignia of Non NATO Navies/OR/Cape Verde}}
|}

==Equipment==

=== Small Arms ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Image
!Name
!Origin
!Notes/Cites
|-
|[[File:MakarovPM.jpg|frameless]]
|[[Makarov pistol]]
| rowspan="5" |{{URS}}
|
|-
|[[File:Simonov-SKS-45.JPG|frameless]]
|[[SKS]]
|
|-
|[[File:AKM automatkarbin - 7,62x39mm.jpg|frameless]]
[[File:Tula AKM.jpg|frameless]]
|[[AKM]]
|AKM & AKMS
|-
|[[File:SVD Dragunov.jpg|frameless]]
|[[SVD (rifle)]]
|
|-
|[[File:PKM DD-ST-85-01257 1 -removebg-preview.png|frameless]]
|[[PK machine gun]]
|
|}

=== Armored vehicles ===
*10 [[BRDM-2]]<ref name="IISS 2021">{{cite book |last=[[International Institute for Strategic Studies]]|date=2021|title=The Military Balance|page=455|isbn=9781032012278}}</ref>

===Artillery===
*12 [[82-PM-41]]<ref name="IISS 2021"/>
*6 [[120-PM-43 mortar]]<ref name="IISS 2021"/>

===Anti-aircraft===
* [[9K32 Strela-2]]<ref name="IISS 2021"/>
*18 [[ZPU|ZPU-1]]<ref name="IISS 2021"/>
*12 [[ZU-23-2]]<ref name="IISS 2021"/>

=== Aircraft ===
[[File:Dornier Do-228-212, Cabo Verde - Coast Guard JP6789427.jpg|250px|right|thumb|Dornier 228 of the Cape Verdean Coast Guard]]
[[Image:Tainha (P262).jpg|thumb|right|250px|Patrol boat ''Tainha'' (P 262)]]
The Cape Verdean Army used to have its own air arm; after personnel training received from the [[Soviet Union|USSR]] in 1982, three [[Antonov An-26]] aircraft were delivered to Cape Verde – these were believed to be the only military aircraft possessed by the nation.<ref>* ''World Aircraft Information Files.'' Brightstar Publishing, London. File 337 Sheet 02</ref> However these three aircraft were supplemented in 1991 by a [[Dornier 228]] light aircraft equipped for use by the Coast Guard, and, in the late 1990s by an [[EMB-110]] aircraft from Brazil, similarly equipped for maritime operations. The government has been in negotiations with China to acquire multirole helicopters for both military and civilian use.

====Current inventory====
{| class="wikitable"
! style="text-align:center;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align: center;"|Origin
! style="text-align:l center;"|Type
! style="text-align:left;"|Variant
! style="text-align:center;"|In service
! style="text-align: center;"|Notes
|-
! style="align: center;" colspan="7" | [[Maritime patrol aircraft|Maritime patrol]]
|-
| [[CASA C-212 Aviocar|CASA C-212]]
| [[Spain]]
| [[Maritime patrol aircraft|Maritime patrol]] / [[Search and rescue|SAR]]
|
| 1<ref name="Aircraft Used List Cape Verde Coast Guard">{{cite web |url= http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/user/every/all-time-aircraft-used-list-cape-verde-coast-guard.htm|title = Aircraft Used List Cape Verde Coast Guard |publisher= aeroflight.co.uk |year= 2019 |access-date= 4 June 2019}}</ref>
| Flown for the Coast Guard
|-
| [[Dornier 228]]
| [[Germany]]
| Maritime patrol / SAR
| 
| 2<ref name="Aircraft Used List Cape Verde Coast Guard"/> 
| Flown for the Coast Guard
|-
! style="align: center;" colspan="7" | [[Helicopter]]s
|-
|[[Harbin Z-9]]
|[[China]]
|SAR / [[Utility helicopter|Utility]] 
|
|2<ref name="Aircraft Used List Cape Verde Coast Guard"/> 
| Flown for the Coast Guard
|}

=== Vessels ===
* 1 [[Project 89 Kondor Minesweeper|Kondor I]] [[patrol craft]] – 360 tons full load – commissioned 1970
* 1 Peterson MK 4 patrol craft – 22 tons – commissioned 1993
* 1 other patrol craft – 55 tons
* 1 [[Damen Group|Damen]] [[Damen Stan patrol vessel|Stan 5009 patrol vessel]] – ''[[Guardiao (P511)]]'' – commissioned 2012<ref>{{cite web |url=https://products.damen.com/en/ranges/stan-patrol/stan-patrol-5009/deliveries/spa-5009-guardiao |title=Stan Patrol 5009 "Guardiao" |publisher=Damen |access-date=21 March 2018}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}
*Further reading: [[Defense Intelligence Agency]], Military Intelligence Summary - Africa South of the Sahara, DDB 2680-104-85, ICOD 15 October 1984, declassified by letter dated April 29, 2014.

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Military of Cape Verde}}
* [https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/cabo-verde/ The World Factbook]
* http://www.nationmaster.com/country/cv-cape-verde/mil-military
* https://web.archive.org/web/20110721071532/http://praia.usembassy.gov/about-us/security-assistance-office.html
* http://www.snpc.cv/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160621134212/http://www.snpc.cv/ |date=2016-06-21 }}
* [http://www.operacional.pt/cabo-verde-a-policia-militar/ Cape Verde Military Police]

{{Military of Africa}}
{{Cape Verde topics}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Military Of Cape Verde}}
[[Category:Government of Cape Verde]]
[[Category:Military of Cape Verde| ]]