View source for Madagascar Armed Forces

{{Short description|Combined military forces of Madagascar}}
{{Infobox national military
| name = Madagascar Armed Forces
| native_name = {{langx|fr|Forces armées de Madagascar}}<br />{{langx|mg|Tafika Malagasy}}
| image = Bastille Day 2014 Paris - Color guards 019.jpg
| alt = 
| caption = 
| motto = 
| founded = 1960
| current_form = 
| disbanded = 
| branches = Malagasy Army<br />[[Malagasy Air Force]]<br />[[Madagascar Navy|Malagasy Navy]]<br />[[National Gendarmerie of Madagascar|National Gendarmerie]]
| headquarters = [[Antananarivo]]
| flying_hours = 
| website = <!--{{URL|example.mil}}-->
<!-- Leadership -->| commander-in-chief = [[Colonel]] [[Michael Randrianirina]]
| commander-in-chief_title = [[List of presidents of Madagascar|Commander-in-chief]]
| chief minister = 
| chief minister_title = 
| minister = [[Deramasinjaka Manantsoa Rakotoarivelo]]
| minister_title = [[Ministry of National Defense (Madagascar)|Minister]]
| commander = [[General officer|General]] Demosthene Pikulas
| commander_title = [[Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Madagascar|Chief of Staff]]
<!-- Manpower -->| age = 
| conscription = 18 months (military and non-military service)
| active = 13,500 (military)<br />8,100 (National Gendarmerie)<ref name="IISS_2012_442">IISS (2012), p. 442</ref>
| ranked = 
| reserve = 
| deployed = <!-- Financial -->
| amount = 
| percent_GDP = <!-- Industrial -->
| domestic_suppliers = 
| foreign_suppliers = 
| imports = 
| exports = <!-- Related aricles -->
| history = 
| ranks = [[Military ranks of Madagascar]]
}}

The '''Madagascar Armed Forces''' ({{langx|fr|Forces armées de Madagascar}}, {{langx|mg|Tafika Malagasy}}) is the national [[military]] of [[Madagascar]]. The [[IISS]] detailed the armed forces in 2012 as including an Army of 12,500+, a Navy of 500, and a 500-strong Air Force.<ref name=IISS_2012_442 />

The armed forces were involved in the [[2009 Malagasy political crisis]] and the [[2025 Malagasy protests]], playing a central role in the subsequent [[2025 Malagasy mutiny]]. During [[World War II]], Malagasy troops fought in [[France]], [[Morocco]], and [[Syria]].

== History ==
[[File:Madagascar gun 1898.jpg|thumb|right|A [[flintlock]] gun seized in Madagascar by France in 1898, now displayed at the [[Muséum d'Histoire naturelle de La Rochelle]].]]The rise of centralized kingdoms among the [[Sakalava people|Sakalava]], [[Merina people|Merina]] and other [[Ethnicity|ethnic]] groups produced the island's first standing armies, first equipped with spears, but later with muskets, cannons and other firearms. King [[Ralambo]] (1575–1612) raised the first standing army in the [[Central Highlands (Madagascar)|highland]] [[Merina Kingdom|Kingdom of Imerina]] with a handful of guns, although for at least two centuries the armies of the Sakalava were much larger and better equipped, possessing thousands of muskets obtained principally through trade with European partners.<ref>{{Cite book | last = Barendse | first = R. J. | title = The Arabian seas: the Indian Ocean world of the seventeenth century | publisher = M.E. Sharpe | location = Berlin | year = 2002 | pages = 259–274 | isbn = 978-0-7656-0729-4 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=_qvq9dN8j5MC |access-date = April 1, 2011}}</ref> By the early 19th century, however, the army of the Kingdom of Imerina was able to bring much of the island under Merina control.
[[File:Hierarchy of Kingdom of Merina Military.jpg|thumb|Military ranks of the Kingdom of Imerina military in the 19th century. Hierarchy from lower to upper class soldiers.]]

Merina Queen Ranavalona, like her predecessors, utilized the tradition of ''fanampoana'' (service due to the sovereign in lieu of taxes) to conscript a large portion of the population of Imerina into military service, enabling the queen to raise a standing army that was estimated at 20,000 to 30,000 soldiers.<ref name="army">{{Cite book | last = Freeman | first = Joseph John |author2=Johns, David | title = A narrative of the persecution of the Christians in Madagascar: with details of the escape of six Christian refugees now in England | publisher = J. Snow | location = Berlin | year = 1840 |url = https://archive.org/details/anarrativeperse01johngoog | access-date = February 5, 2011}}</ref>
By the late 19th century French plans to colonize Madagascar were gaining momentum, leading British mercenaries to provide training to the queen's army in an unsuccessful bid to repel the French troops. [[French Madagascar|Madagascar was colonized]] in 1896, and during World War II over 46,000 Malagasy soldiers were drafted to fight with the Allies, over 2,000 of whom died fighting for France.<ref name="BDT">Bradt (2010), pp. 7-10</ref>[[File:A Madasgar boarding party trains by boarding Le Floreal, a French naval vessel, during Operation Cutlass Express 2016 - 160201-N-TC720-206 (24753048416).jpg|thumb|Madagascar boarding party trains by boarding Le Floreal, a French naval vessel, during Operation Cutlass Express 2016]]

Madagascar gained political independence and sovereignty over its military in 1960. Since this time Madagascar has never engaged in an armed conflict, whether against another state or within its own borders. As such the armed forces of Madagascar have primarily served a peacekeeping role. However, the military has occasionally intervened to restore order during periods of political unrest. When President [[Philibert Tsiranana]] was forced to step down in 1972, a military directorate ensured an interim government before appointing one of its own, Admiral [[Didier Ratsiraka]], to lead the country into its socialist [[Democratic Republic of Madagascar|Second Republic]]. He launched a strategy of obligatory national armed or civil service for all young citizens regardless of gender. The majority were channeled into civil service, including agriculture and education programs for rural development based on the socialist Soviet model.<ref>{{Citation | last = Strakes | first = Jason | contribution = Armed Forces of the People | year = 2006 | title = Encyclopedia of the developing world | editor-last = Leonard | editor-first = Thomas M. | volume = 1 | page = 86 | place = New York | publisher = Taylor & Francis | isbn = 978-1-57958-388-0 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=3mE04D9PMpAC |access-date = April 1, 2011}}</ref> Ratsiraka would also mobilize elements of the military to pacify unarmed protesters, occasionally using violent means. His order to fire upon unarmed protesters in 1989 was the catalyst for transition to the democratic [[Third Republic of Madagascar|Third Republic]] in 1992. The military remained largely neutral during the protracted standoff between incumbent Ratsiraka and challenger [[Marc Ravalomanana]] in the disputed [[2001 Malagasy presidential election|2001 presidential elections]]. By contrast, in 2009 a segment of the army defected to the side of [[Andry Rajoelina]], then-mayor of [[Antananarivo]], in support of his attempt to force President Ravalomanana from power. It is widely believed that payoffs were involved in persuading these military personnel to change camps in support of the ''coup d'état''.<ref name="BDT" />

As of 2010, the military of Madagascar is composed of the 8,100 paramilitary of the National [[Gendarmerie]] and the 13,500 members of the Armed Forces. According to the International Institute of Strategic Studies' Military Balance 2010, the latter includes an Army of 12,500, a Navy of 500 and a 500-strong Air Force,<ref>[[IISS]] Military Balance 2010, p.314-315</ref> while the CIA Factbook describes the Armed Forces as consisting of the Intervention Force, Aeronaval Force (navy and air) and the Development Force. Military service is voluntary and limited to males aged 18 to 25; every citizen of either gender is required to perform either military or civil service for a minimum of 18 months. However, because of a lack of up-to-date census data, this requirement is not currently enforced. The Gendarmerie recruits Malagasy citizens between the ages of 20 and 30 (or 35 if the recruit has prior military service). Military expenses constituted just over one percent of GDP.<ref>{{Cite web|work=Central Intelligence Agency|title=The World Factbook: Madagascar |date=April 1, 2011 |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/madagascar/ |access-date=April 1, 2011 }}</ref> Under Ravalomanana, military expenditure doubled from 54 million USD in 2006 to 103 million USD in 2008.<ref>IISS Military Balance 2010, p.467</ref>

== Equipment ==

=== Army ===
==== Small arms ====
{| class="wikitable" style="width:90%;"
|-
! width="16%" | Name
! width="10%" | Image
! width="15%" | Caliber
! width="12%" | Type
! width="10%" | Origin
! width="28%" | Notes
|-
! colspan="6" | Pistols
|-
| [[TT pistol|TT-33]]<ref name="Janes_Armies_May2011">''Jane's World Armies online edition'' (19 May 2011)</ref>
| [[File:TT33.JPG|150px]]
| [[7.62×25mm]]
| [[Semi-automatic pistol]]
| {{Flag|Soviet Union|1936}}
|
|-
| [[MAC Mle 1950|MAC 50]]<ref name="Janes_Armies_May2011" />
| [[File:MAC-50 detoured.jpg|150px]]
| [[9×19mm]]
| [[Semi-automatic pistol]]
| {{Flag|French Fourth Republic}} / {{Flag|France}}
|
|-
| [[M1911]]<ref name="Janes_Armies_May2011" />
| [[File:M1911A1.png|150px]]
| [[.45 ACP]]
| [[Semi-automatic pistol]]
| {{Flag|United States|1908}}
|
|-
! colspan="6" | Rifles
|-
| [[SKS]]<ref name="Janes_Armies_May2011" />
| [[File:Simonov-SKS-45.JPG|150px]]
| [[7.62×39mm]]
| [[Semi-automatic rifle]]
| {{Flag|Soviet Union|1936}}
|
|-
| [[AKM]]<ref name="Janes_Armies_May2011" />
| [[File:AKM automatkarbin Ryssland - 7,62x39mm - Armémuseum rightside noBG.png|150px]]
| [[7.62×39mm]]
| [[Assault rifle]]
| {{Flag|Soviet Union}}
|
|-
| [[AK-74]]<ref name="Janes_Armies_May2011" />
| [[File:AKS-74.png|150px]]
| [[5.45×39mm]]
| [[Assault rifle]]
| {{Flag|Soviet Union}}
|
|-
| [[Type 63 assault rifle|Type 63]]<ref name="Janes_Armies_May2011" />
| [[File:Rifle Type 63 noBG.png|150px]]
| [[7.62×39mm]]
| [[Assault rifle]]
| {{Flag|China}}
|
|-
| [[Type 56 assault rifle|Type 56]]<ref name="Janes_Armies_May2011" />
| [[File:Type 56 mod02 noBG.png|150px]]
| [[7.62×39mm]]
| [[Assault rifle]]
| {{Flag|China}}
|
|-
! colspan="6" | Machine guns
|-
| [[DShK]]<ref name="Janes_Armies_May2011" />
| [[File:12,7-мм станковый пулемёт ДШК образца 1938 года.jpg|150px]]
| [[12.7×108mm]]
| [[Heavy machine gun]]
| {{Flag|Soviet Union|1936}}
|
|-
| [[AA-52 machine gun|AA-52]]<ref name="Janes_Armies_May2011" />
| [[File:Mitrailleuse-IMG 1728.jpg|150px]]
| [[7.5×54mm]]
| [[General-purpose machine gun]]
| {{Flag|French Fourth Republic}} / {{Flag|France}}
|
|-
| [[Browning M2]]<ref name="Janes_Armies_May2011" />
| [[File:PEO Browning M2E2 QCB (c1).jpg|150px]]
| [[.50 BMG]]
| [[Heavy machine gun]]
| {{Flag|United States|1912}}
|
|-
! colspan="6" | Rocket propelled grenade launchers
|-
| [[RPG-7]]<ref name="Janes_Armies_May2011" />
| [[File:Rpg-7.jpg|150px]]
| 40mm
| [[Rocket-propelled grenade]]
| {{Flag|Soviet Union}}
|
|-
| [[LRAC F1]]<ref>{{Citation | last = Strakes | first = Jason | contribution = Armed Forces of the People | year = 2006 | title = Encyclopedia of the developing world | editor-last = Leonard | editor-first = Thomas M. | volume = 1 | page = 86 | place = New York | publisher = Taylor & Francis | isbn = 978-1-57958-388-0 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=3mE04D9PMpAC |access-date = April 1, 2011}}</ref>
| [[File:LRAC F1-detoured-cropped.png|150px]]
| 89mm
| [[Shoulder-launched missile weapon]]
| {{Flag|France}}
|}

==== Armoured fighting vehicles ====
{| class="wikitable"
!Model
!Image
!Origin
!Quantity
!Details
|-
! colspan="5" |[[Light tank|Light tanks]]
|-
|[[PT-76]]
|[[File:Pt76.jpg|150x150px]]
|{{Flag|Soviet Union|1936}}
|12
|<ref name="IISS2024">{{cite book |last1=International Institute for Strategic Studies |author1-link=International Institute for Strategic Studies |title=The Military Balance 2024 |date=February 13, 2024 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1032780047 |edition=1st |pages=244}}</ref>
|-
! colspan="5" |[[Reconnaissance]]
|-
|[[BRDM-2]]
|[[File:BRDM-2-Command-latrun-2.jpg|150x150px]]
|{{Flag|Soviet Union|1936}}
|~35
|<ref name="IISS2024" />
|-
|[[Ferret armoured car|FV701 Ferret]]
|[[File:Ferret_Mk2_armored_car.jpg|150x150px]]
|{{Flag|United Kingdom}}
|10
|<ref name="IISS2024" />
|-
|[[M3 Scout Car|M3A1]]
|[[File:White_M3A1_Scout_Car.JPG|150x150px]]
| rowspan="2" |{{Flag|United States|1908}}
|~20
|<ref name="IISS2024" />
|-
|[[M8 Greyhound|M8]]
|[[File:M8_Greyhound_U.S._Army_Armor_&_Cavalry_Collection_2023.jpg|150x150px]]
|8
|<ref name="IISS2024" />
|-
! colspan="5" |[[Armoured personnel carrier|Armoured personnel carriers]]
|-

|[[Panthera T4]]
|[[File:Image_unavailable.png|150x150px]]
|{{flag|United Arab Emirates}}
|6
|<ref name="IISS2024" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Martin |first=Guy |date=2020-07-10 |title=Madagascar operating Panthera T4 armoured vehicles |url=https://www.defenceweb.co.za/featured/104446/ |access-date=2025-06-17 |website=defenceWeb |language=en-ZA}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |first=Erwan |last=de Cherisey |date=2020-07-08 |title=Madagascar Armed Forces field new armoured vehicles |url=https://www.janes.com/osint-insights/defence-news/madagascar-armed-forces-field-new-armoured-vehicles |access-date=2025-06-17 |website=Janes |url-access=subscription |language=en}}</ref>
|}

==== Anti-tank/anti-infrastructure ====
{| class="wikitable"
!Model
!Image
!Origin
!Caliber
!Quantity
!Details
|-
! colspan="6" |[[Recoilless rifle|Recoilless rifles]]
|-
|[[M40 recoilless rifle|M40A1]]
|[[File:M40_105_mm_RR.jpg|150x150px]]
|{{Flag|United States|1908}}
|106mm
|Not stated
|<ref name="IISS2024" />
|}

==== Artillery ====
{| class="wikitable"
!Model
!Image
!Origin
!Caliber
!Quantity
!Details
|-
! colspan="6" |[[Field artillery|Towed]]
|-
|[[M101 howitzer|M101]]
|[[File:105mm_howitzer_in_Greenup,_KY,_US.jpg|150x150px]]
|{{Flag|United States|1908}}
|105mm
|5
|<ref name="IISS2024" />
|-
|[[122 mm howitzer 2A18 (D-30)|D-30]]
|[[File:122-_мм_гаубица_Д-30_(1).jpg|150x150px]]
|{{Flag|Soviet Union|1936}}
|122mm
|12
|<ref name="IISS2024" />
|-
! colspan="6" |[[Mortar (weapon)|Mortars]]
|-
|[[82-BM-37|M-37]]
|[[File:Zagan_82_mm_moździerz_wz_37.jpg|150x150px]]
| rowspan="2" |{{Flag|Soviet Union|1936}}
|82mm
|Not stated
|<ref name="IISS2024" />
|-
|[[120-PM-43 mortar|M-43]]
|[[File:120_mm_regimental_mortar_M1943.jpg|150x150px]]
|120mm
|8
|<ref name="IISS2024" />
|}

==== Air defence ====
{| class="wikitable"
!Model
!Image
!Origin
!Caliber
!Quantity
!Details
|-
! colspan="6" |[[Anti-aircraft warfare|Towed]]
|-
|[[ZPU|ZPU-4]]
|[[File:Moroccan_ZPU-2_in_Land_Cruiser.jpg|150x150px]]
| rowspan="2" |{{Flag|Soviet Union|1936}}
|14.5mm
|50
|<ref name="IISS2024" />
|-
|[[37 mm automatic air defense gun M1939 (61-K)|PG-55]]
|[[File:61-K_anti-aircraft_gun,_2007.jpg|150x150px]]
|37mm
|20
|<ref name="IISS2024" />
|}

=== Navy ===
[[File:Bridge of the RC Trozona 160201-N-TC720-078 (24725045616).jpg|thumb|Bridge of the offshore patrol vessel ''RC Trozona'']]
{{See also|Madagascar Navy}}

* [[Coastal Patrol Boat|Coastal patrol boat]]: 
** ''Trozona''<ref name="IISS2024" />
* [[Patrol boat|Patrol boats]]: 
** 2 ''Tselatra'' and ''Malaky''<ref name="IISS2024" />
** 7 patrol launch<ref name="IISS2024" />

=== Air force ===
[[Image:Roundel of Madagascar.svg|165px|right|thumb|The AAM's roundel is based on the [[Flag of Madagascar]].]]
{| class="wikitable"
!Model
!Origin
!Quantity
!Details
|-
! colspan="4" |[[Military transport aircraft|Transport]]
|-
|[[Cessna 172]]
| rowspan="7" |{{Flag|United States|1908}}
|4
|<ref name="IISS2024 245">{{cite book |last1=International Institute for Strategic Studies |author1-link=International Institute for Strategic Studies |title=The Military Balance 2024 |date=February 13, 2024 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1032780047 |edition=1st |pages=245}}</ref>
|-
|[[Let L-410 Turbolet]]
|1
|<ref>[https://midi-madagasikara.mg/bus-electriques-emplois-madagascar/ midi-madagasikara.mg]</ref>
|-
|[[Cessna 206]]
|6
|<ref name="IISS2024 245" />
|-
|[[Cessna 310]]
|1
|<ref name="IISS2024 245" />
|-
|[[Cessna 337]]
|2
|<ref name="IISS2024 245" />
|-
|[[Pa-23 aztec|PA-23]]
|1
|<ref name="IISS2024 245" />
|-
|[[Boeing 737|B-737]]
|2
|<ref name="IISS2024 245" />
|-
|[[CASA/IPTN CN-235|CN235M]]
|{{Flag|Spain|}}
|1
|<ref name="IISS2024 245" />
|-
|[[Aero Synergie J300 Joker|J.300]]
| rowspan="2" |{{Flag|France}}
|2
|<ref name="IISS2024 245" />
|-
|[[Humbert Tétras|Tetras]]
|1
|<ref name="IISS2024" />
|-
|[[Yakovlev Yak-40|Yak-40]]
|{{Flag|Soviet Union|1936}}
|4
|<ref name="IISS2024 245" />
|-
! colspan="4" |[[Helicopters]]
|-
|[[Aérospatiale Alouette II|SA318C]]
| rowspan="2" |{{Flag|France}}
|3
|<ref name="IISS2024 245" />
|-
|[[Eurocopter AS350 Écureuil|AS350]]
|3
|<ref name="IISS2024 245" />
|-
|[[MBB/Kawasaki BK 117|BK117]]
|{{Flag|Japan|}}
|1
|<ref name="IISS2024 245" />
|}
[[File:Derelict Malagasy MIG 21's (32606236945).jpg|thumb|right|[[MiG-21]] of the Malagasy Air Force.]]

==See also==
* [[Ministry of National Defense (Madagascar)]]
* [[List of wars involving Madagascar]] 
==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book |last = Bradt |first= Hilary |title=Madagascar, 10th Ed.: The Bradt Travel Guide |publisher=Bradt Travel Guides |location=London |year=2011 |isbn=978-1-84162-341-2 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=uTRPnMlOcwgC | access-date = March 18, 2011}}
* {{Cite web|title=The Military Balance 2010 |publisher=[[International Institute of Strategic Studies]] |pages=314–315, 467 |url=http://moorishwanderer.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/2010_report.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511202850/http://moorishwanderer.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/2010_report.pdf |archive-date=May 11, 2011 |access-date=April 1, 2011 |url-status=dead }}
*{{cite journal|title=The Military Balance 2012|journal=The Military Balance: Annual Estimates of the Nature and Size of the Military Forces of the Principal Powers|year=2012|publisher=IISS|location=London|issn=0459-7222}}
*{{cite web|title=Madagascar|work=Jane's World Armies (online edition)|publisher=IHS Jane's|date=19 May 2011}}
* ''World Aircraft Information Files.'' Brightstar Publishing, London. File 339 Sheet 01

{{CIA World Factbook|year=2006}}

==External links==
* [https://archive.today/20130703033231/http://www.defense.gov.mg/ Ministry of Madagascar National Defense] {{in lang|fr}}

{{Madagascar topics}}
{{Military of Africa}}

[[Category:Military of Madagascar| ]]