Chapter 4: Red Sea, Horn of Africa

Sudan: Fielded Forces

Overview / Army / Navy / Air Force / Civilian Forces

Overview / Leadership / System Essentials / Infrastructure / Population / Table of Contents

Sudanese army soldiers in T-54 tanks

Overview

The Sudanese military consists of the army, navy, air force, and 2 opposing paramilitary forces known as the Popular Defense Force and the Sudanese Peoples Liberation Army. About 12% of the country's GDP accounts for defense spending. The current active duty force includes 118,500 personnel, conscripts serve 3 year terms.

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Army

The Sudanese army divides its 115,000 soldiers into 1 armored division, 6 infantry divisions (with regional commands), 1 airborne division, 1 mech infantry brigades, 24 infantry brigades, 1 recce brigade, 7 artillery brigades, 1 engineer division, and 12 air defense brigades. Approximately 30,000 soldiers are conscripts.

• MBTs: 250 T-54/55, 20 M-60A3, 50 Ch Type-59
• Light Tanks: 70 Ch Type-62
• RECCE: 6 AML-90, 90 Saladin, 80 Ferret, 60 BRMD-1/-2
• APC: 90 BTR-50/-52, 80 OT-62/-64, 36 M-113, 1000 V-100/-150, 120 Walid
• Artillery/MRL: 500+ pieces including 105mm, 122mm, 130mm, 152mm, 155mm; 85mm, 100mm, and 122mm rockets
• Air Def Guns: Numerous towed and self propelled 20mm, 23mm, 30mm, 40mm, 85mm and 100mm
• SAMs: SA-7, Redeye

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Navy

The limited Sudanese navy maintains about 500 personnel.

Surface Combatants

• 2 coastal patrol craft
• 4 patrol craft-inshore (20 ton displacement)
• 4 patrol craft-inshore (9 ton displacement)
• 3 patrol craft-inshore (3 ton displacement)

Naval Aircraft

• 2 Casa C-212 Aviocar search aircraft

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Air Force

The air force is manned by 3,000 officers and airmen supporting 51 combat aircraft and 30 helicopters.

• Ftr Bmr: 9 F-5, 10 Ch J-6
• Fighter: 8 MiG-21, 3 MiG-23, 6 Ch J-6
• Spec Forces: 1 squadron with 3 BAC-167 Mk 90, 3 Jet Provast Mk 55
• Transport: 5 An-24, 5 C-130H, 4 C-212, 3 DHC-5C, 6 EMB-110P, 1 F-27, 2 Falcon 20/30
• Helicopters: 11 AB-412, 8 IAR/SA-330, 4 MI-4, 5 Mi-8, 2 Mi-24(armed)
• Training: 4 MiG-15, 4 MiG-21, 2 JJ-5, 2 JJ-6
• Air Defense: 5 batteries of SA-2 SAMs

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Civilian Forces

Sudanese civilian forces include the Popular Defense Force that represents the military arm of the National Islamic Front. Current estimate of membership is 15,000 active, 60,000 reserve. An opposition force operating in southern Sudan is called the Sudanese People's Liberation Army. It contains 4 factions, each organized into battalions with mainly small arms and light AAA, SA-7s.

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