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Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force
Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force
Founded	June 1979
Service branches	Army; Air Force
Leadership
Commander-in-chief	King Mswati III
Prime Minister	Russell Dlamini
Defense Principal Secretary	Prince Sicalo Nkopolo Dlamini
Commander	Lieutenant General Hulumende Mashikilisane Fakudze
Personnel
Military age	18-30
Conscription	No
Available for; military service	344,038, age 18–49 (2010 est.)
Fit for; military service	201,853 males, age 18–49 (2010 est.),; 175,477 females, age 18–49 (2010 est.)
Reaching military; age annually	16,168 males (2010 est.),; 15,763 females (2010 est.)
Active personnel	3,000+
Reserve personnel	0
Deployed personnel	0
Expenditure
Budget	$115 million (2011 est.)
Percent of GDP	3.0% of GDP (2011 est.)
Related articles
Ranks	Military ranks of Eswatini

The Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF) is the military of the Southern African Kingdom of Eswatini (Swaziland). It is used primarily during domestic protests, with some border and customs duties; the force has never been involved in a foreign conflict.^[2] The army has struggled with high rates of HIV infection. Since measures were put in place the rate is dropping.^[3]

History and structure

The UEDF replaced the Royal Swaziland Defence Force, which was created in 1973 to replace the role of the British Army following independence in 1968.

The King of Eswatini is the commander-in-chief of the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force, and the substantive minister of defence.^[4] However, he delegates the responsibilities of the day-to-day activities of the executive arm of the government.^[5]

There is a Defence Council, which is responsible for advising the King on all matters pertaining to the UEDF.^[5] The UEDF is commanded by Major General Sipho Tshabalala; the deputy commander is Brigadier General Patrick Motsa,^[6] and the formation commander is Lieutenant General Hulumende M. Fakudze.^[7]

Ranks

Officers

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force v t e
Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force v t e	Commander in Chief		General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second lieutenant

Enlisted

Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted
Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force v t e																																			No insignia
Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force v t e	Warrant officer I						Warrant officer II				Staff Sergeant						Sergeant						Corporal				Lance Corporal								Private

Equipment

Armoured personnel carriers

Vehicle	Country of origin	Type	Versions	In service	Notes
RG-31 Nyala	South Africa	Armoured vehicles	Mk5E	7^[8]	7 delivered in the 1990s

Weapons

Weapon	Country of origin	Type	Versions	In service	Notes
Armalite AR-18^[9]	United States	Assault rifle	AR-180	Unknown
INSAS rifle	India	Assault rifle		Yes
IMI Galil^[10]	Israel	Assault rifle	Unknown	Yes
SIG SG 540^[10]	Switzerland	Assault rifle	Unknown	Unknown
FN FAL^[10]	Belgium	Battle rifle	Unknown	Yes
Sterling submachine gun^[10]	United Kingdom	Submachine gun	Unknown	Unknown
Uzi^[10]	Israel	Submachine gun	Unknown	Yes
FN MAG^[10]^[11]	Belgium	General-purpose machine gun	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown

Branches

Air Force

Eswatini maintains a relatively small air wing, part of the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force.^[12] The air wing is mainly used for transporting the King as well as cargo, and personnel; surveying land with search and rescue functions, and mobilising in case of a national emergency.^[13]

Both Arava 201s have crashed; the first was on a demo flight in the 1980s, leaving both pilots dead.^[14] The second was lost in 2004, after bad weather caused the flight crew led by pilot army colonel Micheal Ranft to fail to unlock the flight controls lock pin, this was later proven untrue as the crew were cleared that plane's flight controls to not respond to the pilot's yoke. This caused the plane to crash into a sugar cane field after failing to rotate. Although no injuries were reported, the incident left the air force temporarily crippled.^[2]

Aircraft

Current inventory

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Variant	In service	Notes
Helicopter
Aérospatiale Alouette III	France	utility		3^[15]
Bell UH-1	United States	utility	UH-1H	2^[15]	donated by the Government of Taiwan^[16]

Retired inventory

Aircraft	Country of origin	Type	Versions	Notes
IAI Arava	Israel	Cargo plane	IAI 202^[17]	2 delivered, one crashed in the 1980s, and the other in 2004
Douglas DC-3	United States	Cargo plane

Army

The Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force is the main component of Eswatini's military.^[18]

Facilities

Nsingizini Army Barracks
Mbuluzi Barracks
Mdzimba Mountain Barracks
Phocweni Barracks
Cebisa Barracks
Zombodze Barracks

Units

Ludlalukhala Regiment
Lindimpi Regiment (watchman/guard)
Gcina Regiment

Navy

Due to Eswatini being landlocked, the country does not maintain a navy.^[18]

Commanders

No.	Photo	Name (birth–death)	Term of office			Ref.
No.	Photo	Name (birth–death)	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Ref.
1		Prince Bhekimpi Dlamini (1924–1999)	15 March 1973	10 October 1973	4 years, 209 days	^[19]
2		Major general Prince Maphevu Dlamini (1922–1979)	10 October 1973	25 October 1979 †	2 years, 15 days	^[20]
3		Colonel Jameson Ndzimandze	12 February 1981	8 June 1984 annulled	3 years, 117 days	^[21]^[22]
4		Brigadier Roy Gedion Fonono Dube (?–2017)	8 June 1984	August 2000	16 years, 1 month	^[22]
5		Lieutenant general Stanley Dlamini (born 1953)	August 2000	29 June 2019	18 years, 10 months	^[23]^[24]
6		Lieutenant general Jeffrey Sipho Tshabalala (born 1959)	29 June 2019	26 August 2021 resigned	2 years, 58 days	^[25]^[26]
–		General Moses Hulumende Mashikilisana Fakudze (born c. 1963)	26 August 2021	16 May 2022	263 days	^[27]
7			16 May 2022	Incumbent	2 years, 226 days	^[28]

Notes

^ Compulsory HIV testing required, only HIV-negative applicants accepted

References

^ ^a ^b "SIPRI military expenditure database". Milexdata.sipri.org. Archived from the original on 2010-03-28. Retrieved 2012-07-06.
^ ^a ^b "Crash diminishes Swaziland's air force". Independent Online (South Africa). November 23, 2004. Retrieved 2009-10-19.
^ "allAfrica.com: Swaziland: Army Slowly Winning the HIV/Aids Battle". 2010-12-18. Retrieved 2010-12-18.
^ "Swaziland: Time for Democracy?". Africafocus.org. Retrieved 2012-07-06.
^ ^a ^b "Security in Swaziland, Swaziland Security, Ministry of Defence, Swaziland welcome, Commonwealth". Commonwealth-of-nations.org. Retrieved 2012-07-06.
^ "Welcome to the home page of the Government of Swaziland". Retrieved 2010-08-15.^{[dead link‍]}
^ "Welcome to the home page of the Government of Swaziland". Retrieved 2010-08-15.^{[dead link‍]}
^ "Arms Trade Register". SIPRI. Archived from the original on 14 April 2010. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
^ Bishop, Chris. Guns in Combat. Chartwell Books, Inc (1998). ISBN 0-7858-0844-2.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Jones, Richard D. Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010. Jane's Information Group; 35 edition (January 27, 2009). ISBN 978-0-7106-2869-5.
^ "Military of Swaziland". eNotes. 2012-07-06. Retrieved 2012-07-06.
^ "Photo Search Results". Airliners.net. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
^ "Air force (Swaziland) - Sentinel Security Assessment - Southern Africa". Janes.com. 2011-04-12. Retrieved 2012-07-06.
^ "ASN Aircraft accident IAI Arava 201 3D-DAB Zomba Air Base". Aviation-safety.net. 1980-01-15. Retrieved 2012-07-06.
^ ^a ^b "World Air Forces 2022". Flightglobal. 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
^ "eSwatini receives two Hueys donated by Taiwan". defenceWeb. 27 February 2020. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
^ "Swazi military aviation OrBat". Milaviapress.com. Archived from the original on 2012-03-07. Retrieved 2012-07-06.
^ ^a ^b "CIA - The World Factbook". Cia.gov. Retrieved 2012-07-06.
^ Tshabalala, Jeffrey; Nhlengethwa, Cyprian; Rupiya, Martin (2005). "Caught between tradition and regional warfare: The Umbutfo Swaziland Defence Force since 1968". In Rupiya, Martin (ed.). Evolutions & Revolutions: A Contemporary History of Militaries in Southern Africa (PDF). Institute for Security Studies. ISBN 978-1919913827. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
^ Tshabalala, Nhlengethwa & Rupiya 2005, pp. 284, 287.
^ "Appointment of Chief of Staff (Army) to the Umbutfo Swaziland Defence Force" (PDF). Supplement to the swaziland government gazette. Vol. XXI, no. 218. Mbabane. 22 April 1983. p. S1. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
^ ^a ^b "Part C: Legal Notices" (PDF). Supplement to the swaziland government gazette. Vol. XXII, no. 312. Mbabane. 14 September 1984. p. S3-S4. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
^ "Former UEDF General Sobantu S. Dlamini". uedf.mil.sz. Umbutfo Eswatini Defense Force. Archived from the original on 9 February 2021. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
^ "Welcome to the home page of the Government of Swaziland". Archived from the original on May 23, 2010. Retrieved 2010-08-15.
^ Nhlabatsi, Sifiso (29 July 2019). "King Appoints New Army Commander". new.observer.org.sz. Retrieved 2019-09-26.
^ Mkhaliphi, Mthobisi (26 August 2021). "Some political parties welcome resignation of Eswatini's defence force commander". SABC News. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
^ Shabangu, Simon (26 August 2021). "King Appoints Acting Army Commander". new.observer.org.sz. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
^ Zwane, Sibusiso (17 May 2022). "King promotes Mashikilisana". Times of Eswatini. p. 9. Retrieved 8 December 2024.

Bibliography

Jones, Richard D. Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010. Jane's Information Group; 35th edition (January 27, 2009). ISBN 978-0-7106-2869-5.
This article incorporates public domain material from The World Factbook (2024 ed.). CIA. (Archived 2010 edition.)

[1] Compulsory HIV testing required, only HIV-negative applicants accepted

[sipri1-2] "SIPRI military expenditure database". Milexdata.sipri.org. Archived from the original on 2010-03-28. Retrieved 2012-07-06.

[crash-3] "Crash diminishes Swaziland's air force". Independent Online (South Africa). November 23, 2004. Retrieved 2009-10-19.

[4] "allAfrica.com: Swaziland: Army Slowly Winning the HIV/Aids Battle". 2010-12-18. Retrieved 2010-12-18.

[5] "Swaziland: Time for Democracy?". Africafocus.org. Retrieved 2012-07-06.

[commonwealth-of-nations1-6] "Security in Swaziland, Swaziland Security, Ministry of Defence, Swaziland welcome, Commonwealth". Commonwealth-of-nations.org. Retrieved 2012-07-06.

[7] "Welcome to the home page of the Government of Swaziland". Retrieved 2010-08-15.^{[dead link‍]}

[8] "Welcome to the home page of the Government of Swaziland". Retrieved 2010-08-15.^{[dead link‍]}

[sipri2-9] "Arms Trade Register". SIPRI. Archived from the original on 14 April 2010. Retrieved 22 June 2012.

[bishop1998-10] Bishop, Chris. Guns in Combat. Chartwell Books, Inc (1998). ISBN 0-7858-0844-2.

[jones2009-11] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Jones, Richard D. Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010. Jane's Information Group; 35 edition (January 27, 2009). ISBN 978-0-7106-2869-5.

[12] "Military of Swaziland". eNotes. 2012-07-06. Retrieved 2012-07-06.

[13] "Photo Search Results". Airliners.net. Retrieved 23 October 2014.

[14] "Air force (Swaziland) - Sentinel Security Assessment - Southern Africa". Janes.com. 2011-04-12. Retrieved 2012-07-06.

[15] "ASN Aircraft accident IAI Arava 201 3D-DAB Zomba Air Base". Aviation-safety.net. 1980-01-15. Retrieved 2012-07-06.

[World_Air_Forces_2022-16] "World Air Forces 2022". Flightglobal. 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2022.

[17] "eSwatini receives two Hueys donated by Taiwan". defenceWeb. 27 February 2020. Retrieved 11 April 2022.

[:0-18] "Swazi military aviation OrBat". Milaviapress.com. Archived from the original on 2012-03-07. Retrieved 2012-07-06.

[autogenerated1-19] "CIA - The World Factbook". Cia.gov. Retrieved 2012-07-06.

[20] Tshabalala, Jeffrey; Nhlengethwa, Cyprian; Rupiya, Martin (2005). "Caught between tradition and regional warfare: The Umbutfo Swaziland Defence Force since 1968". In Rupiya, Martin (ed.). Evolutions & Revolutions: A Contemporary History of Militaries in Southern Africa (PDF). Institute for Security Studies. ISBN 978-1919913827. Retrieved 12 October 2021.

[FOOTNOTETshabalalaNhlengethwaRupiya2005284,_287-21] Tshabalala, Nhlengethwa & Rupiya 2005, pp. 284, 287.

[22] "Appointment of Chief of Staff (Army) to the Umbutfo Swaziland Defence Force" (PDF). Supplement to the swaziland government gazette. Vol. XXI, no. 218. Mbabane. 22 April 1983. p. S1. Retrieved 12 October 2021.

[gazette-23] "Part C: Legal Notices" (PDF). Supplement to the swaziland government gazette. Vol. XXII, no. 312. Mbabane. 14 September 1984. p. S3-S4. Retrieved 12 October 2021.

[24] "Former UEDF General Sobantu S. Dlamini". uedf.mil.sz. Umbutfo Eswatini Defense Force. Archived from the original on 9 February 2021. Retrieved 12 October 2021.

[25] "Welcome to the home page of the Government of Swaziland". Archived from the original on May 23, 2010. Retrieved 2010-08-15.

[26] Nhlabatsi, Sifiso (29 July 2019). "King Appoints New Army Commander". new.observer.org.sz. Retrieved 2019-09-26.

[27] Mkhaliphi, Mthobisi (26 August 2021). "Some political parties welcome resignation of Eswatini's defence force commander". SABC News. Retrieved 8 December 2024.

[28] Shabangu, Simon (26 August 2021). "King Appoints Acting Army Commander". new.observer.org.sz. Retrieved 8 December 2024.

[29] Zwane, Sibusiso (17 May 2022). "King promotes Mashikilisana". Times of Eswatini. p. 9. Retrieved 8 December 2024.

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Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force