Territorial Air Defence Forces

The Territorial Air Defence Force abbreviated as DAT (Arabic: قوات الدفاع الجوي عن الإقليم,^[1]French: Forces de défense aérienne du Territoire^[2]) is an armed service/branch of the Algerian People's National Army, the armed forces of Algeria.^[3] It is one of the four service branches of the Algerian Armed Forces, along with the army, navy, and air force. It is tasked with the Algerian airspace protection mission. Its current commander is Major-General Amer Amrani.^[4]

Territorial Air Defence Force
قوات الدفاع الجوي عن الإقليم (Arabic) Forces de défense aérienne du Territoire (French)
Insignia of the Commander of the Territorial Air Defence Force
Founded	1988
Country	Algeria
Role	Air Defense
Size	10,000
Part of	Algerian People's National Army

The higher military school of the Air Defence Forces (école supérieure de la défense aérienne du territoire) is located at Reghaïa in Algeria's 1st Military Region.^[5] It provides engineering training.

Created in 1988, after being separated from the Ground Forces Command, it is currently under the command of the commander of air defense of the military region forces. Its equipment includes the S300 missile, batteries of Pantsir-S1s, and the Tor missile system, which is the most important weapon owned by the Territorial Air Defence Force.^[6][7] Other systems include: the SA-6 "Gainful" and Buk missile systems, the S-125 Neva/Pechora and the SA-8 Gecko, as well as the "Shilka" armed with 23 mm cannons and man portable 9K32 Strela-2s. In addition, the force possesses many types of radar.

Currently there are three air defence brigades and five surface-to-air missile regiments with SA-2, SA-3, SA-6, and SA-20.^[8]

Equipment

Gear	Image	Origin	in service	Type	Comments
S-400 Triumph		Russia	8 regiments[9][10]	Strategic air defense	One S-400 regiment consists of 12 launchers of 4 missiles.
S-300 (missile)		Russia	8 regiments [11]	Strategic air defense	8 regiments of S-300PMU-2 Favorit were ordered in 2006.[12][13] One S-300 regiment consists of 12 launchers of 4 missiles.
HQ-9B		China	9 systems[14]	Strategic air defense
Buk-M2		Russia	48 systems[15][16]	Medium-range SAM
2K12		Soviet Union	Unknown	Medium-range SAM
Pantsir-S1/SM		Russia	108[17]	Air defense short and medium-term
Tor M2		Russia	48 systems[18]	Short-range SAM
9K31 Strela-1		Soviet Union	20 systems[17]	Short-range SAM
S-125 Neva[19]		Soviet Union	36 S-125	Short-range SAM
ZSU-23-4 Shilka		Soviet Union	225	SPAAG	Shilka Locally developed for surface to air missiles
ZU-23-2		Soviet Union	Unknown	Anti-aircraft autocannon

References

1. "قوات الدفاع الجوي عن الإقليم". Ministry of National Defence (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 3 August 2017. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
2. "Forces de Défense Aérienne du Territoire". Ministère de la Défense Nationale (in French). Retrieved 1 March 2017.
3. "The World Fact Book: Algeria". Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
4. "Forces Commander". Ministry of National Defence. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
5. "Trois journées pour tout savoir sur les forces de défense aérienne" [Three days to learn everything about Air Defense Forces]. Jeunesse d'Algerie (in French). 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
6. "La Russie a livré à l'Algérie 12 systèmes de défense aérienne en 2014" [Russia handed over 12 air defense systems to Algeria in 2014]. Algerie Solidaire (in French). 22 March 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
7. "Russian air defense systems continue to evolve". Defence Review Asia. 6 June 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
8. The Military Balance. London, UK: International Institute for Strategic Studies. 2014. p. 312.
9. Akramov (14 July 2015). "L'Algérie aurait commencé à déployer des S 400". MENADEFENSE (in French). Retrieved 21 March 2023.
10. "Military Watch Magazine". militarywatchmagazine.com. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
11. The Military Balance, 2022, p.334
12. In 2006 it was thought that the capabilities of the command would be boosted by the delivery from Russia of eight S-300PMU2 Favorit air defence missile systems, ordered as part of the package of arms deals with Russia announced in 2006 as part of a USD7.5 billion arms package.In fact the first battalion of S-300 series SAMs ordered by Algeria was delivered in 2008 however the rest of the deal had been frozen.
13. Air Power Australia (27 January 2014). "Proliferation – Advanced Weapons Operators". Ausairpower.net. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
14. "Military Watch Magazine". militarywatchmagazine.com. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
15. "Trade Registers". armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
16. Martin, Guy (16 August 2017). "Algeria operating Buk-M2E surface-to-air missiles | defenceWeb". www.defenceweb.co.za. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
17. The Military Balance, 2022, p.333
18. Akramov (26 June 2023). "Algérie: TOR M2E et autres nouveautés lors de l'exercice "Fadjr 2023"". MENADEFENSE (in French). Retrieved 26 June 2023.
19. http://www.armyrecognition.com/russia_russian_missile_system_vehicle_uk/sa-3_goa_s-125_neva_pechora_ground_to_air_missile_system_technical_data_sheet_specifications_uk.html |title=SA-3 Goa S-125 Neva Pechora ground to air missile system technical data sheet specifications |work=Army Recognition.com |access-date=11 August 2015}}

External links

• Cordesman, Anthony H.; Nerguizian, Aram (7 December 2010). "The North African Military Balance" (PDF). Center for Strategic and International Studies. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
• Algeria: A Country Study (PDF). Washington, D.C.: Federal Research Division, Library of Congress. 1993. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 January 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2017.