Lesotho Defence Force

The Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) is the military of the Southern African Kingdom of Lesotho, which consists of about 2,000 personnel^[1] and is tasked with maintaining internal security, territorial integrity, and defending the constitution of Lesotho. Since the mountainous kingdom is completely landlocked by South Africa, in practice the country's external defence is guaranteed by its larger neighbour, so the armed forces are mainly used for internal security. The LDF is an army with a small air wing.

Lesotho Defence Force
Lesotho Defence Force insignia
Motto	Ts'epo ea Sechaba (Hope of the nation)
Founded	1978
Service branches	Army Air wing
Headquarters	Maseru
Website	www.ldf.gov.ls
Leadership
Monarch	King Letsie III
Prime Minister	Sam Matekane
Minister of Defence and National Security	Sam Matekane
Commander of the Defence Force	Lieutenant General Mojalefa Letsoela
Personnel
Active personnel	2,000 personnel[1]
Related articles
Ranks	Military ranks of Lesotho

History

The military was established in 1978.^[2] The Lesotho Defence Force participated in the military coup in 1986, internal conflicts in 1994 and 1998, and unrest in 2007.^[3]

Following the 1993 Lesotho general election, in August 1994, King Letsie III dissolved the newly elected parliament in a coup d'état that was supported by the military.^[4]

On 30 August 2014, an alleged military coup took place, forcing then-Prime Minister Tom Thabane to flee to South Africa for three days.^[5][6] A brief crisis occurred in September 2017 when Lieutenant General Khoantle Motsomotso (then-commander of the LDF) was assassinated by some junior officers, leading to an intervention by the Southern African Development Community (SADC).^[7][8][9]

In 2021, a LDF contingent was sent to Mozambique as part of the Southern African Development Community Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) to assist the Mozambican government during the insurgency in Cabo Delgado. The contingent consequently took part in pro-government offensives from August 2021.^[10]

Army

The army of Lesotho began in the 1960s initially as a paramilitary police force, established separately from the Lesotho Mounted Police Service on 1 April 1978. It was recognised as an army in August 1979 and was expanded in the 1980s in response to Basutoland Congress Party insurgent activities. After the January 1986 military coup that brought General Justin Lekhanya to power, the army was renamed the Royal Lesotho Defence Force. As of 1990, it was estimated to have about 2,000 personnel divided into one recon company, one artillery battery, seven companies, one special forces platoon, and a support company.^[2]

Equipment

Small arms

Name	Image	Caliber	Type	Origin	Notes
Submachine guns
Sterling[11]		9×19mm	Submachine gun	United Kingdom
Uzi[12]		9×19mm	Submachine gun	Israel
Rifles
AKM[11]		7.62×39mm	Assault rifle	Soviet Union
AK-74[12]		5.45×39mm	Assault rifle	Soviet Union
Type 56[11]		7.62×39mm	Assault rifle	China
IMI Galil[11]		5.56×45mm	Assault rifle	Israel
Vektor R4[12]		5.56×45mm	Assault rifle	South Africa
M16[13]		5.56×45mm	Assault rifle	United States
Beretta AR70/90[11]		5.56×45mm	Assault rifle	Italy
FN FAL[12]		7.62×51mm	Battle rifle	Belgium
Lee-Enfield[14]		.303 British	Bolt-action rifle	British Empire
Sniper rifles
SVD[12]		7.62×54mmR	Designated marksman rifle Sniper rifle	Soviet Union
Machine guns
Bren[15]		7.62×51mm	Light machine gun	United Kingdom
RPD[12]		7.62×39mm	Squad automatic weapon	Soviet Union
RPK[12]		7.62×39mm	Squad automatic weapon	Soviet Union
FN MAG[12]		7.62×51mm	General-purpose machine gun	Belgium
Browning M2[12]		.50 BMG	Heavy machine gun	United States
Rocket propelled grenade launchers
RPG-7[12]		40mm	Rocket-propelled grenade	Soviet Union

Anti-tank weapons

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Caliber	Notes
M40A1[16]		Recoilless rifle	United States	106mm	6 in service.

Tanks

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Quantity	Status	Notes
T-55		Medium tank	Soviet Union	1[17]

Scout cars

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Quantity	Status	Notes
BRDM-2		Amphibious armored scout car	Soviet Union	2[17]

Reconnaissance

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Quantity	Status	Notes
Panhard AML		Armored car	France	6[17]
RAM MK3		Armored Car	Israel	6[17]
RBY Mk 1		Armored Car	Israel	10[17]
Shorland S52		Armored car	United Kingdom	8[17]

Air Wing

LDF Guard of Honor

The Lesotho Defence Force Air Wing was originally a 1978-offshoot of the paramilitary police mobile unit and began operations with two Short Skyvan twin turboprop STOL transports, a leased Cessna A152 Aerobat, two MBB Bo 105 helicopters, and a Bell 47G helicopter converted to turboshaft power. Two Mil Mi-2 twin-turbine helicopters were donated by Libya in 1983 but were retired by 1986.

Deliveries of four Bell 412 helicopters were delayed in 1983 to 1986 because of South Africa's influence. This changed when a 1986 military coup resulted in new security agreements with South Africa being signed. In the mid-1980s the air wing was merged into the Lesotho Defence Force. In 1989, the Skyvans were replaced by two CASA C-212 Aviocar light turboprop transports; one immediately crashed, requiring a third to be delivered in 1992. A fifth Bell 412 (an EP model) was delivered in May 1998 to replace the one written off the previous January.

Aircraft

Lesotho Defence Force roundel

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Variant	In service	Notes
Transport
CASA C-212	Spain	Transport		2[18]
GippsAero GA8	Australia	Utility		1[18]
Helicopters
Bell 412	United States	Utility		3[18]
Eurocopter AS350	France	Light utility		3[18]

Accidents and incidents

13 April 2017, a Eurocopter EC135 T2+ crashed on 13 April 2017 in the area of Thaba Putsoa, killing all four people on board. The helicopter was carrying three soldiers and an official from the Ministry of Finance who was delivering pensions to outlying districts. Officials reported it hit power lines and crashed in mountainous terrain near Thaba Putsoa, killing two of the soldiers and critically injuring the other two passengers, both of whom later died in hospital from their injuries.

See also

• Commander of the Lesotho Defence Force

References

1. Military Balance 2019. IISS. 2019. p. 475.
2. Lesotho Defense Force (LDF). Global Security. Accessed 13 April 2019.
3. Allison, Simon (5 September 2017). New Lesotho murders highlight need for military reform. Mail and Guardian. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
4. Dr. Mothibe, T. The Military and Democratisation in Lesotho. National University of Lesotho.
5. Lesotho 'coup' forces PM Thabane to South Africa Archived 2 August 2018 at the Wayback Machine. BBC. 30 August 2014.
6. Lesotho PM Thabane returns home after fleeing 'coup' Archived 29 October 2018 at the Wayback Machine. BBC. 3 September 2014
7. In Lesotho, military and politics make a dangerous mix. France 24. Published 9 September 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
8. "Commander of Lesotho defense force shot dead: defense official". Retrieved 5 September 2017.
9. SADC fore deployed in Lesotho after killing of army commander. Times Live. Published 4 December 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
10. "Cabo Ligado Weekly: 30 August-5 September". Cabo Ligado (ACLED, Zitamar News, Mediafax). 7 September 2021. Retrieved 13 September 2021.
11. Jones, Richard D., ed. (January 27, 2009). Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010 (35th ed.). Jane's Information Group. ISBN 978-0-7106-2869-5.
12. Berman, Eric G. (March 2019). Beyond Blue Helmets: Promoting Weapons and Ammunition Management in Non-UN Peace Operations (PDF). Small Arms Survey/MPOME. p. 43. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 3, 2019.
13. Jane's Special Forces Recognition Guide, Ewen Southby-Tailyour (2005) p. 446.
14. BICC, p. 4.
15. Jones & Ness 2009.
16. Military Balance 2016, p. 340.
17. International Institute for Strategic Studies (2021). The Military Balance. p. 473. ISBN 9781032012278.
18. "World Air Forces 2023". Flightglobal Insight. 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2022.

Works cited

• Bonn International Center for Conversion. Lee-Enfield SMLE (PDF) (Report). SALW Guide: Global distribution and visual identification. p. 3.
• International Institute for Strategic Studies (February 2016). The Military Balance 2016. Vol. 116. Routlegde. ISBN 9781857438352.
• Jones, Richard D.; Ness, Leland S., eds. (27 January 2009). Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010 (35th ed.). Coulsdon: Jane's Information Group. ISBN 978-0-7106-2869-5.