Namibian Army

The Namibian Army is the ground warfare branch of the Namibian Defence Force.

Namibian Army
Emblem of the Namibian Army
Founded	3 September 1990; 34 years ago (1990-09-03)
Country	Namibia
Type	Army
Part of	Namibian Defence Force
Garrison/HQ	Grootfontein, Otjozondjupa Region, Namibia
Anniversaries	3 September 1990[1]
Engagements	Caprivi Conflict Second Congo War United Nations Mission in Liberia
Commanders
Commander-In-Chief	Nangolo Mbumba
Minister of Defence	Frans Kapofi
Army Commander	Major General Aktofel Nambahu[2]
Insignia
Flag

History

Development of Namibia's army was the fastest of the three arms of service. The first units of the Army were deployed as early as 1990. The Army was formed when the two former enemies South West African Territorial Force and the People's Liberation Army of Namibia were inducted after Namibia's independence into the newly created Namibian Defence Force.

Role

Wer'wolf MKII on parade in downtown Windhoek on 20 March 2015 during Namibia's Independence celebrations

The Ministry of Defence has outlined the Army policy as follows:

"The Army's principal roles will continue to be as already outlined in the defence policy. The Army will strive to maximise its operational effectiveness through the recruitment of the best young men and women who wish to pursue a military career, their effective training and employment. The Army's equipment priorities are improved troop-lift capacity (road and air); engineer, artillery, anti-tank and air defence and communication systems: the aim being to create a secure, integrated, efficient and cost-effective systems." "The Army will remain a well-disciplined and accountable, professional (all volunteer) force; it will include development of a Reserve; it will continue to train along the lines of other Commonwealth armies; it will train with other Namibian forces (such as the police) to rehearse plans for aid to the civil authorities, civil ministries and civil community; and it will promote a good public image and contribute to the communities in which it is based."^[3]

Organisation

The Army is a hierarchical organisation, with the Army commander exercising overall command. The Army headquarters are located at Grootfontein military base,a former SADF logistics base. The Army has several thousand members. Senior Army officers also dominate staff positions at Defence Headquarters.

Deployments

Ural Logistics Truck

Local deployments

See also: Caprivi conflict

The Namibian Army had a convoy service on Namibia's Trans Caprivi Highway which runs from Otavi, Grootfontein, Rundu, Katima Mulilo until Ngoma border post on the Namibia and Botswana border. The convoy system ran twice daily between Bagani and Kongola in the then Caprivi region. The convoy system was run from 2000 till 2002.^[4][5]

SADC deployments

Angola (Operation Mandume ya Ndemufayo)
The Namibian Army also deployed troops to help fight UNITA insurgents active in and around the Kavango region. The operation codenamed Mandume ya Ndemufayo was a response to UNITA attacks on Namibian citizens. The Namibian cross-border pursuit operations were carried out with consent of the Angolan government.^[6] At least two soldiers were killed in operation Mandume ya Ndemufayo.^[7] In an operation between 30 January 2001 to 14 February 2001 an estimated 19 UNITA rebels were killed while various weaponry such as anti-tank and anti-personnel landmines, and assault rifles ranging from AK-47 and R-1s were recovered.^[8] In a joint operation with the Angolan Armed Forces, the Namibian Defence Force in May 2001 helped dislodge UNITA from Mavinga in May 2001.^[9]

Democratic Republic of the Congo (Operation Atlantic)
The Namibian Army deployed a battle group during the Second Congo War that numbered about 2000 troops and consisted of Infantry, Artillery, Signals, and Air Force Detachments. The first commander of the battle group was Brigadier James Auala.^[10][11] About 30 Namibian Serviceman died in the DRC operations.^[12] The Operation was Code named Atlantic . The SADC coalition force commander was always a Zimbabwean and deputy force commander a Namibian, and the Chief of Staff was an Angolan.^[13] 11 Namibian soldiers were held as prisoners of war in Rwanda, they were released in June 2000.^[14] The soldiers were captured in April 1999 in the Lusambo area which is about 120 kilometers east of Mbuji-Mayi.^[15] In January 2001 after Laurent-Désiré Kabila's death the Namibian army contingent was reinforced to not only provide security to Heads of States at the funeral but also to reinforce the SADC contingents in Kinshasa and Lubumbashi.^[16] Namibia was also the first foreign country to withdraw its troops and by September 2001 all Namibian soldiers had been withdrawn.^[17] Seven soldiers who have been missing in action have since been declared dead. The seven had gone missing around the Deya River close to Kabalo, Deya-Katutu, and Lusambo areas.^[18] 137 soldiers that had survived the encirclement during the siege of Ikela were presented with commendation medals.^[19]

UN deployments

Ural fuel Truck

• UNAMIC - The army deployed a company-sized unit to UNAMIC.^[1]
• United Nations Angola Verification Mission III (UNAVEM III)
• MONUA
• United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL)

For the peacekeeping operation in Liberia the Namibian Army contribution was known as Namibian Battalion (NAMBATT) and about 800 infantry troops per NAMBATT contingent were mustered to form a battalion for this operation. Troops were rotated and rotations numbered up to NAMBATT V. A NAMBATT contingent commanding officer stated his unit was to comprise "two Mot Inf Coys, two rifle companies, headquarters company, and fire support company while the battalion is equipped with 10 Wolf APC's, 12 Casspir APC's and 11 WER Wolf APC's".^[20]

Unit structure

The standard operational units are structured according to the British commonwealth system:^[21]

Type of unit	Division	Brigade	Battalion / Regiment	Company / Squadron	Platoon / Troop	Section
Contains	2–3 Brigades	3–5 Battalions	5–7 Companies	3 Platoons	3 Sections	2 Fire Teams
Personnel	10,000	5,000	550–900	120	30	8–10
Commanded by	Maj-Gen	Brig-Gen	Lt Col	Maj	Capt, Lt or 2nd Lt	Cpl

Units

WZ-523 IFV

Air Defence Corps

• Air Defence Brigade

Artillery Corps

• 4 Artillery Brigade
  • 12 Artillery Regiment
  • 44 Artillery Regiment^[22]
  • 46 Artillery Regiment
  • 21 Artillery Regiment^[23]
  • 26 Artillery Regiment

Infantry Corps

• 21 Motorised Infantry Brigade^[23]
  • 21 Guard Battalion^[24]
  • 211 Battalion^[25]
  • 212 Battalion^[23]
  • 213 Mechanized Infantry Battalion

Based in Windhoek

• 12 Motorised Infantry Brigade^[26]
  • 124 Battalion
  • 125 Battalion

Based at Walvis Bay^[27]

• • 126 Battalion

Based in Gobabis.^[28]

• 26 Motorised Infantry Brigade^[29]
  • 261 Motorized Infantry Battalion^[30]

Based in Rundu. The commanding officer is Lt Col Liyali Given Numwa who succeeded Lt Col David Diyeve.^[29]

• • 262 Motorized Infantry Battalion

Based in Katima Mulilo. Previous commanding officers include Erastus Kashopola.

• • 263 Motorized Infantry Battalion

Based at Oshakati.^[31] The current commanding officer is Lt Col Wesley Muruko. Previous commanding officers included Erastus Kashopola and Colonel Abed Mukumangeni.

Engineer Corps

• Engineer Regiment

Based in Otavi^[27]

Logistics Formation

• Logistic Support Battalion (Namibia)^[32]

Provost Corps

• Military Police Battalion

Recce Formation

• Recce Regiment^[33]

Signals Corps

• Signal Regiment

Training Corps

• Army Battle School (Namibia) Oshivelo

Based at the former Oshivelo SADF training base, transformed into an army battle school. The commandant of the battle school is Colonel H. Mvula who succeeded Colonel Joel Kapala ^[34] as-off 6 January 2015, Colonel Kapala succeed Colonel Kashindi Eusebi Kashindi.^[35]

• Technical Training Centre (TTC)^[36]

The Army TTC offers training to army soldiers covering mechanics and electrical configurations of armaments, military weapons, and equipment^[37]

• Army School of Artillery

Based at the Oluno Military Base, the school is responsible for the training requirement of all soldiers specializing to become artillery gunners.^[38] Lt Col Ambrosius Kwedhi is the commandant of the School.

Command Structure

Army commander

The position of Army commander is held by a commissioned officer with the rank of major general. The Army Commander exercises the overall command of the Army. The current Army commander is Major General Matheus Alueendo.

• 1990-2000 Maj-Gen Solomon Huwala
• 2000-2005 Maj-Gen Martin Shalli
• 2005-2011 Maj-Gen Peter Nambundunga
• 2011-2013 Maj-Gen John Mutwa
• 2013-2017 Maj-Gen Tomas Hamunyela
• 2017-2019 Maj-Gen Nestor Shali Shalauda
• 2019–2022 Maj-Gen Matheus Alueendo
• 2022–present Maj-Gen Aktofel Nambahu

Senior Appointments

Sleeve insignia	Appointment	Rank and Name
	Army Commander	Major General Aktofel Nambahu
	Deputy Army Commander	Brigadier General Andreas Diyeve
	General Officer Commanding 21 Motorised Infantry Brigade	Brigadier General Johannes Shimweetheleni
	General Officer Commanding 12 Motorised Infantry Brigade	Brigadier General Natanael Endjala
	General Officer Commanding 26 Motorised Infantry Brigade	Brigadier General Paulus Iipinge
	General Officer Commanding 4 Artillery Brigade	Brigadier General
	General Officer Commanding Air Defence Brigade	Brigadier General Patrick Owen Orange

Army equipment

Small arms

Name	Image	Caliber	Type	Origin	Notes
Pistols
Makarov PM		9×18mm	Semi-automatic pistol	Soviet Union
CZ-75		9×19mm	Semi-automatic pistol	Czechoslovak Socialist Republic
Browning Hi-Power[39]		9×19mm	Semi-automatic pistol	Belgium
Submachine guns
Sten		9×19mm	Submachine gun	United Kingdom
Sterling		9×19mm	Submachine gun	United Kingdom
PP-19 Vityaz[40]		9×19mm	Submachine gun	Russia
Rifles
SKS[41]		7.62×39mm	Semi-automatic rifle	Soviet Union
AK-103[40]		7.62×39mm	Assault rifle	Russia
AK-105[40]		5.45×39mm	Carbine Assault rifle	Russia
Lee-Enfield[citation needed]		.303 British	Bolt-action rifle	British Empire
Sniper rifles
Mosin-Nagant		7.62×54mmR	Bolt-action Sniper rifle	Russian Empire
SVD		7.62×54mmR	Designated marksman rifle Sniper rifle	Soviet Union
Machine guns
RPK[40]		7.62×39mm	Squad automatic weapon	Soviet Union
RPK-74[40]		5.45×39mm	Squad automatic weapon	Soviet Union
PKP Pecheneg[40]		7.62×54mmR	General-purpose machine gun	Russia
FN MAG		7.62×51mm	General-purpose machine gun	Belgium
NSV «Utyos»[40]		12.7×108mm	Heavy machine gun	Soviet Union
Kord[40]		.50 BMG	Heavy machine gun	Russia
KPV		14.5×114mm	Heavy machine gun	Soviet Union
Browning M2		.50 BMG	Heavy machine gun	United States
Rocket propelled grenade launchers
RPG-7[42]		40mm	Rocket-propelled grenade	Soviet Union
RPG-75[41]		68mm	Rocket-propelled grenade	Czechoslovak Socialist Republic
Grenade launchers
GP-25		40mm	Grenade launcher	Soviet Union
AGS-30[40]		30×29mm	Automatic grenade launcher	Russia
QLZ-87[citation needed]		35×32mm	Automatic grenade launcher	China

Anti-tank weapons

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Caliber	Notes
B-10[citation needed]		Recoilless rifle	Soviet Union	82mm
9M133 Kornet[43]		Anti-tank missile	Russia

Vehicles

Vehicles of the Namibian Army are made up of a variety of suppliers including those from the former Soviet Union, Russia, Brazil, & South Africa. Some vehicles were donated by SWAPO, formerly a liberation movement which later became the ruling party of the country at independence, and SWATF, the security force of the then South West Africa administration. The army has received WZ523 Infantry Fighting Vehicles from China which serve with mechanized infantry units. These vehicles are supplemented by the Namibian made Wolf series of MRAPs. South African made Casspirs are also in service which were inherited from the South-West Africa Territorial Force. To enhance mobility it was announced that the Army will receive the Agrale Marruá which appeared at the 25th Independence celebration parade in 2015 and are primarily used by the Namibian Special Forces.^[44]

Tanks

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Quantity	Status	Notes
T-54		Medium tank	Soviet Union	7[45]

Scout cars

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Quantity	Status	Notes
BRDM-2		Amphibious armored scout car	Soviet Union	12[46]

Armored personnel carriers

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Quantity	Status	Notes
BTR-60		Amphibious Armored personnel carrier	Soviet Union	10[47]
WZ-523		Armored personnel carrier	China	21[48]		Armed with 2A28 Grom.[49]

Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Quantity	Status	Notes
Wer'wolf MKII		MRAP	Namibia	400[50]
Casspir		MRAP	South Africa  South Africa	20[46]

Utility vehicles

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Quantity	Status	Notes
Agrale Marruá		Light Utility Vehicle	Brazil	141[44]		Being assembled locally.
Toyota Hilux		Utility vehicle	Japan	Unknown
Toyota Land Cruiser		Utility vehicle	Japan	Unknown
Dongfeng EQ2050		Utility Vehicle	China
Trucks
Ural-375		Utility Truck	Soviet Union	Unknown
Ural-4320		Utility Truck	Russia	183[51]		Delivered in October 2015.
MAN KAT1		Utility Truck	West Germany	Unknown
XC2200		Utility Truck	China	Unknown
Steyr 91		Utility Truck	Austria	Unknown
SAMIL 100		Utility Truck	South Africa  Germany	160[12]		Donated by South Africa in the late 1990s. With German Motors

Artillery

Artillery is also dominated by Soviet-era weapons, also donated by SWAPO. They have been supplemented by 24 G2 artillery donated by South Africa.^[52]

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Quantity	Status	Notes
Rocket artillery
BM-21 Grad		Multiple rocket launcher	Soviet Union	5[45]
PHL-81		Multiple rocket launcher	China
Type 63 multiple rocket launcher		Multiple rocket launcher	China
Field artillery
ZiS-2		Anti-tank gun	Soviet Union	6[42]
ZiS-3		Field gun	Soviet Union	12[47]
QF-25		Howitzer	United Kingdom	8[45]
G2		Howitzer	United Kingdom  South Africa	24[48]

Anti aircraft weapons

Air defence equipment of the Army is also made up of Soviet-era weaponry.

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Quantity	Status	Notes
ZPU-4		Anti-aircraft gun	Soviet Union	40[47]
ZU-23-2		Autocannon	Soviet Union	12[47]
9K32 Strela-2		MANPADS	Soviet Union	[53]

Special Forces

The Army commandos and airborne paratroopers are part of the Namibian Special Forces.

Ranks and insignia

Army ranks are based on Commonwealth ranks. The highest rank in peace time a commissioned officer can attain in the army is major general. There may, however, be an exception when an army officer is appointed as Chief of the Defence Force, for which the individual will ascend to the lieutenant general. The highest rank an enlisted member can attain is warrant officer class 1.

Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank group	General / flag officers										Senior officers						Junior officers
Namibian Army[54] v t e
			General		Lieutenant general		Major general		Brigadier general		Colonel		Lieutenant colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			Second lieutenant

Other ranks

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Rank group	Senior NCOs																						Junior NCOs						Enlisted
Namibian Army[54] v t e																													No insignia
	Warrant officer class 1						Warrant officer class 2		Staff sergeant		Sergeant												Corporal				Lance corporal		Private (or equivalent)

Citations

1. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 July 2015. Retrieved 28 June 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
2. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 11 December 2017. Retrieved 10 December 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
3. "Ministry of Defence". Archived from the original on 25 January 2017.
4. "News". www.mod.gov.na. Archived from the original on 5 October 2006. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
5. "Convoy system suspended in Caprivi". IRIN. 17 June 2002. Archived from the original on 20 November 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
6. "Namibian troops pursue bandits in southern Angola". IRIN. 23 May 2001. Archived from the original on 20 November 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
7. "Defence ministry admits to deaths against UNITA". IRIN. 6 August 2001. Archived from the original on 20 November 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
8. "NDF hails Angolan operations as a success". IRIN. 21 February 2001. Archived from the original on 20 November 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
9. "NDF claims major victory against UNITA". IRIN. 17 May 2001. Archived from the original on 20 November 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
10. "Hard Stone Processing Namibia: James V. Auala". www.namibia-seber-diamonds.com. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
11. "Converted from "CON9.TXT"".
12. "Troops home from DRC". IRIN. 4 September 2001. Archived from the original on 20 November 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
13. "Archived copy" (PDF). digital.unam.na. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 June 2015. Retrieved 14 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
14. "NDF captives may be released on Friday". IRIN. 16 June 2000. Archived from the original on 20 November 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
15. "ICRC visits NDF prisoners". IRIN. 30 September 1999. Archived from the original on 20 November 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
16. "More troops sent to DRC". IRIN. 25 January 2001. Archived from the original on 20 November 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
17. "Namibia to withdraw all troops by end of August". IRIN. 13 July 2001. Archived from the original on 20 November 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
18. Newspaper, The Namibian. "Seven soldiers missing in DRC declared dead". www.namibian.com.na. Archived from the original on 27 April 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
19. "President remains hopeful on DRC". www.namibian.com.na. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
20. "UN Mission In Liberia Decorates Namibian Peacekeepers". Archived from the original on 30 January 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
21. "British Army Formation & Structure". WhoDaresWins.com. 2011. Archived from the original on 29 April 2011. Retrieved 15 April 2011.
22. Tomas, M (July 2011). "Inauguration of 21 Inf Bde Commander". NDF Journal. 41: 4.
23. http://www.mod.gov.na/pdfs/oct-dec%202013.pdf%5B‍%5D
24. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 21 September 2016. Retrieved 7 March 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
25. "Trigger-happy soldier in court". New Era Newspaper Namibia. 22 July 2014. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
26. Dumeni, R (September 2011). "12 Mot int Bde Hosted computer course for trainers". NDF Journal. 49: 7.
27. "NDF Majors rapped over illegal use of truck | Informante". www.informante.web.na. Archived from the original on 20 November 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
28. Tomas, M (December 2013). "Mighty Scorpions Sport tournament". NDF Journal. 46: 10.
29. Tomas, M (December 2014). "Maj Numwa takes over 261 Mot Inf Bn reign". NDF Journal. 54: 16.
30. loop (30 August 2007). "US Assists NDF Training". New Era Newspaper Namibia. Archived from the original on 20 November 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
31. "Pandeni given a hero's farewell". The Namibian. Archived from the original on 19 November 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
32. "Civil supremacy of the military | Namibia". www.namibweb.com. Archived from the original on 28 June 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
33. www.omalaetiit.com, Omalaeti Technologies, Namibia. "Third Defence Force Foundation annual sport tourney concludes". Archived from the original on 12 February 2017. Retrieved 13 July 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
34. "Namibian Broadcasting Corporation - About NBC". Archived from the original on 7 April 2016. Retrieved 26 March 2016.
35. Shino, G (December 2013). "Army Battle School Commandant retires". NDF Journal. 46: 10.
36. "Army training centres open at Grootfontein". The Namibian. Archived from the original on 18 August 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
37. www.omalaetiit.com, Omalaeti Technologies, Namibia. "Army and Airforce Technical Training Centres open at Grootfontei". Archived from the original on 6 August 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
38. Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (31 July 2016), Artillery School-NBC, archived from the original on 18 August 2017, retrieved 13 July 2017
39. "Struggle Kids' break colleague out of Police Station". Archived from the original on 4 September 2015.
40. "Namibia receives Russian small arms". 1 June 2016.
41. Heitman, Helmoed-Romer (1991). Modern African Wars (3): South-West Africa. Osprey Publishing. p. 33. ISBN 978-1-85532-122-9. Archived from the original on 16 May 2016. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
42. Copley, Gregory. Defense & Foreign Affairs Handbook 1994. p. 1207.
43. "Namibia has ordered AT-14 anti-tank missiles". defenceWeb. Archived from the original on 13 May 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
44. Martin, Guy. "Namibia Defence Force orders Marrua vehicles | defenceWeb". www.defenceweb.co.za. Archived from the original on 5 January 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
45. "Scramble for the Congo - Anatomy of an Ugly War" (PDF). ICG Africa. 20 December 2000. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
46. Hussein Solomon (2004). Towards a Common Defence And Security Policy in the Southern African Development Community (2004 ed.). Africa Institute of South Africa. p. 91. ISBN 978-0798301749.
47. Guy Martin. "Namibia Defence Force". Archived from the original on 27 February 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
48. "Trade Registers". Armstrade.sipri.org. Archived from the original on 14 April 2010. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
49. "Namiba fields a new Chinese APCs". Archived from the original on 31 October 2014.
50. Mechanical Demining Equipment Catalogue 2003 (PDF). Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
51. "Army tight-lipped about Russian trucks". 28 October 2015.
52. Leon Engelbrecht. "South African Arms Exports". Archived from the original on 22 January 2016. Retrieved 26 November 2015.
53. International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) (14 February 2018). "The Military Balance 2018". The Military Balance. 118.
54. "Government Notice" (PDF). Government Gazette of the Republic of Namibia. Vol. 4547. 20 August 2010. pp. 99–102. Retrieved 20 December 2021.

Further reading

• People's Liberation Army of Namibia
• South West African Territorial Force