Military of Mauritius

Military of Mauritius

Coat of arms of Mauritius
Service branches National Police Force
paramilitary Special Force
National Coast Guard
Expenditures
Budget $9.1 million (FY01)
Percent of GDP 0.19%[1] (2012 est.)

Mauritius does not have a standing army. All military, police, and security functions are carried out by 10,000 active-duty personnel under the command of the Commissioner of Police. The 8,000-member National Police Force is responsible for domestic law enforcement. The 1,500-member Special Mobile Force (SMF) and the 500-member National Coast Guard are the only two paramilitary units in Mauritius. Both units are composed of police officers on lengthy rotations to those services.[2][3][4]

Organisation and Training

The SMF is organized as a ground infantry unit, with six rifle companies, two mobilisable paramilitary companies, and one engineer company, according to the IISS Military Balance 2007. It engages extensively in civic works projects. The Coast Guard has four patrol craft for search-and-rescue missions and surveillance of territorial waters. A 100-member police helicopter squadron assists in search-and-rescue operations. There also is a special supporting unit of 270 members trained in riot control.

Military advisers from India and United Kingdom work with the SMF, the Coast Guard, and the Police Helicopter Unit, and Mauritian police officers are trained in India, United Kingdom and France. India and United States provides training to Mauritian Coast Guard officers in such fields as seamanship and maritime law enforcement.

Equipment

A Alvis Saladin like this one is used by Mauritius

Personal Weapons

Artillery

Vehicles

Aircraft

In March 1990 one radar equipped HAL Do 228-101 were ordered from India to form a maritime surveillance element by July 1991. These aircraft were reinforced in 1992 by a single twin turbo prop BN-2T Maritime Defender for coastal patrol work. Another HAL Do 228 -202 was added to the fleet in 2004[2][3][4]

A Mauritius Alouette III landing aboard USS Arleigh Burke
Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Maritime Air Squadron
Dornier Do 228 India Maritime Patrol/ Radar Surveillance 101 1[7] Capable of Short Field Landing

Super Marec Radar

BN-2T Defender United kingdom Martime Patrol/ Coastal Visual Surveillance 1[7]
Dornier Do 228 India Maritime Patrol/ Radar Surveillance 202 1 Israeli ELTA Ver 2 Maritime Patrol Radar
Dornier Do 228 India Maritime Patrol/ Radar Surveillance 202 0 Israeli ELTA Ver 3 Maritime Patrol Radar with FLIR
Police Helicopter Squadron
Alouette III France SAR / utility SA316B 2[7]
AS355 France utility AS355 SN 1[7]
HAL Dhruv India utility 1[8] operates under the National Police force
Mil Mi-26 Russia utility
Bell 47 United States light helicopter

Vessels

On 4 March 2011, the Mauritian Coast Guard signed a contract with PSU Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, for the construction of an offshore patrol vessel (OPV).[9] The 1,300 tonne OPV will be 74.1 m long 11.40 m wide, and capable of a maximum speed of 20 knots. The OPV is to be delivered by September 2014. On 2 August 2013, it was christened MCGS Barracuda.

Naval Ensign

References

  1. ↑ "The World Factbook". Cia.gov. Retrieved 2014-11-14.
  2. 1 2 IISS Military Balance 2007
  3. 1 2 IISS Military Balance 2010
  4. 1 2 World Aircraft Information Files; Brightstar Publishing; File 331, Sheet 4
  5. ↑ Hogg, Ian (1989). Jane's Infantry Weapons 1989-90, 15th Edition. Jane's Information Group. pp. 826–836. ISBN 0710608896.
  6. ↑ http://www.fazsoi.defense.gouv.fr/les-fazsoi/breves/55-sauvetage-au-combat-de-niveau-1-sc1-a-l-ile-maurice.html?highlight=YTozOntpOjA7czozOiJpbGUiO2k6MTtzOjc6Im1hdXJpY2UiO2k6MjtzOjExOiJpbGUgbWF1cmljZSI7fQ==
  7. 1 2 3 4 "World Air Forces 2004" pg. 74" (PDF). Flightglobal Insight. 2015. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  8. ↑ "Supply of 'DHRUV' Advanced Light Helicopter". indiahighcom. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
  9. ↑ http://idrw.org/?p=25172

See also

 This article incorporates public domain material from the CIA World Factbook document "2003 edition".

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