Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force

Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force
Founded	1 November 1981
Current form	1995
Service branches	Antigua and Barbuda Regiment Antigua and Barbuda Coast Guard Antigua and Barbuda Cadet Corps
Headquarters	Camp Blizard
Leadership
Minister of Defense	Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer
Chief of staff	Colonel Trevor Thomas
Manpower
Military age	18
Available for military service	18,952 males, age 15–49, 18,360 females, age 15–49
Fit for military service	14,859 males, age 15–49, 14,947 females, age 15–49
Reaching military age annually	507 males, 494 females
Active personnel	170 (1998)
Reserve personnel	75 (1998)
Expenditures
Percent of GDP	0.7%

The Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force' is the armed force of Antigua and Barbuda. The RABDF has responsibility for several different roles: internal security, prevention of drug smuggling, the protection and support of fishing rights, prevention of marine pollution, search and rescue, ceremonial duties, assistance to government programs, provision of relief during natural disasters, assistance in the maintenance of essential services and support of the police in maintaining law and order.

The RABDF is the world's smallest military, consisting of 245 people. It is thus much better equipped for fulfilling its civil roles as opposed to providing a deterrence against would-be aggressors or in defending the nation during a war.

Organization

The RABDF consists of four major units:

• 1st Battalion, Antigua and Barbuda Regiment - this is the infantry unit and fighting arm of the defence force.
• Service and Support Unit - established in 1997, this provides administrative, logistic and engineer support to the rest of the defence force.
• Coast Guard: 45

This is the maritime element of the defence force, and is divided into four units:

• • Commanding Officer's office
  • Engineer Unit
  • Administration Unit
  • Flotilla - the flotilla is the operational part of the Coast Guard, and consists of 3 vessels.
    • 1 Dauntless
    • 1 Point
    • 1 Swift
• Antigua and Barbuda Cadet Corps

Former Deployments

• In 1982 14 men of the Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force were deployed to Grenada during the Operation Urgent Fury.
• 1990 12 soldiers were sent to Trinidad after a failed coup attempt by radical Black Muslims against the constitutionally elected government headed by Prime Minister A.N.R. Robinson.
• In the year 1995 members of the Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force were deployed in Haiti as a Part of Operation Uphold Democracy.^[1]

Alliances

•  United Kingdom - The Mercian Regiment

See also

• Monarchy in Antigua and Barbuda

References

1. ^ http://www.cavehill.uwi.edu/bnccde/antigua/conference/papers/phillips.html

External links

• Article on the ABDF by Dr Dion Phillips