Armed Forces of the Republic of the Congo
The Armed Forces of the Republic of the Congo (French: Forces armées de la République du Congo), also less formally denoted as the Forces armées congolaises or its acronym FAC, are the military forces of the Republic of the Congo. They consist of the Congolese Army, the Congolese Air Force, the Congolese Marine (Navy), and the Congolese National Gendarmerie. The dissolution of French Equatorial Africa in 1958, and France's impending military withdrawal from the Congo in August 1960, provided the impetus for the formation of the FAC. The FAC and state paramilitary agencies are headed by an Armed Forces Chief of General Staff, usually appointed by the President of the Republic of the Congo. Major General Guy Blanchard Okoï has served as chief of staff since 2012.
| Armed Forces of the Republic of the Congo | |
|---|---|
| Forces Armées de la République du Congo | |
| Founded | 15 August 1960 |
| Current form | 16 January 1961 |
| Service branches | Army (Ground Force) Air Force Marine Gendarmerie |
| Headquarters | Brazzaville |
| Leadership | |
| President | Denis Sassou Nguesso |
| Minister of National Defense | Charles Richard Mondjo |
| Chief of General Staff | Guy Blanchard Okoï |
| Personnel | |
| Military age | 20 |
| Active personnel | 10,000 (2014) |
| Expenditures | |
| Budget | $705 million (2015) |
| Percent of GDP | 8.4 (2015) |
| Industry | |
| Domestic suppliers | None |
| Related articles | |
| Ranks | Military ranks of Republic of the Congo |