National popular army (Algeria)

History

On the historical level, this army is the heiress of the armed wing of the Front of national release (FLN), the Armée with national release (ALN), which fought the French Army , of 1954 with 1962 (Accords of Evian). Part of the members of this paramilitary group will compose its original framework basic officers and soldiers. After 8 years of a war with the important human consequences, Algeria appears with the eyes of the Tiers-monde like a symbol of the fight for the self-determination of the people.

The positions anticolonialists of its government as well as the ideological inscription of the nation in the socialist sphere (context of the Cold war), will reinforce the bringing together with the Soviet Union. This is why the National popular army became with the independence of Algeria the second African country, after the Egypt, to obtain the largest military aid of Moscow. It is advisable to recall that this bond with the Soviet Union was already important at the time of the war of independence. Indeed, of the units of the ALN had base camps in Libya and Egypt, where they profited in particular from the support of Soviet military advisers. One will attend with bloody settlings of score between the armed with the borders which was during the war of independence stationed in Tunisia and Morocco and the men of the maquis of the Wilaya for the control of the capacity after independence.

In October 1963, the Moroccan armed under the orders with its new king Hassan II exploits the interior situation of Algeria to tackle certain border regions for the annexation of part of enters (in particular Tlemcen and Tindouf), violent one engagements occurred between the two armies, but Algeria supported militarily by Cuba and the Egypt, managed to push back the Moroccan aggression, thereafter a mediation of OAU ends up ratifying a cease-fire between the two parts. Two years later, the June 19th 1965 took place a Coup d'etat which carried Houari Boumédiène to the capacity in the place of Ben Bella.

The January 27th 1976, burst a second conflict between Algeria and Morocco. This last country affirmed its territorial aimings by annexing the the Sahara Occidental, while Algeria, refusing the extension of its neighbor in the name of the intangibility of the borders inherited the colonial era and the principle the Autodétermination the people (position reaffirmed by UNO); Moroccan rhetoric interprets as for it the position expressed by Algeria like a will of this one to borrow a corridor towards the Atlantique, which would in particular enable him to export its oil as its important iron ore of Parked profitable Jbilet of manner. The engagements were focused primarily with Amgala and were completed by the withdrawal of the Moroccan troops of this area sahraouie.

But the most disturbed time occurred when the army proceeded to the interruprion of the legislative elections in 1991, various groups Islamiques began a bloody Insurrection then where the Terrorisme and the Guerilla made rage. This conflict made more 100 000 died until the rendering of the Islamic army of the hello and the defeat in 2002 of the Islamic Group armed, however, of the combat and the attacks still take place sporadically always in certain sectors.

Structures

The Algerian army always profited from an special attention for its equipment. A statute facilitated in particular by the important basket obtained by the sales of Gas and Hydrocarbon S, with the profit of the countries partners.

The country is divided into six military regions, each one including/understanding a district-general. A diagram of organization adopted during the war of independence is maintained after this one, in order to keep at the same time a control of the borders (recurring tensions with the Morocco on the question of the the Western Sahara, organized crime in the desert, etc), and to fight against the potential insurrections. Each regional command is responsible for the administration of the military infrastructures, logistics, the housing and the training of the conscripts. At its head, there exists a Staff (directed today by the chief of staff Gaïd Salah) which coordinates the whole of the military activities and fight against Terrorisme with the support of the commanders of the forces terrestrial, air, DAT (air defense of the territory) and naval. However the function of chief of staff lost much of his influence to the profit of the function of deputy secretary to the defense held by A. Guenaïzia and of the general secretary of the ministry for defense the general - major Sanhadji. Guenaïzia exerts also its authority with respect to the national gendarmerie whose chief is the general - major Boustila.

However, the capacity of the army in the country also forms a very complex binomial with the political power thanks to the influence of DRS (intelligence services): a structure inherited the context of independence, with the staff of the Armed with national release which in parallel worked with the Provisional government of the Algerian Republic (GPRA). This diagram forever be free from tensions the cancellation following the example of of the elections of December 1991 or of the resignation of Liamine Zeroual of its president's function of the republic. Today, this diagram is known as persisting even if the president Bouteflika work currently for a reinforcement of the “ civil capacity ” within the State. However, this exercise proves always delicate.

In July 2006, president Bouteflika raised with the rank of lieutenant-general of army (the most rank of the ANP, having been held until this date only by the only former Head of State major Mohamed Lamari) the generals majors Gaïed Salah (the oldest CEM and of the generals), Mohamed Mediène (DRS) and Abbas Ghezeiel (more the former general - major in activity and ex-chief of the gendarmerie, currently military adviser of Bouteflika). These three generals played an important role in the setting with the variation of the former Head of State major Mohamed Lamari and while giving their support for the re-election of president Bouteflika in 2004.

Army

This information can be supplemented by what follows:

Special forces of intervention parachutists: 17 BP, adapted to the fight against terrorism and the incursions in enemy territory whose distinctive sign is the port of the red, green, and black beret. Formed with the close combat with the EATS (School of application of the special troops) to Biskra thanks to martial art to Kuksool of Korean origin.
Several intermediate-range missiles of manufacture Chinese and Russian.
4 companies of manufacture of light weapons in Algeria of all sizes providing inter alia AK-47 as well as other models of light weapons.

Air force

Navy

See also: Historical of the Algerian Navy

The principal naval bases are located at Mers el Kébir close to Oran (450 km western of Algiers) and at Jijel with approximately 300 km in the east of Algiers.

History of the Algerian Navy

After independence

After the independence of 1962, the Algerian National marine, under the impulse of colonel Mohamed Benmoussat (1962-1978), started to develop, with the acquisition of various naval units in Italy such Baglietto and Mangusta for the coastguards, then the acquisition of units larger and better armed in the USSR, in particular DARED them I and II, the minelayers T-43 as well as high-speed motorboats of monitoring.

In 1969, the military port of Mers El Kebir was recovered, giving to Algeria the opportunity to develop shipyards.

The Algerian Navy developed considerably during the Années 1980. It took delivery of in all:

two traditional submarines of the Romeo class in 1982/1983
three frigates anti-submarine of the Koni class between 1980 and 1984, armed with surface-to-air missiles Gecko and four guns of 76mm
three corvettes missile launcher between 1980 and 1983, equipped all three with 4 surface-to-surface missiles and 20 Gecko missiles.

Several fast patrol boats of British design of the class El Kebir. The first two units were produced in the United Kingdom and the others with the building site of Seas El Kebir. The Navy also has 3 landing ships, two English of the class Kalaat Beni Hamed and a polnochny Polish. The two last major units to be imported before the fall of the USSR were the two submarines of the Classe Kilo in 1987 and 1988.

Modernization

During the crisis of the Years 1990, the Western experts said that the Navy could not make any more go the totality of its ships, in particular DARED them, Nanuchka and Koni. But it was without counting on the technical prowesses which the engineers of Mers El Kebir had carried out. In the shipyards, spare parts were manufactured to maintain the fleet operational, especially that the parts did not arrive any more Russia. In 1996, it passed officially from the statute of Navy of littoral to that of navy of open sea. The Navy after several studies decided to start a vast program of modernization. The French having refused to provide missiles Exocet under pretext of not unbalance the balance of the forces between Morocco and Algeria, the SS-N-2 Styx were exchanged with systems much more modern SS-N-25. One of the 3 Koni was equipped with torpedes, the OSA-II accepted all from the SS-N-2C, with a larger operating range. But most important it was the development and the construction of 3 Corvettes of the class Djebel Chneoua. These last, equipped with Chinese missiles C-802 of 120km of range, of anti-submarine systems of combat and anti-aircraft missiles, currently represent the principal units of combat of the Navy. In the future, other units of this type will be brought to replace the Nanuchka old women of Soviet origin.

The acknowledged goal of the Navy was reached with a total self-sufficiency as regards acquisition of new units of combat. The last ship to be imported will be the future flagship of the Navy. Currently in the course of construction in Chinese shipyards, it will have an overall length of more than 120m for a weight higher than 5000 tons. It will have capacities of anti-ship, anti-submarine and anti-aircraft combat and will have in more the capacity to transport several helicopters.

Devices

Today the Navy is strong of 25.000 men who are distributed through the various naval bases of the national coast which is divided into three frontages, is directed starting from the port of Annaba, centers directed by the Admiralty of the Algiers (seat of the Command of the Naval forces) and West, most important and which uses the seaport El Kebir. Its main mission is the defense of the national coasts against any foreign incursion.

The maritime air patrols and the aerial cover are ensured by the air Defense of Territory (DAT). The missions of support are ensured by the SU-24Bis/MK bombers and the reconnaissance missions by Fokker 27 and the B-200T. Helicopters KA-32 used for the naval missions are under the authority of the AAF and are used for missions SAR or the detection of submarines. For the air drives, the planes of AAF make major annual operations with the Navy, whereas of Mirach-100 are used for the surface-to-air missiles of the naval units. Coastal defense as for it, uses transportable batteries of SSC-3 Styxx which is the version on the ground of the SS-N-2C, as well as transportable batteries of SS-N-25 Uran, naval version of the KH-35. In more the changes in the systems of weapons can only add to the force of the Navy, in particular the introduction of modern missiles, SS-N-25 and anti-ship C-802 instead of the SS-N-2C, and the installation of air-to-air missiles SA-N-10 instead of the old SA-N-4. The Navy as has systems IF allowing to differentiate the friendly materials and enemies as they are ships or fighters.

Objectives

The school of the Navy of Tamenfoust trains the principal members of the Navy in the fields of the navigation and the use of the various types of armaments. It has a simulator of navigation which makes it possible to the future commanders to have a quite precise idea of the navigation and on the use of the means of communication and of combat in the various taxable cases by computers. Real operations are then carried out to put the officers and the sailors under real conditions of combat. The two submarines of the class Kilo 877, also offer to Algeria the occasion to enjoy an important advantage in the Western Mediterranean, in particular after the modernization which they knew in Russia in 2001, and during which a double hull of Albacore form covered with an anechoic resin their was installed, which decreases their signature radar and makes them practically undetectable.

Other missions of routine, missions SAR. It is the detection and the rescue of the clandestine immigrants, in particular those deviating towards the west coast of the country. Each year, more than 300 clandestine of sub-Saharan or Moroccan origin are helped by the ships of the National marine. These clandestine is especially victims of breakdowns of engines which make them deviate of their goal of origin, the Spanish coasts. Other missions of this type, are carried out on the east coast. These last relate to clandestine Subsahariens which has as a starting point the coasts Libya. Very often the Tunisian Marine requests the assistance of the Algerian Navy for research and the rescue the clandestine ones moving primarily towards Malta and the Italy.

The fight anti-mastiff and antiterrorist also appears in the missions of the Navy, especially after the dispersion of Al-Qaida and the fear of attacks against the civil tankers and ships. These five last years saw an important bringing together with NATO, in particular with the organization of operations Naval Aviation with the American Marine, with use of nuclear submarines, destroyers, corvettes, high-speed motorboats, frigates, plane P-3, Ka-32 helicopters, in addition to the engagement of bombers SU-24 (a). In September 2003, the Algerian Navy was with the Egyptian Navy the two only Navy of southern bank of the Mediterranean to be invited to take part for the first time to joint operations between country of NATO and Eastern Europe.

Geopolitical statute of Algeria

the Algerian army constitutes one of the principal military powers of the Continent African and of the Arab Monde, it carried out as from the year 2000 the replacement of a considerable quantity of obsolete material.

In particular in 2006 and 2007, of the agreements were signed between Algeria and Russia concerning of important acquisitions of military materials. The whole of the contracts signed with Russia in two years rises with an entire amount of 15 billion dollars, making to Algeria the first customer of Russia abroad for the sales of weapons.

Since the end of the Years 1990, Algeria launched out in a process of professionalisation which generated a fall of its manpower to the profit of an intensive modernization of its army.
the Budget of defense rises to approximately 2,8 billion Euros.
From the central position that occupies Algeria in North Africa (only country of the area to divide seven land borders), the Algerian army for this reason represents a factor of stabilization which takes part to underlie the activism of the Algerian diplomacy on the level of the under-area.
Starting from the year 2000, Algeria and NATO engaged a dialog which is translated on the ground by common operations which engage on the one hand the Algerian Navy with the various partners who compose NATO, the objective being to found a device for the security of the strategic points in the Mediterranean.

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