List of equipment of the Ethiopian Army

This is a list of equipment used by the Ethiopian Ground Forces.

Small arms

Name	Image	Caliber	Type	Origin	Notes
Pistols
PM [1]		9×18mm	Semi-automatic pistol	Soviet Union	Standard issue pistol.
CZ 52 [2]		7.62×25mm	Semi-automatic pistol	Czechoslovakia
Submachine guns
MAB 38 [1]		9×19mm	Submachine gun	Italy
Type-54 [1]		7.62×25mm	Submachine gun	Soviet Union China
Uzi [1]		9×19mm	Submachine gun	Israel
Rifles
Vz. 52 [3]		7.62×45mm	Semi-automatic rifle	Czechoslovakia
SKS [1]		7.62×39mm	Semi-automatic rifle	Soviet Union
AK [1]		7.62×39mm	Assault rifle	Soviet Union
AKM [4]		7.62×39mm	Assault rifle	Soviet Union
AK-103 [5]		7.62×39mm	Assault rifle	Russia
Vz. 58 [1]		7.62×39mm	Assault rifle	Czechoslovakia
Type 56 [1]		7.62×39mm	Assault rifle	China
Type 68		7.62×39mm	Assault rifle	North Korea Ethiopia	North Korea provided assistance to set up Type 68 production lines. [6]
IWI Tavor [7]		5.56×45mm	Bullpup Assault rifle	Israel
CAR 816		5.56×45mm	Carbine	UAE	Used by the Ethiopian Republican Guard. [8]
M14 [1]		7.62×51mm	Battle rifle	United States
Beretta BM 59 [1]		7.62×51mm	Battle rifle	Italy
Heckler & Koch G3		7.62×51mm	Battle rifle	Germany
FN Model 1949 [3]		7.62×51mm	Battle rifle	Belgium
Machine guns
Browning M1918 FN Mle 30 [1]		.30-06 Springfield 7.65×53mm	Light machine gun	United States Belgium
RP-46 [1]		7.62×54mmR	Light machine gun	Soviet Union
RPD [1]		7.62×39mm	Squad automatic weapon	Soviet Union
RPK [1]		7.62×39mm	Squad automatic weapon	Soviet Union
PKM [9]		7.62×54mmR	General-purpose machine gun	Soviet Union
KPV		14.5×114mm	Heavy machine gun	Soviet Union
DShK [1]		12.7×108mm	Heavy machine gun	Soviet Union
M2 Browning [1]		.50 BMG	Heavy machine gun	United States
Sniper rifles
PSL [10]		7.62×54mmR	Designated marksman rifle Sniper rifle	Romania
Grenade launchers
M79 [1]		40×46mm	Grenade launcher	United States
QLZ-87 [1]		35×32mm	Automatic grenade launcher	China Ethiopia

Anti-tank weapons

Anti-tank guided missiles

Name	Image	Type	Origin
9M14 Malyutka [11]		Anti-tank weapon	Soviet Union
9K111 Fagot [12]		Anti-tank weapon	Soviet Union
9M133 Kornet [11]		Anti-tank weapon	Russia
BGM-71 TOW		Anti-tank weapon	United States

Recoilless rifles

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Caliber
B-10 [13]		Recoilless rifle	Soviet Union	82mm
B-11 [14]		Recoilless rifle	Soviet Union	107mm

Rocket propelled grenade launchers

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Caliber
RPG-7 [1]		Rocket-propelled grenade	Soviet Union	40mm

Vehicles

Tanks

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Quantity	Notes
T-72		Main battle tank	Soviet Union Ukraine	215 [12]	50 T-72s (bought from Yemen), 143 T-72UA1, 73 T-72B1
T-54/T-55		Medium tank	Soviet Union	461+ [12]
T-62		Medium tank	Soviet Union

Reconnaissance

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Quantity	Notes
Cadillac V-150		Armored car	United States	12 [15]
Ze'ev		Armored car	Israel Ethiopia	75 [12]

Infantry fighting vehicles

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Quantity	Notes
BMP-1		Infantry fighting vehicle	Soviet Union	20 [12]

Scout cars

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Quantity	Notes
BRDM-1		Amphibious armored scout car	Soviet Union	100 [12]
BRDM-2		Amphibious armored scout car	Soviet Union

Armored personnel carriers

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Quantity	Notes
BTR-60		Armoured personnel carrier	Soviet Union	80 [12]
Type 92		Armoured personnel carrier	China	20 [12]
WZ-523		Armoured personnel carrier	China	20 [12]
ZSD-89		Armoured personnel carrier	China	10 [12]
Gaia Thunder		Armoured personnel carrier	Israel	75 [12]
Calidus MCAV-20		Armoured personnel carrier	UAE	100+ [16]

Engineering vehicles

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Quantity	Notes
VT-55A		Armoured recovery vehicle	Soviet Union Czechoslovakia	Unknown
BTS-5B		Armoured recovery vehicle	Ukraine	4 [12]
Bozena-5		Mine clearing vehicle	Slovakia	Unknown [12]

Utility vehicles

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Quantity	Notes
M151 [17]		Utility vehicle	United States	Unknown
Toyota Land Cruiser		Utility vehicle	Japan	Unknown
Trucks
Ural-375		Utility truck	Soviet Union	Unknown
Ural-4320		Utility truck	Soviet Union	Unknown
M54 [17]		Utility truck	United States	Unknown
M809 [17]		Utility truck	United States	Unknown

Artillery

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Quantity	Notes
Self-propelled artillery
2S1 Gvozdika		Self-propelled artillery	Soviet Union	82 [12]
2S19 Msta-S		Self-propelled artillery	Soviet Union	10 [12]
PLZ-45		Self-propelled artillery	China	18 [12]	Delivered in 1999
SH-15		Self-propelled artillery	China	32 [18] [19]
Rocket artillery
BM-21 Grad		Multiple rocket launcher	Soviet Union	50 [12]
Type 63		Multiple rocket launcher	China	25
PHL-03		Multiple rocket launcher	China	4 [20]
Mortars
BM-37		Mortar	Soviet Union	Unknown [12]
M1		Mortar	United States	Unknown [12]
M19		Mortar	United States	Unknown [12]
M29		Mortar	United States	Unknown [12]
M30		Mortar	United States	Unknown [12]
Field artillery
BS-3 [12]		Field gun	Soviet Union	Unknown
Type 56 [12]		Field gun	Soviet Union China	Unknown
M-46		Field gun	Soviet Union	114
M-30		Howitzer	Soviet Union	464 [12]
2A18 D-30		Howitzer	Soviet Union	309 [12]

Air defense

Man-portable air-defense systems

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Quantity	Notes
9K32 Strela-2		Man-portable air-defense system	Soviet Union	[12]
9K38 Igla		Man-portable air-defense system	Soviet Union	[11]

Towed anti-aircraft guns

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Quantity	Notes
ZPU		Anti-aircraft gun	Soviet Union	Unknown
ZU-23-2		Autocannon	Soviet Union	Unknown [12]
61-K		Autocannon	Soviet Union	Unknown [12]
S-60		Autocannon	Soviet Union	Unknown [12]

Self-propelled anti-aircraft guns

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Quantity	Notes
ZSU-23-4 Shilka		Self-propelled anti-aircraft gun	Soviet Union	60 [21]

Surface-to-air missile systems

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Quantity	Notes
S-75 Dvina		Surface-to-air missile	Soviet Union	4 [22]
S-125 Neva		Surface-to-air missile	Soviet Union	4 [12]
Pantsir-S1		Surface-to-air missile	Russia	6 [23]
HQ-64		Surface-to-air missile	China	1 [15]
SPYDER [24]		Surface-to-air missile	Israel	2

Electronic Warfare

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Quantity	Notes
Kolchuga-M		Electronic warfare	Soviet Union	3

Radar Vehicles

Name	Image	Type	Origin	Quantity	Notes
P-18		Radar	Soviet Union	1
ST-68U		Radar	Soviet Union	13

Historical equipment

Sidearms

• Mauser C96 ^[25]
• ČZ vz. 27

Rifles

• M1867 Werndl–Holub ^[26]
• Berdan rifle ^{[27] [28]}
• M1870 Italian Vetterli
• Mauser Model 1871 ^[26]
• Martini–Henry ^[29]
• Fusil Gras mle 1874 ^[30]
• Mannlicher M1888 ^[31]
• Mannlicher M1890 ^[32]
• Mannlicher M1895 ^[33]
• Carcano
• Mosin-Nagant ^[34]
• Lee-Metford ^[35]
• Lee-Enfield
• Pattern 1914 Enfield
• M1917 Enfield
• FN Model 24 and Model 30 ^[36]
• Gewehr 98
• Karabiner 98k ^{[37] [38]}
• M1903 Springfield ^[39]
• M1 Garand
• M1 Carbine ^[1]
• ZH-29 ^[40]
• Zastava M48
• Zastava M59/66
• Type 63 ^[41]

Submachine gun

• Beretta M1918 ^[42]
• OVP 1918
• MP 34 ^[43]
• MP35
• M1 Thompson ^[44]
• PPSh-41 ^[1]

Machine guns

• Madsen ^[45]
• Hotchkiss Mle 1914 ^[46]
• M1917 Browning ^[47]
• Breda M37 ^[48]
• ZB vz. 26 ^[49]
• ZB vz. 30 ^[50]
• SIG KE7

Anti tank weapons

• M18 recoilless rifle
• M20 recoilless rifle

Tanks

• 5 Fiat 3000
• 20 AH-IV
• 34 M24 Chaffee ^[51]
• 54 M41 Walker Bulldog
• 30 M47 Patton ^[15]
• 180 M60A1 ^[52]
• 56 T-34 ^[15]
• Chonma-ho

Tankettes

• 18 L3/35 ^[53]

Infantry fighting vehicles

• 35 BMD-1 ^[15]

Armored personnel carriers

• 20 M8 Greyhound ^[54]
• 120 M59
• 90 M113A1 ^[15]
• BTR-152 ^[55]
• 100 BTR-40 ^[15]
• 37 BTR-80 ^[15]

Self-propelled artillery

• 12 M109 ^[12]
• 10 2S5 Giatsint-S ^[12]

Field artillery

• Mle 1897
• 12 Pak 36 ^[56]
• M116
• M101
• 12 M114 ^[15]
• 2 OTO Melara Mod 56 ^[57]
• ZiS-3 ^[58]
• 2A29 T-12 ^[12]
• 20 D-20

Mortars

• M2 ^[59]
• ML 4.2
• M2 4.2

Multiple rocket launchers

• BMD-20 ^[60]

Anti-aircraft artillery

• 10 ZSU-57-2 ^[12]

Surface-to-air missile systems

• 2K12 Kub ^[61]
• 9K31 Strela-1 ^[62]

References

1. Jones, Richard D. Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010. Jane's Information Group; 35 edition (January 27, 2009). ISBN   978-0-7106-2869-5.
2. Hogg, Ian V., ed. (1 January 1988). Jane's Infantry Weapons, 1988-89. Jane's Information Group. p. 768. ISBN   978-0-7106-0857-4.
3. Jardim, Frank (2022-08-01). "Royal Tiger Imports Ethiopian Arms". GUNS Magazine. Retrieved 2023-01-05.
4. Rottman, Gordon (24 May 2011). The AK-47: Kalashnikov-series assault rifles. Osprey Publishing. p. 26. ISBN   978-1-84908-835-0.
5. "North Korea and Ethiopia, brothers in arms | NK News" . 4 September 2014. Archived from the original on 2017-02-02. Retrieved 2017-01-30.
6. Mitzer, Stijn; Oliemans, Joost (2020). The Armed Forces of North Korea: On the Path of Songun. Helion and Company. p. 24. ISBN   978-1910777145.
7. Binnie, Jeremy; de Cherisey, Erwan (2017). "New-model African armies" (PDF). Jane's. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 June 2017.
8. Mitzer, Stijn; Oliemans, Joost (4 October 2021). "Emirati Small Arms in Ethiopia". Oryx Blog. Archived from the original on February 3, 2023.
9. Small Arms Survey (2007). "Probing the Grey Area: Irresponsible Small Arms Transfers" (PDF). The Small Arms Survey 2007: Guns and the City. Cambridge University Press. p. 93. ISBN   978-0-521-88039-8. Archived from the original on 2018-08-27. Retrieved 2018-08-29.
10. Miranda, Miguel (14 June 2018). "Africa's Forgotten War". History of War. Archived from the original on 28 June 2018. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
11. International Institute for Strategic Studies (2022). The Military Balance 2022. Abingdon, Oxon. p. 470. ISBN   978-1032279008.
12. International Institute for Strategic Studies (2021). The Military Balance. Taylor & Francis. p. 465. ISBN   9781032012278.
13. • International Institute for Strategic Studies (February 2016). The Military Balance 2016. Vol. 116. Routledge. p. 445. ISBN   9781857438352.
14. Military Balance 2016, p. 445.
15. "Trade Registers". SIPRI Arms Transfers Database. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
16. "Global Defense News Army Land Forces 2024". www.armyrecognition.com. Retrieved 2024-08-01.
17. "Annex C Appendix II". US Army Technical Manual of Foreign Military Sales: Battlefield Damage Assessment and Repair (PDF). Washington, D.C. 18 December 1987. p. 262. TM 9-2320-356-BD. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 September 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
18. "Ethiopia displays new SH15 howitzers". Archived from the original on March 22, 2023.
19. "Ethiopia Acquires Dozens of Chinese Wheeled Howitzers". 26 January 2023. Archived from the original on March 28, 2023.
20. "Trade Registers". armstrade.sipri.org.
21. "ZSU-23-4". Jane's Information Group. 30 October 2008. Retrieved 8 November 2008.
22. The Military Balance 2022, p.470
23. Military Balance 2022, p.470
24. "Concerns mount in Egypt as Israel boosts ties with Ethiopia". Aw. 20 July 2019. Archived from the original on 1 June 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
25. Shant Christopheer. Infantry weapons: an encyclopedia of small arms. — M.: Omega, 2004. ISBN   5-465-00279-4
26. McLachlan, Sean (20 September 2011). Armies of the Adowa Campaign 1896: The Italian Disaster in Ethiopia. Men-at-Arms 471. Osprey Publishing. pp. 36, 44. ISBN   9781849084574.
27. Г. В. Цыпкин, В. С. Ягья. История Эфиопии в новое и новейшее время. М.: «Наука», 1989. стр. 111
28. "Ethiopian Cut Down Russian Berdan Rifles". Archived from the original on 2023-02-07. Retrieved 2023-02-07.
29. McLachlan 2011, p. 35.
30. Г. В. Цыпкин, В. С. Ягья. История Эфиопии в новое и новейшее время. М.: «Наука», 1989. стр. 217
31. "Mannlicher 1888/90 Ethiopian "Cut-Down" Rifles". Archived from the original on 22 February 2023. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
32. Keefe, Mark A. (15 July 2020). "Emperor Selassie's Treasure: The Guns of Royal Tiger Imports". American Rifleman. National Rifle Association. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
33. Scarlata, Paul (Mar 1, 2009). "Ethiopian military rifle cartridges: Part 2: from Mauser to Kalashnikov". Shotgun News.
34. Tsypkin G. V. Эфиопия в антиколониальных войнах [Ethiopia in the anti-colonial wars]. Moscow: Nauka, 1988. p. 217. ISBN   5-02-016406-2.
35. PANKHURST, RICHARD (1971). "Linguistic and Cultural Data on the Penetration of Fire-Arms into Ethiopia". Journal of Ethiopian Studies. 9 (1): 47–82. ISSN   0304-2243. JSTOR   41965823.
36. Ball 2011, pp. 131–132. sfn error: no target: CITEREFBall2011 (help)
37. McCollum, Ian (19 February 2020). "A Unique Partnership: Czech Mausers for Ethiopia after WWII". www.forgottenweapons.com. Archived from the original on 20 February 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
38. McCollum, Ian (26 February 2020). "Last of the Czech Mausers: the East German TGF1950 Goes to Ethiopia". www.forgottenweapons.com. Archived from the original on 26 February 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
39. Scarlata, Paul (1 Mar 2009). "Ethiopian military rifle cartridges: Part 2: from Mauser to Kalashnikov". Shotgun News .
40. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic; Jimma University; Addis Ababa University; University of West Bohemia; Embassy of the Czech Republic in Addis Ababa. "The 20th Century Revisited: Relations between former Czechoslovakia and Ethiopia" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-03-28. Retrieved 2018-12-20.
41. Ezell 1988, p. 143. sfn error: no target: CITEREFEzell1988 (help)
42. "The Revelli-Beretta Model 1918 Automatic Carbine – Small Arms Review". 2022-09-20. Archived from the original on 2022-09-20. Retrieved 2022-10-06.
43. Chris Bishop (2002). The Encyclopedia of Weapons of WWII: The Comprehensive Guide to over 1,500 Weapons Systems, Including Tanks, Small Arms, Warplanes, Artillery, Ships, and Submarines. pp. 253, 259. ISBN   978-1586637620.
44. "ROYAL TIGER IMPORTS ETHIOPIAN ARMS". August 2022.
45. Smith 1969, p. 342. sfn error: no target: CITEREFSmith1969 (help)
46. "Aiming Machine Gun". Hulton Archive. 29 August 1935 – via Getty Images.
47. Jenzen-Jones, N.R. (30 September 2018). "Ethiopian .30-06, 7.62 × 51 mm & 7.92 × 57 mm cartridges". armamentresearch.com .
48. Ezell 1988, p. 145. sfn error: no target: CITEREFEzell1988 (help)
49. Grant 2013, p. 65. sfn error: no target: CITEREFGrant2013 (help)
50. "ZB VZ 30". iwm.org.uk. Imperial War Museum.
51. Zaloga 2003, p. 22. sfn error: no target: CITEREFZaloga2003 (help)
52. "Ethiopia Somalia Ogaden War 1976-1978". Onwar.com. Archived from the original on 20 November 2018. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
53. Захваченные итальянские танки под охраной абиссинских часовых // Танки. Справочник Хейгль. / ред. — сост. О. Хакер, Р. Икс, О. Меркер и Г. Цецшвиц. Часть II Государства от G до Z. Перевод с немецкого, предисловие, специальная редакция и примечания Б. Шванебаха. 2-е изд. М., Государственное военное издательство наркомата обороны СССР, 1937. стр.329
54. Zaloga 2002. sfn error: no target: CITEREFZaloga2002 (help)
55. Foss 2011, p. 637. sfn error: no target: CITEREFFoss2011 (help)
56. Nicolle, David (15 October 1997). The Italian Invasion of Abyssinia 1935–36. Men-at-Arms. Vol. 309. Osprey Publishing. p. 23. ISBN   978-1-85532-692-7.
57. "105/14 Model 56 105 mm Pack Howitzer". forecastinternational.com. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
58. International Institute for Strategic Studies (2012). "Chapter Nine: Sub-Saharan Africa". The Military Balance. 112 (1): 434. doi:10.1080/04597222.2012.663218. S2CID   219628672.
59. "Ethiopians in the Korean War: WWII gear used". wwiiafterwwii.wordpress.com. 18 August 2016.^{[ self-published source ]}
60. "Боевая машина БМД-20 (индекс 8У33)" (in Russian). Ракетная техника. Archived from the original on 2012-05-18. Retrieved 2012-01-16.
61. Василий Н. Я., Гуринович А. Л., Зенитные ракетные комплексы, стр. 231
62. O'Halloran & Foss 2002, p. 147. sfn error: no target: CITEREFO'HalloranFoss2002 (help)