The following is a list of active equipment of the Somali Armed Forces. Retired equipment is listed at the bottom.
Among pistols formerly reported in service in 2009 were the Soviet Makarov pistol. [14]
Name | Image | Type | Origin | Quantity | Status | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Casspir | ![]() | MRAP | ![]() | 9 [18] | In Service | |
BMC Kirpi | ![]() | MRAP | ![]() | 24 [19] | In Service | |
BMC Kirpi II | ![]() | MRAP | ![]() | N/A [20] | In Service | |
Streit Tornado | MRAP/APC | ![]() | N/A | In Service | Seen in military convoy. [21] |
Name | Image | Type | Origin | Quantity | Status | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AT105 Saxon [18] | ![]() | Armored personnel carrier | ![]() | 50[ citation needed ] | In Service | Donated second hand by Djibouti April 2013. |
Iveco VM 90 [18] | ![]() | Armored personnel carrier | ![]() | N/A | In Service | Donated by Italy. |
RG-31 Nyala [18] | | Infantry mobility vehicle | ![]() | N/A | In Service | |
Streit Spartan | Armoured personnel carrier | ![]() | N/A | In Service | Seen in military convoy. [21] |
Name | Image | Type | Origin | Quantity | Status | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Toyota Land Cruiser | ![]() | Utility vehicle | ![]() | 10 [22] | In Service | Donated by Turkey. |
Mitsubishi Triton | ![]() | Utility vehicle | ![]() | 26+ [23] | In Service | Donated by Turkey. |
Trucks | ||||||
M939 [24] | ![]() | Utility truck | ![]() | Unknown | In Service | |
BMC 245-16P 4x4 | Utility truck | ![]() | 14 [25] | In Service | Donated by Turkey. | |
Iveco 4x4 | Utility truck | ![]() | 3+ [26] | In Service | Donated by Turkey. |
In May 2020, the Somalia's Security Sector Reform twitter account posted a number of pictures of Japanese Toyota 4Runner which had been used to promote COVID-19 awareness. [27] [28]
In 2024, Italy supplied Somalia with four Bell 412 utility helicopters, "marking the most significant delivery of military equipment since the lifting of the arms embargo imposed on Somalia". [29] [30] The United Nations Support Office for Somalia has supported the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia to acquire three helicopters from Burundi. [31]
In addition to aircraft operated by the Somali Armed Forces, the National Intelligence and Security Agency operates Bayraktar TB2 drones. [32] [33]
Name | Image | Type | Origin | Quantity | Status | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unmanned aerial vehicles | ||||||
Serçe-1 | Multi-Rotor Drone System | ![]() | N/A | In Service | [34] | |
Bayraktar Akinci | ![]() | UCAV | ![]() | 2 | In Service | [35] [36] |
Helicopters | ||||||
Bell 412 | ![]() | Utility helicopter | ![]() ![]() | 6 | In Service | Includes 1 Bell-412SP and 1 Agusta-Bell 412 variants [37] |
TAI T129 ATAK | ![]() | Attack helicopter | ![]() | 6 | In Service | Three delivered in March 2025 and three more in June 2025 as part of Somalia’s close air support modernization. |
Name | Image | Type | Origin | Quantity | Status | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ONUK MRTP 16 | ![]() | Patrol boat | ![]() | Unknown | In Service | |
Grand RIB | ![]() | Rigid inflatable boat | ![]() | Unknown | In Service |
Model | Origin | Image | Type | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Helmets | ||||
FAST | ![]() | ![]() | Combat helmet | Utilised by Commando Brigade, donated from Turkey. |
Camouflage Patterns | ||||
Desert Battle Dress Uniform | ![]() | ![]() | Camouflage pattern | Bought from the U.S. in the 1980s.[ citation needed ] |
Among firearms associated with the Somali National Army and reported by Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/10 were Soviet TT pistols, British Sterling submachine guns; German Heckler & Koch G3 and Belgian FN FAL assault rifles, U.S. M14 rifles, Soviet RPD machine guns; Soviet RPK machine guns; Soviet RP-46 machine guns; French AA-52 machine guns; Belgian FN MAG machine guns; Soviet DShK heavy machine guns; U.S. M2 Browning .50 cal heavy machine guns; and U.S. M79 grenade launchers and Soviet RPG-2 grenade launchers. [14]
After independence, the Somali National Army initially inherited five Comet tanks, six Ferret armoured cars and eighteen Universal Carrier machine-gun carriers from withdrawing British forces. [40]
Previous arms acquisitions included the following equipment, much of which was unserviceable circa June 1989: [41] 293 main battle tanks (30 Centurions; 123 M47 Patton, 30 T-34, 110 T-54/55 from various sources). Christopher F. Foss, writing in the second edition of Jane's Main Battle Tanks said that 'Kuwait was believed to have supplied Somalia with about 35 Centurions.' [42] The Military Balance 1987–88 (p. 112) listed 30 Centurions held by the Somali Army.
Other armoured fighting vehicles included 10 M41 Walker Bulldog light tanks, 30 BRDM-2 and 15 Panhard AML-90 armored cars (formerly owned by Saudi Arabia). The IISS estimated in 1989 that there were 474 armoured personnel carriers, including 64 BTR-40/BTR-50/BTR-60, 100 BTR-152 wheeled armored personnel carriers, 310 Fiat 6614 and 6616s, and that BMR-600s had been reported. SIPRI also reported BTR-70s had been sold to Somalia. [43] The IISS estimated that there were 210 towed artillery pieces (8 M-1944 100 mm, 100 M-56 105 mm, 84 M-1938 122 mm, and 18 M198 155 mm towed howitzers). Other equipment reported by the IISS included 82 mm and 120 mm mortars, 100 Milan and BGM-71 TOW anti-tank guided missiles, rocket launchers, recoilless rifles, and a variety of Soviet air defence guns of 20 mm, 23 mm, 37 mm, 40 mm, 57 mm, and 100 mm calibre. SIPRI also reported that 9K32 Strela-2 air defence missiles had been transferred. [43]
In addition, U.S. M151 trucks had been sold to Somalia by December 1987. [44]
IISS Military Balance 2022 lists only armoured personnel carriers and utility vehicles.
Name | Image | Type | Origin | Quantity | Status | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BRDM-2 | | Amphibious armored scout car | ![]() | Unknown | Retired | |
ZU-23-2 [18] | ![]() | Autocannon | ![]() | Unknown | Retired |
Name | Image | Type | Origin | Quantity | Status | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rocket artillery | ||||||
BM-21 Grad [45] | ![]() | Multiple rocket launcher | ![]() | Unknown | Retired |
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