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Algeria Table of Contents

Algeria

NATIONAL SECURITY

Armed Forces: In late 1993, consisted of 121,700 total active forces; included army of 105,000; navy of 6,700, with 10,000-member air force; and coast guard of 630. Reserve force of 150,000 at unknown level of readiness. Internal security forces include Gendarmerie Nationale of 24,000, Sūreté Nationale force of 16,000, and 1,200-member Republican Guard Brigade.

Major Tactical Units: Army organized into six geographically defined military regions. Bulk of army stationed in populated areas of north and in and near major cities as well as near borders with Morocco and Western Sahara. Major army units in 1993: two armored divisions (each with three tank regiments and one mechanized regiment); two mechanized divisions (each with three mechanized regiments and one tank regiment); number of independent brigades and regiments unclear; five motorized infantry brigades, one airborne division, seven independent artillery battalions, five air defense battalions, and four engineer battalions. Air force in 1993 had 193 combat aircraft, fifty-eight armed helicopters configured in three fighter-ground attack squadrons, eight fighter squadrons, one reconnaissance squadron, one maritime reconnaissance squadron, two transport squadrons, five helicopter squadrons of which three attack squadrons, two transport squadrons, of which one heavy and one medium. Separate air defense force with three brigades for air defense and three regiments with SAM missiles. Navy bases at Mers el Kebir, Algiers, Annaba, and Jijel. Major naval equipment in 1993 consisted of two submarines, three frigates, three corvettes, eleven missile craft, eight patrol craft, one minesweeper, and three amphibious landing ships.

Defense Expenditures: 1992 defense budget DA23.0 billion (US$1.05 billion); 1993 defense budget DA29.8 billion (US$1.19 billion); military expenditures per capita in 1989 US$94.

Internal Security: Sūreté Nationale, under the Ministry of Interior, Local Communities, Environment, and Administrative Reform, performed most urban police duties. Gendarmerie Nationale, under the Ministry of Interior but considered paramilitary adjunct of armed forces, responsible for rural police matters. Military Security responsible for domestic and foreign intelligence operations.

Data as of December 1993