Guyana Defence Force

The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) is the military of Guyana, established in 1965. It numbers about 2500 soldiers [4] and has military bases across the nation. [5] The Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Force is always the incumbent President of Guyana. [4]

Guyana Defence Force
GDF Emblem
Guyana Defence Force Flag
Motto"SERVICE"[1]
Founded1 November 1965 (de facto)
22 May 1966 (de jura)[2]
Service branches Army
Air Corps
Coast Guard
Leadership
Commander-in-Chief Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali
Chief of StaffBrigadier Godfrey Bess
Manpower
Military age18 years of age
ConscriptionNo
Expenditures
Percent of GDP1.69% (2018)[3]
Industry
Foreign suppliers United States
 China
 Japan
 Brazil
 United Kingdom
 Poland
 Bulgaria
 Russia
 Germany
 Belgium
Related articles
HistoryRupununi Uprising
RanksMilitary ranks of Guyana

History

The GDF was formed on 1 November 1965. Members of the new Defence Force were drawn from the British Guiana Volunteer Force (BGVF), Special Service Unit (SSU), British Guiana Police Force (BGPF) and civilians. Training assistance was provided by British instructors.

In January 1969, the GDF faced their first test when the Rupununi Uprising, a bloody separatist movement in southern Guyana, attempted to annex the territory to Venezuela that was contained 3 days later with a balance of between 70 and 100 dead.

The GDF is an integral part of the Guyanese nation. Resources and equipment of the GDF are used to help other Guyanese; examples include medical mercy flights and the construction of roads and airstrips by the Engineering Corps.

Enlistment into the force is voluntary for officers and soldiers. Basic training is done within GDF training schools, which has also trained officers and soldiers from Commonwealth Caribbean territories. However, officers are trained at two of the world-renowned British officer training schools: Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (Infantry Training) and Britannia Royal Naval College (Coast Guard Training).

The training and skills gained by the members of the GDF have been used when they move either into civilian life or into the sister military organizations, the Guyana People's Militia (now the Second Infantry Battalion Group Reserve) and the Guyana National Service.

Role of the GDF
  • Defend the territorial integrity of Guyana.
  • Assist the civil power in the maintenance of law and order when required to do so.
  • Contribute to the economic development of Guyana.

Organization
GDF Force Colour
  • 1st Infantry Battalion Group
  • 3rd Infantry Battalion
  • Guyana People's Militia
  • 31 Special Forces Squadron
  • 21st Artillery Company
  • Engineer Battalion
  • Signals Corps
  • Defence Headquarters
  • Training Corps
  • Intelligence Corps
  • Coast Guard
  • Band Corps
  • Medical Corps
  • Air Corps

1st Infantry Battalion Group

In the 1980s, Guyana National Service provided infantry battalions for use by the GDF for the purposes of national security. Those battalions were amalgamated in 1988 to form what is now the 1st Infantry Battalion Group. The now combined battalion is today required to carry out the tasks protecting the country in case of wartime and to help the local authorities in emergency situations.[6]

GDF Band Corps

The Guyana Defence Force Band Corps is the official musical unit of the GDF whose role is to provide musical accompaniment for ceremonial functions of the GDF.[7] The members were drawn from the Rifle Companies and the defunct Volunteer Force and were brought out during regimental military parades. The Guyana Defence Force Steel Band would soon follow the main band's lead after its own establishment in 1970, three years after the original band was founded.[8]

Medical Corps

The Medical Corps provides medical and dental care to all the members of the GDF and their immediate families. It often liaises with the Health ministry for medical procedures and protocol to be carried out effectively. The corps is situated in Base Camp Ayanganna which includes facilities such as a medical laboratory and a dental lab.[9]

Army equipment

Infantry weapons

Armoured vehicles

Artillery and mortars

Aircraft inventory

The Defence force air wing was formed in 1968 and was then renamed the Guyana Defence force air command in 1973. Seven Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander were delivered over a five-year period in the 1970s and then were supplemented by Short Skyvans series 3Ms in 1979. In 1986 3 Mil Mi-8 were delivered. The GDF currently operates three fixed-wing aircraft and four helicopters.

Aircraft Origin Type Versions In service[10] Notes
Transport and liaison aircraft
Short Skyvan United KingdomUtility transportSC-7 Skyvan 3M3[11]In service since 1979.
Harbin Y-12 Panda People's Republic of ChinaSTOL utility transportY-121In service since 2002.
Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander United KingdomUtility transportBN-22[11]In service since 2018.
Helicopters
Bell 206 JetRanger United StatesUtility helicopter206B2[11]In service since 1976.
Bell 412 United StatesUtility Helicopter412SP12 on order[11]
Bell 429 United Statesutility4292on order[11]
RotorWay Exec 162F United StatesLight helicopter162F1In service since 2004.

Former aircraft
Aircraft Origin Type Versions In service[10] Notes
Transport and liaison aircraft
Beechcraft Super King Air United StatesTransport and patrol aircraftKing Air 2001In service from 1975 to 1992.
Britten Norman Islander[12] United KingdomTransport and patrol aircraftBN-2A7In service from 1971 to 2001.[13][14][15] One (8R-GES) crashed on the 15 December 1986 and another (8R-GFN) was destroyed in a crash on the 6 January 2001.[16][17]
Cessna 182 United StatesLiaison aircraft182J Skylane1In service from 1982 to 1994.
Cessna 206 United StatesTransport and patrol aircraftU206G Stationair1In service from 1975 to 1995.
Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante BrazilTransport aircraft110P1In service from 1984 to 1994.
Helio Super Courier United StatesLiaison and patrol aircraftH-295 Super Courier3In service from 1968 to 1971.
Helicopters
Aerospatiale Alouette III[18] FranceUtility helicopterSA-319B2In service from 1975 to 1982.
Bell 212 [19] United StatesUtility helicopter3In service from 1976 to 1994.
Mil Mi-8 Soviet UnionTransport and utility helicopterHip3In service from 1985 to 1991.

Coast Guard

The Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard is the naval component of the Guyana Defence Force.

References
  1. GDF. "Where it all began". www.gdf.mil.gy.
  2. DeRouen, Karl R. (2005). Defense and Security: A Compendium of National Armed Forces and Security Policies. ABC-CLIO. p. 116. ISBN 9781851097814.
  3. "South America: Guyana". The World Factbook. CIA. 15 March 2020. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  4. "Guyana Defence Force". Global Security.
  5. "3 soldiers killed in explosion at Guyana military base - CityNews Toronto". toronto.citynews.ca. Retrieved 2020-08-17.
  6. "This website is currently unavailable". box757.bluehost.com.
  7. "This website is currently unavailable". box757.bluehost.com.
  8. "This website is currently unavailable". box757.bluehost.com.
  9. "This website is currently unavailable". box757.bluehost.com.
  10. "World Military Aircraft Inventory", Aerospace Source Book 2007, Aviation Week & Space Technology, January 15, 2007.
  11. "World Air Forces 2021". FlightGlobal. 4 December 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  12. "Historical photograph of the BN-2A Islander, code 8R-GEE (post in discussion thread at Key Publishing Ltd. forums)". 2009-01-10. Retrieved 2013-01-21.
  13. "Video footage of the 8R-GFN Islander while it was still operating". 2008-01-24. Retrieved 2013-01-21.
  14. "Video footage of the 8R-GFN Islander while it was still operating". 2008-01-24. Retrieved 2013-01-21.
  15. "Video footage of the 8R-GFN Islander while it was still operating". 2008-01-24. Retrieved 2013-01-21.
  16. "Overview of accidents and crashes of Guyanese civilian and military aircraft". 2013-01-11. Archived from the original on 2012-10-17. Retrieved 2013-01-21.
  17. "Photo of the tail section of the crashed GDF BN Islander 8R-GFN". 2013-12-14. Retrieved 2013-01-21.
  18. "Historical photograph of the GDF Aerospatiale Alouette III, 8R-GEL (post in discussion thread at Key Publishing Ltd. forums)". 2006-03-25. Retrieved 2013-01-21.
  19. "Historical photographs of the GDF Bell 212 (post in discussion thread at Key Publishing Ltd. forums)". 2009-01-12. Retrieved 2013-01-21.
  20. https://www.44mlb.com/mlb-to-guyana.htm
  21. http://guyanachronicle.com/2014/03/21/gdf-gets-three-patrol-boats-from-u-s-valued-340m
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