Mauritius

Mauritius

Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...

does not have a standing army. All military, police, and security functions are carried out by 10,000 active-duty personnel under the command of the Commissioner of Police. The 8,000-member National Police Force is responsible for domestic law enforcement. The 1,500-member Special Mobile Force

Special Mobile Force

The Special Mobile Force is a paramilitary unit that serves as the main internal security force in Mauritius. As Mauritius has no dedicated military, mainly due to the cost that it would incur, the SMF forms part of the Mauritius Police Force, with its personnel on long term rotation from the...

 (SMF) and the 500-member National Coast Guard are the only two paramilitary units in Mauritius. Both units are composed of police officers on lengthy rotations to those services.

The SMF is organized as a ground infantry unit, with six rifle companies, two mobilisable paramilitary companies, and one engineer company, according to the IISS Military Balance 2007. It engages extensively in civic works projects. The Coast Guard has four patrol craft for search-and-rescue missions and surveillance of territorial waters. A 100-member police helicopter squadron assists in search-and-rescue operations. There also is a special supporting unit of 270 members trained in riot control.

Military advisers from the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 and India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

 work with the SMF, the Coast Guard

Coast guard

A coast guard or coastguard is a national organization responsible for various services at sea. However the term implies widely different responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to being a volunteer organization tasked with...

, and the Police Helicopter Unit, and Mauritian police officers are trained in the United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

, India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

, and France

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

. The United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 provides training to Mauritian Coast Guard officers in such fields as seamanship and maritime law enforcement.

Military branches:
National Police Force (includes the paramilitary Special Mobile Force or SMF, and National Coast Guard)

Military manpower - availability:

males age 15-49:
340,050 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:

males age 15-49:
171,239 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$9.1 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
0.2% (FY01)

Equipment

• Walther PP
• Beretta M12 SMG
• FN P90
  FN P90
  The FN P90 is a selective fire personal defense weapon designed and manufactured by FN Herstal in Belgium. The P90's name is taken from 1990, the year it was introduced...
  
   PDW
• Manurhin MR 73
  Manurhin MR 73
  The Manurhin MR73 is a French-manufactured, double-action revolver chambered in .38 Special/.357 Magnum. The revolver can be converted to 9mm Parabellum with a supplied replacement cylinder...
  
   revolver
• H&K MP5A2 SMG
• SIG SG 540
  SIG SG 540
  The SG 540 is a 5.56mm assault rifle developed in the early 1970s by Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft based out of Neuhausen, Switzerland as a private venture primarily destined for export markets and as a potential replacement for the 7.5mm SG 510 automatic rifle known as the Stgw 57 in...
  
  
• FN FAL
  FN FAL
  The Fusil Automatique Léger or FAL is a self-loading, selective fire battle rifle produced by the Belgian armaments manufacturer Fabrique Nationale de Herstal . During the Cold War it was adopted by many North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries, with the notable exception of the United States...
  
    battle rifle
• FN MAG
  FN MAG
  The FN MAG is a Belgian 7.62 mm general-purpose machine gun, designed in the early 1950s at Fabrique Nationale by Ernest Vervier. It has been used by more than 80 countries, and it has been made under licence in countries such as Argentina, Egypt, India, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the...
  
   machine gun
• AA-52 machine gun
• Bren L4A4
• Browning M1919A4/L3A1
  M1919 Browning machine gun
  The M1919 Browning is a .30 caliber medium machine gun that was widely used during the 20th century. It was used as a light infantry, coaxial, mounted, aircraft, and anti-aircraft machine gun by the U.S. and many other countries, especially during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War...
  
   machine gun
• Browning M2HB heavy machine gun
• Armbrust
  Armbrust
  Armbrust is a lightweight unguided anti-tank weapon designed and developed by Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm of Germany, who later sold its manufacturing rights to Chartered Industries of Singapore ....
  
   anti-tank rocket launcher
• STRIM-89 LARC
  LRAC F1
  The LRAC F1, officially called Lance-Roquettes AntiChar de 89 mm modèle F1 is a French reusable rocket launcher developed by Luchaire Defense SA, and manufactured in cooperation with Manufacture Nationale d'Armes de Saint-Étienne and was in the 1970s marketed by Hotchkiss-Brandt...
  
   anti-tank rocket launcher (4x)
• LAW 80
  LAW 80
  The LAW 80 , sometimes erroneously referred to as LAW 94, is a man-portable, disposable anti-tank weapon currently in use by the British Army and a few other militaries.-Description:...
  
   anti-tank rocket launcher (50x)
• L16A1
  L16 81mm Mortar
  The United Kingdom's L16 81 mm mortar is the standard mortar used by the British armed forces. It originated as a joint design by UK and Canada. The version produced and used by Australia is named the F2 81mm Mortar, whilst the version used by the U.S...
  
   81mm medium mortar
• Alvis Saladin
  Alvis Saladin
  The Saladin is a six-wheeled armoured car built by Alvis, and fitted with a 76mm gun.Used extensively by the British Army, it replaced the AEC Armoured Car that had been in service since World War II.-History:...
  
   Mk II 76mm gun, 6x6 Armoured car (10x)
• Tactica Patrol Vehicle 4x4 (7x)
• Tactica APC 4x4 (7x)
• VAB
  Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé
  The Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé or VAB is an armoured personnel carrier and support vehicle designed by the Euro Mobilité Division of GIAT Industries of France. It entered service in 1976; around 5,000 were produced.- Design :The VAB was designed as a wheeled troop transporter, complementing the...
  
   4x4 (11x)
• Land Rover
  Land Rover
  Land Rover is a British car manufacturer with its headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire, United Kingdom which specialises in four-wheel-drive vehicles. It is owned by the Indian company Tata Motors, forming part of their Jaguar Land Rover group...
  
   4x4

Current Aircraft

In March 1990 two radar equipped Dornier/HAL Do 228-101s were ordered to form a maritime surveillance element by July 1991. These aircraft were reinforced in 1992 by a single twin turbo prop Pliatus/BN BN-2T Maritime Defender for coastal patrol work.
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Versions
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes
|-----
| Britten-Norman BN-2T Islander

Britten-Norman Islander

The Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander is a 1960s British light utility aircraft, regional airliner and cargo aircraft designed and originally manufactured by Britten-Norman of the United Kingdom. The Islander is one of the best-selling commercial aircraft types produced in Europe. Although designed in...

| Light utility aircraft
|
| 1
|
|-----
| Dornier Do 228

Dornier Do 228

The Dornier 228 is a twin-turboprop STOL utility aircraft, manufactured by Dornier GmbH from 1981 until 1998. In 1983, Hindustan Aeronautics bought a production licence and manufactures the 228 for the Asian market sphere. Approximately 270 Do 228 were built at Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany and...

| Light utility transport
|
| 2
|
|-----
| Eurocopter AS555 SN Fennec

Eurocopter Fennec

|-See also:-References:* Jackson, Paul. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004. Coulsdon, UK:Jane's Information Group, 2003. ISBN 0-7106-2537-5.-External links:* * *...

| Light utility helicopter
|
| 1
|
|-----
| Eurocopter AS350 B1
| Light transport helicopter
|
| 1
|
|-----
| Aérospatiale Lama/HAL Cheetah AS315B
| Light transport
|
| ?
|
|-----
| Aérospatiale Alouette III SA 316B/HAL Chetak

Aérospatiale Alouette III

The Aérospatiale Alouette III is a single-engine, light utility helicopter developed by Sud Aviation. It was manufactured by Aérospatiale of France, and under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in India as Hal Chetak and Industria Aeronautică Română in Romania.The Alouette III is the...

| Utility Helicopter
|
| 4
|
|-----
| HAL Dhruv

HAL Dhruv

The HAL Dhruv is a utility helicopter developed and manufactured by India's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited . Dhruv was first announced in November 1984. The ALH was designed with assistance from MBB in Germany. The Dhruv first flew in 1992; but, due to the changing demands of the Indian Army and...

| Utility Helicopter
|
| 1
|
|-----

Navy

• 1 Vigilant patrol ship - 1,650 tons full load - commissioned 1996
• 1 SDB MK 3 patrol boat - 210 tons full load - commissioned 1984
• 2 Zhuk patrol craft - 39 tons full load
• 1 P-2000 patrol craft - 40 tons full load
• 22 other boats - 2-6 tons full load

External links

• IISS Military Balance 2007