Editing Central African Armed Forces (section)

==Components and units==

===Air Force===
{{Main|Central African Republic Air Force}}
The [[Central African Republic Air Force|Air Force]] is almost inoperable. Lack of funding has almost grounded the air force apart from an AS 350 Ecureuil delivered in 1987. [[Dassault Mirage F1|Mirage F1]] planes from the French Air Force regularly patrolled troubled regions of the country and also participated in direct confrontations until they were withdrawn and retired in 2014.<ref name="fourteen">{{cite web| url = http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWFiles2007.nsf/FilesByRWDocUnidFilename/F7B3CC0AA2F7ADE585257273005FD542-Full_Report.pdf/$File/Full_Report.pdf| archive-url = https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20070629034719/http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWFiles2007.nsf/FilesByRWDocUnidFilename/F7B3CC0AA2F7ADE585257273005FD542-Full_Report.pdf/$File/Full_Report.pdf| url-status = dead| archive-date = 2007-06-29| title = – Inter-agency Mission to Birao (CAR): 16 to 23 January 2007}}</ref> According to some sources, Bozizé used the money he got from the mining concession in [[Bakouma]] to buy two old [[Mil Mi-8|MI 8]] helicopters from Ukraine and one [[Lockheed C-130 Hercules]], built in the 1950s, from the US. In late 2019 Serbia offered two new Soko J-22 orao attack aircraft to the CAR Air Force but was it is unknown whether the orders were approved by the Air Force.<ref name="fifteen">[http://www.afriqueeducation.com/archive/sommaire/article.php?id=390&version=216 – Centrafrique : Bozizé ou la chronique d’une chute annoncée, 2004] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071008044046/http://www.afriqueeducation.com/archive/sommaire/article.php?id=390&version=216 |date=October 8, 2007 }}</ref> The air force otherwise operates 7 light aircraft, including a single helicopter:

{| class="wikitable"
! Aircraft
! Type
! Versions
! In service<ref name="awst_20070115">"World Military Aircraft Inventory", Aerospace Source Book 2007, ''[[Aviation Week & Space Technology]]'', January 15, 2007.</ref>
! Notes
|-
| [[Aermacchi AL-60]]
| Utility
| AL-60C-5 Conestoga
| 6–10
|
|-
| [[Eurocopter AS350|Eurocopter AS 350 Ecureuil]]
| Utility helicopter
| AS 350B
| 1
|
|-
| [[Mil Mi-8|Mil Mi-8 Hip]]
| Transport helicopter
| Mi-8
| 2
| Unconfirmed
|-
| [[Lockheed C-130 Hercules]]
| Transport
| C-130
| 1
| Unconfirmed 
|-
| [Avion chaser to entraitment L- 
| 39 Albatros]:
| 10
| -
| [Avion chaser Soukhoï-25]:8
|
|
|
|}

===Garde républicaine (GR)===
{{Main|Republican Guard (Central African Republic)}}
The Presidential Guard (''garde présidentielle'') or Republican Guard is officially part of FACA but it is often regarded as a separate entity under the direct command of the President. Since 2010 the Guard has received training from South Africa and Sudan, with Belgium and Germany providing support.<ref name="dcaf1">[https://issat.dcaf.ch/Learn/Resource-Library/Country-Profiles/Central-African-Republic-Background-Note#presidential Central African Republic Background Note — Security Sector Reform] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180322081810/https://issat.dcaf.ch/Learn/Resource-Library/Country-Profiles/Central-African-Republic-Background-Note#presidential |date=2018-03-22 }}. [[DCAF]]. 2 February 2015.</ref> GR consists of so-called patriots that fought for Bozizé when he seized power in 2003 (mainly from the Gbaya tribe), together with soldiers from Chad. They are guilty of numerous assaults on the civil population, such as terror, aggression, sexual violence. Only a couple of months after Bozizé's seizure of power, in May 2003, taxi and truck drivers conducted a strike against these outrages.<ref name="two" /> However, post-civil leaders have been cautious in attempting to significantly reform the Republican Guard.<ref name="dcaf1" />

===New amphibious force===
Bozizé has created an [[Amphibious warfare|amphibious force]]. It is called the Second Battalion of the Ground Forces and it patrols the [[Ubangi River|Ubangi river]]. The staff of the sixth region in Bouali (mainly made up of members of the former president's lifeguard) was transferred to the city of Mongoumba, located on the river. This city had previously been plundered by forces from the MLC, that had crossed the CAR/Congo border.<ref name="sangonet">{{cite web|url=http://www.sangonet.com/ActualiteC16/2bataillons-creation_FB.html|title=Le président Bozizé crée deux nouveaux bataillons|work=sangonet.com|access-date=2007-06-20|archive-date=2007-09-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926225634/http://www.sangonet.com/ActualiteC16/2bataillons-creation_FB.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> The riverine patrol force has approximately one hundred personnel and operates seven patrol boats.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.janes.com/articles/Janes-Sentinel-Security-Assessment-Central-Africa/Navy-Central-African-Republic.html|title=Defense & Security Intelligence & Analysis: IHS Jane's – IHS|work=janes.com|access-date=2012-04-03|archive-date=2012-07-07|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120707000910/http://articles.janes.com/articles/Janes-Sentinel-Security-Assessment-Central-Africa/Navy-Central-African-Republic.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Veteran soldiers===
A program for disarmament and reintegration of veteran soldiers is currently taking place. A national commission for the disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration was put in place in September 2004. The commission is in charge of implementing a program wherein approximately 7,500 veteran soldiers will be reintegrated in civil life and obtain education.<ref name="two" />

===Discontinued groups and units that are no longer part of FACA===

* {{Anchor|Séléka}} '''Séléka rebels''': the French document ''Spécial investigation: Centrafrique, au cœur du chaos'' envisions [[Séléka]] rebels as mercenaries under the command of the president. In the documentary the Séléka fighters seem to use a large number of [[M16 rifle]]s in their fight against the [[Anti-balaka]] forces.<ref name="thirteen">{{cite web|url=http://www.girafprod.com/portfolio/centrafrique-au-coeur-du-chaos/|title=Giraf Prod » Centrafrique, au cœur du chaos|work=Giraf Prod}}</ref>
* {{Anchor|FORSIDIR}} '''FORSIDIR:''' The presidential lifeguard, Unité de sécurité présidentielle (USP), was in March 1998 transformed into the ''Force spéciale de défense des institutions républicaines (FORSDIR)''. In contrary to the army – which consisted mainly of southerner Yakoma members and which thereby was unreliable for the northerner president – this unit consisted of northerners loyal to the president. Before eventually being dissolved in January 2000, this highly controversial group became feared for their terror and troubled Patassé's relations with important international partners, such as France. Of its 1,400 staff, 800 were subsequently reintegrated into FACA, under the command of the chief-of-staff. The remaining 400 recreated the USP (once again under the command of the chief-of-staff).<ref name="two" />
* {{Anchor|USP}} '''Unité de sécurité présidentielle (USP): ''' USP was Patassé's presidential guard before and after FORSIDIR. When he was overthrown by Bozizé in 2003, the USP was dissolved and while some of the soldiers have been absorbed by FACA, others are believed to have joined the pro-Patassé [[Democratic Front of the Central African People]] rebel group that is fighting FACA in the north of the country.<ref name="two" />
* {{Anchor|Patriots|Liberators}} '''The Patriots or Liberators: ''' Accompanied Bozizé when he seized power in March 2003. They are now a part of Bozizé's lifeguard, the Garde républicaine, together with soldiers from Chad.<ref name="two" />
* {{Anchor|OCRB}} '''Office central de répression du banditisme (OCRB):''' OCRB was a special unit within the police created to fight the looting after the army mutinies in 1996 and 1997. OCRB has committed numerous summary executions and arbitrary detentions, for which it has never been put on trial.<ref name="two" />
* {{Anchor|MLPC Militia}} '''MLPC Militia: ''' Le Mouvement de libération du peuple centrafricain (MLPC) was the armed component of former president Patassé's political party. The MPLC's militia was already active during the 1993 election, but was strengthened during the mutinies 1996 and 1997, particularly through its Karako contingent. Its core consisted of Sara people from Chad and Central African Republic, but during the mutinies it recruited many young people in Bangui.<ref name="two" />
* {{Anchor|DRC Militia}} '''DRC Militia:''' Rassemblement démocratique centrafricain (RDC) is the militia of the party of General Kolingba, who led the country during the 1980s. The RDC's militia is said to have camps in Mobaye and to have bonds with former officials of Kolingba's "cousin" [[Mobutu Sese Seko]] in DR Congo.<ref name="two" />