Editing Gambia Armed Forces (section)

== Organisation ==
[[File:Gambian soldiers practicing drill.jpg|thumb|Gambian soldiers practicing drill, July 2011.]]

=== Leadership ===
*Commander-in-Chief: President of the Republic of The Gambia: President Adama Barrow
** Chief of the Defence Staff: Major General Mamat .O. Cham
*** Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff: Major General Ousman Gomez
**** Commander, Gambia National Army: Brigadier General Sait Njie
**** Commander, Gambia Navy: Commodore Sambou Lamin Barrow
**** Commander, Republican National Guard: Brigadier General Yaya Drammeh

=== Branches ===
The Gambia Armed Forces Act 1985 established four branches: the Gambia National Army, the Gambia Navy, the Gambia Air Force, and the Gambia National Gendarmerie.<ref name=":1" /> In 1992, the GNG merged to become part of a police unit called the Tactical Support Group.<ref name=":0" /> The Air Force was never truly operational. In 2008, a Republican National Guard was founded as an additional branch.

====Gambia National Army====
The strength of the Gambia National Army (GNA) differs depending on the source. It has been given as 1,900 soldiers,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.accessgambia.com/information/defence.html|title=Defence & Military in Gambia|website=Access Gambia|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181113170838/http://www.accessgambia.com/information/defence.html|archive-date=13 November 2018|url-status=live|access-date=25 September 2018|df=dmy-all}}</ref> 1,000 soldiers,{{cn|date=October 2023}} or 900 soldiers.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=30787:the-gambia|title=The Gambia|date=2013-06-10|website=DefenceWEB|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180925180636/http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=30787:the-gambia|archive-date=25 September 2018|url-status=live|access-date=25 September 2018|df=dmy-all}}</ref> It is said to comprise two infantry battalions, one engineering squadron, and a Presidential Guard company. The army has barracks in [[Fajara]], [[Yundum]], Kudang, and [[Farafenni]]. In terms of vehicles and equipment, the army has eight [[Ferret armoured car|Ferret]] armoured cars, and four [[M8 Greyhound]] armoured cars.<ref name=":3" /> It is also said to possess at least one [[M101 howitzer]].{{cn|date=October 2023}} [[Turkey]] donated Gambia 2 [[Otokar Cobra|Otokar Cobra-1]] infantry mobility vehicles and 2 [[Katmerciler Hızır]] MRAP vehicles. In addition to two Cobra-1s, many high-frequency radios, mine detectors, uniforms, winter jackets and similar military equipment were donated to Gambia.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Turkiye donated 2 Cobra-1 armoured vehicles to Gambian national army. |url=https://twitter.com/mavivatannet/status/1714622311460999658 |access-date=2023-10-18 |website=X (formerly Twitter) |language=en}}</ref>

==== Gambia Navy ====
[[File:U.S. Coast Guard Chief Maritime Enforcement Specialist Rob Wills, right, with the Maritime Security Response Team, and Gambian Navy Lt. Simon Peter Mendy discuss tactical operations while aboard a fishing vessel 120619-N-GN377-060.jpg|thumb|270x270px|Gambian Navy officer training with the [[United States Coast Guard|US Coast Guard]].]]The strength of the Gambian Navy was most recently estimated at approximately 500 personnel.{{cn|date=October 2023}} It exists to enforce fishery legislation and regulation, and assistance has been given in that task by the [[Armed Forces of Senegal|Senegalese Navy]]. In February 2008, officers of the [[United States Navy|US Navy]] helped to install an [[automatic identification system]] in the Gambia called the Maritime Security and Safety Information System (MSSIS). In September 2011, a team from the [[HSV-2 Swift|HSV-2 ''Swift'']] docked in [[Banjul]] to conduct a two-week intensive training programme for the Navy. In August 2013, [[Taiwan]] donated three new patrol vessels to the Gambia to replace the four ageing vessels of the [[Dvora-class fast patrol boat|Dvora-class]] that it donated in 2009.{{cn|date=October 2023}}

==== Gambia Air Force ====
The government considered creating a Gambian Air Force in 2002 and sent pilots to be trained by [[Ukraine]]. It purchased its first aircraft, a [[Sukhoi Su-25]], from [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]] in 2003. However, it did not go ahead with the programme and did not announce the creation of an air force.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/africa/gm-af.htm|title=The Gambia Air Force|website=GlobalSecurity.org|access-date=2017-04-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170314015909/http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/africa/gm-af.htm|archive-date=2017-03-14|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

====Republican National Guard====
An amendment to the Gambia Armed Forces Bill in April 2008 included the creation of a new branch of the GAF, the Republican National Guard (NRG).

The NRG is thought to have a strength of 50 personnel and is made up of a State Guard unit, a Special Forces unit, and a Presidential Guard unit.

=== Independent formations ===
*The Gambia National Army Band is the [[military band]] of the GAF. It was formed in 1998 by Major Momodou Dibba. It is the successor to the former Gambia Defence Force Band.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VpVBCwAAQBAJ&dq=Gambia+Army+Band&pg=PT15|title = How We Built the Gambia Army|isbn = 9781504994613|last1 = Stewart|first1 = Trevor|date = 15 December 2015| publisher=AuthorHouse }}</ref> It consists of 15 soldiers. In July 2001, it released an album called ''Afingjang'' which was recorded by Ndaabi studios in [[Serekunda]].<ref>{{cite news|author=Alhagie Mbye |title=Gambia: Army Band Releases Album |url=https://allafrica.com/stories/200107060163.html |access-date=9 December 2022 |work=allAfrica |agency=The Independent |date=6 July 2001 |location=Banjul}}</ref> In November 2010, the band hosted the [[United States Navy Band]] at the [[Buffer Zone]] in Tallinding.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://archive.thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/article/us-navy-gaf-bands-thrill-fans-at-buffer-zone| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200609173520/http://archive.thepoint.gm/africa/gambia/article/us-navy-gaf-bands-thrill-fans-at-buffer-zone| archive-date = 2020-06-09| title = US Navy, GAF Bands thrill fans at Buffer Zone - The Point Newspaper, Banjul, The Gambia}}</ref>
*The Child Welfare Unit was founded in 2007 and is responsible for ensuring the protection of children by the military. It is partnered with the child protection services of [[ECOWAS]] states.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Child Welfare Unit|url=https://gaf.gm/index.php/child-welfare-unit/|access-date=2021-08-31|language=en-US}}</ref>
*Joint Officer's Mess<ref>{{Cite web|title=Joint Officers Mess|url=https://gaf.gm/index.php/joint-officers-mess/|access-date=2021-08-31|language=en-US}}</ref>