Editing Timor-Leste Defence Force (section)

=== Army ===
When initially established, the F-FDTL land force comprised two [[light infantry]] [[battalion]]s, each with an authorised strength of 600 personnel.<ref>Ball (2002), pp. 179–180</ref> {{As of|2004}} each battalion had three rifle companies, a support company and a headquarters company.<ref>Rees (2004), pp. 28–29</ref> Although the army is small, the guerrilla tacticsemployed by FALINTIL before the departure in 1999 of the [[Indonesian National Armed Forces]] were effective against overwhelming numbers and it has the potential to form a credible deterrent against invasion.<ref>Wainwright (2002), pp. 34</ref> The Army's current doctrine is focused on low-intensity infantry combat tactics as well as counter-insurgency tasks.<ref name=Patrikainen_143 /> Most of the force's training and operations are conducted at the [[Section (military unit)|section]] level, and company or battalion-sized exercises are rare.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Doran|first1=Mark|title=Timorese take to training|url=http://armynews.realviewdigital.com/?iid=119635#folio=14|access-date=18 May 2015|work=Army|date=21 May 2015|page=14|archive-date=16 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016220210/http://armynews.realviewdigital.com/?iid=119635#folio=14|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:F-FDTL soldiers training in October 2012.jpg|thumb|left|F-FDTL soldiers during a training exercise in 2012]]

Up until the 2006 crisis the land component's primary fighting units were two battalions, following the original idea of the Australian major-general whose suggestion it was. These units were located in separate bases. {{As of|2004}} the 1st Battalion was based at [[Baucau]], with a contingent in the seaside coastline village of Laga.<ref name=rees29>Rees (2004), p. 29.</ref> In 2006 the 2nd Battalion was stationed at the [[Nicolau Lobato Training Centre]] near [[Metinaro]].<ref>Lowry (2006), p. 4 and Rees (2004), pp. 29–31</ref> Almost all of the 2nd Battalion's soldiers were dismissed during the 2006 crisis.<ref name=icg5/> It should be clearly noted that the listing of personnel above after the 2006 crisis refers only to a "former" 2nd Battalion. The other major Army units are a [[military police]] platoon and a logistic support company.{{sfn|International Institute for Strategic Studies|2020|p=317}} As of 2019, the F-FDTL was planning to raise a [[special forces]] company.<ref name="Dodd China’s navy is making friends">{{cite web |last1=Dodd |first1=Mark |title=China's navy is making friends in Dili |url=https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/chinas-navy-is-making-friends-in-dili/ |website=The Strategist |publisher=Australian Strategic Policy Institute |access-date=6 February 2021 |date=23 October 2019 |archive-date=26 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126163116/https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/chinas-navy-is-making-friends-in-dili/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The 2020 edition of ''The Military Balance'' stated that the Army had 2,200 personnel.{{sfn|International Institute for Strategic Studies|2020|p=317}}

Logistics and service support is provided through Headquarters F-FDTL in [[Dili]]. The military police platoon polices the F-FDTL and performs traditional policing tasks, resulting in conflicting roles with the PNTL. The military police have also been responsible for presidential security since February 2007.<ref>International Crisis Group (2008), p. 15</ref> In 2010 the United States Embassy in Dili reported that the F-FDTL also planned to raise two engineer squadrons during that year; these two units were to have a total strength of 125 personnel.<ref name= "US_Embassy_2010_4">Embassy of the United States, Dili (2010), p. 4</ref>

The F-FDTL is armed only with [[small arms]] and does not have any [[crew-served weapon]]s. The 2007 edition of ''Jane's Sentinel'' stated that the F-FDTL had the following equipment in service: 1,560 [[M16 rifle]]s and 75 [[M203 grenade launcher]]s, 75 [[FN Minimi]] [[squad automatic weapon]]s, 8 [[sniper rifle]]s and 50 [[M1911|.45 M1911A1]] pistols. A further 75 Minimis were to be ordered at that time. The majority of the F-FDTL's weapons were donated by other countries.<ref>''Jane's Sentinel Security Assessment&nbsp;– Southeast Asia''. Issue 20&nbsp;– 2007, pp. 146, 152</ref> An assessment of Timor-Leste's security forces published by the [[Centre for International Governance Innovation]] in 2010 stated that "F-FDTL weapons management and control systems, while superior to that of PNTL, are underdeveloped".<ref name="Sedra_11">Sedra et al. (2010), p. 11</ref> The F-FDTL ordered eight lightly armed four wheel drive vehicles from China in 2007.{{sfn|Storey|2012|p=298}} Between 10 and 50 Malaysian [[Weststar Defence Industries|Weststar]] GS trucks were delivered in 2014.<ref name="SM">{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170614104428/https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/landwarfareintl/east-timor-selects-weststar-cargo-military-vehicle/|url=https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/landwarfareintl/east-timor-selects-weststar-cargo-military-vehicle/|date=2014-06-10|archive-date=2017-06-14|access-date=2017-06-14|title=East Timor selects Weststar cargo military vehicles|publisher=Shephard Media}}</ref>