Djiboutian Navy

Djiboutian Navy
Active April 1979-present
Country  Djibouti
Type Navy
Size

Navy fleets:

Part of Djibouti Armed Forces
Headquarters Djibouti City
Nickname(s) DN
Engagements Djiboutian–Eritrean border conflict
Insignia
Naval Ensign
Naval Jack
A Djiboutian patrol boat, donated by the U.S. government

The Djiboutian Navy (French: Garde-Cotes), (Somali: Ciidanka Badda Jabuuti) is the naval service branch of the Djibouti Armed Forces. It is responsible for securing Djibouti's territorial waters and 314 km seaboard as well as supporting army operations. The navy has bases in Djibouti City, Obock and Tadjoura. It has a fleet of gunboats, fast missile boats, which can be deployed to along Djibouti's coastline as well as to protect tankers passing through the Bab-el-Mandeb. The navy was built and structured with assistance from the United States since the end of the Cold War, but has also relied on other sources for equipment in some areas. Djiboutian forces are an important player in the Bab-el-Mandeb.

History

The Djiboutian Navy is the naval service branch of the Djibouti Armed Forces. It is responsible for securing Djibouti's territorial waters and 314 km seaboard. The force was launched two years after Djibouti gained its independence in 1977. Initially it comprised the remnants of the Gendarmerie and was focused on port safety and traffic monitoring. This is an area known to have considerable fish stocks, sustaining an active fisheries industry. The acquisition of the several boats from the US in 2006 considerably increased the navy's ability to patrol over longer distances and to remain at sea for several days at a time. Cooperation with the US and Yemeni navies is also increasing in an effort to protect and maintain the safety and security of the Sea Lanes of Communication (SLOC). The Navy is upgrading itself with the following technological developments.

Mission

Djibouti's territorial waters

The Djiboutian Navy is part of the Djibouti Armed Forces. Its mission includes the protection of Djiboutian territory and sovereignty, as well as the controlling the Exclusive Economic Zone. Other tasks include the maintenance, preservation and the provision of naval services in support of other state departments and authorities, including search and rescue, protection of maritime resources, and diplomatic sea transport support.

Equipment

Vessels

  • 35 Tonne Swari-Class Inshore Patrol boat: 6 boats
  • Metal Shark 28 Patrol boat: 2 boats
  • Coast Guard Boats: 8 boats: of which 4 donated by Italy in 2004: 2 classe 200 type (ex-Italian Coast Guard CP 230 and CP 242) and 2 CP 572 type, another 2 donated by Japan in 2015.[1]
  • EDIC landing craft: 2 landing craft

Weapons

  • Rocket launchers
  • Machine guns

See also

References

  1. ↑ "International Cooperative Support Ship - Sumidagawa Shipyard". Sumidagawa Shipyard. Retrieved 2016-06-13.
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