Namibian Army

Development of Namibia's army was fastest of the three arms of Service. The first units of the Army were deployed as early as 1990. The Army was formed when two enemies South West African Territorial Force and the People's Liberation Army of Namibia where inducted after Namibia's independence into the newly created Namibian Defence Force.

Wer'wolf MKII on parade in downtown Windhoek on 20 March 2015 during Namibia's Independence celebrations

The Ministry of Defence has outlined the Army policy as follows:

"The Army's principal roles will continue to be as already outlined in the defence policy. The Army will strive to maximise its operational effectiveness through the recruitment of the best young men and women who wish to pursue a military career, their effective training and employment. The Army's equipment priorities are improved troop-lift capacity (road and air); engineer, artillery, anti-tank and air defence and communication systems: the aim being to create a secure, integrated, efficient and cost-effective systems." "The Army will remain a well-disciplined and accountable, professional (all volunteer) force; it will include development of a Reserve; it will continue to train along the lines of other Commonwealth armies; it will train with other Namibian forces (such as the police) to rehearse plans for aid to the civil authorities, civil ministries and civil community; and it will promote a good public image and contribute to the communities in which it is based."[3]

The Army is a hierarchical organisation with the Army commander exercising overall command. The Army headquarters are located at Grootfontein military base,a former SADF logistics base. The Army has several thousand members. Senior Army officers also dominate staff positions at Defence Headquarters

The standard operational units are structured according to the British commonwealth system:[17]

Air Defence Formation

Air Defence Brigade (Namibia) The GOC is Brig Gen Moses Shalongo Nghilifa, he succeeded Brig Gen David Shiimbi.[18]

Artillery Formation

• 4 Artillery Brigade

Based in Otjiwarongo[19]

• 12 Artillery Regiment
• 44 Artillery Regiment[20]
• 46 Artillery Regiment
• 21 Artillery Regiment[21]
• 26 Artillery Regimen

Infantry Formation

• 21 Motorised Infantry Brigade[21]
• 21 Guard Battalion[22]
• 211 Battalion[23]
• 212 Battalion[21]
• 213 Mechanized Infantry Battalion

Based in Windhoek

• 12 Motorised Infantry Brigade[24]
• 124 Battalion
• 125 Battalion

Based at Walvis Bay[25]

• 126 Battalion

Based in Gobabis.[26]

• 26 Motorised Infantry Brigade.[27]
• 261 Motorized Infantry Battalion[28]

Based in Rundu.The Commanding Officer is Lt Col Liyali Given Numwa who succeeded Lt Col David Diyeve.[27]

• 262 Motorized Infantry Battalion

Based in Katima Mulilo. Presivous Commanding officers includes Erastus Kashopola

• 263 Motorized Infantry Battalion

Based at Oshakati[29] The current Commanding Officer is Lt Col Wesley Muruko. Previous Commanding Officers included Erastus Kashopola and Colonel Abed Mukumangeni.

Engineer Formation

• Engineer Regiment

Based in Otavi[25]

Logistics Formation

• Logistics Support Battalion[30]

Provost Formation

• Military Police Battalion

Recce Formation

• Recce Regiment[31]

Signals Formation

• Signal Regiment

Training Formation

• Army Battle School (ABS)

Based at the former Oshivelo SADF training base has been transformed into an army battle school. The commandant of the battle school is Colonel H. Mvula who succeeded Colonel Joel Kapala [32] as-off 6 January 2015,Colonel Kapala succeed Colonel Kashindi Eusebi Kashindi.[33]

• Technical Training Centre (TTC)[34]

The Army TTC offers training to army soldiers covering mechanics and electrical configurations of armaments,military weapons and equipment[35]

• School of Artillery

Based at the Oluno Military Base, the school is responsible for the training requirement of all soldiers specializing to become artillery gunners.[36] Lt Col Ambrosius Kwedhi is the Commandant of the School.

The position of Army commander is held by a commissioned officer with the rank of major general. The Army Commander exercises the overall command of the Army. The current Army commander is Major General Matheus Alueendo.

• 1990-2000 Maj-Gen Solomon Huwala
• 2000-2005 Maj-Gen Martin Shalli
• 2005-2011 Maj-Gen Peter Nambundunga
• 2011-2013 Maj-Gen John Mutwa
• 2013-2017 Maj-Gen Tomas Hamunyela
• 2017-2019 Maj-Gen Nestor Shali Shalauda
• 2019 current Maj-Gen Matheus Alueendo

The Army commandos and airborne paratroopers are part of the Namibian Special Forces.

Army ranks are based on Commonwealth ranks. The highest rank in peace time a commissioned officer can attain in the army is major general. There may, however, be an exception when an army officer is appointed as Chief of the Defence Force, for which the individual will ascend to the lieutenant general. The highest rank an enlisted member can attain is warrant officer class 1.

Officers

Equivalent NATO Code	OF-10		OF-9		OF-8		OF-7		OF-6		OF-5		OF-4		OF-3		OF-2		OF-1						OF(D) & Student officer
Namibia (Edit)	No equivalent																								Unknown
			General		Lieutenant General		Major General		Brigadier		Colonel		Lieutenant Colonel		Major		Captain		Lieutenant			2nd lieutenant

Enlisted

The highest rank an enlisted member can attain is warrant officer class 1.

Non Commissioned officer rank structure of the Namibian Army
Warrant officer class 1	Warrant officer class 2	Staff sergeant	Sergeant
WO1	WO2	SSGT	SGT

Corporal	Lance corporal	Private
		No insignia
CPL	LCPL	PVT

• People's Liberation Army of Namibia
• South West African Territorial Force