Armed forces of South Sudan

South Sudan Armed Forces
Flag of South Sudan
Founded	2011
Leadership
President of the Republic of South Sudan	Salva Kiir Mayardit
Military Affairs	Tor Deng Mawin
Industry
Foreign suppliers	Russia  Ukraine

The South Sudan Armed Forces is duly constituted at Part 10, Chapter 1 of the South Sudanese constitution. It currently primarily consists of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), which was previously the armed wing of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement and is in the process of becoming a regular army.

The mission of the South Sudan Armed Forces, as defined in the South Sudan Constitution:

• uphold this Constitution;
• defend the sovereignty of the country;
• protect the people of South Sudan;
• secure the territorial integrity of South Sudan;
• defend South Sudan against external threats and aggression; and
• be involved in addressing any emergencies, participate in reconstruction activities, and assist in disaster management and relief in accordance with this Constitution and the law.

Army

Following the 2011 independence referendum the SPLA will become the national military force of the Republic of South Sudan.

However Richard Rand writes that:^[1]

• "The lack of a coherent SPLA defense strategy is frustrating high-level support for transformation. Despite some successes with the development and implementation of procedural doctrine, the absence of a comprehensive strategic defense review and approved defense strategy means that the transformation process is rooted within a force structure that was designed out of necessity and without the benefit of detailed analysis. A comprehensive analysis of SPLA capabilities is required, not only as part of an overarching defense review, but also to guide future transformation.
• The challenges posed by the integration of the Other Armed Groups (OAGs) present the largest threat to the cohesion and effectiveness of the SPLA. Future transformation parameters must be informed by a thorough understanding of OAG integration issues.
• The SPLA faces multiple short-term challenges, including problems regarding accountability, logistics, and sustainment; a lack of mobility; poor tactical communications; urgent training and new equipment needs; and insufficient funds to support development."

Structure of SPLA

Current leaders of the Sudan People's Liberation Army:

• Gen. Salva Kiir Mayardit, Commander-in-Chief of SPLA
• Lt. Gen. Paulino Matip Nhial, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of SPLA
• Lt. Gen. Nhial Deng Nhial, Minister for SPLA Affairs
• Lt. Gen. James Hoth, Chief of General Staff

During the Second Sudanese Civil War the SPLA provided training teams to the large groups of boys who fled between 1981 and 1990. John Garang named these the "Red Army".

South Sudan Air Force

On 24 June 2008 a South Sudan Air Force was formally created by the Southern Sudan Legislative Assembly, although it didn't have any aircraft at that time. The U.S. Air Force Special Operations School announced in July 2009 that Sudan participated in the Building Partner Aviation Capacity Course.^{[citation needed]} In May 2010 Major General Kuol Dim Kuol of the Sudan People's Liberation Army said: "SPLA has formed a nucleus air force and navy. Our pilots and engineers have been trained and local support and administrative units will follow suit."^{[citation needed]} On 12 August 2010 the South Sudan Air Force received 4 Mi-17 helicopters of a total of 10 on order.

Equipment

Currently all weapons are from the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA). Most of the weapons come from the black market and were smuggled from Uganda and Ethiopia.

Infantry Weapons

metric and inch-pattern FN FALs, G3A3s, IMI Galil ARs, C-4 explosive, various types of land mines

Name	Type	Caliber	Origin	Notes
AK-47	Assault Rifle	7.62 mm	Soviet Union
Type 56	Assault Rifle	7.62 mm	China
M1918 BAR	Light Machine Gun	.30	United States
Dragunov SVD	Sniper Rifle	7.62 mm	Soviet Union

Aircraft

Two SPLA Mi17 helicopters at Juba Airport

Jane's Defence Weekly said in September 2010 that "Bloomberg News had reported earlier that the fleet consisted of nine Mi-17V-5 transport helicopters and one Mi-172 variant, purchased for a total USD75 million from Russia's Kazan Helicopters, in a contract negotiated in May 2007 for deliveries set to begin in March 2010."^[2]

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	In service	Notes
Mi-17	Russia	Transport Helicopter	Mi-17V-5/Mi-172	4	4 out of 10 delivered[citation needed]

References

1. ^ Richard Rands, In Need of Review: SPLA Transformation in 2006–10 and Beyond, HSBA-Small Arms Survey, Working Paper 23, November 2010, p.6-7
2. ^ Lauren Gelfand, 'Confident South Sudan set to buy fleet of Mi-17 transport helos,' Jane's Defence Weekly, 10 September 2010