Uganda Peoples Defence Force UPDF
- Background of UPDF
- UPDF Ranks
- UPDF in Somalia
- UPDF Code of Conduct
- UPDF Act
- UPDF Air Force
- UPDF Special Forces
- UPDF Training
- UPDF Amisom
- UPDF Recruitment Procedure
- UPDF Army Numbers
- UPDF brass band
- UPDF Cadet Recruitment
- UPDF Fighter Jets
- UPDF Headquarters Uganda
- UPDF Hierachy
- UPDF History
- UPDF Recruitment
- UPDF Regulations
- UPDF Salary Structure
- UPDF Training Schools
1. Order of Battle
| Total force strength | Army: +/- 38 000 Naval Service: 200 Marines Air Force: 500 |
| Army | |
| Armour | 185: T-54/T-55 10: T-72 44: T-90S 50: PT-76 31: BMP-2 |
| Reconnaissance | 40: Eland 6: Ferret |
| APC | 19: 15 BTR-60 4: OT-64 20:Buffe 40: Mamba 15: RG-31 Nyala 42: Casspir 6: Gila 1: Springbuck 10: Cougar 12: Nyoka (Mamba) |
| Self-propelled artillery | 6: ATMOS-2000 155 mm |
| Towed artillery | 18: M-839 155 mm 9: D-30 122 mm 55: M1942 76 mm 18: M1938 122 mm |
| Multiple Rocket Launcher | 6+: 107 mm 6: BM-21 122 mm 6: RM-70 122 mm |
| Mortar | 78+: L16 81 mm M-43 82 mm Soltam 120 mm 18: CARDOM 120 mm self-propelled |
| Air defence gun | 20+: ZPU-1/ZPU-2/ZPU-4 14.5 mm ZSU-23 23 mm 20: M-1939 37 mm |
| Air defence missile | 4: S-125 Pechora (SA-3 Goa) 300: 5V27 (SA-3B Goa) 9K32 Strela-2 (SA-7 Grail) 9K310 Igla-1 (SA-16 Gimlet) |
| Armoured Recovery Vehicle | T-54/T-55 |
| Structure | 5 Division HQs 1 armoured brigade 1 motorised infantry brigade 1 tank battalion Presidential Guard brigade 1 engineer brigage 1 commando battalionn 5 infantry division (total: 16 infantry brigade) 1 artillery brigade 2 air defence battalion |
| Air Force | |
| Combat aircraft | 5 MiG-21bis Fishbed 1 MiG-21U Mongol A 1 MiG-21UM Mongol B 5: MiG-23 6: Su-30MK2 |
| Trainer aircraft | 3: L-39 Albatros†* 1: AS-202 Bravo |
| Transport aircraft | 1: L-100-30 2: Y-12IV |
| VIP aircraft | 1: Gulfstream 550 |
| Combat helicopter | 4: Mi-24 Hind |
| Transport helicopter | 1: Mi-172 3: AB 206 JetRanger 3: AB 205 2: AB 212 3: Mi-17 Hip H |
| UAV | 4: RQ-11 Raven |
| Police Air Wing | |
| Transport/liaison | 1: DHC-2 1: DHC-4 1: DHC-6 3: Bell 206/212 1: A109 GrandNew (on order) 1: W-3A Sokol (on order) |
| Naval Service | |
| Patrol | 3: AL8K type 2: Pursuit OS 315 |
Uganda Peoples Defence Force Structure
UPDF Hierarchy of Command
State of military forces
The Ugandan government regularly outspends neighboring countries on the development of its armed forces. The threat of spill-overs from conflict in South Sudan and the DRC has forced the country to ensure it has a well-equipped and professional army. President Yoweri Museweni has also been working to ensure that the country is regarded as a military giant in the region ever since the introduction of a new government security policy in 2001. During this period the government was also facing a major threat from the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) which only ended in 2006.
Considering the geographical size of Uganda the country has a relatively large army. The military is also well equipped with some of the latest technologies. Soldiers undergo rigorous training as the country boasts a number of advanced training facilities. Since the country’s 2007 African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) deployment to battle Al-Shabaab, the army has acquired valuable experience in counter terrorism and urban warfare.
The United States of America (USA) also regularly provides training to Ugandan forces to enhance their capabilities within AMISOM. This includes training on improvised explosive device (IED) detection and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD), much of which has proved very valuable in countering Al-Shabaab in Somalia.
Uganda’s army stands as a powerhouse in the region and allows the country to punch well above its weight. It has also allowed the country to take an active role in the region and continent as its army has a well established reputation.
5. Country threat report
| Threat type | Overview |
| External | • Uganda faces a threat externally from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) who operate in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The ADF is known to move between the two countries. |
| Internal | • Internally Uganda has to deal with the threat of possible attacks by Al-Shabaab cells, as the Somalia-based militants have threatened to attack the country. |
| Regional | • At a regional level Uganda faces instability to the north with ongoing violence in South Sudan, and sporadic violence in eastern DRC is also problematic. • Gunmen from the Central African Republic have attacked targets in Uganda on several occasions. • Communities along the borderline of Rwanda and Uganda have for decades been involved in bloody land disputes. |
| Political | • Politically Uganda is relatively stable; president Yoweri Museweni has been in power since January 1986. • Uganda’s anti-homosexuality laws have angered foreign supporters and resulted in the suspension of aid. |
| Economic | • Uganda has lots of fertile land and mineral deposits giving it a strong economy, generating regular growth year on year. |
6. Major external deployments
| Operation | Country | Personnel/assets |
| UNOCI | Ivory Coast | Troops: 2 Police:5 |
| UNMIL | Liberia | Police:12 |
| UNMISS | South Sudan | Troop:2 Police:18 |
| AMISOM | Somalia | Troops: 6 200 |
Contact
Ministry of Defence
Mbuya Hill
P.O. Box 3798
Kampala
Uganda
Tel +256 412 70331
E-mail: spokesman@defenceuganda.mil.ug