The military forces of Mauritania are listed by the IISS Military Balance 2007 as comprising 15,870 personnel with an additional 5,000 paramilitaries. Currently, the Mauritanian military is involved in Operation Enduring Freedom - Trans Sahara.

The Army is 15,000 strong, according to the IISS, with two camel corps battalions, one battalion of T-54/55 battle tanks, one armoured reconnaissance squadron, eight garrison infantry battalions, seven motorised infantry battalions, one commando/para battalion, 3 artillery battalions, 4 air defence batteries, one engineer company, and one guard battalion. The Navy has 620 personnel and 10 patrol and coastal combatants, with bases at Nouadhibou and Nouakchott. The small Air Force has 250 personnel, 2 FTB-337 aircraft, 15 transport aircraft of various types, and 4 SF-260E trainers. The 5,000 paramilitaries are divided in the Gendarmerie (3000), and the National Guard (2000) who both report to the Ministry of the Interior.

Current inventory

! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Aircraft ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Versions ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service

! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes |----- | Basler BT-67 | | transport | BT-67 | Unknown | |----- | Cessna 337 | | light transport | FTB-337 | 2 | |----- | SIAI SF260 Marchetti | | basic flying training | SF260E | 4 | |----- | Harbin Y-12 | | transport | Y-12 | Unknown | |----- | Harbin Z-9 | | utility helicopter | Z-9 | 2 | |----- | EADS CASA C-212 Aviocar | | transport & patrol | C-212-200 | 1 | One will be delivered in 2008 from Spain. |}

CIA World Fact Book data

Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Guard, National Police, Presidential Guard

Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 644,294 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 312,276 (2002 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $37.1 million (FY01)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.7% (FY01)

References

• CIA World Factbook: Mauritania
• IISS Military Balance 2007, p.235-6