the Armed Force of El Salvador (La Fuerza Armada de El Salvador, FAES): Army of El Salvador (Ejercito de El Salvador, ES), Navy of El Salvador (Fuerza Naval de El Salvador, FNES), Salvadoran Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Salvadorena, FAS); Ministry of Justice and Public Security: National Civil Police (Policia Nacional Civil, PNC) (2021)
Honduran Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas de Honduras, FFAA): Army (Ejercito), Honduran Naval Force (FNH; includes marines), Honduran Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Hondurena, FAH), Honduran Public Order Military Police (PMOP); Security Secretariat: Public Security Forces (includes Honduran National Police paramilitary units) (2021)
note - the PMOP reports to military authorities, but conducts operations sanctioned by civilian security officials as well as by military leaders
Military service age and obligation
18 years of age for selective compulsory military service; 16-22 years of age for voluntary male or female service; service obligation is 12 months, with 11 months for officers and NCOs (2012)
18 years of age for voluntary 2- to 3-year military service; no conscription (2019)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
1.2% of GDP (2019)
1.1% of GDP (2018)
1% of GDP (2017)
1% of GDP (2016)
1% of GDP (2015)
1.6% of GDP (2019)
1.6% of GDP (2018)
1.7% of GDP (2017)
1.7% of GDP (2016)
1.7% of GDP (2015)
Military and security service personnel strengths
the Armed Force of El Salvador (FAES) has approximately 21,000 active troops (17,000 Army; 2,000 Navy; 2,000 Air Force) (2021)
the Honduran Armed Forces (FFAA) have approximately 16,000 active personnel (7,500 Army; 1,500 Navy, including about 1,000 marines; 2,000 Air Force; 5,000 Public Order Military Police); approximately 18,000 National Police (2021)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the FAES is dependent on a mix of mostly older imported platforms, largely from the US; since 2010, the FAES has received small amounts of equipment from Chile, Israel, Spain, and the US (2020)
the FFAA's inventory is comprised of mostly older imported equipment from Israel, the UK, and the US; since 2010, Honduras has received limited amounts of military equipment from Colombia, Israel, Netherlands, Taiwan, and the US (2020)
