Malawi Defense Force (MDF): Army (includes marine unit), Air Force (established as a separate service August 2019; previously was an air wing under the Army) (2021)
Armed Defense Forces of Mozambique (Forcas Armadas de Defesa de Mocambique, FADM): Mozambique Army, Mozambique Navy (Marinha de Guerra de Mocambique, MGM), Mozambique Air Force (Forca Aerea de Mocambique, FAM)
Ministry of Interior: National Police (PRM), the National Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC), Rapid Intervention Unit (UIR; police special forces), Border Security Force (2020)
note: the FADM and Ministry of Interior forces are referred to collectively as the Defense and Security Forces (DFS)
Military service age and obligation
18 years of age for voluntary military service; high school equivalent required for enlisted recruits and college equivalent for officer recruits; initial engagement is 7 years for enlisted personnel and 10 years for officers (2021)
registration for military service is mandatory for all males and females at 18 years of age; 18-35 years of age for selective compulsory military service; 18 years of age for voluntary service; 2-year service obligation; women may serve as officers or enlisted (2019)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
0.9% of GDP (2019)
0.9% of GDP (2018)
0.7% of GDP (2017)
0.6% of GDP (2016)
0.6% of GDP (2015)
0.9% of GDP (2019)
1% of GDP (2018)
1% of GDP (2017)
1% of GDP (2016)
0.8% of GDP (2015)
Military and security service personnel strengths
information varies; approximately 8,000 total personnel (including about 200 air and 200 marine forces) (2021)
information varies; approximately 11,000 personnel (10,000 Army; 200 Navy; 1,000 Air Force) (2020)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the Malawi Defense Force inventory is comprised of mostly obsolescent or second-hand equipment from Europe and South Africa; since 2010, it has taken deliveries of limited amounts of mostly second-hand equipment from China, South Africa, and the UK, as well as non-lethal equipment donated by the US (2020)
the FADM's inventory consists primarily of Soviet-era equipment, although since 2010 it has received limited quantities of more modern equipment from a variety of countries, mostly as aid/donations (2020)
