Army of Nicaragua (Ejercito de Nicaragua, EN): Land Forces (Fuerza Terrestre); Naval Forces (Fuerza Naval); Air Forces (Fuerza Aérea); Special Operations Command (Comando de Operaciones Especiales) (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
18-30 years of age for voluntary military service; no conscription; tour of duty 18-36 months; requires Nicaraguan nationality and 6th-grade education (2019)
18 years of age for voluntary 2- to 3-year military service; no conscription (2019)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP
0.7% of GDP (2019)
0.6% of GDP (2018)
0.6% of GDP (2017)
0.5% of GDP (2016)
0.8% 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 Army of Nicaragua has approximately 12,000 active personnel (10,000 Army; 800 Navy; 1,200 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 Nicaraguan military's inventory includes mostly second-hand Russian/Soviet-era equipment; since 2010, Russia is the leading arms supplier to Nicaragua (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)
