Cameroon's Military Might: A Comprehensive Look at Numbers, Elite Units, and Global Rankings.

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), in its 2023 report, asserts that the Republic of Cameroon maintains an active military force numbering between 45,000 and 50,000 personnel.

Within this count, the CIA estimates the army's strength to be between 30,000 and 35,000 soldiers, with the Naval Forces comprising 2,000 members and the Air Force consisting of 1,000 military personnel. The tally of army personnel includes elite units, specifically 10,000 from the Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR), soldiers from the Presidential Guard, and 10,000 gendarmes.

According to the CIA, Cameroon has deployed 750 army personnel and 350 police officers in the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA). Furthermore, between 2,000 and 2,500 soldiers are engaged in the Multinational Joint Task Force against Boko Haram in the Far North region.

The world's most influential intelligence agency also reports on the country's military equipment, stating, "The inventory comprises a wide array of Chinese, Russian, and Western equipment, mostly aged or second-hand, with a limited quantity of more modern weapons received in recent years from countries such as China, France, and Russia."

The BIR soldiers, however, are noted for being better equipped and trained. "The BIR, part of the Ministry of Defense, possesses its command and control structure, reporting directly to the presidency. The BIR is organized as a large brigade, including up to 9 battalions, detachments, or groups composed of infantry, airborne/air-mobile units, amphibious, armored, reconnaissance, counter-terrorism, and support elements like artillery and intelligence," highlights the CIA.

In a recent GlobalFirepower ranking, Cameroon holds the 104th position globally among the most powerful armies. Despite being the economic powerhouse of Central Africa, the country ranks second in military strength, following Chad. Since 2019, the government has allocated 1% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to military expenditures.