Military of Algeria

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Military of Algeria
Military manpower
Military age	19-30 years of age for compulsory military service; conscript service obligation - 18 months (October 2006)
Availability	males age 15–49: 8,033,049 (2006 est.)
Fit for military service	males age 15–49: 6,590,079 (2005 est.)
Reaching military age annually	males: 374,639 (2006 est.)
Active troops	127,500 (2006 est.) (ranked 36th)
Military expenditures
Amount	$2.67 billion (2006)
Percent of GDP	3.5% (2006)

The Armed forces of Algeria are comprised of:

The People's National Army (ANP)
Algerian National Navy (MRA)
Algerian Air Force (QJJ)
Territorial Air Defense Force

It is the direct successor of the Armé de Libération Nationale (ALN), which fought French colonial occupation during the Algerian War of Independence (1954-62).

The People's National Army consits of 127,500 members, with some 100,000 reservists. The army is under the control of the president, who also is minister of National Defense (current president is Abdelaziz Bouteflika). Defense expenditures accounted for some $2.67 billion or 3.5% of GDP. One and a half years of national military service is compulsory for males.

Algeria is a leading military power in North Africa and has its force oriented toward its western (Morocco) and eastern (Libya) borders. Its primary military supplier has been the former Soviet Union, which has sold various types of sophisticated equipment under military trade agreements, and the People's Republic of China. Algeria has attempted, in recent years, to diversify its sources of military material. Military forces are supplemented by a 45,000-member gendarmerie or rural police force under the control of the president and 30,000-member Sûreté nationale or Metropolitan police force under the Ministry of the Interior.

Recently, the Algerian Air Force signed a deal with Russia to purchase 49 MiG-29SMT and 6 MiG-29UBT at an estimated $1.5 Billion. They also agreed to return old airplanes purchased from the Former USSR.