Niger Army

Niger Armed Forces Forces Armées Nigeriennes (FAN)
Seal of the Niger Armed Forces
Founded	1 August 1961
Service branches	Army, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, National Guard (GNN).
Headquarters	Niamey
Leadership
Commander-in-Chief	President Mahamadou Issoufou
Minister of National Defence	Karidio Mahamadou
Joint Chief of staff	General Seyni Garba
Manpower
Military age	18–49
Conscription	2 year compulsory
Available for military service	2,135,680 (2005 est.), age 15–49
Fit for military service	1,155,054 (2000 est.), age 15–49
Active personnel	12,000
Reserve personnel	5000 (2003)
Expenditures
Percent of GDP	1.6% (2007)
Industry
Foreign suppliers	France People's Republic of China United States

The Niger Armed Forces (French: Forces Armées Nigeriennes) (FAN) includes military armed force service branches (Niger Army and Niger Air Force), paramilitary services branches (National Gendarmerie of Niger and National Guard of Niger) and the National Police. The Niger Army, Niger Air Force and the National Gendarmerie of Niger are under the Ministry of Defense whereas the National Guard of Niger and the National Police fall under the command of the Ministry of Interior. With the exception of the National Police, all military and paramilitary forces are trained in military fashion. The President of Niger is the supreme commander of all armed forces.

The two military service branches (Niger Army and Niger Air Force) are each headed by their respective Chiefs of Staff who serve as adjunct to the Joint Chiefs of Staff of Military Armed Forces (French: Chef d'Etat Major des Armées). Military operations are headed from the Joint Staff Office (French: Etat Major General des Armées). In addition, each military branch has its own Staff Office. The Joint Chief of Staff has operational command of all the military forces and is under the command of civilian Minister of Defense (Niger), who reports to the President of Niger. This system closely resembles the French Armed forces model. The President also appoints the Special Chief of Staff at the President Office and the head of the Presidential Guard who answer directly to the President. The Special Chief of Staff and the head of the Presidential Guard sit on the Joint Staff.