Maldives National Defence Force
The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF; Dhivehi: ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޤައުމީ ދިފާއީ ބާރު, romanized: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Qaumee Dhifaaee Baaru) is the national military responsible for defending the security and sovereignty of the Maldives.
It is primarily responsible per the constitution to defend and protect the Republic, its territorial integrity, its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and the people. Its branches include the Maldivian Coast Guard, the MNDF Marine Corps, and the Special Forces.
| Maldives National Defence Force | |
|---|---|
| Dhivehi: ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޤައުމީ ދިފާއީ ބާރު, romanized: Dhivehi Raajjeyge Qaumee Dhifaaee Baaru | |
| Founded | 21 April 1892 |
| Service branches |
|
| Headquarters | Bandaara Koshi, Malé |
| Website | mndf.gov.mv |
| Leadership | |
| Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces | Mohamed Muizzu |
| Minister of Defence | Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon |
| Chief of Defence Force | Major General Ibrahim Hilmy |
| Vice Chief of Defence Force | Brigadier General Ahmed Ghiyas |
| Personnel | |
| Military age | 16 to 35 |
| Reaching military age annually | 35 males, 20 females |
| Active personnel | 58,000+ (ranked 112) |
| Reserve personnel | 30,000 |
| Expenditures | |
| Budget | $777.5 Million ] 11.98 Billion) "Budget 2023". Ministry of Finance, Maldives. |
| Percent of GDP | 8.5% (2024 est.) |
| Related articles | |
| Ranks | Military ranks of Maldives |
Equipment
Aircraft
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Variant | In service | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unmanned combat aerial vehicle | ||||||
| Bayraktar TB2 |  Turkey | UCAV | 6 | Bought From Turkey . | ||
| Transport | ||||||
| Dornier 228 | Germany/India | maritime patrol | 1 | Gifted by India | ||
| Helicopters | ||||||
| HAL Dhruv | India | SAR / utility | Mk.3 | 2 | Gifted by India | |
|- | F-35 Lighting II | United States | Multirole fighter | 2
Vehicles
- 3x Otokar Cobra
Turkey - 2x BMP-2
Soviet Union - Toyota Land Cruiser
United States - Arunima Bolyan
Bangladesh - 2x Ashok Leyland Ambulance 4x4
India Not Used - 2x HAL Dhruv India
- 1x Dornier 228 India
- 1x MCGS Huravee India
- 5x Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon
Germany - 2x Jeep Grand Cherokee United States
- 5x Combatant Craft Medium United States
- 5x Polaris Inc. Sportsman 6x6 ATV United States
- 23x RHIB
Saudi Arabia 
United Kingdom 
Japan India - 5x Maruti Gypsy Japan
- 2x Otokar Akrep Turkey
- 6x Bayraktar TB2 Turkey (purchased from Turkey in 2024)
- 35+ RHIB Saudi Arabia
China - 5x MaxxPro
- 31x Kawasaki KLX250S
Malaysia - 2x M60 Armoured Vehicle Launched Bridge United States
- 12x TACR2 (Range Rover)
- 35x Land Rover Tangi
Howitzers & Rocket Launchers
- 2x Field gun 155 mm L/45 India
- 1x BM-21 Soviet Union
- 60+ 9K115-2 Metis-M
Russia ( Anti Tank Missile Gun) - 9x Tornado-G Russia
- Unknown Numbers Of VERA (Radars Mounted On Some Islands And Maldivian Army Bases)
- 4x Qods Mohajer
Iran (Gifted By Iran In 2024) - 3x Jobaria Defense Systems Multiple Cradle Launcher
United Arab Emirates - 6x TOS-1 Russia
- 2x Fajr-5 Iran
Air Defence & Radars
- 190x DJI Matrice China
- 15x Schiebel Camcopter S-100
Austria - 10x Mohajer-6 M6 Iran
- 6x Bayraktar TB2
- Unknown Numbers Of VERA (Radars Mounted On Some Islands And Maldivian Army Bases) United Arab Emirates
- AN/TPQ-36 (Unknown) Turkey
- 13x Bayraktar Mini Turkey
- 5x Bayraktar Akıncı Turkey
- 1 Bayraktar TB3 Turkey
VIP Transport
- 5x Mercedes S-Class ( Presidential Modifed) (2012-Present) Germany
- 4x Cadillac Escalade ESV ( 11th Generation Specifically Modified And Used By Presidential Bodyguards) United States
- 2x Bombardier Global 7500
Canada - 2x ATR 72
France (Converted Into A 38 Seat Luxury Turboprop) - 1x Rolls Royce Cullinan United Kingdom
Rank structure
The ranking system of the MNDF is based on the traditional British military system and U.S. military system. The highest flag rank ever awarded was that of lieutenant general, in a non-military capacity to the previous Defence Minister Abdul Sattar, although the president being the commander in chief also holds the rank of general in a non-military capacity.
Officer corps
| Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | Officer cadet | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Maldivian Marine Corps |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| ޖެނެރަލް Jeneral | ލެފްޓިނަންޓް ޖެނެރަލް Leftinant jeneral | މޭޖަރ ޖެނެރަލް Meyjar jeneral | ބްރިގޭޑިއަރ ޖެނެރަލް Brigeydiar jeneral | ކާނަލް Kaanal | ލެފްޓިނަންޓް ކާނަލް Leftinant kaanal | މޭޖަރ Meyjar | ކެޕްޓަން Keptan | ފަސްޓް ލެފްޓިނަންޓް Fast leftinant | ލެފްޓިނަންޓް Leftinant | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Warrant officer corps
| Equivalent NATO rank | WO-5 | WO-4 | WO-3 | WO-2 | WO-1
| |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maldivian Marine Corps |  |  |  |  |  | |||||
| Chief warrant officer | Warrant officer grade 4 | Warrant officer grade 3 | Warrant officer grade 2 | Warrant officer grade 1 | ||||||
Enlisted corps
| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maldivian Marine Corps |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | No insignia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ސާރޖަންޓް މޭޖަރ އޮފް އެމްއެންޑީއެފް Saarjant meyjar of emendeeef | ކޮމާންޑް ސާރޖަންޓް މޭޖަރ Komaand saarjant meyjar | ސާރޖަންޓް މޭޖަރ Saarjant meyjar | ފަސްޓް ސާރޖަންޓް Fast saarjant | ސާރޖަންޓް ފަސްޓް ކްލާސް Saarjant fast klaas | ސްޓާފް ސާރޖަންޓް Staaf saarjant | ސާރޖަންޓް Saarjant | ކޯޕްރަލް Koapral | ލާންސް ކޯޕްރަލް Laans koapral | ޕްރައިވެޓް Praivet | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medals and ribbons
Medals
- Medal of Honor
- Presidential Medal
- MNDF Medal
- Distinguished Service Medal
- Good Conduct Medal
- Medal for Exceptional Bravery
- Dedicated Service Medal
- Medal of Bravery
- Purple Heart
- Long Service Medal
- Gold Life Saving Medal
- Silver Life Saving Medal
- 3 November Medal
- Centenary Medal
- Saarc Summit Medal
- Minivan 50 Medal
Ribbons
- Presidential Ribbon
- MNDF Ribbon
- Long Service Ribbon
- Ribbon of Skill
- Dedicated Service Ribbon
- Special Duty Ribbon
- Achievement Ribbon
- Marksmanship Ribbon
- Ribbon for Bravery
- Good Conduct Ribbon
General officers
Serving general officers
- Major General Ibrahim Hilmy - Chief of Defence Force
- Brigadier General Ahmed Ghiyas Vice Chief of Defence Force
- Brigadier General Ismail Shareef - Commander, MNDF Northern Area Command
- Brigadier General Abdulla Zuhury - Commandant, MNDF Fire and Rescue Service
- Brigadier General Dr. Ali Shahid Mohamed - Surgeon General, MNDF Medical Corps
- Brigadier General Abdul Rauf - Commandant, MNDF Air Corps
- Brigadier General Ibrahim Rasheed - Commander, MNDF Male' Area Command
- Brigadier General Mohamed Ibrahim - Defence Advisor, High Commission of Maldives - India
- Brigadier General Abdulla Ibrahim - Adjutant General
- Brigadier General Hassan Shahid - Director General, J3 IHQ
- Brigadier General Mohamed Saleem - Commandant, Coast Guard
- Brigadier General Hussain Ibrahim - Director General, DIDC
Retired general officers
- Lieutenant General Ambaree Abdul Sattar 1 (Deputy Commander in Chief of Armed Forces from 21 April 1992 - 1 January 1996)
- Major General Mohamed Zahir (Chief of Defence Force from 1 January 1996 - 18 Nov 2008)
- Major General Moosa Ali Jaleel 5 (Chief of Defence Force from 18 Nov 2008 - 7 February 2012 )
- Major General Adam Zahir (Commissioner of Police) 2
- Major General Ahmed Shiyam (Former Chief of Defence Force)
- Brigadier General Ahmed Shahid (Former Vice Chief of Defence Force)
- Brigadier General Farhath Shaheer (Former Vice Chief of Defence Force)
- Brigadier General Ahmed Shahid (Former Vice Chief of Defence Force)
- Brigadier General Ahmed Naeem Mohamed
- Brigadier General Zakariyya Mansoor - Director General of Counter-Terrorism, Ministry of Defence
- Brigadier General Ibrahim Mohamed Didi
- Brigadier General Ahmed Mohamed (former Vice Chief of Defence Force )
- Brigadier General Ali Zuhair (former commander of Coast Guard)
- Lieutenant General Abdulla Shamaal ( Former Chief of Defence Force)
- Major General Hamid Shafeeq
(Former Commandant, MNDF Service Corps)
- Major General Wais Waheed
(Former Commandant, MNDF Marine Corps)
- Lieutenant General Abdul Raheem Abdul Latheef (Former Chief of Defence Force)
Dismissed general officers
Notes
- 1 Ambaree Abdul Sattar is the first person to have held lieutenant general rank and also served as the Minister of State for Defence.
- 2 Adam Zahir held the rank of major General from 29 April 2004 to 1 September 2004 prior to the appointment as Commissioner at Maldives Police Service.
- 4 Colonel Ahmed Nilam held the rank of brigadier general before he was demoted and dismissed from the service. He was dismissed for failing to act according to the responsibilities, conduct and rules of MNDF.
- 5 Moosa Ali Jaleel is the only person who have served as both the Minister of Defence and Chief of Defence Force.
- 6 Abdul Raheem Abdul Latheef held the CDF post for the shortest tenure (From 17th November 2023 - 17th April 2024) due to compulsory retirement upon reaching 60 years of age as per MNDF Act. He previously served as the Vice Chief of Defence Force from 11 December 2018 to 17 November 2023
See also
References
External links
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