Gabon Army

After the 1960 accession of Gabon to international sovereignty, President Leon Mba created the Army by Decree, Law 4/PM of December 06, 1960. The Organization and recruitment of armies in the Gabonese Republic by 1966 icnluded the creation of five (5) military detachments in the chief towns of province from the inside (Oyem, Makokou, Franceville, Tchibanga, and Mouila).

Misions include defending the integrity of the territory against all forms of aggression; participating in development activities; assistance to populations in the event of natural disasters; and participating in missions of peace as part of a multinational force under the auspices of agencies, international (AU, UN, CEMA, ECCAS, et...). Land forces equipment covers the selection, acquisition, implementation, operation, maintenance, the maintenance, modernization, management reform update: equipment and ground materials; and infrastructure and buildings. This action is implemented by the directorates of the logistics or equivalent of the body, the Aida/CF and the ECRRA.

Equipment Modernization

On 29 October 2014, Philippe Burtin, CEO of the group Nexter , signed in the presence of the Minister e Defence Ernest Mpouho Epigat and his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian, a contract for the supply of 12 armored vehicles 4 × 4 Aravis a battalion of Gabonese armed forces. These vehicles will soon be deployed in the Central African Republic under the minusca (MINUSCA Africa). An initiative that allows significant improvement in the projection capability of men. 12 armored vehicles were ordered on October 29, but the delivery date was not announced. The Aravis ordered by Gabon will feature says Nexter , turrets 20mm remotely controlled ARX20, the anti-RPG PG-Guard protection system and mini-robots Nerva LG recognition products by Nexter Robotics, which are controlled remotely via a digital tablet or smartphone. Gabon became the 3 th customer of the Aravis.

Global Sovereign France (SGF) signed a contract for the formation of a battalion of 450 Gabonese soldiers will join the UN troops in CAR. Scheduled to be deployed at the end of the first quarter 2015 in the Central African Republic, a battalion of 450 Gabonese soldiers to join the UN contingent should be made "shortly" by the Sovereign Global France (SGF). The terms of this transaction were signed last 31 October 2114 in France, between the Minister of National Defence, Ernest Mpouho Epigat and President of SGF, Jerome Paolini. SGF will put in operational condition and standards of OMP (Operation peacekeeping) Gabonese soldiers a period of 3 years. These include a counseling and support program for setting the standards of UN Gabonese reserve battalion deployed in the UN Mission in CAR (minusca). The twenty trainers SGF will focus their training on three aspects, namely: advice and assistance to the Ministry of National Defence in its relations with the UN for the preparation, implementation and monitoring of deployment, preparedness battalion of 450 men to its projection and consultancy and assistance program for UN inspections in Central and equipment maintenance on the theater.

On 16 June 2015 in Satory, Mr Philippe Burtin, CEO of the Group, presented the first ARAVIS® in peacekeeping configuration to Mr Ernest Mpouho Epigat, Minister of Defence of the Gabonese Republic. From this autumn, the ordered ARAVIS® vehicles, fitted with ARX®20 remotely operated 20 mm turrets, the PG-Guard anti-RPG protection system and NERVA®LG reconnaissance mini-robots, will equip the Gabonese battalion deployed in the Central African Republic as part of the United Nations MINUSCA mission.

The Nexter Group and the Gabonese Republic continued their collaboration with the announcement 14 June 2016 of the signing of new contracts during the Eurosatory Show. Nexter is proud of this mark of confidence from the Gabonese forces, which already acquired in 2014 ARAVIS® 4x4 armoured vehicles equipped with the ARX®20 remote weapon station, the PG Guard® protection system and NERVA® LG reconnaissance mini-robots, now deployed in the Central African Republic within MINUSCA. These new contracts includes the supply of FINDSAT® positioning systems, new NERVA® LG UGVs equipped with various mission kits, NX-100 UAVs from partner NOVADEM, and mobile medical shelters from the Group’s subsidiary, Euro-Shelter.