Lesotho Defence Force

History

The military was established in 1978. The Lesotho Defence Force participated in the military coup in 1986, internal conflicts in 1994 and 1998, and unrest in 2007.

Following the 1993 Lesotho general election, in August 1994, King Letsie III dissolved the newly elected parliament in a coup d'état that was supported by the military.

On 30 August 2014, an alleged military coup took place, forcing then-Prime Minister Tom Thabane to flee to South Africa for three days. A brief crisis occurred in September 2017 when Lieutenant General Khoantle Motsomotso (then-commander of the LDF) was assassinated by some junior officers, leading to an intervention by the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

In 2021, a LDF contingent was sent to Mozambique as part of the Southern African Development Community Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM) to assist the Mozambican government during the insurgency in Cabo Delgado. The contingent consequently took part in pro-government offensives from August 2021.

Army

The army of Lesotho began in the 1960s initially as a paramilitary police force, established separately from the Lesotho Mounted Police Service on 1 April 1978. It was recognised as an army in August 1979 and was expanded in the 1980s in response to Basutoland Congress Party insurgent activities. After the January 1986 military coup that brought General Justin Lekhanya to power, the army was renamed the Royal Lesotho Defence Force. As of 1990, it was estimated to have about 2,000 personnel divided into one recon company, one artillery battery, seven companies, one special forces platoon, and a support company.

Equipment

Small arms

Anti-tank weapons

Tanks

Scout cars

Reconnaissance

Air Wing

The Lesotho Defence Force Air Wing was originally a 1978-offshoot of the paramilitary police mobile unit and began operations with two Short Skyvan twin turboprop STOL transports, a leased Cessna A152 Aerobat, two MBB Bo 105 helicopters, and a Bell 47G helicopter converted to turboshaft power. Two Mil Mi-2 twin-turbine helicopters were donated by Libya in 1983 but were retired by 1986.

Deliveries of four Bell 412 helicopters were delayed in 1983 to 1986 because of South Africa's influence. This changed when a 1986 military coup resulted in new security agreements with South Africa being signed. In the mid-1980s the air wing was merged into the Lesotho Defence Force. In 1989, the Skyvans were replaced by two CASA C-212 Aviocar light turboprop transports; one immediately crashed, requiring a third to be delivered in 1992. A fifth Bell 412 (an EP model) was delivered in May 1998 to replace the one written off the previous January.

Aircraft

Accidents and incidents

13 April 2017, a Eurocopter EC135 T2+ crashed in the area of Thaba Putsoa, killing all four people on board. The helicopter was carrying three soldiers and an official from the Ministry of Finance who was delivering pensions to outlying districts. Officials reported it hit power lines and crashed in mountainous terrain near Thaba Putsoa, killing two of the soldiers and critically injuring the other two passengers, both of whom later died in hospital from their injuries.

References

Works cited

References

1. (2019). "Military Balance 2019". IISS.
2. Allison, Simon (5 September 2017). [https://mg.co.za/article/2017-09-05-new-lesotho-murders-highlight-need-for-military-reform New Lesotho murders highlight need for military reform]. ''[[Mail and Guardian]]''. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
3. Dr. Mothibe, T. [https://opendocs.ids.ac.uk/opendocs/bitstream/handle/123456789/6188/T%20H%20Mothibe.pdf?sequence=1 The Military and Democratisation in Lesotho]. National University of Lesotho.
4. [https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-28994193 Lesotho 'coup' forces PM Thabane to South Africa] {{Webarchive. link. (2 August 2018 . BBC. 30 August 2014.)
5. [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-29045113 Lesotho PM Thabane returns home after fleeing 'coup'] {{Webarchive. link. (29 October 2018 . BBC. 3 September 2014)
6. [https://www.france24.com/en/20170909-lesotho-military-politics-make-dangerous-mix In Lesotho, military and politics make a dangerous mix]. ''[[France 24]]''. Published 9 September 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
7. "Commander of Lesotho defense force shot dead: defense official".
8. [https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/africa/2017-12-04-sadc-force-deployed-in-lesotho-after-killing-of-army-commander/ SADC fore deployed in Lesotho after killing of army commander] {{Webarchive. link. (2019-04-13 . ''Times Live''. Published 4 December 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2019.)
9. (7 September 2021). "Cabo Ligado Weekly: 30 August-5 September". Cabo Ligado ([[Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project.
10. [https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/africa/ls-army.htm Lesotho Defense Force (LDF)]. Global Security. Accessed 13 April 2019.
11. Jane's Special Forces Recognition Guide, Ewen Southby-Tailyour (2005) p. 446.
12. (January 27, 2009). "Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010". Jane's Information Group.
13. Berman, Eric G.. (March 2019). "Beyond Blue Helmets: Promoting Weapons and Ammunition Management in Non-UN Peace Operations". [[Small Arms Survey]]/MPOME.
14. [[International Institute for Strategic Studies]]. (2021). "The Military Balance".
15. (2023). "World Air Forces 2023". Flightglobal Insight.