Modern Warfare in the African Continent (1800 - 2000)

Kagame's army pursued the genocidaires into Zaire, and Rwanda became embroiled in the country's civil war. A rebellion had erupted against Zaire's dictator, Mobutu Sese Seko, and Rwandan forces intervened in support of the rebels. In a conflict known as the First Congo War, the rebels, with support from Rwanda, Burundi, and Uganda, deposed Mobutu, and Laurent-Désiré Kabila became president of the country, renamed the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Tensions appeared quickly between the new Congo government and its neighbors, and Rwanda and Uganda intervened for the second time. The conflict escalated into a regional war, known as the Second Congo War or the Great War of Africa, involving nine countries and as many as twenty separate armed factions.

Click to expand...

Hanno Akunna said:

Good day everyone, I have been reading much about the history of African Warfare and conflicts from the 1800s up until the present period 2000 across various countries in the African Continent, from it's pre-colonial to it's post-colonial wars, and can't help but to start a thread relating to this topic. To narrow down the timeframe, I have specifically limited the timeline to be between the 1800s up until the present period 2000.


This thread will discuss the military organization, equipment, and tactics of conventional and unconventional armed forces and paramilitaries across the continent.

While I understand that this thread might attract some political opinions, I strongly advise to not share any controversial political views, war crime justifications, and any toxic behaviour in this thread, this thread should not be politicized in any case and discussions are to be civil.

View attachment 71651

Click to expand...

Hanno Akunna said:

This thread will discuss the military organization, equipment, and tactics of conventional and unconventional armed forces and paramilitaries across the continent.

Click to expand...

Hanno Akunna said:

Good day everyone, I have been reading much about the history of African Warfare and conflicts from the 1800s up until the present period 2000 across various countries in the African Continent, from it's pre-colonial to it's post-colonial wars, and can't help but to start a thread relating to this topic. To narrow down the timeframe, I have specifically limited the timeline to be between the 1800s up until the present period 2000.


This thread will discuss the military organization, equipment, and tactics of conventional and unconventional armed forces and paramilitaries across the continent.

While I understand that this thread might attract some political opinions, I strongly advise to not share any controversial political views, war crime justifications, and any toxic behaviour in this thread, this thread should not be politicized in any case and discussions are to be civil.

View attachment 71651

Click to expand...

Hanno Akunna said:

Good day everyone, I have been reading much about the history of African Warfare and conflicts from the 1800s up until the present period 2000 across various countries in the African Continent, from it's pre-colonial to it's post-colonial wars, and can't help but to start a thread relating to this topic. To narrow down the timeframe, I have specifically limited the timeline to be between the 1800s up until the present period 2000.


This thread will discuss the military organization, equipment, and tactics of conventional and unconventional armed forces and paramilitaries across the continent.

While I understand that this thread might attract some political opinions, I strongly advise to not share any controversial political views, war crime justifications, and any toxic behaviour in this thread, this thread should not be politicized in any case and discussions are to be civil.

View attachment 71651

Click to expand...

Hanno Akunna said:

Good day everyone, I have been reading much about the history of African Warfare and conflicts from the 1800s up until the present period 2000 across various countries in the African Continent, from it's pre-colonial to it's post-colonial wars, and can't help but to start a thread relating to this topic. To narrow down the timeframe, I have specifically limited the timeline to be between the 1800s up until the present period 2000.


This thread will discuss the military organization, equipment, and tactics of conventional and unconventional armed forces and paramilitaries across the continent.

While I understand that this thread might attract some political opinions, I strongly advise to not share any controversial political views, war crime justifications, and any toxic behaviour in this thread, this thread should not be politicized in any case and discussions are to be civil.

View attachment 71651

Click to expand...

The Battle of Algiers (1966) 8.1 | Drama, War

Lost Command (1966) 6.3 | Action, Drama, War

Relm said:

I love researching these wars. A common theme I find which I haven't found dedicated research on, and would appreciate recommendations related to, is:

Due to there not being sufficient military industry in most African nations, most vehicles and advanced equipment are obtained second hand from major suppliers - the US, France, and Russia being the three largest. These tend to be on the older end of their service, with their model being close to retirement as the newer era of vehicles and equipment are being produced to replace them. This means that these vehicles are prone to breakdowns, needing spare parts, and so on which require the African nation who purchased them to continue dealing with the original provider for spare parts even if those parts are no longer being produced. Sometimes these vehicles even need to be entirely returned to their home country to be serviced (leading to events such as a Congolese air force general selling the 3 Mirage 5's he was tasked to return to France for servicing so he could use the money to retire in Europe).

The logistics of maintaining these weapons, versus their actual effectiveness in the continent's wars, has always struck me as more bothersome and costly than it is worth - especially if there is corruption involved. Would love to read more about this aspect.

Click to expand...

Hanno Akunna said:

There was also an interest arms industry in the 1960s, but it was from the Separatist State, The Republic of Biafra, which had a local arms industry that produced several weaponries, and an Advanced Weapon system known as The Ogbunigwe Launcher, also known as the Ojukwu Bucket was a weapon system that was developed and used by the Biafran Armed Forces during the Nigerian Civil War between 1967 - 1970.
-------
Background.

At the start of the civil war, the Secessionist state was impacted by the naval blockade and the lack of arms importation led to the formation of the Research and Production (RAP) Agency of Biafra by Biafran scientists, and it included the Weapons Research and Production Group, who would be the main body that would be responsible for developing Ogbunigwe Launcher. The defense body had also produced a few other weapons, namely ammunition, grenades, and armored cars among many others.

The initial purpose of this weapon system was meant to serve as a Non-guided Surface-to-air Missile to combat against the newly acquired MiG-15's of the Nigerian Army, but following the fall Enugu in 1967, the weapon system main purpose of being an anti-aircraft system was not realized. The weapon systems were converted from Surface-to-air to Surface-to-Surface missiles, to which it proved to have been equally dangerous and devastating against the Nigerian military and their armored convoys.

It was used as a as a surface-to-ship missile, and surface-to-air versions were also used, although they were remarked to be highly inaccurate and so far, there was no records of any planes being shot down by the weapon systems. The Biafran air force also fitted their planes with said weapon systems.

In the Abagana ambush, the Ogbunigwe was used to great effect against the Nigerian 2nd Division, inflicting heavy casualties and material losses to the military convoy, which consisted of 6,000 men and 106 vehicles, including Saladin's and Ferret armored vehicles, about which the Nigerian army lost approximately 4,000 men.

The term Ogbunigwe would also come to denote other weapons such as grenades, and landmines, which was a thorn to the Nigerian army during the war.

View attachment 77545
View attachment 77547

Click to expand...

Hanno Akunna said:

There was also an interest arms industry in the 1960s, but it was from the Separatist State, The Republic of Biafra, which had a local arms industry that produced several weaponries, and an Advanced Weapon system known as The Ogbunigwe Launcher, also known as the Ojukwu Bucket was a weapon system that was developed and used by the Biafran Armed Forces during the Nigerian Civil War between 1967 - 1970.
-------
Background.

At the start of the civil war, the Secessionist state was impacted by the naval blockade and the lack of arms importation led to the formation of the Research and Production (RAP) Agency of Biafra by Biafran scientists, and it included the Weapons Research and Production Group, who would be the main body that would be responsible for developing Ogbunigwe Launcher. The defense body had also produced a few other weapons, namely ammunition, grenades, and armored cars among many others.

The initial purpose of this weapon system was meant to serve as a Non-guided Surface-to-air Missile to combat against the newly acquired MiG-15's of the Nigerian Army, but following the fall Enugu in 1967, the weapon system main purpose of being an anti-aircraft system was not realized. The weapon systems were converted from Surface-to-air to Surface-to-Surface missiles, to which it proved to have been equally dangerous and devastating against the Nigerian military and their armored convoys.

It was used as a as a surface-to-ship missile, and surface-to-air versions were also used, although they were remarked to be highly inaccurate and so far, there was no records of any planes being shot down by the weapon systems. The Biafran air force also fitted their planes with said weapon systems.

In the Abagana ambush, the Ogbunigwe was used to great effect against the Nigerian 2nd Division, inflicting heavy casualties and material losses to the military convoy, which consisted of 6,000 men and 106 vehicles, including Saladin's and Ferret armored vehicles, about which the Nigerian army lost approximately 4,000 men.

The term Ogbunigwe would also come to denote other weapons such as grenades, and landmines, which was a thorn to the Nigerian army during the war.

View attachment 77545
View attachment 77547

Click to expand...