Albanian Armed Forces - Modernization

Modernization

Since 1999, Albania has spent approximately $108 million annually on military expenditures, roughly 1.35% of its GDP. One of the most important conditions to fulfill due to NATO integration, was the increasing of the military budget. According to Government of Albania plans, military expenditure will reach 2% of GDP in 2008 (already approved by the parliament in the 2008 budget - 2.01% of GDP).

In 2002, the Albanian armed forces, launched a 10-year reform program sponsored and supervised by the U.S. Defense Department in order to trim down and thoroughly modernize the standing force of the time of more than 30,000 troops. The same radical reform is being implemented on surplus equipment, including airplanes, tanks, helicopters, artillery equipment, navy vessels, SALW and ammunition. Albania started an ambitious destruction program. However, Albania is still dealing with a huge amount of surplus and obsolete ammunition, a direct result of the country's long isolation and ethnic tensions in the area. The Albanian Ministry of Defense estimates such quantity up to 85,000 tons, but it is expected to increase up to 104,000 tons due to the on-going downsizing process of the AAF. In March 2008 the problem of massive amounts of excess ammunition stockpiled in Albania became known to the public through the tragic consequences of the explosion of an ammunition depot (the 2008 Tirana explosions). It is worth noting that Albania's notoriously fractious politics have not obstructed any of the reforms undertaken by the Armed Forces.

In May 2003, Albania, Croatia, and the Republic of Macedonia with the direct support of the United States, created the Adriatic Charter, modeled on the Baltic Charter, as a mechanism for promoting regional cooperation to advance each country's NATO candidacy. In spite of strong European Union (EU) objections, Albania also signed in May 2003 a bilateral agreement with the U.S. on non-extradition of US citizens to the EU, based on Article 98 of the statute of International Criminal Court. In 2004 US President George W. Bush authorized the use of Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction program funds for projects in Albania, marking the first time such funds are used outside the former Soviet Union. With this funding the US assisted the Government of Albania with the destruction of a stockpile chemical warfare agents left over from the communist regime (Category 1, Total amount 16.7 tons). The final cost of the project was US$48 million and was officially completed on 10 July 2007.

On April 3, 2006, the final contract for the delivery of 12 Bölkow-Blom MBB BO-105 lightweight twin-engine multi-role helicopters to the Republic of Albania was signed in Tirana between the Albanian Ministry of Defense and Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH. According to the Albanian Government, six of the BO-105 helicopters are designated for the Albanian Air Brigade, four for the Ministry of Interior and the remaining two for the Albanian Ministry of Health.

On 14 November 2006, the new structure of the Albanian Armed Forces was officially introduced with the sign of the President of the Republic. The new structure, based on the "Joint" concept, has three main Commands. The AL JFC (Albanian Joint Forces Command) includes the RRB Rapid Reaction Brigade (the RRB is basically a Mechanized Infantry Brigade), the Commando Regiment, the Albanian Navy Brigade, the Albanian Air Brigade and the Albanian Area Support Brigade. The Support Command provides support and logistical functions for the all army units and the Albanian Training and Doctrine Command which is the main educational and training provider for the Albanian Armed Forces. The final number of personnel will be 13,800 (including 2,000 civilians).

The Albanian Navy Brigade performs mainly Coast Guard duties, and recently the Albanian parliament has approved some amendments to the articles of the actual Law on the Coast Guard in Albania, in order to improve the necessary legal framework due to efforts at European Union-NATO integration.

Since February 2008, Albania participates officially in NATO's Operation Active Endeavor in the Mediterranean and received a NATO membership invitation on 4 April 2009.

Note The AAF has no reserve units, although it does maintain a reserve personnel roster of up to 10,000 personnel that can be called in if required to augment or fill active units.