El Salvador Military - 2022

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Military and security forces

the Armed Force of El Salvador (La Fuerza Armada de El Salvador, FAES): Army of El Salvador (Ejercito de El Salvador, ES), Navy of El Salvador (Fuerza Naval de El Salvador, FNES), Salvadoran Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Salvadorena, FAS); Ministry of Justice and Public Security: National Civil Police (Policia Nacional Civil, PNC) (2022)

note: in 2016, El Salvador created a combined Army commando and National Civil Police unit to combat criminal gang violence

Military expenditures

1.2% of GDP (2021 est.)

1.2% of GDP (2020)

1.2% of GDP (2019) (approximately $570 million)

1.1% of GDP (2018) (approximately $540 million)

1% of GDP (2017) (approximately $500 million)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 21,000 active military personnel (17,000 Army; 2,000 Navy; 2,000 Air Force) (2022)

note: in 2021, El Salvador announced intentions to double the size of the military, although no time frame was given

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the FAES is dependent on a mix of mostly older imported platforms, largely from the US; since 2010, the FAES has received small amounts of equipment from several countries, including Chile, Israel, Spain, and the US (2022)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for selective compulsory military service; 16-22 years of age for voluntary male or female service; service obligation is 12 months, with 11 months for officers and non-commissioned officers (2022)

note: as of 2016, women made up about 6% of the active duty military

Military deployments

175 Mali (MINUSMA) (May 2022)

Military - note

the National Civilian Police (Ministry of Justice and Public Security) is responsible for maintaining public security, while the Ministry of Defense is responsible for maintaining national security; the constitution separates public security and military functions, but allows the president to use the armed forces in exceptional circumstances to maintain internal peace and public security; in November 2019, President BUKELE signed a decree authorizing military involvement in police duties to combat gang violence, organized crime, and narcotics trafficking, as well as assisting with border security; as of 2022, a considerable portion of the Army was deployed in support of the National Police (2022)

NOTE: The information regarding El Salvador on this page is re-published from the 2022 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of El Salvador 2022 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about El Salvador 2022 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.