| Military branches | Kenya Defence Forces: Kenya Army, Kenya Navy, Kenya Air Force (2021) note: the National Police Service includes a paramilitary General Service Unit |
| Military service age and obligation | no conscription; 18-26 years of age for male and female voluntary service (under 18 with parental consent; upper limit 30 years of age for specialists, tradesmen, or women with a diploma; 39 years of age for chaplains/imams), with a 9-year obligation (7 years for Kenyan Navy) and subsequent 3-year re-enlistments; applicants must be Kenyan citizens (2020) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.3% of GDP (2019) 1.2% of GDP (2018) 1.3% of GDP (2017) 1.3% of GDP (2016) 1.3% of GDP (2015) |
| Military and security service personnel strengths | the Kenyan Defense Forces (KDF) are comprised of approximately 24,000 personnel (20,000 Army; 1,500 Navy; 2,500 Air Force) (2020) |
| Military equipment inventories and acquisitions | the KDF's inventory traditionally carried mostly older or second-hand Western weapons systems, particularly from France, the UK, and the US; however, since the 2000s it has sought to modernize and diversify its imports; suppliers since 2010 include China, France, Italy, Jordan, Serbia, South Africa, Spain, and the US (2020) |
| Military deployments | 3,650 Somalia (AMISOM) (2021) |
| Maritime threats | the International Maritime Bureau reports that shipping in territorial and offshore waters in the Indian Ocean remain at risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships |
| Military - note | the Kenya Coast Guard Service (established 2018) is under the Ministry of Interior, but led by a military officer and comprised of personnel from the military, as well as the National Police Service, intelligence services, and other government agencies (2020) |
Source: CIA World Factbook
This page was last updated on September 18, 2021
