The phrase Defence Force(s) (or Defense Force(s) in US English - see

spelling differences Despite the various English dialects spoken from country to country and within different regions of the same country, there are only slight regional variations in English orthography, the two most notable variations being British and Americ ...

) is in the title of the

armed forces A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a ...

of certain countries and territories.

Defence forces

Ambazonia Defence Forces The Ambazonia Defence Forces (ADF) are a military organization that fights for the independence of Ambazonia, a self-declared independent state in the Anglophone regions of the former Southern Cameroons, Cameroon. It was formally established by t ...

Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force The Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force (ABDF) is the armed forces of Antigua and Barbuda. The ABDF has responsibility for several different roles: internal security, prevention of drug smuggling, the protection and support of fishing rights, pre ...

Australian Defence Force The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is the Armed forces, military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia and its national interests. It consists of three branches: the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army and the Royal Aus ...

Bahrain Defence Force The Bahrain Defence Force (, abbreviated BDF) is the military force of the Kingdom of Bahrain. The Bahrain Defence Force is under the direct command and leadership of a commander-in-chief who holds the rank of field marshal. The Government has ...

Barbados Defence Force The Barbados Defence Force (BDF) is the name given to the combined armed forces of Barbados. The BDF was established 15 August 1979, and has responsibility for the territorial defence and internal security of the island. The Headquarters for the ...

Belize Defence Force The Belize Defence Force (BDF) is the military of Belize, and is responsible for protecting the sovereignty of the country. The BDF is under the Ministry of National Defence and Border Security, which is currently headed by Hon. Florencio Marin ...

Botswana Defence Force The Botswana Defence Force (BDF, ) is the military of Botswana. The main component of the BDF is the Botswana Ground Force; there is also an air wing and a riverine patrol contingent attached to the ground forces, with 10 Panther airboats and 2 ...

Bundeswehr The (, ''Federal Defence'') are the armed forces of the Germany, Federal Republic of Germany. The is divided into a military part (armed forces or ''Streitkräfte'') and a civil part, the military part consists of the four armed forces: Germ ...

: Federal Defence Forces of Germany. * Burundi National Defence Force *

Danish Defence The Danish Defence (; ; ; ) is the unified armed forces of the Kingdom of Denmark charged with the defence of Denmark and its self-governing territories Greenland and the Faroe Islands. The military also promote Denmark's wider interests, support ...

: the unified armed forces of the Kingdom of Denmark. *

Defense Forces of Georgia The Defence Forces of Georgia ( ka, საქართველოს თავდაცვის ძალები, tr), or Georgian Defence Forces (GDF), are the combined military forces of Georgia, tasked with the defence of the nation's indep ...

Defence Force of Haiti The Defence Force of Haiti () was the envisaged name of the planned, reconstituted armed forces of the Republic of Haiti. Haiti had not had a regular armed forces since 1995; a process to reestablish them was initiated in 2011 and culminated in ...

Eritrean Defence Forces The Eritrean Defence Forces (EDF) ( قوات البحرية الارترية) are the combined military forces of Eritrea composed of three branches: Eritrean Army, Eritrean Air Force and Eritrean Navy. The Army is by far the largest, followe ...

Estonian Defence Forces The Estonian Defence Forces () is the unified military force of the Republic of Estonia. The Estonian Defence Forces consists of the Estonian Land Forces, the Estonian Navy, the Estonian Air Force, and the paramilitary Estonian Defence Leagu ...

Ethiopian National Defense Force The Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) () is the combined military force of Ethiopia. ENDF is consisted of 10 command forces which is controlled by the Chief of General Staff. Commanders of the Military Supreme Commander – Taye At ...

Falkland Islands Defence Force The Falkland Islands Defence Force (FIDF) is the locally maintained volunteer defence unit in the Falkland Islands, a British Overseas Territory. The FIDF works alongside the military units supplied by the United Kingdom to ensure the security ...

Finnish Defence Forces The Finnish Defence Forces (FDF) (; ) are the military of Finland. The Finnish Defence Forces consist of the Finnish Army, the Finnish Navy, and the Finnish Air Force. In wartime, the Finnish Border Guard becomes part of the Finnish Defence For ...

Guyana Defence Force The Guyana Defence Force (GDF) is the military of Guyana, established in 1965. It has military bases across the nation. The Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Force is always the incumbent President of Guyana. The branches include the Army, Air F ...

Hungarian Defence Force The Hungarian Defence Forces (, ) is the national armed forces, defence force of Hungary. Since 2007, the Hungarian Armed Forces has been under a unified command structure. The Ministry of Defence maintains political and civil control over the ar ...

Irish Defence Forces The Defence Forces (, officially styled ) derives its origins from the Irish Volunteers. Whilst the Irish for ''Defence Forces'' is , as Ó Cearúil (1999) points out, the Defence Forces are officially styled . is used in other contexts (e.g. ...

Israel Defense Forces The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the State of Israel. It consists of three service branches: the Israeli Ground Forces, the Israeli Air Force, and ...

Jamaica Defence Force The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) is the combined military of Jamaica, consisting of an infantry Regiment and Reserve Corps, an Air Wing, a Coast Guard fleet and a supporting Engineering Unit. The JDF is based upon the British military model, with ...

Japan Self-Defense Forces The are the military forces of Japan. Established in 1954, the JSDF comprises the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. They are controlled by the Ministry of Defense ...

Kenya Defence Forces The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) (, stylized as "KENYA ARMED FORCES" capitalized on its coat of arms) are the armed forces of the Republic of Kenya. They are made up of the Kenya Army, Kenya Navy, and Kenya Air Force. The current KDF was establ ...

Lesotho Defence Force The Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) is the military of the Southern African Lesotho, Kingdom of Lesotho, which consists of about 2,000 personnel and is tasked with maintaining internal security, territorial integrity, and defending the constitution o ...

Lithuanian National Defence Volunteer Forces The National Defence Volunteer Forces or NDVF ( [], previously []) is a branch of the Lithuanian Armed Forces. Volunteer forces were officially established on 17 January 1991 by the law of the Supreme Council of Lithuania on the National Defenc ...

Malawian Defence Force The Malawi Defence Force is the state military organisation responsible for defending Malawi. It originated from elements of the British King's African Rifles, colonial units formed before independence in 1964. The military is organized under t ...

Maldives National Defence Force Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF; ) is the military, national military responsible for defending the national security, security and sovereignty of the Maldives. It is primarily responsible per the Constitution of the Maldives, constitut ...

Mozambique Defence Armed Forces The Mozambique Defence Armed Forces (, FADM) are the national armed forces of Mozambique. They include the General Staff of the Armed Forces and three branches of service: Army, Air Force and Navy. The FADM were formed in mid August 1994, by ...

Namibia Defence Force The Namibian Defence Force (NDF) comprises the national military forces of Namibia. It was created when the country, then known as South West Africa, gained independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990. Chapter 15 of the Constitution of Nami ...

New Zealand Defence Force The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF; , "Line of Defence of New Zealand") is the three-branched military of New Zealand. The NZDF is responsible for the protection of the national security of New Zealand and its realm, promoting its interests, ...

Norwegian Cyber Defence Force The Norwegian Cyber Defence Force () is a branch of the Norwegian Armed Forces responsible for military communications and defensive cyberwarfare in Norway. The force employs 1,500 people located at more than 60 locations. The main base is at J� ...

Papua New Guinea Defence Force The Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Papua New Guinea. It originated from the Australian Army land forces of the territory of Papua New Guinea before independence, coming into bei ...

People's Liberation Army Navy Coastal Defense Force The People's Liberation Army Navy Coastal Defense Force (PLANCDF) is one of five branches of China's People's Liberation Army Navy. The Coastal Defence Force has artillery and anti-ship missile components. The artillery component has become obso ...

* People's Self-Defense Force *

Popular Defence Forces The Popular Defence Forces (PDF, ) are a Sudanese paramilitary force. It was initially formed in the mid-1980s to safeguard and protect Arab tribes in Sudan from rebel attacks during the Second Sudanese Civil War, and as an Auxiliaries, auxiliary ...

: Paramilitary force in Sudan *

Royal Bahamas Defence Force The Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) is the military of the Bahamas. Since the Bahamas does not have an army or an air force, its navy composes the entirety of its armed forces. Under The Defence Act, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force has been m ...

Royal Montserrat Defence Force The Royal Montserrat Defence Force is the home defence unit of the British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory of Montserrat. The force has an authorized strength level objective of 50 reserve personnel as of 2021-22, akin in size ...

Rwanda Defence Force The Rwandan Defence Force (RDF, , , ) is the military of Rwanda. Prior to 1994, Rwanda's military was officially known as the Rwandan Armed Forces (FAR), but following the Rwandan Civil War and the Rwandan genocide, the Rwandan Patriotic Front ( ...

Saint Kitts and Nevis Defence Force The Saint Kitts and Nevis Defence Force is the military of Saint Kitts and Nevis. It currently consists of an infantry unit (the St. Kitts Nevis Regiment) and a maritime unit (the St. Kitts Nevis Coast Guard). Both units have regular and reserve ...

* Self-Defense Forces in the multi-ethnic territories of North and East Syria. *

Seychelles People's Defence Force The Seychelles People's Defence Force (; ) is the national military of Seychelles. It consists of a number of distinct branches: the Infantry Unit, Coast Guard, Air Force and a Presidential Protection Unit. Branches Land Force Command The 200 ...

Singapore Civil Defence Force The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) is a uniformed organisation in Singapore under the Ministry of Home Affairs (Singapore), Ministry of Home Affairs that provides emergency services such as firefighting, technical rescue, and emergency med ...

: provides emergency services in Singapore *

South African National Defence Force The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) comprises the armed forces of South Africa. The Chief of the SANDF is appointed by the President of South Africa from one of the armed services. They are in turn accountable to the Minister of ...

South Sudan People's Defense Forces The South Sudan People's Defence Forces (SSPDF), formerly the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), is the military force of South Sudan. The SPLA was founded as a guerrilla movement against the government of Sudan in 1983 and was a key parti ...

Southern Cameroons Defence Forces The Southern Cameroons Defence Forces (commonly referred to as SOCADEF) is the armed wing of the African People's Liberation Movement, an Ambazonian separatist movement. It is led by Ebenezer Akwanga, who is based in the United States, Together w ...

State defense force In the United States, state defense forces (SDFs) are military units that operate under the sole authority of a State governments of the United States, state government. State defense forces are authorized by state and federal law and are unde ...

s: defense forces of individual US states. *

Tanzania People's Defence Force The Tanzania People’s Defence Force (TPDF) () is the military force of the United Republic of Tanzania. It was established in September 1964, following a mutiny by the former colonial military force, the Tanganyika Rifles. From its inception, ...

Territorial Defence Force (Poland) The Territorial Defence Force – TDF () is the fifth military branch of Polish Armed Forces, the Polish Armed Forces, following Polish Land Forces, Land Forces, Polish Air Force, Air Force, Polish Navy, Navy and Polish Special Forces, Special Fo ...

Territorial Defense Forces (Ukraine) The Territorial Defence Forces ( TDF; , , ) are the Military reserve force, military reserve component of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The Territorial Defence Forces were formed after the reorganization of the Territorial defence battalions ...

Tigray Defense Forces The Tigray Defence Forces (TDF; ), colloquially called the ''Tigray Army'' (), is a paramilitary group located in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. It was founded by former generals of the Ethiopian Military in 2020 to combat federal forces enf ...

Timor Leste Defence Force The Timor-Leste Defence Force (, or Falintil-FDTL, often F-FDTL) is the military of Timor-Leste (formerly East Timor). The F-FDTL was established in February 2001 and comprises two infantry battalions, small naval and air components and seve ...

Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force The Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF) is the military organisation responsible for the defence of the twin-island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. It consists of the Trinidad and Tobago Regiment, the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard, the T ...

* Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force *

Uganda People's Defence Force The Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF), previously known as the National Resistance Army, is the armed forces of Uganda. From 2007 to 2011, the International Institute for Strategic Studies estimated the UPDF had a total strength of 40,000–4 ...

Zambian Defence Force The Zambian Defence Force is the military of Zambia. It consists of the Zambian Army, the Zambian Air Force, and the Zambia National Service. The defence forces were formed at Zambian independence on 24 October 1964, from constituent units of the ...

Zimbabwe Defence Forces The Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) are the military forces responsible for the defence of Zimbabwe against external threats from other countries, and also to suppress internal armed factions. It is composed of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) and ...

Air Defence Forces

Air defence forces An atmosphere () is a layer of gases that envelop an astronomical object, held in place by the gravity of the object. A planet retains an atmosphere when the gravity is great and the temperature of the atmosphere is low. A stellar atmosphere ...

(Anti-Aircraft Warfare) * Cuban Air and Air Defense Force *

Egyptian Air Defense Forces The Egyptian Air Defence Forces (EADF) () is the Anti-aircraft warfare branch of the Egyptian Armed Forces. It is responsible for protecting the Egyptian airspace against any hostile air attacks. The EADF was established in accor ...

Islamic Republic of Iran Air Defense Force The Islamic Republic of Iran Air Defense Force () is the anti-aircraft warfare branch of Iran's regular military, the Islamic Republic of Iran Army (Artesh). It split from the air force (IRIAF) in 2008 and controls the country's military radar n ...

Japan Air Self-Defense Force The , , also referred to as the Japanese Air Force, is the Aerial warfare, air and space warfare, space branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, responsible for the defense of Japanese airspace, other air and space operations, cyberwarfare and ...

Kazakh Air Defense Forces The Kazakh Air Defense Forces (, , ) is the aviation warfare branch of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Their responsibilities include protecting Kazakh airspace, as well as combat missions in support of other branches of the arm ...

: Air Force of Kazakhstan * Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces *

Syrian Air Defense Force The Syrian Air Defence Force (SyADF or SADF; ), was an independent command within the Syrian Armed Forces. It was responsible for protecting the Syrian airspace against any hostile air attacks. The SyADF was one of the most powerful and combat- ...

Serbian Air Force and Air Defence The Serbian Air Force and Air Defence (), is the air force of Serbia and service branch of the Serbian Armed Forces. Its mission is to guard and protect the sovereignty of Serbian airspace, and jointly with the Serbian Army, to protect territo ...

*Slovenian Air Force and Air Defence *Territorial Air Defence Forces: Part of the Algerian People's National Armed Forces *Ukrainian Air Defence Forces *Uzbekistan Air and Air Defence Forces At the start of the Cold War, the United States Air Force had established the Aerospace Defense Command. It was broken into three different regions: *Eastern Air Defense Force: (1949-1960) *Central Air Defense Force: (1951-1960) *Western Air Defense Force: (1949-1960)

Defunct Defence Forces

*Artsakh Defence Army (1992-2023) *British Solomon Islands Protectorate Defence Force (1889-1946) *Ceylon Defence Force: Regular force of British Ceylon (1881-1949) *Citizens' Defence Force: A unit of former British Army soldiers and Irish Volunteers organised by Ireland during the Irish Civil War (1922) *Croatian Defence Forces: (1991-1993) *Dominica Defense Force: (1974-1981) *Wehrmacht: Wehrmacht translated to defence forces (1935-1945) **Fatherland Defense Force: A short-lived Wehrmacht-backed Lithuanian military unit made to defend Lithuania against the Soviet Army (1944) *Iceland Defense Force: (1951-2006) *Indian Defence Force: (1917-1920) *Lithuanian Territorial Defense Force: (1944) *Lofa Defense Force: Liberian Rebel Group (1993-1996) *National Defence Forces (Syria): Syrian pro-government militia (2012-2024) *Panama Defense Forces: (1968-1989) * People's Self-Defense Force: South Vietnamese militia (1968-1975) *Polish Air Defence Force (1962-1990) *Royal Hong Kong Defence Force: (1960s-1970) *Russian Aerospace Defence Forces: (2011-2015) *South African Defence Force: (1957-1994) *South Sudan Defence Forces (militia): (1983-2006) *Soviet Air Defence Forces: (1918-1992) *Sudan Defence Force: (1924-1955) *Territorial Defence Force of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina: (1990-1992) *Territorial Defense Forces (Yugoslavia): (1969-1992) *Union Defence Force (South Africa): Predecessor to the South African Defence Force (1912-1957) *United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia: (1997-2008) *Zanzibar Volunteer Defence Force: (1914-????)

South Africa

In South Africa under apartheid the nominally independent Bantustans had their own forces, separately from the South African Defence Force: *Bophuthatswana Defence Force: (1977-1994) *Ciskei Defence Force: (1981-1994) *Transkei Defence Force: (1981-1994) *Venda Defence Force: (1979-1994)

Myanmar Civil War

Within the ongoing civil war in Myanmar, several different rebel groups have declared themselves "defense forces": *People's Defence Force (Myanmar) *Chinland Defense Force *Chin National Defence Force *Karenni Nationalities Defence Force

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