We talk a lot about the world’s largest military forces: America, China, and Russia, all of which top the list in military personnel. What about the other end of the spectrum? Which countries have the smallest military forces around the world, and what rifles do these use?
Let’s look at the world’s smallest military forces and the rifles they use.
Vatican City
The Vatican is a city-state that doesn’t technically have its own military. Instead, it relies on the Swiss Guard.
The Swiss Guard serves both ceremonial and security roles for Vatican City. With fewer than 150 guardsmen, the Swiss Guard is the world’s smallest military force.
Guardsmen are recruited from the Swiss Armed Forces. A potential Guardsman must be Catholic, single, male, and at least 5’8.5”, or 1.73m, tall. They serve a minimum of 26 months, but can stay longer if they choose.
They are most commonly associated with the halberd as their weapon of choice, but modern times require modern solutions.
Since the Swiss Guard recruits from the Swiss military, its weapons match the country of origin. So, the Guard’s rifle of choice is the SIG SG 550 and 552.
These are long-stroke gas-piston guns fire the 5.56 round. The 550 is the standard version and the 552 is the shorter commando variant. These are hefty, but capable rifles that are reliable and accurate.
Antigua and Barbuda
The Antigua and Barbuda Defense Force, or ABDF, is the armed force of Antigua and Barbuda.
The ABDF has only 240 active personnel, and roughly 75 to 100 in reserve. The ABDF’s roles include internal security, drug smuggling prevention, search and rescue, natural disaster relief, and more.
This small force is broken into five branches: the Regiment, which is an infantry company; the Coast Guard, which is the maritime unit; the Air Wing, which speaks for itself; the Service and Support unit, which provides support to the defense force; and the Cadet Corps, which is a voluntary youth organization.
Its service rifle of choice is the M16A2. The M16A2 is a 5.56, gas-operated assault rifle capable of firing in semi-auto or three-round bursts. It’s a good rifle, albeit dated compared to modern options. For a small military force, it’s reliable, capable, and accurate enough to serve.
Monaco
Monaco has a total force of 250 troops. Known as the Public Force, these troops make up Monaco’s entire defensive force. The Public Force has two branches: the Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince; and the Corps des Sapeurs-Pompiers de Monaco.
The Compagnie des Carabiniers du Prince is the infantry force. It consists of the military band, dive team, motorcycle platoon, bodyguard unit, palace guard, honor guard, and civil defense unit. The Corps des Sapeurs-Pompiers de Monaco includes emergency management services such as firefighters, EMS, and general disaster-management personnel.
The Monaco Public Force fields a variety of rifles, likely because of its varied roles. These weapons include the M16A2, G36K, M4A1, SIG SG510, and recent photos appear to show the HK 416 in use, as well. All of them are 5.56 caliber rifles that use internal piston, long-stroke gas piston, or short-stroke gas piston systems.
Related: Is India’s INSAS the worst assault rifle ever made?
Saint Kitts and Nevis
The Saint Kitts and Nevis Defense Force, or SKNDF, has 300 active troops and 150 cadets. It has two branches: the Regiment; and the Coast Guard.
The Regiment is the regular infantry unit and consists of a rifle company, and a Support and Services platoon. The Coast Guard consists of the Engineer Unit and the Flotilla.
The Regiment works with local police on internal security measures, while the Coast Guard guards the country’s territorial waters and enforces ecological regulations. The Regiment, Coast Guard, and police also work together to intercept drug boats and disrupt the drug trade.
The SKNDF’s firearms of choice are all M16 derivatives, this includes the M16A2, A3, and A4, as well as the M4A1. These systems differ slightly in automatic function, barrel length, and ability to accept optics. They all fire the 5.56 cartridge.
Luxembourg
Though small, consisting only of around 1,200 personnel, the Luxembourg Armed Forces have deployed to support internal peacekeeping missions in a multitude of countries, including Afghanistan, where they also supported the evacuation from Kabul in 2021, and Korea, during the Korean War.
Luxembourg Armed Forces have now merged with the country’s Public Forces, and the sole branch is the Army. The Army consists of a rifle company, recon company, an education unit, and a staff and instruction company.
The Luxembourgian military’s rifle of choice is currently the HK416 in both 14.5- and 11-inch barrel configurations. The HK416 resembles an M4-type rifle, but instead uses a short-stroke gas piston rather than the AR’s internal piston system. The HK416 is a 5.56-caliber assault rifle that’s become extremely popular among military forces.
The size differences between military forces can be quite vast. Not everyone has the same budget, workforce sources, or need to accomplish the same goals. Sometimes smaller works just fine.
Feature Image: The Swiss Guard line up for President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden’s arrival at the Vatican, Friday, October 29. 2021. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz)
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