History of the People's National Army
Modernization and professionalism
In order to be in line with the organizational and technical evolution of the world’s armies, the High Command has never stopped making sure to perfect and modernize our Armed Forces to be up to their missions; indeed, since 1976, our units have been equipped with automatic mechanisms, which allows us to confirm that the modernization of the Army, by the integration of automatic combat equipment, has started since that date.
Modernization within the Army has not only been limited to equipment but has also extended to organization, training and instruction which are the main concern of the Command; therefore, PNA Major Staff was created on 28/11/1984, and on 05/03/1986 the Land Forces Command was created. And from the eighties, the several armed forces underwent great organizational reforms, after an in-depth study on the field, the result of several years of continuous military work bringing an improvement in the quality of human resources, in the field of theoretical and practical training.
With this way, the armed forces have been reformed and restructured to ensure the execution of operational activities with increasing fire and movement abilities and with efficient mechanisms and means of command; as a result, the Divisions made up of combat units appeared as a training model for the Land Forces.
The battle corps was also organized by providing it with very sophisticated weapon systems as well as other equipment necessary for the training, use and maintenance of these systems; moreover, on 10/27/1986, PNA saw the creation of the Commandments of the Naval Forces, the Air Forces, the General Control of the Army and the Delegation of Popular Defence; and in 1987, the Ministry of National Defence saw the restructuring of several directorates; In addition, on 05th December 1988, the Territory Air Defence Command was created, completing by the way the process of People's National Army edifice, with its structures and departments.
Though, the development of our Armed Forces, the strengthening of their combat abilities and their operational readiness continues to be the main priority of PNA High Command, which ensures the strengthening of the national defence system and the establishment of a solid and diversified industrial base in order to avoid dependence abroad, reduce the import bill, through the establishment of an Algerian military industry in accordance with the nature of People's National Army and its perpetual evolution, by creating industrial and commercial establishments under the authority of People's National Army to take in charge of the mission of founding a defence industry responding to multifaceted logistical needs and consolidating defence capacities and skills, ensuring the transfer of technology, its expertise and its adopting, modernizing and improving the various products and services intended for People’s National Army and national and international markets.
The military industry has become, today, a model and an inseparable part of the overall national strategy of the Algerian economy, thanks to the high level reached by the industrial establishments, units and production, which confirm the contribution of military manufacturing to the development and enrichment of the national economy through the diversification of their high-quality products meeting international standards, especially in the textile and heavy and light mechanical industry as well as the electronics industry; we can mention:
The Central Logistics Base named Chahid Saoudi Mohamed alias Si Mustapha, located in Blida/1st MR: This Public Establishment of an Industrial and Commercial nature is responsible for renovating the combat vehicles of the various military units, and for guaranteeing technical support to public and private establishments, to design and to manufacture, entirely, the different types of spare parts with a global technical study.
The Algerian Mercedes-Benz Vehicle Manufacturing Company “SPA SAFAV” -MB- located in Tiaret/2nd MR: Produces Mercedes-Benz brand vehicles. The result of a partnership between EPIC-EDIV/MDN, EPE SNVI Rouiba, Aabar Investment PJS from the United Arab Emirates and Daimler AG Germany as a technological partner.
The Algerian Company for the Production of Heavy Trucks of the Mercedes-Benz brand of Rouiba/1st MR: Responsible for the modernization and extension of the production of the SNVI/Rouiba complex; partnership between EPIC-EDIV/MDN, EPE-SNVI Rouiba, Aabar Investment PJS from United Arab Emirates and Daimler AG Germany as technological partner.
The Algerian Company of German Motors Production/ 5th MR: Responsible of the production of German brand water-cooled motors, in partnership with the Establishment for the Promotion of the Mechanical Industry, the EPE-EMO and the company Aabar United Arab Emirates.
The Establishment of Clothing and Sleeping items Chahid El-Djillali Boudernane: Industrial and Commercial Establishment specialized in manufacturing and production, and constitutes one of the poles for the support of the People’s National Army. Its products are intended primarily to meet the needs of the armed forces and integrated organizations such as protective and clothing effects, shoes, encampment, sleeping and furnishing items, as well as studies and inherent development to these products.
Engineering and Development Centre of Mechanics and Electronics Chahid Mohamed Boudjemaa/ 1st MR: This laboratory is considered as the only laboratory at national level which offers its customers a diversified range of services. Thus, it can carry out up to 142 measurements thanks to its 111 calibration equipment, which propels it to the first place at the African level.
The Naval Construction and Repair Company of Mers El-Kebir/2nd MR: The main task of this company is naval, military and civil construction, maintenance and repair, and ensures the availability of spare parts in naval construction and carries out different technical studies. The Shipbuilding and Repair Company has several products in military shipbuilding to its credit, such as the corvette "Rais Hassan Berbiar", number 807 which measures 62 meters; in the civil field, the company sold to national companies several 14 and 16 m speedboats, as well as other products.
The Aeronautical Construction Company Chahid Boumedal Abed in Oran/2nd MR: This company is specialized in the field of Aeronautical construction and complex systems; it has designed three types of aircraft: Firnas-142 intended for basic training of the civilian or military pilot, Safir-43 intended for transport and visual surveillance with camera and Safir-E43 intended for agriculture.
The Establishment of Renovation of Aeronautical Equipment Chahid Abdelaziz Sid Ahmed in Dar el Beida/1st MR: Charged of the reviewing, repairing and modernizing of aeronautical equipment, and also of manufacturing accessories, articles and components, simple and complex, necessary for the performance of its work.
The Establishment of Automobile Equipment Renovation Chahid Mouloud Touati located in Dar El Beida/1st MR: It is a military establishment charged of the renovation, repair and modernization of military vehicles and combat vehicles. It is also responsible for manufacturing spare parts, meeting the needs and requirements of the People's National Army.
Moreover, in the concretization of the protocol of the agreement on the industrial and commercial partnership, established on 11th August 2016, relating to the production of helicopters of the brand "Augusta Westland" in Ain Arnet Wilaya of Setif, an Algerian-Italian company "LEONARDO Helicopter, SPA / Algeria" was created on 25th March 2019, and represents the result of cooperation between the Aeronautical Industry Development Company "EDIA" under the Military Manufacturing Department of MDN and the companies "LEONARDO-INTERNATIONAL" and "LEONARDO Helicopter".
Infomatics within the Army
The development of the use of infomatics, integrated into the People’s National Army since the Seventies, constitutes a strategic aspect inseparable from the development and modernization process of the institution, because it intervenes in all the functional steps, in all the fields as well for command, control and logistical support of the forces as for the management and administration procedures automation.
Data transmission networks, like PNA intranet network, represent other main achievements aiming to stimulate communication and information exchange between the different structures of People's National Army, but, it introduced new risks threatening the confidentiality, integrity or availability of the information patrimony of our institution; and to deal with this problem, PNA has set up for several years, through its various specialized services, a global approach based on the establishment of a technical and organizational environment able to take in charge this aspect.
Security technology monitoring is another decisive element in the securing the institution's information systems process, being a part of an anticipatory approach to fighting against computer threats, the only guarantee of a reactive and efficient computer security. In addition, infomatics field is characterized by permanent evolution and developments; its use induces new ways of working and exchanging information within PNA which led the way, progressively, to the implementation of organizational and regulatory frameworks adapted to this new data.
Within the framework of this dynamic, the command set up the milestones favouring the emergence of an efficient and productive research and development activity in computing field able to meet the needs and the requirements, in line with the national policy for the promotion and the development of scientific and technical research.
In order to be in line with the organizational and technical evolution of the world’s armies, the High Command has never stopped making sure to perfect and modernize our Armed Forces to be up to their missions; indeed, since 1976, our units have been equipped with automatic mechanisms, which allows us to confirm that the modernization of the Army, by the integration of automatic combat equipment, has started since that date.
Modernization within the Army has not only been limited to equipment but has also extended to organization, training and instruction which are the main concern of the Command; therefore, PNA Major Staff was created on 28/11/1984, and on 05/03/1986 the Land Forces Command was created. And from the eighties, the several armed forces underwent great organizational reforms, after an in-depth study on the field, the result of several years of continuous military work bringing an improvement in the quality of human resources, in the field of theoretical and practical training.
With this way, the armed forces have been reformed and restructured to ensure the execution of operational activities with increasing fire and movement abilities and with efficient mechanisms and means of command; as a result, the Divisions made up of combat units appeared as a training model for the Land Forces.
The battle corps was also organized by providing it with very sophisticated weapon systems as well as other equipment necessary for the training, use and maintenance of these systems; moreover, on 10/27/1986, PNA saw the creation of the Commandments of the Naval Forces, the Air Forces, the General Control of the Army and the Delegation of Popular Defence; and in 1987, the Ministry of National Defence saw the restructuring of several directorates; In addition, on 05th December 1988, the Territory Air Defence Command was created, completing by the way the process of People's National Army edifice, with its structures and departments.
Though, the development of our Armed Forces, the strengthening of their combat abilities and their operational readiness continues to be the main priority of PNA High Command, which ensures the strengthening of the national defence system and the establishment of a solid and diversified industrial base in order to avoid dependence abroad, reduce the import bill, through the establishment of an Algerian military industry in accordance with the nature of People's National Army and its perpetual evolution, by creating industrial and commercial establishments under the authority of People's National Army to take in charge of the mission of founding a defence industry responding to multifaceted logistical needs and consolidating defence capacities and skills, ensuring the transfer of technology, its expertise and its adopting, modernizing and improving the various products and services intended for People’s National Army and national and international markets.
The military industry has become, today, a model and an inseparable part of the overall national strategy of the Algerian economy, thanks to the high level reached by the industrial establishments, units and production, which confirm the contribution of military manufacturing to the development and enrichment of the national economy through the diversification of their high-quality products meeting international standards, especially in the textile and heavy and light mechanical industry as well as the electronics industry; we can mention:
The Central Logistics Base named Chahid Saoudi Mohamed alias Si Mustapha, located in Blida/1st MR: This Public Establishment of an Industrial and Commercial nature is responsible for renovating the combat vehicles of the various military units, and for guaranteeing technical support to public and private establishments, to design and to manufacture, entirely, the different types of spare parts with a global technical study.
The Algerian Mercedes-Benz Vehicle Manufacturing Company “SPA SAFAV” -MB- located in Tiaret/2nd MR: Produces Mercedes-Benz brand vehicles. The result of a partnership between EPIC-EDIV/MDN, EPE SNVI Rouiba, Aabar Investment PJS from the United Arab Emirates and Daimler AG Germany as a technological partner.
The Algerian Company for the Production of Heavy Trucks of the Mercedes-Benz brand of Rouiba/1st MR: Responsible for the modernization and extension of the production of the SNVI/Rouiba complex; partnership between EPIC-EDIV/MDN, EPE-SNVI Rouiba, Aabar Investment PJS from United Arab Emirates and Daimler AG Germany as technological partner.
The Algerian Company of German Motors Production/ 5th MR: Responsible of the production of German brand water-cooled motors, in partnership with the Establishment for the Promotion of the Mechanical Industry, the EPE-EMO and the company Aabar United Arab Emirates.
The Establishment of Clothing and Sleeping items Chahid El-Djillali Boudernane: Industrial and Commercial Establishment specialized in manufacturing and production, and constitutes one of the poles for the support of the People’s National Army. Its products are intended primarily to meet the needs of the armed forces and integrated organizations such as protective and clothing effects, shoes, encampment, sleeping and furnishing items, as well as studies and inherent development to these products.
Engineering and Development Centre of Mechanics and Electronics Chahid Mohamed Boudjemaa/ 1st MR: This laboratory is considered as the only laboratory at national level which offers its customers a diversified range of services. Thus, it can carry out up to 142 measurements thanks to its 111 calibration equipment, which propels it to the first place at the African level.
The Naval Construction and Repair Company of Mers El-Kebir/2nd MR: The main task of this company is naval, military and civil construction, maintenance and repair, and ensures the availability of spare parts in naval construction and carries out different technical studies. The Shipbuilding and Repair Company has several products in military shipbuilding to its credit, such as the corvette "Rais Hassan Berbiar", number 807 which measures 62 meters; in the civil field, the company sold to national companies several 14 and 16 m speedboats, as well as other products.
The Aeronautical Construction Company Chahid Boumedal Abed in Oran/2nd MR: This company is specialized in the field of Aeronautical construction and complex systems; it has designed three types of aircraft: Firnas-142 intended for basic training of the civilian or military pilot, Safir-43 intended for transport and visual surveillance with camera and Safir-E43 intended for agriculture.
The Establishment of Renovation of Aeronautical Equipment Chahid Abdelaziz Sid Ahmed in Dar el Beida/1st MR: Charged of the reviewing, repairing and modernizing of aeronautical equipment, and also of manufacturing accessories, articles and components, simple and complex, necessary for the performance of its work.
The Establishment of Automobile Equipment Renovation Chahid Mouloud Touati located in Dar El Beida/1st MR: It is a military establishment charged of the renovation, repair and modernization of military vehicles and combat vehicles. It is also responsible for manufacturing spare parts, meeting the needs and requirements of the People's National Army.
Moreover, in the concretization of the protocol of the agreement on the industrial and commercial partnership, established on 11th August 2016, relating to the production of helicopters of the brand "Augusta Westland" in Ain Arnet Wilaya of Setif, an Algerian-Italian company "LEONARDO Helicopter, SPA / Algeria" was created on 25th March 2019, and represents the result of cooperation between the Aeronautical Industry Development Company "EDIA" under the Military Manufacturing Department of MDN and the companies "LEONARDO-INTERNATIONAL" and "LEONARDO Helicopter".
Infomatics within the Army
The development of the use of infomatics, integrated into the People’s National Army since the Seventies, constitutes a strategic aspect inseparable from the development and modernization process of the institution, because it intervenes in all the functional steps, in all the fields as well for command, control and logistical support of the forces as for the management and administration procedures automation.
Data transmission networks, like PNA intranet network, represent other main achievements aiming to stimulate communication and information exchange between the different structures of People's National Army, but, it introduced new risks threatening the confidentiality, integrity or availability of the information patrimony of our institution; and to deal with this problem, PNA has set up for several years, through its various specialized services, a global approach based on the establishment of a technical and organizational environment able to take in charge this aspect.
Security technology monitoring is another decisive element in the securing the institution's information systems process, being a part of an anticipatory approach to fighting against computer threats, the only guarantee of a reactive and efficient computer security. In addition, infomatics field is characterized by permanent evolution and developments; its use induces new ways of working and exchanging information within PNA which led the way, progressively, to the implementation of organizational and regulatory frameworks adapted to this new data.
Within the framework of this dynamic, the command set up the milestones favouring the emergence of an efficient and productive research and development activity in computing field able to meet the needs and the requirements, in line with the national policy for the promotion and the development of scientific and technical research.