Chadian National Army

The Chadian National Army (Arabic: الجيش الوطني التشادي, romanized: Al-Jaish al-Watani at-Tshadi; French: Armée nationale tchadienne, ANT) consists of the five Defence and Security Forces listed in Article 185 of the Chadian Constitution that came into effect on 4 May 2018. These are the National Army (including Ground Forces and Air Force), the National Gendarmerie, the National Police, the National and Nomadic Guard (GNNT), and the Judicial Police. Article 188 of the Constitution specifies that National Defence is the responsibility of the Army, Gendarmerie and GNNT, whilst the maintenance of public order and security is the responsibility of the Police, Gendarmerie and GNNT. There is also the General Directorate of the Security Services of State Institutions (DGSSIE), with the functions of presidential security, military intelligence, and counterterrorism; it answers directly to the president of Chad.

As of 2024, there were an estimated 27,500 soldiers in the Ground Forces, 350 in the Air Force, and 4,500 in the Gendarmerie. There were also 5,400 in the DGSSIE, for a total strength of 37,750 personnel. Other estimates put the total strength of the Chadian National Army, including the DGSSIE, somewhere between 35,000 and 40,000 personnel.

Historically, Chad's military was known as the Chadian Armed Forces (FAT) from independence until 1983, when Hissène Habré took power from the transitional government, and then as the Chadian National Armed Forces (FANT) from then until Habré was overthrown by Idriss Déby in 1990. The military is known for being involved in the country's politics. After the death of President Idriss Déby in 2021 during a rebel offensive, his son Mahamat Déby, who was a military commander, took office as his successor, initially as the leader of the Transitional Military Council. The Chadian National Army has been focused on counterinsurgency operations against rebel groups within the country and Islamic insurgents that are located in the Lake Chad region.

Chad has an essential role in regional security, with its army often described as the most capable in the Sahel, and it is an active member of the G5 Sahel and the Multinational Joint Task Force. It was also the largest contributor to MINUSMA, the United Nations mission in Mali. The Chadian military has combat experience in recent decades from fighting domestic rebel groups, protecting Chad's borders during instability in Libya and Sudan, and combat tours in Mali, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Niger, and the Central African Republic. France had a military presence in Chad from its independence in 1960 until 2025, when the last French base was given over to the Chadian National Army. The French Armed Forces had a significant role in training some Chadian units.