Military profile
Barbados Military Strength
Barbados is not covered by the Global Firepower ranking.
Armed forces of Barbados
Branches and forces
Barbados Defense Force (BDF): The Barbados Regiment, The Barbados Coast Guard (2025)
Personnel
approximately 600 active BDF personnel (2025)
Service age and conscription
18-25 for voluntary active service at the start of recruit training; 18-30 for reserves (2025)
Equipment and suppliers
the BDF's major equipment inventory is comprised mostly of donated items from China, the Netherlands, and the US (2025)
Good to know
formed in 1979, the Barbados Defense Force (BDF) is responsible for protecting national security, but it may also be called up to maintain internal public order in times of crisis, emergency, or other specific needs, such as special joint patrols with the police; it also provides humanitarian assistance and disaster response operations both domestically and regionally; other duties include assisting with national development, such as through the training of the country's youth with the units of the Barbados Cadet Corps Barbados has been a member of the Caribbean Regional Security System (RSS) since its creation in 1982; RSS signatories (Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) agreed to prepare contingency plans and assist one another, on request, in national emergencies, prevention of smuggling, search and rescue, immigration control, fishery protection, customs and excise control, maritime policing duties, protection of off-shore installations, pollution control, national and other disasters, and threats to national security; the RSS is headquartered in Barbados (2025)
Military expenditure (% of GDP)
2024: 0.7% · 2023: 0.7% · 2022: 0.8% · 2021: 0.9% · 2020: 0.9%
Forces and service: CIA World Factbook (public domain).