Lesotho

the Lesotho Defense Force (LDF) is responsible for the maintenance of the country's sovereignty and the preservation of internal security; in practice, external security is guaranteed by South Africa; the LDF is a small force that began in 1964 as the Police Mobile Unit (PMU); the PMU was designated as the Lesotho Paramilitary Force in 1980 and became the Royal Lesotho Defense Force in 1986; it was renamed the Lesotho Defense Force in 1993 (2025)

Lesotho Defense Force (LDF) (2025)

note: the Lesotho Mounted Police Service is responsible for internal security and reports to the Minister of Local Government, Chieftainship, Home Affairs and Police

20-30 years of age for voluntary military service for both men and women (2026)

the LDF is lightly armed and has a small inventory of mostly older or secondhand equipment of European, South African, and US origin (2025)

approximately 2,000 active Defense Forces (2025)