page_title: Navy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Navy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo / History
caption_attribution_description: Launched from UN 12 vessel, members of MONUSCO Uruguayan Riverine Company, URPAC along with FARDC Navy, patrol small islands on the DRC side of Tanganyika Lake, the 17th of October 2012. © MONUSCO/Sylvain Liechti Besides its key logistical purpose, "UN 12" ship travels along the DRC border of Tanganiyka lake with armed personnel onboard in an effort to beat piracy, smuggling and illegal taxation imposed by local armed groups on commercial vessels.
context_page_description: The National Navy is the maritime component of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is a brown-water navy, which is currently commanded by Vice Admiral Rombault Mbuayama Nsiona.
context_section_description: Ordinance no.70/295 of 9 November 1970 fixed the organization of the Coast, River, and Lake Guard, after it had been created by ordonnance-loi 70/060 of the same day. A coast guard was headquartered at Banana, the River Guard at Kinshasa and the Lake Guard at Kalemie. Some five years later, however, the organization became the Force Navale Zairoise. 
  Before the downfall of Mobutu Sese Seko, Zaire operated a small navy on the Congo river with a few facilities on the Atlantic coast. It consisted of 1,300 personnel, including 600 marines. One of its installations was at the village of N'dangi near the presidential residence in Gbadolite. The port at N'dangi was the base for several patrol boats, helicopters and the presidential yacht.
  The 2002 edition of Jane's Sentinel described the Navy as being "in a state of near total disarray" and stated that it did not conduct any training or have operating procedures. The Congolese navy shares the same discipline problems as the other services. It was initially placed under command of the MLC when the transition began: the current situation is uncertain.
  The Congolese navy took part in an exercise overseen by United States Army troops in 2010 in Lake Tanganyika, to verify that it met African Union standards.
  During the Dongo conflict in the northwestern DRC, a number of navy personnel fled across the Congo River to the nearby Republic of the Congo as refugees, along with many civilians.
  In September 2017 the Congolese navy supported army operations against a Mai-Mai militia and sunk a rebel boat in Lake Tanganyika.
  On 5 July 2018, the Congolese navy fought a skirmish against the Ugandan navy in Lake Edward after Ugandan vessels attacked Congolese fishing boats. Several people were killed in the clashes. The naval forces in the area on the Congolese side are commanded by Major Jean Tsongo. The Congolese navy in the area is also tasked with rebels from Uganda from entering the DRC.
caption: A FARDC sailor and UN peacekeeper training on Lake Tanganyika. The soldier is wearing a chief petty officer's insignia.
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