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Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force;
Founded	1 November 1981
Current form	1995
Service branches	Antigua and Barbuda Regiment; Antigua and Barbuda Coast Guard; Antigua and Barbuda Cadet Corps
Headquarters	Camp Blizard
Leadership
Minister of Defense	Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer
Chief of staff	Colonel Trevor Thomas
Manpower
Military age	18
Available for; military service	18,952 males, age 15–49,; 18,360 females, age 15–49
Fit for; military service	14,859 males, age 15–49,; 14,947 females, age 15–49
Reaching military; age annually	507 males,; 494 females
Active personnel	170 (1998)
Reserve personnel	75 (1998)
Expenditures
Percent of GDP	0.6%

The Royal Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force is the armed force of Antigua and Barbuda. The RABDF consists of four major units:

1st Battalion, Antigua and Barbuda Regiment - this is the infantry unit and fighting arm of the defence force.
Service and Support Unit - established in 1997, this provides administrative, logistic and engineer support to the rest of the defence force.
Coast Guard - this is the maritime element of the defence force, and is divided into four units:
- Commanding Officer's office
- Engineer Unit
- Administration Unit
- Flotilla - the flotilla is the operational part of the Coast Guard, and consists of four vessels.
Antigua and Barbuda Cadet Corps

The RABDF has responsibility for several different roles: internal security, prevention of drug smuggling, the protection and support of fishing rights, prevention of marine pollution, search and rescue, ceremonial duties, assistance to government programs, provision of relief during natural disasters, assistance in the maintenance of essential services and support of the police in maintaining law and order.

The RABDF is the world's smallest military, consisting of 245 people ^[1]. It is thus much better equipped for fulfilling its civil roles as opposed to providing a deterrence against would-be aggressors or in defending the nation during a war.