In Equatorial Guinea, the Armed Forces of /country/Guinea">Guinea">Equatorial Guinea (FAGE) are responsible for defending the territory and sovereignty of the country; it also has some internal security duties, including fulfilling some police functions in border areas, sensitive sites, and high-traffic areas; the FAGE’s National Guard (Army) is a small force with a few infantry battalions; over the past decade, the country has made considerable investments in naval capabilities to protect its oil installations and combat piracy and crime in the Gulf of Guinea; while the Navy is small, its inventory includes a light frigate and a corvette, as well as several off-shore patrol vessels; the Air Force has a handful of operational combat aircraft and ground attack-capable helicopters (2023)