Executive Outcomes

Executive Outcomes is a private military company (PMC) founded in South Africa in 1989 by Eeben Barlow, a former lieutenant-colonel of the South African Defence Force. It later became part of the South African-based holding company Strategic Resource Corporation.[2] The company was reestablished in 2020.

History

Background

In 1989, following the conclusion of the South African Border War in Angola and Namibia, the apartheid government was looking at broad cuts in its military personnel. This initial drawdown accelerated rapidly as the apartheid system was dismantled in the early 1990s. African National Congress leader Nelson Mandela demanded that then South African President Frederik Willem de Klerk dismantle some of the South African and South West African Special Forces units such as 32 Battalion and Koevoet. One of these was the Civil Cooperation Bureau (CCB), a unit that carried out covert operations which included assassinations of government opponents, and worked to bypass the United Nations apartheid sanctions by setting up overseas

Activities

Angola

Executive Outcomes initially trained and later fought on behalf of the Angolan government against UNITA after UNITA refused to accept the election results in 1992. This contract was awarded to the company after EO had assisted Ranger Oil[11] with an equipment recovery operation in the harbour town of Soyo. Dubbed by the South African media as an attempt to assassinate the rebel leader Dr. Jonas Savimbi, EO found itself under constant UNITA attacks where it lost three of its men. This action saw EO as being recognised by the FAA and a contract to train its forces was awarded. In a short space of time, UNITA was defeated on the battlefield and sued for peace. The Angolan government, under pressure from the UN and the US, were forced to terminate EO's contract. EO was replaced by the UN's peacekeeping force known as UNAVEM. Angola returned to war shortly thereafter.

Sierra Leone

In March 1995, the company contained an insurrection of guerrillas known as the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) in Sierra Leone, regained control of the diamond fields, and forced a negotiated peace.[12]

In the case of Angola this led to a cease fire and the Lusaka Protocol, which ended the Angolan Civil War – albeit only for a few years.[13] In Sierra Leone, however, the government capitulated to international pressure to have EO withdraw in favour of an ineffective peacekeeping force, allowing the RUF to rebuild and sack the capital in "Operation No Living Thing".[14]

As is characteristic of one of the first PMCs, Executive Outcomes was directly involved militarily in Angola and Sierra Leone. The company was notable in its ability to provide all aspects of a highly trained modern army to the less professional government forces of Sierra Leone and Angola. For instance, in Sierra Leone, Executive Outcomes fielded not only professional fighting men, but armour and support aircraft such as one Mi-24 Hind armed attack military helicopter and two Mi-8 Hip military transport helicopters, one BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicle and one T-72 main battle tank.[15][16] These were bought from sources in the worldwide arms trade within Africa as well as Eastern Europe.[17]

Ibis Air

Ibis Air was a partner business entity that provided EO with airborne services, including medevac capabilities via a Boeing 727 with the registry D2-FLZ. Ibis Air also owned a small fleet of MiG-23 "Flogger" fighters and Pilatus PC-7 turbo-prop trainers converted for the reconnaissance and ground attack capabilities using SNEB air-to-ground rockets. It was also allowed to operate Su-25 "Frogfoot" ground support aircraft that were loaned out to EO by the Angolan Air Force.[18]

Other contracts

Executive Outcomes had contracts with multinational corporations such as De Beers, Chevron, Rio Tinto Zinc and Texaco. The governments of Angola, Sierra Leone and Indonesia were also clients.

Other contracts

Executive Outcomes had contracts with multinational corporations such as De Beers, Chevron, Rio Tinto Zinc and Texaco. The governments of Angola, Sierra Leone and Indonesia were also clients.

type	Private military security firm
foundation	1989 2020 (re-established)
founder	Eeben Barlow
services	Security management, full-service risk management consulting
area served	Africa (Angola & Sierra Leone)
industry	Private military and security contractor
products	Providing military combat forces including personnel and equipment, law enforcement and training, logistics, close quarter training, and security services
num employees	2,000+‡R1R‡
homepage	https://www.executiveoutcomes.com

History

Background

Formation

Key personnel

Activities

Angola

Sierra Leone

Ibis Air

Other contracts

Other contracts

Dissolution

Sandline International

Sterling Corporate Services

Reestablishment

See also

External links

References