Without viable civilian institutions, Haiti was vulnerable to military personalities, who permanently shaped the nation's authoritarian, personalist, and coercive style of governance.

A readiness for battle and the initiation of defense-related engineering projects in the early 19th century turned out to be costly preparation for conflict against phantom armies.

By the end of the 19th century, Haiti's military had become little more than an undisciplined, ill-fed, and poorly paid militia that shifted its allegiances as battles were won or lost and as new leaders came to power.

The Gendarmerie attempted to secure public safety, initially by subduing the cacos; to promote development, particularly road construction; and to modernize the military through the introduction of a training structure, a health service, and other improvements.

The nation's security concerns regarding neighboring the Dominican Republic and Cuba have been viewed since World War II within the broader framework of the United States strategic interests in the Caribbean.

The fact that the FAd'H deployed relatively few of its units along the Dominican border, despite a history of conflicts with its neighbor is reflective of Haiti's limited national security concerns, within this scheme.

The severity of Haiti's political and economic crises, along with the high profile of the United States in the region, has limited involvement by other countries in Haitian affairs.

The degree to which NCOs may have been manipulated in this process and the extent to which lower army echelons had begun to shape their own political attitudes caused some observers to doubt the military's future as an institution.

The most prominent among the dismissed officers was Col. Jean-Claude Paul, a former commander of the Dessalines Battalion, who was indicted in March 1988 by a Florida grand jury on charges of cocaine distribution.

As of 2024, only the Army and the Aviation Corps are operational.The Haitian Navy (La Marine Haitienne) is a work in progress, with officers and NCOs currently being formed, by Argentina at the Escuela Naval Militar.

Investment in the working and living conditions on military installations, and in healthcare, lodging for the troops and their families are also part of the promises made by the Conille government.

[33] Presidential Council member, Fritz Alphonse Jean, brought up plans to establish an emergency "war budget" to better fund and equip the armed forces and police to fight rampant gang violence and terrorism.

Negotiations are being had with the United Arab Emirates[48] for technical assistance and formation on the matters of defense, operational expertise using military technology, and logistical self-reliance concerning equipment and vehicle maintenance.

[50] A proposed commission composed of representatives of Ministries of Defense from the region, the IADB and the Department of Hemispheric Security of the OAS, will be tasked of coordinating international efforts to reinforce the Armed Forces of Haiti, with accents on training, technical assistance, and equipment.

Minister Berthier Antoine reiterated that the government's priorities were to build a modern, professional armed forces, with hundreds of professions, all crucial to long term security and development.

The Haitian government plans on acquiring ships from Miami, including thre 110-foot Island class patrol boat, to reinforce its maritime capacities in the defense of the bay and port of Port-au-Prince, and fight piracy activities along the metropolitan coastline.

Prime Minister Garry Conille traveled to the UAE with a delegation including FAd'H General Azémar,[48] at the invitation of his Emirati homologue, to negotiate the purchase of armoured personnel carriers, drones, weapons, and other military technologies from the United Arab Emirates,[58] as well as technical assistance.

As of 27 August 2024, Prime Minister Conille confirmed that the Armed Forces were operating alongside the Haitian National Police and the Kenyan contingent of the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti, in the neighborhoods of Bel-Air and Solino.

[65] The government intends to deploy elements to the Bay of Port-au-Prince to counter the gangs' attacks on port facilities and defend the water against piracy.

On 4 October, it was confirmed that troops had deployed to the Artibonite department, in response to the Pont-Sondé massacre committed by the "Gran Grif" gang that resulted in over 70 deaths.

The initial troops were formed in Ecuador between 2012 and 2017, during the Michel Martelly administration, as part of a cooperation accord between the two countries dating back to 2010, and revised in 2015.

[67] After former defense minister Hervé Denis' attendance to the CDMA in Mexico in 2018,[83] a Mexican delegation headed by Brigadier General Porfilio Fuentes travelled to Haiti to meet the Haitian armed forces high command, where they held a two-day workshop on the strategies of military cooperation and support to the ministry.

[86][87][88] On 16 August 2019, the first class of servicemembers formed in Haiti, composed of 248 soldiers, 50 NCOs, and 15 officers, would graduate from the recruiting depot at the Anacaona Military Training Center, in Léogâne.

[100][101][102][103] On December 5th 2024, a meeting between the newly appointed defense minister Jean Michel Moise, and the chargé d'affaires of Mexico in Haiti, Jesus Cisneros, reaffirmed existing military cooperation between both countries.

[118][119][120][121][122][123] On December 6, 2024, newly appointed Defense Minister Jean Michel Moise hosted ambassador Michon, who reaffirmed France's willingness to continue and expand this cooperation, by bolstering the Armed Forces of Haiti through technical assistance on recruiting and basic training.

In an interview to Radio Métropole, the spokesperson of the Transitional Presidential Council, Mr. Jacques Ambroise, declared that military cooperation to increase the naval capabilities of the Armed Forces of Haiti was in the works.

[136] Haitian Defense Minister Jean-Michel Moïse welcomed Mr. Hankins and Major Callaway this his offices on December 30, 2024, for discussions rooted in the modernization & reinforcing of the FAD'H.

They discussed the integration of the Haitian military into the State Partnership Program with the Louisiana National Guard (initiated in 2011[137]) to reinforce operational capacities, promote technical and strategic subject matter exchange.

Emirati Vice President Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan invited Haitian Prime Minister Conille to visit the United Arab Emirates, where he and his delegation including a FAD'H officer inspected potential material and equipment required by the armed forces.

The PM stated that an accord of cooperation was almost done, to streamline the procurement of drones, armored vehicles, weapons, munitions, and spare parts for the security forces.