U vrijeme ostvarenja nezavisnosti, tadašnji predsjednik (i sadašnji) Robert Mugabe je obećao ujedinjenje svih triju oružanih snaga u tadašnjoj Rodeziji. Spojili su postojeću Rodezijsku vojsku sa ZANLA snagama stranke ZANU-PF (oko 20.000 pripadnika) te oko 15.000 boraca ZIPRA, stranke PF-ZAPU. Trenutno, oružane snage broje oko 30.000 pripadnika, od čega je oko 5.000 u avjaciji. Grane vojske su kopnena vojska, avijacija te Republikanska policija koja u sebi uključuje i žandarmeriju te policijsku grupu podrške.

      At the time of independence, the then Prime Minister Robert Mugabe declared that integrating Zimbabwe's three armed forces would be one of Zimbabwe's top priorities. The existing Rhodesian forces were combined with the two guerilla armies; the 20,000-strong ZANLA forces of ZANU-PF and the 15,000-strong ZIPRA forces of PF-ZAPU. Currently the armed forces of Zimbabwe are completely integrated and are composed of an army (ZNA) and an air force (AFZ). The ZNA currently has an active duty strength of 30,000. The air force has about 5,000 men assigned. In July 1994 the combined Zimbabwe Defense Forces Headquarters was created. The branches are Zimbabwe National Army, Air Force of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Republic Police (includes Police Support Unit, Paramilitary Police).