Jump to content

Serbian Army

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Mike Babic (talk | contribs) at 17:29, 26 June 2009 (→See Also). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Serbian Army
Serbian Ground Forces Emblem
Active1867-1918
2006 -
BranchArmy (Ground forces)
Size38,000 professional plus other conscript members
Garrison/HQNiš
Motto(s)"For Freedom and Honor of the Fatherland"
Template:Lang-sr
Commanders
CommanderLt. General Ljubiša Diković
Insignia
Flag

Land Forces (Template:Lang-sr, Template:Lang-sr) is the largest and the oldest branch in the Serbian military. Its organization, structure, armaments and equipment are tailored to support their assigned missions and tasks.

Tasks

Land Forces Command is primarily responsible for:

  • deterring armed threats
  • defense of the territory
  • creating conditions for mobilization and development of the Army and other bodies, and organization of defense system,
  • participation in peace-keeping operations and international military cooperation and
  • providing support to civil authorities in countering non-military challenges, risks and security threats.

Organization

Manpower

The Serbian Land Forces is the largest army branch within the Military of Serbia. Currently there are about 38,000 professional soldiers and a large number of conscripts. After the reorganization, the number of professional troops has grown, while the number of conscripts has decreased. Once the process is complete, the land forces would have a force of 46,000+ professional troops, able to respond to crisis situations.

Modernization

As of 2004, the general staff has begun to reorganize and re-equip the land forces component. With the fazed path towards a completely professional force by 2010, the basic quality of soldiers and the need for effective equipment and training has gone up. The reorganization of land forces is finished and is currently headed to a completely professionalized force, expected 2010. Procurement of newer and basic modernization is also planned.

Work on the 35-hectare (86-acre) military base, began six years ago. It is located near the administrative border with Kosovo and Metohija and state border with Macedonia some 5 kilometers southeast of the southern Serbian city of Bujanovac. Kosovo's ground security zone extends along 384 kilometers of the administration line and covers the area of total 1,920 square kilometers. Serbian Army controls that zone by the units of the Second, Third and Fourth brigade of the ground forces deployed at more than 20 camps and checkpoints.[1] This is a relatively expensive task. As a consequence, the new army base will help in terms of costs and mobility improvements. The new system of border monitoring will be done from the office in Cepotin base with Israeli made UAV's.

Structure

The current Serbian Land Forces consist form unist of brigade and battalion size. Its organized into four Land Forces Brigades, Mixed Artillery Brigade, Special Brigade, River Flotilla, two Military Police battalions and a few independent supporting battalions.

The four Land Forces brigades are main units of Land Forces. They are bigger than the regular modern brigade (see Military organization for the size of the modern brigade) and their size is more akin to a division. The each Land Forces Brigade consist of ten brigades, one command battalion, two infantry battalions, one self-propelled artillery battalion, air defense rocket-artillery battalion, tank battalion, two mechanized battalions, one logistic and one engineer battalion. Only exception is 1st LF Brigade, which have only one infantry battalion.

The current chief of the Serbian Land Forces Staff is Lieutenant General Ljubiša Diković. The day of Serbian Land Forces is celebrated each year, on November 16.

Organization

Structure of the Land Forces.
  • Land Forces Command - Niš
    • 3rd Military Police Battalion - Niš
    • 5th Military Police Battalion - Belgrade
    • 246th NBC Battalion - Kruševac
    • 21st Signal Battalion - Niš
  • 1st Land Force Brigade - HQ Novi Sad
    • 10th Command Battalion
    • 11th Infantry Battalion
    • 12th Self-Propelled Artillery Battalion
    • 13th Self-Propelled Missile Launcher Artillery Battalion
    • 14th Air Defense Artillery Battalion
    • 15th Tank battalion
    • 16th Mechanized Battalion
    • 17th Mechanized Battalion
    • 18th Engineer Battalion
    • 19th Logistic Battalion
  • 2nd Land Force Brigade - HQ Kraljevo
    • 20th Command Battalion
    • 21st Infantry Battalion
    • 22nd Infantry Battalion
    • 23rd Self-Propelled Artillery Battalion
    • 24th Self-Propelled Missile Launcher Artillery Battalion
    • 25th Air Defense Artillery Battalion
    • 26th Tank Battalion
    • 27th Mechanized Battalion
    • 28th Mechanized Battalion
    • 29th Logistic Battalion
    • 210th Engineer Battalion
Military of Serbia
Components
History
Equipment and ranks
  • 3rd Land Force Brigade - HQ Niš
    • 30th Command Battalion
    • 31st Infantry Battalion
    • 32nd Infantry Battalion
    • 33rd Self-Propelled Howitzer Artillery Battalion
    • 34th Multiple Rocket Launcher Battalion
    • 35th Air Defense Artillery Battalion
    • 36th Tank Battalion
    • 37th Mechanized Battalion
    • 38th Mechanized Battalion
    • 39th Logistic Battalion
    • 310th Engineer Battalion
  • 4th Land Force Brigade - HQ Vranje
    • 40th Command Battalion
    • 41st Infantry Battalion
    • 42nd Infantry Battalion
    • 43rd Self-Propelled Howitzer Artillery Battalion
    • 44th Self-Propelled Rocket Launcher Battalion
    • 45th Air Defense Artillery Rocket Battalion
    • 46th Tank Battalion
    • 47th Mechanized Battalion
    • 48th Mechanized Battalion
    • 49th Logistic Battalion
    • 410th Engineer Battalion
  • Mixed Artillery Brigade - HQ Niš
    • Command Battalion
    • Combined-Arms Artillery Rocket Battalion
    • 1st Howitzer-Cannon-Artillery Battalion
    • 2nd Howitzer-Cannon-Artillery Battalion
    • 3rd Howitzer-Cannon-Artillery Battalion
    • Logistics Battalion
File:SerbianSoldier.jpg
Special Brigade unit member


Equipment

Main article: List of equipment of the Serbian Land Forces

The Land Forces are mainly equipped with ex-Yugoslav Peoples Army weapon stocks. The M-84 MBT and M-80A IFV are the main armored units in use, while a small number of T-72s are used for training purposes. There is a number of equipment of Soviet origin such as the BRDM-2 and BTR-50 vehicles as well as artillery pieces including the 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled gun-howitzer and D-30 gun-howitzers, AT-3 Sagger and AT-4 Spigot anti-tank guided missile. The army also operates a number of air defense systems consisting of Strela 2, Strela-3, ISA-16, SA-9 and SA-13 SAMs, Bofors L/70 40mm anti-aircraft guns, guided by GIRAFFE radars. The newest equipment for infantry use are of Western and domestically made origin, like SAKO TRG-21 and M93 rifles. The River Flotilla fleet consist of about 15 boats and ships, such as Neštin class river minesweepers, 411 class assault ships, "Kozara" command ship, a number of smaller patrol boats and special ships and park of M71 type pontoons.

Currently the Serbian military is in process of modernization. Some acquisitions include new utility/logistical vehicles, new ballistic protection and equipment for infantry, M21S Assault Rifles and other equipment.[2]. There are also many plans for modernization of existing equipment.[3]

Equipment Summary

BVP M-80 in Serbian service
Equipment Numbers
Main Battle Tanks 277
Armoured Infantry Fighting Vehicles 590
Towed Artillery 562
Mortars 1700 82-mm and 560 120-mm
Self Propelled Artillery 98
Multiple Rocket Launchers 148
Self-Propelled Surface to Air Missile Systems about 230
Vessels 15

Ranks and insignia

Main article: Serbian military ranks and insignia
Generals[4] Officers[5]
Ranks in Serbian Генерал
General		 Генерал-Потпуковник
General-Potpukovnik		 Генерал-Мајор
General-Major		 Бригадни Генерал
Brigadni General		 Пуковник
Pukovnik		 Потпуковник
Potpukovnik		 Мајор
Major		 Капетан
Kapetan		 Поручник
Poručnik		 Потпоручник
Potporučnik
Ranks General Lieutenant General Major General Brigadier General Colonel Lieutenant Colonel Major Captain Lieutenant Sub-Lieutenant
NCOs[6] Soldiers[7]
Ranks in Serbian Заставник I класе
Zastavnik I klase		 Заставник
Zastavnik		 Старији Водник I класе
Stariji Vodnik I klase		 Старији Водник
Stariji Vodnik		 Водник
Vodnik		 Млађи водник
Mlađi vodnik		 Десетар
Desetar		 Разводник
Razvodnik
Ranks Warrant Officer, 1st class Warrant Officer Senior Sergeant 1st class Senior Sergeant Sergeant Junior Sergeant Corporal Private

References

  1. ^ http://www.blic.rs/news.php?id=3695
  2. ^ New rifle for Serbian Army
  3. ^ Y!-report
  4. ^ Ознаке чинова — Генерали и Адмирали
  5. ^ Официри
  6. ^ Подофицири
  7. ^ Воjници
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Military of Serbia.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Serbian_Army&oldid=298786816"