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Coat of Arms of Albaninn Armed Forces
Albanian Armed Forces
Components
Support Units
  • Military Police - Coast Guard
  • Regional Support Battalion
  • Recruitment Personnel Center
  • United Operational Center
  • Information Liaison Agency
Personnel
Equipment

Modern equipment of the Albanian Army is a list of the equipment currently in use with the Albanian Armed Forces. It includes small arms, combat vehicles, aircraft, watercraft, artillery and transport vehicles. Its main mission is the defense of the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Albania, participation in humanitarian, combat, non-combat and peace support operations.[1][2] After the integration of the Albania in North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) was start implementing a defence modernisation programme which consist on the demolition of the surplus armament inherited from the communist regime and its replacement with modern weapons of NATO standards.[3]

Modernisation programme

The process of modernization of the AAF is based on the short-term, middle-term and long-term objectives and priorities of their restructuring and development aiming at achieving the increase of the operational capacities. The modernization programme started before the country's North Atlantic Treaty Organization membership (on 1 April 2009) with the purchase of armaments produced by the NATO countries. It also started a programme for the disposal and alienation of surplus ammunition inherited from the communist regime for 50 years.

Naval Force
In 2007, was signed a contracts with the Damen Group for the or completing of the Albanian Naval Forces with Patrol vessels to be used to perform a number of tasks and duties, including coastal patrols, search and rescue, control and monitoring of maritime traffic, marine environment protection. The contract envisaged the construction of 4 vessels of the Damen Stan 4207 class, which the first of them would be built in Netherlands and 3 others in the Pasha Liman naval base in Albania. The first patrol vessel, named Iliria P-132, was built and delivered to the Albanian Coast Guard in August 2008. Enabling thus the following construction of 3 other patrol vessels in Pasha Liman Base by Albanian carpenters assisted by the experts of Damen Group. The second patrol vessel Oriku P-133 will be commissioned on September 2011, the third ship, Lisus P-133, will be operational in 2012 and fourth Butrint P-134 in 2013.[4][5][6]

Personal equipment

Weapon Caliber / Type Origin Silhouette Details
Pistols
Beretta Px4 9×19mm  Italy Standard service handgun of Albanian Land Force.
Since 2013 has started the replacement of TT-33, PM eventually, the M9.[7]
H&K USP P8
H&K USP P12		 9×19mm
.45 ACP		  Germany Used by BFS, and elsewhere in limited quantities to serve alongside the Beretta Px4.
Glock 19 9×19mm  Austria Used by BFS, and elsewhere in limited quantities to serve alongside the Beretta Px4.
Beretta 92
Yavuz 16		 9×19mm  Italy
 Turkey		 In service since the late 90s as service handgun alongside with TT-33 and PM.
Used mostly by General Staff and special forces until the introductions of Px4, Glock 19 and H&K USPs'.
Submachine Guns
H&K MP5
MKEK MP5		 9×19mm  Germany
 Turkey		 Entirely replaced the PPS-43 and P-84 SMG (domestic version). Used mostly by BFS, Albanian Commandos and the Military Police.
The weapon comes in multiple variants, from the standard MP5, MP5PDW and the suppressed MP5SD, to the more easily concealable MP5K, which are stockless and have vertical foregrips.[8]
Some of the MP5s were produced in Turkey under license from MKEK and were donated to AAF in December 2013.[9]
Assault Rifles, Battle Rifles and Carbines
AK-47
Type 56
ASH-78		 7.62×39mm  Soviet Union
 China
 Albania		 Standard issue assault rifle, in service since the late 1950s. There are 3 variants, including domestic manufactured version, which are in use by the Albanian Land Forces.
Since 2013 being phased out in favour of the Beretta AR70/90 and Colt M4A1.
ASh-82 7.62×39mm  Albania Copy of AKMS, locally manufactured under license since 1982 by UM Gramsh.
There have also been modifications and modernization of heavily modified ASH-82 with SOPMOD accessories, mainly used by BFS, Commandos and Police Special Forces, such as RENEA and Republican Guard special unit and so on.
Beretta ARX160 5.56×45mm  Italy Since 2010, initially the Beretta ARX160 version has been used by BFS in their missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, serving as well as evaluation purpose. Currently the weapon is in use by Special Forces, Military Police and Engineer Battalion.[8]
Beretta AR70/90 5.56×45mm  Italy AR70/90 intended be the standard weapon of the Albanian Armed Forces. By the end of 2016, the Italian government confirmed that it would donate approximately 5,000 units which will serve to replace the AK-47 as the standard service rifle. The weapon was introduced in 2018.[10][11]
Colt M4A1 5.56×45mm  United States Delivered in 2015, with the intention that with the AR70/90, it will replace the AK-47 within the next 5 years. Common accessories included the AN/PEQ-2, ACOG or EOTech optic and holographic sights, also the grenade launcher M203 can be mounted.
Used as service rifle by 2nd Infantry Battalion (B2K), whereas the BFS, until now has only used it in training.[7][8]
H&K HK417 7.62×51mm  Germany The primary designated marksman rifle. It is equipped with an S&B PMII Ultra Short optical sight for long-range engagements.
Limited quantity, used by BFS.[8]
Sniper Rifles
Dragunov SVD 7.62×54mmR  Soviet Union Standard issue sniper rifle, part of the Albanian Armed Forces arsenal since before the collapse of the communist regime.
Since 2015 being phased out in favour of the Sako TRG-22 and Sako TRG-42.[7][8]
Sako TRG-22
Sako TRG-42		 7.62×51mm
.300WM		  Finland Both versions were adopted in 2015 and used as standard snipers of Albanian Armed Forces, to be the replacement of old Dragunov SVDs. The replacement started from the B2K, with the intention within the next 5-years entirely replace on all branches.[7][8]
Barrett M82 .50 BMG  United States The M82 recoil-operated, semi-automatic anti-materiel rifle.
Very limited quantity, mostly used by BFS as Long-Range Precision Anti Structure rifle.
Machine Guns
H&K MG4 5.56×45mm  Germany The MG4 is the standard light support weapon. It features a longer barrel, a bipod and a shoulder strap for greater range and accuracy. Adopted in 2013 with the intention of replacing the RPK within 5 years.
Currently used as standard LMG weapon by 2nd Infantry Battalion (B2K) and special forces (BFS and Commandos).[7][8]
H&K MG5 7.62×51mm  Germany Was adopted in the Army in 2013 to serve as infantry support, deployment as a vehicle-mounted support weapon, and perhaps in the near future to be used as a helicopter door-gun.
Currently used as standard GPMG weapon by 2nd Infantry Battalion (B2K) and special forces (BFS and Commandos).[7][8]
RPD 7.62×39mm  Soviet Union
RPK
ASh-78 Tip-2		 7.62×39mm  Soviet Union
 Albania
Shotguns
Benelli M4 Super 90 12-gauge  Italy Adopted since 2015 as standard shotgun, mostly used by Military Police and special forces.
Is a Semi-automatic shotgun that has a capacity of twelve rounds and a maximum effective range of 140 m for solid shot and 40 m for buckshot.
Grenades and Grenade launchers
RGD-5  Soviet Union Hand grenade used by Albanian Land Force since 1970.
Being withdrawn from service.
M203 40×46mm  United States Grenade launcher used on Colt M4A1.[7]
GLX160 40×46mm  Italy Grenade launcher used on Beretta ARX160[8]
Mortars
Hirtenberger M6 60 mm  Austria It has been introduced in service since 2017. Currently used by the Combat Support Battalion, b1K, b2K and b3K[12]
Hirtenberger M8 81 mm  Austria It has been introduced in service since 2017. Currently used by the Combat Support Battalion[13]
Miscellaneous
AN/PSV-18 (MNVD)  United States [8]
AN/PSV-15 (NVB)  United States [8]
MED-ENG EOD 9 Bomb suit  Canada

Mortar

Model Image Caliber Origin Note
82-BM-37 82mm  Albania 370[citation needed]
M-120 120mm  Israel 750

[citation needed]

M-43 160mm  Russia 20 stocked for museum purposes

Tanks

Model Type Origin Image No. Details
Type-59 Main Battle Tank  China 200 Type 59 delivered by China from 1966–1975 about 721 pieces, today in working condition are ~200 tanks active other are for scrap or for selling.

Armored personnel carriers

Model Type Origin Image No. Details
Armored personnel carriers M113  United States 130

Infantry fighting vehicle

Model Type Origin Image No. Details
BMP-1 Infantry Fighting Vehicle  Soviet Union
 East Germany		 17 Albanian Armed Forces obtained 17 ex East German BMP-1s in 1995[14]

Vehicles

Model Type Origin Image No. Details
Light utility vehicles
Land Rover Defender Utility vehicle  United Kingdom
 Turkey		 ~150 The Defender's militarized version is the main utility vehicle of Albanian Armed Forces.
More than 100 Land Rover Defender, which are produced by Otokar under license, were donated in two tranches on December 2013 and June 2015 by Turkish government. There are included the Land Rover Defender 150 and Defender 130 to use as utility, ambulances, and rescue vehicles, which will be join to the other part that AAF had in inventory since 2000s.[15][9][16]
Mercedes-Benz G-Class Utility vehicle  Germany ~170 No accurate info about the number, year of military activity, or the acquisition method for the G-Class. Since the late 90s, they are often used by the Albanian Armed Forces, alongside with the Defender, in training, convoys and missions, within the country and abroad.
The G-Class number is estimated around 100 and is mostly used as a general utility and liaison vehicle.
Iveco VM 90 Torperdo Utility vehicle  Italy 40
Light armored vehicles and MRAPs
Iveco LMV IMV  Italy 30 The LMV was considered as evaluation purpose as the standard armored vehicle for the Albanian Armed Forces. The first four were purchased in October 2015 for the Military Police.[17]
In 2018, 3 new vehicles entered service, of which two were donations of the Italian Armed Forces.[18]
Iveco VM 90 Military Police IMV  Italy 250
HMMWV M1114 IMV  United States 77 In 25 November 2015, the Minister of Defence announced in the Committee on National Security that AAF would be supplied with about 250 armored vehicles (divided into 3 tranches) acquired from the Excess Defense Articles programme, part of the DSCA, in a short term period.[19] In March 2017 it was confirmed that the first tranche, which amounted to 77 HMMWV up-armored M1114 variant would be delivered within the same year.
The HMMWV, most likely will be the standard AFV of the Albanian Land Force.[20]
International MaxxPro MRAP  United States 40 The MaxxPro has been used by BFS since 2012 in their ISAF mission in Afghanistan. Probably they were acquired under leasing contract with US Army. On March 2017, 3 MaxxPro's Plus acquired from Excess Defense Articles (EDA), part of the DSCA, were delivered to Albania.[21]
Mostly used by BFS and Commandos for training purposes in Zall-Herr Regiment, serving as well as evaluation purpose for future acquisitions. 37 more MaxxPro's were delivered in 2019 from US, which are part of the 250 vehicles being donated to the AAF.[22]
Trucks and Transport vehicles
Otokar Navigo Liaison  Turkey N/A
Ford Transit VI Liaison  Germany
 Turkey		 N/A [15][9]
Mercedes-Benz Actros Liaison  Germany N/A [15][9]

Aircraft

Main article: Former Albanian Air Force aircraft
Aircraft Type Origin Image No. Details
Helicopters
Eurocopter AS532 Cougar Utility helicopter  France 4 On 17 December 2009, the Ministry of Defense signed a contract worth 78,633,288 Euros with Eurocopter for the purchase of 5 Eurocopter AS532 AL Cougar helicopters.[23] The types consist of 1 VIP, 1 SAR, 1 MEDEVAC, and 2 troop transportation helicopters.[24][25] After the VIP helicopter crash in 2012 in the French Alps, in 2013, the Albanian side asked Eurocopter (now Airbus) to cancel the arrival of the last helicopter and its conversion to two light Eurocopter EC145M helicopters.[26][27]
Eurocopter EC145 Utility helicopter  France 2 Initially, the MoD decided in 2011 to buy 1 Eurocopter EC145 helicopter VIP variant that will serve as an air transport for the heads of state. The contract was signed on 29 March 2011 with Eurocopter worth € 5,350,000.[28] In 2014, the new government after an accident during a test in the French Alps with an AS532 AL Cougar VIP built for AAF, decided to renegotiate the contract by replacing the Cougar helicopter with 2 Eurocopter EC145M SAR.[29] On April 6, 2016, one of the two EC145M SAR helicopters of the Albanian Air Force crashed into Shkodër Lake, where two pilots were killed during a training operation.[30]
Agusta-Bell 205A Utility helicopter  Italy 5
Mi-8 Utility helicopter  Russia 1
Agusta-Bell 206C Utility helicopter  Italy 5
AgustaWestland AW109C Utility helicopter  Italy 1
MBB Bo 105E-4 Utility helicopter  Germany 8 8 German Army Bo 105P upgraded and overhauled for a 10 million euro contract and donated to Albania. The first batch was delivered in 2006.
Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk Utility helicopter  United States 3 In April 2019, the Minister of Defense Olta Xhaçka, stated that Albania is in talks for the acquisition of Black Hawk helicopters.[31] Helicopters are part of the US aid package being given to Albania.[32] The number is still unclear but it is said that it is about 3 of them.

Watercraft

Albanian Coast Guard

Class Type Origin Ship Image Details
Coastal patrol vessels
Damen Stan 4207  Netherlands
 Albania		 Iliria P 131
Oriku P 132
Lisus P 133
Butrinti P 134		 Displacement 200t
Sea Spectre Mk III  United States R 215
R 216
R 118
Patrol Craft, Coastal  United States R 117
R 217		 45' PCC Class
Super Speranza  Italy R ???
R 123
R 124
R 225
R 226

RB-M  United States 5 boats
Classe 2000  Italy R 125
R 126
R 127
R 128
R 224
R 227
R 228

Albanian Navy

Class Type Origin Ship Image Details
Submarine chasers
Kronshtadt  Soviet Union P 207
P 208		 Retired
Minesweepers
T43  Soviet Union M 111
M ???		 Retired
Anti-pollution vessels
Siman C 1297  Italy Rodoni Y 31
Karaburuni Y 32

References

  1. ^ "Mission of the Albanian Land Force". Albanian Armed Forces. Archived from the original on 2017-08-18. Retrieved 2017-08-30.
  2. ^ "Overview of FT mission and duties" (PDF). Gazeta Ushtria. Ministry of Defence. 22 April 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2017-08-30. Retrieved 2017-08-30.
  3. ^ "Small Arms and Light Weapons Project in Albania". NSPA. www.nspa.nato.int. Archived from the original on 2017-08-30. Retrieved 2017-08-30.
  4. ^ "The new ship "Oriku"" (PDF). Revista Mbrojtja. Ministry of Defense. QKMBM. September 2011. pp. 3–7. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2017-08-23. Retrieved 2017-08-30.
  5. ^ "The first ship was built at Pasha Liman". www.mod.gov.al. Ministry of Defence. Archived from the original on 2017-08-23. Retrieved 2017-08-30.
  6. ^ ""Butrinti" ceremonial ship launching". www.mbrojtja.gov.al. Ministry of Defence. Archived from the original on 2017-08-23. Retrieved 2017-08-30.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Presentation of the AAF new weapons (in Albanian). Ministry of Defence Youtube Channel.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Open Day on the occasion of the 104th anniversary of the Armed Forces (in Albanian). Ministry of Defence Youtube Channel.
  9. ^ a b c d The delivery ceremony of $ 3milions donation by Turkish government (in Albanian). Ministry of Defence Youtube Channel.
  10. ^ moti. "Nënshkruhet marrëveshja teknike për dhurimin e 5000 armëve "Beretta" ndërmjet Ministrisë së Mbrojtjes së Republikës së Italisë dhe Ministrisë së Mbrojtjes së RSH". aaf.mil.al (in Albanian). Archived from the original on 2018-07-03. Retrieved 2018-07-03.
  11. ^ Bozinovski, Igor (4 October 2017). "Italy to gift rifles to Albania". IHS Jane's 360. Archived from the original on 4 October 2017. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
  12. ^ "New mortars introduced". Gazeta Tema. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  13. ^ "New mortars introduced". Gazeta Tema. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  14. ^ "Albanian BMP-1". Tank Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 2017-08-08. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  15. ^ a b c "Turkey donates $ 3milions in aid to AAF". www.mod.gov.al (in Albanian). Ministry of Defense. 21 December 2013. Archived from the original on 2017-09-01. Retrieved 2017-09-01.
  16. ^ The delivery ceremony of 27 LR Defenders donation by Turkish government (in Albanian). Ministry of Defence Youtube Channel. 3 June 2015.
  17. ^ "The delivery ceremony of two EC-145 helicopters in the SAR configuration as well as four Iveco LMV armored vehicles for the Military Police". www.mod.gov.al (in Albanian). Ministry of Defense. 31 October 2015. Archived from the original on 2017-08-13. Retrieved 2017-09-01.
  18. ^ Bozinovski, Igor (4 October 2017). "Italy to gift rifles to Albania". IHS Jane's 360. Archived from the original on 4 October 2017. Retrieved 4 October 2017.
  19. ^ Minister of Defense at the Committee on National Security (in Albanian). Ministry of Defence Youtube Channel.
  20. ^ "Excess Defense Articles (EDA)" (.exe). Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA). 6 March 2017. Archived from the original on 2017-09-07. Retrieved 2017-09-02.
  21. ^ "Excess Defense Articles (EDA)" (.exe). Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA). 6 March 2017. Archived from the original on 2017-09-07. Retrieved 2017-09-02.
  22. ^ "SHBA, 37 mjete të blinduara për FA. Moses-Ones: Shqipëria, lider në rajon". top-channel.tv. Retrieved 2019-04-04.
  23. ^ "Nënshkruhet kontrata për blerjen e pesë helikopterëve". ARKIVI MM. Retrieved 2019-04-23.
  24. ^ Support, Web. "Arrival ceremony of the new Cougar helicopter for the Air Force, version "MEDEVAC"". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 2019-04-23.
  25. ^ "The fourth Cougar AS532 AL helicopter arrives".
  26. ^ "Helicopter Crash in French Alps Kills 6 Eurocopter Employees". NYCAviation. 2012-07-25. Retrieved 2019-04-23.
  27. ^ "Ndryshon kontrata e blerjes së helikopterëve". Shekulli (in Albanian). 2013-12-20. Retrieved 2019-04-23.
  28. ^ "LIGJ Nr.10 446, datë 14.7.2011 PËR MIRATIMIN E KONTRATËS PËR FURNIZIMIN ME 1 HELIKOPTER EC 145 VIP". Qëndra e Botimeve Zyrtare. 3 August 2011. p. 21.
  29. ^ ""Eurocopter", Kuvendi miraton kontratën shtesë". Gazeta Shqip (in Albanian). Retrieved 2019-04-26.
  30. ^ "Albania to Probe Military Helicopter Crash". Balkan Insight. 2016-04-07. Retrieved 2019-04-26.
  31. ^ "Albania to receive surplus US Black Hawks | Jane's 360". www.janes.com. Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  32. ^ Gegvataj, Almarina (2019-04-19). "Xhaçka sërish në Pentagon brenda një viti, Shqipëria vlerësohet si aleat model - ATSH -". Agjencia Telegrafike Shqiptare. Retrieved 2019-04-19.
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