Military of Serbia

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The Armed Forces of Serbia (Serbian:Војска Србије or Vojska Srbije) are the official military component of Serbia and guardians of the Serbian state.

The Serbian Armed Forces basic tasks are:

• Defending Serbia from armed foreign threats.
• Participating in the process of building and maintaining peace in the region and across the world.
• Providing support in case of natural disasters and other catastrophes.

[edit] Structure

The Serbian Army is organized at 3 levels: strategic, operational and tactical.

Forces are organized on strategic, operational and tactical level and into commands, units and institutions. It is basically constituted of arms, branches, services. The Arms represent integrated branches and services which have relatively limited autonomy in warfare at land, sea and air.

Army branches constitute: the infantry, armored units, artillery, engineering, air defense artillery missile units, aviation, navy, electronic reconnaissance and warfare.

Army services can be general and logistics.

General army services are: intelligence, security, liaison, informatics, nuclear-biological-chemical, air reconnaissance and reporting, geodetic, hydro meteorological and hydro-navigational and legal service.

Logistics services are: technical, procurement, medical, transport, vet, construction, and financial service.

The Armed Forces of Serbia consist of

• Serbian Land Forces

• Serbian Air Force and Air Defense

• Training Command of Serbian Army

Since Serbia was the dominant partner in the former union, it has inherited the considerable bulk of the army and air force. However, as Serbia is landlocked, the only navy it could maintain would be on the Danube river.

[edit] Serbian Land Forces

Main article: Serbian Land Forces

The Serbian Land Forces is the largest and the oldest army branch. Its organization, structure, armaments and equipment are tailored to activities conducted predominantly on the ground in its respectively assigned missions and tasks. Mani organization is based on Brigade/Battalion system. Land Forcese compose from four land forcese brigades, one combined-arms artillery brigade, and special brigade which is under comand of Serbian Army Generalstaff. Thera are also two military police battalions, NBCW battalion, signal battalion and river flotila. The land forces brigades are main units of land forces and their duty is to defend their regions. Organization of LF Brigades is wery similar, each compose from one command battalion, two infantry battalions, one tank battalion, two mechanized battalions, one self-proppield artillery battalion, one self-proppield rocket artillery battalion, one air defense battalion, one engineer battalion and onen logistic battalion. Exclusion is the First LF battalion witch have two pontoon instead of one infantry battalion. The combined-arms artillery brigade compose from three howitzer-cannon-artillery battalions, artillery rocket battalion and logistic battalion.

[edit] Serbian Air Force and Air Defense

Main article: Serbian Air Force and Air Defense

The Serbian Air Force is the youngest and the most advanced branch encompassing branches and services whose organization, structure, armaments and equipment are tailored to perform combat activities in aerial targets and on the ground. It consists of about 3,000 active personnel and 170 aircraft in 2 main bases. Although largely neglected, the air force is currently begun mass modernization to bring it up to standards. Air force is organized on Air Base/Squadron system, and it consist from two air bases and 6 squadrons and 7 ground units. The Air defense is organized like ground forrces on Brigade/Battalion system and it consist from one air defense brigade. The main air defense systems are Kub-M and [[S-125]|S-125 Neva]] which will be modernized in next years. There are also one signal battalion, one engineering battalion and Center for Air Reconnaissance.

[edit] Training Command of Serbian Army

Main article: Training Command of Serbian Army

Key novelty in the organization of SAF is the establishing of the training command on 23 April 2007, by merging parts of Operation Forces,LF and Air Force units. This completes the merging of seven territorial centers for basic training and five centers for specialist training of the members of military arms, branches and services. In addition to the training centers, the Training Command also comprises training grounds and firing grounds.

[edit] Modernization

In late 2003, the Serbian Armed Forces had started mass modernization and reorganization of its entire structure. The first step of modernization was reorganizing all units and command structures to reduce the over all size of the army and make it more maneuverable and professional to respond to dangerous situations, this part of the reorganization plan was fully completed in under 13 months. The withdrawal of old and obsolete equipment and procurement of replacements is currently in the process. The Armed Forces are planning to move to a completely professional force and abolish conscription by 2010, operating at international standard (NATO) and participating in UN peacekeeping operations.

Modernisation of land forces T-55 tanks, BRDM-2 and BTR-50 APC's, old artillery such as D-30, old trucks and so on are also currently in the process for being withdrawn and replaced. The withdrawn T-55s will be put on sale. Around 50 T-72 MBT's will sold as they are considered surplus (currently stored). A planned modernization of M-84 MBT's into M-2001 MBT is also due. Older APC's and IFV's such as BRDM-2 and BTR-50 may be modernized in very small numbers, the bulk of which are to be withdrawn. M-80A IFV's will be modernized to serve for a prolonged 10 years. New systems entering in use such as long range Serbian designed ALAS missile system,anti-tank Bumbar, AT-11 Sniper,UAV Gavran....

Modernization of Air Force and Air Defence

MiG-29's currently upgrading.There are plans to obtain around 20 or more new fighter aircraft to replace the aging MiG-21 fleet as well as J-22 that is due to retire around 2010 to the latest, although Serbia does plan to retain its MiG-29s currently. Plans are also being made to obtain new transport helicopters and aircraft as well. The Air Force will also modernized all G-4 Super Galebs in to G-4M. Currently Serbia is modernizing 4 MiG-29's, 1 An-26, 3 Mi-8's, 2 Mi-17's, 2 Mi-24's. The last MiG-29 is also planned to be modernized later on.

These are some possible options for replacement. No formal decision has been made yet on when or what purchases will be made, The ministry of defense is expected to increase its budget in the following years providing assistance in the modernization of the air force. The Air Force will get 20 new multi-role fighters to replace MiG-21's, 15 new helicopters to replace Mi-8's, and three new cargo aircraft to replace An-26's and An-2.

[edit] Uniforms

Serbian army is using various camouflage patterns. In year 2001 M-02 was introduced, with updated "Hrastov List" and new KARST pattern, but only in some special units. M-03 style uniform and new MDU camouflage pattern was introduced in 2006 after a year of extensive testings. High-tech material used on M-03 offers better water resistance, very low visibility in visible specter and when using thermal, photo sensory and opto-electronic detection equipment.

The new Serbian MDU camouflage pattern is a five-colour pattern, comprising black, chocolate brown, Grey-green and medium green swathes on a light green background. The shapes have been elongated horizontally, however — presumably to meet NATO requirements. But even today the most common pattern used is M-93, officially-"Hrastov List", commonly called "Jigsaw" or "Puzzle". This 5 colored pattern was produced with lots of variations but primarily in two shades. One towards brown (fall, no snow winter) and one in green (spring, summer).

Serbian Army also uses NATO Woodland pattern, black uniforms for special forces units, white winter camouflages and many other different camouflage and color uniforms.

As for now, M-MDU03 it's primarily worn by the officers, professional soldiers, army special forces as well by regular army stationed at the administrative Kosovo and Metohija border and will soon be in used by all soldiers.

However, Serbian army has concluded that M-03 as well as MDU-03 camouflage doesn't meet requirements of Serbian army, and therefore it will not be issued as standard pattern. Serbian army is currently developing new combat, ceremonial, dress uniforms and digital pattern, which is expected to become a standard pattern in near future

M-03 camouflage uniform

M-03, 3 color desert pattern.

Some official sources in the army are reporting new ceremonial and dress uniforms; there is also a project to digitize MDU and YPA(JNA) mountain sniper camouflage by the year 2010.

[edit] Peacekeeping operations

Currently peace keeping operations involving Serbian Armed Forces are located in the troubled regions of Africa. The Serbian Armed Forces has expressed wishes to continue its active participation in these peace keeping roles and to further expand them and ensure lasting peace world wide.

Current peace keeping missions

• UN mission in Liberia (UNMIL)
• UN mission in DR Congo (MONUC)

[edit] Gallery

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Serbian Ministry of Defense
• Official Website

cs:Srbská armáda de:Streitkräfte Serbiens hr:Vojska Srbije hu:Szerbia hadereje nl:Krijgswezen van Servië sr:Војска Србије