Military of the Republic of Macedonia
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| Military of Republic of Macedonia |
|
|---|---|
| Military age | 19 |
| Available for military service |
498,259, age 18–49 (2005 est.) |
| Fit for military service |
411,156, age 18–49 (2005 est.) |
| Reaching military age annually |
16,686 (2005 est.) |
| Active personnel | 12,850 ranked 111th |
| Expenditures | |
| Budget | $200 million (FY01/02 est.) |
| Percent of GDP | 6% (FY01/02 est.) |
The Armed Forces of the Republic of Macedonia (Macedonian: Армија на Република Македонија) were formed in 1992 after the withdrawal of the Yugoslav People's Army which left behind only a small number of infantry weapons and four broken World War II-era T-34 tanks to equip the new army.
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[edit] Organization
(click to enlarge)
The primary arm of the military in RM is the Army (ARM). The ARM is commanded by the Minister of Defense through the Chief of the General Staff (CGS) of the ARM. Two Deputy CGS positions include the Deputy CGS for planning, operations and readiness, under whom operates the General Staff of the ARM, and the Deputy CGS for civil-military cooperation.
[edit] Land Command
The largest command of the ARM is the Land Command, which is further broken up into the rapid reaction forces, the strategic reserve forces, and the support forces.
The rapid reaction forces represent the main active combat capability of the ARM, and consist of the 1st Brigade, 2nd Brigade, and the Armour Battalion with 36 tanks T-72B stationed in Stip.
The strategic reserve forces provide reserve brigades that can be called up in times of emergency. The 3rd Brigade and 4th Brigade are considered priority reserve units, while a further six units, numbered five through ten, also are maintained.
The support forces include a number of units to support the rapid reaction and reserve forces in operation. They include a rocket artillery unit (BM-21), an air defense battalion, a signal battalion, a logistic battalion, an engineer battalion, an NBC company, a reconnaissance company, and a military police company.
[edit] Military Aviation and Air Defense
The air component of ARM is represented by the Command of Military Aviation and Air Defense of the RM, which consists of the Aviation Wing and the Support Forces.
The Aviation Wing at Petrovec consists of an air force combat squadron (equipped with Mi-24V type attack helicopters), a transport squadron (equipped with Mi-17, Mi-8 and UH-1 transport helicopters), the Air Defense Battalion (equipped with Strela-2M, Igla, and a SA-13 SAM battery), the Air Reconnaissance Battalion, and the Securing and Logistics Support Company.
The Republic of Macedonia also had a reconnaissance squadron & a training squadron (equipped with aging Su-25 and Su-25UB bombers) these two squadrons were defunct from 2004 when the aircraft were retired and later sold to Georgia in 2005[1].
| Aircraft | Source | Type | In service[2] | Versions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bell UH-1 Iroquois |  Greece |
transport helicopter | 2[2] | UH-1H | |
| Mil Mi-8 Hip |  Ukraine |
transport/assault helicopter
transport/firefighting/utility helicopter Transport/Firefighting/Utility helicopter |
4[2]
3[2] |
Mi-8MT
Mi-8MT Mi-17 Hip-H |
|
| Mil Mi-24 Hind | Ukraine |
attack helicopter | 10[2] | Mi-24V Hind-E | the two Mi-24K are retired |
| Antonov An-2 Colt |  Soviet Union |
utility | 1[2] | An-2 | |
| Zlin Z 142 |  Czechoslovakia |
training | 1[2] | Zlin 142 | |
| Zlin 242 | Czechoslovakia |
training | 4[2] | Zlin 242L |
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[edit] Special Forces Command
Special Forces Command controls operations of Ranger Battalion, as well as the Special Force Battalions – Wolves.
[edit] Training Command
Training Command consists of the educational centers in RM, and is responsible for ensuring training and readiness standards, in particular for meeting of NATO goals, are met.
[edit] Logistics Command
Formed in 2001, the Logistics Command oversees all combat service support operations, and controls the Land Forces Logistic Base, the Military Hospital, and the Facility for Building and Maintenance.
[edit] Other commands
Other commands under the CGS include an electronic warfare unit, the Honor Guard Unit, and an engineer regiment and signal regiment.
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[edit] Equipment
[edit] Armoured units
- Tanks
- T-34/85
Soviet Union 4 (Left by JNA (retired), March 1992)[3] - T-55A Soviet Union 94 (1999 -military aid from Bulgaria)[3](retired)
- T-55 Soviet Union 31 (Military aid from FRY)[3](retired)
- T-72 Soviet Union 31 (Bought from Ukraine in October 2001)[3]
- T-34/85
- APCs
- BTR-70 Soviet Union 60[3]
- BTR-80 Soviet Union 12[3]
- M-113A1
United States 30[3] - TM-170 Hermelin
Germany 114 (30 in storage)[3] - BTR-60P Soviet Union 31[3]
- MT-LB Soviet Union 10[3]
- ELBO Leonidas-2
Greece 10
- BTR-70
- IFVs
- Armoured Scout Cars
- Logistic
[edit] Artillery
- Multiple Rocket Launcher Systems
- M-63 "Plamen"
Yugoslavia 15 (retired) - M-77 "Oganj" Yugoslavia 12 (retired)
- BM-21 Grad Soviet Union 12
- M-63 "Plamen"
[edit] Army air defense
- SAM's
- SA-7 Grail Soviet Union - 200[4]
- SA-13 Gopher Soviet Union - 1[4]
- SA-18 Grouse Soviet Union - 10[4]
- SA-7 Grail
[edit] Statistics
Military branches: Army of the Republic of Macedonia (ARM): Joint Operational Command, with subordinate Air Wing (Makedonsko Voeno Vozduhoplovstvo, MVV), Special Force Command (2006)
Current strength: 11,000 active (including 4,000 conscripts until end of year) + 48,000 reserves
Military manpower - military age: 19 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 18-49: 498,259
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 411,156 (2005 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males age 18-49: 16,686 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $200 million (FY01/02 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 6% (FY01/02 est.)
The United States military has a liaison relationship with the republic's military by way of the Partnership for Peace program. The Vermont National Guard acts as the agent through which military exchanges are conducted and relationships built.
[edit] Historical military expenditure
According[1] to SIPRI (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute) the country's military expenditure as percentage of its gross domestic product and millions of Macedonian denars from 1996 to 2004 was:
- 1996: 3%, 5223
- 1997: 2.2%, 4163
- 1998: 2.2%, 4302
- 1999: 1.8%, 3769
- 2000: 1.9%, 4602
- 2001: 6.6%, 15397
- 2002: 2.8%, 6841
- 2003: 2.5%, 6292
- 2004: 2.6%, 6683
- 2005: ?%, 6265
[edit] Recruitment
The Republic of Macedonia abolished the compulsory military service as of October 2006. The Macedonian Army is the first in the region to consist fully of professional soldiers.[2]
[edit] See also
[edit] References and links
- This article contains material from the CIA World Factbook (2003 edition) which, as a US government publication, is in the public domain.
- Ministry of Defense official site
- VV i PVO ARM (Air Force and Air Defence of the Army of the Republic of Macedonia)
[edit] References
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| Members | |
| Candidates | Albania · Croatia · The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia |
