Military of the Republic of Macedonia
Encyclopedia
The Army of the Republic of Macedonia is the name of the unified armed forces of the Republic of Macedonia
. The Macedonian military
is a defence force consisting of an army (Армија, Armija); an air force (Воено Воздухопловство, Voeno vozduhoplovstvo); and a professional military unit, the Macedonian Special Forces
(Волци, Volci).
aims to guarantee:
Its main interests remain the development and maintenance of a credible capability
to defend the nation's vital interests and development of the Macedonia Army in such a way that ensures their interoperability
with the armed forces of NATO and the European Union
member states and their capability to participate in the full range of Alliance missions.
abolished the compulsory military service
as of October 2006. The Macedonian Army is the first in the region to consist fully of professional soldier
s.
Insurgency in the Republic of Macedonia
The Army was heavily involved in trying to maintain order when the ethnic Albanian National Liberation Army (NLA) militant group attacked the security forces of the Republic of Macedonia at the beginning of January 2001. The conflict lasted throughout most of the year, although overall casualties remained limited to several dozen for either side, according to the sources from both of the sides in the conflict. The conflict was resolved by the adoption of the Ohrid Framework
agreement in August 2001.
War in Afghanistan
Macedonia has deployed 244 troops to Afghanistan as part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force
in Afghanistan. On 13 September 2011, Macedonian forces were filmed fighting alongside U.S troops as they successfully repelled a Taliban attack on the ISAF headquarters in Kabul.
(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.
forces, strategic reserve forces and support forces. The rapid reaction forces represent the main active combat capability of the military and consist of the 1st Brigade, 2nd Brigade and the Armour Battalion. 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.
forces. It has an important role in enhancing flight safety of the Macedonian
airspace
. One of the main goals of the air force is to build up an air surveillance system, which will be the cornerstone of the air traffic safety and airspace control. The air component is made up by the Aviation Force and the Air Defense Forces.
The Aviation Force is located in Petrovec (near Skopje
) and has a combat squadron of Mi-24 attack helicopters, a transport squadron and an Air Defense Battalion along with the Securing and Logistics Support Company.
.
T-55
x31 Inherited from JNA, all scarped
T-55A
x94 Military aid from Bulgaria all retired
BTR-60P x31 Retired
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
. The Macedonian military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
is a defence force consisting of an army (Армија, Armija); an air force (Воено Воздухопловство, Voeno vozduhoplovstvo); and a professional military unit, the Macedonian Special Forces
Wolves (military)
The Wolves are a special forces branch of the military of the Republic of Macedonia. The Wolves were the primary military force which engaged Albanian militias in the 2001 insurgency in the Republic of Macedonia. The "Wolves" also contributed to coalition forces serving during Operation Iraqi...
(Волци, Volci).
Objectives
The national defence policyNational defence policy
Defence policy is public policy dealing with international security and the military. It comprises the measures and initiatives that governments do or do not take in relation to decision-making and strategic goals, such as when and how to commit national armed forces.It is used to ensure retention...
aims to guarantee:
- the preservation of the independenceIndependenceIndependence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
and sovereigntySovereigntySovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
of the republic; - the integrityIntegrityIntegrity is a concept of consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations, and outcomes. In ethics, integrity is regarded as the honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of one's actions...
of its land area, territorial waters and airspace; and - to defend the country's constitution.
Its main interests remain the development and maintenance of a credible capability
Capability
Capability is the ability to perform actions.As it applies to human capital, capability is the sum of expertise and capacity.It is a component within the theories of:* Capability-based security and Capability-based addressing in computing...
to defend the nation's vital interests and development of the Macedonia Army in such a way that ensures their interoperability
Interoperability
Interoperability is a property referring to the ability of diverse systems and organizations to work together . The term is often used in a technical systems engineering sense, or alternatively in a broad sense, taking into account social, political, and organizational factors that impact system to...
with the armed forces of NATO and the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
member states and their capability to participate in the full range of Alliance missions.
Conscription
The Republic of MacedoniaRepublic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
abolished the compulsory military service
Military service
Military service, in its simplest sense, is service by an individual or group in an army or other militia, whether as a chosen job or as a result of an involuntary draft . Some nations require a specific amount of military service from every citizen...
as of October 2006. The Macedonian Army is the first in the region to consist fully of professional soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
s.
Insurgency in the Republic of MacedoniaInsurgency in the Republic of MacedoniaThe insurgency in the Republic of Macedonia was an armed conflict which began when the ethnic Albanian National Liberation Army militant group attacked the security forces of the Republic of Macedonia at the beginning of January 2001...
The Army was heavily involved in trying to maintain order when the ethnic Albanian National Liberation Army (NLA) militant group attacked the security forces of the Republic of Macedonia at the beginning of January 2001. The conflict lasted throughout most of the year, although overall casualties remained limited to several dozen for either side, according to the sources from both of the sides in the conflict. The conflict was resolved by the adoption of the Ohrid FrameworkOhrid Agreement
The Ohrid Framework Agreement was the peace deal signed by the government of the Republic of Macedonia and ethnic Albanian representatives on August 13, 2001...
agreement in August 2001.
War in AfghanistanWar in Afghanistan (2001–present)The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom...
Macedonia has deployed 244 troops to Afghanistan as part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance ForceInternational Security Assistance Force
The International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...
in Afghanistan. On 13 September 2011, Macedonian forces were filmed fighting alongside U.S troops as they successfully repelled a Taliban attack on the ISAF headquarters in Kabul.
Organization
The primary arm of the military in Macedonia is the Army of the Republic of Macedonia (ARM). The ARM is commanded by the Minister of Defense through the Chief of the General StaffChief of the General Staff
The Chief of the General Staff is a post in many armed forces , the head of the military staff.See also:*Chief of the General Staff *Chief of General Staff of Azerbaijani Armed Forces...
(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.
Land Force
The army is the main arm of the Macedonian ground forces. It plays the key role in securing the safety and unity of the territory of the Macedonian republic. The army is divided into the rapid reactionRapid reaction force
A rapid reaction force is a military or police unit designed to respond in very short time frames to emergencies. When used in reference to police forces such as SWAT teams, the time frame is minutes, while in military applications, such as with the use of paratroops or other commandos, the time...
forces, strategic reserve forces and support forces. The rapid reaction forces represent the main active combat capability of the military and consist of the 1st Brigade, 2nd Brigade and the Armour Battalion. 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.
Army Air Wing
The Macedonian Air Force is the main arm of the Macedonian aviationAviation
Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
forces. It has an important role in enhancing flight safety of the Macedonian
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
airspace
Airspace
Airspace means the portion of the atmosphere controlled by a country above its territory, including its territorial waters or, more generally, any specific three-dimensional portion of the atmosphere....
. One of the main goals of the air force is to build up an air surveillance system, which will be the cornerstone of the air traffic safety and airspace control. The air component is made up by the Aviation Force and the Air Defense Forces.
The Aviation Force is located in Petrovec (near Skopje
Skopje
Skopje is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia with about a third of the total population. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre...
) and has a combat squadron of Mi-24 attack helicopters, a transport squadron and an Air Defense Battalion along with the Securing and Logistics Support Company.
Special Forces Command
Special Forces Command controls operations of Ranger Battalion, as well as the Special Force Battalions – WolvesWolves (military)
The Wolves are a special forces branch of the military of the Republic of Macedonia. The Wolves were the primary military force which engaged Albanian militias in the 2001 insurgency in the Republic of Macedonia. The "Wolves" also contributed to coalition forces serving during Operation Iraqi...
.
Training Command
Training Command consists of the educational centers in RM, and is responsible for ensuring training and readiness standards, in particular for meeting NATO requirements.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.Other commands
Other commands under the CGS include an electronic warfare unit, the Honor Guard Unit, the Lake Service and an engineer regiment and signal regiment.Vehicles
| Name | Type | Quantity | Origin | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Logistics and Utility Vehicles | |||||
| HMMWV | Light Utility Vehicle Light Utility Vehicle Light utility vehicle is a general term for small, jeep-like military trucks for tactical use. They are generally short, relatively light compared to other trucks and cars, unarmored with 4-wheel drive and short body overhangs for all-terrain mobility and at least 4 passenger capacity... |
56 | 15 Civilian versions Purchased 41 received as military aid from USA in 1998 |
||
| TAM-110 Tovarna avtomobilov Maribor Tovarna avtomobilov Maribor was a Yugoslav and Slovenian commercial vehicle manufacturer based in the city of Maribor.-History:TAM began as an aircraft-parts factory founded by the occupying Germans in 1941... |
Light utility truck | ? | / | Unknown number left by JNA | |
| TAM-150 Tovarna avtomobilov Maribor Tovarna avtomobilov Maribor was a Yugoslav and Slovenian commercial vehicle manufacturer based in the city of Maribor.-History:TAM began as an aircraft-parts factory founded by the occupying Germans in 1941... |
Medium utility truck | ? | / | Unknown number left by JNA | |
| Iveco Iveco Iveco, an acronym for Industrial Vehicle Corporation, originally an alliance of European commercial vehicle manufacturers such as Fiat , Unic and Magirus. Iveco is now an Italian truck, bus, and diesel engine manufacturer, based in Turin... |
Medium utility truck | 44 | Military aid from Italy | ||
| M35/44 truck M35 2-1/2 ton cargo truck The M35 family of trucks is a long-lived vehicle initially deployed by the United States Army, and subsequently utilized by many nations around the world. A truck in the 2½ ton weight class, it was one of many vehicles in U.S... |
Medium utility truck | ? | Unknown number received as part of US as military aid | ||
| Armoured Fighting Vehicles | |||||
| BRDM-2 BRDM-2 The BRDM-2 is an amphibious armoured patrol car used by Russia and the former Soviet Union. It was also known under designations BTR-40PB, BTR-40P-2 and GAZ 41-08... |
Armoured amphibious scout car | 10 | |||
| BTR-70 BTR-70 The BTR-70 is an eight-wheeled armored personnel carrier , originally developed during the late 1960s under the industrial designator GAZ-4905. On August 21, 1972, it was accepted into service and would later be exported to the Warsaw Pact and other allies... |
Armoured personnel carrier Armoured personnel carrier An armoured personnel carrier is an armoured fighting vehicle designed to transport infantry to the battlefield.APCs are usually armed with only a machine gun although variants carry recoilless rifles, anti-tank guided missiles , or mortars... |
58 | Military aid from Germany, GDR stock 1998 | ||
| BTR-80 BTR-80 BTR-80 is an 8x8 wheeled armoured personnel carrier designed in the Soviet Union. Production started in 1986 and replaced the previous versions, BTR-60 and BTR-70 in the Soviet army. -Description:The Soviets based the BTR-80 on the BTR-70 APC... |
Armoured personnel carrier | 12 | Acquired from Kazakhstan for Special Forces 1998 | ||
| M113A1 M113 armored personnel carrier The M113 is a fully tracked armored personnel carrier that has formed the backbone of the United States Army's mechanized infantry units from the time of its first fielding in Vietnam in April 1962. The M113 was the most widely used armored vehicle of the U.S... |
Armoured personnel carrier | 28 | Military aid from Italy 1999 | ||
| TM-170 | Armoured personnel carrier | 114 | |||
| Leonidas 1 ELBO Leonidas-2 The Leonidas-2 represented an effort made by the Greek vehicle manufacturer ELBO to produce an advanced armoured personnel carrier of its own. It is named after Leonidas, the king of the ancient city-state of Sparta... |
Armoured personnel carrier | 10 | Greek copy of the Saurer 4K 4FA Saurer 4K 4FA The Saurer 4K 4FA is an Austrian armoured personnel carrier with caterpillar tracks. It was later replaced by the Steyr 4K 7FA G 127. It went into production in 1961. In 1956, Osterreichische Saurer-Werke of Vienna started development of an armoured personnel carrier... produced by ELBO ELBO ELBO , is a Greek vehicle manufacturer based in Thessaloniki... |
||
| MT-LB MT-LB The MT-LB is a Soviet multi-purpose fully amphibious auxiliary armoured vehicle which was first introduced in the late 1960s... |
Armoured personnel carrier | 10 | |||
| BMP-2 BMP-2 The BMP-2 is a second-generation, amphibious infantry fighting vehicle introduced in the 1980s in the Soviet Union, following the BMP-1 of the 1960s.... |
Infantry fighting vehicle Infantry fighting vehicle An infantry fighting vehicle , also known as a mechanized infantry combat vehicle , is a type of armoured fighting vehicle used to carry infantry into battle and provide fire support for them... |
11 | |||
| T-72M1 T-72 The T-72 is a Soviet-designed main battle tank that entered production in 1970. It is developed directly from Obyekt-172, and shares parallel features with the T-64A... |
Main battle tank | 31 | Acquired from Ukraine 2001 | ||
| Boats | |||||
| Botica class (Type 16) | Patrol boat | 5 | 5 Ex-Yugoslavian patrol boats, 2 reported operational. | ||
Artillery
| Name | Type | Quantity | Origin | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60, 81/82 & 120mm | Mortar Mortar (weapon) A mortar is an indirect fire weapon that fires explosive projectiles known as bombs at low velocities, short ranges, and high-arcing ballistic trajectories. It is typically muzzle-loading and has a barrel length less than 15 times its caliber.... |
78 | Various caliber mortars from old JNA stock | |
| M2A1 M101 howitzer The 105 mm M2A1 howitzer was the standard light field howitzer for the United States in World War II, seeing action in both European and Pacific theaters. Entering production in 1941, it quickly entered the war against the Imperial Japanese Army in the Pacific, where it gained a reputation... |
Howitzer Howitzer A howitzer is a type of artillery piece characterized by a relatively short barrel and the use of comparatively small propellant charges to propel projectiles at relatively high trajectories, with a steep angle of descent... |
36 | 105 mm US Military aid 1998-1999 | |
| M-30 M-30 122 mm howitzer The 122 mm howitzer M1938 was a Soviet 121.92 mm howitzer. The weapon was developed by the design bureau of Motovilikha Plants, headed by F. F. Petrov, in the late 1930s, and was in production from 1939 to 1955. The M-30 saw action in World War II, mainly as a divisional artillery piece... |
Howitzer | 108 | 122 mm military aid from Bulgaria 1999 | |
| M-63 "Plamen" | Multiple rocket launcher Multiple rocket launcher A multiple rocket launcher is a type of unguided rocket artillery system. Like other rocket artillery, multiple rocket launchers are less accurate and have a much lower rate of fire than batteries of traditional artillery guns... |
12 | 128 mm rocket | |
| BM-21 Grad | Multiple rocket launcher | 12 | 122mm | |
Air defense
| Name | Type | Quantity | Origin | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SA-7 Grail | MANPADS | 200 | inherited from JNA | |
| SA-18 Grouse | MANPADS | 10 | ||
| SA-13 Gopher | SAM Surface-to-air missile A surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles... |
21 | ||
Small arms
| Name | Type | Quantity | Origin | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Makarov pistol | Pistol Pistol When distinguished as a subset of handguns, a pistol is a handgun with a chamber that is integral with the barrel, as opposed to a revolver, wherein the chamber is separate from the barrel as a revolving cylinder. Typically, pistols have an effective range of about 100 feet.-History:The pistol... |
|||
| Heckler & Koch MP5 Heckler & Koch MP5 The Heckler & Koch MP5 is a 9mm submachine gun of German design, developed in the 1960s by a team of engineers from the German small arms manufacturer Heckler & Koch GmbH of Oberndorf am Neckar.... |
Submachine gun Submachine gun A submachine gun is an automatic carbine, designed to fire pistol cartridges. It combines the automatic fire of a machine gun with the cartridge of a pistol. The submachine gun was invented during World War I , but the apex of its use was during World War II when millions of the weapon type were... |
|||
| M4 M4 carbine The M4 carbine is a family of firearms tracing its lineage back to earlier carbine versions of the M16, all based on the original AR-15 designed by Eugene Stoner and made by ArmaLite. It is a shorter and lighter variant of the M16A2 assault rifle, with 80% parts commonality.It is a gas-operated,... |
Assault rifle Assault rifle An assault rifle is a selective fire rifle that uses an intermediate cartridge and a detachable magazine. Assault rifles are the standard infantry weapons in most modern armies... |
M4s sold by the USA as a 2008 Foreign Military Sales Foreign Military Sales The U.S. Department of Defense's Foreign Military Sales program facilitates sales of U.S. arms, defense equipment, defense services, and military training to foreign governments... package. |
||
| Zastava M21 Zastava M21 The Zastava M21 is a 5.56mm assault rifle developed and manufactured by the Zastava Arms company.-Overview:The M21 is based on the AK-47 Kalashnikov principle, chambered in the 5.56×45mm cartridge... |
Assault rifle | |||
| M60 | Assault rifle | Yugoslavian made AK-47 clone | ||
| Zastava M70 Zastava M70 The Zastava M70 is a 7.62mm assault rifle developed in Yugoslavia by Zastava Arms. The M70 was designed on the basis of the AKM and became the standard issue assault rifle in the Yugoslav People's Army in 1970. The M70 is air-cooled, magazine-fed, selective fire rifle... |
Assault rifle | |||
| Zastava M93 | Sniper rifle Sniper rifle In military and law enforcement terminology, a sniper rifle is a precision-rifle used to ensure more accurate placement of bullets at longer ranges than other small arms. A typical sniper rifle is built for optimal levels of accuracy, fitted with a telescopic sight and chambered for a military... |
|||
| Zastava M84 Zastava M84 The Zastava M84 is a 7.62mm general-purpose machine gun manufactured by Zastava Arms. The M84 is based on the PK machine gun. The M84 chambers the 7.62×54mmR round. It is gas-operated, air-cooled, belt-fed and fully automatic.-M84:... |
General purpose machine gun General purpose machine gun A general-purpose machine gun is a multi-purpose weapon: it is a machine gun firing a full-power rifle cartridge and which can be used in a variety of roles, from a bipod- or tripod-mounted infantry support weapon to a helicopter door gun or a vehicle-mounted support weapon... |
|||
| NSV | Heavy machine gun Heavy machine gun The heavy machine gun or HMG is a larger class of machine gun generally recognized to refer to two separate stages of machine gun development. The term was originally used to refer to the early generation of machine guns which came into widespread use in World War I... |
|||
| M80 Zolja M80 Rocket Launcher The M80 nicknamed the "Zolja", meaning WASP in English, is a portable one-shot disposable 64 mm anti-tank weapon, designed in the former Yugoslavia... |
Shoulder-launched missile weapon Shoulder-launched missile weapon A shoulder-fired missile, shoulder-launched missile or man-portable missile is a projectile fired at a target, small enough to be carried by a single person, and fired while held on one's shoulder... |
400+ | / | |
| M79 Osa M79 rocket launcher The 90 mm M79 Manual Rocket Launcher nicknamed "Osa" is a light, reusable, and effective rocket launcher system made of fiber-reinforced plastics. It consists of the launcher, a CN-6 Sighting piece, rocket and the carrying case for the rocket. While primarily intended as an anti-tank weapon,... |
Shoulder-launched missile weapon | / | ||
| M90 Stršljen M90 Rocket Launcher The RBR-120 mm M90 nicknamed "Strsljen" is a light-weight weapon, made of fiber-reinforced plastics, intended for fight against armored vehicles, tanks, fortifications as well as live force... |
Shoulder-launched missile weapon | / | ||
| M57 RPG-2 The RPG-2 was the first rocket-propelled grenade launcher designed in the Soviet Union.-Development:The RPG-2 , was a man-portable, shoulder-launched rocket-propelled grenade anti-armor weapon... |
Shoulder-launched missile weapon | 1,800 | In reserve |
Retired Equipment
T-34/85 x4 Inherited from JNA turned into museum piecesT-55
T-55
The T-54 and T-55 tanks were a series of main battle tanks designed in the Soviet Union. The first T-54 prototype appeared in March 1945, just before the end of the Second World War. The T-54 entered full production in 1947 and became the main tank for armored units of the Soviet Army, armies of...
x31 Inherited from JNA, all scarped
T-55A
T-55
The T-54 and T-55 tanks were a series of main battle tanks designed in the Soviet Union. The first T-54 prototype appeared in March 1945, just before the end of the Second World War. The T-54 entered full production in 1947 and became the main tank for armored units of the Soviet Army, armies of...
x94 Military aid from Bulgaria all retired
BTR-60P x31 Retired
External links
- Ministry of Defense official site in English
- VV i PVO ARM (Air Force and Air Defence of the Army of the Republic of Macedonia)
- U.S. Embassy Skope assessment of progress towards NATO membership, February 2006, via United States diplomatic cables leakUnited States diplomatic cables leakThe United States diplomatic cables leak, widely known as Cablegate, began in February 2010 when WikiLeaks—a non-profit organization that publishes submissions from anonymous whistleblowers—began releasing classified cables that had been sent to the U.S. State Department by 274 of its consulates,...