Serbian Army
Encyclopedia
The Serbian Army is the land-based component of the Serbian Armed Forces.
on January 1, 2011.
A 35-hectare (86-acre) Cepotina military base, has been built near the administrative zone with the disputed political entity of Kosovo
and state border with the Republic of Macedonia
, some 5 kilometers southeast of the Serbian city of Bujanovac
. The ground security zone extends along 384 kilometers of the administration line and covers the area of total 1,920 square kilometers. Units of the Second, Third and Fourth brigade are placed at more than 20 camps and checkpoints in the zone.
The four army brigades are larger than a conventional modern brigade
, their size is more akin to a division
. Each brigade consists of ten battalions, one command battalion, two infantry battalions, one self-propelled artillery battalion, air defense battalion, armored battalion, two mechanized battalions, one logistic and one engineering battalion. The only exception being the 1st brigade, which has only one infantry battalion.
The current army chief of staff is Lieutenant General
Ljubiša Diković.
Objectives
The Serbian Army is responsible for:- deterring armed threats
- defending Serbia's territory
- participation in peacekeeping operations
- providing humanitarian aid and disaster relief
Personnel
The Serbian Army is the largest service branch in the Serbian Armed Forces. Currently there are about 33,000 professional soldiers and 100,000 reservists who were incorporated from the old conscript branches. After the reorganization, the number of professional troops has grown, while the number of conscripts has decreased.Current status
Since 2004, the Serbian Army has undergone structural reforms, reducing the number of active personnel from over 100,000 soldiers in 2002, conscripts accounted for over 40% of active personnel. Serbia abolished conscriptionConscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
on January 1, 2011.
A 35-hectare (86-acre) Cepotina military base, has been built near the administrative zone with the disputed political entity of Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
and state border with the Republic of Macedonia
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...
, some 5 kilometers southeast of the Serbian city of Bujanovac
Bujanovac
Bujanovac is a town and municipality in Pčinja District of southern Serbia, located at the South Morava basin.It is known for its source of mineral water, so it is also known as Bujanovačka Banja ....
. The ground security zone extends along 384 kilometers of the administration line and covers the area of total 1,920 square kilometers. Units of the Second, Third and Fourth brigade are placed at more than 20 camps and checkpoints in the zone.
Structure
The Serbian Army consist of units of brigades to battalions in size.The four army brigades are larger than a conventional modern brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
, their size is more akin to a division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
. Each brigade consists of ten battalions, one command battalion, two infantry battalions, one self-propelled artillery battalion, air defense battalion, armored battalion, two mechanized battalions, one logistic and one engineering battalion. The only exception being the 1st brigade, which has only one infantry battalion.
The current army chief of staff is Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Ljubiša Diković.
Equipment
The Serbian Army primarily operates equipment of Yugoslavian and Soviet origin, ranging from small arms, armoured combat vehicles and artillery.Organization
- Army Command (NišNišNiš is the largest city of southern Serbia and third-largest city in Serbia . According to the data from 2011, the city of Niš has a population of 177,972 inhabitants, while the city municipality has a population of 257,867. The city covers an area of about 597 km2, including the urban area,...
)- 3rd Military Police Battalion (NišNišNiš is the largest city of southern Serbia and third-largest city in Serbia . According to the data from 2011, the city of Niš has a population of 177,972 inhabitants, while the city municipality has a population of 257,867. The city covers an area of about 597 km2, including the urban area,...
) - 5th Military Police Battalion (BelgradeBelgradeBelgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
) - 246th NBC Battalion (KruševacKruševacKruševac is a city and municipality, and the administrative center of the Rasina District, in central Serbia. According to the 2011 census, the municipality has a population of 127,429, while the town has 57,627....
) - 21st Signal Battalion (NišNišNiš is the largest city of southern Serbia and third-largest city in Serbia . According to the data from 2011, the city of Niš has a population of 177,972 inhabitants, while the city municipality has a population of 257,867. The city covers an area of about 597 km2, including the urban area,...
) - TOI "ČačakCacakČačak is a city in central Serbia. It is the administrative center of the Moravica District of Serbia. Čačak is also the main industrial, cultural and sport center of the district...
"
- 3rd Military Police Battalion (Niš
- 1st Brigade (Novi SadNovi SadNovi Sad is the capital of the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina, and the administrative centre of the South Bačka District. The city is located in the southern part of Pannonian Plain on the Danube river....
)- 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 Brigade2nd Land Force BrigadeThe 2nd Land Force Brigade is a mixed brigade of Serbian Land Forces. It consist from infantry, armored, mechanized, artillery, air defense, engineering and signal units....
(KraljevoKraljevoKraljevo is a city and municipality in central Serbia, built beside the river Ibar, 7 km west of its confluence with the Western Morava. It is located in the midst of an upland valley, between the mountains of Kotlenik in the north, and Stolovi in the south.In 2011 the city has population of...
)- 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
3rd Brigade3rd Land Force BrigadeThe 3rd Land Force Brigade is a mixed brigade of Serbian Land Forces. It consists of infantry, armored, mechanized, artillery, air defense, engineering and signal units....
(NišNišNiš is the largest city of southern Serbia and third-largest city in Serbia . According to the data from 2011, the city of Niš has a population of 177,972 inhabitants, while the city municipality has a population of 257,867. The city covers an area of about 597 km2, including the urban area,...
)- 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 Brigade4th Land Force BrigadeThe 4th Land Force Brigade is a mixed brigade of the Serbian Land Forces. It consists of infantry, armored, mechanized, artillery, air defense, engineering and signal units....
(VranjeVranjeVranje is a city and municipality located in southern Serbia. In 2011 the city has total population of 82,782, while the urban area has 54,456...
)- 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 BrigadeMixed Artillery BrigadeThe Mixed Artillery Brigade is the artillery brigade of the Serbian Land Forces. It consists of artillery and rocket artillery units.The brigade was formed on June 4, 2007 in Niš from former 202nd mixed artillery brigade and the mixed artillery battalion from Ruma.-Structure:*Mixed Artillery...
(NišNišNiš is the largest city of southern Serbia and third-largest city in Serbia . According to the data from 2011, the city of Niš has a population of 177,972 inhabitants, while the city municipality has a population of 257,867. The city covers an area of about 597 km2, including the urban area,...
)- Command Battalion
- Mixed Missile Artillery Battalion
- 1st Howitzer-Cannon Artillery Battalion
- 2nd Howitzer-Cannon Artillery Battalion
- 3rd Cannon Artillery Battalion
- 4th Cannon Artillery Battalion
- 69th Logistics Battalion
River FlotillaRiver Flotilla of the Serbian Armed ForcesThe Serbian River flotilla is the specific unit of the Serbian Land Forces with the task of keeping and optimum operational regime of sailing and of protection of Serbian interests in interior sailing corridors, which consists of rivers and canals with a total length of 1,626 km...
(Novi SadNovi SadNovi Sad is the capital of the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina, and the administrative centre of the South Bačka District. The city is located in the southern part of Pannonian Plain on the Danube river....
)- Command Company
- 1st River Detachment
- 2nd River Detachment
- 1st Pontoon Battalion
- 2nd Pontoon Battalion
- Logistic Company
Special BrigadeSpecial BrigadeThe Special Brigade is the main and the most elite special forces unit of the Serbian Land Forces. It consist from counter-terrorist, recon units, commando units, paratroopers and diving units....
(PančevoPancevoPančevo is a city and municipality located in the southern part of Serbian province of Vojvodina, 15 km northeast from Belgrade. In 2002, the city had a total population of 77,087, while municipality of Pančevo had 127,162 inhabitants. It is the administrative center of the South Banat...
)- Command Battalion
- Military Police / Counter-terrorist BattalionCounter-terrorist Battalion of MP Serbian Special BrigadeThe Counter-terrorist Battalion nicknamed: "Sokolovi" is a battalion within the Special Brigade unit of the Serbian Army. In the near past it was brigade-size, with 72nd Reconnaissance-Commando Battalion, and together was named 72 Special Brigade. It has the status of a battalion within the...
63rd Parachute Battalion
72nd Reconnaissance-Commando Battalion72nd Reconnaissance-commando BattalionThe 72nd Reconnaissance-Commando Battalion is a battalion within the Special Brigade unit in the Serbian Army. In the past it was brigade-size, and included the CT "Hawks" Battalion , and was known as the 72 Special Brigade. Currently it has the status of a battalion within the restructured...- Logistics Battalion