Armed Forces of Belarus
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| Armed Forces of Belarus | |
|---|---|
| Military manpower | |
| Military age | 18 years of age |
| Availability | males age 15-49: 2,520,644 (2005 est.) |
| Reaching military age annually | males: 85,202 (2005 est.) |
| Military expenditures | |
| Dollar figure | $420.5 million (2006) |
| Percent of GDP | 1.4% (FY2002 est.) |
The turbulent history of Belarus, as well as its close relationship with Russia, have played a large role in its military structure and deployment. The armed forces of Belarus consist of the Army and the Air Force, all under the command of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Belarus. Colonel General Leonid Maltsev is currently the Minister of Defence.
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[edit] Organization
Prior to the dissolution of the Soviet Union there were 180,000 Soviet soldiers stationed in Belarus, making up the Belorussian Military District. The District answered directly to the High Command in Moscow and not Belarusian Military Commanders. In May 1992 the Belorussian Military District was abolished, and on 1 January 1993 all service personnel on Belarusian soil were required to either take an oath of loyalty to Belarus, or leave. This oath however did not alleviate concerns regarding loyalty to Russia in time of crisis, especially since nearly 50% of all military personnel were ethnically Russian at the end of 1992.
The current personnel levels in the armed forces are numbered at 82,900, although a reduction to 60,000 is planned. Most soldiers are conscripts serving for a period 12 months (with higher education) or 18 month (without). The branches are as follows (2004):
- Army: 43,357 (two motor divisions, one artillery division, one airborne brigade, two anti-tank brigades)
- Air Force: 22,466 (two interceptor regiments, three strike regiments, one reconnaissance regiment)
- Ministry of Defense: 17,077 (72nd Guards Unit Training Center, one special duties brigade)
[edit] Equipment
The military forces of Belarus are exclusively armed with Soviet-era equipment inherited from the Soviet Union. Although large in numbers some Western experts consider it outdated. The MBTs are of Russian type T-72, T-62, and T-54, and AFVs are of Russian type MT-LB, BMP-2, BMP-1, and the BMD-1. The Air Force is equipped with Mig-23, Mig-25, Mig-29, Su-27 fighters, Mig-27, Su-17, Su-24, Su-25 bombers, as well as Mi-8, Mi-24, and the Polish built Mi-2 attack helicopters. In December 2005 Belarus bought 10 L-39 jet trainer aircraft, and plans were announced to buy 18 used Su-30K fighters. In 2006 four divisions of S-300 anti-aircraft systems were acquired from Russia to reinforce the united CIS air defence system (ru:Объединённая система ПВО СНГ)
Equipment statistics are as follows (including equipment held in storage and reserves) (2004):
- Army: 1800 MBT, 2600 AFV/APC.
- Air Force: 260 FGA/training, 80 Attack Helicopters.
[edit] Military Doctrine
The military goals of the armed forces of Belarus are to defend the interests of the Belarusian state. This however is at times ambiguous, and is made even more complex with the various agreements that have been recently signed with Russia. Membership in the Commonwealth of Independent States, as well as the Treaty on Russia-Belarus Union (1997), and the Treaty of the Formation of a Union State (1999) has confirmed a close partnership with Russia. Much of the Air Defense system is integrated into the Russian defense network and a united Air Defence system of Russia and Belarus is not to be completed until the end of 2006.
