| Revolutionary Armed Forces Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias |
|
|---|---|
| Founded | 1960 |
| Service branches | Army Air and Air Defense Force Revolutionary Navy paramilitary units |
| Leadership | |
| Commander-in-Chief | Pres. Raúl Castro |
| Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces | Corps Gen. Julio Casas Regueiro |
| Manpower | |
| Conscription | 3 years active duty |
| Available for military service |
Men (17–49): 3,134,622 Women (17–49): 3,022,063, age 15–49 |
| Fit for military service |
Men (17–49): 1,929,370 Women (17–49): 1,888,498, age 15–49 |
| Active personnel | 85,000 (2011 est.) |
| Expenditures | |
| Percent of GDP | 3.8% (2006) |
| Industry | |
| Domestic suppliers | Union of Military Industry |
| Related articles | |
| History | Military history of Cuba |
| Ranks | Ranks of the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces |
The Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces consist of ground forces, naval forces, air and air defence forces, and other paramilitary bodies including the Territorial Troops Militia (Milicias de Tropas Territoriales—MTT), Revolutionary Armed Forces (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias—FAR), and Youth Labor Army (Ejército Juvenil del Trabajo—EJT).
The armed forces has long been the most powerful institution in Cuba and high-ranking generals are believed to play crucial roles in all conceivable succession scenarios.[1] The military controls 60 percent of the economy through the management of hundreds of enterprises in key economic sectors.[2][3] The military is also Raúl Castro's base.[3] In numerous speeches, Raúl Castro has emphasized the military's role as a people's partner.[4]
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From 1966 until the late 1980s, Soviet Government military assistance enabled Cuba to upgrade its military capabilities to number 1 in Latin America and project power abroad. The first Cuban military mission in Africa was established in Ghana in 1961. Cuba's military forces appeared in Algeria, in 1963, when a military medical brigade came over from Havana to support the regime.[5] Since the 1960s, Cuba sent military forces to African and Arab countries; Syria in 1973, Ethiopia in 1978, the Cuban intervention in Angola from 1975–1989, and Nicaragua and El Salvador during the 1980s.
The Soviet Union gave both military and financial aid to the Cubans. The tonnage of Soviet military deliveries to Cuba throughout most of the 1980s exceeded deliveries in any year since the military build-up during the 1962 Cuban missile crisis.
In 1989, the government instituted a purge of the armed forces and the Ministry of Interior, convicting Army Major General and Hero of The Republic of Cuba Arnaldo Ochoa, Ministry of Interior Colonel Antonio de la Guardia (Tony la Guardia), and Ministry of Interior Brigadier General Patricio de la Guardia on charges of corruption and drug trafficking. This judgment is known in Cuba as "Causa 1" (Cause 1). Ochoa and Antonio de la Guardia were executed. Following the executions, the Army was drastically downsized, the Ministry of Interior was moved under the informal control of Revolutionary Armed Forces chief General Raúl Castro (Fidel Castro's brother), and large numbers of army officers were moved into the Ministry of Interior.
Cuban military power has been sharply reduced by the loss of Soviet subsidies. Today, the Revolutionary Armed Forces number 79,000 regular troops.[6] The DIA reported in 1998 that the country's paramilitary organizations, the Territorial Militia Troops, the Youth Labor Army, and the Naval Militia had suffered considerable morale and training degradation over the previous seven years but still retained the potential to "make an enemy invasion costly.".[7] Cuba also adopted a "war of the people" strategy that highlights the defensive nature of its capabilities.
In 1984, according to Jane's Military Review, there were three major geographical commands, Western, Central, and Eastern. There were a reported 130,000 all ranks, and each command was garrisoned by an Army comprising a single armoured division, a mechanised division, and a corps of three infantry divisions, though the Eastern Command had two corps totalling six divisions.
A U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency assessment in the first half of 1998 said that the Army's armour and artillery units were at low readiness levels due to 'severely reduced' training, generally incapable of mounting effective operations above the battalion level, and that equipment was mostly in storage and unavailable at short notice.[8] The same report said that Cuban special operations forces continue to train but on a smaller scale than beforehand, and that while the lack of replacement parts for its existing equipment and the current severe shortage of fuel were increasingly affecting operational capabilities, Cuba remained able to offer considerable resistance to any regional power.[9]
In 1999 the Revolutionary Army (Ejercito Revolucionario) represented approximately 70 percent of Cuba's regular military manpower. According to the IISS, the Army's estimated 45,000 troops included 39,000 members of the Ready Reserves who were completing the forty-five days of annual active-duty service necessary for maintaining their status, as well as conscripts who were fulfilling their military service requirement[10].
The IISS reported in 1999 that the army's troop formations consisted of four to five armored brigades; nine mechanized infantry brigades; an airborne brigade; fourteen reserve brigades; and the Border Brigade. In addition, there is an air defense artillery regiment and a surface-to-air missile brigade. Each of the three territorial armies is believed to be assigned at least one armored brigade-usually attached to the army's headquarters-as well as a mechanized infantry brigade. As well, it is known that the Border Brigade in Guantanamo and at least one ground artillery regiment (attached to a mechanized infantry brigade), based in Las Tunas, are under the Eastern Army's command[11].
There are estimated to be 38,000 army personnel.[6] As of 1996, according to Jane's Information Group, the army is organized into three Territorial Military Commands with three Armies, one army for each command.[12]
Revolutionary Army Command:
Western Army (deployed in the capital and the provinces of Havana and Pinar del Río)
2nd (Pinar del Río) Army Corps:
Central Army (Provinces of Matanzas, Villa Clara, Cienfuegos and Sancti Spiritus)
4th (Las Villas) Army Corps:
Eastern Army (Provinces of Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo, Granma, Holguín, Las Tunas, Camagüey and Ciego de Avila)
6th (Holguín) Army Corps:
6th (Camagüey) Army Corps:
Infantry weapons
Light tanks
Medium tanks (300) Some were modernized with 122mm artillery pieces.
Main battle tanks (1,550)
Reconnaissance armoured vehicles (100)
Infantry fighting vehicles (400)
Armoured personnel carriers (700)
Towed artillery (620)
Self-propelled artillery (100)
Multi rocket launchers (200)
Mortars (2,000)
Anti-tank weapons
Anti-aircraft guns (+1000)
Ballistic missiles
SAMs
Self-propelled SAM
Special Forces units include the Black Wasps of the army, and Desembarco de Granma a Special marine unit of the Navy. The Ministry of interior also has a special paramilitary unit.
| Cuban Revolutionary Air Force | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1960-present |
| Country | Cuba |
| Branch | Air Force |
| Insignia | |
| Roundel | |
| Former roundels | |
| Fin flash | |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Attack | L-39, Mi-24 |
| Fighter | MiG-21, MiG-23, MiG-29 |
| Trainer | L-39 |
| Transport | Mi-8, Mi-17, An-24 |
The Cuban Revolutionary Air and Air Defense Force (Spanish: Defensa Anti-Aérea Y Fuerza Aérea Revolucionaria) commonly abbreviated to DAAFAR in both Spanish and English, is the air force of Cuba.
Former aircraft include: MiG-15, MiG-17, MiG-19, North American B-25 Mitchell, North American P-51 Mustang, and the Hawker Sea Fury
In the 1980s, Cuba with the help of the Soviet Union was able to project power abroad, using its air force, especially in Africa. During that time Cuba sent jet fighters and transports to fight in countries such as Angola (against UNITA / South Africa) and Ethiopia (against Somalia)
In 1990, Cuba's Air Force was the best equipped in Latin America. In all, the modern Cuban Air Force imported approximately 230 fixed-wing aircraft. Although there is no exact figure available, Western analysts estimate that at least 130 (with only 25 operational[16]) of these planes are still in service spread out among the thirteen military airbases on the island.
In 1996, fighters from the DAAFAR shot down two Cessna aircraft based in Florida which were dropping leaflets into Cuban airspace. The air force was criticised for not giving the leaflet-dropping aircraft other options than being shot down. One aircraft escaped.[17]
In 1998, according to the same DIA report mentioned above, the air force had 'fewer than 24 operational MIG fighters; pilot training barely adequate to maintain proficiency; a declining number of fighter sorties, surface to air missiles and air-defense artillery to respond to attacking air forces.[18]
By 2007 the International Institute for Strategic Studies assessed the force as 8,000 strong with 41 combat capable aircraft and a further 188 stored. DAAFAR is known now to have integrated another Mig-29 and a few MiG-23s which makes it 57 combat aircraft in service which are listed as 6 MiG-29s, 40 MiG-23s, and 11 MiG-21s. There were also assessed to be 12 operational transport aircraft plus trainers which include 8 L-39C and helicopters which are mainly Mil Mi-8, Mil Mi-17 and Mil Mi-24 Hind. Raúl Castro ordered in 2010 that all MiG-29 pilots had to have full training, they now have from 200–250 hours of flight annually together with real dogfight training and exercises. Up to 20 MiG-23 units also have this kind of training but the other 16 MiG-23 units spend more time in simulators than real flight. MiG-21 units have limited time in this exercises and spend more time in simulators and maintain their skills flying with the commercial brand of the air force Aerogaviota.
At San Antonio de los Banos military air field, south west of Havana, aircraft are left out in the tropical sun. It looks like the jungle is overtaking some of these aircraft as well.[19]
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Version | Total delivered | Current total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat aircraft | |||||
| Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 Fishbed | USSR | fighter
trainer |
MiG-21MF
MiG-21UM |
60
10 |
7
5 |
| Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 Flogger | USSR | fighter
multirole fighter trainer |
MiG-23MF/MS
MiG-23ML MiG-23UB |
21
21 5 |
19
21 2 |
| Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29 Fulcrum | USSR | fighter
multirole fighter trainer |
MiG-29B
MiG-29UB |
14
2 |
5
1 |
| Mil Mi-8 Hip | USSR | transport/attack helicopter | Mi-8T
Mi-8TKV |
20
20 |
6
7 |
| Mil Mi-17 Hip-H | Russia | transport/attack helicopter | Mi-17 | 16 | 8 |
| Mil Mi-24 Hind | USSR | attack | Mi-24D | 20 | 17 |
| Antonov An-24 Coke | USSR/Ukraine | cargo | An-24 | 20 | 4 |
| Antonov An-26 Curl | USSR | cargo | An-26 | 17 | 3 |
| Yakovlev Yak-40 Codling | USSR | VIP | Yak-40 | 8 | 3 |
| Ilyushin Il-62 | USSR | VIP | Il-62 | 1 | 1 |
| Ilyushin Il-96 | Russia | VIP | Il-96 | 3 | 3 |
| Aero L-39 Albatros | Czechoslovakia | trainer/attack | L-39C | 30 | 8 |
| Zlin Z-326 | Czechoslovakia | trainer | Z-326T | 60 | 20 |
In 1998, according to a CIA report, the navy had no functioning submarines, around 12 surface vessels that were combat ready, a 'weak' anti-surface warfare capability, primarily SS-N-2 Styx SSM equipped fast attack boats, and an 'extremely weak' anti-submarine warfare capability.
By 2007 the Navy was assessed as being 3,000 strong (including up to 550+ Navy Infantry) by the IISS with six Osa-II and one Pauk-class fast attack craft.
Almost all of the ships of the Navy have been decommissioned and the three Koni class frigates were either expended as targets or sunk to build reefs. Cuba has constructed rolling platforms with Soviet P-15 Termit missile batteries taken from its warships and placed them near beaches where hostile amphibious assaults may occur. Most patrol boats are non-operational due to lack of fuel and spares.
The Navy also includes a small marine battalion called the Desembarco de Granma. It once numbered 550 men though its present size is not known.
There are reports of new naval projects under the Raúl Castro government, including the building of a class of 4 enlarged Sang-O submarines with the help of North Koreans, with reports that at least one unit having been built. There is also a single picture of a small black native submarine in Havana harbour, it is rumored to be called Delfin and to be armed with two torpedoes.
The Cuban Navy are also rebuilding one, maybe two large ex-Spanish fishing boats. One, the Rio Damuji n° 390, has been seen with guns and Stynx missiles on the deck. These vessels are larger than the Koni class, and it is rumored that they can be used in the amphibious role or as frigates.
List of active bases:
The border guards have: 2 Stenka patrol boats and 30/48 Zhuk patrol craft. Cuba makes Zhuk patrol crafts and some are seen with an SPG-9 mounted on front of the twin 30mm guns.
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