| Serbian Armed Forces Bojcka Србије Vojska Srbije |
|
|---|---|
| Founded | 1838 |
| Current form | 2006 |
| Service branches | Army Air Force and Air Defence |
| Headquarters | Belgrade, Serbia |
| Leadership | |
| Commander-in-Chief | President Boris Tadić |
| Minister of Defence | Dragan Šutanovac |
| Chief of Staff | Lt General Ljubiša Diković |
| Manpower | |
| Military age | 18 |
| Conscription | Abolished in 2011 |
| Fit for military service |
2,794,948 [1], age 15–49 |
| Reaching military age annually |
130,291 (2010) |
| Active personnel | 40,000[2] |
| Expenditures | |
| Budget | EUR 675 million (2011)[2] |
| Percent of GDP | 2.08% (2011)[2] |
| Related articles | |
| History | Military history of Serbia |
| Ranks | Military ranks of Serbia |
The Serbian Armed Forces (Serbian: Bojcka Србије / Vojska Srbije) are the armed services of Serbia. They consist of the Serbian Army (includes River Flotilla on the Danube) and the Serbian Air Force and Air Defence. The armed forces are entirely professional and volunteer based.
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The first military formation in Serbia dates over 1,500 years ago when Vlastimir of Serbia formed the first medieval Serbian state of Raška in the seventh century. Over the following centuries it would evolve into the Serbian Empire, one of the largest states in Europe at the time.
Moravian Serbia was governed by Stefan Lazarević who introduced modern military tactics and firearms to his army however the new technology failed to defeat the superior numbers of the Ottoman Empire. The Ottomans had suppressed the formation of a Serbian state along with its military from 1540 until 1804, the year of the first Serbian uprising.
The 1804 Serbian Revolution, started with a Serbian rebellion against the Ottoman occupation of Serbia. The victories in the battles of Ivankovac, Misar, Deligrad and Belgrade, led to the establishment of the Principality of Serbia in 1817. The subsequent Second Serbian Revolution led to full recognition of Serbian independence, establishment of the Kingdom of Serbia and weakened the Ottoman dominance in the Balkans.
Serbia's independence and growing influence threatened neighboring Austria-Hungary which lead to the Bosnian crisis of 1908-1909. Consequently, since 1901, all Serbian males between the ages of 21 to 46 were liable for general mobilization.[3] In 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, following the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, marking the start of the First World War. Serbia repelled 3 consecutive invasions by Austria, winning the first major victories of the war for the Allies, but was eventually overwhelmed by the combined forces of the Central Powers.
Serbia follows the doctrine of armed neutrality, but does take part in some United Nations peacekeeping missions. This military doctrine is similar to that of Sweden. The neutrality doctrine has obligated Serbia to remain militarily neutral during peacetime or in the event of a war. By its constitution, Serbia must not enter a war as an aggressor on a sovereign state or a defender of another country. The use of its military is limited to an attack on Serbia's sovereignty. Serbia also practices the doctrine of civilian control of the military, vesting responsibility of the military in the citizens.
Serbia does not maintain a military presence in the disputed territory of Kosovo. United Nations Resolution 1244 gives UNMIK temporary administrative control of Kosovo from Serbia. The province declared independence and has formed, with military and financial donations from Slovenia, Germany and the United States, a security force consisting of 2,500 lightly armed members. Serbia sees this formation as "destabilizing to the region" yet it doesn't see it as a serious threat to its security.
The Serbian General Staff is composed of the highest ranking officers who from the basic strategic command. The current Chief of Staff is Lieutenant General Ljubiša Diković. Tactical and operational command is separated into the three branches, consisting of the Army, Air Force and Air Defense, and the Training Command.
Serbia abolished conscription on January 1, 2011.[4]
Serbia's current defence spending stands at 2.08% of the GDP,[2] this represents a drop in overall relation to the GDP as a percentage. Over 30% of the budget is spent on pensions alone.[5] The continuing drive to modernize the military will add onto costs in the future. To promote efficient use of funds, the Strategic Defense Review has helped eliminate redundant services, withdrawal of outdated equipment, increase maneuverability and decrease response time. The number of active personnel has been significantly reduced from pre-2004 levels. As of 2011, over 90% of the armed forces are composed of professional soldiers and volunteers.[4]. Serbia is also one of the largest exporters, Serbian exports were 500 million U.S. dollars alone in 2009.[6]
The Serbian Armed Forces currently take part in five United Nations peacekeeping missions.[7] The Serbian Medical Corps, has participated in the Congo since March 2003.[8]
| Country | Current Mission | Organization | Number of personnel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Côte d'Ivoire | UNOCI | United Nations | 3 officers as military observers |
| Cyprus | UNFICYP | United Nations | 1 staff officer, 2 observers and 6 infantry |
| DR Congo | MONUC | United Nations | 2 staff officers, 2 doctors and 4 technicians |
| Lebanon | UNIFIL | United Nations | 5 staff officers |
| Liberia | UNMIL | United Nations | 4 officers as military observers |
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