Military of Serbia and Montenegro

The Serbia and Montenegro Forces (1992–2006) (Serbian: Vojska Srbije i Crna Gore, VSCG; Војска Србије и Црне Горе, ВСЦГ) were the armed forces of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. The military included ground forces with internal and border troops, naval forces, air and air defense forces, and civil defense.

Preceding the VSCG was the Yugoslav Forces (1992–2003) (Serbian: Војска Југославије, ВЈ, Vojska Jugoslavije, VJ) from the remnants of the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA), the military of SFR Yugoslavia. The state, then named Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, participated in the Yugoslav Wars with limited direct intervention of its own armed forces. Following the end of the Wars and the constitutional reforms of 2003 by which the state was renamed "Serbia and Montenegro", the military accordingly changed its name to "Military of Serbia and Montenegro". The military was heavily involved in combating the rebel groups of the Kosovo Liberation Army and Liberation Army of Preševo, Medveđa and Bujanovac during the Kosovo War and Preševo Valley conflict, and also engaged NATO airplanes during the 1999 NATO bombing of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

Upon the dissolution of Serbia and Montenegro with the Montenegrin independence referendum of 2006, a fraction of the joint military was given to Montenegro, with the bulk of the force remaining in Serbia. Montenegro inherited the navy as Serbia is landlocked.

Ground Forces

Official seal of the Yugoslav Forces, prior to its renaming

Armoured vehicles

^[1]

• M-84
• T-55A
• M-80A
• BTR-50
• BRDM-2
• BOV

Artillery

• M-46
• M-56
• M-84 Nora-A
• D-30
• 2S1 Gvozdika
• M-63
• M-77

Air Defence

• Bofors 40 mm gun L/70
• M53/59 Praga – 100–200
• SA-7
• SA-14
• SA-18
• SA-9
• SA-13
• SA-3
• SA-6

Infantry Weapons

• CZ-99 Pistol 9 mm
• M70A/M70B1 Assault Rifles 7.62 mm
• M93 Black Arrow Long Range Rifle
• BGA
• M76 7.9 mm Sniper rifle
• M72 7.62 mm Machine gun
• M84 7.62 mm Machine gun
• M87 12.7 mm Heavy Machine gun ^[2]
• AT-3 Sagger
• AT-4 Spigot
• M79 "Osa" 90 mm
• M80 "Zolja" 64 mm rocket grenade launcher

Air Force

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	In service 1998	In service 2003	Notes
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 Fishbed	Soviet Union	Fighter Trainer Recon	MiG-21 Bis MiG-21 UM MiG-21 MF/R	54 11 4/2	26 6 1
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29 Fulcrum	Soviet Union	Fighter Trainer	MiG-29A MiG-29UB	14 2	4 1
SOKO J-22 Orao	SFR Yugoslavia	Ground Attack Trainer Rece Rece-Trainer	J-22 NJ-22 IJ-22 INJ-22	31 11 8 2	16 7 8 2
SOKO G-2 Galeb	SFR Yugoslavia	Fighter Bomber & Trainer	G-2š	17	1
SOKO G-4 Super Galeb	SFR Yugoslavia	Fighter Bomber & Trainer Unarmed Trainer Target puller Prototype	G-4 G-4š G-4t G-4M	47 8 5 1	23 8 3 1		−1
Antonov An-2 Colt	Poland	Cargo Aircraft	An-2TD	4	1
Antonov An-26 Curl	Soviet Union	Cargo Aircraft	An-26B	12	2(6)
Yakovlev Yak-40 Codling	Soviet Union	VIP Aircraft	Yak-40	4	1–2
Mil Mi-8 Hip	Soviet Union	Transport Helicopter Multirole Helicopter	Mi-8T	44	29
Mil Mi-14 Haze	Soviet Union	Anti-Submarine Helicopter	Mi-14PL	3	0	All destroyed during the war in Kosovo
Kamov Ka-25 Hormone	Soviet Union	Anti-Submarine Helicopter	Ka-25PL	4	0	3 destroyed during the war. Last one withdrawn, now in Belgrade Aviation Museum
Kamov Ka-28 Helix	Soviet Union	Anti-Submarine Helicopter	Ka-28PL	2	0	Withdrawn, now in Belgrade Aviation Museum
Aérospatiale SA-341/-342 Gazelle	France/ SFR Yugoslavia	Utility Recon Attack Helicopter Attack helicopter	HO-42/45 HI-42 Hera HN-42M Gama HN-45M Gama 2	30 3 27 15	29 3 19 11

Navy

Yugoslav Naval Ensign

The Federal Yugoslav Navy was based in the Kotor and was largely made of vessels inherited from the SFR Yugoslav Navy. During NATO's Operation Allied Force in 1999, the Navy took control over civilian shipping around Kotor, despite NATO's blockade^[3] and in several actions the navy's warships fired at NATO aircraft that were on their way to strike targets.^[4] The Navy claimed to have shot down three UAVs over Boka Kotorska. The images of the remains of one of them were displayed online.^[5]

• Koni-class frigate (2)
• Kotor-class frigate (2)
• Heroj-class submarine (3)
• Sava-class submarine (2)
• Una-class submarine (5)
• Končar-class missile boat (6)
• Osa class missile boat (10)
• Jadran sailboat
• Neštin class minesweeper (7)
• Kozara river ship

Intelligence

• Security Administration

Operational experience

• • Kosovo War
    • Attack on Prekaz
    • Battle of Košare
  • War with NATO (1999)
  • Presevo Valley Conflict (2001)

Statistics prior to split

The M-84 Main Battle Tank

Civilians fit for military service were estimated at about 4,888,595 (2001 est.). The 2002 estimate for military expenditures as percent of GDP was 4.6%. Significant reforms were undertaken in the military of Serbia and Montenegro. In 2002 the Serbo-Montenegrin Military force numbered around 100,000 soldiers, supported by some 450,000 reserves. The 100,000 strong Army had 1,500 main battle tanks and 687 armed infantry vehicles. The Navy had 3,500 personnel, of whom 900 were marines. The entire Navy was composed totally out of 6 submarines, 3 frigates, 41 patrol & coastal ships and 14 "other" vessels. The Air force 14,000 personnel had 192 combat aircraft and 72 armed helicopters.

Military branches

• Army (Kopnena vojska – KoV VSCG)
• Air Force and Air Defense (Ratno Vazduhoplovstvo i Protivvazdušna odbrana – RV i PVO VSCG)
• Navy (Ratna Mornarica – RM VSCG)

Military manpower – military age: 19 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower – availability:
males age 15–49: 3,579,620 (2003 est.)

Military manpower – fit for military service:
males age 15–49: 3,077,660 (2003 est.)

Military manpower – reaching military age annually:
males: 101,547 (2003 est.)

Military expenditures – dollar figure: $954 million (2002)

Military expenditures – percent of GDP: 4.6% (2002. est.)

International Deployment

The VSCG was part of MONUC, the UN mission in the Congo. The VSCG was also part of UNAMSIL, the UN mission into Sierra Leone.

Last chief of staff of the Military of Serbia and Montenegro was general Ljubiša Jokić.

See also

• Yugoslav People's Army

References

External links

• Serbian and Montenegrin Armed Forces / Vojska Srbije i Crne Gore – VSCG
• Army of Yugoslavia / Vojska Jugoslavije
• The Great Secret of Serbian Military Affair, which covers the time when Serbia and Montenegro was in the state union
• Encyclopedia of the Nations