THE MILITARY
The Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is also known as the Army of the Presidency, the "Armija liliana," or the Army of the Lilies. The latter is from the emblem of B-H which is worn as a badge on the uniform. This army's original units were from the Territorial Defense Forces (TDF) and included local Croats and Serbs. In central and southern Bosnia, Croat-Muslim fighting has further polarized the fighting forces, although the Bosnian Army retains one primarily ethnic Croat unit, the King Tvrtko Brigade, and ethnic Serbs also serve within its ranks. Although somewhat sidelined over the recent past, the Deputy Commander of the Bosnian Army remains an ethnic Serb. In northern Bosnia, Sarajevo, and Bihac, both Croat and Serbs are fighting against the Muslim majority. In these areas, the Croats and Serbs are determined to keep their homes, farms, business, and other ties to the land. Systematic removal of TDF equipment by the YPA during 1991 left the force with only small quantities of small arms and support weapons. In central and southern Bosnia, Croat-Muslim fighting has further polarized the fighting forces, although the Bosnian Army retains one primarily ethnic Croat unit, the King Tvrtko Brigade, and ethnic Serbs also serve within its ranks. Although somewhat sidelined over the recent past, the Deputy Commander of the Bosnian Army remains an ethnic Serb. Heavy equipment is limited to 120-mm mortars and captured artillery, MRLs, tanks, APCs, and customized AAA systems.Although the BiH suffered initial setbacks, it has matured into an efficient infantry force. The Army is organized into six corps areas with approximately 150,000 ground force personnel.
Bosnian Serb Army (BSA): The BSA was formed from the five corps of the old federal army based in Bosnia. It is now organized into six geographically based corps. These corps are comprised of a total of 100,000 soldiers in about 50-60 brigades. Corps comprise varying numbers of brigades which do not have a standard organization. The brigades are primarily infantry units but do have integral artillery and sometimes armor support. The size of the brigades varies from a few hundred to several thousand strong.
Tank units are small and consist of old T-34s, T-55s, and M-84As. The tanks are used to provide direct fire support. Crews do not appear to be trained well enough to use the tanks in close support of the infantry. The tanks cannot be used for shock action and, therefore, combined arms action by the brigades is limited. Artillery units include AAA which is used extensively in the direct fire role. The use of AAA in a direct fire role probably reflects the limitations and competence of the artillery and mortar crews. These limitations are shown through the inaccuracy of fires and their inability to concentrate indirect fires. Infantry battalions are both mechanized and dismounted. The mechanized battalions use a variety of indigenous wheeled vehicles and tracked APCs. The dismounted battalions rely on trucks, buses, cars, and vans which have been commandeered to move about the battlefield.
Serbian soldiers serve in one of three categories. The first is regulars on fixed-term enlistments. The second is militia who are part-timers, normally serving for periods of up to two weeks before returning to their farms or work places. The third category of soldiers in the BSA is irregulars. The latter are Serb nationalists from all over the former Yugoslavia. They are lightly armed and largely autonomous of local command structures. The irregulars have frequently been implicated in incidents of ethnic cleansing, looting, and other atrocities.
Although by far the best equipped of all the factions, the BSA has problems. Even though it can turn to Serbia for resupply and the officer cadre is former JNA, morale is not good. The BSA is also overstretched, and it has difficulty concentrating sufficient forces to make further military gains.The Croatian Defense Council (HVO): It was formed by the Croatian community in B-H as the prospect of war grew more likely in 1991 and 1992. Each municipality formed its own unit, loosely termed a brigade. The brigade was manned by local men of military age and would typically be several hundred strong. The brigades consists of two or more battalions. The brigades have been equipped through local resources, by capturing equipment from others, by falling in on equipment that was abandoned by the JNA as it withdrew, or by receiving contributions from wealthy emigrants. Logistics support from the HV has begun to put the HVO on a more stable footing.
The HVO is a militia-type force which was organized on a local basis. The troops live and work in the local community. The vital role of the municipality to equip and sustain the brigade gives local civilian leaders a high degree of operational control. The HVO is beginning to be organized into operational zones with a chain of command. But, the brigades still retain a high degree of autonomy.
HVO brigades are all infantry units. Each brigade does have a small number of tanks, APCs, AAA, artillery and mortars. The amount of each type of equipment varies from one brigade to the next.
Back
to Chapter 1: Table of Contents
The
Threat
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
