Afghan National Army (ANA) - Order of Battle

ANA Order of Battle

ANDSF Roadmap 2017

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Afghan National Army (ANA) - Order of Battle

Most ANA personnel are assigned to the ANA’s six corps, its Special Operations Force, and its 111th Capital Division. However, the number of personnel assigned does not necessarily equal the number of troops present for duty, as of these forces, 3–11% were AWOL. Operationally, in 2010 the ANA was fielding 5 Corps Headquarters, a Capital Division responsible for the security of the Kabul area, and an ANA Air Corps. In December 2009 the Afghan government approved formation of a new corps — Corps 215 Maiwand. The new corps was to be based in the Helmand Provience capital of Lashkar Gah, where the first US troops are expected to arrive as part of the Obama administration surge. The Afghans vowed to deploy 5,000 members of the new Afghan army corps to Helmand, to be partnered by British and later by US troops in 2010.

The ANA GS commands and controls all of Afghanistan’s ground and air forces, including the ANA conventional forces, the AAF, the SMW, the ANASOC, and the recently transferred ANCOF and ABF. In total, the ANA consists of 24 combat brigades, 3 combat air wings, 24 branch and basic training schools, and additional support facilities (e.g., depots and hospitals).

The Afghans took a decisive step in 2018 to underline the important role of education and training with approval of the Unified Training, Education, and Doctrine-Command (UTED-C) structure. The UTED-C establishes a center of excellence for institutional development and education within the MoD and a center to establish doctrine informed by lessons learned in combat. Efforts will continue to complete the RS validation process to fill this command as soon as possible with qualified personnel. A strong command role is required to oversee the development of the new ANATF and increasing demands on the Regional Military Training Centers (RMTCs).

Command echelons include Corps (15,000 - 20,000 troops), a Division (approx. 10,000 troops), Brigade (3,000 - 4,000 troops), kandak (battalion - about 600 troops) of four toli (a company-sized unit of rather more than 100 troops, toli being the Urdu word for troop). Most of these units are numbered sequentially, as in the 4th Toli, of the 3rd Kandak, of the 1st Brigade, of the 201st Corps [4th Toli, 3rd Kandak, 1st Brigade, 201st Corps], and cannot be uniquely identified without reference to their upper echelongs. But others have identifiers such as Weapons Toli or 201st Combat Logistics Kandak. As of 2015 the ANA was divided into one division and six regional corps: 111th Capital Division, 201st Corps, 203rd Corps, 205th Corps, 207th Corps, 209th Corps, and 215th Corps (see their respective areas of responsibilities in Figure 8). According to recent surveys, perceptions of the ANA were most positive in Kabul and 201st Corps areas, and poorest in 215th and 207th Corps areas.

Each corps is typically composed of a headquarters kandak (battalion), three to four infantry brigades, and various specialty kandaks. In addition, two Mobile Strike Force brigades (wheeled medium armored vehicles) provide an additional seven Mobile Strike Force kandaks based in Kabul and Kandahar. These formations are capable of rapid employment in offensive operations. In addition to these combat capabilities, the ANA has headquarters and training units to generate, sustain, command, and control the force.

Afghan National Army

Afghan National Army Special Operations Command

1st Special
Operations Brigade

1st Commando
Brigade

2nd Commando
Brigade

SOE Brigade

Ktah Khas (KKA)

Afghan National Army Support Command

Afghan National Army Recruiting Command

Afghan National Army Training Command

Afghan Air Force

Kabul Air Wing