Wikipedia
Zambian Army
The Zambian Army is the land military branch of the Zambian Defence Force. Like all branches of the Zambian military, citizens of the nation are required to register at 16 years old, and citizens can join at 16 years old with parental consent or at 18 years old when they are classified as adults by Zambia. There is currently no conscription. (There was a Zambia National Defence Force conscription from 1975 to 1980.) Applicants must be Zambian citizens and must have a school Grade 12 certification. Applicants must also undergo a test for HIV on enlistment. Personnel can serve until age 55, when there is a mandatory retirement. Its first Commander Major General was Michael Grigg, appointed by Kenneth Kaunda. The first local Commander was Gen Kingsley Chinkuli. According to the 2014 CIA World Factbook:
- There are 3,041,069 men between 16-49 who are classified as manpower (this does not mean that all of them are fit for duty), and 2,948,291 women between 16–49 who are classified as manpower. This makes a total of 5,989,360 people classified as manpower.
- There are 1,745,656 men who are classified as fit for military service between the ages of 16–49. There are 1,688,670 women who are classified as fit for military service between the ages of 16–49. Therefore, Zambia has 3,434,326 people fit for military service between the ages of 16–49.
- 1.55% of the GDP of Zambia is spent on the military, ranked 70th in the world.[1]
| Zambian Army | |
|---|---|
Australian Governor General Quentin Bryce inspecting the Zambia Regiment in Lusaka. | |
| Founded | 1963 |
| Country | Zambia |
| Type | Land force |
| Role | Ground warfare |
| Part of | Zambian Defence Force |
| Headquarters | Lusaka |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Lt Gen Dennis Alibuzwi |
Organisation
The current Army organisation is as follows:[2][3]
Three infantry brigades:
- 1 Brigade (Lusaka)
- 2 Brigade (Kabwe)
- 3 Brigade (Ndola)
With the following units:
- 64th Armoured Tank Regiment (tank).
- 17th Cavalry Regiment (armoured reconnaissance)
- 10th Medium Artillery Regiment
- 2 Artillery Battalions
- Multiple Rocket Launchers Battalion
- 1 Engineer Regiment, Mufulira
- 6 Construction Regiment
- Mechanised battalion
- Zambia Regiment (raised in 1964 from the Northern Rhodesia Regiment)
- Light Infantry
- 1st Battalion
- 2nd Battalion
- 3rd Battalion
- 4th Battalion
- 5th Battalion
- 6th Battalion
- Reserve Infantry
- 7th Battalion
- 8th Battalion
- 9th Battalion
- Light Infantry
- 1 Commando Battalion
- 48th Marine Unit
- Specialist schools
Equipment
Small arms
Tanks
| Name | Image | Type | Origin | Quantity | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T-55 | Medium tank | Soviet Union | 25[8] | INS | Deliveries in 1976 and 1981. | |
| PT-76 | Amphibious Light tank | Soviet Union | 30[8] | INS | ||
| Type 59 | Main battle tank | China | 20[9] | INS |
Armored vehicles
| Name | Image | Type | Origin | Quantity | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BTR-60 | Armoured personnel carrier | Soviet Union | 13[8] | INS | ||
| BTR-70 | Armoured personnel carrier | Soviet Union | 20[8] | INS | ||
| BTR-80 | Armoured personnel carrier | Soviet Union | 20[10] | INS | ||
| BRDM-1 | Amphibious armored scout car | Soviet Union | 44 | INS | Acquired in 1980.[8] | |
| BRDM-2 | Amphibious armored scout car | Soviet Union | 44 | INS | Acquired in 1981.[8] | |
| GAZ Tigr | Infantry Mobility Vehicle | Russia | 35[11] | INS | GAZ-233014 | |
| WZ551 | Armoured personnel carrier | China | 20 | INS | 6X6 WZ551B variant.[8] | |
| Ratel | Infantry fighting vehicle | South Africa | 14[12] | INS | ||
| Buffel | Infantry mobility vehicle | South Africa | 1[8] | INS | Rhino variant. | |
| Saymar Musketeer | Armored car | Israel | INS | [13] |
Anti-tank weapons
| Name | Image | Type | Origin | Caliber | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carl Gustav M4[4] | Recoilless rifle | Sweden | 84mm | ||
| M18[4] | Recoilless rifle | United States | 57mm | ||
| M20[14] | Recoilless rifle | United States | 75mm | ||
| 9M14 Malyutka[15] | Anti-tank missile | Soviet Union | 75mm |
Artillery
| Name | Image | Type | Origin | Quantity | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Self-propelled artillery | ||||||
| ATMOS 2000 | Self-propelled | Israel | 6 | INS | Mounted on a Czech 6×6 Tatra 10-tonne chassis.[6] | |
| Elbit Spear MK2 | Self-propelled mortar | Israel | 6 | INS | Mounted on an Indian Tata Trucks LPTA 713TC 4×4 chassis.[6] | |
| Rocket artillery | ||||||
| BM-21 Grad | Multiple rocket launcher | Soviet Union | 50[16] | INS | ||
| Field artillery | ||||||
| Type 59 | Towed field gun | Soviet Union China | 18[8] | INS | ||
| D-30 | Howitzer | Soviet Union | 24[8] | INS | ||
| Mod.56 | Howitzer | Italy | 18[17] | INS | ||
Air defence systems
| Name | Image | Type | Origin | Quantity | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KS-12 | Anti-aircraft gun | Soviet Union | 16 | INS | ||
| 61-K | Autocannon | Soviet Union | 40[16] | INS | ||
| Zastava M55 | Autocannon | Soviet Union | 50[16] | INS |
Unmanned aerial vehicles
| Name | Image | Type | Origin | In service | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elbit Skylark | Miniature UAV | Israel | 2[6] |
References
- ^ "Zambia Military 2020, CIA World Factbook".
- ^ "Zambia Defence Force". 8 October 2014.
- ^ Lungu H. & Ngoma, N. (2005) The Zambian military—trials, tribulations and hope. In: Rupiya, M. (ed.) Evolutions and Revolutions: A Contemporary History of Militaries in Southern Africa. Institute for Security Studies, Pretoria: 331-329. ISBN 1-919913-82-3
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Jones, Richard D. Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010. Jane's Information Group; 35 edition (January 27, 2009). ISBN 978-0-7106-2869-5.
- ^ Jones & Ness 2009, p. 514.
- ^ a b c d e "Zambian military parades new equipment". Janes. 2021-05-22. Retrieved 2021-08-28.
- ^ Zambia Watchdog (2017-06-09). "Zambia dented, instability to continue up to 2021 – Economist Group". Zambia Watchdog. Retrieved 2017-06-15.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Arms Trade Register". SIPRI. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
- ^ International Institute for Strategic Studies: The Military Balance 2014, p.467
- ^ "Analysis: Zambia Defence Forces unveil new armored vehicles and military equipment | weapons defence industry military technology UK | analysis focus army defence military industry army". www.armyrecognition.com. Retrieved 2021-07-01.
- ^ "The head of the military-industrial complex Alexander Krasovitsky: Russia delivered 35 armored vehicles "Tiger" to Zambia". ЦАМТО / Centre for Analysis of World Arms Trade. 2021-08-27. Retrieved 2021-08-28.
- ^ SA Ratels in Libya spur DA to call for investigation
- ^ "Zambia showcases new military hardware during military parade". defenceWeb. 2021-05-22. Retrieved 2021-08-29.
- ^ Gander, Terry J.; Cutshaw, Charles Q., eds. (2001). Jane's Infantry Weapons 2001/2002 (27th ed.). Coulsdon: Jane's Information Group. ISBN 9780710623171.
- ^ International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) (14 February 2018). "The Military Balance 2018". The Military Balance. Routledge. 118.
- ^ a b c Military Balance 2016, p. 476.
- ^ International Institute for Strategic Studies (2018). The Military Balance. p. 495. ISBN 978-1857439557.
Works cited
- International Institute for Strategic Studies (February 2016). The Military Balance 2016. Vol. 116. Routlegde. ISBN 978-1-85743-835-2.
- Jones, Richard D.; Ness, Leland S., eds. (2009). Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010 (35th ed.). Coulsdon: Jane's Information Group. ISBN 978-0-7106-2869-5.