Moldovan Ground Forces

The Moldovan Ground Forces is the land armed forces branch of the Moldovan Armed Forces.

At the beginning of 1994, the Moldovan army (under the Ministry of Defense) consisted of 9,800 men organized into three motor rifle brigades, one artillery brigade, and one reconnaissance/assault battalion. Its equipment consisted of fifty-six ballistic missile defenses; seventy-seven armored personnel carriers and sixty-seven "look-alikes;" eighteen 122 mm and fifty-three 152 mm towed artillery units; nine 120 mm combined guns/mortars; seventy AT-4 Spigot, nineteen AT-5 Spandrel, and twenty-seven AT-6 Spiral anti-tank guided weapons; a 73 mm SPG-9 recoilless launcher, forty-five MT-12 100 mm anti-tank guns; and thirty ZU-23 23 mm and twelve S-60 57 mm air defense guns. Moldova has received some arms from former Soviet stocks maintained on the territory of the republic as well as undetermined quantities of arms from Romania, particularly at the height of the fighting with Transnistria.

By 2006–7, the Army had been reduced to a strength of 5,710, including three motor rifle brigades, one artillery brigade, and independent SF and engineer battalions, plus an independent guard unit. Equipment included 44 BMD-1 AIFV, and 266 APCs, including 91 TAB-71s, as well as 227 artillery pieces.^[1]

In 2010, the Army had been further reduced to 5,148 (3,176 professional soldiers and 1,981 conscripts) plus 2,379 paramilitary forces. The reserve force consists of 66,000 troops. Equipment included 44 AIFV, 164 APCs, 148 artillery pieces, 117 ATGMs, 138+ recoilless guns, 36 towed antitank guns and 37 towed anti-aircraft guns.

Current Structure

• 1st Infantry Brigade "Moldova" – Bălţi
• 2nd Infantry Brigade "Stefan Cel Mare" – Chişinău
• 3rd Infantry Brigade "Dacia" – Cahul
• Artillery Brigade "Prut" – Ungheni
• Independent Engineer Battalion Codru
• Independent Radio Regiment Basarabia
• Independent Special Forces Battalion Fulger – Chişinău
• Independent Honour Guard Company – Chişinău
• Ministry of defence – Chişinău
• Carabinier Troops (is the Gendarmerie-type force of the Republic of Moldova)

Equipment

Infantry equipment	Origin	Type	Versions	In service	Notes
SSh-68	Soviet Union	Combat helmet	Operational	mainly regular army
PASGT	United States	Combat helmet	Operational	mainly Special Forces and 22 Peacekeeping Battalion
STSh-81	Soviet Union	Combat helmet	Operational	mainly Police Special Forces
MASKA-1	Soviet Union	Combat helmet	Operational	mainly Police Special Forces
PMG	Soviet Union	Gas Mask	Operational
PG-1	Soviet Union	Gas Mask	Operational
Flak jacket	United States	Body armor	Operational	mainly regular army
Interceptor body armor	United States	Body armor	Operational	mainly Special Forces and 22 Peacekeeping Battalion
M81 Woodland	United States	camouflage pattern	Operational
Infantry firearms grenades or mines	Origin	Type	Versions	In service	Notes
TT pistol	Soviet Union	Semi-automatic pistol	TT-33	Operational	Regular Army
PM	Soviet Union	Semi-automatic pistol	Makarov PM	Operational	Regular Army, Special Forces, Police etc.
AK-74	Soviet Union	Assault rifle	AK-74, AKS-74, AKS-74U	Operational	Regular Army, Special Forces, Police etc.
AKM	Soviet Union	Assault rifle	AKM, AKMS	Operational	mainly Regular Army and Special Forces
Pistol Mitralieră model 1963/1965	Romania	Assault rifle	Pistol Mitralieră model 1963/1965	Operational	mainly Regular Army and Police
PM md. 64	Romania	Light machine gun	PM md. 64	Operational	mainly Regular Army
RPK	Soviet Union	Light machine gun	RPK	Operational	mainly Regular Army
PK machine gun	Soviet Union	General purpose machine gun	PK	Operational	mainly Regular Army
RPK	Soviet Union	Light machine gun	RPK	Operational	mainly Regular Army
Dragunov SVD	Soviet Union	Sniper rifle	SVD	Operational	mainly Regular Army Special Forces and Police
PSL	Romania	Sniper rifle	PSL	Operational	mainly Regular Army Special Forces and Police
GP-25	Soviet Union	Grenade launcher	GP-25	Operational	mainly Regular Army Special Forces and Police
RPG-7	Soviet Union	Rocket-propelled grenade	RPG-7	Operational	mainly Regular Army Special Forces and Police
AG-7	Romania	Rocket-propelled grenade	AG-7	Operational	mainly Regular Army Special Forces and Police
RPG-22	Soviet Union	Rocket-propelled grenade	RPG-22	Operational	Regular Army and Special Forces
F1	Soviet Union	Hand grenade	F1	Operational	Regular Army, Special Forces, Police
RGD-5	Soviet Union	Hand grenade	RGD-5	Operational	Regular Army and Special Forces
MON-50	Soviet Union	Anti-personnel mine	MON-50	Operational	Regular Army and Special Forces
TM-46	Soviet Union	Anti-tank mine	TM-46	Operational	Regular Army and Special Forces
Zarya Stun Grenade	Soviet Union	Stun greande	Zarya Stun Grenade	Operational	Regular Army, Special Forces, Police
Infantry combat vehicle	Origin	Type	Versions	In service	Notes
BMD-1	Soviet Union	Infantry fighting vehicle	BMD-1P	44[2]	Operational
BTR-D	Soviet Union	armoured personnel carrier	BTR-D	9[2]	Operational
BTR-80	Soviet Union	Armoured personnel carrier	BTR-80, ZS-88	11[2] (six of them are in service with Fulger police Brigade)	Operational
BTR-70	Soviet Union	Armoured personnel carrier	BTR-70	5 (in security zone)	Operational
BTR-60PB	Soviet Union	Armoured personnel carrier	R-145, 1V18, 1V19	48	Operational
TAB	Romania	Armoured personnel carrier	TAB-71M	89 TAB-71M[2]	Operational
MT-LB	Soviet Union	multi-purpose fully amphibious armoured vehicle	MT-LB-AT, RKhM, SNAR-10, 1L259;	55[2]	Operational
ATGM	Origin	Type	Versions	In service	Notes
9K111 Fagot	Soviet Union	ATGM	9K111 Fagot	71[2]	Operational
BRDM-2	Soviet Union	ATGM launcher vehicle	9P148	27	Inoperational, Stored
MT-LB	Soviet Union	ATGM launcher vehicle	9P149	27	Inoperational, Stored
9K115 Metis	Soviet Union	ATGM	9K115 Metis	?	Operational
9M113 Konkurs	Soviet Union	ATGM	9M113	19[2]
9K114 Shturm	Soviet Union	ATGM	9K114	27[2]
Recoilless rifles	Origin	Type	Versions	In service	Notes
SPG-9	Soviet Union	Recoilless rifles	SPG-9, AG-9	138+[2]	Operational
Anti-tank guns	Origin	Type	Versions	In service	Notes
T-12	Soviet Union	Anti-tank guns	MT-12	36[2]	Operational
Artillery	Origin	Type	Versions	In service	Notes
82 mm Model-1977	Romania	Mortar	M77	52[2]	Operational
120 mm 2B11 Sani 120 mm mortar	Soviet Union	Mortar	2B11 Sani	7[2]	Operational
122 mm howitzer M1938 (M-30)	Soviet Union	Howitzer	M1938	17[2]	Inoperational, Stored
152 mm howitzer M1955	Soviet Union	Towed howitzer	D-20	31[2] (munitions are destroyed only howitzers remain)	Inoperational, Stored
152 mm 2A36	Soviet Union	Towed howitzer	2A36	21[2] (munitions are destroyed only howitzers remain)	Inoperational, Stored
120 mm 2S9 Nona	Soviet Union	Self-propelled artillery	2S9	9[2]
220 mm 9P140	Soviet Union	Multiple rocket launcher system	9P140	11[2] (munitions are destroyed only trucks remain)	Inoperational, Stored
Air defence artillery	Origin	Type	Versions	In service	Notes
23 mm ZU-23-2	Soviet Union	Anti-aircraft gun	Zu-23M	26[2]	Operational, some mounted on BTR-D
57 mm S-60	Soviet Union	Anti-aircraft gun		11[2]
Reconnaissance	Origin	Type	Versions	In service	Notes
BMP-1	Soviet Union	Artillery reconnaissance vehicle	PRP	6	Inoperational, Stored
Surface-to-air missile	Origin	Type	Versions	In service	Notes
S-125 Neva/Pechora	Soviet Union	Surface-to-air missile system	S-125	16 launchers	Operational, active service
S-75 Dvina	Soviet Union	Surface-to-air missile system	S-75	3 launchers	Inoperational, phased out
SA-5 Gammon	Soviet Union	Surface-to-air missile system	S-125	12 launchers	Inoperational, phased out

References

1. ^ Routledge/IISS, IISS Military Balance 2007, p.170
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s} IISS Military Balance 2010