Serbian Army

Serbian Army
Serbian Army
Копнена војска Србије
	Emblem of the Serbian Army
Founded	1830; (current form since 2006)
Country	Serbia
Type	Army
Role	Land warfare
Size	13,200 (2021 est.)
Part of	Serbian Armed Forces
Command HQ	Niš, Serbia
Mottos	For Freedom and Honour of the Fatherland (Serbian: За слободу и част Отаџбине, romanized: Za slobodu i čast Otadžbine)
Anniversaries	16 November
Engagements	Serbian Revolution ; Serbian-Turkish Wars (1876–1878); Russo-Turkish War ; Serbo-Bulgarian War; Balkan Wars; First Balkan War; Second Balkan War; World War I; Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War;
Commanders
Current; commander	Lt. General ; Milosav Simović
Army Sergeant Major	Warrant officer 1st class ; Mladen Pupovac
Notable; commanders	Vojvoda Radomir Putnik; Vojvoda Stepa Stepanović; Vojvoda Živojin Mišić; Vojvoda Petar Bojović; Vojvoda Pavle Jurišić Šturm
Insignia
Flag

The Serbian Army (Serbian: Копнена војска Србије, romanized: Kopnena vojska Srbije, lit. 'Serbian Land Army') is the land-based and the largest component of the Serbian Armed Forces. Its organization, composition, weapons and equipment are adapted to the assigned missions and tasks of the Serbian Armed Forces, primarily for operations on land.^[2]

History

Originally established in 1830 as the Army of Principality of Serbia and after Serbia's independence it subsequently grew in size and was renamed the Royal Serbian Army. After the World War I it was incorporated into the newly established Royal Yugoslav Army which was in turn transformed into Yugoslav Ground Forces of the Yugoslav People's Army after the World War II. The Serbian Army in its current form has been active since 2006 when Serbia restored its independence.

Missions

The Serbian Army is responsible for defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Serbia from foreign hostiles; participating in peacekeeping operations; and providing humanitarian aid and disaster relief.

The Army i.e. infantry battalions of its 2nd, 3rd and 4th brigades are tasked with securing the 384 kilometers long and 5 km wide Ground Safety Zone along the administrative line between Serbia and Kosovo with over 20 camps and security checkpoints.^[3]

Structure

The Serbian Army consists of six brigades, six independent battalions directly attached to the Army Command, as well as the River Flotilla, the Technical Overhauling Institute and Multinational Operations Training Centre.^[4] The four primary army brigades are composed of as many as ten battalions, including: one command battalion, one armored battalion, two mechanized battalions, two infantry battalions, one self-propelled artillery battalion, one self-propelled multiple rocket launcher artillery battalion, one air-defence battalion, one engineer battalion and one logistics battalion.

10th Comm
18th Eng
19th Log

11th Inf
14th A-d Art

12th S-p Art
17th Mech

111st Inf

13th MRL Art
15th Tank
17th Mech

20th Comm
23rd S-p Art
25th A-d Art
26th Tank
27th Mech
29th Log
210th Eng

21st Inf

28th Mech

24th S-p Art

22nd Inf

30th Comm
33rd How Art
34th MRL Art
35th A-d Art
36th Tank
39th Log

31st Inf
32nd Inf

37th Mech
38th Mech

310th Log

40th Comm
43rd How Art
45th A-d Art
46th Tank
47th Mech
49th Log
410th Eng

41st Inf
42nd Inf
48th Mech

44th MRL Art

Comm
1st H-C Art
2nd H-C Art
3rd Can Art
4th Can Art
S-p C&H Art
Mix Miss Art
69th Log

1st Pont

Comm
1st River
2nd River
2nd Pont
Log

5th MP

2nd River

3rd MP
21st Sig
T72 Tank
Arm-Rec

246th NBC

211st Mnt

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Army Command attached unit

1st Brigade

2nd Brigade

3rd Brigade

4th Brigade

Mixed Artillery Brigade

River Flotilla

Army Command
- 3rd Military Police Battalion (Niš)
- 5th Military Police Battalion (Belgrade)
- 246th NBC Battalion (Kruševac)
- 21st Signal Battalion (Niš)
- T–72M Tank Battalion (Niš)
- Armored Reconnaissance Battalion (Niš)
1st Army Brigade
- 10th Command Battalion (Novi Sad)
- 11th Infantry Battalion (Pančevo)
- 12th Self-propelled Artillery Battalion (Bačka Topola)
- 13th Self-propelled Multiple Rocket Launcher Artillery Battalion (Sremska Mitrovica)
- 14th Air-defence Artillery Battalion (Pančevo)
- 15th Tank Battalion (Sremska Mitrovica)
- 16th Mechanized Battalion (Sremska Mitrovica)
- 17th Mechanized Battalion (Bačka Topola)
- 18th Engineer Battalion (Novi Sad)
- 19th Logistics Battalion (Novi Sad)
- 111th Infantry Battalion (Loznica)
2nd Army Brigade
- 20th Command Battalion (Kraljevo)
- 21st Infantry Battalion (Raška)
- 22nd Infantry Battalion (Požega)
- 23rd Self-propelled Artillery Battalion (Kraljevo)
- 24th Self-propelled Multiple Rocket Launcher Artillery Battalion (Valjevo)
- 25th Air-defence Artillery Battalion (Kraljevo)
- 26th Tank Battalion (Kraljevo)
- 27th Mechanized Battalion (Kraljevo)
- 28th Mechanized Battalion (Novi Pazar)
- 29th Logistics Battalion (Kraljevo)
- 210th Engineer Battalion (Kraljevo)
- 211th Mountain Battalion (Priboj, in process of formation)^[5]
3rd Army Brigade
- 30th Command Battalion (Niš)
- 31st Infantry Battalion (Zaječar)
- 32nd Infantry Battalion (Zaječar)
- 33rd Self-propelled Howitzer Artillery Battalion (Niš)
- 34th Multiple Rocket Launcher Artillery Battalion (Niš)
- 35th Air-defence Artillery Battalion (Niš)
- 36th Tank Battalion (Niš)
- 37th Mechanized Battalion (Kuršumlija)
- 38th Mechanized Battalion (Kuršumlija)
- 39th Logistics Battalion (Niš)
- 310th Engineer Battalion (Prokuplje)
4th Army Brigade
- 40th Command Battalion (Vranje)
- 41st Infantry Battalion (Military Base "South")
- 42nd Infantry Battalion (Military Base "South")
- 43rd Self-propelled Howitzer Artillery Battalion (Vranje)
- 44th Self-propelled Multiple Rocket Launcher Artillery Battalion (Leskovac)
- 45th Air-defence Artillery Battalion (Vranje)
- 46th Tank Battalion (Vranje)
- 47th Mechanized Battalion (Vranje)
- 48th Mechanized Battalion (Military Base "South")
- 49th Logistics Battalion (Vranje)
- 410th Engineer Battalion (Vranje)

Mixed Artillery Brigade
- Command Battalion (Niš)
- 1st Howitzer-Cannon Artillery Battalion (Niš)
- 2nd Howitzer-Cannon Artillery Battalion (Niš)
- 3rd Cannon Artillery Battalion (Niš)
- 4th Cannon Artillery Battalion (Niš)
- Self-propelled Howitzer-Cannon Artillery Battalion (Niš)
- Mixed Missile Artillery Battalion (Niš)
- 69th Logistics Battalion (Niš)
River Flotilla
- Command Company (Novi Sad)
- 1st River Detachment (Novi Sad)
- 2nd River Detachment (Belgrade)
- 1st Pontoon Battalion (Šabac)
- 2nd Pontoon Battalion (Novi Sad)
- Logistics Company (Novi Sad)
Multinational Operations Training Centre
Technical Overhaul Institute "Čačak"

Equipment

PULS self-propelled multiple rocket launcher

PASARS-16 short-range air defense system

The following equipment is in operational use as of 2025:

Armored vehicles

M-84 main battle tank – 212 (26 M-84AS2; 186 M-84)^[6]
T-72B1MS main battle tank – 30^[7]
Lazar 3M wheeled infantry fighting vehicle – 20
BVP M-80 tracked infantry fighting vehicle – 320 (29 BVP M-80AB1 and 296 BVP M-80)
Lazar 3 armoured personnel carrier – 60^[8]
BTR-80A amphibious armoured personnel carrier – 108^[9]
M20 mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle – 22
Miloš mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle – 60^[10]
BRDM-2 armoured reconnaissance vehicle – 66 (30 BRDM-2MS; 36 BRDM-2)^[11]^[12]
BOV KIV command vehicle – 20
Humvee light armoured vehicle – 104^[13]
BOV M-86 light armoured vehicle – 51 (used by military police)^[12]

Artillery

PULS 370 mm/306 mm/160 mm self-propelled multiple rocket launcher (armed with Predator Hawk tactical ballistic missiles and EXTRA and ACCULAR artillery rockets)^[14]
Nora B-52 155 mm self-propelled howitzer – 24^[15]
2S1 Gvozdika 122 mm self-propelled howitzer – 72 (54 2S1M Gvozdika and 18 2S1 Gvozdika)^[12]
Nora M-84 152 mm gun-howitzer – 36^[12]
M-87 Orkan 262 mm self-propelled multiple rocket launcher – 4^[12]
M-18 Oganj 175 mm/128 mm self-propelled multiple rocket launcher – 8^[12]
M-77 Oganj 128 mm self-propelled multiple rocket launcher – 60 (25 M-17D Oganj and 35 M-77 Oganj)^[12]
M74/M75 120 mm mortar^[12]

Drones

SkyStriker loitering munition
Shadow 50 loitering munition
Shadow 25 loitering munition
SM2 loitering munition
Gavran 145 loitering munition
Osica loitering munition
Komarac loitering munition – 1,000
Skylark 3 reconnaissance drone
Vrabac reconnaissance drone – 50
AD Orbiter reconnaissance drone – 10

Anti-armour

BOV Polo M-83M loitering munition launch vehicle – 10^[12]
BOV Polo M-83 anti-tank missile launch vehicle – 38^[12]
9M133 Kornet anti-tank missile system
9K111 Fagot anti-tank missile system^[12]
M80 Zolja anti-tank missile launcher^[12]
M79 Osa anti-tank missile launcher^[12]

Air-defence

PASARS-16 short-range surface-to-air missile system – 5 batteries^[16]
9K35 Strela-10 short-range surface-to-air missile system – 1 battery^[12]
9K31 Strela-1 short-range surface-to-air missile system – 9 batteries^[12]
Mistral 3 MANPADS^[12]
9K32 Strela-2 MANPADS^[12]

Vessels

Neštin class minesweeper – 4
Type 20 Biscaya class river patrol craft – 3
Type 22 441 class landing crafts – 5
RPČ 111 patrol vessel – 1
River patrol boats – 4
Tanker – 1
Degaussing vessel – 1
Command ship – 1
RIB 720 rigid inflatable boat – 10

Firearms

Zastava M19 assault rifle
Zastava M84 machine gun^[12]
Zastava M72 light machine gun^[12]
Zastava M93 anti-materiel rifle^[12]
Zastava M91 sniper rifle^[12]

Ranks

Officers

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank group	General / flag officers	Senior officers	Junior officers
Serbian Army^[17] v t e
Генерал General	Генерал-потпуковник General-potpukovnik	Генерал-мајор General-major	Бригадни генерал Brigadni general	Пуковник Pukovnik	Потпуковник Potpukovnik	Мајор Major	Капетан прве класе Kapetan prve klase	Капетан Kapetan	Поручник Poručnik	Потпоручник Potporučnik
Rank group	General / flag officers	Senior officers	Junior officers

Enlisted

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Rank group	Senior NCOs	Junior NCOs	Enlisted
Serbian Army^[17] v t e
Заставник I класе Zastavnik I klase	Заставник Zastavnik	Старији Водник I класе Stariji Vodnik I klase	Старији Водник Stariji Vodnik	Водник Vodnik	Млађи водник Mlađi vodnik	Десетар Desetar	Разводник Razvodnik	Војник Vojnik
Rank group	Senior NCOs	Junior NCOs	Enlisted

References

^ "Brojnost vojski Srbije, Hrvatske, BiH, Crne Gore i Severne Makedonije u 2021". December 28, 2021.
^ "Serbian Armed Forces | the official website of the Serbian Armed Forces".
^ "NATO for suspension of security zone in Kosovo". Blic Online. January 20, 2009. Archived from the original on February 16, 2009.
^ "The Army | Serbian Armed Forces". www.vs.rs. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
^ "Formira se brdsko-planinski bataljon u Priboju: Posao za nekoliko stotina mladih vojnika". B92.net (in Serbian). March 9, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
^ "Oklopne jedinice Vojske Srbije".
^ Srna (December 2, 2017). "Srbija od Rusije dobija 30 tenkova". Nezavisne novine (in Serbian). Retrieved May 8, 2019.
^ "Vojske Balkana imaju 9 vrsta oklopnih osmotočkaša". January 27, 2024.
^ https://www.politika.rs/sr/clanak/617372/Srbija-dobila-mocna-borbena-vozila-od-Madarske
^ "Стефановић о набавци "корнета": Србија сада има убојито оружје".
^ "Vojsci Srbije isporučeno 30 tenkova i oklopnih automobila iz ruske donacije". Radio Slobodna Evropa. May 23, 2021.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u "Armaments – armaments names in this reference are links with detailed explanation read them to clarify technical and other details". Serbian Armed Forces. Archived from the original on October 7, 2014. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
^ "Vojsci Srbije isporučeno 66 Hamvija". July 23, 2023.
^ https://militarnyi.com/en/news/serbia-purchases-israeli-puls-rocket-systems-and-reconnaissance-drones/
^ "Stefanović o nabavci "korneta": Srbija sada ima ubojito oružje".
^ "[PARTNER 2021] Novi i unapređeni PVO sistemi". October 28, 2021.
^ ^a ^b "ЧИНОВИ У ВОЈСЦИ СРБИЈЕ". vs.rs (in Serbian). Serbian Armed Forces. Retrieved June 7, 2021.

External links

[1] "Brojnost vojski Srbije, Hrvatske, BiH, Crne Gore i Severne Makedonije u 2021". December 28, 2021.

[2] "Serbian Armed Forces | the official website of the Serbian Armed Forces".

[3] "NATO for suspension of security zone in Kosovo". Blic Online. January 20, 2009. Archived from the original on February 16, 2009.

[4] "The Army | Serbian Armed Forces". www.vs.rs. Retrieved March 19, 2022.

[5] "Formira se brdsko-planinski bataljon u Priboju: Posao za nekoliko stotina mladih vojnika". B92.net (in Serbian). March 9, 2020. Retrieved March 9, 2023.

[6] "Oklopne jedinice Vojske Srbije".

[7] Srna (December 2, 2017). "Srbija od Rusije dobija 30 tenkova". Nezavisne novine (in Serbian). Retrieved May 8, 2019.

[8] "Vojske Balkana imaju 9 vrsta oklopnih osmotočkaša". January 27, 2024.

[9] ttps://www.politika.rs/sr/clanak/617372/Srbija-dobila-mocna-borbena-vozila-od-Madarske

[10] "Стефановић о набавци "корнета": Србија сада има убојито оружје".

[11] "Vojsci Srbije isporučeno 30 tenkova i oklopnih automobila iz ruske donacije". Radio Slobodna Evropa. May 23, 2021.

[Armaments-12] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u "Armaments – armaments names in this reference are links with detailed explanation read them to clarify technical and other details". Serbian Armed Forces. Archived from the original on October 7, 2014. Retrieved April 10, 2019.

[13] "Vojsci Srbije isporučeno 66 Hamvija". July 23, 2023.

[14] ttps://militarnyi.com/en/news/serbia-purchases-israeli-puls-rocket-systems-and-reconnaissance-drones/

[15] "Stefanović o nabavci "korneta": Srbija sada ima ubojito oružje".

[16] "[PARTNER 2021] Novi i unapređeni PVO sistemi". October 28, 2021.

[Serbia-17] "ЧИНОВИ У ВОЈСЦИ СРБИЈЕ". vs.rs (in Serbian). Serbian Armed Forces. Retrieved June 7, 2021.

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