Czech Land Forces

The Czech Land Forces[3] (Czech: Pozemní síly)[Note 2] are the land warfare force of the Czech Republic. The Land Forces consisting of various types of arms and services complemented by air and special operations forces constitute the core of the Czech Armed Forces.[4] Land Forces Command is located in Olomouc.[1]

Czech Land Forces
Pozemní síly
Emblem of the Czech Land Forces
Founded1 January 1993
CountryCzech Republic
TypeArmy
RoleLand warfare
Size13,000 soldiers[1]
Part ofCzech Armed Forces
HeadquartersOlomouc
EngagementsWar in Iraq
War in Afghanistan
Commanders
Land Forces CommanderBrig. Gen. Ladislav Jung
Insignia
National emblem[Note 1]

Peacetime structure comprises two mechanized brigades, an airborne regiment and specialized regiments of artillery, logistics, engineers, CBRN defence, reconnaissance and electronic warfare. Mechanized brigades are equipped with various types of combat vehicles to ensure the execution of different combat operations.[4]

Tasks

The Czech Land Forces are the biggest and decisive part of the Army of the Czech Republic. In coordination with other services they are organized to defend the national territory. Under a crisis situation and in the event of hostilities they form the core of operation task force of the allied joint force and eventually they are complemented by mobilized units. The Land Forces are also designed for fulfilment of commitment in compliance with the Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty and tasks on behalf of the state administration authorities.[5]

Equipment
Main article: Military equipment of the Czech Republic

Small arms of the Czech Land Forces are mainly supplied by CZUB, e.g. CZ 805 BREN and BREN 2 assault rifles, CZ 75 pistols and CZ Scorpion Evo 3 submachine guns. The Czech Armed Forces are equipped with about 3,000 T810 and T815 vehicles of various modifications produced by Tatra.[6]

Principal weapons systems of the Czech Land Forces include T-72 tanks (T-72M1 produced in Czechoslovakia and T-72M4CZ modernized in Czech Republic), BVP-2 infantry fighting vehicles (Czechoslovak-produced version of BMP-2), Pandur II and Iveco LMV wheeled combat vehicles and 152mm vz. 77 DANA self-propelled howitzers.

Air defence and helicopter units are part of the Czech Air Force.

Major armaments and combat equipment as of 1 January 2020:[7]


  • Soldiers armed with CZ 805 and RPG-7
  • Paratroopers armed with BREN 2 and Carl Gustaf
  • T-72M4 CZ
  • BVP-2
  • Pandur II
  • Iveco LMV
  • vz. 77 DANA
  • Tatra 810
  • Tatra 815 with pontoon bridge components
  • LR 130 RCH
  • MKEB EW system

Structure

Land Forces Command (Czech: Velitelství pozemních sil) is located in Olomouc.[1] Prague was the location of Land Forces Command from July 2013 to June 2020. Between 2003–2013 Land Forces were an integral part of the Joint Forces Command in Olomouc.

The command structure is hierarchical, with brigades and regiments controlling groups of units. Major units are battalion-sized, and minor units are company or platoon-sized units. Airborne Regiment has a unique structure comprising several commandos and centres.[8]

Czech Land Forces are composed of both Regular (full-time) and Active Reserve (part-time) units. Active Reserve platoons, companies and specialized units are affiliated to respective regular units. Moreover, there are 14 Regional Military Headquarters of the Territorial Command, and each one has an Active Reserve infantry company.[9]

Transformation of the 600-strong 43rd Airborne Battalion to 43rd Airborne Regiment with more than 1,200 soldiers scheduled for October 2020 is based upon the 2014 Wales summit declaration regarding the NATO Response Force and Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF).[10][8]

Structure of the Czech Land Forces

Combat Forces
  • 4th Rapid Deployment Brigade, in Žatec – cooperating with (not part of)[11][12] the German Army 10th Panzer Division[13]
    • Headquarters and Staff
      • Signal Company
      • Support Platoon
    • 41st Mechanized Battalion, in Žatec (Pandur II)
    • 42nd Mechanized Battalion, in Tábor (Pandur II)
    • 43rd Airborne Battalion, in Chrudim – being transformed to 43rd Airborne Regiment
    • 44th Light Motorized Battalion, in Jindřichův Hradec (Iveco LMV and Pandur II)[14]
  • 7th Mechanized Brigade, in Hranice
    • Headquarters and Staff
    • 71st Mechanized Battalion, in Hranice (BVP-2)
    • 72nd Mechanized Battalion, in Přáslavice (BVP-2)
    • 73rd Tank Battalion, in Přáslavice (T-72M4CZ, T-72M1)
    • 74th Mechanized Battalion, in Bučovice – transformed from 74th Light Motorized Battalion in 2020 (prepared for new infantry fighting vehicles)[15]

Combat Support Forces
  • 13th Artillery Regiment, in Jince
  • 15th Engineer Regiment, in Bechyně
    • Headquarters and Staff
      • EOD Technical and Information Support Centre
      • Support Platoon
      • Garrison Support Element
    • 151st Engineer Battalion, in Bechyně
    • 152nd Engineer Battalion, in Bechyně
    • 153rd Engineer Battalion, in Olomouc[17]
  • 31st Regiment of Radiological, Chemical and Biological Protection, in Liberec
    • Headquarters and Staff
      • Support Platoon
    • 311th Battalion of Radiological, Chemical and Biological Protection, in Liberec
    • 312th Battalion of Radiological, Chemical and Biological Protection, in Liberec
    • 314th Weapons of Mass Destruction Warning Centre, in Hostivice
  • 53rd Regiment of Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare, in Opava
    • Headquarters and Staff
      • Signal Company
      • Support Platoon
      • Garrison Support Element
      • Regimental Aid Post
    • 102nd Reconnaissance Battalion, in Prostějov
    • 532nd Electronic Warfare Battalion, in Opava
    • 533rd Unmanned Aircraft Systems Battalion, in Prostějov
    • ISR Centre, in Opava[18]

Combat Service Support Forces
  • 14th Logistic Support Regiment, in Pardubice
    • Headquarters and Staff
    • Command Support Company
    • 141st Supply Battalion, in Pardubice
    • 142nd Maintenance Battalion, in Klatovy
    • 143rd Supply Battalion, in Lipník nad Bečvou[19]

MOD's Logistics Agency has been building the Host Nation Support (HNS) Battalion in Rakovník since October 2018. HNS Battalion is not part of the Land Forces as it reports directly to the Logistics Agency.[20]

Notes
  1. Národní rozlišovací znak, literally the "National distinguishing emblem", defined by notification No. 387/2010 Coll.[2]
  2. Pozemní síly Armády České republiky in full, literally the "Land Forces of the Army of the Czech Republic"
gollark: Maybe I should begin randomly spying on them.
gollark: I don't even know some o f these.
gollark: Wait, what?
gollark: ++magic py len(bot.guilds)
gollark: ++magic py bot.guilds

References
  1. Dvořáková, Magdalena. "Velitelství pozemních sil se stěhuje z Prahy do Olomouce" [Land Forces Command is being moved from Prague to Olomouc]. army.cz. Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  2. "Předpis 387/2010 Sb." psp.cz. Parlament České republiky, Poslanecká sněmovna. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  3. "Land Forces Command". army.cz. Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  4. Šimůnek, Petr, ed. (July 2015). "Land Forces". The Long Term Perspective For Defence 2030 (PDF). Prague: Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic - Military History Institute (MHI). p. 13. ISBN 978-80-7278-667-1. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
  5. "Land Forces" (PDF). University of Defence. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
  6. Casey, Nuala; Holeček, Oldřich. "Minister of Defence receives shipment of Tatra trucks". Ministry of Defence. Ministerstvo obrany. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  7. "Přehled výzbroje a techniky (stav k 1. lednu 2020)" [Armament and Equipment Overview as of 1 January 2020] (PDF). army.cz (in Czech). Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  8. Světnička, Lubomír (3 December 2019). "Úderná pěst armády se začíná rýsovat. O červený baret je obrovský zájem" [The army's striking fist begins to form. The red beret is hugely popular]. natoaktual.cz. Jagello 2000. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  9. "RESERVES". army.cz. Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  10. Berger, Otakar (10 July 2018). "New Czech Airborne Regiment". Czech Defence Journal. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  11. Wirnitzer, Jan (22 February 2017). "Češi čelí ruské propagandě o předání 4. brigády Němcům. Ukázali dohodu" [The Czechs face Russian propaganda about handing over the 4th Brigade to the Germans. They showed an agreement]. iDNES.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 25 May 2017.
  12. Stropnický, Martin. "Ministr Stropnický: Spolupráce armád je základem naší obranyschopnosti" [Minister Stropnicky: Cooperation between the [Czech and German] armed forces is the foundation of our defence]. army.cz. Ministerstvo obrany České republiky. Retrieved 25 May 2017.
  13. "Germany, Romania and the Czech Republic deepen defence ties". NATO. NATO. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  14. Šiška, Martin (9 March 2020). "4. brigáda rychlého nasazení: Hlavní část mobilních sil Armády ČR" [4th Rapid Deployment Brigade: the main component of Czech Army mobile forces]. CZDEFENCE.cz – Czech Army & Defence Magazine. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  15. "Útvary brigády" [Brigade's units]. 7mb.army.cz (in Czech). Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  16. "Organizační struktura" [Organizational structure]. 13dp.army.cz (in Czech). Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  17. "Velení a struktura" [Command and Structure]. zenijnipluk.army.cz (in Czech). Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  18. "Organizační struktura 53. pPzEB" [53rd Reccon/EW Rgt. Organizational Structure]. 53pluk.army.cz (in Czech). Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  19. "14. pluk logistické podpory" [14th Logistic Support Regiment]. 14plogp.army.cz (in Czech). Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  20. "Bude podporovat větší uskupení vojsk" [Battalion will support large military formations]. army.cz (in Czech). Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic. 17 October 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
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