The Moldovan Ground Forces, known officially as Land Forces Command is the land armed-forces branch of the National Army of the

Moldovan Armed Forces The Armed Forces of the Republic of Moldova () consist of the National Army (which is divided into the Land Forces Command and the Air Forces Command) and the Trupele de Carabinieri under the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Until 2012, the Mol ...

. The Moldovan Ground Forces date back to the

dissolution of the Soviet Union The Soviet Union was formally dissolved as a sovereign state and subject of international law on 26 December 1991 by Declaration No. 142-N of the Soviet of the Republics of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union. Declaration No. 142-Н of ...

between 1991 and 1992. the Moldovan Ground Forces consists of around 4,000 personnel.

History

At the beginning of 1994, the Moldovan army (under the Ministry of Defense) consisted of 9,800 men organized into three motorized infantry brigades, one artillery brigade, and one reconnaissance/assault battalion. Its equipment consisted of fifty-six

ballistic missile A ballistic missile is a type of missile that uses projectile motion to deliver warheads on a target. These weapons are powered only during relatively brief periods—most of the flight is unpowered. Short-range ballistic missiles (SRBM) typic ...

defenses; seventy-seven

armored personnel carrier An armoured personnel carrier (APC) is a broad type of armoured military vehicle designed to transport personnel and equipment in combat zones. Since World War I, APCs have become a very common piece of military equipment around the world. Acc ...

s and sixty-seven "look-alikes;" eighteen 122 mm and fifty-three 152 mm towed

artillery Artillery consists of ranged weapons that launch Ammunition, munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during sieges, and l ...

units; nine 120 mm combined guns/ mortars; seventy

AT-4 Spigot The 9K111 ''Fagot'' (; "bassoon") is a second-generation tube-launched semi-automatic command to line of sight (SACLOS) wire-guided anti-tank missile system of the Soviet Union for use from ground or vehicle mounts. The 9K111 Fagot missile system ...

, nineteen

AT-5 Spandrel The 9M113 ''Konkurs'' (; ; NATO reporting name AT-5 ''Spandrel'') is a Soviet SACLOS wire-guided anti-tank missile. A development of the 9K111 Fagot with greater firepower, the 9M113 Konkurs can use the same launchers and is very similar vis ...

, and twenty-seven AT-6 Spiral

anti-tank Anti-tank warfare refers to the military strategies, tactics, and weapon systems designed to counter and destroy enemy armored vehicles, particularly tanks. It originated during World War I following the first deployment of tanks in 1916, and ...

guided weapons; a 73 mm

SPG-9 The SPG-9 Kopyo (, transliterated: ''Stankovyi Protivotankovyi Granatomet "Kopyo"'' - Easel Anti-tank Grenade Launcher "Spear") is a tripod-mounted man-portable, 73mm caliber recoilless gun developed by the Soviet Union. It fires fin-stabilized, ...

recoilless launcher, forty-five MT-12 100 mm anti-tank guns; and thirty

ZU-23 The ZU-23-2, also known as ZU-23, is a Soviet towed 23×152mm anti-aircraft twin-barreled autocannon. ZU stands for ''Zenitnaya Ustanovka'' (Russian: Зенитная Установка) – anti-aircraft mount. The GRAU index is 2A13. Developm ...

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 Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...

, particularly at the height of the fighting with Transnistria. By 2006–2007, 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. The modern Land Forces Command was established on 25 December 2008. 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 BMD-1P infantry fighting vehicles, 164 APCs (100 wheeled, including 89 Romanian

TAB-71 The TAB-71 (''Transportorul Amfibiu Blindat model 1971'') is the Romanian license-built version of the BTR-60PB. It was produced between 1970 and 1990 by RATMIL (now Romarm). It is the only other license manufacture of the BTR-60PB. Design and D ...

Ms, and 64 tracked, BTRs and

MT-LB The MT-LB (, literally "multi-purpose towing vehicle light armored") is a Soviet Union, Soviet multi-purpose, fully amphibious vehicle, amphibious, tracked Armoured fighting vehicle, armored fighting vehicle in use since the 1970s. It was also ...

s), 148 artillery pieces (69 towed, 9

2S9 The 2S9 ''NONA'' () is a self-propelled and air-droppable 120 mm gun-mortar, mortar designed in the Soviet Union, which entered service in 1981. The 2S9 chassis is designated the S-120 and based on the aluminium hull of the BTR-D airborne mul ...

self-propelled guns, and 11 "Urugan" multiple rocket launchers); 117

Anti-tank missile An anti-tank guided missile (ATGM), anti-tank missile, anti-tank guided weapon (ATGW) or anti-armor guided weapon is a missile guidance, guided missile primarily designed to hit and destroy armoured fighting vehicle, heavily armored military v ...

s (Soviet-built AT-4s, AT-5s, and AT-6s), 138+ recoilless guns, 36 towed antitank guns and 37 towed anti-aircraft guns (23mm and 57mm).

Structure

* Infantry Units: **

1st Motorized Infantry Brigade "Moldova" The 1st Motorized Infantry Brigade "Moldova" is a motorized infantry unit of the Moldovan National Army's Moldovan Ground Forces, Ground Forces based in the Moldovan city of Bălți. It was the first Army unit to be created in the newly independent ...

–

Bălți Bălți () is a city in Moldova. It is the second-largest city in terms of population, area and economic importance, after Chișinău. The city holds the status of municipiu. Sometimes called "the northern capital", it is a major industrial, cu ...

** 2nd Motorized Infantry Brigade "Stefan Cel Mare" – Chișinău ** 3rd Motorized Infantry Brigade "Dacia" –

Cahul Cahul (; also known by alternative names) is a city and municipality in southern Moldova. The city is the administrative center of Cahul District; it also administers one village, Cotihana. As of 2014 census, the city has a population of 30,0 ...

** 22nd Peacekeeping Battalion – Chișinău * Artillery Division "Prut" –

Ungheni Ungheni () is a municipality in Moldova. With a population of 35,157, it is the seventh largest town in Moldova and the seat of Ungheni District. There is a bridge across the Prut and a List of Moldova–Romania border crossings, border chec ...

* Independent Engineer Battalion "Codru" – Negrești, Strășeni * Independent Radio Regiment "Basarabia" – Durleşti,

Chișinău Chișinău ( , , ; formerly known as Kishinev) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Moldova, largest city of Moldova. The city is Moldova's main industrial and commercial centre, and is located in the middle of the coun ...

* Independent Special Forces Battalion "Fulger" – Durlești, Chișinău * Independent Chemical Protection Company – Negrești, Strășeni * Guard Battalion – Chișinău ** Ceremonial Honour Guard Company ** Guard Company ** Military Police Company ** General Staff Company ** Auto Company ** Insurance Company * 1st Independent Battalion of Peacekeepers –

Cocieri Cocieri is a commune in the Republic of Moldova, and the administrative center of Dubăsari District. It is located on the eastern bank of the Dniester River, consisting of two villages, ''Cocieri'' and ''Vasilievca''. During 1992 War of Transn ...

Dubăsari District The Dubăsari District () is a Administrative divisions of Moldova, district in the east of Moldova, with the administrative center at Cocieri. As of January 1, 2011, its population was 35,200. This does not include the 715 people that live in th ...

* 3rd Independent Battalion of Peacekeepers – Coșnița,

* Independent Infantry Company of Peacekeepers –

Varnița, Anenii Noi Varnița is a village in the Anenii Noi District, in south-eastern Moldova, located near Bender, Moldova, Bender (Tighina). It is also considered a suburb of Bender. After the 1992 War of Transnistria, Varnița remained controlled by the governm ...

Gallery

File:Moldovan Forces Train in Ukraine During Rapid Trident 2011 (5998213629).jpg, Moldovan forces during the Rapid Trident 2011. File:08-27-2016 - Парад в Молдовы 04.jpg, The 2nd Motorized Infantry Brigade "Stefan Cel Mare" on parade. File:Moldovan Presidential Band in their Winter Uniform.jpeg, The Presidential Orchestra of the Republic of Moldova File:Moldovan soldier.jpg, Moldovan soldier training for mine prodding File:HMMWV Moldova army.jpg, Moldovan

HMMWV The High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV; colloquial: Humvee) is a family of Military light utility vehicle, light, four-wheel drive Military vehicle#Military trucks, military trucks and utility vehicles produced by AM General. It ...

Equipment

Most of the Moldovan equipment dates back to Soviet times, as expressed by Anatolie Nosatîi, the

Minister of Defense A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and military forces, found in states where the government is divid ...

. In 2023, as part of the National Army Modernization Initiative, Moldova started receiving Piranha IIIH armoured personnel carriers from

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

. Other modern equipment such as drones, laptops, surveillance

radar Radar is a system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), direction ( azimuth and elevation angles), and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It is a radiodetermination method used to detect and track ...

s, and

explosive ordnance disposal Bomb disposal is an explosives engineering profession using the process by which hazardous explosive devices are disabled or otherwise rendered safe. ''Bomb disposal'' is an all-encompassing term to describe the separate, but interrelated fu ...

equipment was donated by the EU, while Romania also provided helmets, bulletproof vests, and

off-road vehicle An off-road vehicle (ORV), also known as an off-highway vehicle (OHV), overland vehicle or adventure vehicle, is a type of transportation specifically engineered to navigate unpaved roads and surfaces. These include trails, forest roads, and ...

References

{{Military equipment of Europe Military of Moldova

History

Structure

Gallery

Equipment

See also

References