Royal Austral Defense Force (2010)

(Excerpted from The Military Balance, IISS, 2010)

AUSTRAL

Army 20,000 active; 20,000 (reserves); 28,000 (militia)

FORCES BY ROLE

  • 4 standing brigade commands each with 2-4 bn plus 1-3 arty bn
  • 1 rapid action force brigade command with 1 marine bn, 1 airmobile bn, 1 SAS co, 1 trt avn bn
  • 4 reserve brigade commands each with 2-4 reserve bn plus 0-2 arty bn
  • 4 militia bde commands each with 2-4 militia bn plus 0-2 arty bn

Units

  • Armored  18 bn
    • 6 bn (each: 3 tk co, 1 mech co, 1 recce co, 1 AD co, 1 AT co, 1 mort plt)
    • 6 reserve bn (each: 3 tk co, 1 mot inf co, 1 recce co, 1 AD plt, 1 AT co, 1 mort plt)
    • 6 militia bn (each: 3 tk co , 1 mot inf co, 1 recce plt, 1 AD plt, 1 AT plt, 1 mort plt)
  • Mech 6 bn
    • 6 bn (each: 1 tk co, 3 mech or mot inf co, 1 recce co, 1 AD co, 1 AT co, 1 mort plt)
  • Mot Inf
    • 6 reserve bn (each: 1 tk co, 3 mot inf co, 1 recce co, 1 AD co, 1 AT co, 1 mort plt)
    • 6 militia bn (each: 1 tk co, 3 mot inf co, 1 recce co, 1 AD co, 1 AT co, 1 mort plt)
  • OpFor
    • 1 Bn (each: 3 tk cos, 3 mech co, 1 fd arty btty, 1 recce co, 1 AD co, 1 AT co)
  • Airmobile
    • 1 bn (3 mot inf co, 1 lt tk co, 1 trt avn bn)
    • 1 reserve bn (3 inf co, 1 lt tk plt)
    • 1 militia bn (3 inf co, 1 lt tk plt)
  • Marine
    • 1 bn (3 inf co; 1 tk co, 1 recce plt, 1 amphibian co)
    • 1 reserve bn (3 inf co, 1 tk co; 1 recce plt, 1 amphibian plt)
    • 1 militia bn (3 inf co; 1 tk co, 1 recce plt, 1 amphibian plt)
  • Arty
    • 1 bde (4 (SP) fd arty bn, 2 (SP) MRL bn, 1 (SP) msl bn)
    • 4 reserve towed fd arty bn (152mm)
    • 4 militia 4 towed fd arty bn (152mm)
  • Avn
    • 1 comd (1 atk hel bn)
    • 1 reserve comd (2 trt bn)

EQUIPMENT BY TYPE

Austral maintains a 20% war reserve stock of front line AFVs to replace combat casualties. These can be put into service within a few hours. So for AFVs not listed as being “in store”, assume that 20% of the number given are in the war reserve stock.

  • MBT 1,718+: 55 T-90; 110 T-80; 108 T-72 (330 in store); 165 T-64; ~450 T-62 in store; ~400 T-54/55 in store; 100+ T34/85 in store
  • RECCE 240: 40 BMP-3; 20 BMP-2; 20 BMP-1; 160 PT-76 in store
  • AIFV 442: 18 BMP-T; 18 BTR-T; 72 BMP-3; 110 BMP-2; 110 BMP-1; 66 BMD-3; 48 AMX-10P in store
  • APC 1,272
    • APC (T) 176: 60 BMD-1 in store; 116 M113 in store
    • APC (W) 1,296+: 110 BTR-80; ~450 BTR 60 in store; ~450 BTR 152 in store; ~80 LAV-150 in store; 200+ Halftracks in store
  • ARTY 796
    • SP 152mm 116 SAU-152
    • TOWED 232: 122mm 120 M46 in store; 120 D30 in store
    • MRL 48: 24 BM-30; 24 BM-21
    • MOR 280:
      • SP 120mm 40 SO-120
      • TOWED 240: 120mm 40 2S12 (100 in store); 100 M1943 in store
  • AT • MSL 4,340+
    • SP 290+: 96 BRDM-2 (AT-5); 200+ BRDM 1/2 (AT-5/AT-3/AT-2) in store
    • MANPATS 1600: 800 AT-5; 800 AT-3 in store
    • RCL 150 73mm SPG-9
    • RPG 650+ RPG-7/29; many single shot RPG
  • HELICOPTERS 192
    • ATK 24 Mi-24
    • SPT 24 Mi-8
    • UTL 144: 72 Mi-17; 72 Mi-8 in store
  • AD • SAM 1,413+
    • SP 5 2S6 Tunguska; 54 ZSU-23/4; 54 SA-15; 100 ZSU-23/4 in store; 100 SA-9 in store
    • MANPAD 500+ SA-18; 500+ SA-14
    • MSL • TACTICAL • SSM 24+ SCUD-D

COMMENTS

Reserve battalions will require take 1-12 weeks to mobilize, shake down and be fully ready for combat. Militia battalions will typically require 12+ weeks mobilize, shake down and be fully ready for combat.

PHOTOS

RADF Panther 3 (T-80BV)

T64 03

RADF Ocelot (BMP-3)

BMP3 02

RADF Sabretooth (BMP-1)

BMP-1 05

RADF Skysweeper (ZSU 23/4)

ZSU 23 01