Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
	Armija Republike Bosne i Hercegovine
	Bosnian Army Emblem
Founded	15 April 1992
Disbanded	14 December 1995
Service branches	Bosnian Army; Bosnian Air Force and Defense
Headquarters	Sarajevo, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Leadership
Commander-in-Chief	President Alija Izetbegović
Defence Minister	Munib Bisić
Commander	General Rasim Delić
Manpower
Active personnel	90-120,000
Related articles
History	History of the Army of Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina; Supreme Command of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina; Territorial Defence Force of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bosnian War;
Ranks	Military ranks and insignia of Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosnian, Croatian: Armija Republike Bosne i Hercegovine, ARBiH; Serbian: Армија Републике Босне и Херцеговине, АРБиХ) was the military force of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina established by the government of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992 following the outbreak of the Bosnian War. Following the end of the war, and the signing of the Dayton Peace Agreement in 1995, it was transformed into Army of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Under the State Defense Reform Law the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina were unified into a single structure OSBiH making entity armies defunct.

History[]

Main articles: History of the Army of Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Bosnian War

Creation and Composition[]

The Army of Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, was formed on 15 April 1992 during the early days of the Bosnian War. Before the ARBiH was officially created, a number of paramilitary and civil defense groups were established. The Patriotic League (PL) and the local Territorial Defence Force of the Republic of Bosnia and Hercegovina (TORBIH) were the official army while paramilitaries such as the Zelene Beretke (Green Berets) and Crni Labudovi (Black Swans) units have been founded. Other irregular groups included criminal groups, as well as collections of police and former Yugoslav People's Army soldiers.

The army was formed in poor circumstances, and suffered from a very limited supply of arms. Critical deficiencies included tanks and other heavy weaponry. The first commander of the army was Sefer Halilović.

1992[]

In 1992, 70% of Bosnia was under JNA (Yugoslav People's Army), and then later VRS (Bosnian Serb Army), control. Sarajevo was under siege. The ARBiH had defended Sarajevo with light weaponry. The army was surrounded and the transfer of supplies was hard, if not impossible.

1993[]

1993 saw no major changes in the front lines against Serbs. Instead, this year marked the start of the Croat-Bosniak war in Central Bosnia and in Herzegovina, notably the Mostar region. Pressured and contained by heavily armed Serb forces in Bosnia-Hercegovina and Croatia, Croat forces - HVO (Croatian Defence Council) shifted their focus from defending their parts of Bosnia from Serbs to trying to capture remaining territory held by Bosnian Army. It is widely believed that this was due to the Karađorđevo agreement reached between presidents Slobodan Milošević and Franjo Tuđman to split Bosnia between Croatia and Serbia. In order to accomplish this Croatian forces would have to defeat the Bosnian Army, since the territory that they wanted was under Bosnian government control. HVO with great engagement from the Military of Republic of Croatia and material support from Serbs, attacked Bosniak civilian population in Herzegovina and in central Bosnia starting an ethnic cleansing of Bosniak populated territories (e.g. Lašva Valley ethnic cleansing). Vastly underequipped Bosnian forces, fighting on two fronts, were able to repel Croats and gain territory against them on every front. At this time, due to its geographic position, Bosnia was surrounded by Croat and Serb forces from all sides. There was no way to Import weapons or food. What saved Bosnia at this time was its vast Industrial complex (Steel and Heavy Industries) that was able to switch to military hardware production. After a short but bloody war and once Croats realized that their partnership with Serbs will not bring them any territorial gains they agreed to the US leadership's "Washington treaty" peace agreement. From that point on, Croat and Bosnian government forces continued to fight as allies against Serbs.

1994[]

A renewed alliance between HVO and ARBiH was agreed upon, with the objective of forming a strong force that could fight the much stronger and better equipped VRS. This was the time of frequent peace negotiations.

1995[]

Despite the loss of several enclaves, notably Srebrenica, 1995 was marked by HVO and ARBiH offensives and later by NATO intervention. Following the Split Agreement, the Croatian army, with cooperation from ARBiH and HVO, launched a series of operations: Flash,^{[Clarification needed]} Summer '95, Storm and Mistral. In conjunction, Bosnian forces launched operations Sana and Una '95. Bosnian and Croat armies were on the offensive in this phase, captured entire western Bosnia, and the Serb capital Banja Luka was seriously threatened, until peace negotiations stopped further bloodshed.

In the period of August–December 1995, Serb forces were defeated and driven out of the majority of Croatia and western Bosnia, and the ethnic Serb population fled from these parts^{[citation needed]}.

Following the second Markale massacre, NATO intervention was launched, which destroyed much of the VRS infrastructure in just a few days (Operation Deliberate Force). The war ended with the signing of the Dayton Accord.

Army Corps and Commanding Officers[]

The army was divided into Corps, each stationed in a particular territory. In 1993, most brigades were renamed as Mountain troops given that the lack of heavy weapons made it organizationally pointless to list them as infantry or motorized. In addition, Bosnian terrain favored light infantry over armored and mechanized formations.

Corps[]

1st Corps: Sarajevo (HQ),
2nd Corps: Tuzla (HQ)
3rd Corps: Zenica (HQ),
4th Corps: Mostar (HQ)
5th Corps: Bihać (HQ),
6th Corps: Konjic (HQ) formed 9 June 1993. Disbanded February 1994, some units incorporated in 7th Corps and the rest in 4th Corps.
7th Corps: Jajce and Travnik (HQ) formed 26 February 1994.
Eastern Bosnian Operational Group, later formed as the Independent 81 Division: Goražde (HQ)

Bosnian General Staff[]

Main article: Štab Vrhovne Komande Armije Republike Bosne i Hercegovine

Alija Izetbegović (The Supreme Commander of the Bosnian Armed Forces)
Hasan Efendić (First commander of the Territorial Defence Force of the Republic of Bosnia and Hercegovina)
Sefer Halilović (Chief of Staff of the Main Staff and Commander of the Bosnian Army 1992-1993)
Rasim Delić (Commander of Main Staff and Commander of the Bosnian Army 1993-1995)
Jovan Divjak (deputy of the ARBIH commander 1992-1995)
Stjepan Šiber (deputy of the ARBIH commander 1992-1995)

Corps commanders[]

Mustafa Hajrulahović Talijan (first commander of the 1st Corps)
Vahid Karavelić (second commander of the 1st Corps)
Nedžad Ajnadžić (third commander of the 1st Corps)
Željko Knez (first commander of the 2nd Corps)
Hazim Šadić (second commander of the 2nd Corps)
Sead Delić (third commander of the 2nd Corps)
Enver Hadžihasanović (first commander of the 3rd Corps)
Mehmed Alagić (second commander of the 3rd Corps, first commander of the 7th corps)
Kadir Jusić (third commander of the 3rd Corps)
Sakib Mahmuljin (fourth commander of the 3rd Corps)
Arif Pašalić (first commander of the 4th Corps)
Sulejman Budaković "Tetak" (second commander of the 4th Corps)
Ramiz Dreković (first commander of the 5th Corps, third commander of the 4th corps)
Atif Dudaković (second commander of the 5th Corps)
Salko Gušić (first commander of the 6th Corps)
Galib Hodžić (second commander of the 6th Corps)
Zaim Imamović (commander of the Easter Bosnian Operational Group)
Blaž Kraljević (commander of HOS and member of the Bosnian Army Chiefs of Staff)
Mustafa Polutak (fourth commander of the 4th Corps)

Equipment[]

M48-76m-mountain-gun-Visca-19960515 — A close-up view of an M48 76mm mountain gun belonging to the 28th Division, 281st Brigade, 1st Tank Battalion, stationed in Visca.

displayed

A Bosnian Army UTVA-75 Light Utility Aircraft displayed as an artifact at Ćoralići Airfield, Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Infantry weapons of Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina[]

Assault Rifles, Machine Guns[]

Name	Origin	Type	Notes
MG42	Germany	Machine gun	WW2 Model
M2 Browning machine gun	United States	Machine gun	captured
DSHK	Soviet Union	Machine gun	captured and smuggled
NSV machine gun	Soviet Union	Machine gun	captured, in smaller numbers
M48 Mauser	Yugoslavia	Bolt-action rifle	Some used as sniper rifles, fitted with ZRAK 4x32 telescopic sight
Zastava M72	Yugoslavia	Assault rifle	In large Numbers
Zastava M76	Yugoslavia	Sniper rifle	Captured/smuggled
Heckler & Koch MP5	Germany	Submachine gun
AK-47 and derivates	Soviet Union	Assault rifle	In large Number
Zastava M70	Yugoslavia	Assault rifle	In large Number
Škorpion vz. 61	Yugoslavia	Submachine gun	Designed M84 Škorpion
Dragunov Sniper Rifle	Soviet Union	Sniper Rifle	Smuggled
G3	Germany	Assault rifle	In low numbers
Zastava M84	Yugoslavia	Machine gun	In large numbers
Zastava M80	Yugoslavia	Assault rifle
Thompson submachine gun	United States	submachine gun	In low numbers (All provided from the old JNA stores )

Pistols[]

Pistol	Origin	Type	Versions	Notes
TT pistol	Soviet Union	Pistol
CZ-99	Yugoslavia	Pistol

Infantry anti-tank weapons[]

Name	Origin	Type	Versions	Notes
M80 Rocket Launcher	Yugoslavia	Rocket Launcher		64 mm
M79 Osa	Yugoslavia	Rocket Launcher		90 mm
AT-3 Sagger	Soviet Union	Anit-tank missile
HJ-8	China	Anti-tank missile	Baktar-Shikan, HJ-8E	Was supplied to ARBiH in 1993-1995
RPG-7	Soviet Union	Rocket-propelled grenade
M90	Yugoslavia	Rocket Launcher		120 mm

Artillery[]

Artillery	Origin	Type	Versions	Notes
D-30	Soviet Union	Howitzer	D-30J	captured
BM-21 Grad	Soviet Union	Multiple rocket launcher	BM-21 Grad/RM-70
M-63	Yugoslavia	Multiple rocket launcher	M-63 Plamen
M-77	Yugoslavia	Multiple rocket launcher	M-77 Oganj
M-87	Yugoslavia	Multiple rocket launcher		few
Type 63 multiple rocket launcher	People's Republic of China	Multiple rocket launcher		Large Number

Main battle tanks[]

Tanks	Origin	Type	Notes
T-34	Soviet Union	Main battle tank	46 tanks
M-84	Yugoslavia	Main battle tank	captured, 3 vehicles
T-55	Soviet Union	Main battle tank	60 tanks
PT-76	Soviet Union	light tank
M47 Patton	United States	Main battle tank	13 (captured from JNA reserve in Tuzla 1992 "Dubrave Airport" and used in liberating city of KALESIJA 1992 about 7 to 10 kilometers from Dubrave Airport.One was hit by maljutka in that battle,later on in war it was repaired and brought back to battle, 5 more captured. MAJEVICA these numbers are only from 2nd CORP. of ABIH)

Armored Personnel Carriers[]

APC	Origin	Notes
BVP M-80	Yugoslavia
OT M-60	Yugoslavia
BOV (APC)	Yugoslavia	from police and captured from VRS
BRDM-2	Soviet Union	~3 vehicles

Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Artillery[]

System	Origin	Notes
ZSU-57-2	Soviet Union	<10 Vehicles
M53/59 Praga	Czech Republic	<5 vehicles

Anti-Aircraft Artillery[]

System	Origin	Notes
Bofors 40 mm	Sweden
ZU-23-2	Soviet Union	mainly used against ground targets

Self-Propelled Artillery[]

System	Origin	Notes
2S1 Gvozdika	Soviet Union	(captured 1994-95)
M36 Tank Destroyer	United States

External links[]

References[]

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