As none of the "hypothetical..." threads has been active in the last two months, here's a new one 
:
However, the focus of this will be on something different from usual: Not upgrading a military to counter an existing or potential thread, but simply transforming a military from a Cold-War footing into a modern, 21st Century military.
The current year is 1995, and your task is to present a 5-year plan and a follow-up outline on how to do this for the country and military presented below.
---
The country you're dealing with is a small one. Roughly the size of Connecticut, with 4.5 million citizens. It borders four other nations: The one it split from, another "traditional" neighbor, and two other free states that split from the same country. Relations with neighbors are between neutral and amicable.
The country primarily consists of two parts: In the West, a 40-km wide valley running through it from North to South, as well as the immediately bordering forrested hills. A large river runs through it. This valley houses about 60% of the population, most of the industry, and two large inland ports.
To the east, a comparably vast set of medium-height plains opens up, relatively sparsely populated (but remember we're dealing with European levels).
Inbetween these two area, a hill range bisects the country essentially. The hill range raises significantly (above 2000 feet) in both the North and South, while providing a relative opening between both other areas in the center.
It's primary exports are energy (the country operates four nuclear power plants plus several advanced coal power plants), chemical products (as it houses one of the largest chemical plants worldwide), large-scale machinery, including trucks, as well as a number of agricultural products including wine and raw tobacco. While the country is not autonomous regarding food products, it has decent, expandable agricultural development.
Albeit, overall it's a rather rich region, and current GDP is around 115 billion Dollar. As a rough ballpark number, you're allowed to spend up to 2.0% GDP for the military. Current expenditure is 1.2 billion Dollar, leaving you with up to 1.1 billion Dollar to spend for new things annually (all Dollar values 1995 values).
Note: this puts the military spending in relation to population roughly on a level between Portugal and Denmark.
The current military employs some 13,500 active soldiers (7,000 of them in combat units), and has roughly 18,500 soldiers in reserve. Conscription used to be the norm, but has been suspended. Voluntary recruitment influx supports a moderate size increase.
edit: further information in posts #3 and #6.
edit: found the single helo squadron posted in the area finally.
---
ToE Outline of current military forces:
Active Units
---
The Armor Brigade is a traditional Cold-War NATO brigade with five combat battalions.
Heavy Equipment in operation:
Tanks: 100 Leopard 2A4
AFVs: 21 KanJgPz, 36 Gepard B2L, 12 Jaguar 1
IFV/APCs: 46 Marder 1A2, 8 M577A1, 28 M113GA2, 72 Fuchs 1A2/1A3 (specialized), 16 TM170 (borderguard)
Artillery: 18 M110A2, 18 M109A3G, 16 LARS MLRS, 18 FH-70 155mm, 18 M56 105mm
Mortars: 12 M113 with 120mm mortar, 36 towed 120mm mortars
Heavy Crew-served: ~100 Milan ATGM, ~100 FK20 20mm guns, ~1200 light anti-tank weapons
Helicopters: 7 SA313B Alouette-II light utility helos (+3 for spare parts)
---
Recent Reform:
Roughly one-fifth to one-quarter of original reserve forces have been shed so far.
The Territorial Defense Command was formed under the last government from pre-existing reserve forces. It stocks reserve equipment and manages reservists for three heterogenous infantry regiments with limited combined-arms capability, three security battalions and one field artillery battalion. These are all truck-mounted light infantry with some minimal anti-tank capability, and towed mortars and howitzers for fire support.
Medical Command combines units from two former medical regiments, and provides medical support to all fixed bases, as well as three mobile medical and one MASH battalion.
Engineer Command commands four relatively standard engineer battalions, six light CMC engineer companies, three NBC defence battalions, and two amphibious engineer battalions responsible for operations on and around the two major rivers in the territory, especially regarding bridging.
Support/Maintenance Command collects the rather dense support infrastructure in the area, with five transport and replenishment battalions and two maintenance battalions. This command also operates a military-run large maintenance facility, as well as five large depots.
Of the two signals regiments, one operates fixed sites for Satcom, Communications (ACE High), Air Surveillance etc, while the other provides more general signals support, including mobile facilities.
The military units have been restationed to four primary active sites and six reserve mobilization points. Additional to that are a number of smaller sites plus depots.
---
Criticism:
A number of bad points about this military structure can easily be seen:
It's heavily skewed towards the support side, to an extent not needed in any way for the existing combat units.
The second glaring point is that there is no aviation capability at all at the moment. For such operations, two centrally located small airports would be available, of which one would be a conversion from a civilian site.
A real problem is the wide varity of equipment in current operation, especially in artillery. Additionally, there aren't enough armoured vehicles available to form a decent mechanized capability.
Air Defence is completely non-existant, and a point of concern.
Most primary equipment - save for ADA, tanks and specialized armored vehicles (Fuchs 1A3 NBC, TM170) - is relatively old and needs upgrades or replacement.
---
Considerations:
Sooo... anyone up to it?
:However, the focus of this will be on something different from usual: Not upgrading a military to counter an existing or potential thread, but simply transforming a military from a Cold-War footing into a modern, 21st Century military.
The current year is 1995, and your task is to present a 5-year plan and a follow-up outline on how to do this for the country and military presented below.
---
The country you're dealing with is a small one. Roughly the size of Connecticut, with 4.5 million citizens. It borders four other nations: The one it split from, another "traditional" neighbor, and two other free states that split from the same country. Relations with neighbors are between neutral and amicable.
The country primarily consists of two parts: In the West, a 40-km wide valley running through it from North to South, as well as the immediately bordering forrested hills. A large river runs through it. This valley houses about 60% of the population, most of the industry, and two large inland ports.
To the east, a comparably vast set of medium-height plains opens up, relatively sparsely populated (but remember we're dealing with European levels).
Inbetween these two area, a hill range bisects the country essentially. The hill range raises significantly (above 2000 feet) in both the North and South, while providing a relative opening between both other areas in the center.
It's primary exports are energy (the country operates four nuclear power plants plus several advanced coal power plants), chemical products (as it houses one of the largest chemical plants worldwide), large-scale machinery, including trucks, as well as a number of agricultural products including wine and raw tobacco. While the country is not autonomous regarding food products, it has decent, expandable agricultural development.
Albeit, overall it's a rather rich region, and current GDP is around 115 billion Dollar. As a rough ballpark number, you're allowed to spend up to 2.0% GDP for the military. Current expenditure is 1.2 billion Dollar, leaving you with up to 1.1 billion Dollar to spend for new things annually (all Dollar values 1995 values).
Note: this puts the military spending in relation to population roughly on a level between Portugal and Denmark.
The current military employs some 13,500 active soldiers (7,000 of them in combat units), and has roughly 18,500 soldiers in reserve. Conscription used to be the norm, but has been suspended. Voluntary recruitment influx supports a moderate size increase.
edit: further information in posts #3 and #6.
edit: found the single helo squadron posted in the area finally.
---
ToE Outline of current military forces:
Active Units
- 1st Armour Brigade
- 1st Artillery Regiment
- 1st ADA Regiment
- Border Guard battalion
- Helicopter Squadron
- Support/Maintenance Command (10 battalions)
- Engineer Command (9 battalions)
- Medical Command (5 battalions)
- Military Police battalion
- Two Signals regiments
- Territorial Defense Command (13 battalions)
---
The Armor Brigade is a traditional Cold-War NATO brigade with five combat battalions.
Heavy Equipment in operation:
Tanks: 100 Leopard 2A4
AFVs: 21 KanJgPz, 36 Gepard B2L, 12 Jaguar 1
IFV/APCs: 46 Marder 1A2, 8 M577A1, 28 M113GA2, 72 Fuchs 1A2/1A3 (specialized), 16 TM170 (borderguard)
Artillery: 18 M110A2, 18 M109A3G, 16 LARS MLRS, 18 FH-70 155mm, 18 M56 105mm
Mortars: 12 M113 with 120mm mortar, 36 towed 120mm mortars
Heavy Crew-served: ~100 Milan ATGM, ~100 FK20 20mm guns, ~1200 light anti-tank weapons
Helicopters: 7 SA313B Alouette-II light utility helos (+3 for spare parts)
---
Recent Reform:
Roughly one-fifth to one-quarter of original reserve forces have been shed so far.
The Territorial Defense Command was formed under the last government from pre-existing reserve forces. It stocks reserve equipment and manages reservists for three heterogenous infantry regiments with limited combined-arms capability, three security battalions and one field artillery battalion. These are all truck-mounted light infantry with some minimal anti-tank capability, and towed mortars and howitzers for fire support.
Medical Command combines units from two former medical regiments, and provides medical support to all fixed bases, as well as three mobile medical and one MASH battalion.
Engineer Command commands four relatively standard engineer battalions, six light CMC engineer companies, three NBC defence battalions, and two amphibious engineer battalions responsible for operations on and around the two major rivers in the territory, especially regarding bridging.
Support/Maintenance Command collects the rather dense support infrastructure in the area, with five transport and replenishment battalions and two maintenance battalions. This command also operates a military-run large maintenance facility, as well as five large depots.
Of the two signals regiments, one operates fixed sites for Satcom, Communications (ACE High), Air Surveillance etc, while the other provides more general signals support, including mobile facilities.
The military units have been restationed to four primary active sites and six reserve mobilization points. Additional to that are a number of smaller sites plus depots.
---
Criticism:
A number of bad points about this military structure can easily be seen:
It's heavily skewed towards the support side, to an extent not needed in any way for the existing combat units.
The second glaring point is that there is no aviation capability at all at the moment. For such operations, two centrally located small airports would be available, of which one would be a conversion from a civilian site.
A real problem is the wide varity of equipment in current operation, especially in artillery. Additionally, there aren't enough armoured vehicles available to form a decent mechanized capability.
Air Defence is completely non-existant, and a point of concern.
Most primary equipment - save for ADA, tanks and specialized armored vehicles (Fuchs 1A3 NBC, TM170) - is relatively old and needs upgrades or replacement.
---
Considerations:
- The country had to agree in a number of devolved treaties limiting its forces: Active units may not exceed 25,000 soldiers; all combatants including borderguard are included in that. No weapon system with a range above 50 km may be acquired; local nuclear research has to be suspended.
- As it's 1995, the wars in Bosnia and Croatia are currently coming to an end. The government would like to garner some international favours by participating in planned peacekeeping operations, contributing about a battalion.
- Air Defence has been wished for recently in light of the not really all that distant ongoing war, and recent intrusions of aircraft over territories of other friendly nations.
- A moderate increase of Borderguard forces is to be considered.
Sooo... anyone up to it?
Last edited:
