The Czech Land Forces[4] (Czech: Pozemní síly)[Note 2] are the land warfare forces 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.[5] Land Forces Command is located in Olomouc.[1]
| Czech Land Forces | |
|---|---|
| Pozemní síly | |
 Emblem of the Czech Land Forces | |
| Founded | 1 January 1993 (31 years, 3 months) |
| Country | Czech Republic |
| Type | Army |
| Role | Land warfare |
| Size | 13,000 soldiers[1] |
| Part of | Czech Armed Forces |
| Headquarters | Olomouc |
| Engagements | IFOR SFOR Kosovo Force War in Iraq War in Afghanistan EUTM Mali |
| Website | Official Website |
| Commanders | |
| Land Forces Commander | Major general Roman Náhončík[2] |
| Insignia | |
| National emblem[Note 1] |  |
| Flag |  |
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.[5]
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.[6]
Equipment
Small arms of the Czech Land Forces are mainly supplied by CZUB, e.g. CZ 805 BREN and BREN 2 assault rifles, CZ 75 and CZ P-10 pistols and CZ Scorpion Evo 3 submachine guns. The Czech Armed Forces are equipped with over 3,000 T810, T815 and T815-7 vehicles of various modifications produced by Tatra.[7]
Principal weapons systems of the Czech Land Forces include the Leopard 2A4 tanks gifted from Germany, 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 2023:[8]
- 82 main battle tanks
- 385 armoured fighting vehicles
- 167 IFV- and APC-based special vehicles
- 137 light armoured vehicles
- 172 artillery systems (152mm howitzers and 120mm mortars)
Soldiers armed with CZ 805 and RPG-7
Paratroopers armed with BREN 2 and Carl Gustaf 8.4cm recoilless rifle
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
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Organization
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 and 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.[9]
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.[10]
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).[11][9]
Combat Forces
- 4th Rapid Deployment Brigade, in Žatec
- 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, Leopard 2A4)
- 74th Mechanized Battalion, in Bučovice (BVP-2 - will be the first unit to receive CV90 infantry fighting vehicles[13])
- 43rd Airborne Regiment, in Chrudim
- Headquarters and Staff
- 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Commando companies
- 5th Commando Company (Active Reserve)
- Weapons Center (81 mm mortars, anti-tank guided missiles)
- Combat Support Center (Intelligence, Reconnaissance)
- Command Support Center (Signals)
- Logistics Support Center
- Medical Detachment
- Combat Training Center
- Airborne Training Center
Combat Support Forces
- 13th Artillery Regiment, in Jince
- Headquarters and Staff
- Garrison Support Element
- Regimental Aid Post
- Command Support Battery
- 131st Artillery Battalion (152mm SpGH DANA)
- 132nd Artillery Battalion (152mm SpGH DANA)
- Active Reserve Battery (152mm SpGH DANA)
- STAR Battery (ARTHUR Artillery Tracking Radar, Sněžka Surveillance and Reconnaissance System)
- Logistic Company[14]
- Headquarters and Staff
- 15th Engineer Regiment, in Bechyně
- 31st Radiological, Chemical and Biological Protection Regiment, in Liberec
- Headquarters and Staff
- Support Platoon
- 311th Radiological, Chemical and Biological Protection Battalion, in Liberec
- 312th Radiological, Chemical and Biological Protection Battalion, in Liberec
- 314th Weapons of Mass Destruction Warning Center, in Hostivice
- Headquarters and Staff
- 53rd Reconnaissance and Electronic Warfare Regiment, 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 Center, in Opava[16]
- Headquarters and Staff
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[17]
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.[18]
Ranks
Commissioned officer ranks
The rank insignia of commissioned officers.
| NATO code | OF-10 | OF-9 | OF-8 | OF-7 | OF-6 | OF-5 | OF-4 | OF-3 | OF-2 | OF-1 | OF(D) | Student officer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Czech Land Forces[19] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Armádní generál | Generálporučík | Generálmajor | Brigádní generál | Plukovník | Podplukovník | Major | Kapitán | Nadporučík | Poručík | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other ranks
The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.
| NATO code | OR-9 | OR-8 | OR-7 | OR-6 | OR-5 | OR-4 | OR-3 | OR-2 | OR-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Czech Land Forces[19] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Štábní praporčík | Nadpraporčík | Praporčík | Nadrotmistr | Rotmistr | Rotný | Četař | Desátník | Svobodník | Vojín | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||