Belgian Army
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The Belgian Army forms the land component of the Belgian Armed Forces. It is organised using the concept of capacities, where units are gathered together according to their function and material. Within this framework, there are three capacities:
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[edit] Combat capacity
These are the main fighting units of the Belgian Army:
[edit] Cavalry
- 1/3 Régiment de Lanciers
- 2/4 Regiment Lansiers
- 1 Regiment Jagers te Paard/Gidsen
- 2/4 Régiment de Chasseurs à Cheval
- 17 Reconnaissance
[edit] Infantry
Guards
- 2de Regiment Grenadiers-Beveiligingsbataljon der Koninklijke Paleizen (Territorial)
Infantry Units
- Regiment Bevrijding - 5 Linie
- Regiment Karabiniers Prins Boudewijn - Grenadiers
- Régiment de Chasseurs Ardennais
- Régiment 12e de Ligne Prince Léopold - 13e de Ligne
- Regiment 8/9 Linie - HQ 1 Brigade
- 2eme Régiment Chasseurs à Pied - HQ 7 Brigade
- 2eme Carabiniers Cyclistes - Infantry Branch Training School
Paratroops/Commandos
Reserve Infantry Units
- Régiment Territorial 19e de Ligne (Territorial)
- Régiment Territorial de Luxembourg (Territorial)
- Régiment Territorial de Liege (Territorial)
- Régiment Territorial de Chasseurs à Pied (Territorial)
- Régiment Territorial Carabiniers Cyclistes (Territorial)
- Regiment Territoriaal Linie Limburg (Territorial)
- Regiment Territoriaal 2 Linie (Territorial)
- Regiment Territoriaal Antwerpen (Territorial)
[edit] Support capacity
These are the support arms:
[edit] Special Forces
- Belgian Army Special Forces Group
[edit] Artillery
- 1 Régiment d'Artillerie de Campagne
- 2 Regiment Veldartillerie/Batterij Veldartillerie ParaCommando
- 14 Regiment Luchtdoelartillerie
- 6 Regiment Veldartillerie - Artillery Branch Training School
[edit] Engineers
- 4 Bataillon du Génie
- 11 Geniebataljon
- 3 Geniebataljon - Engineer Branch Training School
[edit] Service capacity
These are the army's services:
[edit] Signals
- 2 Groep
- 4 Groupe
- 5 Groupe
- 6 Groep
- 10 Groep
[edit] Logistics
- 4 Bataillon Logistique
- 18 Bataljon Logistiek
- 20 Bataillon Logistique
- 51 Bataljon Logistiek
- 8 Bataillon Logistique
- 29 Batajon Logistiek
[edit] Military Police Group
The Belgian Military Police (Groupe Police Militaire / Groep Militaire Politie - Gp MP) is a joint force made up of about 200 personnel assigned to five detachments located around the country. The Military Police Group staff is located in the Queen Elizabeth Barracks in the Brussels suburb of Evere. Alpha Detachment located at Evere covers the province of Flemish Brabant and the capital, Brussels. Bravo Detachment covers the Walloon Brabant, Hainaut and Namur areas and is located at Bubbles. Charlie Detachment located at Marche-en-Famenne covers the Liege and Luxembourg areas. Delta Detachment covers the Limbourg and Antwerp areas and is located at Leopoldsburg. Echo Detachment located at Lombardsijde covers Western and Eastern Flanders.
The Military Police force carries out the following missions:
- Maintenance of order and discipline: Consists of monitoring, maintaining and, if necessary, re-establishing discipline and military order. This also involves controlling stragglers and refugees in times of war and guarding and escorting prisoners of war.
- Traffic regulation: Includes traffic monitoring and regulation to ensure the flow of military movements in accordance with plans. This includes route reconnaissance and marking, convoy and oversize vehicle escort and river crossing control.
- Security missions: Prevents and deters any threat to or attack against the personnel and property of the armed forces. The Military Police force protects, for example, the Palace of the Nation and the Parliaments and Councils of the Regions and the Communities, headquarters and classified conferences. MPs also provide VIP motorcycle escorts and honour guards, perform close protection missions, and escort classified documents and money transports.
The Belgian Military Police has also taken part in multinational peacekeeping missions such as Afghanistan, Kosovo and Congo. The Federal Police’s Military Crime Division (DJMM) performs all investigations involving the armed forces.
[edit] Other Services
- SEDEE/DOVO - Explosive Ordnance Disposal
- Staff Movement
- Camps/Training Centres
[edit] Structure of the Army
| 1 Gemechaniseerde Brigade | 7 Brigade Mécanisée | Immediate Reaction Cell |
| Regiment Carabiniers Prins-Boudewijn-Grenadiers | Régiment 12 Ligne Prince Léopold-13 de Ligne | 1 Bataljon Parachutisten |
| Regiment Bevrijding-5 Linie | Régiment de Chasseurs Ardennais | 2 Bataillon de Commandos |
| Regiment 2/4 Lansiers | 1/3 Régiment de Lanciers | 3 Bataljon Parachutisten |
| 2 Regiment Veldartillerie | 1 Régiment d'Artillerie à Campagne | 1ste Regiment Jagers te Paard/Giden. |
| 18 Bataljon Logistiek | 4 Battalion Logistique | 35 Batterij Luchtdoelartillerie Para-Commando |
| Compagnie Hoofdkwarter-8/9 Linie | Quartier Général-2 Chasseurs à Pied |
The operational structure of the Belgian Army is divided into three divisions, with a number of independent brigades:
[edit] Logistic Support Division
The Logistic Support Division is the main general logistic support formation, and has two sub groupings:
- Supply and Transportation Group - the Supply and Transport Group contains five specialised logistic battalions and one transport battalion.
- Maintenance Group - the Maintenance Group provides general support and supply of materiel via three logistic centres.
In addition, the 29th Logistic Battalion is an independent unit under the command of the Logistic Support Division.
[edit] Combat Support Division
The Combat Support Division provides the command structure for all of those units that are not either front-line or logistic support units.
[edit] 17ème Brigade Mechanised
17 Brigade was a formation that consititued Belgium's forces based in Germany. It was disbanded in 2005.
- 19th Régiment d'Artillerie à cheval (19 Ach)
- 1 Compagnie Gevechtsgenie
- 20 Bataillon Logistique
- 2th Bataillon de Carabiniers Cyclistes (2 Cy)(Reserve)
- 1st Régiment des Guides (1 Guides) (Reserve)
- 17th Compagnie Médicale (17 Med)
- 17th Compagnie Matériel (17 Mat)
- 17th Compagnie Ravitaillement (17 Rav Tpt)
- 2th Régiment de Chasseurs à pieds (2 Ch)
- 2th Compagnie Police Militaire Peloton E (2 MP)
- BPS 3 Poste Militaire
- Prévôté (Gendarmerie)
[edit] Weapons
- FN GP 9mm pistol
- FN P90 5.7mm submachine gun
- FN FNC 5.56mm assault rifle
- FN Minimi 5.56mm machinegun
- FN MAG 7.62mm machinegun
- FN M2HB 12.7mm machinegun
- Accuracy International Arctic Warfare 7.62mm sniper rifle
- M72 LAW 66mm anti-tank rocket
- MILAN anti-tank missile
- MISTRAL surface-to-air missile
[edit] Vehicles
- Leopard 1A5
- AIFV (to be replaced by LAV III)
- M109A2
- M113
- FV101 Scorpion
- Iltis
- Iveco LMV Light Multirole Vehicle, similar to the Panther CLV (In use:2007-)
- Pandur APC
- Dingo II
[edit] Ranks (Dutch/French)
| Land, Air and Medical component | Navy component | NATO rank |
| Enlisted | ||
| Soldaat/Soldat | Matroos/Matelot | OR-1 |
| 1ste Soldaat/1er Soldat | 1ste Matroos/1er Matelot | OR-2 |
| Korporaal/Caporal | Kwartiermeester/Quartier-maître | OR-3 |
| Korporaal-chef/Caporal-chef | Kwartiermeester-chef/Quartier-maître-chef | OR-3 |
| 1ste Korporaal-chef/1er Caporal-chef | 1ste Kwartiermeester-chef/1er Quartier-maître-chef | OR-4 |
| Lower non-commissioned officers | ||
| Sergeant/Sergent | Tweede meester/Second maître | OR-5 |
| Eerste sergeant/Premier sergent | Meester/Maître | OR-6 |
| Eerste sergeant-chef/Premier sergent-chef | Meester-chef/Maître-chef | OR-6 |
| Higher non-commissioned officers | ||
| Eerste sergeant-majoor/Premier sergent-major | Eerste meester/Premier maître | OR-7 |
| Adjudant/Adjudant | Eerste meester-chef/Premier maître-chef | OR-8 |
| Superior non-commissioned officers (warrant officers) | ||
| Adjudant-chef/Adjudant-chef | Oppermeester/Maître principal | OR-9 |
| Adjudant-majoor/Adjudant-major | Oppermeester-chef/Maître principal-chef | OR-9 |
| Subaltern officers | ||
| Onderluitenant/Sous-lieutenant | Vaandrig ter zee 2de klas/Enseigne de vaisseau de 2e classe | OF-1 |
| Luitenant/Lieutenant | Vaandrig ter zee/Enseigne de vaisseau | OF-1 |
| Kapitein/Capitaine | Luitenant ter zee/Lieutenant de vaisseau | OF-2 |
| Kapitein-commandant/Capitaine-commandant | Luitenant ter zee 1de klas/Lieutenant de vaisseau de 1e classe | OF-3 |
| Higher officers | ||
| Majoor/Major | Korvetkapitein/Capitaine de corvette | OF-3 |
| Luitenant-kolonel/Lieutenant-colonel | Fregatkapitein/Capitaine de frégate | OF-4 |
| Kolonel/Colonel | Kapitein ter zee/Capitaine de vaisseau | OF-5 |
| Superior officers | ||
| Brigadegeneraal/Général de brigade | Flottielje-admiraal/Amiral de flotille | OF-6 |
| Generaal-majoor/Général-major | Divisie-admiraal/Amiral de division | OF-7 |
| Luitenant-generaal/Lieutenant général | Vice-admiraal/Vice-amiral | OF-8 |
| Generaal/Général | Admiraal/Amiral | OF-9 |
