Military of Mongolia

Mongolian Armed Force Монгол Улсын Зэвсэгт Хүчин Mongol Ulsiin Zevsegt Hüchin'
Flag of Mongolia
Service branches	General Purpose Force Border Defense Force Internal Security Force Air Force
Leadership
Commander in Chief	Elbegdorj Tsakhia
Minister for Defense	Luvsanvandan Bold
Chief of General Staff	Lieutenant General Ts. Byambazhav
Manpower
Military age	18
Conscription	yes
Available for military service	736,182 males, age 15–49 (2005 est.), 734,679 females, age 15–49 (2005 est.)
Fit for military service	570,435 males, age 15–49 (2005 est.), 607,918 females, age 15–49 (2005 est.)
Reaching military age annually	34,674 males (2005 est.), 34,251 females (2005 est.)
Active personnel	by branches : general purpose force-70000, border defense force-6500, internal security and police force-15000
Expenditures
Budget	$23.1 million (FY02)
Percent of GDP	2.2%
Industry
Foreign suppliers	Russia China Poland
Related articles
History	Ancient Mongolian military history Early mediaeval Mongolian military history Mongol Empire Army Military history of the post Mongol Empire BogdKhanat-Mongolian Army Mongolian People's Army

The military of Mongolia has four branches: general purpose forces, border defense forces, internal security forces, and air force. This is a peace-time structure. In case of war or war-like situations, the structure could be changed and reorganized.

History

Main article Ancient Mongolian military history 209 BC - 5th century AD

Main article Early mediaeval Mongolian military history 5th century- 12th century

Main article Military history of the Mongol Empire 13-14th century

Main article Military history of the post Mongol Empire 15-17th century

Main article BogdKhanat-Mongolian Army 1911-1919

Main article Mongolian People's Army 1921-1993

Military action

Sino-Mongolian border conflict 1911-1949

War of Khalkhyn Gol-1939

Manchurian Strategic Offensive Operation-1945

Peacekeeping mission of Afghanistan-since 2001

Peacekeeping mission of Iraq-until 2009

Policy

Due to its geopolitical positions and economical powers, Mongolia has a unique military policy. Being between two of the world's largest nations, Mongolian armed forces have a limited capability to protect its independence against foreign invasions; the country's national security therefore depends strongly on diplomacy. The country's military ideal is to create and maintain a small but efficient and professional armed forces.

Mongolian armed forces in peacekeeping missions

A Mongolian soldier explains to a group of US Marines how to fire a Soviet-made-RPG during a threat weapons class.

Mongolian armed forces are performing peacekeeping missions in Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Congo, Eritrea, Western Sahara and Afghanistan, and with the United Nations Mission in Liberia. Mongolian forces in Afghanistan mostly assist NATO/International Security Assistance Force personnel in training on the former Warsaw Pact weapons that comprise the bulk of the military equipment available to the Afghan National Army. In 2005/2006, Mongolian troops also served as part of the Belgian KFOR contingent in Kosovo. From 2009 Mongolian Armed Forces deploying its largest peace keeping mission to Chad and the government is planning to deploy its first fully self-sufficient UN mission there in mid 2011.

Capability

Mongolian soldiers need to be physically able to withstand harsh environment, so they train in the Gobi Desert to toughen their bodies. Due to Soviet influence, Russian Sambo is the preferred form of training hand-to-hand combat, still the traditional wrestling form of Bökh, or Mongolian wrestling gives the military training a taste of how the soldiers trained in times of the Mongol Empire.

The Ground Forces possess over 650 tanks, 100 mobile artillery pieces, 800 Infantry Fighting Vehicles and armored personnel carriers, 450 mobile anti-aircraft weapons, more than 1,000 artillery and mortar and other military equipment. Most of them are old Soviet Union models designed between the late 1950s to early 1970s. There are a smaller number of newer models designed in post-Soviet Russia.

Light equipment

• AKM
• AKMS
• AK-74
• Makarov PM
• NSV (machine gun)
• SVD (rifle)
• PK machine gun
• RPK machine gun
• DShK machine gun
• RPD machine gun

Anti-Tank weapon

• RPG-7
• SPG-9

Air Defence equipment

Mongolian soldier, with a SA-18 MANPADS at an enemy aircraft on the Pacific Alaskan Range Complex on July 16th during Red Flag-Alaska 07-3.

• ZSU-23-4 "Shilka"
• 9K31 Strela-1 (SA-9 Gaskin)
• Strela 2 (SA-7 Grail)
• 9K34 Strela-3 (SA-14 Gremlin)
• 9K38 Igla (SA-18 Grouse)
• S-75 (SA-2 Guideline)
• S-125 Neva/Pechora (SA-3 Goa) partially upgraded to Pechora-2M
• ZPU-4
• ZU-23-2
• 37 mm automatic air defense gun M1939 (61-K)
• 57 mm AZP S-60

Towed artillery

• 122 mm howitzer 2A18 (D-30)
• 130 mm towed field gun M1954 (M-46)
• 100 mm field gun M1944 (BS-3)
• 122 mm howitzer M1938 (M-30)

Mortar

• 82-mm mortar BM-37 – Unkhown

Multi Rocket Launchers

• BM-14
• BM-16
• BM-19
• BM-21 Grad

Tanks

• T-54 – 200
• T-55 – 150
• T-62 – 250
• T-72 – 30

Infantry Fighting Vehicles/Armored Personnel Carriers

• БТР-1 – 1000 in 2003, 400 in 1996, originally 420 were delivered.
• БТР-60 – 4000
• БТР-80 – 3000
• BRDM-1 – Unknown number
• BRDM-2 – Unknown number

Air Force

In May 1925 a Junkers F.13 entered service as the first aircraft in Mongolian civil and military aviation. By 1935 Soviet aircraft were based in the country. In May 1937 the air force was renamed the Mongolian People's Republic Air Corps. During 1939-1945 the Soviets delivered Polikarpov I-15s, Polikarpov I-16s, Yak-9s and Ilyushin Il-2s. By 1966 the first SA-2 SAM units entered service, and the air force was renamed the Air Force of the Mongolian People's Republic. The MiG-15UTI and MiG-17 the first combat jet aircraft in the Mongolian inventory, entered service in 1970 and by the mid-1970s was joined by MiG-21s, Mi-8s and Ka-26s. After the end of the Cold War the air force was grounded due to a lack of fuel and spares. However, it has been reported that the government is trying to revive the air force since 2001. In 2011, the Mongolian defense ministry bought 5 MiG-29s from Russia [1].

Mongolian Air Force current aircraft

The small Mongolian Air Force is the national air force, administered by the Army.

Information from Scramble.nl

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Versions	In service	Notes
Antonov An-26 Curl	Soviet Union	light transport aircraft	An-26	4 /retired/	none in use
Antonov An-24 Coke	Soviet Union	transport aircraft	An-24	3 /retired/	none in use
Antonov An-2 Colt	Soviet Union	biplane transport	An-2	10
Harbin Y-12	People's Republic of China	turboprop utility aircraft	Y-12	5-3 /retired/	none in use
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 Fishbed	Soviet Union	fighter	MiG-21PFM	8 /retired/	none in use
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 Fishbed	Soviet Union	fighter	MiG-21US	2 /retired/	none in use
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29 Fulcrum	Russia	fighter	MiG-29UPG	10 ordered
Mil Mi-24 Hind	Soviet Union	attack helicopter	Mi-24V	12	Anti-tank
Mil Mi-8 Hip	Soviet Union	attack helicopter	Mi-8T	20	Anti-tank
Mil Mi-8 Hip	Soviet Union	transport helicopter	Mi-8T	11	Transport only
Mil Mi-17 Hip	Russia	transport helicopter	Mi-17	2	Transport only

References

• World aircraft information files Bright Star Publishing London File 332 Sheet 3

External links

• Military Parade for the honor of National Flag of Mongolia. Photo reportage. 10.07.2011
• The Ministry of Defence of Mongolia
• (English) (Mongolian) General Intelligence Agency
• Mongolia Military Profile at Indexmundi
• http://www.pmis.gov.mn/gsmaf/index_files/ang_huu/index.htm
• World Air Forces Mongolia Air Force