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| Revolutionary Army | |
|---|---|
| Ejército Revolucionario | |
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| Founded | 1868; 157 years ago (1868) 1960; 65 years ago (1960) (current form) |
| Country |  Cuba |
| Role | Land warfare |
| Size | 39,000 Active Soldiers |
| Part of | Revolutionary Armed Forces |
| Garrison/HQ | Havana, Cuba |
| Engagements | Escambray rebellion Bay of Pigs Invasion Sand War Guinea-Bissau War of Independence War of Attrition Yemenite War of 1972 Yom Kippur War Angolan Civil War Ogaden War United States invasion of Grenada |
TheCuban Revolutionary Army (Spanish:Ejército Revolucionario) serve as theground forces ofCuba. Formed in 1868 during theTen Years' War, it was originally known as theCuban Constitutional Army. Following theCuban Revolution, the revolutionary military forces was reconstituted as the national army of Cuba byFidel Castro in 1960. The army is a part of theCuban Revolutionary Armed Forces which was founded around that time.
The Cuban Constitutional Army in its original form was first established in 1868 by Cuban revolutionaries during theTen Years' War and later re-established during theCuban War of Independence in 1898. The Cuban Constitutional Navy was involved in theBattle of the Caribbean duringWorld War II supported by theUnited States.[1] After theCuban Revolution had overthrownFulgencio Batista'sgovernment, the Cuban Rebel Army underFidel Castro's leadership was reorganized into the current armed forces ofCuba.
As of July 1981, the army comprised 200,000 personnel, inc 60,000 reservists; there were an estimated three armoured brigades; 15 infantry divisions (brigades), some mechanised; and some independent battalions. The IISS estimated that it had 200 T-54/55 and 50 T-60 tanks, plus 400 T-34s, andIS-2 heavy tanks,and a variety of other Soviet equipment, includingBRDM-1; 400BTR-40/60; artillery up to 152mm; and 50 FROG-4 (2K6 Luna?) surface to surface missiles.[2]
In 1984, according to Adrian English, there were three major geographical commands, Western, Central, and Eastern.[3] There were a reported 130,000 all ranks, and each command was garrisoned by an army comprising a single armoured division, a mechanised division, and a corps of three infantry divisions, though the Eastern Command had two corps totalling six divisions. There was also an independent military region, with a single infantry division, which garrisoned theIsle of Youth.
An idea of this structure can be seen from a Jane's depiction (in error) dated 1996:[4]
Units included:
In the late 1980s and early 1990s the Western Army was deployed in the capital and the provinces of Havana and Pinar del Río:
In the 1980s–1990s the Central Army was deployed in the provinces of Matanzas, Villa Clara, Cienfuegos and Sancti Spiritus:
In the 1980s–1990s the Eastern Army was deployed in the provinces ofSantiago de Cuba, Guantánamo, Granma, Holguín, Las Tunas, Camagüey and Ciego de Avila:
The International Institute for Strategic Studies wrote inThe Military Balance 1994–95 that "the Cuban Army is undergoing major reorganisation; ..strength has been reduced by 60,000 to some 85,000 and is now structured on a brigade as opposed to a divisional basis." (p.194).
A U.S.Defense Intelligence Agency assessment in the first half of 1998 said that the army's armour and artillery units were at low readiness levels due to 'severely reduced' training, generally incapable of mounting effective operations above the battalion level, and that equipment was mostly in storage and unavailable at short notice.[7] The same report said that Cuban special operations forces continue to train but on a smaller scale than beforehand, and that while the lack of replacement parts for its existing equipment and the current severe shortage of fuel were increasingly affecting operational capabilities, Cuba remained able to offer considerable resistance to anyregional power.[8]
In 1999 the Revolutionary Army represented approximately 70 percent of Cuba's regular military manpower. According to the IISS, the army's estimated 45,000 troops including 6,000 active and 39,000 members of the Ready Reserves who were completing the forty-five days of annual active-duty service necessary for maintaining their status, as well as conscripts who were fulfilling their military service requirement.[9]
The IISS reported in 1999 that the army's troop formations consisted of four to five armored brigades; nine mechanized infantry brigades; an airborne brigade; fourteen reserve brigades; and the Border Brigade. In addition, there is an air defense artillery regiment and a surface-to-air missile brigade. Each of the three territorial armies is believed to be assigned at least one armored brigade-usually attached to the army's headquarters-as well as a mechanized infantry brigade. It is known that the Border Brigade in Guantanamo and at least one ground artillery regiment (attached to a mechanized infantry brigade), based in Las Tunas, are under the Eastern Army's command.[9]
Circa 2007, there were an estimated 38,000 army personnel.[10]
| Name | Country of origin | Quantity | Variant | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tanks | ||||
| T-55 |  Soviet Union | ~140 Active[11] | T-55 T-55AT-55AM | [12] |
| T-62 | ~380 Active[11] | T-62 Obr. 1967 T-62 Obr. 1972T-62M | [12] | |
| Armoured Fighting Vehicles | ||||
| BRDM-2 | Soviet Union | ~100[11] | CBE-14.5 CBE-14.5M | (Cuban upgraded examples known as CBE-14.5M).[12] |
| BTR-100 | Cuba | unknown | CBAF-100 | [12] |
| BTR-115 | CBAF-115 | [12] | ||
| Infantry Fighting Vehicles | ||||
| BMP-1 | Soviet Union | ~120[13] | BMP-1 BMP-1P | (Some used as unarmed driver training 'tanks').[12] |
| BMD-1 | unknown | BMD-1 | [12] | |
| BTR-60-73M | Cuba | CBI-73M | [12] | |
| Armoured Personnel Carriers | ||||
| BTR-152 | Soviet Union | ~150[11] | BTR-152 | [12] |
| BTR-50 | ~200[11] | BTR-50 | [12] | |
| BTR-60 | ~800[11] | BTR-60PB | [12] | |
| BTR-70 |  Russia | unknown | BTR-70M | [12] |
| Infantry Mobility Vehicles | ||||
| Dongfeng EQ2050 |  China | unknown | EQ2050 | [12] |
| David | Cuba | Iguana | (Several exported toAngola).[12] | |
| Fast Attack Vehicles And Gun Trucks | ||||
| UAZ-469 FAV | Cuba | unknown | ||
| Fiero | Two configurations[11] | |||
| Paquito | Three configurations[11] | |||
| Command Vehicles | ||||
| R-145 ''BTR-R-145'' | Soviet Union | unknown | ||
| BTR-60PU-12 | (Not yet seen).[14] | |||
| Military Engineering Vehicles | ||||
| BTS-4 | Soviet Union | unknown | ||
| PTS-M | ||||
| T-62 Obr. 1967 CEV | Cuba | |||
| IMR | Soviet Union | (Not yet seen in original configuration. Several converted to a yet unknown role).[15] | ||
| PT-76B Transporter-Loader | Cuba | (For the S-125 SAM).[14] | ||
| Tank Destroyers | ||||
| 9M14 Malyutka | Soviet Union | unknown | ||
| 100mm C-AP-AT-BMP-100 | Cuba | |||
| Towed Artillery | ||||
| 57mmZiS-2 Anti-tank Gun | Soviet Union | unknown | ||
| 76mmZiS-3 Anti-Tank Gun | (Not yet seen).[15] | |||
| 85mmD-44 Anti-tank Gun | ||||
| 100mmMT-12 Anti-Tank Gun | ||||
| 122mmM-30 Howitzer | Used as saluting guns firing21-gun salutes.[14] | |||
| 122mmD-30 Howitzer | Mostly used as guns for self-propelled artillery together with modernizedA-19 122mm.[11] | |||
| 130mmM-46 Field-Gun | ||||
| 152mmML-20 Howitzer | (Not yet seen in original configuration).[11] | |||
| Self-Propelled Artillery | ||||
| 100mm C-AP-BTR-100 | Cuba | unknown | ||
| 100mm C-AP-MP-T-100 | ||||
| 120mm M-AP-BRDM-120 ''M-AP-CBE-120'' | Two configurations[11] | |||
| 122mm2S1 Gvozdika | Soviet Union | |||
| 122mm C-AP-T-122 | Cuba | Two configurations[11] | ||
| 122mm C-AP-BMP-122' | ||||
| 122mm OBÚS-AP Jupiter-(?) | ||||
| 122mm C-AP Jupiter III | ||||
| 130mm C-AP-T-130 | ||||
| 130mm Jupiter I | Prototype[11] (Design exported to Vietnam).[14] | |||
| 152mm2S3 Akatsiya | Soviet Union | |||
| 152mm C-AP-T-152 | Cuba | |||
| Multiple Rocket Launchers | ||||
| 55mmMRG-1 | Soviet Union | unknown | ||
| 57mm Canimar-57 | Cuba | |||
| 122mmBM-21 Grad | ||||
| 122mm BM-21M | ||||
| 213mm RBU-6000 'Frontera' | ||||
| 240mmBM-24 | Soviet Union | |||
| Unknown MRL | Cuba | Three configurations[11] | ||
| Towed Anti-Aircraft Guns | ||||
| 12.7mmDShK | Soviet Union | unknown | ||
| 12.7mm M-53 |  Czech Republic | |||
| 14.5mmZPU-1 | Soviet Union | |||
| 14.5mmZPU-2 | (Not yet seen).[11] | |||
| 14.5mmZPU-4 | ||||
| 23mmZU-23 | ||||
| 30mm Vz.53/59 | Czech Republic | |||
| 37mmM-1939 (61-K) | Soviet Union | |||
| 57mmAZP S-60 | ||||
| Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Guns | ||||
| 23mmZSU-23-4 | Soviet Union | 400[11] | (Some armed with MANPADS).[14] | |
| 57mmZSU-57-2 | 25[11] | |||
| 23mm BTR-152-23-2 ''BTR-152-ZU-23 or Yatare-23'' | Cuba | unknown | ||
| 23mm BTR-60-23-2 ''BTR-60-ZU-23 or BTR-23'' | ||||
| 30mm BTR-60-30-2 | (Likely to have been decommissioned).[14] | |||
| 37mm BTR-60-37-2 ''Duplex-BTR-37'' | Two configurations[11] | |||
| 57mm T-54-57-2 ''Duplex-T-57'' | ||||
| Self-Propelled SAM Systems | ||||
| 2K12 Kub | Soviet Union | unknown | ||
| 9K33 Osa | (Some equipped with 4K33 Osa-M missiles).[11] | |||
| 9K31 Strela-1 | (Not yet seen in original configuration) Some equipped with R-13M AAMs).[15] | |||
| 9K35 Strela-10 | (Some equipped with 9M31s, MANPADS R-13M and R-60MK AAMs).[15] | |||
| MobileS-75 on a T-55(A) | Cuba | 25[11] | On T-55 chassis.[14] | |
| MobileS-125 on a T-55A | unknown | On T-55 chassis. This missile was seen in the Cuban Military Parade of 2006.[15] | ||
| Static SAM Systems | ||||
| S-75 | Soviet Union | unknown | ||
| S-125 | ||||
| Coastal Defence Systems | ||||
| 4K51 Rubezh | Soviet Union | unknown | ||
| Bandera VI-M 'Remulgadas | Cuba | Two configurations[11] | ||
| Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) | ||||
| Unknown UAV | unknown | unknown | ||
| Radars | ||||
| P-10 ''Knife Rest B'' | Soviet Union | unknown | (Documented by a few sources, not yet seen).[15] | |
| P-12 ''Spoon Rest A'' | (For the S-75).[14] | |||
| P-14 ''Tall King'' | (Satellite imagery available).[16] | |||
| P-18 ''Spoon Rest D'' | ||||
| P-19 "Flat Face B" | ||||
| Phased Array Antenna For P-19 ''Flat Face B'' | Cuba | (For the S-125).[11] | ||
| P-35/37 ''Bar Lock'' | Soviet Union | |||
| SNR-75 ''Fan Song'' | (For the S-75) Two configurations: (2) (Most mounted on tanks or trailers).[15] | |||
| SNR-125 ''Low Blow'' | (For the S-125) Two configurations: (2) (Most mounted on tanks).[15] | |||
| RSP-7 | ||||
| SURN 1S91 | (For the 2K12 Kub).[15] | |||
| PRV-9 ''Thin Skin'' | (Documented by a few sources, not yet seen).[14] | |||
| PRV-11 ''Side Net'' | ||||
| PRV-13 ''Odd Pair'' | (Documented by a few sources, not yet seen)[14] | |||
| SON-9A "Fire Can" | (Not yet seen).[15] | |||
| SON-50 ''RPK-1'' "Flap Wheel" | ||||
| 58N7 "Back Trap" | (Documented by a few sources, not yet seen)[14] | |||
| R-410M ''Twin Plate'' Troposcatter | ||||
| Mys and Furuno Coastal Radar | Cuba | |||
| RPK-2 "Tobol" | (For SPAAGs and 57mm AZP S-60).[15] | |||
| Name | Country of origin | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| PM | Soviet Union | Semi-automatic pistol | Standard issue pistol. |
| APS | Machine pistol | Used by Special Forces | |
| APS underwater rifle | Underwater assault rifle | In use with Special Forces. | |
| SKS | Semi-automatic carbine | Mostly limited to use as aceremonial weapon. | |
| AKM | Assault rifle | Standard issue assault rifle. | |
| RPK | Light machine gun | ||
| SG-43 | Medium machine gun | ||
| KPV | Heavy machine gun | ||
| PKM | General-purpose machine gun | ||
| PM-63 RAK |  Poland | Submachine gun | Used by some MTT units. |
| M16A1 |  United States | Assault rifle | Possibly captured sometime during theCold War. |
| SVD | Soviet Union | Semi-automatic sniper rifle | |
| Alejandro Sniper Rifle | Cuba | Bolt-action sniper rifle | |
| Mambi AMR | Anti-material rifle | ||
| RPG-7 | Soviet Union | Rocket-propelled grenade | |
| SPG-9 | Recoilless gun | ||
| AGS-17 | Automatic grenade launcher | ||
| LPO-50 | Flamethrower | ||
| RGD-5 | Hand grenade | ||
| F1 |
The most common uniform worn by Cuban soldiers appear to be solid color olive green utility uniforms. The utility uniform is worn with shined blackcombat boots, and the most common hats that are worn with this uniform are stiffenedpatrol caps that were made famous outside of Cuba by being worn byFidel Castro.
Soldiers in tank, military police, and special forces units are also allowed to wearberets with this uniform. The Cuban utility uniform greatly resembles theOG-107 uniform that was standard issue in theUnited States Armed Forces during the Cold War.
