| Luxembourg Armed Forces | |
|---|---|
| Lëtzebuerger Arméi Armée luxembourgeoise | |
 Luxembourg Armed Forces emblem | |
| Founded | 16 February 1881 (144 years, 364 days) |
| Current form | 29 June 1967 (58 years, 231 days) |
| Headquarters | Military Centre "Caserne Grand-Duc Jean",Diekirch |
| Leadership | |
| Grand Duke | Guillaume V |
| Minister for Defence | Yuriko Backes |
| Chief of Defence | GeneralSteve Thull[1] |
| Personnel | |
| Military age | 18-26 |
| Active personnel | 1,197 (2024)[2] |
| Expenditure | |
| Budget | 1.254 billionEuro (2025)[3] |
| Percent of GDP | 2.00% (2025)[3] |
| Related articles | |
| History | Military history of Luxembourg |
| Ranks | Military ranks of Luxembourg |
TheLuxembourg Armed Forces (Luxembourgish:Lëtzebuerger Arméi;French:Armée luxembourgeoise) are the national military force ofLuxembourg. The army has been a fullyvolunteer military since 1967. As of 2024, it has 1,197 personnel.[2]
The army is undercivilian control, with thegrand duke ascommander-in-chief. Theminister for defence, currentlyYuriko Backes, oversees army operations. The professional head of the army is theChief of Defence, who answers to the minister and holds the rank ofgeneral. Current office holder is generalSteve Thull.
Luxembourg has provided military personnel forUN,NATO andEUpeacekeeping missions since 1992. It has been a member ofEurocorps since 1994.
On 8 January 1817,William I,Grand Duke of Luxembourg, published a constitutional law governing the organization of a militia, the main provisions of which were to remain in force until the militia was abolished in 1881. The law fixed the militia's strength at 3,000 men. Until 1840, Luxembourg's militiamen served in units of theRoyal Netherlands Army. Enlisted men served for five years: the first year consisted of active service, but during each of the subsequent four years of service they were mobilised only three times per year.[4]
In 1839, William I became a party to theTreaty of London by which the Grand-Duchy lost its western, francophone territories to theBelgian province of Luxembourg. Due to the country's population having been halved, with the loss of 160,000 inhabitants, the militia lost half its strength. Under the terms of the treaty, Luxembourg and the newly formedDuchy of Limburg, both members of theGerman Confederation, were together required to provide a federal contingent consisting of a light infantry battalion garrisoned inEchternach, a cavalry squadron inDiekirch, and an artillery detachment inEttelbruck. In 1846, the cavalry and artillery units were disbanded and the Luxembourg contingent was separated from that of Limburg. The Luxembourg contingent now consisted of two light infantry battalions, one in Echternach and the second in Diekirch; two reserve companies; and a depot company.[5]
In 1866, theAustro-Prussian War resulted in the dissolution of the German Confederation. Luxembourg was declared neutral in perpetuity by the1867 Treaty of London, and in accordance, its fortress was demolished in the following years. In 1867, the Prussian garrison left the fortress, and the two battalions of Luxembourg light infantry entered the city of Luxembourg that September.[5]
A new military organization was established in 1867, consisting of two battalions, known as theCorps des Chasseurs Luxembourgeois, having a total strength of 1,568 officers and men. In 1868, the contingent came to consist of one light infantry battalion of four companies, with a strength of 500 men. On 16 February 1881, the light infantry battalion was disbanded with the abolition of the militia-based system.[6]
On 16 February 1881, theCorps des Gendarmes et Volontaires (Corps of Gendarmes and Volunteers) was established. It was composed of two companies, acompany of gendarmes and one of volunteers. In 1939, a corps of auxiliary volunteers was established and attached to the company of volunteers. Following the occupation of Luxembourg by Germany in May 1940, recruitment for the company of volunteers continued until 4 December 1940, when they were moved toWeimar, Germany, to be trained as German police.[7][8]
In November 1918 Luxembourg facedtwo small communist rebellions inLuxembourg City andEsch-sur-Alzette. Both were quickly suppressed by police.[9] In December 1918 a group of soldiers attempted a mutiny in the Luxembourg City barracks.[10]
On 9 January 1919, a group of socialist and liberal deputies, tabled a motion to make Luxembourg a republic. A crowd gathered at the barracks of theCorps of Volunteers, close to the Chamber. ThenÉmile Servais, a left-wing politician, walked out the Chamber, addressed the crowd and demanded a republic. The crowd then rushed the Chamber and the deputies called in the Corps of Volunteers but the soldiers refused the orders to disperse the crowd. Part of the deputies then fled the Chamber. The remaining deputies, mainly left-wing, formed theCommittee of Public Safety with Servais as its leader. The committee had no public support and theFrench Army under the command of General de La Tour soon quelled the turmoil.[9]
In 1944 during World War II, the Luxembourg Government, while exiled in London, made agreements for a group of seventy Luxembourg volunteers to be assigned to the Artillery Group of the1st Belgian Infantry Brigade, commonly known as Brigade Piron,Jean-Baptiste Piron being the chief of this unit. This contingent was named the Luxembourg Battery. Initially, it was built up and trained by two Belgian officers. Later, from August 1944, these were joined by Luxembourg officers, who had received training in Britain.[11]
Several Luxembourg NCOs and half of the country's troops had fought in North Africa in theFrench Foreign Legion. The rest were people who had escaped from Luxembourg, and young men evading forcible conscription into the Wehrmacht by fleeing to Britain. The Luxembourg unit landed in Normandy on 6 August 1944—at approximately the same time as the Dutch Princess Irene Brigade and the French2nd Armoured Division ("2e Division blindée") commanded by GeneralLeclerc—two months after the D-Day landings.[11]
The Luxembourg Battery was equipped with fourOrdnance QF 25 pounder howitzers, which were named after the four daughters of Grand Duchess Charlotte:Princesses Elisabeth,Marie Adelaide,Marie Gabriele andAlix.[11]
Conscription was introduced in Luxembourg for the first time in November 1944.[12] In 1945, theCorps de la Garde Grand Ducale (Grand Ducal Guard Corps) garrisoned in the Saint-Esprit barracks inLuxembourg City and the 1st and 2nd infantry battalions were established, one inWalferdange and the other inDudelange. The Luxembourg Armed Forces took charge of part of theFrench occupation zone in Germany, the 2nd Battalion occupying part of theBitburg district and a detachment from the 1st Battalion part of theSaarburg district. The 2nd Battalion remained in Bitburg until 1955.[13] The strength of the army rose to 2,150 men.[12] Luxembourg signed theTreaty of Brussels in March 1948, and theNorth Atlantic Treaty in 1949.[13]
Setting up an army after the war proved more difficult than predicted.[14] To a certain extent, the authorities could rely on escaped German conscripts and Luxembourgers who had joined Allied armies;[14] however, they had to find a way to train officers. Initially, British military advisers came to Luxembourg, where training was carried out by British officers and NCOs.[14] But officer training, in the long term, would have to be done in military schools abroad. Belgium and France were both interested in helping and offered solutions.[14] In the end, the government opted for a compromise solution, by sending some officer cadets to theÉcole spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr in France and others to theRoyal Military Academy in Belgium. This eventually led to disunity within the Luxembourg officer corps due to differences in training and promotion.[14]
In 1951, the Grand Ducal Guard relocated toWalferdange and integrated with theCommandement des Troupes. The Guard had special units for reconnaissance, radiac reconnaissance, and anti-air warfare. From 1955, it was organised into a headquarters company, a garrison platoon, a reconnaissance company and two training companies. In 1959, theCommandement des Troupes was disbanded and the Grand Ducal Guard was integrated into theCommandement du Territoire (Territorial Command). The force was reduced to a single company, a corporals' training school, and a weapons platoon. In 1960, the Grand Ducal Guard was again reorganised into four platoons, temporarily grouped into intervention and reinforcement detachments. In 1964, the Grand Ducal Guard was organized into a HQ, three platoons, a reinforcement platoon, and the NCO school.[citation needed] On 28 February 1966, the Grand Ducal Guard was officially disbanded.
In 1950, seventeen countries, including Luxembourg, decided to send armed forces to assist theRepublic of Korea. The Luxembourg contingent was incorporated into theBelgian United Nations Command or the Korean Volunteer Corps. The Belgo-Luxembourgish battalion arrived in Korea in 1951, and was attached to the US3rd Infantry Division. Two Luxembourger soldiers were killed and 17 were wounded in the war. The Belgo-Luxembourg battalion was disbanded in 1955.
In 1954, theGroupement Tactique Régimentaire (GTR) (Regimental Tactical Group) was established as Luxembourg's contribution to NATO. It consisted of three infantry battalions, an artillery battalion, and support, medical, transport, signals, engineering, heavy mortar, reconnaissance, and headquarters companies. By 1954, its overall strength had risen to 5,200 men. The GTR was disbanded in 1959.[15][12]
In addition to the GTR, the Army also included the Territorial Command, composed of headquarters, military police, movement and transportation companies, a static guard battalion, and a mobile battalion.[15] By 1954, it numbered some 2,500 men.[12] At the same date, some 2.45 percent of the country's population was serving in the military.[12]
In 1961, the 1st Artillery Battalion was placed at NATO's disposal. The battalion was organised into three batteries, each with six 105 millimetres (4.1 in) field howitzers (British25 pounder guns converted to 105 mm caliber) from the former GTR artillery battalion, an HQ battery, and a service battery. In 1963, the battalion was attached to the US8th Infantry Division. In 1966, the Grand Ducal Guard was disbanded and its tasks were transferred to and performed by the 1st Artillery Battalion until it too was disbanded, in 1967.[16]
Compulsory military service was abolished in 1967 by which time some 34,700 men had served at some point in the Luxembourg Army.[12] As part of a major reorganisation of the military, the 1st Infantry Battalion was established, consisting of a headquarters and services unit, two motorized infantry companies, and a reconnaissance company with two reconnaissance (recce) platoons and an anti-tank platoon.[16] From 1968 onwards, it formed a part of NATO'sACE Mobile Force (Land) (AMF(L)). In 1985, a reinforced company—consisting of an AMF Company with two recce platoons and an anti-tank platoon, a forward air-control team, a national support element for logistics, and a medical support element—replaced the battalion. In 2002 the AMF(L) was dissolved.
Luxembourg started financially supporting internationalpeacekeeping missions in 1991, citing thePersian Gulf War,Rwanda and inAlbania.[17] Luxembourg has been deploying military personnel for peacekeeping missions since 1992.
Luxembourg has contributed troops to theUNPROFOR from April 1992 to August 1993, deploying in total 40 military personnel in a Belgian battalion. In 1996 Luxembourg contributed toIFOR missions in formerYugoslavia in a multinational transport company. This was followed by a small contingent in theNATOSFOR mission inBosnia and Herzegovina, completing 9 personnel rotations. The Luxembourg Armed Forces were integrated into theMultinational Beluga Force underBelgian command.
Luxembourg has contributed over 18 years in NATOKFOR, totalling 1200 military personnel. Luxembourg deployed a reconnaissance platoon first from 2000 to 2006 under Belgian command and from 2007 to 2011 under aFrench detachment. From 2011 to 2017 Luxembourg was subordinated to the headquarters inPristina, collaborating with an Austrian reconnaissance company.
Together with Belgium, Luxembourg contributed military personnel toUNIFIL in Lebanon from 2006 to 2014.
Over 35 rotations, Luxembourg troops have been deployed toAfghanistan from 2003 to 2014 to supportISAF inKabul andKandahar. The army has also participated in humanitarian relief missions such as setting up refugee camps forKurds and providing emergency supplies to Albania.[18] Furthermore, Luxembourg participated in theRSM in Mazar-i-Sharif from 2015 to 2021 and provided evacuation support during the August 2021 Taliban offensive in Kabul.
The Luxembourg Armed Forces have also been active in Africa, supporting the EU Security Reform Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (EUSEC RDC), the EU Military Operation in Eastern Chad and North Eastern Central African Republic (EUFOR Chad/CAR), following with theMINURCAT. From 2013 to 2022 Luxembourg provided support toEUTM in Mali.
Luxembourg is also active in the NATOeFP, contributing logistical and satellite transmission support inLithuania since 2017.[19]
The army is undercivilian control, with theGrand Duke asCommander-in-Chief. TheMinister for Defence oversees army operations. The professional head of the army is theChief of Defence, currentlySteve Thull, who answers to the minister. The Grand Duke and the Chief of Defence are the onlygenerals, withcolonels as Deputy Chief of Defence and head of theMilitary Training Centre.[20]
Until 1999, the army was integrated into theForce Publique (Public Force), which included the Gendarmerie and the Police, until theGendarmerie was merged with theGrand Ducal Police under a different minister in 2000. The army has been an all-volunteer force since 1967.[21] It has a strength of around 900 professional soldiers and 200 civilians[22][23] with a total budget of approximately $389 million, or 0.57% of GDP in 2021.[3]
The Luxembourg Army is a battalion-sized formation with four separatecompagnies (companies) under the control of theCentre Militaire (Military Centre), located in the Caserne Grand-Duc Jean barracks onHerrenberg hill near the town ofDiekirch. Luxembourg has nonavy, as the country islandlocked. It has anair force since 2021[24] and an aircraft.[25]
Compagnie A, the first of two rifle companies that forms the Luxembourg contingent of theEurocorps, is normally integrated into the Belgian contribution during operations. As such, it participates in Eurocorps' contribution to theNATO Response Force (entire company) and the EU Battlegroups (one platoon). The company consists of a command element and three reconnaissance platoons of four sections each, plus a command section. Each section is equipped with two armouredM1114 HMMWVs, each armed with a .50 caliberM2 Browning machine gun. The command section has aMAN X40 truck in addition to its pair of HMMWVs.
Compagnie B, currently known as the Reconversion Service, is the educational unit of the Army, providing various educational courses for personnel to take in preparation for advancement. On 19 May 2011, Company B was redesignated as theService de Reconversion (Reconversion Service) with the mission to prepare volunteer soldiers for the return to civilian life.[26] The service includes theL'Ecole de l'Armee (Army School). In order to attend this school a soldier must have at least eighteen months of service. The school is divided into two sections:
Compagnie C, better known as theCompagnie Commandement et Instruction (Staff & Instruction Company), is the main military training unit of the Luxembourg Armed Forces, with instruction given in:
This company is also responsible for the army's Elite Sports Section, reserved for sportsmen in the Army. Following their basic training, these soldiers join theSection de Sports d'Elite de l'Armée (SSEA).
Compagnie D is the second rifle company – it provided Luxembourg's contribution to NATO'sACE Mobile Force (Land) (disbanded in 2002) as the Luxembourg Reconnaissance Company. Luxembourg's participation in various UN, EU, and NATO missions is drawn from Compagnie D, which mirrors Compagnie A in organisation, with a command element and three reconnaissance platoons.
Luxembourg has a small air wing. AllNATO AWACS planes are registered to the LAF and sport the Luxembourg Armed Forces roundel.
| Aircraft | Variant | Origin | Type | In service | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A400M | — |  Belgium | Strategic transport /Tactical airlift | 1 (Luxembourg) 8 (total bi-national unit) | [27] Bi-national military transport unit, with the first aircraft delivered to Luxembourg in October 2020.[28] 7 A400M and 2 refuelling kits for the A400M are operated by the Belgian15th Air Transport Wing.[29][30] The bi-national (Belgium and Luxembourg) unit operates 8 A400Ms in total. The final aircraft was delivered in 2024.[31] |
| Airbus H145 | H145M |  Germany | Light utility helicopter | 1 | [32][33] 2 H145M received in January 2020, 1 for the Police, and 1 for the Luxembourg Air Wing. |
| Model | Variant | Operators | Image | Origin | Type | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tanker / Transport | |||||||
| Airbus A330 MRTT Multi-Role Tanker Transport | A330-200 MRTT | MMF [de] Multinational MRTT Fleet | .jpg)
|  France | Tanker /Transport aircraft | 9 (+3 on order)[27] | [34] Based at theEindhoven Air Base in the Netherlands.[35]
The first aircraft entered service in June 2020, the ninth in February 2025. |
| Air surveillance | |||||||
| Boeing E-3 Sentry | E-3A | NAEW&CF programme NATO Airborne Early Warning & Control Force | .jpg) |  United States | AEW&C Airborne early warning and control | 14[27] | [41] Based atNATO Air Base Geilenkirchen, Germany. 18 E-3 used initially, and to be replaced by the E-7 Wedgetail, of which 6 ordered in January 2024.[42][43] |
| Boeing E-7 Wedgetail | E-7A | .jpg) | 0 (+6 on order)[27] | ||||
| UAV | |||||||
| RQ-4 Global Hawk | RQ-4D Phoenix (Block 40) | AGS Alliance Ground Surveillance | .jpg) | United States | UAVHALE,ISR,Combat Unmanned aerial vehicle high altitude long endurance, intelligence surveillance reconnaissance | 5 | [44] |
Previous aircraft operated were 3Piper PA-18 Super Cub's from 1952 to 1968.[45]
.jpg)
Luxembourg military uniforms consist of dress, service (or garrison) and field uniforms, often worn with ablack beret. Dress uniforms are worn mostly on formal occasions, while service uniforms are worn for daily duty. Luxembourg Armed Forces uniforms consist of service and field attire for summer and winter, as well as a dress uniform and mess jacket for officers. The winter service dress uniform, of olive drab wool, consists of a single-breasted coat having patch pockets with flaps, a khaki shirt and tie, and trousers that are usually cuffless.[46] The summer uniform is similar, but made of light tan material.
Combat uniforms use either a temperate or desert camouflage pattern resembling the Finnish M05 pattern. These patterns were adopted in 2010–11 to replace theU.S. Woodland pattern used since 1985.[47]
Those who have completed high school will enter a special thirteen-week basic training in the Army as warrant officers, then attend the military officer school for five years (normally in Brussels, Belgium), before becoming a lieutenant in the Luxembourg Armed Forces.
Aspiring officers are sent to the BelgianÉcole Royale Militaire in Brussels, or theEcole Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr in France. After the first two years at these schools, officer-cadets receive the title of lieutenant.[48]
After leaving the military academy, officer candidates become probationary officers for a period of twenty-four months.[48] The probation period consists of specialised military-branch training at a school abroad, and practical service within one of the Army's units. If they succeed during this probation, their appointment as lieutenants is made permanent.[48]
Those who have completed five years of high school and have served four months as voluntary soldiers, will do a nine-month stage at the Infantry Training Department of theBelgian Army inArlon, before becoming sergeants in the Luxembourg Armed Forces.[49]
Those who have not completed five years of high school may, after three years of service, become career corporals in the Luxembourg Armed Forces, if they pass physical and mental tests. They also have to pass a part of the NCO School in Belgium.[50]
| NATO code | OF-10 | OF-9 | OF-8 | OF-7 | OF-6 | OF-5 | OF-4 | OF-3 | OF-2 | OF-1 | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Luxembourg Army[51] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||||||||||||
| Général | Colonel | Lieutenant-colonel | Major | Capitaine | Lieutenant en premier | Lieutenant | ||||||||||||||||||
| NATO code | OR-9 | OR-8 | OR-7 | OR-6 | OR-5 | OR-4 | OR-3 | OR-2 | OR-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luxembourg Army[51] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Adjudant-major | Adjudant-chef | Adjudant | Sergent-chef | Premier sergent | Sergent | Premier caporal-chef | Caporal-chef | Caporal de première classe | Caporal | Premier soldat-chef | Soldat-chef | Soldat de première classe | Soldat | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Luxembourg has a law permitting companies to only produce such material for the armed forces (domestic or foreign) that is not a lethal weapon. As lethal weapon production is banned, Luxembourg Armed Forces sources its weapons from abroad. Luxembourg does however have some production of military and dual-use equipment that are not lethal weapons; about 75 firms in Luxembourg produce (directly or indirectly) material that armed forces use. Such equipment is for example armored rescue vehicles (inter alia ambulances) and drones. Luxembourg has been growing its defense industry afterRussian attack on Ukraine and discussion about modifying the lethal weapons ban have taken place.[52][53][54]
Luxembourg has a satellite in orbit, theGovSat-1, which is used in military communications. Luxembourg has 4 dedicated government/military satellite communications ground stations. Luxembourg's satellite communications work in co-operation with NATO allies.[55][56]
| NATO land forces |  | |
|---|---|---|
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