Zambian Army

The Zambian Army is the land military branch of the Zambian Defence Force. Like all branches of the Zambian military, citizens of the nation are required to register at 16 years old, and citizens can join at 16 years old with parental consent or at 18 years old when they are classified as adults by Zambia. There is currently no conscription. (There was a Zambia National Defence Force conscription from 1975 to 1980.) Applicants must be Zambian citizens and must have a school Grade 12 certification. Applicants must also undergo a test for HIV on enlistment. Personnel can serve until age 55, when there is a mandatory retirement. Its first Commander Major General was Michael Grigg, appointed by Kenneth Kaunda. The first local Commander was Gen Kingsley Chinkuli. According to the 2014 CIA World Factbook:

  • There are 3,041,069 men between 16-49 who are classified as manpower (this does not mean that all of them are fit for duty), and 2,948,291 women between 16–49 who are classified as manpower. This makes a total of 5,989,360 people classified as manpower.
  • There are 1,745,656 men who are classified as fit for military service between the ages of 16–49. There are 1,688,670 women who are classified as fit for military service between the ages of 16–49. Therefore, Zambia has 3,434,326 people fit for military service between the ages of 16–49.
  • 1.55% of the GDP of Zambia is spent on the military, ranked 70th in the world.[1]
Zambian Army
Australian Governor General Quentin Bryce inspecting the Zambia Regiment in Lusaka.
Founded1963 (1963)
Country Zambia
TypeLand force
RoleGround warfare
Part ofZambian Defence Force
HeadquartersLusaka
Commanders
Current
commander		Lt Gen Dennis Alibuzwi

Organisation

The current Army organisation is as follows:[2][3]

Three infantry brigades:

  • 1 Brigade (Lusaka)
  • 2 Brigade (Kabwe)
  • 3 Brigade (Ndola)

With the following units:

  • 64th Armoured Tank Regiment (tank).
  • 17th Cavalry Regiment (armoured reconnaissance)
  • 10th Medium Artillery Regiment
    • 2 Artillery Battalions
    • Multiple Rocket Launchers Battalion
  • 1 Engineer Regiment, Mufulira
  • 6 Construction Regiment
  • Mechanised battalion
  • Zambia Regiment (raised in 1964 from the Northern Rhodesia Regiment)
    • Light Infantry
      • 1st Battalion
      • 2nd Battalion
      • 3rd Battalion
      • 4th Battalion
      • 5th Battalion
      • 6th Battalion
    • Reserve Infantry
      • 7th Battalion
      • 8th Battalion
      • 9th Battalion
  • 1 Commando Battalion
  • 48th Marine Unit
  • Specialist schools

Equipment

Small arms
Name Image Caliber Type Origin Notes
Pistols
TT-33[4] 7.62×25mm Semi-automatic pistol  Soviet Union
Makarov PM[4] 9×18mm Semi-automatic pistol  Soviet Union
Stechkin APS[4] 9×18mm Semi-automatic pistol  Soviet Union
Browning Hi-Power[4] 9×19mm Semi-automatic pistol  Belgium
Sub-machine guns
Sterling[4] 9×19mm Submachine gun  United Kingdom
Sten[4] 9×19mm Submachine gun  United Kingdom
Heckler & Koch MP5[5] 9×19mm Submachine gun  West Germany
Rifles
FN FAL[4] 7.62×51mm Battle rifle  Belgium
Heckler & Koch G3[4] 7.62×51mm Battle rifle  West Germany
Zastava M59/66[4] 7.62×39mm Semi-automatic rifle  Yugoslavia
AKM[4] 7.62×39mm Assault rifle  Soviet Union
AK-74[4] 5.45×39mm Assault rifle  Soviet Union
AK-63 7.62×39mm Assault rifle  Hungarian People's Republic
IWI Galil ACE[6] 5.56×45mm Assault rifle
Carbine		  Israel
IWI Tavor[6] 5.56×45mm Bullpup
Assault rifle		  Israel
Machine guns
DShK[4] 12.7×108mm Heavy machine gun  Soviet Union
SG-43[4] 7.62×54mmR Medium machine gun  Soviet Union
RP-46[7] 7.62×54mmR Light machine gun  Soviet Union
RPK[4] 7.62×39mm Squad automatic weapon  Soviet Union
PKM[4] 7.62×54mmR General-purpose machine gun  Soviet Union
KPV[4] 14.5×114mm Heavy machine gun  Soviet Union
Type 67[4] 7.62×54mmR General-purpose machine gun  China
FN MAG[4] 7.62×51mm General-purpose machine gun  Belgium
Browning M1919[4] 7.62×51mm Medium machine gun  United States
Grenade launchers
RPG-2[4] 40mm Rocket-propelled grenade  Soviet Union
RPG-7[4] 40mm Rocket-propelled grenade  Soviet Union

Tanks
Name Image Type Origin Quantity Status Notes
T-55 Medium tank  Soviet Union 25[8] INS Deliveries in 1976 and 1981.
PT-76 Amphibious Light tank  Soviet Union 30[8] INS
Type 59 Main battle tank  China 20[9] INS

Armored vehicles
Name Image Type Origin Quantity Status Notes
BTR-60 Armoured personnel carrier  Soviet Union 13[8] INS
BTR-70 Armoured personnel carrier  Soviet Union 20[8] INS
BTR-80 Armoured personnel carrier  Soviet Union 20[10] INS
BRDM-1 Amphibious armored scout car  Soviet Union 44 INS Acquired in 1980.[8]
BRDM-2 Amphibious armored scout car  Soviet Union 44 INS Acquired in 1981.[8]
GAZ Tigr Infantry Mobility Vehicle  Russia 35[11] INS GAZ-233014
WZ551 Armoured personnel carrier  China 20 INS 6X6 WZ551B variant.[8]
Ratel Infantry fighting vehicle  South Africa 14[12] INS
Buffel Infantry mobility vehicle  South Africa 1[8] INS Rhino variant.
Saymar Musketeer Armored car  Israel INS [13]

Anti-tank weapons
Name Image Type Origin Caliber Notes
Carl Gustav M4[4] Recoilless rifle  Sweden 84mm
M18[4] Recoilless rifle  United States 57mm
M20[14] Recoilless rifle  United States 75mm
9M14 Malyutka[15] Anti-tank missile  Soviet Union 75mm

Artillery
Name Image Type Origin Quantity Status Notes
Self-propelled artillery
ATMOS 2000 Self-propelled  Israel 6 INS Mounted on a Czech 6×6 Tatra 10-tonne chassis.[6]
Elbit Spear MK2 Self-propelled mortar  Israel 6 INS Mounted on an Indian Tata Trucks LPTA 713TC 4×4 chassis.[6]
Rocket artillery
BM-21 Grad Multiple rocket launcher  Soviet Union 50[16] INS
Field artillery
Type 59 Towed field gun  Soviet Union
 China		 18[8] INS
D-30 Howitzer  Soviet Union 24[8] INS
Mod.56 Howitzer  Italy 18[17] INS

Air defence systems
Name Image Type Origin Quantity Status Notes
KS-12 Anti-aircraft gun  Soviet Union 16 INS
61-K Autocannon  Soviet Union 40[16] INS
Zastava M55 Autocannon  Soviet Union 50[16] INS

Unmanned aerial vehicles
Name Image Type Origin In service Notes
Elbit Skylark Miniature UAV  Israel 2[6]

References
  1. "Zambia Military 2020, CIA World Factbook".
  2. "Zambia Defence Force". 8 October 2014.
  3. Lungu H. & Ngoma, N. (2005) The Zambian military—trials, tribulations and hope. In: Rupiya, M. (ed.) Evolutions and Revolutions: A Contemporary History of Militaries in Southern Africa. Institute for Security Studies, Pretoria: 331-329. ISBN 1-919913-82-3
  4. Jones, Richard D. Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010. Jane's Information Group; 35 edition (January 27, 2009). ISBN 978-0-7106-2869-5.
  5. Jones & Ness 2009, p. 514.
  6. "Zambian military parades new equipment". Janes. 2021-05-22. Retrieved 2021-08-28.
  7. Zambia Watchdog (2017-06-09). "Zambia dented, instability to continue up to 2021 – Economist Group". Zambia Watchdog. Retrieved 2017-06-15.
  8. "Arms Trade Register". SIPRI. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
  9. International Institute for Strategic Studies: The Military Balance 2014, p.467
  10. "Analysis: Zambia Defence Forces unveil new armored vehicles and military equipment | weapons defence industry military technology UK | analysis focus army defence military industry army". www.armyrecognition.com. Retrieved 2021-07-01.
  11. "The head of the military-industrial complex Alexander Krasovitsky: Russia delivered 35 armored vehicles "Tiger" to Zambia". ЦАМТО / Centre for Analysis of World Arms Trade. 2021-08-27. Retrieved 2021-08-28.
  12. SA Ratels in Libya spur DA to call for investigation
  13. "Zambia showcases new military hardware during military parade". defenceWeb. 2021-05-22. Retrieved 2021-08-29.
  14. Gander, Terry J.; Cutshaw, Charles Q., eds. (2001). Jane's Infantry Weapons 2001/2002 (27th ed.). Coulsdon: Jane's Information Group. ISBN 9780710623171.
  15. International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) (14 February 2018). "The Military Balance 2018". The Military Balance. Routledge. 118.
  16. Military Balance 2016, p. 476.
  17. International Institute for Strategic Studies (2018). The Military Balance. p. 495. ISBN 978-1857439557.

Works cited
  • International Institute for Strategic Studies (February 2016). The Military Balance 2016. Vol. 116. Routlegde. ISBN 978-1-85743-835-2.
  • Jones, Richard D.; Ness, Leland S., eds. (2009). Jane's Infantry Weapons 2009/2010 (35th ed.). Coulsdon: Jane's Information Group. ISBN 978-0-7106-2869-5.
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