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Revision as of 18:54, 5 February 2013 by Bobrayner (talk | contribs) (Seems to be relevant)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)| Serbian Armed Forces | |
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| 'Bojcka Србије Vojska Srbije | |
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| Founded | 1838 |
| Current form | 2006 |
| Service branches | Army Air Force and Air Defence River Flotilla |
| Headquarters | Belgrade, Serbia |
| Leadership | |
| Commander-in-Chief | President Tomislav Nikolić |
| Minister of Defence | Aleksandar Vučić |
| Chief of Staff | Lt. General Ljubiša Diković |
| Personnel | |
| Military age | 18 |
| Conscription | Abolished in 2011 |
| Fit for military service | 2,794,948 , age 15–49 |
| Reaching military age annually | 130,291 (2010) |
| Active personnel | 37,000 (Ranked ) |
| Expenditure | |
| Budget | EUR 675 million (2011) |
| Percent of GDP | 2.08% (2011) |
| Industry | |
| Domestic suppliers | Yugoimport SDPR Utva Aviation Industry Fabrika automobila Priboj Zastava Arms Prvi Partizan |
| Related articles | |
| History | Military history of Serbia |
| Ranks | Military ranks of Serbia |
The Serbian Armed Forces (Template:Lang-sr) are the armed services of Serbia. They consist of the Serbian Army (includes River Flotilla on the Danube) and the Serbian Air Force and Air Defence. The armed forces are entirely professional and volunteer based.
History
Main article: Military history of SerbiaThe first documented Serbian military operation dates to the 9th century when Vlastimir defended the Serbian Principality from the invading Bulgarian Khanate. Over the following centuries Serbia would evolve into the Serbian Empire, one of the largest states in Europe at the time.
Moravian Serbia was governed by Stefan Lazarević who introduced modern military tactics and firearms to his army, however the new technology failed to defeat the superior numbers of the Ottoman Empire. The Ottomans had suppressed the formation of a Serbian state along with its military from 1540 until 1804, the year of the first Serbian uprising.
The 1804 Serbian Revolution, started with a Serbian rebellion against the Ottoman occupation of Serbia. The victories in the battles of Ivankovac, Mišar, Deligrad and Belgrade, led to the establishment of the Principality of Serbia in 1817. The subsequent Second Serbian Revolution led to full recognition of Serbian independence, establishment of the Kingdom of Serbia and weakened the Ottoman dominance in the Balkans. In 1885 Serbia had a war against Bulgaria. In 1912 First Balkan War, (Serbia, Greece, Montenegro and Bulgaria) against the Ottoman Empire. The victories in the Battle of Kumanovo, Battle of Prilep, Battle of Monastir, Battle of Adrianople, Siege of Scutari. 1913 is the second Balkan war broke out because of Bulgaria, dissatisfied with its share of the spoils of the First Balkan War, attacked its former allies, Serbia and Greece,Bulgaria has suffered great losses by Serbia in the Battle of Battle of Bregalnica, the war was over by the Bulgarian defeat and signed the Treaty of Bucharest (1913).
Serbia's independence and growing influence threatened neighboring Austria-Hungary which lead to the Bosnian crisis of 1908-1909. Consequently, since 1901, all Serbian males between the ages of 21 to 46 were liable for general mobilization. In 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, following the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, marking the start of the First World War. Serbia repelled 3 consecutive invasions by Austria, winning the first major victories of the war for the Allies, but was eventually overwhelmed by the combined forces of the Central Powers.
Armed neutrality
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Following United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244, Serbian armed forces withdrew from Kosovo. Kosovo had declared independence in the wake of the Kosovo War, which involved Serbian armed forces.
Organization
The Serbian General Staff is composed of the highest-ranking officers who form the basic strategic command. The current Chief of Staff is Lieutenant General Ljubiša Diković. Tactical and operational command is separated into the branches, consisting of the Army, Air Force and Air Defence, and a Training Command.
Serbia abolished conscription on January 1, 2011.
Budget and defence industry
Serbia's current defence spending stands at 2.08% of the GDP, this represents a drop in overall relation to the GDP as a percentage. Over 30% of the budget is spent on pensions alone. The continuing drive to modernize the military will add onto costs in the future. To promote efficient use of funds, the Strategic Defence Review has helped eliminate redundant services, withdrawal of outdated equipment, increase manoeuvrability and decrease response time. The number of active personnel has been significantly reduced from pre-2004 levels. As of 2011, over 90% of the armed forces are composed of professional soldiers and volunteers. Serbia is the largest exporter and producer of military hardware in the region. Serbian defence industry exports totalled 500 million U.S. dollars in 2009.
Peacekeeping
The Serbian Armed Forces currently take part in five United Nations peacekeeping missions. The Serbian Medical Corps has participated in the Congo since March 2003.
| Country | Current Mission | Number of personnel |
|---|---|---|
 Cyprus
|
UNFICYP | 1 staff officer, 2 observers and 6 infantry |
 DR Congo
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MONUC | 2 staff officers, 2 doctors and 4 technicians |
 Ivory Coast
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UNOCI | 3 officers as military observers |
 Lebanon
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UNIFIL | 5 staff officers |
 Liberia
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UNMIL | 4 officers as military observers |
See also
References
- World Factbook
- ^ Defense Ministry press conference
- Serbian Army in WWI
- ^ Sentinel Security Assessment
- Serbia's defence budget - Janes.com
- "Serbia's Arms Industry Recovers to Become Major Exporter". Bloomberg Television. 16 September 2009.
- Current UN missions
- Arsenal - (in Serbian)
External links
 Serbian Armed Forces  | |
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