Moldovan Ground Forces

The Moldovan Ground Forces is the land armed forces branch of the Moldovan Armed Forces.

At the beginning of 1994, the Moldovan army (under the Ministry of Defense) consisted of 9,800 men organized into three motor rifle brigades, one artillery brigade, and one reconnaissance/assault battalion. Its equipment consisted of fifty-six ballistic missile defenses; seventy-seven armored personnel carriers and sixty-seven "look-alikes;" eighteen 122 mm and fifty-three 152 mm towed artillery units; nine 120 mm combined guns/mortars; seventy AT-4 Spigot, nineteen AT-5 Spandrel, and twenty-seven AT-6 Spiral anti-tank guided weapons; a 73 mm SPG-9 recoilless launcher, forty-five MT-12 100 mm anti-tank guns; and thirty ZU-23 23 mm and twelve S-60 57 mm air defense guns. Moldova has received some arms from former Soviet stocks maintained on the territory of the republic as well as undetermined quantities of arms from Romania, particularly at the height of the fighting with Transnistria.

By 2006–7, the Army had been reduced to a strength of 5,710, including three motor rifle brigades, one artillery brigade, and independent SF and engineer battalions, plus an independent guard unit. Equipment included 44 BMD-1 AIFV, and 266 APCs, including 91 TAB-71s, as well as 227 artillery pieces.

In 2010, the Army had been further reduced to 5,148 (3,176 professional soldiers and 1,981 conscripts) plus 2,379 paramilitary forces. The reserve force consists of 66,000 troops. Equipment included 44 AIFV, 164 APCs, 148 artillery pieces, 117 ATGMs, 138+ recoilless guns, 36 towed antitank guns and 37 towed anti-aircraft guns.

Current Structure

 * Moldova08..jpg 1st Infantry Brigade "Moldova" – Bălţi
 * Moldova09..jpg 2nd Infantry Brigade "Stefan Cel Mare" – Chişinău
 * Moldova15.jpg 3rd Infantry Brigade "Dacia" – Cahul
 * Moldova13.jpg Artillery Brigade "Prut" – Ungheni
 * Moldova06.jpg Independent Engineer Battalion Codru
 * Moldova10.jpg Independent Radio Regiment Basarabia
 * Moldova07.jpg Independent Special Forces Battalion Fulger – Chişinău
 * Moldova05.jpg Independent Honour Guard Company – Chişinău
 * Moldova01.jpg Ministry of defence – Chişinău
 * CoATrupeCarabinieri.png Carabinier Troops (is the Gendarmerie-type force of the Republic of Moldova)