AFGHAN NATIONAL ARMY

'Afghan National Army' (ANA) is the army of Afghanistan that is being trained by the to ultimately take the lead in land-based military operations. Since 2002, multi-billion US dollars worth military equipment, facilities, and other form of aid was provided to the Military of Afghanistan. Most of this came from the United States and included 2,500 Humvees, tens of thousands of M-16 assault rifles, body armored jackets as well as other types of vehicles and weapons. It also includes the building of a national military command center, with training compounds in each province of the country.^[2]
To thwart and dissolve localized militias, the government of Afghanistan has offered cash and vocational training to encourage members to join the ANA.

Contents

Training

History

Current status

Operations

Operation Achilles

Equipment

Senior Officers

Future

Gallery

See also

References

External links

Training

Different members of the have undertaken different responsibilities in the creation of the ANA. All these various efforts are managed on the Coalition side by Combined Security Transition Command - Afghanistan (CSTC-A), a two-star level multi-national command headquartered in downtown Kabul. On the ANA side, as of July 2006 all training and education in the Army is managed and implemented by the newly-formed Afghan National Army Training Command (ANATC), a two-star command which reports directly to the Chief of the General Staff. All training centers and military schools are under ANATC HQ.
Individual basic training is conducted primarily by Afghan National Army instructors and staff at ANATC's Kabul Military Training Center, situated on the eastern edge of the capital. The ANA are still supported, however, with various levels of CSTC-A oversight, mentorship, and assistance. The US assists in the basic and advanced training of enlisted recruits, and also runs the Drill Instructor School which produces new training NCOs for the basic training courses. A French Army advisory team oversees the training of officers for staff and platoon or company command in a combined commissioning/infantry officer training unit called the Officer Training Brigade, also located at Kabul Military Training Center. OTB candidates in the Platoon and Company Command courses are usually older former militia and mujaheddin 'officers' with various levels of military experience. The United Kingdom also conducts initial infantry officer training and commissioning at the Officer Candidate School. While OCS is administratively under OTB's control, it is kept functionally separate. OCS candidates are young men with little or no military experience. The British Army also conduct initial and advanced Non-Commissioned Officer training as well in a separate NCO Training Brigade. The Canadian Forces supervises the Combined Training Exercise portion of initial military training, where trainee soldiers, NCOs, and officers are brought together in field training exercises at the platoon, company and (theoretically) battalion levels to certify them ready for field operations. In the Regional Corps, line ANA battalions have attached Coalition Embedded Training Teams that continue to mentor the battalion's leadership, and advise in the areas of intelligence, communications, fire support, logistics and infantry tactics.
Formal education and professional development is currently conducted at two main ANATC schools, both in Kabul. The National Military Academy of Afghanistan, located near Kabul International Airport, is a four-year military university, which will produce degreed second lieutenants in a variety of military professions. NMAA's first cadet class entered its second academic year in spring 2006. A contingent of US and Turkish military instructors jointly mentor the NMAA faculty and staff. The Command and General Staff College, located in southern Kabul, prepares mid-level ANA officers to serve on brigade and corps staffs. France established the CGSC in early 2004, and a cadre of French Army instructors continues to oversee operations at the school. A National Defense University will also be established at a potential site in northwestern Kabul. Eventually all initial officer training (to include the NMAA) as well as the CGSC will be re-located to the new NDU facility.

History

''See Military of Afghanistan for further background on the history of the armed forces of Afghanistan.''
Upon becoming President of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai set a goal of an army of at least 70,000 men by 2009.^[3] By January, 2003 just over 1,700 soldiers in five ''Kandaks'' (Pashto for battalion) had completed the 10-week training course, and by June 2003 a total of 4,000 troops had been trained. Initial recruiting problems lay in the lack of cooperation from regional warlords and inconsistent international support. The problem of desertion dogged the force in its early days: in the summer of 2003, the desertion rate was estimated to be ten percent and in mid-March, 2004 estimate suggested that 3,000 soldiers had deserted.
Soldiers in the new army initially received $30 a month during training and $50 a month upon graduation, though pay for trained soldiers has since risen to $120. Some recruits were under 18 years of age and many could not read or write. Recruits who only spoke the Pashto language experienced difficulty because instruction was usually given through interpreters who spoke Dari.
Growth continued, however, and the Afghan National Army had expanded to 5,000 trained soldiers by July of 2003. That month, approximately 1,000 ANA soldiers were deployed in the US-led Operation Warrior Sweep, marking the first major combat operation for Afghan troops.

Troop levels

Soldiers	As of
1,750	January 9, 2003[4][5]
6,000	September 29, 2003[6]
6,000	January 22, 2004 [7]
7,000	February 2004
8,300, plus 2,500 in training	April 30, 2004
12,360	June 29, 2004 [8]
13,000	August 8, 2004 [9]
13,500, plus 3,000 in training	September 13, 2004 [10]
13,000	December 2004 [11]
17,800, plus 3,400 in training	January 10, 2005 [12]
26,000, plus 4,000 in training	September 16, 2005 [13]
26,900	January 31, 2006 [14]
36,000	January 10-22, 2007 [15] [16]
46,177	April 12, 2007[17]
50,000	June 6, 2007[1]

Current status

The problems of desertion and difficult recruitment are recurring problems. Total manpower is at 50,000 personnel and 3,000 new personnel are being recruited each month. Facilities and capacity planning efforts are rapidly adjusting to significant increases in national recruiting efforts to meet manpower needs.
The basic unit in the Afghan National Army is the Kandak (Battalion), consisting of 600 troops. Although the vast majority is infantry, at least one mechanized and one tank Battalion have been formed; more may be planned. An elite special forces unit modelled on the U.S. Army Rangers is also being formed. The plans are to include 3,900 men in six battalions under French and U.S. tutelege. Every ANA Corps will be assigned a commando battalion with the sixth designated as a special national unit under the Afghan Defense Ministry's purview.
As of September 2005, 28 of the 31 Afghan National Army Battalions were ready for combat operations and many had already participated in them. At least nine brigades are planned at this time, each consisting of six battalions. By March 1, 2007, half of the planned army of 70,000 ANA soldiers has been achieved with 46 Afghan battalions operating in the fore or in concert with NATO forces. A total of 14 brigades that will primarily be regionally oriented are planned for 2008.
Six Corps exist. Five Corps serve as regional commands for the ANA: the 201st Corps based in Kabul, the 203rd Corps based in Gardez, the 205th Corps based in Kandahar, the 207th Corps in Herat, and the 209th Corps in Mazari Sharif. Each of the four outlying Corps will be assigned one brigade with the majority of the manpower of the army based in Kabul's 201st Corps. The sixth Corps is the "Air Corps", which is the old Afghan Air Force. Plans exist to separate this Corps again and reclaim the old Afghan Air Force role as a separate branch of the Afghan military.
On 19 Oct 06, as part of Operation Mountain Fury, Embedded Training Team Members CPT Andy Schouten and SFC Jerry Ressler mentored and advised a D30 artillery section from 4th Bn 2nd Bde 203rd Corps (ANA) to conduct the first indirect artillery fire missions during combat operations with harassment and indirect fires ^[19]. Three days later, they successfully conducted counterfire (with assistence from a US Q-36 radar) that resulted with ten enemy casualties, the highest casualties inflicted from indirect artillery fire in ANA history.
In July 2007 the Afghan army graduated its first battalion of commandos. The commandos underwent a grueling three month course being trained by American special forces. They received training in advanced infantry skills as well as training in first aid and tactical driving. They are fully equipped with US equipment and have received US style training.^[20]
There are also female soldiers being trained. The Afghan parachutist Khatol Mohammadzai became the first female general in the Afghan National Army on 19 August, 2002.^[21]

Operations

Afghan and Pakistani troops exchanged fire in the Kudakhel area of the Mohmand Agency on March 2, 2007. The Afghan army fired rockets on a Pakistani army border post in the Kudakhel area. In another incident a border clash erupted between Afghan soldiers and Pakistani troops, who overnight took some areas in a border region of Paktika province.^[22]
The Afghan army caught the senior Taliban leader Mullah Mahmood near Khandahar, who was wearing a Burkha. Mahmood was suspected of organizing suicide attacks in Kandahar province.^[23] More than forty-nine Taliban fighters were killed by the Afghan forces in one of the independent operations carried out by the Afghan forces.^[24]
In a rescue operation, the Afghan National Army deployed their Mi-8 helicopters and evacuated flood victims in the Ghorban district of Parwan province. Afghan soldiers safely evacuated 383 families to safer places.^[25]

Operation Achilles

The Afghan National Army along with the ISAF successfully engaged Taliban extremist strongholds. This operation was launched on March 6, 2007, to stabilize northern Helmand province for the government to start the reconstruction work.^[26]

Equipment

Small Arms

★ AK-47 Assault Rifle

★ AK-74 Assault Rifle

★ M16A2 Assault Rifle^[27]

★ RPK LMG

★ PK MG

★ Dragunov SVD Sniper Rifle
Tanks

★ T-55 Main Battle Tank

★ T-62 Main Battle Tank
Armoured Vehicles(800+)

★ BMP-1 ICV

★ BTR-80 APC

★ M113 APC

★ Humvee (213 in service, more than 800 vehicles to be delivered in the initial transfer)^[28]
Other Vehicles

★ 4 1/2 ton trucks (50+)^[29]

★ 2 1/2 ton trucks (100+)

★ Jeeps (120+)

★ Ambulances (15+)

★ Other Technicals of various origins.
Heavy Arms

★ RPG-7 Anti-tank weapon

★ Browning M2 heavy MG

★ SPG-9 Recoilless Rifle

★ 82mm Medium Mortar

★ D-30 122mm howitzer

★ M114 155 mm howitzer

Senior Officers

★ Defense Minister, General Abdul Rahim Wardak

★ Chief of the General Staff, General Bismillah Mohammadi Khan

★ Vice Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Mohammad Eshaq Noori

★ General Staff Chief of Personnel, Major General Abdul Abdullah

★ General Staff Chief of Intelligence, Major General Abdul Khaliq Faryad

★ General Staff Chief of Operations, Lieutenant General Shir Mohammad Karimi

★ General Staff Chief of Logistics, Lieutenant General Azizuddin Farahee

★ General Staff Chief of Communications, Major General Mehrab Ali

★ General Staff Inspector General, Major General Jalandar Shah

★ 201st Selab ("Flood") Corps Commander, Major General Mohammad Mangal

★ 203rd Tandar ("Thunder") Corps Commander, Major General Abdul Khaliq

★ 205th Atal ("Hero") Corps Commander, Major General Rahmatullah Raufi

★ 207th Zafar ("Victory") Corps Commander, Major General Walizadah

★ 209th Shaheen ("Falcon") Corps Commander, Major General Taj Mohammad

★ Afghan National Army Training Command, Major General Aminullah Karim

★ Command and General Staff College, Major General Rizak

★ National Military Academy of Afghanistan, Major General Shariff

★ Kabul Military Training Centre, Brigadier General Mohammad Wardak

Future

The Afghan National Army may be equipped with Leopard main battle tanks in order to enable it to carry out independent operations against the Taliban, without any external assistance. If this is carried out, Canada and/or Norway will supply the tanks.^[30][31]
On July 12, 2006 Defence Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak stated that for the Afghan National Army to be able to secure Afghanistan on its own it needed to grow to a troop level of 150,000-200,000 soldiers. Without such a number of troops Wardak said that ANA could not put down the Taliban and defend the country from outside threats.^[32]

Gallery

See also

★ Afghan Air Force

★ Military of Afghanistan

★ International Security Assistance Force

★ Provincial Reconstruction Team

★ NATO

References

1. Pajhwok Afghan News, Over 153,000 troops fighting 20,000 combatants: NATO
2. Afghanistan to get billion in U.S. gear Tini Tran
3. GlobalSecurity.org: Afghanistan - Army
4. GlobalSecurity.org: Afghan Army graduates fifth battalion
5. SoldiersMagazine.com: Soldiers - the Official U.S. Army Magazine - March 2003
6. Afghanistan - Army
7. US Dept. of State: U.S. Progress in the Global War on Terrorism
8. US Dept. of State: U.S. Ambassador Calls Violence Targeting Afghan Elections "Barbaric"
9. US Dept. of State: Cost of Freedom for Iraq Similar to Bringing Democracy to Others
10. US Dept. of State: Afghanistan Makes Progress on Many Fronts
11. US Dept. of State: More Facts on Security
12. US DoD: Afghan Army Has Made Great Progress, Says U.S. Officer
13. US Dept. of State: Security Arrangements for Afghan Elections Will Be Strong
14. US Dept. of State: Afghanistan National Security Forces
15. US Dept. of State: Afghan Security Forces Make Impressive Professional Gains
16. Army.mil/news: Afghan security forces becoming competent, capable
17. People's Daily Online: Wardak: "Strength of Afghan National Army reaches 46,000" (April 12, 2007)
18. Pajhwok Afghan News, Over 153,000 troops fighting 20,000 combatants: NATO
19. (First to Fire, "FA Journal", Jan/Feb 2007)
20. NPR: New Afghan Commandos Take to the Frontlines
21. Institute for war & peace reporting: "Woman Skydiver Leaps Ahead"
22. Afghan, Pakistani forces exchange fire, four dead
23. Afghan National Army captures senior Taliban leader near Kandahar
24. MLive.com: 49 Taliban killed by Afghan forces
25. Black Anthem Military News: Afghan Army helicopters and soldiers assist flood victims
26. News Blaze: Operation Achilles making progress
27. Black Anthem Military News: U.S. Transfers Humvees, Weapons to Afghan National Army
28. US DoD: U.S. Transfers Humvees, Weapons to Afghan National Army
29. US DoD: India Delivers 50 New Trucks to Afghan National Army
30. www.canada.com: Canada may supply Afghan military with Leopard tanks
31. www.norwaypost.no: Norway may supply the Afghan military with Leopard tanks
32. CBCNews: "Defence minister says Afghan army must be 5 times larger"

External links

★ CSTC-A Official Website

★ Photo Gallery (Construction of ANA military bases by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

★ Article by Afghan policy analyst

★ Tank maneuvers showcase new Afghan Army's capabilities