Editing Armed Forces of Armenia (section)

== Organization and service branches ==
{{Main|General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces}}
The Armenian Armed Forces are Headquartered in [[Yerevan]], where most of the general staff is based. The general staff is responsible for operational command of the Armenian Military and its two major branches.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mil.am/eng/index.php?page=6 |title=mil.am |access-date=27 December 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531153215/http://www.mil.am/eng/index.php?page=6 |archive-date=31 May 2011 }}</ref> The armed forces also has the following personnel branches:{{col div}}
* Department of Military Preparedness
* Department of Military Apparatus
* Department of Aviation
* Department of Missile Troops
* Department of Air Defence
* Department of Rear Services
* Department of Signal Troops
* Department of the Engineer Troops
* Department of Armaments
* Department of the RNBC Defence Troops
* Medical Department
* Personnel Department
* Intelligence Department
* Strategic Planning Department
* Mobilization Department
* Operative Department
* Department of Military Service Security
* Department of Military Commissars
* Financial Department
* Human Resources Department
{{col div end}}

=== Ground Forces ===
{{Main|Armenian Ground Forces}}
[[File:NKR war.JPG|thumb|240px|Armenian soldiers in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict]]
[[File:Armenian sniper field exercises.jpg|thumb|right|240px|Snipers during a field exercise (2004)]]

According to IISS 2010, Armenia has 30 [[T-80]] tanks,<ref>Jane's World Armies Armenia, 2008.</ref> 390 [[T-72]] tanks, 14 [[T-54/55]] tanks and 80 [[BMP-1]]'s, 7 BMP-1K, 55 [[BMP-2]] and 12 [[BRM-1K]]. Wheeled APCs reported included 11 [[BTR-60]]s, 21 [[BTR-70]]s, 4 [[BTR-80]]s, 145 [[MT-LB]]s, 5 [[BMD-1]]S, and 120 [[BRDM-2]] scout vehicles.

Although the Russians have supplied newer equipment to Armenia over the years, the numbers have never been sufficient to upgrade all ground force formations and many of the lower readiness units still have older, Soviet-legacy systems that have not been upgraded or in many cases effectively maintained. These older systems are placing great demands on the logistics system for service, maintenance, replacement parts and necessary upgrades, costing the army both financially and in overall readiness. The ground force is engaged in an effort of reassessment, reorganisation and restructuring, as the future of Armenia's defence needs a revised force structure and unit mix. The army sees the need to maintain much of its traditional mechanised formations, but is looking to lighten and make more mobile and self-sustainable a small number of other formations. It must develop these newer formations to support its international requirements and effectively operate in mountainous and other rugged terrain, but it must do this without affecting the mechanised capability that is needed to confront Azerbaijan's conventional forces.<ref name="eskiyaordusu1">{{cite web|url=http://www.janes.com/articles/Janes-World-Armies/Armenia-Armenia.html|title=Defense & Security Intelligence & Analysis: IHS Jane's—IHS|access-date=24 December 2014}}</ref>

Since the fall of the [[Soviet Union]], Armenia has followed a policy of developing its armed forces into a professional, well trained, and mobile military. In 2000, the [[Centre for International Studies and Research]] reported that at that time the Armenian Army had the strongest combat capability of the three [[South Caucasus]] countries' armies (the other two being [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]] and [[Azerbaijan]]).<ref>Robert Fairbanks, [http://www.ceri-sciencespo.com/archive/nov00/Fairbanks.pdf Public and private armies in the Caucasus], [[Sciences Po]], November 2000</ref> [[CSTO]] Secretary, [[Nikolay Bordyuzha]], came to a similar conclusion after collective military drills in 2007 when he stated that, ''"the Armenian Army is the most efficient one in the post-Soviet space"''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.panarmenian.net/eng/world/news/21078/|title=Bordyuzha: Armenian army most efficient in post-soviet space|work=PanARMENIAN.Net|access-date=24 December 2014}}</ref> This was echoed more recently by [[Igor Korotchenko]], a member of the Public Council, [[Russian Ministry of Defense]], in a March 2011 interview with [[Voice of Russia]] radio.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.am/eng/news/49916.html|title=Armenian army among best in post-Soviet area, expert says|access-date=24 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141224155310/http://news.am/eng/news/49916.html|archive-date=24 December 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The Army is functionally divided into ''Active'' and ''Reserve Forces''. Their main functions include deterrence, defense, [[peace]] support and [[crisis management]], humanitarian and rescue missions, as well as social functions within Armenian society.

The Active Forces mainly have peacekeeping and defensive duties, and are further divided into Deployment Forces, Immediate Reaction, and Main Defense Forces. The Reserve Forces consists of Enhancement Forces, Territorial Defense Forces, and Training Grounds. They deal with planning and reservist preparation, armaments and equipment storage, training of formations for active forces rotation or increase in personnel.

During peacetime the Army maintains permanent [[combat]] and [[mobilization]] readiness. They become part of multinational military formations in compliance with [[international treaties]] Armenia is a signatory to, participate in the preparation of the population, the national economy and the maintenance of wartime reserves and the [[infrastructure]] of the country for defense.

In times of crisis the Army's main tasks relate to participation in operations countering [[terrorism|terrorist activities]] and defense of strategic facilities (such as [[nuclear power]] plants and major industrial facilities), assisting the security forces in proliferation of [[weapons of mass destruction]], illegal armaments traffic and international terrorism.

In case of low- and medium-intensity military conflict the Active Forces that are part of the Army participate in carrying out the initial tasks for the defense of the [[territorial integrity]] and [[sovereignty]] of the country. In case of a high intensity conflict the Land Forces, together with the Air Force, Air Defense and Border Guards, form the defense group of the Armenian Armed Forces aiming at countering aggression and protect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country.

Experiments in developing small arms have been undertaken in Armenia, producing the [[K-3 (rifle)|K-3]] assault rifle, but Jane's Infantry Weapons estimates that the program has ceased, and the rifle is not in widespread service with the army. The [[AK-74]] is the standard-issue rifle of the Armenian Army with older [[AKM]]s in reserve use.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.janes.com/articles/Janes-Infantry-Weapons/K-3-5-45&nbsp;mm-assault-rifle-Armenia.html|title=Defense & Security Intelligence & Analysis: IHS Jane's—IHS|access-date=24 December 2014}}{{Dead link|date=December 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Beside AK rifles Armenian forces use mostly Russian small arms like the [[Makarov pistol]], [[Snayperskaya Vintovka Dragunova|SVD]] sniper rifle, and the [[PK machine gun|PKM]] general purpose machine gun.

=== Air Force and Air Defense ===
{{Main|Armenian Air Force}}
[[File:Armenian Air force (896484593).jpg|thumb|190x190px|[[Armenian Air Force]] [[Su-25]]'s during a military parade in [[Yerevan]]]]
The [[Armenian Air Force]] consists of 15 [[Sukhoi Su-25|Su-25]] ground attack planes, 18 [[Sukhoi Su-30|Su-30]] jet fighters, 1 [[Mig 25]], 16 [[Mil Mi-24]] helicopter gunships, 6 [[Aero L-39 Albatros|L-39]] trainer and attack aircraft, 16 [[Yakovlev Yak-52|Yak-52]] trainer aircraft, 3 [[Ilyushin Il-76|Il-76]] cargo planes, 18 [[Mil Mi-8]] transport helicopters, and 10 [[Mil Mi-2]] light utility helicopters. There are an additional 18 [[Mikoyan MiG-29|MiG-29]] fighter jets of the [[Russian 102nd Military Base]] stationed in [[Gyumri]].

The Armenian anti-aircraft branch was equipped and organized as part of the military reform program of Lieutenant-General [[Norat Ter-Grigoryants]]. It consists of an anti-aircraft missile brigade and two regiments armed with 100 anti-aircraft complexes of various models and modifications, including the [[SA-8]], [[Lyulev 9M8 Krug|Krug]], [[S-75 Dvina|S-75]], [[S-125]], [[SA-7]], [[SA-10]], [[SA-13]], [[SA-16]] and [[9K38 Igla|SA-18]]. Russia has [[SA-6]] and [[S-300 (missile)|S-300]] long range surface-to-air missiles at the Russian 102nd Military Base. There are also 24 [[Scud]] [[ballistic missile]]s with eight launchers.
Numerical strength is estimated at 3,000 servicemen, with plans for further expansion.

In late December 2010, the Armenian Defense Minister, Seyran Ohanyan, officially acknowledged that the army are equipped with the Russian-made [[S-300 (missile)|S-300]] surface-to-air missiles. The statement was made while the Minister was inspecting a new air-defense command point that maintains "state-of-the-art equipment" built specifically for the operation of the S-300's. Russian specialist started to train Armenian teams on sophisticated Missiles and Defensive Systems. The [[S-300 missile system|S-300]] was paraded for the first time in the 2011 Parade and the only [[S-300 missile system]] ([[S-300 missile system|SA10 Grumble]]) which likes mobility. The [[S-300 missile system|S-300]] is the main Air Defensive system that protects Armenia's air security. In the 2016 Armenian Parade celebrating the Armenian Independence [[Buk missile system|BUK-M2]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.panarmenian.net/eng/news/221011/|title=Buk system spotted during Armenia's Independence Day parade rehearsal|newspaper=PanARMENIAN.Net|access-date=7 October 2016}}</ref> Air Defense Systems were shown. These systems were not part of the 200&nbsp;million dollar contract agreement between Yerevan and Moscow but an agreement between CSTO partners. Other devices such as stem of electronic warfare (EW) "Infauna" and P-325U consist in the Armenian Armed Forces.