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Ukraine military 2020-21 order of battle and equiment


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it is hard to get exact info due to the ongoing conflict, most of what we know is what shows up on open sources. We actually have a thread in the Beta forum where we keep tabs on this stuff for the next module.

Basically, the Ukrainian forces are like in CMBS, but they have received a lot of new/updated equipment from US and NATO countries: Javelin ATGMs, modern Drones, new artillery equipment, new vehicles, night vision glasses which should now put them on par with Russian forces. They have also been upgrading their T-64 tanks, the new model is a bit different from the one we have in CMBS.

The most unusual bit of kit is that Ukraine is now getting their RPG-7s from the USA. For some unknown reason, Russia stopped supplying those so the US stepped in by producing an exact clone known as the PSRL.

On paper, Ukrainian forces are more powerful than in 2014-15.

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1 hour ago, The_MonkeyKing said:

2014 there was only couple of very understrength battalions and volunteer formations. I really wonder what is the situation today?

In 2014 we had 14 mechanized, tank and airmobile brigades (excluding units in Crimea), though most of them were cadre brigades abd were deployed to wartime esteblishment only up to mid of summer 2014. Also there was dozen brigades, regiments and separate battlions of Internal troops (future National Guard). During the spring-summer of 2014 about 20 battalions of terrtorial defense were established (not be confused with volunteer battalions, which subordinated to police), which during 2015 were re-formed into motorized infantry battalions, got some armor and later were shared among existed brigades. About half of them were gathered in new-formed infantry brigades - 53rd and 54th mechanized and 56th, 57th, 58th, 59th motorized. 

128th mountain infantry brigade turned into mountain-assault, also 10th mountan-assault brigade and 61st jager brigade (for forest and swampt terrain) were establised

Among artillery units additionally 40th and 44th artillery brigades were established and 43rd high-power brigade with 2S7 Pion

Existing airmobile brigades turned into air-assault. 25th airborne brigade remained in previous status, though de-facto only one battalion has BMD for airdropping. New 81st airmobile brigade was created in 2015. Separate air-assault Command was etablished.

4th Reserve Corps established with cadre units, which will be deployed by mobilized veterans. It has 3 tank brigades,  3 mech.brigades and 2 artillery brigades. Also as reserve there are 45th and 46th cadre air-assault brigades, but probably its subordinate to Air-assault Command. 

In Naval forces Marine Corps was established - from one battalion (which in 2014 had less than company after withdrawal from Crimea), it grew up to two brigades per three marine battalions each.  

Edited by Haiduk
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30 minutes ago, Sgt Joch said:

The most unusual bit of kit is that Ukraine is now getting their RPG-7s from the USA.

No, PSRL was a limited party for National Guard. Some ammunition for RPG-7 (fragmental and thermobaric) and for AGS-17 we are buying now in Bulgaria. 

6 minutes ago, Artkin said:

Is the T64U dead?

What is T-64U?

Edited by Haiduk
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24 minutes ago, Haiduk said:

No, PSRL was a limited party for National Guard. Some ammunition for RPG-7 (fragmental and thermobaric) and for AGS-17 we are buying now in Bulgaria. 

What is T-64U?

I came across "t-64u" while looking up some BV specs.. It's a name for the Bulat. Which makes sense given it has that crown of royal (appearing) ERA surrounding the turret. 

Edited by Artkin
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Here the full OOB of Ukrainan army probably at the end of 2019, but changes to 2021 is not so big

Ground forces - 61st brigade already not infantry of 4th Reserve Corps as in the list, but jager brigade of "North" Operative Command: https://en.ukrmilitary.com/p/ukrainian-ground-forces.html

Air-assault command: https://en.ukrmilitary.com/p/ukrainian-airmobile-forces-ukrainian-is.html

Naval forces and Marine Command: https://en.ukrmilitary.com/p/ukrainian-naval-forces-navy-ukrainian.html

Special operations forses Command: https://en.ukrmilitary.com/p/special-operations-forces.html

Also National Guard among own units has 3 brigades, 3 regiments and 4 separate battalions of operative purpose, which equipped with armor, including tanks and artillery and can be used as usual infantry.

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27 minutes ago, Haiduk said:

No, PSRL was a limited party for National Guard. Some ammunition for RPG-7 (fragmental and thermobaric) and for AGS-17 we are buying now in Bulgaria. 

Really? That is surprising, the exact amount sold was never divulged, but informed speculation was that at least 1,000 had been supplied to Ukraine, enough to equip several brigades.

The PSRL-1 is lighter, more accurate and has greater range than the RPG-7, why would UKR prefer the Russian model?

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4 minutes ago, Artkin said:

I came across "t-64u" while looking up some BV specs.. It's a name for the Bulat. Which makes sense given it has that crown of royal (appearing) ERA surrounding the turret. 

BM Bulat several years ago were moved form 1st tank brigade to 3rd reserve tank brigade. Periodically they are spotted on differnt maneuvers. They are planned to limited modernization. 

Their last appearance on this week during maneuvers near Crimea isthmus:

06a6076b0e2bdf72.jpg

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10 minutes ago, Sgt Joch said:

The PSRL-1 is lighter, more accurate and has greater range than the RPG-7, why would UKR prefer the Russian model?

I read PSRL was exactly for NGU purposes. Army has probably unlimited reserve of stored Soviet-time RPG-7, but has a lack of some sort of ammunition to it.

Edited by Haiduk
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13 minutes ago, Haiduk said:

I read PSRL was exactly for NGU purposes. Army has probably unlimited reserve of stored Soviet-time RPG-7, but has a lack of some sort of ammunition to it.

I am surprised to hear this, thought Ukraine makes a lot of ammo. Does Ukraine produce any type of ammunition?

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27 minutes ago, Bufo said:

I am surprised to hear this, thought Ukraine makes a lot of ammo. Does Ukraine produce any type of ammunition?

In theory - yes. If you look web-pages of Ukrainan weapon manufacturers, they offer many ammunition solutions, but... on the paper. MoD mostly does't buy it. They say: "Well, it is all good, but you must produce N pieces of this. For own money. And may be we will take it. And maybe will pay. Later"

Really only new ATGMs and some types of MLRS and aviation ammunition produced steadily. Anti-ship missiles "Neptun" were launched to produce recently. But usual ground forces ammunition - we have big troubles with production. Bullet factory still on the paper on 8th year of war. Corruption, bureaucacy, contesting of different lobbysts, representing different groups of influence (money! big money!) in MoD, this is Ukraine, baby... The same destiny with production of artillery shells. MoD signed contract with a company from orbite of influence of Avakov and Pashinskyi - this 152 mm shells are terrible by quality. 

Our happy - despite several huge explosions on ammunition bases we have so much Soviet ammunition, which will enough for many years of conflict with curent intensity. Though we have a lack of ammo for AGS-17 and GP-25 and buy its in Bulgaria, 60 mm shells for new mortars - in Serbia and USA. BMP-1 in Chech Republic. We have a lack of tank ammunitions, especially APFSDS. I heard BM42 Mango almost didn't use in 2014, because this "emergency store" for big war. We have a lack of some types of 152 mm shells for 2A36 and 2S19 and many more. 

Edited by Haiduk
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2 hours ago, Haiduk said:

In 2014 we had 14 mechanized, tank and airmobile brigades (excluding units in Crimea), though most of them were cadre brigades abd were deployed to wartime esteblishment only up to mid of summer 2014. Also there was dozen brigades, regiments and separate battlions of Internal troops (future National Guard). During the spring-summer of 2014 about 20 battalions of terrtorial defense were established (not be confused with volunteer battalions, which subordinated to police), which during 2015 were re-formed into motorized infantry battalions, got some armor and later were shared among existed brigades. About half of them were gathered in new-formed infantry brigades - 53rd and 54th mechanized and 56th, 57th, 58th, 59th motorized. 

As I understand it there were a lot of formations on paper. Combat capable ones are another thing. When I looked at the forces used in the early ATO-operation they seemed to consist of handful of low strength battalions. 

I would assume now lots of these paper formations have been made in to real formations that are combat ready but data on this would be interesting.

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26 minutes ago, Artkin said:

Does that mean the program is killed? 

 

Yes. There was a program only for sate support of Malyshev factory after they completed Pakistan contract and turned out without work. This was good tank for maneuvers, but real warfare showed his weak places. Too weak engine, overheating in summer hot weather due to increased mass. Nozh ERA, mounted blocks of which was possible to change only in conditions of factory, not by field repair unit and some other.

T-64BV mod.2017 already has much more capabilities, than Bulat. Bulats will be upgraded approx to mod.2017 level.

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10 hours ago, The_MonkeyKing said:

As I understand it there were a lot of formations on paper.

Initially yes, and by mancount only. For example 51st brigade in the spring 2014 had about 300 men and 80-90 % of vehicles. But in ATO zone battalions were going equipped on 2/3 as minimum. We couldn't throw all army there, because have a threaten along all border with Russia and this forced to keep troops there.

Also mobilization continued too long and in three waves in 2014 from March to July, and not only Army need in personnel:

1st wave: 18th of March - 1st of May - 35 000

2nd wave: 7th of May - 20th of June - 15 000

3rd wave: 24th of July - 6th of September - 60 000 (conscripts of this wave only partialy were involved in warfare of summer 2014)

In spring 2014 Ukrainain army had on the paper 125 000 military servicemen, but indeed we had about 6000 personnel of quick reaction forces (2 week readiness) and about 15-30 000 of contractors and consripts (by different data) of usual readiness. 

Edited by Haiduk
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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 7 months later...
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  • 2 weeks later...
On 4/15/2021 at 12:25 PM, Sgt Joch said:

it is hard to get exact info due to the ongoing conflict, most of what we know is what shows up on open sources. We actually have a thread in the Beta forum where we keep tabs on this stuff for the next module.

Basically, the Ukrainian forces are like in CMBS, but they have received a lot of new/updated equipment from US and NATO countries: Javelin ATGMs, modern Drones, new artillery equipment, new vehicles, night vision glasses which should now put them on par with Russian forces. They have also been upgrading their T-64 tanks, the new model is a bit different from the one we have in CMBS.

The most unusual bit of kit is that Ukraine is now getting their RPG-7s from the USA. For some unknown reason, Russia stopped supplying those so the US stepped in by producing an exact clone known as the PSRL.

On paper, Ukrainian forces are more powerful than in 2014-15.

Here's the PSRL rundown, but be sure to read the numerous, in many cases deserved, scathing comments about gross technical errors made in statements by Airtronic representatives. Am sure you'll find the explanation of how HEAT works to be highly fascinating, just not in a good way. But at least we avoided the invoking of plasma for jet composition!
 


Regards,

John Kettler

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On 4/15/2021 at 10:10 PM, Haiduk said:

T-64BV mod.2017 already has much more capabilities, than Bulat. Bulats will be upgraded approx to mod.2017 level.

Could you point me to some reliable info (with good quality detail images) of this variant? 

Typically enough I finally get all the bits & pieces to make a decent 1/72 BM Bulat and Ukraine drops them!  :rolleyes:

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23 hours ago, Sgt.Squarehead said:

Could you point me to some reliable info (with good quality detail images) of this variant? 

As it turned out only chieapest version of Bulat was upgraded. I already wrote about two versions of Bulat - "normal" T-64BM1, which later got name BM Bulat and "cutted edition" T-64BM2. There are 12 tanks of this version were in service, but they almost didn't participate in warfare 2014-2015, because turned out useless in real war conditions. BM2 version remained with usual 5TDFA engine with 700 h.p., in that time when BM1 got  5TDFM with 850 h.p. But even latter engine was too weak for BM1, which got much more weight in comparison with T-64BV - during hot summer of 2014 BM Bulats often were affected by engine overheating. Chassis and transmission of BM1 also suffered from overweight, so BM2 had the same problems but on the level more.  Also BM2 version had old fire control sustem with 1G42 sight instead 1G46M of 1A45 FCS on BM1, so BM2 couldn't fire with TGM "Kombat". You can easily to differ BM1 from BM2 - the latter has IR projector "Luna" for active NV mode, BM1 uses passive EOP and doesn't need it. Thus, this upgrading works conducted to turn these tanks to full-service. 

Modernization includes:

- 6TD-1 1000 h.p engine

-  upper part of engine-transmission compartment from T-84

- CFS from T-80UD

- 1G42 probably remained, but changed EOP for commander observe device and gunner sight, added thermal channel to the gunner sight

- new radio equipment of L3 Harris

- GPS navigation system 

I don't know if BM Bulat (T-64BM1) will be modernized or not. Now these tanks uses 4th tank brigade of Reserve Corps.

Here some photos of upgraded BM2, alas I havn't more detailed

aed5f20204e18a2b.jpg

Чергова партій модернізованих танків "Булат" для ЗСУ. Жовтень 2020. Фото: Укроборонпром

 

ЗСУ передали партію модернізованих танків “Булат”

Edited by Haiduk
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  • 2 weeks later...

This was just posted. Am NOT sure how much of the reportage to believe, since a quick delve online found nothing ref new Russian attacks on Ukraine, but what I know for a fact is that there's some excellent winter footage in this video of both Ukrainian and Latvian weaponry, mostly AFVs. Much of the footage is hi-res close range color imagery of the BTR-4 both in the field and in the vehicle sheds. Did find some reporting of Latvian plans to supply largely unspecified military aid. But Estonia is also involved and is considering sending Javelins and 122 mm howitzers, among other military aid. Returning to the Ukraine, apparently young people are flocking to join the UA Reserve, and it appears Ukraine learned its lesson regarding protecting key facilities against hybrid warfare of the Green Men and Russian SO.
https://www.thedefensepost.com/2022/01/06/latvia-military-weapons-ukraine/

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2022/01/03/estonia-ukraine-anti-tank-weapons/  

Regards,

John Kettler

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