Czech Land Forces

In coordination with other services the Czech Land Forces are organized to defend the national territory. In case of crisis or in the event of hostilities they form the core of operation task force and eventually they are complemented by mobilized units. The Land Forces are also designed for fulfilment of commitment in compliance with the Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty and tasks on behalf of the state administration authorities.^[5]

After January 1993, the land forces of the Czechoslovak People's Army split into the Czech Land Forces and the Ground Forces of the Slovak Republic.

During the 1980s the 1st Army (Czechoslovakia) and the 4th Army had both been located in the western parts of Czechoslovakia. Both were disbanded in the early 1990s but their divisions remained. In 1994, the mechanized, motorized and tank divisions were reorganized into a total of seven mechanized brigades.

The 1st Army Corps consisted of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th Mechanized Brigades, while the 2nd Army Corps consisted of the 6th, 7th and 8th Mechanized Brigades. Another newly formed unit was the 4th Rapid Deployment Brigade in Havlíčkův Brod directly subordinate to the General Staff, which was built as a airborne unit of the rapid reaction forces, even though the Air Force did not have the necessary transport capacities at the time of its establishment.^[6]

The brigades were conceived as all-arms, with various troop types. For example, the 7th Mechanized Brigade with headquarters in Kroměříž had as of January 1, 1995 two mechanized battalions (71st and 73rd), each with two mechanized companies (BVP-1), two tank companies (T-54) and other units, two training centers (72nd and 74th), 76th artillery section (18 ShKH vz. 77), 7th anti-tank battalion (BRDM-2/9P133), 7th anti-aircraft section (16 30mm PLdvK vz. 53/59, 48 Strela-2M, 1 radar P-15, 1 P-19), chemical protection company, reconnaissance battalion, security battalion, communications battalion and medical detachment.^[6]

During 1997, the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 6th and 8th Mechanized Brigades were disbanded, and in 2004 the 2nd Mechanized Brigade also ceased to exist. At the end of 2004, the Army of the Czech Republic had two of the original eight brigades, the 4th Rapid Deployment Brigade and the 7th Mechanized Brigade, which were no longer combined arms and consisted of only three battalions. Since 1 January 2005, the ACR has become a fully professional armed force, i.e. without conscript soldiers.^[6]

Small arms of the Czech Land Forces are mainly supplied by CZUB, e.g. CZ 805 BREN and BREN 2 assault rifles, CZ 75 and CZ P-10 pistols and CZ Scorpion Evo 3 submachine guns. The Czech Armed Forces are equipped with over 3,000 T810, T815 and T815-7 vehicles of various modifications produced by Tatra.^[8]

Principal weapons systems of the Czech Land Forces include the Leopard 2A4 tanks gifted from Germany, T-72 tanks (specifically the T-72M4CZ modernized in Czech Republic), BVP-2 infantry fighting vehicles (Czechoslovak-produced version of BMP-2), Pandur II and Iveco LMV wheeled combat vehicles and 152mm vz. 77 DANA self-propelled howitzers.

Air defence and helicopter units are part of the Czech Air Force.

Major armaments and combat equipment as of 1 January 2023:^[9]

• 82 main battle tanks
• 385 armoured fighting vehicles
• 167 IFV- and APC-based special vehicles
• 137 light armoured vehicles
• 172 artillery systems (152mm howitzers and 120mm mortars)

• 
  Soldiers armed with CZ 805 and RPG-7
• 
  Paratroopers armed with BREN 2 and Carl Gustaf 8.4cm recoilless rifle
• 
  T-72M4 CZ
• 
  BVP-2
• 
  Pandur II
• 
  Iveco LMV
• 
  vz. 77 DANA
• 
  Tatra 810
• 
  Tatra 815 with pontoon bridge components
• 
  LR 130 RCH
• 
  MKEB EW system

Land Forces Command (Czech: Velitelství pozemních sil) is located in Olomouc.^[1] Prague was the location of Land Forces Command from July 2013 to June 2020. Between 2003 and 2013 Land Forces were an integral part of the Joint Forces Command in Olomouc.

The command structure is hierarchical, with brigades and regiments controlling groups of units. Major units are battalion-sized, and minor units are company or platoon-sized units. Airborne Regiment has a unique structure comprising several commandos and centres.^[10]

Czech Land Forces are composed of both Regular (full-time) and Active Reserve (part-time) units. Active Reserve platoons, companies and specialized units are affiliated to respective regular units. Moreover, there are 14 Regional Military Headquarters of the Territorial Command, and each one has an Active Reserve infantry company.^[11]

Transformation of the 600-strong 43rd Airborne Battalion to 43rd Airborne Regiment with more than 1,200 soldiers scheduled for October 2020 is based upon the 2014 Wales summit declaration regarding the NATO Response Force and Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF).^[12][10]

Combat Forces

• 4th Rapid Deployment Brigade, in Žatec
  • Headquarters and Staff
  • 41st Mechanized Battalion, in Žatec (Pandur II)
  • 42nd Mechanized Battalion, in Tábor (Pandur II)
  • 44th Light Motorized Battalion, in Jindřichův Hradec (Iveco LMV)^[13]
  • Signals Company
  • Logistic Support Company
• 7th Mechanized Brigade, in Hranice
  • Headquarters and Staff
  • 71st Mechanized Battalion, in Hranice (BVP-2)
  • 72nd Mechanized Battalion, in Přáslavice (BVP-2)
  • 73rd Tank Battalion, in Přáslavice (T-72M4CZ, Leopard 2A4)
  • 74th Mechanized Battalion, in Bučovice (BVP-2 - will be the first unit to receive CV90 infantry fighting vehicles^[14])
• 43rd Airborne Regiment, in Chrudim
  • Headquarters and Staff
  • 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Commando companies
  • 5th Commando Company (Active Reserve)
  • Weapons Center (81 mm mortars, anti-tank guided missiles)
  • Combat Support Center (Intelligence, Reconnaissance)
  • Command Support Center (Signals)
  • Logistics Support Center
  • Medical Detachment
  • Combat Training Center
  • Airborne Training Center