The army of Myanmar (former Burma) until recently was characterized by a combination of huge numbers with an extremely small amount of equipment with a very low quality of the latter. The country's armed forces were focused on waging counter-guerrilla wars with ethnic rebel groups and the drug mafia.
The situation began to change only recently. A certain amount of modern technology has been purchased, and its own military-industrial complex is being created, primarily shipbuilding.
China is traditionally the main supplier of weapons and military equipment to Myanmar. There are also Russian, Ukrainian, North and South Korean, as well as old American and British weapons and military equipment.
The ground forces are not only very large, but also have a complex organizational structure based on regional military commands. There are 14 of them: North, North-East, East, South-East, South, South-West, West, North-West, Yangon, Beregovoye, Triangle, Central, East-Central, Neypyido (capital of the country since 2005). Regional military commands are united in top-level structures - the Special Operations Bureau. There are six of them: 1st (includes North, North-West, Central Command), 2nd (North-East, East, East-Central, Triangle), 3rd (South, West, South-West), 4- e (Coastal, South-East), 5th (Yangon), 6th (Neypyido). In addition, there are 20 operational commands equivalent to infantry divisions. In particular, the 4th is considered an airborne division. There are also 10 light infantry divisions (11, 22, 33, 44, 55, 66, 77, 88, 99, 101), 7 regional operational commands equivalent to infantry brigades) Loiko, Lokai, Kalemyo, Situe, Pyi, Tanain, Vanhsen), and 5 armored operational commands (71, 72, 73, 74, 75th divisions).
The ground forces also include air defense sectors (divisions) - North, South, West, East, South-East, Central (each with 9 air defense battalions: 3 medium-range air defense systems, 3 short-range air defense systems, 3 anti-aircraft artillery).
There are 10 artillery operational commands (505, 606, 707, 808, 901, 902, 903, 904, 905, 909). In addition, there are separate battalions - 10 missile battalions, 45 communications, 58 engineers.
In service with 11 North Korean OTR "Hwaseong-6" with a range of 700 kilometers.
The tank fleet includes 14 relatively modern Soviet T-72s, purchased in Ukraine, and 50 new Chinese MBT-2000 (export version of the Ture 96). There are not so many old tanks either: 10 Soviet T-55s, the rest are Chinese (at least 25 Tour 59D, 80 Tour 69-II, 105 light Tour 62 and Tour 63). In service there are 85 antique British BRMs (45 "Ferret", 40 "Humber"), 120 Brazilian EE-9. BTR: 26 Soviet MTLB, Chinese Type 85, Type 90, Ture 92, ZFB-05 in total 367, 10 Ukrainian BTR-3U, Indian MPV and French M3. There are 30 Yugoslavian self-propelled guns B-52 "Nora" and 12 Chinese SN-1, 100 anti-tank self-propelled guns PTL-02 also from China. Towed guns: 100 Yugoslav mountain M-48, 10 British LG, 54 Italian M-56, 126 American M101, 100 Soviet D-30, 16 Israeli M-71 and Chinese Tour 59-1. Mortars: Chinese Tour 53, Israeli 80 Soltam. In the presence of 30 old towed MLRS Ture 63 (107 mm).
Ground-based air defense includes up to 60 launchers of the English Bloodhound air defense system, a division (4 launchers) of the S-125M air defense system modernized in Belarus, a regiment (20 launchers) of the Kvadrat air defense system updated in the same place, a regiment (4 batteries) of a modern Chinese air defense system KS-1A (HQ-12). It is known about 200 old Chinese HN-5 MANPADS, 100 of our modern Igla-1 and 400 Igla, 12 Chinese ZSU Tour 80, 38 Russian ZRPK Tunguska and 34 anti-aircraft guns (24 Chinese Tour 74 and 10 British M- 1).
The Myanmar Air Force is armed with about 30 old attack aircraft (up to 12 Yugoslav G-4s, up to 19 Chinese Q-5s) and, possibly, 61 fighters: up to 32 old Chinese J-7s (including 6 combat training JJ-7s), 29 modern Russian MiG-29s (including 6 SE, 5 UB). Reconnaissance aircraft: American "Cessna-550" and 5 British BN-2. Transport workers: 2 Dutch F-27 and up to 3 FH-227, 2 Chinese Y-12 and 5 Y-8, up to 2 Soviet An-12, 2 Franco-Italian ATR-72 and 2 ATR-42, 4 Swiss RS-6, up to 9 American "Cessna-180" and up to 9 "Beach 1900D". Training aircraft: 6 newest Russian Yak-130, at least 30 modern Chinese JL-8 (K-8) and 2 old CJ-6, Swiss RS-7 RS-9 (up to 15 and 8 units, respectively), 20 German G- 120TR. Attack helicopters - 11 Russian Mi-35Ps. Multipurpose and transport: up to 13 of our Mi-17s, up to 11 French SA-316s, 10 Polish W-3s, up to 32 Mi-2s, American Bell-205 and Bell-206 (about 20). There are also UAVs - 12 Chinese combat CH-3.
Recently, the Navy has been developing quite rapidly, and primarily due to its own construction. The fleet consists of 5 frigates: 2 of the Mahar type (Chinese project 053N1), Aung Zeya (its own, Burmese, with the latest Russian anti-ship missiles Uran), 2 Kian Sittha (also of its own production, with Chinese anti-ship missiles S- 802). There are 2 local-built corvettes of the Anavrat type and 1 Tabinshveti with the S-802 anti-ship missile system. All missile boats are equipped with the same anti-ship missile boats: 2 of our own, manufactured using the Stealth technology, and 17 Chinese projects 037-1G (6 were built in China, 11 - at the shipyards of Myanmar). The torpedo boats of the T-201 type were laid down. The Navy and the economic zone protection service include more than 100 patrol boats of various types. There are 7 landing craft. The Marine Corps includes 1 battalion.
Whereas in neighboring Vietnam, Laos and Thailand the drug mafia has been effectively crushed, in Myanmar it continues to operate almost unhindered, and it is against it, as well as against ethnic rebel groups, that the main actions of the army are directed. Myanmar is considered one of Beijing's closest allies, but it supports the separatism of ethnic Chinese in the northeast of the country. Apparently, instructors from the PRC are directly involved in the combat training of the separatists and even fight on their side. Myanmar's relations with Western countries are also extremely contradictory. While the military was in power in this country, the West created another "human rights icon" from the opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. However, after the "icon" reached an agreement with the military and became the de facto leader of the country, it turned out that she was not much different from the military, at least in the methods of suppression of the Rohingya rebels (Muslims by religion) in the west of Myanmar, reminiscent of ethnic cleansing. Which, however, cannot be called angels either.
The future of the country is very uncertain. Myanmar is not ASEAN's weakest country, but by far the most problematic.
