Zamastanian Army
Zamastanian Army Z.A. | |
|---|---|
| Type | Military, Army |
| Membership | Total - 260,000 |
| Leaders | |
| Zacharias Castovia | |
| Curtis Fondaden | |
| Establishment | September 3rd, 1805 |
The Zamastanian Army is the principal land warfare force of Zamastan, a part of Zamastanian Armed Forces. As of 2018, the Zamastanian Army comprises just over 260,000 trained personnel and just over 57,000 are trained reserve (part-time) personnel.
Personnel
The Zamastanian Army has been a volunteer force since national service ended during the 1960s. Since the creation of the part-time, reserve Territorial Force in 1908 (renamed the Army Reserve in 2014) the full-time Zamastanian Army has been known as the Regular Army. In January 2018 there were just over 260,000 trained Regulars and 57,000 of them are Army Reservists.
Equipment
Infantry
The Zamastanian Army's basic infantry weapon is the L85A2 or L85A3 assault rifle, sometimes equipped with an L17A2 under-barrel grenade launcher or other attachments with the Picatinny rail. The rifle has several variants, including the L86A2, the Light Support Weapon (LSW) and the L22A2 carbine (issued to tank crews). These weapons are usually equipped with iron sights or an optical SUSAT, although optical sights have been purchased to supplement these.
Support fire is provided by the FN Minimi light machine gun and the L7 general-purpose machine gun (GPMG), and indirect fire is provided by L16 81mm mortars. The L129A1 sharpshooter rifle was brought into service during the war in Gladysynthia during the Gladysynthia Crisis to meet an urgent operational requirement. Sniper rifles include the L118A1 7.62 mm, L115A3 and the AW50F, all manufactured by Accuracy International. Other weapons, such as the L128A1 (Benelli M4) combat shotgun, may be temporarily used.
Armor
The army's main battle tank is the Talon 2. It is supported by the Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicle as the primary armored personnel carrier and the many variants of the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) and the FV430 series, which had its engines and armor upgraded as the Bulldog. Light armored units often utilise the Supacat "Jackal" MWMIK and Coyote for reconnaissance and fire support.
Artillery
The army has three main artillery systems: the Multi Launch Rocket System (MLRS), the AS-90 and the L118 light gun. The MLRS has an 85-kilometer (53 mi) range. The AS-90 is a 155 mm self-propelled armored gun with a 24-kilometer (15 mi) range. To identify artillery targets, the army operates weapon locators such as the MAMBA Radar and utilizes artillery sound ranging. For air defense it uses the Short-Range Air Defense (SHORAD) Rapier FSC missile system, widely deployed since The Tariel War, and the Very Short-Range Air Defense (VSHORAD) Starstreak HVM (high-velocity missile) launched by a single soldier or from a vehicle-mounted launcher.
Protected mobility
Where armor is not required or mobility and speed are favored the Zamastanian Army utilizes protected patrol vehicles, such as the Panther variant of the Iveco LMV, the Foxhound, and variants of the Cougar family (such as the Ridgeback, Husky and Mastiff). For day-to-day utility work the army commonly uses the Land Rover Wolf, which is based on the Land Rover Defender.
Engineers, utility and signals
Specialist engineering vehicles include bomb-disposal robots and the modern variants of the Armored Vehicle Engineers, including the Titan bridge-layer, Trojan combat-engineer vehicle, Terrier Armored Digger and Python Minefield Breaching System. Day-to-day utility work uses a series of support vehicles, including six-, nine- and fifteen-tonne trucks (often called "Bedfords", after a historic utility vehicle), heavy-equipment transporters (HET), close-support tankers, quad bikes and ambulances. Tactical communication uses the Bowman radio system, and operational or strategic communication is controlled by the Zamastan Corps of Signals.
Aviation
The Army Air Corps (AAC) provides direct aviation support, with the Zamastanian Air Force providing support helicopters. The primary attack helicopter is the Westland WAH-64 Apache, a licence-built, modified version of the US AH-64 Apache which replaced the Westland Lynx AH7 in the anti-tank role. Other helicopters include the Westland Gazelle (a light surveillance aircraft), the Bell 212 (in jungle "hot and high" environments) and the AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat, a dedicated intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) helicopter. The Eurocopter AS 365N Dauphin is used for special operations aviation, and the Zamah-Randour Islander is a light, fixed-wing aircraft used for airborne reconnaissance and command and control. The army operates two unmanned aerial vehicles ('UAV's) in a surveillance role: the small Lockheed Martin Desert Hawk III and the larger Thales Watchkeeper WK450.