Analysis of India's Ability to Fight a 2-front War 2018

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Analysis of India's Ability to Fight a 2-front War 2018 Page 21

by Ravi Rikhye


  1st Commando Yilduram Bn

  Ayub Company

  Liaqat Company

  Kamal Company

  Mitha Company

  2nd Commando Rahbar Bn

  Ghazi Company

  Tipu Company

  Quaid Company

  Bilal Company

  3rd Commando Pwoindha Bn

  Hamza Company

  Ibrahim Company

  Zakria Company

  Easa Company

  4th Commando Yalghar Bn

  Shaheen Company

  Jungju Company

  Yaqub Company

  Yusuf Company

  5th Commando Zilzaal Bn

  6th Commando AL Samsaam Bn

  7th Commando Babrum Bn

  8th Commando Bn (Multan)

  There may be two more battalions, if so, presumably they will be 9th and 10th.

  Independent Companies

  Zarrar Company CT

  Musa Company Amphibious

  Karrar Company

  Special Service Group (Navy)

  12th Battalion

  From open sources, for example, Wikipedia,[159] not independently verified

  Special Service Wing (previously 312th Special Operations Wing)

  1st SO Squadron

  2nd SO Squadron (Clandestine missions)

  3rd SO Squadron (Hostage rescue)

  4th SO Squadron (VIP protection)

  5th SO Training Squadron (airborne)

  10th SO Reconnaissance Flying Squadron

  Paramilitary Special Forces

  Frontier Corps

  3 commando companies

  5 commando companies more under raising

  Khyber-Paktunwala Special Combat Unit (1050 police commandos in 12 detachments)

  7.8 Army Aviation

  Army Aviation

  Army Aviation has undergone an expansion in recent years. It operates in four groups for administrative purposes. A Major-General commands Army Aviation. Brigadiers command groups. Each group has an EME battalion.

  101st Army Aviation Group (Rawalpindi?)

  202nd Army Aviation Group (Quetta)

  303rd Army Aviation Group (Rahwali)

  404th Army Aviation Group (Multan)

  5 Maintenance Battalions 101-105 Usually 1 per aviation group

  503 Workshop for major maintenance

  Summary Of Squadrons[160]

  Courtesy of Scramble Netherlands

  3 attack helicopter squadrons

  2 AH-1 (to be replaced by T-129 Turkey)

  1 AH-1W forming, replacing one AH-1 squadron, 1000 Hellfire ATGM

  1 VIP/ utility aircraft/helicopter squadron

  10 squadrons FAC, liaison (MFI-17, helicopters)

  8 assault helicopter squadrons (6 Mil-17, 2 SA330)

  1 VIP squadron

  Schools units

  Several squadrons operate with their flights assigned to different formations.

  Aviation School Mushshak, SA-316, Bell 206B

  No.1 Squadron Mushshak, SA-316 Alouette (Mangla)

  No.2 Squadron MFI-17, Mushshak (Lahore)

  No.3 Squadron Mushshak, SA-315 Lama (Multan)

  No.4 Squadron Bell 412EP, Mi-17 (Quetta) Detachment Gilgit

  No.5 Squadron SA-350, Mi-171V, ABS350/550 (Skardu)

  No.6 Squadron Bell 412 EP, AW139 (Rawalpindi)

  No.7 Squadron Mushshak (Karachi)

  No.8 Squadron AS-350, Mushshak (Karachi)

  No.9 Squadron Mushshak, SA-315 Lama, SA-316 Alouette (Peshawar)

  No.10 Squadron Mushshak, SA-315 Lama

  No.11 Squadron Mushshak, SA-315 Lama (Rahawali)

  No.12 Squadron Mushshak, UH-1H (Mangla)

  No.13 Squadron Y-12, RC690C, RC840, Ce421, Beech 200, Cessna Citation II and V, AS-350, Puma, Mushshak, Mi-17, UH-1H

  No.21 Squadron Mi-17, UH-1

  No.24 Squadron SA-330 (Rawalpindi)

  No.25 Squadron Bell 412EP, Mi-17 (Multan) Detachment Gilgit

  No.27 Squadron Mi-17V

  No. 28 Squadron (Puma)

  No.31 Squadron 10 AH-1S, 2 Bell 206

  No.32 Squadron 10 AH-1S, 2 Bell 206

  No.33 Squadron 10 AH-1F

  ISI Detachment Hughes 500, Mi-17

  (The attack helicopter squadrons are also given as No. 31, 33, and 35)

  503rd Aviation Base Workshop performs complete overhauls of helicopters.

  Aircraft inventory

  Aérospatiale SA-315B Lama x 15 (phasing out)

  Aérospatiale SA-316B Alouette 3 x 15 (phasing out)

  Aérospatiale SA-330J Puma x 45 (probably less)

  Bell 206B Jet Ranger x 19 (including 9 training)

  Bell AH-1F/S Cobra x 32, plus other for spares, to phase out

  Bell AH-1Z x 12 on order with 1000 Hellfire, 3 options

  Mi-35 x 4

  Bell 407 (Canada)

  Turkish T129 x 30 (entering service)

  H125 x 10

  Cessna 421 Golden Eagle x 1

  Mil Mi-17/171 'Hip' x ~50+

  PAC MFI-17 Mushshak x 115

  (3 Z-10 returned to China; perhaps order for 20 is canceled)

  Attack helicopter squadrons consist of 10 x AH-1s and fly in pairs with a pair of armed Bell-412s as scouts. 2 x 206s per squadron are used for liaison and training.

  7.9 Pakistan Border Forces

  Most groups are of 4 wings, each of 5 service and 1 reserve companies. Some groups commanded by Deputy Director General who is a brigadier; some have colonels

  Please note that in this orbat we limit ourselves to wings that we have identified. There are likely some 130 wings of Frontier Corps and Rangers. In 2016 and 2017 about 59 more wings (battalions) were authorized, so do not regard the below as definitive.

  CPEC:

  Four security brigades (Army manned), at Gilgit (1), Gwadar (2) and Karachi (1)

  6 wings paramilitary

  Frontier Corps North West Frontier Province (~40,000)

  HQ Peshawar

  Commanded by a Major General with the title of Inspector General Frontier Corps (NWFP)

  Spl Ops Wing (400, trained/equipped by US/UK)

  Tank Regiment

  Aviation Squadron

  Tbe force has expanded; the number of wings in each group are not necessarily correct. Six wings have been raised for the CPEC.

  Bajaur Scouts

  Bhittani Rifles

  Dir Scouts

  Kalat Scouts

  Khattak Scouts

  Khyber Rifles

  Kurram Militia

  Mahsud Scouts

  Mohmand Rifles

  Nushki Militia

  Orakzai Scouts1 wing (group HQ at Kalaya)

  Shawal Rifles2 wings

  South Waziristan Scouts

  Swat Scouts1 wing

  Thal Scouts4 wings

  Tochi Scouts4 wings

  Frontier Corps Balochistan (30,000)

  HQ Quetta

  Awarran Militia1 wing

  Bambore Rifles3 wings

  Bolan Scouts1 wing

  Chaghai Militia1 wing

  Chaman Scouts1 wing

  Dalbindan Rifles1 wing

  Ghazaband Scouts1 wing

  Kalat Scouts2 wings

  Kharan Rifles1 wing

  Loralai Scouts3 wings

  Maiwind Rifles4 wings

  Makran Militia2 wings

  Mohmand Rifles1 wing

  Panjgur Scouts1 wing (could be Panjgur Rifles)

  Pishin Scouts1 wing

  Sibi Scouts4 wings

  Sui Rifles1 wing

  Taftan Scouts

  Zhob Militia4 wings

  Tribal Police

  Frontier Constabulary (7000)

  Northwest Frontier Province Khassadars (lightly armed tribal area police)

  N. Waziristan 3305

  S. Waziristan 3500

  Khyber 2800

  Kurram, 900

  Baluchistan Constabulary (8,500)

  While 33,000 total strength has been given, that applies to the Consta
bulary plus regular police.

  Ministry of the Interior Air Surveillance Wing Quetta

  50th Squadron

  3 fixed-wing Cessna Caravan

  15 Huey II helicopters (14+5 delivered, there have been losses)

  The aircraft/helicopters have FLIR, GPS, and equipment for night missions including Night Vision Goggles and can also be used for command and control.

  Northern Area Scouts

  4 Wings at Gilgit, Skardu, Piun, and an unidentified location

  Chitral Scouts (7 wings)

  Azad Kashmir Rangers

  Estimated 3 wings; no other details

  Pakistan Rangers Punjab (HQ Lahore)

  Commanded by a Major General

  Each group is commanded by a colonel and consists of several wings commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel. Most officers are from the Pakistan Army.

  Chenab RangersSialkot

  AOR Sialkot-Narowal 6 wings

  Sutluj Rangers Lahore

  AOR Wagah-Kaganpur6 wings

  Desert Rangers Bahawalpur

  AOR Suliemanke-Bahawalpur)6 wings

  Panjnad Rangers

  Southern end of Bhawalpur District5 wings

  Cholistan RangersRahim Yar Khan

  AOR Khanpur-Sadiqabad)4 wings

  Pakistan Rangers Sindh (40,000) (5 zones)

  While the Pakistan Rangers Sindh perform traditional border duties such as border security, border policing, and intelligence collection, their primary role today is internal security in the Sindh. They act as reserve police, thus ensuring the Pakistan Army is not drawn into the law-and-order role, patrol federal highways, and conduct counter-terrorism and asset protection duties.

  AOR: 912 kilometers of Indo-Pakistan border, including the Rann of Kutch.

  Karachi (3 zones)

  Sachal Rangers (4 wings)

  Bhittai Rangers (3 wings)

  Abdullah Shah Ghazi Rangers (3 wings)

  Umme Amara Rangers (1 wing) (women only)

  Hyderabad

  Qasim Rangers, Hyderabad (4 wings)

  Thar Rangers, Hyderabad (4 wings)

  Sukkar

  Indus Rangers, Nawabshah (3 wings)

  Shahbaz Rangers, Sukkur (6 wings)

  A paramilitary type organization, with several Mujahid and Janbaz Force battalions, which are locally recruited militia. Mujahids are infantry battalions and include reserve battalions to be embodied at need. Most of the Janbaz units are air defense, but there are some infantry battalions. Total strength is ~160,000, a reduction since the Mujahid battalions in Kashmir are now being regularized. Some Mujahid battalions are permanently activated and attached to regular army brigades.

  7.10 Miscellaneous

  Marines

  21st Marine Air Defense Battalion (Ormara)

  (Detachments Karachi and Jiwani Naval bases)

  Mistral

  Unidentified SAM

  6 or 12 twin-35mm, German or Chinese[161]

  Skyguard radar

  Marines (allegedly 12,000 planned)

  1st Marine Battalion (???)

  2nd Marine Battalion Karachi

  3rd Marine Battalion Gwadar

  TF-88 for defense of Gwadar

  133rd Expeditionary Marine Battalion (might this be the 1st Battalion with a different number for an exercise?)

  Creeks Battalion (defense of Karachi)

  Coast Guard Battalions x 10

  Pakistan Regiments

  Infantry

  Punjab ~65 battalions

  Frontier Force ~65 battalions

  Baloch (was spelled Baluch) ~58 battalions

  Azad Kashmir (Free Kashmir) ~45 battalions

  Sind (also spelled Sindh) ~30 battalions

  Northern Light Infantry ~18 battalions

  Mujahid Force Regiment ~20 battalions

  New, regularization of Mujahid paramilitary

  battalions

  Special Service Group (SF battalions, function in

  companies)

  Pakistan has just six infantry regiments; accordingly, numbers of battalions grouped under each regimental center is enormous: The first three regiments have as many as 58-65 battalions each so that each center handles more battalions than exist in all but the largest armies today. The first 5 regiments reflect the main ethnic groups in Pakistan, and as such no compelling case exists for more regimental centers, Pakistan – unlike India – has chosen not to create national regiments (in India: Parachute, Guards, Grenadiers, Mechanized Infantry). There are higher battalion numbers than 60 in the Punjab and Baloch Regiments because 21 new battalions of these two regiments went to the Sind Regiment when it was formed in 1980; as far as we know, these battalions were not reraised. Several battalions are Light Anti-Tank.

  2 Cavalry

  4 Cavalry

  5 Horse (Probyn's)

  6 Lancers (DCO)

  7 Lancers

  8 Cavalry

  9 Horse

  10 Cavalry (Guide's)

  11 Cavalry (PAVO)

  12 Cavalry

  13 Lancers

  14 Lancers

  15 Lancers

  16 Horse

  18 Horse

  19 Lancers

  20 Lancers

  21 Cavalry

  22 Cavalry

  23 Cavalry

  24 Cavalry

  25 Cavalry

  26 Cavalry

  27 Cavalry

  28 Cavalry

  29 Cavalry

  30 Cavalry

  31 Cavalry

  32 Cavalry

  33 Cavalry

  34 Cavalry

  35 Cavalry

  36 Cavalry

  37 Cavalry

  38 Cavalry

  39 Cavalry

  40 Horse

  41 Horse

  42 Lancers

  43 Cav 2016

  44 Cav 2016

  51 Lancers

  52 Cavalry

  53 Cavalry

  54 Cavalry

  55 Cavalry

  56 Cavalry

  57 Cavalry

  58 Cavalry

  Pakistan Reserve Battalion System

  Pakistan has a significant number of troops in its Reserves/National Service pool. The usual figure if 500,000 tells us nothing. Nonetheless, Pakistan has, in the past, demonstrated the ability to quickly create new infantry battalions and tank regiments, using reserve manpower. Their combat efficiency is another matter. We know from historical accounts of the Pakistan army that the new tank regiments did not function well. That was because of inadequately trained tank and maintenance crews, and insufficient unit training. This is not a probably factor for the infantry. Below is an example of capabilities in this area.

  1965 War (formal war period September 6 - 23)

  16 FF September 12

  17 FF September 12

  18 FF September 19

  19 FF September 26

  20 FF October 1

  21 FF October 1

  22 FF October 23

  23 FF October 25

  24 FF November 22

  25 FF December 19

  26 FF November 22

  16,17 and 18 FF seem to even have seen a little action in the war, despite their raising just days before the cease-fire. One possibility for this strange situation is that the battalions might have been incomplete units under raising and filled out with troops from the regimental center.

  Nonetheless, to add 11 battalions within 13 weeks on a base of 15 battalions is impressive.

  1971 War (formal war period December 3-17)

  40 FF November 24

  41 FF December 6

  42 FF December 7

  43 FF December 9

  Seven other battalions were raised in 1971 prior to the above 4. The raisings in 1971 were at a more deliberate pace, with 11 battalions on a 39-battalion base raised within 9 months. (1966-70 only five battalions were raised, a realistic pace.) In 1971, some infantry battalions were intended for infrastructure defense but took the field as regular infantry.


  Frontier Works Organization

  15,000 core personnel

  Sub-contractors and labor hired as needed

  Military heavy construction/maintenance organization for border roads, bridges, tunnels, but also used for other construction like cantonments, airfields, army aviation fields and strips, dams, thermal power plants, canals, fiber-optic backbone, and Pakistan Atomic Energy infrastructure. Aside from the well-known 774-km Karakorum Highway linking Pakistan with China via Pakistan Kashmir, the FWO has also built the 650-km Makran Coast Highway. The Karakorum Highway is now being converted into six lanes.

  491 Engineer Group

  492 Engineer Group

  493 Engineer Group

  494 Engineer Group

  495 Engineer Group

  496 Engineer Group

  Groups have 1-2 engineer battalions and 2-6 constructions teams of 3-600 personnel each. There are also 2 Quarrying & Construction battalions and two road maintenance teams.

  Army cantonments (not complete)

  Abbottabad

  Landi Kotal

  Attock

  Loralai

  Badin

  Malir

  Bagh

  Mangla

  Bhawalpur

  Manshera

  Bahawalnagar

  Multan

  Bhimber

 

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