| |||
| |||
| Führung | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Oberbefehlshaber de jure: |
Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck | ||
| Oberbefehlshaber de facto: | Druk Gyalpo (Supreme commander-in-chief) | ||
| Militärischer Befehlshaber: | Chief operations officer Batoo Tshering | ||
| Sitz des Hauptquartiers: | Lungtenphu, Thimphu | ||
| Teilstreitkräfte: | Royal Bodyguard of Bhutan | ||
| Militärische Stärke | |||
| Aktive Soldaten: | 5.000 | ||
| Wehrpflicht: | freiwillig | ||
| Wehrtauglichkeitsalter: | ab dem 18. Lebensjahr | ||
| Geschichte | |||
| Gründung: | 1958 | ||
Die Royal Bhutan Army (RBA; bhutanisch བསྟན་སྲུང་དམག་སྡེ་ bStan-srung dmag-sde )[1] ist ein Zweig der Streitkräfte Bhutans im Königreich Bhutan. Die Armee ist für die territoriale Integrität und die Unabhängigkeit des Landes verantwortlich. Der König von Bhutan ist der Supreme Commander in Chief der RBA.[2] Der Ausführende General (Chief Operations Officer, Goonglon Gongma) ist (Lieutenant General) Batoo Tshering.[3][4]
Zur RBA gehört auch die Royal Body Guards (RBG), eine Elitetruppe der Armee, die hauptsächlich für die Sicherheit des Königs, der königlichen Familie und hochrangige Würdenträger zuständig ist.[5]
Es war üblich, aber nicht verpflichtend, dass aus jeder bhutanischen Familie ein Sohn in der Armee diente.[5] Darüber hinaus können in Notfällen Milizen rekrutiert werden. Von Zeit zu Zeit kann sie aufgefordert werden, die Royal Bhutan Police (རྒྱལ་གཞུང་འབྲུག་གི་འགག་སྡེ་; gyal-zhung druk-ki gaag-de, RBP) bei der Aufrechterhaltung von Recht und Ordnung zu unterstützen.[6]
Geschichte
Bearbeiten
Mit intensiver Unterstützung Indiens wurde die RBA in den 1950er Jahren als Reaktion auf die chinesische Annexion und die anschließenden Aktionen der Volksbefreiungsarmee in Tibet gegründet. 1958 führte die königliche Regierung ein Wehrpflichtsystem ein und plante ein stehendes Heer von 2.500 Soldaten.[5] Die indische Regierung hatte Bhutan außerdem wiederholt aufgefordert und unter Druck gesetzt, seine Neutralitäts- oder Isolationspolitik zu beenden und indische Wirtschafts- und Militärhilfe anzunehmen. Dies lag daran, dass Indien Bhutan als einen der verwundbarsten Sektoren seines strategischen Verteidigungssystems gegenüber China betrachtete.[7] Als Bhutan das indische Angebot annahm, wurde die indische Armee für die Ausbildung und Ausrüstung der RBA verantwortlich. Bis 1968 bestand die RBA aus 4.850 Soldaten; bis 1990 war diese Zahl auf 6.000 gestiegen.[5] Nach den Zuwächsen nach einer antimilitanten Operation im Jahr 2003 erreichte die RBA 2007 einen Höchststand von über 9.000, bevor sie 2008 auf 8.000 reduziert wurde.[8]
Bhutanische Offiziere wurden 2015 als Stabsoffiziere zur United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) entsandt.[9][10]
Im Jahr 2021 wurde der erste Jahrgang von Frauen in die Armee aufgenommen.[11]
Beziehungen zu den indischen Streitkräften
BearbeitenDie indische Armee unterhält in Bhutan eine Ausbildungsmission, das Indian Military Training Team (IMTRAT), welches für die Ausbildung des RBA- und RBG-Personals verantwortlich ist..[12] Alle RBA- und RBG-Offiziere werden an den Offiziersausbildungsinstituten der indischen Armee ausgebildet, nämlich der National Defence Academy (NDA) in Pune und der Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehradun.[13]
Project DANTAK of the Border Roads Organisation, a subdivision of the Indian Army Corps of Engineers, has been operating in Bhutan since May 1961. Since then Project DANTAK has been responsible for the construction and maintenance of over 1,500 km of roads and bridges, Paro Airport and Yongphulla Airport (upgraded in 2018, with scheduled fixed-wing civilian flights), heliports and other infrastructure. While these serve India's strategic defense needs, they are also an obvious economic benefit for the people of Bhutan.[14]
Army aviation
BearbeitenThe Royal Bhutan Army relies on Eastern Air Command of the Indian Air Force for air medical evacuation assistance.[15] Indian Air Force helicopters evacuated RBA casualties to India for treatment during Operation All Clear in 2003.[16]
2003 Operation: All Clear
BearbeitenDuring the early '90s Indian separatist groups United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) and Kamtapur Liberation Organization (KLO) had begun to clandestinely set up camps in Bhutan's dense southern jungles. These camps were used to train cadres, store equipment and launch attacks on targets in India.[17] The Bhutanese government became aware of their presence in 1996, and from 1997 the issue was regularly discussed in the National Assembly.[18] The Government of India began exerting diplomatic pressure on the Royal Government to remove the militant presence and offered to conduct joint military operations with Bhutan against the militants. The Royal Government, preferring a peaceful solution, declined the offer and instead initiated dialogue with the militant groups in 1998.[19] By December 2003 negotiations had failed to produce any agreement and the Royal Government, unable to tolerate the groups' presence any longer, issued a 48-hour ultimatum on 13 December. On 15 December the RBA commenced military operations against the militant groups.[17]
Combat operations
BearbeitenUnder the leadership of His Majesty the 4th King, the RBA and RBG, with a total strength of 6,000, attacked an estimated 3,000 militants spread across 30 camps.[20][21] By 27 December 2003 all 30 camps had been captured. Additionally, the RBA seized "more than 500 AK 47/56 assault rifles and 500 other assorted weapons including rocket launchers and mortars, along with more than 1,000,000 rounds of ammunition. An anti-aircraft gun was also found at the site of the GHQ of the ULFA."[22]
By 3 January 2004 all 30 camps (ULFA-14, NDFB-11, KLO-5) and an additional 35 observation posts were destroyed and the militants dislodged.[23] A total of 485 ULFA, NDFB and KLO militants were killed or captured; those captured along with the seized weapons and ammunition were handed over to the Government of India. Captured non-combatants were handed over to Assamese civil authorities. The RBA suffered 11 soldiers killed in action and 35 wounded in action.[16]
Personnel
Bearbeiten
As of 2008 the RBA stood at 8,000 active-duty personnel.[8] This follows an initiative introduced in 2005 by the Royal Government of Bhutan to reduce the strength of the RBA while increasing militia training of the Bhutanese population.[24]
Army Welfare Project
BearbeitenThe Army Welfare Project (AWP) is a commercial enterprise of the RBA established in 1974 to provide benefits for retired RBA and RBG personnel in the form of employment, pensions and loans.[5][25] The AWP manufactures alcoholic beverages in two distilleries located in Gelephu and Samtse.[26]
Equipment
BearbeitenVorlage:More citations needed section The RBA is a mobile infantry force lightly armed with weapons largely supplied by India.
Pistols
BearbeitenRifles
BearbeitenInfantry support weapons
Bearbeiten81mm Mortar (33)
Armoured vehicle
Bearbeiten| Aircraft | Variant | In service |
|---|---|---|
| Mil Mi-8 | Mi-8T Hip C[29] | 2[31] |
Bases
BearbeitenThe Royal Bhutan Army maintains a camp at Zompelri which is a border outpost under the control of army's Wing I at Tendruk, Samtse.[32]
Das Military Training Centre is in Tencholing, Wangduephodrang.
Einzelnachweise
Bearbeiten- ↑ ༈ རྫོང་ཁ་ཨིང་ལིཤ་ཤན་སྦྱར་ཚིག་མཛོད། ༼བསྟ༽ (Dzongkha-English Dictionary: „BSTA“) Dzongkha Development Commission. Archivlink
- ↑ The Constitution of the Kingdom of Bhutan. Government of Bhutan. constitution.bt 2008. ISBN 978-99936-754-0-2 art.28 Archivlink
- ↑ Dozin Batoo Tshering takes over as COO of RBA. In: Kuensel. 2. November 2005, archiviert vom am 5. November 2006.
- ↑ [Eastern Commander visits Bhutan. In: Kuensel. 20. September 2008, archiviert vom am 10. Juni 2011.
- ↑ a b c d e A Country Study: Bhutan. In: sec. Armed Forces. Federal Research Division, US Library of Congress, 1991, abgerufen am 6. Juli 2013 (englisch).
- ↑ A Country Study: Bhutan. In: sec. Militia. Federal Research Division, US Library of Congress, 1991, abgerufen am 6. Juli 2013 (englisch).
- ↑ Thierry Mathou: Bhutan-China Relations: Towards a New Step in Himalayan Politics. In: First International Seminar on Bhutan Studies. Centre for Bhutan Studies, 2004, S. 394, archiviert vom am 27. Januar 2012 (englisch).
- ↑ a b SPEECH OF THE HEAD OF MISSION AND FORCE COMMANDER. In: Freedom House. 2011, abgerufen am 22. November 2017 (englisch).
- ↑ Translation of His Majesty’s Address at the 77th RBA Recruits Attestation Parade. In: Royal Bhutan Army. Abgerufen am 23. August 2021 (englisch).
- ↑ Indian Military Training Team (IMTRAT), Bhutan. In: Indian Army. Archiviert vom am 19. Juni 2009; abgerufen am 1. November 2011 (englisch).
- ↑ Tashi Choden: Indo-Bhutan Relations Recent Trends. In: Journal of Bhutan Studies. vol. 11, 6. Centre for Bhutan Studies, S. 119, archiviert vom am 27. Januar 2012; abgerufen am 1. November 2011 (englisch).
- ↑ Dantak|work=Border Roads Organisation|publisher=Government of India|url=http://www.bro.nic.in/indexmain.asp?projectid=23%7Caccess-date=2011-11-01%7Curl-status=dead%7Carchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927154718/http://www.bro.nic.in/indexmain.asp?projectid=23%7Carchive-date=2011-09-27}}
- ↑ [http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1576%7Ctitle=Eastern air command chief visits Bhutan|work=Kuensel|date=2002-05-10|archive-date=2006-11-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061105030718/http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1576%7Curl-status=dead}}
- ↑ a b [http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4394%7Ctitle=A Nation Pays Tribute|work=Kuensel|date=2004-08-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610231908/http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4394%7Carchive-date=2011-06-10
- ↑ a b [http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3552%7Ctitle=The Militant Problem|work=Kuensel|date=2003-12-15|archive-date=2011-06-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610231935/http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3552
- ↑ Dorji Penjore: Security of Bhutan: Walking Between the Giants|journal=Journal of Bhutan Studies|volume=10|issue=9|pages=108–131|publisher=Centre for Bhutan Studies|date=Summer 2004|url=http://www.bhutanstudies.org.bt/pubFiles/v10-9.pdf%7Caccess-date=1 November 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120127090312/http://www.bhutanstudies.org.bt/pubFiles/v10-9.pdf%7Carchive-date=27 January 2012}}
- ↑ [http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3551%7Ctitle=Resolving the Militant Problem|work=Kuensel|date=2003-12-15|archive-date=2011-06-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610232014/http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3551%7Curl-status=dead}}
- ↑ [https://books.google.com/books?id=QKbCv5rLB1QC&pg=PA81%7Ctitle=Bhutanese Army Actions Against Militants|work=Indian Defence Review, Volume 24 |date=April–June 2004 |page=81}}
- ↑ [http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3571%7Ctitle=Security Troops Continue Operations to Flush Indian Militants out of Bhutan|work=Kuensel|date=2003-12-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610232256/http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3571%7Carchive-date=2011-06-10%7Curl-status=dead}}
- ↑ [http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3588%7Ctitle=Protecting mutual concerns and interests|work=Kuensel|date=2003-12-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610232332/http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=3588%7Carchive-date=2011-06-10
- ↑ [http://www.raonline.ch/pages/bt/btbodo12d.html%7Ctitle=RBA Makes Good Progress in Flushing Out Operations|publisher=Kuensel|date=2004-01-03|access-date=2013-07-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140814001308/http://www.raonline.ch/pages/bt/btbodo12d.html%7Carchive-date=2014-08-14
- ↑ [http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=8607%7Ctitle=Militia Should Start in 2012|work=Kuensel|date=2007-06-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610231901/http://www.kuenselonline.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=8607%7Carchive-date=10 June 2011|url-status=dead}}
- ↑ [http://www.kuenselonline.com/company-to-promote-responsible-drinking/#.UdwCg22OnEc%7Ctitle=Company to promote 'responsible drinking'|work=Kuensel|date=2013-01-23|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150720045120/http://www.kuenselonline.com/company-to-promote-responsible-drinking/#.UdwCg22OnEc%7Carchive-date=2015-07-20}}
- ↑ [http://www.nsb.gov.bt/publication/files/pub1vc5889ov.pdf%7Ctitle=Alcohol Use and Abuse in Bhutan|work=National Statistics Bureau of Bhutan|page=24|access-date=2013-07-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180127202216/http://www.nsb.gov.bt/publication/files/pub1vc5889ov.pdf%7Carchive-date=2018-01-27
- ↑ Reetika Sharma, Ramvir Goria, Vivek Mishra: India and the Dynamics of World Politics: A book on Indian Foreign Policy, Related events and International Organizations|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eOiXLCWUiB4C&pg=PA128%7Caccess-date=29 May 2014|publisher=Pearson Education India|isbn=978-81-317-3291-5|page=128|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140708205247/http://books.google.com/books?id=eOiXLCWUiB4C&pg=PA128%7Carchive-date=8 July 2014|url-status=live
- ↑ News article from The Bhutanese newspaper showing Bhutanese peacekeepers, August 3rd, 2022.
- ↑ a b Czołgi Świata, Issue 41, pp 11, 12
- ↑ [https://thaiarmedforce.com/2021/11/19/test-event-of-first-win-4x4-for-bhutan/?fbclid=IwAR15jzZNucOPmKEvWzR7vHHiFZC8ogAIcjB-9J20S06SOeEUreVoBF-R5QE ภาพการทดสอบ First Win 4×4 จำนวน 15 คันของภูฎาน ลูกค้าต่างชาติรายที่ 3|website=www.thaiarmedforce.com|access-date=2021-11-19
- ↑ [https://www.flightglobal.com/reports/world-air-forces-2020/135665.article%7Ctitle=World Air Forces 2020|website=Flight Global.
- ↑ Bhutan media’s reaction to India-China border standoff has no aggressive posturing |newspaper=The Hindustan Times |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/bhutan-media-s-reaction-to-india-china-border-standoff-has-no-aggressive-posturing/story-vWa6wSM7SJAmShAqbRhZZO.html |first=Vinod |last=Janardhanan |date=2017-07-02 |access-date=July 6, 2017 |quote=China has alleged that India is fighting on behalf of Bhutan, which had opposed the construction of a motorable road by the Chinese military from Dokala in the Doklam area towards the Bhutan Army camp at Zornpelri on June 16. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170705143826/http://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/bhutan-media-s-reaction-to-india-china-border-standoff-has-no-aggressive-posturing/story-vWa6wSM7SJAmShAqbRhZZO.html |archive-date=July 5, 2017
Weblinks
Bearbeiten- ༄༅། བསྟན་སྲུང་དྲག་པོའི་ལྟེ་བ།། – Royal Bhutan Army Royal Bhutan Army online.
[[Category:Military of Bhutan]] [[Category:Armies by country|Bhutan]] [[Category:Military units and formations established in 1950]] [[Category:Organisations based in Bhutan with royal patronage]] [[Category:1950s establishments in Bhutan]]