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WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
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Nicaragua
Index
As of 1993, the army's strength was estimated at 13,500
personnel. The EPS is organized into six regional commands
and
two military departments subordinate to the general staff.
The
largest unit is a motorized infantry brigade of four
battalions.
In addition, there are a mechanized infantry battalion and
three
artillery battalions. The Irregular Warfare Battalions
have been
reduced to ten infantry companies. A Special Forces
battalion has
been formed from airborne and Special Forces personnel.
Most of
these units are neither fully staffed nor adequately
equipped.
The army continues to depend on Soviet weapons
delivered
during the 1980s. Most of these are out-of-date and poorly
maintained. The EPS's inventory of armor--heavy and light
tanks,
APCs, and reconnaissance vehicles--remains large by
Central
American standards. However, most of the Soviet T-55 tanks
are
reportedly in storage because of a lack of funds and
personnel to
maintain them. The PT-76 light tanks form the primary
armor of
the mechanized infantry battalion. Only about seventy-five
APCs
and reconnaissance vehicles are operational, and some of
the
armored weapons have been sold to other Latin American
countries.
The army retains a considerable supply of 122mm and
152mm
towed artillery pieces and multiple rocket launchers.
Twelve of
its APCs are mounted with Soviet AT-3 (Sagger) antitank
guided
missiles. The army retains numerous antitank guns and a
stock of
Soviet shoulder-fired antiaircraft missile launchers
(see Table 12, Major Items of Military Equipment, 1993).
Data as of December 1993
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