Luxembourg Armed Forces
Luxembourg Armed Forces | ||
---|---|---|
Lëtzebuerger Arméi Armée luxembourgeoise | ||
Minister for Defence Yuriko Backes | | |
Chief of Defence | Steve Thull[1] | |
Personnel | ||
Military age | 18-26 | |
Available for military service | 118,665 males, age 18-57 (2018), 117,456 females, age 18-57 (2018) | |
Fit for military service | 97,290 males, age 18-57 (2018), 96,361 females, age 18-57 (2018) | |
Reaching military age annually | 3,263 males (2018), 3,084 females (2018) | |
Active personnel | 939 (2018)[2] | |
Expenditures | ||
Budget | 389 million Euro (2021)[3] | |
Percent of GDP | 0.56% (2021)[3] | |
Related articles | ||
History | Military history of Luxembourg | |
Ranks | Military ranks of Luxembourg |
The Luxembourg Armed Forces (
The army is under
Luxembourg has provided military personnel for UN, NATO and EU peacekeeping missions since 1992. It has been a member of Eurocorps since 1994.
History
Militia (1817–1841)
On 8 January 1817,
Federal Contingent (1841-1867)
In 1839, William I became a party to the Treaty of London by which the Grand-Duchy lost its western, francophone territories to the Belgian province of Luxembourg. Due to the country's population having been halved, with the loss of 160,000 inhabitants, the militia lost half its strength. Under the terms of the treaty, Luxembourg and the newly formed Duchy of Limburg, both members of the German Confederation, were together required to provide a federal contingent consisting of a light infantry battalion garrisoned in Echternach, a cavalry squadron in Diekirch, and an artillery detachment in Ettelbruck. In 1846, the cavalry and artillery units were disbanded and the Luxembourg contingent was separated from that of Limburg. The Luxembourg contingent now consisted of two light infantry battalions, one in Echternach and the second in Diekirch; two reserve companies; and a depot company.[5]
In 1866, the
A new military organization was established in 1867, consisting of two battalions, known as the Corps des Chasseurs Luxembourgeois, having a total strength of 1,568 officers and men. In 1868, the contingent came to consist of one light infantry battalion of four companies, with a strength of 500 men. On 16 February 1881, the light infantry battalion was disbanded with the abolition of the militia-based system.[6]
Gendarmes and Volunteers Corps
On 16 February 1881, the Corps des Gendarmes et Volontaires (Corps of Gendarmes and Volunteers) was established. It was composed of two companies, a company of gendarmes and one of volunteers. In 1939, a corps of auxiliary volunteers was established and attached to the company of volunteers. Following the occupation of Luxembourg by Germany in May 1940, recruitment for the company of volunteers continued until 4 December 1940, when they were moved to Weimar, Germany, to be trained as German police.[7]
Luxembourg Battery
In 1944 during World War II, the Luxembourg Government, while exiled in London, made agreements for a group of seventy Luxembourg volunteers to be assigned to the Artillery Group of the
Several Luxembourg NCOs and half of the country's troops had fought in North Africa in the French Foreign Legion. The rest were people who had escaped from Luxembourg, and young men evading forcible conscription into the Wehrmacht by fleeing to Britain. The Luxembourg unit landed in Normandy on 6 August 1944—at approximately the same time as the Dutch Princess Irene Brigade and the French 2nd DB ("division blindée") commanded by General Leclerc—two months after the D-Day landings.[8]
The Luxembourg Battery was equipped with four
Post-Liberation Luxembourg Armed Forces
Conscription was introduced in Luxembourg for the first time in November 1944.
Setting up an army after the war proved more difficult than predicted.[11] To a certain extent, the authorities could rely on escaped German conscripts and Luxembourgers who had joined Allied armies;[11] however, they had to find a way to train officers. Initially, British military advisers came to Luxembourg, where training was carried out by British officers and NCOs.[11] But officer training, in the long term, would have to be done in military schools abroad. Belgium and France were both interested in helping and offered solutions.[11] In the end, the government opted for a compromise solution, by sending some officer cadets to the École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr in France and others to the Royal Military Academy in Belgium. This eventually led to disunity within the Luxembourg officer corps due to differences in training and promotion.[11]
In 1951, the Grand Ducal Guard relocated to Walferdange and integrated with the Commandement des Troupes. The Guard had special units for reconnaissance, radiac reconnaissance, and anti-air warfare. From 1955, it was organised into a headquarters company, a garrison platoon, a reconnaissance company and two training companies. In 1959, the Commandement des Troupes was disbanded and the Grand Ducal Guard was integrated into the Commandement du Territoire (Territorial Command). The force was reduced to a single company, a corporals' training school, and a weapons platoon. In 1960, the Grand Ducal Guard was again reorganised into four platoons, temporarily grouped into intervention and reinforcement detachments. In 1964, the Grand Ducal Guard was organized into a HQ, three platoons, a reinforcement platoon, and the NCO school.[citation needed] On 28 February 1966, the Grand Ducal Guard was officially disbanded.
Korean War
In 1950, seventeen countries, including Luxembourg, decided to send armed forces to assist the
Groupement Tactique Régimentaire and Home Command
In 1954, the Groupement Tactique Régimentaire (GTR) (Regimental Tactical Group) was established as Luxembourg's contribution to NATO. It consisted of three infantry battalions, an artillery battalion, and support, medical, transport, signals, engineering, heavy mortar, reconnaissance, and headquarters companies. By 1954, its overall strength had risen to 5,200 men. The GTR was disbanded in 1959.[12][9]
In addition to the GTR, the Army also included the Territorial Command, composed of headquarters, military police, movement and transportation companies, a static guard battalion, and a mobile battalion.[12] By 1954, it numbered some 2,500 men.[9] At the same date, some 2.45 percent of the country's population was serving in the military.[9]
1st Artillery Battalion
In 1961, the 1st Artillery Battalion was placed at NATO's disposal. The battalion was organised into three batteries, each with six 105 millimetres (4.1 in) field howitzers (British
1st Infantry Battalion
Compulsory military service was abolished in 1967 by which time some 34,700 men had served at some point in the Luxembourg Army.
Recent international operations
Luxembourg started financially supporting international peacekeeping missions in 1991, citing the Persian Gulf War, Rwanda and in Albania.[14] Luxembourg is deploying military personnel for peacekeeping missions since 1992.
Luxembourg has contributed troops to the
Luxembourg has contributed over 18 years in NATO KFOR, totalling 1200 military personnel. Luxembourg deployed a reconnaissance platoon first from 2000 to 2006 under Belgian command and from 2007 to 2011 under a French detachment. From 2011 to 2017 Luxembourg was subordinated to the headquarters in Pristina, collaborating with an Austrian reconnaissance company.
Together with Belgium, Luxembourg contributed military personnel to
Over 35 rotations, Luxembourg troops have been deployed to
The Luxembourg Armed Forces have also been active in Africa, supporting the EU Security Reform Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (EUSEC RDC), the EU Military Operation in Eastern Chad and North Eastern Central African Republic (
Luxembourg is also active in the NATO eFP, contributing logistical and satellite transmission support in Lithuania since 2017.[16]
Luxembourg Armed Forces Organization
The army is under
Until 1999, the army was integrated into the Force Publique (Public Force), which included the Gendarmerie and the Police, until the
The Luxembourg Army is a battalion-sized formation with four separate compagnies (
Compagnie A
Compagnie A, the first of two rifle companies that forms the Luxembourg contingent of the
Compagnie B
Compagnie B, currently known as the Reconversion Service, is the educational unit of the Army, providing various educational courses for personnel to take in preparation for advancement. On 19 May 2011, Company B was redesignated as the Service de Reconversion (Reconversion Service) with the mission to prepare volunteer soldiers for the return to civilian life.[23] The service includes the L'Ecole de l'Armee (Army School). In order to attend this school a soldier must have at least eighteen months of service. The school is divided into two sections:
- Level B - is open to all soldiers at the end of their first eighteen months of service. Soldiers follow two six-month periods of tuition in both general and military-based subjects prior to taking examinations. Upon gaining 75% pass marks, they can proceed to the next level.
- Level A - is open to soldiers who have achieved the required passes at Level B, or who have attained the equivalent in civilian life prior to their enlistment. Soldiers do a single six-month period of tuition in the same subjects as Level B, but for a longer period each week.
Compagnie C
Compagnie C, better known as the Compagnie Commandement et Instruction (Staff & Instruction Company), is the main military training unit of the Luxembourg Armed Forces, with instruction given in:
- Basic soldiering
- Driving
- Physical training
This company is also responsible for the army's Elite Sports Section, reserved for sportsmen in the Army. Following their basic training, these soldiers join the Section de Sports d'Elite de l'Armée (SSEA).
Compagnie D
Compagnie D is the second rifle company – it provided Luxembourg's contribution to NATO's
Equipment
Luxembourg Air Wing
Luxembourg has a small air wing. All
Aircraft
Aircraft | Origin | Type | Variant | In service | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Transport | |||||
Airbus A400M | France / Spain | transport | 1[24] | operated by the Belgian 15th Air Transport Wing | |
Helicopter | |||||
Airbus H145 | Germany | light utility | H145M | 2[25] |
Retired aircraft
Previous aircraft operated were 3 Piper PA-18 Super Cub's from 1952 to 1968.[26]
Uniform
Luxembourg military uniforms consist of dress, service (or garrison) and field uniforms, often worn with a black beret. Dress uniforms are worn mostly on formal occasions, while service uniforms are worn for daily duty. Luxembourg Armed Forces uniforms consist of service and field attire for summer and winter, as well as a dress uniform and mess jacket for officers. The winter service dress uniform, of olive drab wool, consists of a single-breasted coat having patch pockets with flaps, a khaki shirt and tie, and trousers that are usually cuffless.[27] The summer uniform is similar, but made of light tan material.
Combat uniforms use either a temperate or desert camouflage pattern. These patterns were adopted in 2010–11 to replace the U.S. Woodland pattern used since 1985.[28]
Grades
Officers
Those who have completed high school will enter a special thirteen-week basic training in the Army as warrant officers, then attend the military officer school for five years (normally in Brussels, Belgium), before becoming a lieutenant in the Luxembourg Armed Forces.
Aspiring officers are sent to the Belgian
After leaving military academy, officer candidates become probationary officers for a period of twenty-four months.[29] The probation period consists of specialised military-branch training at a school abroad, and practical service within one of the Army's units. If they succeed during this probation, their appointment as lieutenants is made permanent.[29]
NCOs
Those who have completed five years of high school and have served four months as voluntary soldiers, will do a nine-month stage at the Infantry Training Department of the
Career Corporals
Those who have not completed five years of high school may, after three years of service, become career corporals in the Luxembourg Armed Forces, if they pass physical and mental tests. They also have to pass a part of the NCO School in Belgium.[31]
Insignia
Officers
NATO code | OF-10 | OF-9 | OF-8 | OF-7 | OF-6 | OF-5 | OF-4 | OF-3 | OF-2 | OF-1 | OF(D) | Student officer | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Luxembourg Army[32]
|
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Général
|
Colonel | Lieutenant-colonel
|
Major | Capitaine | Lieutenant en premier | Lieutenant | Aspirant-officier |
NCOs and enlisted
NATO rank scale | OR-9 | OR-8 | OR-7 | OR-6 | OR-5 | OR-4 | OR-3 | OR-2 | OR-1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Luxembourg Army[32]
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Adjudant-major | Adjudant-chef | Adjudant | Sergent-chef | Premier sergent | Sergent | Premier caporal-chef | Caporal-chef | Caporal de première classe | Caporal | Premier soldat-chef | Soldat-chef | Soldat de première classe | Soldat |
References
- ^ "General Steve Thull Takes over as Luxembourg Chief of Defence". Chronicle.lu. 29 September 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
- ^ a b "Strength of the Luxembourgish Army 1990 – 2018". 2018. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
- ^ a b c "Defence Expenditure of NATO Countries (2014-2021)" [NATO] (PDF). 11 June 2021. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
- ^ "La Milice (1817-1841)" [The Militia (1817-1841)]. Lëtzebuerger Arméi (in French). Armée luxembourgeoise. 2017. Archived from the original on 5 January 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
- ^ a b "Le Contingent Fédéral (1841-1867)" [The Federal Contingent (1841-1867)]. Lëtzebuerger Arméi (in French). Armée luxembourgeoise. 2017. Archived from the original on 5 January 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
- ^ "Le Corps de Chasseurs Luxembourgeois (1867-1881)" [The Light Infantry of Luxembourg (1867-1881)]. Lëtzebuerger Arméi (in French). Armée luxembourgeoise. 2017. Archived from the original on 5 January 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
- ^ "Le Corps des Gendarmes et Volontaires (1881-1944)" [The Corps of Gendarmes and Volunteers (1881-1944)]. Lëtzebuerger Arméi (in French). Armée luxembourgeoise. 2017. Archived from the original on 5 January 2017. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
- ^ a b c "Les luxembourgeois de la "Brigade PIRON"" [The Luxembourgers of the "PIRON Brigade"]. Lëtzebuerger Arméi (in French). Armée luxembourgeoise. 2017. Archived from the original on 5 January 2017. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f "Le Luxembourg et l'OTAN". NATO Declassified. NATO. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
- ^ a b "Les débuts de 1944-1954" (in French). Lëtzebuerger Arméi. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
- ^ ISBN 2-218-03855-2.
- ^ a b "La mise sur pied du GTR (1954-1959)" (in French). Lëtzebuerger Arméi. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
- ^ a b "Le Bataillon d'Artillerie et les Forces Territoriales (1959-1967)" (in French). Lëtzebuerger Arméi. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
- ^ "ECMM: Mission des observateurs de l'Union Européenne en ex-Yougoslavie" [European Community Monitoring Mission (ECMM): Mission of European Union observers in ex-Yugoslavia]. Armée luxembourgeoise (in French). Retrieved 15 September 2019.
- ^ Department of State Publication: Background notes series - Luxemburg. U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Public Affairs, Office of Public Communication, Editorial Division. 1 January 1995. p. 8.
- ^ "30 ans OMP - 30 ans d'engagement au service de la paix" (PDF). gouvernement.lu/ (in French). 10 October 2022. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
- ^ "Personnel clé". Lëtzebuerger Arméi. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
- ^ "Mémorial A, 1967, No. 43" (PDF) (in French). Service central de législation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 October 2006. Retrieved 11 September 2006.
- ^ "Organisation de l'Armée" [Organisation of the Army]. armee.lu (in French). Retrieved 2022-11-12.
- ^ "Résultats de recherche". Legilux. Retrieved 2022-11-12.
- ^ "Loi du 2 juin 2021 portant modification:..." [Law of 2 June 2021 amending [three previous laws on military organization and funding]]. Official Journal of Luxembourg. 2 June 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
- ^ "Luxembourg Defence Information - Luxembourg Armed Forces - Luxembourg Army - European Defence Information". www.armedforces.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2016-09-22. Retrieved 2016-11-30.
- ^ "Service de Reconversion". Armee.lu (in French). Armée luxembourgeoise. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014.
- ^ "World Air Forces 2023". Flightglobal Insight. 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
- ^ "Luxembourg receives second H145M". shephardmedia.com. 21 January 2020.
- ^ "Info on retired Luxembourg Army Aviation aircraft (Piper Super Cubs) active during the 1950s and 1960s". 11 January 2013. Archived from the original on 23 May 2012. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
- ^ "Luxembourg's armed forces: army composition, recruitment and salaries". Online media of Luxembourg. 2023-07-06. Retrieved 2023-12-20.
- ^ "Luxembourg - Camopedia". Archived from the original on 17 June 2018. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
- ^ a b c "Officiers de carrière: Engagement – Formation – Nomination". Armee.lu (in French). Armée luxembourgeoise / Gouvernment du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014.
- ^ "Sous officiers de carriere - Conditions de recrutement" (in French). Retrieved 17 March 2020.
- ^ "Caporaux de carriere - Conditions de recrutement" (in French). Retrieved 17 March 2020.
- ^ a b "Grades". Armee.lu. Luxembourg Army. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
Further reading
- Cerf, P. (1984). Le Luxembourg et son armée. Le service obligatoire à Luxembourg de 1945 à 1967 (in French). Luxembourg: RTL Editions.
- Spang, Paul (1 July 1981). "La force armée luxembourgeoise de 1881 à 1940". Hémecht (in French). 33 (3): 295ff.
- Streicher, Félix (2019). "Une drôle de petite armée in der drôle de guerre: Die luxemburgische Force Armée zwischen September 1939 und Mai 1940" [A funny little army in the Phoney War: the Luxembourg Armed Forces between September 1939 and May 1940]. Hémecht: Journal of Luxembourg History (in French). 71 (3): 279–309.
- Wittlin, Thomas (2004). "L'armée luxembourgeoise (Partie 1)" [Luxembourgish Army (Part 1)]. Revue militaire suisse (in French). 149: 31–4. .