| Eusko Gudarostea | |
|---|---|
 Coat of Arms of Eusko Gudarostea. | |
| Founded | 1936 |
| Country | Euskadi |
| Size | 80,000 men and women |
| Part of | Euskadiko Indar Armatuak |
| Commanders | |
| CoEKG | Lt. General Eusebio Indurain Lorenzo |
| Commander-in-Chief | Lehendakari Arantxa Mendizabal Arrate |
The Eusko Gudarosteaestablished in 1936, is the heir of the ancient militias of Euskadi, dating back to 1700. It is the branch of Euskadiko Indar Armatuak responsible for land-based military operations. It is the second largest branch of the armed forces after the Armada Nazional.
The Eusko Gudarostea currently has a strenght of 80,000 men and women. About 55,000 are professionals and it is planned to reach fully professionalization by 2016.
Structure[]
Since the formation of the nation, the military has been undergoing a process of integration and modernization not only in equipment but also in their structure and organization. In this process the Eusko Gudarostea has now a simple and effective organization that has an impact on improved effectiveness.
The major operational command is EKG HQ. It is located in Gasteiz and it is split into divisions and subordinate units ranging from brigades to sections. Corps are made up of two or more divisions, but are now unlikely to be deployed as a purely national formation due to the size of the Eusko Gudarostea.
There are four Regional EKG HQ:
- EKG Regional Headquarters Europe and Caribe(EKG HQ-EC)
- EKG Regional Headquarters Africa (EKG HQ-AF)
- EKG Fast Reaction Force Headquarters (EKG HQ-FR)
The standard operational units are structured as follows, although various units can have their own structure, conventions, names and sizes.
| Type of Unit | Symbol | Contains | Soldiers | Commanded by |
| Division | XX | 3 - 4 Brigades + aux. Regiments | 15120 - 20160 | Major General |
| Brigade | X | 2 Regiments | 5040 | Brigade General |
| Regiment | III | 3 Battalions | 2520 | Colonel |
| Battalion | II | 5 Companies | 840 | Colonel or Lieutenant Colonel |
| Company | I | 3 Platoons | 168 | Major or Captain |
| Platoon | +++ | 4 Sections | 56 | Lieutenant or 2nd Lieutenant |
| Section | ++ | 2 Squads | 14 | Sergeant Major or Sergeant |
| Squad | + | Individuals | 7 | Sergeant or Corporal |
Organization[]
Given its dependence on Regional Army HQs:
EKG Regional Headquarters Europa (EKG HQ-EU) Gasteiz[]
1st Infantry Division[]
Headquarters: (INF1-HQ ) Gasteiz
- 1st Infantry Brigade - EEG
- 2nd Infantry Brigade
- 3rd infantry Brigade
- 1st Airmobile Infantry Brigade
- Divisional units
2nd Armoured Division[]
Headquarters: (ARM2-HQ) Baiona
- 1st Armoured Brigade
- 2nd Armoured Brigade
- 1st Mechanized Brigade
- Divisional Units
EKG Regional Headquarters Africa (EKG HQ-AA) Boke[]
4th Infantry Division[]
Headquarters (INF4-HQ): Boké
- 5th Infantry Brigade
- 6th Infantry Brigade
- 12th Mechanized Brigade
- 13th Mechanized Brigade
- Divisional Units
EKG Fast Reaction Force Headquarters (EKG HQ-FR) Bilbao[]
9th Cavalry Division[]
Headquarters: (INF7-HQ ) Bilbao
- 10th Mechanized Brigade
- 7th Mechanized Brigade
- 5th Armoured Brigade
- 3rd Airmobile Infatry Brigade
- Divisional units
Integrated infantry equipment[]
Clothing and armour[]
Basic combat clothing has a full cut allowing free movement. Bellows pockets provide ample carrying capacity. The material (fabric) offers good mechanical properties but still allows good air permeability.
The fibres (aramid/viscose FR) are flame- and wash-resistant.
The flak jacket accommodates:
- Flexible ballistic protection
- Hard ballistic protection
- Electronic jacket
- Load-bearing structure.
The electronic jacket integrates the electronics (computer unit, manager unit, radio, man-machine interface, GPS, cables and connector), flexible water bottle, Star W-109 magazines and grenades, and optimises weight distribution on the soldier.
The equipment is autonomous and can be used alone. The NRBC combat clothing is similar to permanent combat clothing. It is designed to allow combat phases to be carried out with the same efficiency as that achieved with conventional combat clothing.
Camouflage[]
The EKG have selected the Kermel V50 and VMC40 fabrics to equip its troops.
Portable electronic platform (PEP)[]
The PEP lies at the heart of the infantry combat system. Designed to utilise all the electronic resources found on the electronic jacket (computer, energy manager, peripheral equipment interfaces, user interfaces), The system is built around a USB 4.0. digital data bus. This choice of open broadband digital data bus and extensive connectivity gives the portable electronic platform, and hence the system, strong interoperability.
Individual energy sources[]
Peripheral equipment can be connected to the physical connection ports situated at the front of the battery units. Power sources will be made of two fuel cells, provided partially by Natech group.
Weapons[]
Individual weapons[]
- Star W-91 => Assault rifle
- Star W-109 => Assault rifle
- SIG SG 553 => Assault rifle
- Star Z-84 => Submachine gun
- Star Z-99 => Submachine gun and Personal defence weapon
- Star Y-05 => Sniper rifle
- Accuracy International Arctic Warfare => Sniper rifle
- FN Minimi => Light machine gun
- Firestar M43 => Pistol
- Firestar Plus M243=> Pistol
- Firestar Plus M260 => Pistol
- Megastar => Pistol
- Ultrastar M205 => Pistol
- SIG Sauer Pro => Pistol
- M72 LAW => Grenade launcher
- NLAW => Anti tank guided missile system
- AT4 => Anti tank guided missile system
Crew weapons[]
- M2 Browning => Machine gun
- Carl-Gustaf M3 => Multi-role, man-portable shoulder-fired weapon
- FGM-148 Javelin => Anti-tank missile
Star W-93 remain the infantryman’s basic weapon but is being replaced by Star W-109.
Star W-93 and Star W-109 can accommodates a man-machine interface, a second grip and a telescopic sight. The sight is equipped with a day imager and a night imager (the infantryman’s sight will be light intensifying, and one soldier per squad will have a thermal sight: uncooled IR), a restitution eyepiece, a clear sight for instinctive shooting. The sight has an integrated video camera that transmits received images to the system. A wire connection links the weapon to the system.
Precision rifle sight is based on the use of uncooled infrared sensors, combined with adapted magnifying optics. It also includes radio communication resources.
Helmet[]
The helmet is composed of three components: head protection, communication headset and optronic equipment. The ballistic shell optimises protection and load-bearing ergonomics (weight distribution). It can accommodate various items required for the mission (facial protection screens) and its shape is compatible with all firing positions of the weapons used.
A lightweight, integrated protective shield protects the infantryman from various threats (wind, rain, dust, UV). Non-linear earplugs afford auditory protection. The NBC mask can be equipped with a filter cartridge or linked to the ventilation powerpack. A tube built into the NBC mask can be used to take in liquids (water, food).
The communication headset is linked to the radio. It holds the microphone and earpiece and works by bone vibrations (bone conduction transducer). It works independently from the helmet and can therefore remain in operation when the helmet is removed.
The optronic equipment is composed of mission interface overshell integrating the optronics, head camera (EBCMOS light intensification technology), image display units (OLED technology) allowing data and icons transmitted on the bus system to be displayed, images and video coming from the weapon or the head camera. The image display unit is fixed to the helmet: its screen can be brought into line with infantryman's eye. When not in use, it can be folded away so as not to hinder the soldier.
Information network[]
The information network allows information to be shared throughout the infantry section. Each radio can subscribe to two networks simultaneously. This offers the squad leader some flexibility in organising communication networks in his section. Each network has an audio conference channel, with priority given to the squad leader, an alert channel from the infantryman to his leader, and a data transmission channel. Voice and data transmission is based on tried and tested satellite communication. Each sub-network works from a base carried by the squad leader. As information network sets are all identical, a soldier can replace his commander if necessary by configuring his set as base. The radio is configured by the soldier computer, thereby limiting the number of control buttons needed on the set.
Dismounted soldier’s Terminal Information System (TIS)[]
The TIS is made up of software supported by the computer, a man-machine interface and a communication interface box connected to a PR4G VS4 portable radio set.
Multipurpose infrared binoculars[]
Based on uncooled IR technology.
Transport/Carrying Case[]
The weapon and subsidiary systems are transported and stored in a Storm iM3220 plastic moulded carry case with foam cut-outs designed for each part.
Collective recharging unit (MRC)[]
Used to recharge the soldiers’ individual batteries. It uses hydrogen fuel cells manufactured by Natech.
Vehicle kits[]
Kits have a common structure and are designed for easy integration into modern vehicles, where they provide the power supply for the mounted soldiers’ systems.
Vehicles[]
Combat vehicles[]
| Model | Type | Producer | Origen | Units (Ordered) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Challenger 1 | Main Battle tank | Royal Ordnance Factory | UK | 186 | Operational in stage to be replaced |
| Challenger 2 | Main Battle tank | BAE Systems | UK | 380 (260) | Operational |
| FV432 | Armoured Personal Carrier | GKN Sankey | UK | 268 | Operational in stage to be replaced |
| Warrior | Infantry Fighting Vehicle | BAE Systems | UK | 640 (400) | Operational |
| Piranha II 8x8 | Armoured Personal Carrier | MOWAG | Switzerland | 884 | Operational in stage to be upgraded to IV variant |
| Piranha V | Infantry Fighting Vehicle | GD Europe - MOWAG | Switzerland | 280 (360) | Operational |
| Land Rover Wolf | Light Utility Vehicle | Land Rover | UK | 1120 | Operational |
| Iveco LMV | Infantry Mobility Vehicle | IVECO | Kingdom of Europa | 180 (200) | Operational |
| STAG Reindeer-VII | Light armored reconnaissance vehicle | STAG Motors | Imperium Skandinavisk | 160 | Operational |
General purpose vehicles[]
The Eusko Gudarostea uses a wide range of general purpose vehicles like trucks, 4x4 and cars. Trucks are used in variants as materiel and troop transport, tipper, recovery, hook-lift and heavy haulage. Some of them have ballistic and mine protection systems. Scania and Renault are the most important truck providers of the EG.
Artillery[]
| Model | Type | Producer | Origen | Units (Ordered) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haubits FH77 | Howitzer | Bofors | Sweden | 202 | Operational in stage to be replaced |
| FV433 Abbot SPG | Self-propelled artillery | Vickers | UK | 44 | Operational in stage to be replaced |
| AS-90 | Self-propelled artillery | BAE Systems | UK | 64 (36) | Operational |
| Archer Artillery System | Self-propelled artillery | BAE Systems Bofors | Imperium Skandinavisk | 22 (78) | Operational |
Aircraft[]
| Model | Type | Producer | Origen | Units (Ordered) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bell 412 | Helicopter | Bell | Canada | 20 | Operative |
| Westland Lynx | Helicopter | UK | 50 | Operative | |
| Super Puma | Helicopter | Aérospatiale | France | 30 | Operative |
| Tiger | Atack Helicopter | Eurocopter | France | 20 (80) | Operative |