Belarusian Military Power: Counting Tanks And Capabilities

Belarus has a large number of tanks, but it is unclear exactly how many. In 2020, it was estimated that Belarus might have 1,200 tanks, with 800 in reserve. However, this number is likely inflated, and it is unclear how many of these tanks are combat-ready. Most of the tanks in Belarus are Soviet Т-72Bs, but the country also has Russian T-72, T-62, and T-55 tanks. Belarus's tank arsenal also includes a small number of T-80 and T-72B3 tanks. The country's ground forces consist of approximately 50,000 soldiers and officers, with an additional 15,000 military personnel.

Belarus's Soviet-era tanks

Belarus inherited its army from the troops stationed in the country under Soviet rule. The Belarusian military currently has 50,000 soldiers and officers, with an additional 15,000 people listed as military personnel. The military reserve that can be called upon in the event of mobilisation is 290,000 people, according to the 2021 Military Balance report.

The Ground Forces are the largest structure in the Belarusian military, but only a fraction of its personnel are immediately available. According to a report by the Russian Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technology, only 10,000–15,000 troops serve in the Belarusian Ground Forces day-to-day in peacetime. The rest have to be called upon request.

Belarusian military expert Yahor Lebiadok suggests that without mobilisation, the country could only immediately deploy up to 6,000 soldiers.

According to reports from 2020, Belarus might have 1,200 tanks, with 800 of them in reserve. This number is likely inflated, and most of the tanks are Soviet T-72Bs. The level of their combat readiness is unknown.

In addition to the T-72s, the Belarusian army also has T-54s, T-55s, T-62s, T-64s, and T-80s.

The number of tanks Belarus has compared to other countries

Belarus is estimated to have 517 tanks in its land forces, according to the 2024 Global Firepower review. This is a significant number for a country with a population of around 9.5 million. However, it is worth noting that Belarus inherited its military might from the Soviet Union and has a large number of Soviet-era weapons, which some Western experts consider outdated.

In comparison, neighbouring Poland, with four times the population, has 125,000 troops and a defence budget at least 20 times larger. Poland's land forces include 894 tanks, making it a much more formidable force than Belarus.

Other countries in the region have varying numbers of tanks. For example, Ukraine, which has been at war with Russia since 2022, is believed to have had around 2,500 tanks before the conflict. Russia, on the other hand, has an estimated 12,400 tanks, the most of any country in the world.

Further afield, the United States has approximately 2,800 tanks, while China has an estimated 5,700. These two countries have the largest armies in the world, with 1,384,000 and 2,035,000 active personnel, respectively.

In conclusion, while Belarus has a significant number of tanks for its population size, the majority of its military equipment is outdated, and it lags behind other countries in the region in terms of military might.

The combat readiness of Belarus's tanks

Belarus has a large number of tanks, with estimates ranging from 517 to 1,200. However, the majority of these are Soviet-era tanks, such as the T-72, T-62, and T-55, which may be outdated and gradually losing their combat value.

The combat readiness of Belarus' tanks is difficult to ascertain, as the level of their maintenance and upgrade is unknown. However, it is estimated that without mobilization, Belarus could only immediately deploy a fraction of its tank forces, possibly around 6,000 soldiers.

Belarus has a significant number of reservists, with an estimated 290,000 people in the military reserve who could be called upon in case of mobilization. However, the process of mobilizing and deploying these reservists would take time and require resources.

In recent years, Belarus has conducted numerous military drills and exercises, both jointly with Russia and independently. These drills have caused concern among neighboring countries, particularly Ukraine, as they have involved the movement of large numbers of troops and equipment towards the Ukrainian border.

While Belarus' tank forces may be numerous, their effectiveness in modern warfare is questionable due to their aging technology and the lack of combat experience among Belarusian troops. However, the country's special operations forces, which have seen action in foreign conflicts, could play a significant role in reconnaissance and targeted operations.

Overall, while Belarus possesses a large number of tanks, the readiness and effectiveness of these forces in a potential conflict are uncertain. The country's military capabilities are limited by outdated equipment, a lack of combat experience, and domestic opposition to involvement in foreign conflicts.

The number of tanks Belarus has in reserve

Belarus inherited its army from the troops stationed in the country under Soviet rule. The Belarusian military currently has 50,000 soldiers and officers, with an additional 15,000 people listed as military personnel. The military reserve capable of being called up in case of mobilisation is 290,000 people, according to the 2021 Military Balance report. This number is considerably larger than expected for a country with a population of 9.5 million.

The Ground Forces are the largest structure in the Belarusian military, but only a fraction of its personnel are immediately available. According to a report by the Russian Centre of Analysis of Strategy and Technology, only 10,000-15,000 troops serve in the Belarusian Ground Forces day-to-day in peacetime. The rest have to be called upon request. Belarusian military expert Yahor Lebiadok suggests that without mobilisation, the country could only immediately deploy up to 6,000 soldiers.

Belarus might have 1,200 tanks, with 800 of them in reserve, according to reports from 2020. This number is likely to be inflated, and most of the tanks are Soviet Т-72Bs. The level of their combat readiness is unknown.

The Belarusian army has no battleground experience, except for the Special Operations Forces, which have participated in "peacekeeping" missions in Lebanon, worked with the OSCE mission in Donbas, and taken part in suppressing riots in Kazakhstan in January 2022.

The types of tanks Belarus has

Belarus inherited its army from the troops stationed in the country under Soviet rule. The Belarusian military consists of the Ground Forces and the Air Force and Air Defence Forces, all under the command of the Ministry of Defence.

The Ground Forces are the largest structure in the Belarusian military, but only a fraction of its personnel are immediately available. According to a report by the Russian Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, only 10,000–15,000 troops serve in the Belarusian Ground Forces day-to-day in peacetime. The rest have to be called upon request.

Belarusian military expert Yahor Lebiadok suggests that without mobilisation, the country could only immediately deploy up to 6,000 soldiers. According to reports from 2020, Belarus might have 1,200 tanks, with 800 of them in reserve. This number is likely inflated, and most of the tanks are Soviet T-72Bs.

In addition to the T-72s, the Belarusian army also has T-54s, T-55s, T-62s, T-64s, and T-80s. Most of Belarus's artillery is also inherited from the Soviet Union. Military Balance reports 583 towed Msta-B howitzers and some old self-propelled Gvozdika and Akatsiya artillery pieces at Belarus's disposal.

Belarus also has six new Polonez 300mm rocket artillery systems produced domestically. These are capable of launching high-precision missiles with a maximum firing range of 200km.

In terms of aviation, Belarus currently operates a few dozen Soviet MiG-29 fighter jets and Su-25 attack aircraft. The only new aircraft are four Su-30SM fighters and 12 Yak-130 combat training aircraft.

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