The Soviet-Afghan War: How a Superpower Fought and Lost

394 Pages·2002·4.55 MB·English

by  Michael A. Gress

The Soviet-Afghan War
MODERN WAR STUDIES
Theodore A. Wilson
General Editor
Raymond A. Callahan
J. Garry Clifford
Jacob W. Kipp
Jay Luvaas
Allan R. Millett
Carol Reardon
Dennis Showalter
Series Editors
The Soviet-Afghan War
How a Superpower Fought and Lost
The Russian General Staff
Translated and edited by
Lester W. Grau and Michael A. Cress
Foreword by Theodore C. Mataxis
University Press of Kansas
The Russian General Staff authors' collective is headed by Colonel
Professor Valentin Runov, candidate of history. Members of the
authors' collective include P. D. Alexseyev, Yu. G. Avdeev, Yu. P.
Babich, A. M. Fufaev, B. P. Gruzdev, V. S. Kozlov, V. I. Litvinnenko,
N. S. Nakonechnyy, V. K. Puzel', S. S. Sharov, S. F. Tsybenko, V. M.
Varushinin, P. F. Vazhenko, V. F. Yashin, and V. V. Zakharov.
© 2002 by the University Press of Kansas
All rights reserved
Published by the University Press of Kansas (Lawrence, Kansas 66049), which was or-
ganized by the Kansas Board of Regents and is operated and funded by Emporia State Uni-
versity, Fort Hays State University, Kansas State University, Pittsburg State University, the
University of Kansas, and Wichita State University.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
The Soviet-Afghan War : how a superpower fought and lost: the Russian General
Staff / translated and edited by Lester W. Grau and Michael A. Gress ; foreword by
Theodore C. Mataxis.
p. cm. — (Modern war studies)
Translated from Russian.
Includes index.
ISBN 0-7006-1185-1 (cloth : alk. paper) — ISBN 0-7006-1186-X (paper : alk. paper)
1. Afghanistan—History—Soviet occupation, 1979-1989. 2. Soviet
Union—Military policy. 3. Soviet Union—History, Military. I. Grau,
Lester W. II. Gress, Michael A. III. Series.
DS371.2.S665 2002
958.104'5—dc21
2001006560
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data is available.
Printed in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 43
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of the American
National Standard for Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials Z39.48-1984.
Contents
List of Illustrations vii
Foreword, Theodore C. Mataxis, Brigadier General (Retired) xi
Editors' Preface xvii
Acknowledgments xxvii
General Staff Introduction 1
1. Phases and Course of the Conflict 15
2. Organization, Armament, and Training of the Limited Contingent of Soviet
Forces and Government of Afghanistan Armed Forces 35
Organization and Equipment of Soviet Forces 35
Training of Soviet Forces 42
Organization and Training of the Armed Forces of the DRA 48
3. Organization, Armament, and Tactics of the Mujahideen 53
4. Operational Art 73
5. Combined Arms Tactics 93
Raids 93
Cordons and Searches 106
Ambushes 125
Marches and Convoy Escorts 138
6. Combat Arms Branch Tactics 167
Artillery 167
Armored Forces 190
Airborne and Air Assault Forces 197
Army Aviation 209
7. Combat Support 223
Reconnaissance 223
Security 233
Engineer Support 242
Chemical Support 255
v
vi THE SOVIET-AFGHAN WAR
8. Combat Service Support 264
Technical Support 264
Ammunition Support 265
Logistics Support 282
Post Exchange, Housing, and Pay 292
Medical Support 295
9. Conclusion 304
Tactics 311
Technology 312
Morale 313
Appendix, 1: 40th Army Order of Battle 315
Appendix 2: Soviet Artillery Planning 323
Notes 327
Glossary 345
Key to Map Symbols 353
About the Editors 355
Index 357
Illustrations
MAPS
Map 1. Map of Afghanistan 2
Map 2. Invasion and occupation of Afghanistan 16
Map 3. Raid on Sherkhankel 22
Map 4. Mujahideen ambush on Soviet convoy 66
Map 5. Mujahideen raid on a security outpost 68
Map 6. Panjshir valley operation 76
Map 7. Joint combat actions in Operation Magistral 86
Map 8. Maneuver in Operation Magistral 87
Map 9. Withdrawal operation 89
Map 10. Western corridor security plan for the withdrawal operation 90
Map 11. Ghorband raid 95
Map 12. Kirgak raid 98
Map 13. Deh Khusk raid 100
Map 14. Stylized motorized rifle battalion raid 107
Map 15. Helicopter-inserted blocking positions 109
Map 16. Encirclement with converging subunits 110
Map 17. Blocking and sweeping Nishin 112
Map 18. Blocking and sweeping Rabati-Payeen 115
Map 19. Blocking and sweeping a canyon 118
Map 20. Sweeping Ishkamesh 120
Map 21. Sweeping a green zone 123
Map 22. Soviet ambush 127
Map 23. Artillery ambush 178
Map 24. Artillery support of a moving force 180
Map 25. Fire support of a withdrawing force in the mountains 181
vii
viii THE SOVIET-AFGHAN WAR
Map 26. Ambush-Spetsnaz Company and Recon Company of the 345th
Parachute Regiment 225
Map 27. Reconnaissance raid 227
Map 28. Security zone for a garrison and airfield 235
Map 29. Securing part of the Kabul-Jalalabad highway 238
Map 30. Chemical support of an advance 259
Map 31. Chemical support of a force when breaking contact and withdrawing
260
Map 32. Soviet motorized rifle division medical points in mountainous terrain
299
FIGURES
Figure 1. Basic data on machine guns 39
Figure 2. Tactical and technical characteristics of RPG-7, SPG-9, and ACS-17
41
Figure 3. Basic characteristics of hand grenades 41
Figure 4. Soviet 40th Army war dead, derived from preliminary data 44
Figure 5. Organization, armaments, and personnel of an "Islamic Regiment"
57
Figure 6. Structure, armaments, and personnel of typical Mujahideen
detachments and groups 59
Figure 7. Basic tactical-technical characteristics of tube artillery and MRLs
169
Figure 8. Artillery reconnaissance system characteristics 171
Figure 9. Sources of intelligence before and during combat 228
Figure 10. Tactical-technical characteristics of earthmoving machines 251
Figure 11. Characteristics of rocket-assisted, man-portable flame throwers
255
Figure 12. Characteristics of smoke systems 258
PHOTOS
Soviet motorized rifle company hikes into the mountains 151
82mm Podnos mortar 152
Soviet engineers probe for mines 153
Mi-24 "Hind" helicopter gunships in the Panjshir valley in June 1985 154
BM-21 "Grad" multiple rocket launcher battery 155
Destroyed Soviet fuel tank trucks 155
Mujahideen supply trucks moving by daylight 156
Soviet sapper in a protective suit 157
ILLUSTRATIONS ix
Soviet R-300 "SCUD" missiles 158
SU-25 "FROGFOOT" close air support aircraft 159
T-62D tanks guarding approach to the Salang tunnel 160
Battery of 122mm D-30 howitzers in circular firing position 160
Artillery fire direction center 161
Motorized rifle regiment command post, 1983 162
Field repair of a BMD-1 airborne personnel carrier 162
Rubber water reservoirs positioned at key points to support Soviet forces
163
Female warrant officer 164
A soldier and his mother meet at Termez 165
Monument to fallen comrade 166