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Saturday, July 13, 2013

Soviet Army Western Group of Forces Wartime Order of Battle 1989


The Soviet Western Group of Forces was essentially the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany positioned across the German Democratic Republic. Following the cease of hostilities in the Second World War, the Soviet military positioned a large number of men and materiel inside eastern Germany. When the threat of war with western European countries aligned with NATO became a possibility the Soviets reinforced their existing military strength in the territory of East Germany. The existing number of Soviet forces would be further enhanced by the addition of military forces of the German Democratic Republic and other Warsaw Pact armed forces depending on the theater of operations. 

Soviet Western Group of Forces would move to penetrate into West Germany across the Inner German Border and attack across the North German Plain and through the Fulda Gap where they would engage the maneuver forces of NATO's Northern Army Group and Central Army Group.

Soviet Western Group Forces HQ: Zossen, GDR


8th Guards Army

8th Guards Army HQ - Weimer-Nohra, GDR (The 8th Guards Army was originally activated during the Great Patriotic War in October 1941 as the 7th Soviet Army. It was redesignated as the 62nd Army at Stalingrad in July of 1943. After successfully destroying the German forces in Stalingrad the unit began its drive West later being redesignated as the 8th Guards Army where it arrived in eastern Germany in August 1945.

79th Guards Tank Division - Jena, GDR
  • 17th Guards Tank Regiment - Saalfeld, GDR: 94 T-80, 43 BMP-2, 4 2S6, 4 SA-13, 18 2S1
  • 65th Guards Tank Regiment - Weimer-Nohra, GDR: 94 T-80, 43 BMP-2, 4 2S6, 4 SA-13, 18 2S1
  • 211th Guards Tank Regiment - Jena, GDR: 94 T-80, 43 BMP-2, 4 2S6, 4 SA-13, 18 2S1
  • 66th Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment - Weimer, GDR: 142 BMP-2, 40 T-80, 4 2S6, 4 SA-13, 18 2S1, 9 BRDM-3
  • 172nd Artillery Regiment - Rudelstadt, GDR: 48 2S3, 18 BM-21
  • 79th Air Defense Regiment - Jena, GDR: 20 SA-15, 21 SA-7/14/16
  • 79th SS-21 Battalion - Jena, GDR: 4 SS-21
  • 113th Recon Battalion - Rudelstadt, GDR: 6 T-80, 13 BRDM-2, 12 BMP-2, and 3 BRM
  • 79th Engineer Battalion - Jena, GDR: 8 TMM, 6 GSP, 18 PMP, 12 K-61, 4 BTM, 2 MTK, 3 GMZ
  • 79th Helicopter Squadron - Jena, GDR: 6 MI-24, 6 MI-8, 6 MI-2

27th Guards Motorized Rifle Division - Halle, GDR
  • 68th Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment - Halle, GDR: 142 BMP-2, 40 T-80, 4 2S6, 4 SA-13, 18 2S1, 9 BRDM-3
  • 243rd Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment - Halle, GDR: 156 BTR-80, 40 T-80, 4 ZSU-23, 4 SA-9, 18 D-30, 9 BRDM-3
  • 244th Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment - Halle, GDR: 156 BTR-80, 40 T-80, 4 ZSU-23, 4 SA-9, 18 D-30, 9 BRDM-3
  • 28th Guards Tank Regiment - Halle, GDR: 94 T-80, 43 BMP-2, 4 2S6, 4 SA-13, 18 2S1
  • 54th Artillery Regiment - Halle, GDR: 72 2S3, 18 BM-21
  • 27th Air Defense Regiment - Jena, GDR: 20 SA-15, 21 SA-7/14/16
  • 27th SS-21 Battalion - Halle, GDR: 4 SS-21
  • 114th Recon Battalion - Halle, GDR: 6 T-80, 13 BRDM-2, 12 BMP-2, and 3 BRM
  • 27th Engineer Battalion - Halle, GDR: 8 TMM, 6 GSP, 18 PMP, 12 K-61, 4 BTM, 2 MTK, 3 GMZ
  • 27th Tank Battalion - Halle, GDR: 51 T-80
  • 27th Anti-Tank Battalion - Halle, GDR: 12 AT guns, 9 BRDM-3
  • 27th Helicopter Squadron - Halle, GDR: 6 MI-24, 6 MI-8, 6 MI-2

39th Guards Motorized Rifle Division - Ohrdruf, GDR:
  • 172nd Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment - Gotha, GDR: 142 BMP-2, 40 T-80, 4 2S6, 4 SA-13, 18 2S1, 9 BRDM-3
  • 120th Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment - Ohrdruf, GDR: 156 BTR-80, 40 T-80, 4 ZSU-23, 4 SA-9, 18 D-30, 9 BRDM-3
  • 117th Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment - Meiningen, GDR: 156 BTR-80, 40 T-80, 4 ZSU-23, 4 SA-9, 18 D-30, 9 BRDM-3
  • 15th Guards Tank Regiment - Ohrdruf, GDR: 94 T-80, 43 BMP-2, 4 2S6, 4 SA-13, 18 2S1
  • 87th Artillery Regiment - Gotha, GDR: 72 2S3, 18 BM-21
  • 39th Air Defense Regiment - Ohrdruf, GDR: 20 SA-15, 21 SA-7/14/16
  • 39th SS-21 Battalion - Ohrdruf, GDR: 4 SS-21
  • 11th Recon Battalion - Meiningen, GDR: 6 T-80, 13 BRDM-2, 12 BMP-2, and 3 BRM
  • 39th Engineer Battalion - Ohrdruf, GDR: 8 TMM, 6 GSP, 18 PMP, 12 K-61, 4 BTM, 2 MTK, 3 GMZ
  • 39th Tank Battalion - Ohrdruf, GDR: 51 T-80
  • 39th Anti-Tank Battalion - Ohrdruf, GDR: 12 AT guns, 9 BRDM-3
  • 39th Helicopter Squadron - Ohrdruf, GDR: 6 MI-24, 6 MI-8, 6 MI-2

57th Guards Motorized Rifle Division - Naumberg, GDR
  • 174th Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment - Weissenfels, GDR: 142 BMP-2, 40 T-80, 4 2S6, 4 SA-13, 18 2S1, 9 BRDM-3
  • 170th Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment - Naumberg, GDR: 156 BTR-80, 40 T-80, 4 ZSU-23, 4 SA-9, 18 D-30, 9 BRDM-3
  • 241st Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment - Leipzig, GDR: 156 BTR-80, 40 T-80, 4 ZSU-23, 4 SA-9, 18 D-30, 9 BRDM-3
  • 57th Guards Tank Regiment - Zeitz, GDR: 94 T-80, 43 BMP-2, 4 2S6, 4 SA-13, 18 2S1
  • 128th Artillery Regiment - Zeitz, GDR: 72 2S3, 18 BM-21
  • 57th Air Defense Regiment - Zeitz, GDR: 20 SA-15, 21 SA-7/14/16
  • 57th SS-21 Battalion - Zeitz, GDR: 4 SS-21
  • 93rd Recon Battalion - Muelhausen, GDR: 6 T-80, 13 BRDM-2, 12 BMP-2, and 3 BRM
  • 57th Engineer Battalion - Zeitz, GDR: 8 TMM, 6 GSP, 18 PMP, 12 K-61, 4 BTM, 2 MTK, 3 GMZ
  • 57th Tank Battalion - Zeitz, GDR: 51 T-80
  • 57th Anti-Tank Battalion - Naumberg, GDR: 12 AT guns, 9 BRDM-3
  • 57th Helicopter Squadron - Naumberg, GDR: 6 MI-24, 6 MI-8, 6 MI-2

47th Tank Brigade - Plauen, GDR: 156 T-80, 18 2S1, 4 2S6, 4 SA-13
  • 8th Guards Army Attack Helicopter Regiment - Weimar-Nohra, GDR: 40 MI-24, 20 MI-8E

43rd Guards Artillery Brigade - Altenberg, GDR: 48 2S5, 48 D-20 (24 per battalion)
8th Guards Army Surface to Surface Missile Brigade - Weissenfels, GDR: 18 SS-1c (SCUDb) launchers
  • 8th Guards Army Rocket Regiment - Weissenfels, GDR: 54 BM-21 (18 per battalion)
  • 38th Anti-Tank Regiment - Altenberg, GDR: 36 AT guns, 27 BRDM-3 (12/9 per battalion)

8th Guards Army Engineer Brigade - Weimer, GDR: 20 TMM, 12 MTU, 36 PMP, 24 GSP, 28 K-61, 12 BTM, 3 GMZ, 3 MTK
  • 8th Guards Army Pontoon Bridge Regiment - Weimer, GDR: 4 TMM, 108 PMP, 8 K-61, 3 BTM

8th Guards Army Surface to Air Missile Brigade - 1 Battalion each at Armstadt, Meiningen, and Saalfeld: 27 SA-4 (9 per bn)
  • 8th Guards Army Air Assault Battalion - Weimer-Nohra, GDR: 17 BMD, 9 SA-14/16, 6 AGS-17, 8 120mm mortars
  • 8th Guards Army Spetsnaz Battalion - Weimer, GDR: TO&E: up to 30 teams, 5-12 personnel per team
  • 8th Guards Army Reconnaissance Battalion:


1st Guards Tank Army

1st Guards Tank Army HQ - Dresden, GDR
  •  9th Tank Division - Riesa, GDR
  • 11th Guard Tank Division - Dresden, GDR

20th Guards Motorized Rifle Division - Grimma, GDR
  • 21st Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment - Grimma, GDR: 142 BMP-2, 40 T-80, 4 2S6, 4 SA-13, 18 2S1, 9 BRDM-3
  • 19th Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment - Plauen, GDR: 156 BTR-80, 40 T-80, 4 ZSU-23, 4 SA-9, 18 D-30, 9 BRDM-3
  • 20th Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment - Wurzen, GDR: 156 BTR-80, 40 T-80, 4 ZSU-23, 4 SA-9, 18 D-30, 9 BRDM-3
  • 1st Guards Tank Regiment - Glauchou, GDR: 94 T-80, 43 BMP-2, 4 2S6, 4 SA-13, 18 2S1
  • 265th Artillery Regiment - Leisnig, GDR: 72 2S3, 18 BM-21
  • 20th Air Defense Regiment - Grimma, GDR: 20 SA-15, 21 SA-7/14/16
  • 20th SS-21 Battalion - Wurzen, GDR: 4 SS-21
  • 8th Recon Battalion - Grimma, GDR: 6 T-80, 13 BRDM-2, 12 BMP-2, and 3 BRM
  • 20th Engineer Battalion - Grimma, GDR: 8 TMM, 6 GSP, 18 PMP, 12 K-61, 4 BTM, 2 MTK, 3 GMZ
  • 20th Tank Battalion - Grimma, GDR: 51 T-80
  • 20th Anti-Tank Battalion - Grimma, GDR: 12 AT guns, 9 BRDM-3
  • 20th Helicopter Squadron - Grimma, GDR: 6 MI-24, 6 MI-8, 6 MI-2
  • 1st Guards Tank Army Attack Helicopter Regiment - Brandis, GDR: 40 MI-24, 20 MI-8E

1st Guards Tank Army Artillery Brigade: 96 2S5 (24 per battalion)
1st Guards Tank Army Surface to Surface Missile Brigade - 18 SS-1c (SCUDb) launchers
  • 1st Guards Tank Army Rocket Regiment: 54 BM-21 (18 per battalion)

1st Guards Tank Army Engineer Brigade: 20 TMM, 12 MTU, 36 PMP, 24 GSP, 28 K-61, 12 BTM, 3 GMZ, 3 MTK
  • 35th Pontoon Bridge Regiment - Wittenberg, GDR: 4 TMM, 108 PMP, 8 K-61, 3 BTM

1st Guards Tank Army Surface to Air Missile Brigade - Meissen, GDR: 27 SA-4 (9 per battalion)
  • 1st Guards Tank Army Air Assault Battalion - Leipzig, GDR: 17 BMD, 9 SA-14/16, 6 AGS-17, 8 120mm mortars
  • 1st Guards Tank Army Spetsnaz Battalion: up to 30 teams, 5-12 personnel per team
  • 6th Reconnaissance Battalion - Dresden, GDR


3rd Shock Tank Army

3rd Shock Tank Army HQ - Madgeburg, GDR
  •  7th Guards Tank Division - Rosslau, GDR
  • 10th Guards Tank Division - Altengrabow, GDR
  • 12th Guards Tank Division - Neuruppin, GDR
47th Guards Tank Division - Hillersleben, GDR
  • 3rd Shock Attack Helicopter Regiment - Parchim, GDR: 40 MI-24, 20 MI-8E

304th Artillery Brigade - Burg, GDR: 96 2S5 (24 per battalion)
3rd Shock Surface to Surface Missile Brigade: 18 SS-1c (SCUDb) launchers
  • 3rd Shock Rocket Regiment: 54 BM-21 (18 per battalion)

3rd Shock Engineer Brigade: 20 TMM, 12 MTU, 36 PMP, 24 GSP, 28 K-61, 12 BTM, 3 GMZ, 3 MTK
  • 36th Pontoon Bridge Regiment - Dalgow, GDR: 4 TMM, 108 PMP, 8 K-61, 3 BTM

3rd Shock Surface to Air Missile Brigade: 27 SA-4 (9 per battalion)
  • 3rd Shock Air Assault Battalion: 17 BMD, 9 SA-14/16, 6 AGS-17, 8 120mm mortars
  • 3rd Shock Spetsnaz Battalion: up to 30 teams, 5-12 personnel per team
  • 3rd Shock Reconnaissance Battalion


2nd Guards Tank Army

2nd Guards Tank Army HQ - Neubrandenburg, GDR
  • 16th Guards Tank Division - Neustrelitz, GDR
  • 94th Guards Motorized Rifle Division - Schwerin, GDR
  • 21st Motorized Rifle Division - Perleberg, GDR
207th Motorized Rifle Division - Stendal, GDR
  • 2nd Guards Tank Army Attack Helicopter Regiment - Stendal, GDR: 40 MI-24, 20 MI-8E

2nd Artillery Brigade: 96 2S5 (24 per battalion)
2nd Guards Tank Army Surface to Surface Missile Brigade: 18 SS-1c (SCUDb) launchers
  • 2nd Guards Tank Army Rocket Regiment: 54 BM-21 (18 per battalion)

2nd Guards Tank Army Engineer Brigade: 20 TMM, 12 MTU, 36 PMP, 24 GSP, 28 K-61, 12 BTM, 3 GMZ, 3 MTK
  • 413th Pontoon Bridge Regiment: 4 TMM, 108 PMP, 8 K-61, 3 BTM

2nd Guards Tank Army Surface to Air Missile Brigade: 27 SA-4 (9 per battalion)
  • 2nd Guards Tank Army Air Assault Battalion: 17 BMD, 9 SA-14/16, 6 AGS-17, 8 120mm mortars
  • 2nd Guards Tank Army Spetsnaz Battalion: up to 30 teams, 5-12 personnel per team
  • 2nd Guards Tank Army Reconnaissance Battalion


20th Guards Army

20th Guards Army HQ -Eberswalde, GDR.
  • 32nd Guards Tank Division - Juterbog, GDR
  • 25th Tank Division - Vogelsang, GDR
  • 90th Guards Tank Division - Bernau, GDR

35th Motorized Rifle Division: Doeberitz, GDR
  • 20th Guards Army Attack Helicopter Regiment - Mahwinkel, GDR: 40 MI-24, 20 MI-8E
  • 71st Guards Artillery Brigade - Bernau, GDR: 96 2S5 (24 per battalion)
  • 20th Guards Army Surface to Surface Missile Brigade - Juterborg, GDR: 18 SS-1c (SCUDb) launchers
  • 20th Guards Army Rocket Regiment: 54 BM-21 (18 per battalion)
  • 20th Guards Army Engineer Brigade: 20 TMM, 12 MTU, 36 PMP, 24 GSP, 28 K-61, 12 BTM, 3 GMZ, 3 MTK
  • 3rd Pontoon Bridge Regiment - Eberswalde, GDR: 4 TMM, 108 PMP, 8 K-61, 3 BTM
  • 20th Guards Army Surface to Air Missile Brigade: 27 SA-4 (9 per battalion)
  • 20th Guards Army Air Assault Battalion: 17 BMD, 9 SA-14/16, 6 AGS-17, 8 120mm mortars
  • 20th Guards Army Spetsnaz Battalion: up to 30 teams, 5-12 personnel per team

5th Tank Brigade: Guestrow, GDR: 156 T-80, 18 2S1, 4 2S6, 4 SA-13
  • 20th Guards Army Anti-Tank Regiment: 36 AT guns, 27 BRDM-3 (12/9 per battalion)
  • 51st Reconnaissance Battalion - Eberswalde, GDR


Additional Forces positioned in East Germany to reinforce the Group of Soviet Forces maneuver formations in the event of armed conflict:

34th Artillery Division - Potsdam, GDR
  • 1/34 Howitzer Brigade: 72 2S3
  • 2/34 Howitzer Brigade: 72 2S3
  • 3/34 Howitzer Brigade: 72 2S5
  • 4/34 Gun Brigade: 72 2S7
  • 5/34 High Powered Artillery Brigade: 24 2S7, 24 2S4
  • 6/34 Rocket Launcher Brigade: 72 BM-27

6th Motorized Rifle Brigade - Berlin, GDR
  • 4 Motorized Rifle Battalions: 43 BMP-2, 6 AGS-17, 9 SA-7/14/16, 8 120mm mortar per bn
  • 1 Tank Battalion: 40 T-80
  • 1 Artillery Battalion: 24 2S1
  • 1 Air Defense Battery: 4 2S6, 4 SA-13, 3 BMP-2
  • 1 Anti-Tank Missile Battery: 9 BRDM-3
  • 1 Recon Company: 3 BMP-2, 4 BRDM-2, 1 BRM, 3 Motorcycles
  • 1 Engineer Company

1 Surface to Surface Missile Brigade - Neubrandenburg, GDR: 18 SS-23
1 Surface to Surface Missile Brigade - Bautzen, GDR: 18 SS-23

35th Air Assault Brigade - Cottbus, GDR
Engineer Brigade: 20 TMM, 12 MTU, 36 PMP, 24 GSP, 28 K-61, 12 BTM, 12 GMZ, 3 MTK
Surface to Air Missile Brigade - located various key installations: 27 SA-4 (9 per battalion)
Surface to Air Missile Brigade - Rostock and Rudelstadt, GDR: 27 SA-5 (9 per battalion)
  • Surface to Air Missile Regiment - Rehagen, GDR: 20 SA-15

Spetsnaz Brigade - Fuerstenberg, GDR: up to 2000 personnel, 3-4 battalions (80-100 teams total)
  • Pontoon Bridge Regiment

Railway/Pontoon Bridge Brigade - Annaburg, GDR

16th Air Army

16th Air Army (The 16th Air Army was another military unit that traces its origins back to the Great Patriotic War. It was formed on 10 August 1942, during the Battle of Stalingrad. The Air Army also saw action in the Battle of Kursk, the Lublin-Brest Offensive and the Battle for Berlin. After the defeat of Nazi Germany, the 16th Air Army was stationed in eastern Germany as the primary air forces of the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany)


Air Army HQ - Zossen, GDR:

61st Air Corps (Southern Air Corps) - Wittenburg, GDR
  • 6th Fighter Division - Merseberg, GDR
  • 31st Fighter Regiment - Falkenburg, GDR: 56 MIG-29
  • 296th Fighter Regiment - Altenburg, GDR: 45 MIG-23
  • 73rd Fighter Regiment - Merseberg, GDR: 53 MIG-23


126th Fighter Division - Zerbst, GDR
  • 35th Fighter Regiment - Zerbst, GDR: 53 MIG-29
  • 833rd Fighter Regiment - Juterbog, GDR: 51 MIG-23
  • 85th Fighter Regiment - Kothen, GDR: 49 MIG-23
  • 105th Fighter-Bomber Division - Grossenhain, GDR:
  • 116th Fighter-Bomber Regiment - Brandis, GDR: 15 SU-25, 30 SU-24
  • 497th Fighter-Bomber Regiment - Grossenhain, GDR: 53 MIG-27
  • 339th Fighter-Bomber Regiment - Finsterwald, GDR: 15 SU-25, 45 MIG-27
  • 61st Recon Regiment - Wittenburg, GDR: 30 MIG-25, 15 MIG-31


60th Air Corps (Northern Air Corps) - Potsdam, GDR
  • Fighter Division: 50+ MIG-29, 100+ MIG-23
  • Fighter Division: 50+ MIG-29, 100+ MIG-23
  • Fighter-Bomber Division: 30+ SU-25, 30+ SU-24, 100+ MIG-27
  • Recon Regiment: 45 MIG-25

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