Jordanian Southern Command

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Jordanian Southern Command
المنطقة العسكرية الجنوبية
Southern Command Shoulder sleeve insignia
Active1970 - present
CountryJordan
BranchRoyal Jordanian Army
TypeArmored & Mechanized Infantry
RoleMulti Role
Size13,000 - 15,000 (2012 est.)
Garrison/HQAqaba, Ma'an, Tafilah, Al Karak
ColorsKA2 Desert Digital
Engagements
Commanders
Current
commander
Brigadier General Hilal Abdul Halim Al-Khawaldeh

The Jordanian Southern Command (Arabic:المنطقة العسكرية الجنوبية) is the Jordanian Armed Forces regional command responsible for a large area in the Kingdom and defending 4 cities (Aqaba, Ma'an, Tafilah, Al Karak).

History[edit]

Jordanian Southern Command is the smallest regional command in JAF, this command defend 4 cities and consist of one Armoured brigade, one infantry brigade and other support units.[1] In 2000 the King Abdullah II made a big step to modernize and restructure Jordanian Armed Forces when the Divisions have been transformed into a lighter, more mobile forces, based largely on a brigade structure and considered better capable of rapid reaction in emergencies.[2][3]

A number of infantry battalions are normally assigned to defend Karak, located just to the east of the southern part of the Dead Sea, and Aqaba, the port city in the deep south of Jordan, near the border with Saudi Arabia. Some of the units based in the Aqaba area also have a coastal defence role.[1][4]

Organisation[edit]

The Southern Command controls regional units covering Aqaba, Ma'an, Tafilah & Al Karak. The head of Southern command is Brigadier General Hilal Abdul Halim Al-Khawaldeh.

Southern Command OrBat 2020 (Click to enlarge)

Southern Command HQ[edit]

  • Command Staff
  • HQ Defense Company
  • Command Communication Battalion
  • Command Military Police

Border Guard Force (BGF)[edit]

  • 3rd Border Guard Force Group
    • Group HQ
      • Command Staff
      • Signal Company
      • Medical Center
      • Vehicles & Weapons Maintenance Workshop
      • Reconnaissance & Surveillance Center
    • 7th Border Guard Force Battalion
    • 8th Border Guard Force Battalion

Combat & Maneuver Units[edit]

  • Prince Zaid Bin Al Hussein 93rd Mechanized Infantry Brigade
    • Brigade HQ
      • Command Staff
        • Joint Fires Coordination Cell - Targeting Cell
      • Signal Company
      • Medical Center
      • Vehicles & Weapons Maintenance Workshop
      • Chemical Support Platoon (Attached)
      • JTAC Team
    • Martyr Abdelhamid Sharaf 41st Mechanized Infantry Battalion (Aqaba) (M113A2 MK1)
    • Sharif Shaker bin Zaid 42nd Mechanized Infantry Battalion (Al-Karak) (M113A2 MK1)
    • Sharif Naser bin Jamil 43rd Mechanized Infantry Battalion (Ma'an) (M113A2 MK1)
    • 3rd Field Air Defense Battalion (Shilka,Strela-10,Igla)
    • Anti-Armor Company (Kornet-E)

Combat Support Units[edit]

  • 3rd Field Air Defense Group
    • Group HQ
    • Signal Company
    • 84th Field Air Defense Battalion (Shilka, Igla)
  • Command Engineer Battalion
    • 2 Mechanized Engineer Companies [1]
    • General Support Company

Service Support Units[edit]

  • Supply and Transport Battalion
    • 2 Supply & Transport Companies [1]
  • Command Maintenance Group
  • Medical Support Group
  • Administrative Transport Group

Command Training Center[edit]

Notes:

  1. Each company supports a brigade or a group

Unit Summary[edit]

Number Unit Type Equipment
3
Mechanized Infantry Battalion YPR-765 IFV, M113A2MK1J, M577A2, YPR-806, Humvee, FMTV, Navistar 7000 series, DAF Military Trucks
2
Border Guard Battalion MRAP, M113A2MK-1J, Humvee, FMTV, Navistar 7000 series, DAF Military Trucks
2
Field ADA Battalion Strela-10, ZSU-23-4 Shilka, Igla-S, 9K38 Igla, DAF Military Trucks
1
Engineer Battalion YPR-765, M113A2, Armoured Tracked Bulldozer (CAT D6T, D7G/R, D8R, D9, Komatsu D155A), Wheeled Bulldozer (CAT 924H, 966C/D/F/G/H, Komatsu WA300-1, WA320, WA380-3A, W470-3), excavators, graders (CAT 12G, 120M), dump trucks, Backhoe loaders, loaders, M58 MICLIC, Aardvark JSFU, FMTV, Navistar 7000 series, DAF Military Trucks, Combat Dozer UDK1 and Bomb disposal robots.
1
Command Communication Battalion M577A2, M113A2, MRAP, Humvee, FMTV, Navistar 7000 series, DAF Military Trucks
1
Supply & Transport Battalion FMTV, Navistar 7000 series, DAF Military Trucks, Fuel Tankers, Toyota Trucks and many other vehicles.
1
Medical Support Group M577A2 Ambulance, M113A2 Ambulance, HMMWV M997 Ambulance, Toyota Land Cruiser Ambulance, Mobile Field Hospitals on trucks.
1
Maintenance Group M113A2, M88 Recovery Vehicle, M1089 Wrecker, FMTV, Navistar 7000 series, DAF Maintenance Workshop Trucks
1
Administrative Transport Group

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-12-15. Retrieved 2013-04-17.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ^ IISS Military Balance 2004–2005, p.127-128
  3. ^ Rubin, Barry M; Keaney, Thomas A (2002). Armed Forces in the Middle East: Politics and Strategy. ISBN 9780714652559.
  4. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-11-22. Retrieved 2013-05-14.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)