Military: Donovia

Donovia maintains a strong military, partially as an inheritance from its pre-1991 strength and partially through economic wealth being used to transform the pre-1991 military remnants into a modern force. Donovian doctrine and tactics are complex, supple, and competent, making it a capable opponent. The country’s military capability ranges from irregular forces to nuclear weapons and anti-space capability. This strong military, combined with its assertive political agenda, make Donovia a strong player in the region.

Military Forces

The Donovian military’s history has long been marred by regional conflict and conquest with both irregular and regular warfare. Donovia’s military power dominates the region and significantly influences the military forces of the other four countries—Ariana, Atropia, Gorgas, and Limaria. The major military branches of the Donovian Army Command consist of ground forces, navy, and air  force elements. These elements possess technologically advanced weapons and equipment consistent with tier 1 capabilities. The Donovian military maintains approximately 1.4 million troops (active and reserve) within the country at any given time. Like many of the other countries in the region, Donovia has a similar national command and control construct known as the National Command Authority (NCA).

Military Strategy

National Command Authority

All countries share a similar National Command Authority (NCA) construct including Gorgas, who refers to it as a National Council. The president appoints the Minister of National Security, who exercises responsibility for the NCA’s Strategic Integration Department (SID). The SID serves as the overarching agency responsible to integrate all the instruments of national power under one cohesive national security strategy. The SID coordinates the plans and actions of all Donovia’s ministries, but particularly those associated with the instruments of national power. (See TC 7-100.2: Opposing Force Tactics, Chapter 1, Strategic and Operational Framework.)

The NCA includes the president and all functions of government within the appropriate ministries. The ministry of defense (MOD) controls the armed forces. The general staff is tasked with developing, maintaining, and training the armed forces for combat. In times of conflict or war, the MOD and general staff form the supreme high command in order to work in close coordination with the other ministries of the NCA. (See the chart on the previous page.)

Strategic Operational Framework

The strategic operational framework for all countries in the Caucasus region is similar in construct and application, primarily the result of historic influences.

The NCAs and the NC for all five countries exercise command and control (C2) of the Armed Forces via the Supreme High Command (SHC), which includes the MOD and a General Staff drawn from  all the service components. In peacetime, the MOD and General Staff operate closely but separately. The MOD assumes responsibility for policy, acquisitions, and financing the Armed Forces. The General Staff promulgates policy and supervises the service components while its functional directorates are responsible for key aspects of defense planning. In wartime, the MOD and General Staff merge to form the SHC, which functions as a unified headquarters.

All five countries currently configure their militaries using an administrative force structure (AFS) for managing military forces in peacetime. This administrative force contains the aggregate  of various military headquarters, facilities, and installations designed to man, train, and equip the forces. In peacetime, the various militaries group their forces into corps and armies for administrative purposes. In some cases, the militaries may group their forces administratively under geographical commands designated as military regions or military districts. If the SHC elects to create more than one theater headquarters, it may allocate parts of the administrative force structure to each of the theaters, normally along geographic lines. Typically, these administrative groupings differ from the country’s go-to-war (fighting) force structure. Other parts of the administrative force structure consist of assets centrally controlled at the national level. (See FM   7-

100.4  Opposing Force Organization Guide: Chapter 3, Task Organizing.)

The Headquarters of the Donovian Ground Force is in Moscow, as is the Headquarters of the Air Force and its subordinate Air Defense Command. There are three joint-command military districts comprised of elements from the ground forces, the air force, and the internal security forces. The navy is primarily located in the southern parts of the country. Donovia can also mobilize a large number of personnel from the civilian population to act as a reserve force if needed.

Defense spending has increased over the last several years and accounts for approximately eight percent of Donovian GDP. This increase is critical to building and maintaining the country’s modern, highly capable force. The need to upgrade key military capabilities, especially information warfare (INFOWAR), the navy, and air force accounts for the increase in defense expenditures despite an economic downturn over the last several years.

Donovia organizes its armed forces into five service components: ground forces (army), navy, air force (which includes national-level air defense forces), strategic forces (with long-range rockets and missiles), special purpose forces (SPF) command, and the internal security forces. The ground forces are the largest of the five services, and have the capability to mobilize the reserve and militia forces to conduct sustained operations. The internal security forces are subordinate to the Ministry of the Interior in peacetime, but can be subordinated to the SHC as the sixth service in time of war.

Donovia traditionally maintains a large military industrial complex and normally finds itself with  the capacity to produce its own military equipment and supplies. Recently, however, Donovia began to participate in a number of technology transfers with other countries in order to obtain advanced military capabilities. Donovia continually pursues foreign technology related to firepower technology, target acquisition, surveillance platforms, and INFOWAR capabilities as well as improvements in command and control capabilities.

The Donovian military reflects a major military force with fielded state-of-the-art technology across all functional areas. It also maintains links to regional (and possibly transnational) criminal and terror groups that further extend its potential, and capability, as a global threat. (For additional information on equipment tier tables, see Section 4: Appendix C, and the Worldwide Equipment Guide (WEG): Volume I, Chapter 1, OPFOR Tier Tables.)

National Strategic Goals

• Defense of Donovia’s sovereignty
• Economic expansion
• Preclusion or elimination of outside intervention

Implementing National Security Goals

Donovia operates under a sophisticated, comprehensive, and multi-dimensional strategy derived from its comparative strength in the region. The Donovian  military normally operates from a position of strength due to its position within the global strategic environment and may seek to exploit regional opportunities. In the event of intervention by extra-regional powers, Donovia assumes a strategy that must include not only internal and regional threats, but also extra-regional opponents.

In pursuit of its strategic goals, Donovia plans to conduct four basic types of strategic-level courses of action (COAs): strategic operations, regional operations, transition operations, and adaptive operations. Each COA involves the use of all four instruments of power (military and/or  paramilitary, diplomatic-political, informational, and economic). Donovia will apply each element of power to a different degree and in different ways, dependent on the COA.

Donovia believes that its national security strategy must include all the instruments of national power, not just the military. Power is a combination of many elements, and the State can use them  in varying combinations as components of its overall national security strategy. Military, economic, and political matters are interdependent with the informational instruments cutting across the other three.

• Strategic operations use all instruments of power in peace and war to achieve a country’s national security strategy goals through attacks against the enemy’s strategic centers of gravity.
• Regional operations include conventional, force-on-force military operations against overmatched opponents, such as regional adversaries and internal threats.
• Transition operations bridge the gap between regional and adaptive operations and contain some elements of both. The country continues to pursue its regional goals while dealing with developing outside intervention that has the potential to overmatch its military.
• Adaptive operations preserve the country’s power and apply it in adaptive ways against opponents that overmatch the country’s military.

Military Forces Overview

Military Strategy

Donovia conducts regional operations in primarily offensive actions. Donovian operations will be joint and include elements from all components in order to reduce the opponent’s capability,  capacity, and will to resist. The Donovian military does not limit its attacks on military and security forces, but seeks opportunities to dominate across the opponent’s collective elements of national power. Donovian strategy seeks to erode any advantage the regional/extra-regional opponent may possess in its ability to contest the country’s national interests. This includes many of the variables of the OE: political, military, economic, social, information, and infrastructure.

Donovia engages in transition operations as a pivotal point between regional and adaptive operations. Flexibility during the transition phase allows Donovian forces to pursue both regional operations and adaptive operations concurrently at least for a limited time. The decision to begin transition operations is not prescriptive, in that it does not necessarily mean that the military will complete the transition from regional to adaptive operations (or vice versa). Transition operations, however, allow the military to pursue a conditions-based strategy leading to an end state that can include any of the strategic COAs mentioned previously.

Donovian forces will conduct adaptive operations if it is deemed that an extra-regional force which intervenes against them contains sufficient power to overmatch the Donovian conventional military power. Donovian military history presents examples of Donovian resolve to fight to the end for a cause it believes in and is celebrated as a key component of the Donovian military tradition. As such, Donovia developed its techniques, organizations, capabilities, and strategy to deal with both regional and extra-regional opponents. Donovia already knows how it will adapt to these new and changing threats and adjusts its methods accordingly.

The Donovian armed forces will engage in a wide range of activities short of war to ensure stability in the region and to pursue their national interests. Besides military operations, Donovian political and defense officials can mount a number of strategic operations designed to undermine confidence  in the opponent’s support and to establish Donovian policy as the best alternative to a potential conflict. Examples of these short-of-war actions may include:

• Perception Management: Strategic communications designed to influence domestic and international audiences will be used to Donovia’s advantage. An example is to deceive by disseminating half-truths on important issues in order to cloud the distinction between fact and fiction.
• Information Attack: This activity is especially effective against financial institutions, media outlets, and telecommunications companies.
• Economic Warfare: This activity includes bans, blockades, and boycotts against goods, transportation, freight, currencies, and visas. One element of economic warfare is computer warfare, performed by hacking financial systems for the purpose of manipulating and exploiting industrial information.

Army Overview

The AFS of Donovia’s ground forces manages a combination of armored, mechanized, and light infantry forces in peacetime. The AFS regional-level commands have standard organizational structures based on three military districts: Southern, Western, and Eastern (as depicted in the order of battle). These AFS organizations normally differ from the Donovian wartime fighting force structure.

Three armies compose the regular ground forces, with elements from other services in specialized or support roles. The ground forces possess the specific functions of military offensive and defensive capabilities in legitimate service to the state. Traditional missions of the Donovian ground forces are designed to accomplish one or more of the following objectives:

• Defeat an adversary’s ground forces
• Destroy an adversary’s war-making capacity
• Seize or retain territory
• Maintain stability both internally and regionally

Other functions of regular military forces can include a wide range of stability and support missions in concert with Donovia’s policies and programs. These can include national disaster response, or assistance to provincial or district governments to counter lawlessness, riot, or insurrection.

The ground forces include tank, mechanized infantry, motorized infantry, and a significant number of airborne and special purpose forces (ground forces SPF). The ground forces field both rocket and tube artillery to support ground operations. The ground forces also have some long-range rockets and surface-to-surface missiles (SSMs). Fire support capability includes attack helicopters. The ground forces possess large numbers of shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), while mobile air defense units provide additional support. Donovia also fields a robust all-arms air defense capability at all levels.

Maneuver divisions and brigades are designed as the basis for forming either a division tactical group (DTG) or a brigade tactical group (BTG), if necessary. However, a brigade, with or without becoming a BTG, can fight as part of a division or DTG, or as a separate unit in an operational strategic command (OSC).

Army Size and Structure

Donovia maintains a large army, with approximately 600,000 personnel between the active duty and reserve units. Donovia is one of the last modern countries using conscripts to maintain troop strength.  Annually, approximately  795,500  people reach  eligibility  for one  year  of   compulsory

service. The number of conscripts that enter service continues to decline and now only makes up about 25% of new recruits. An increasing number of volunteers or contract soldiers now join the military  for three-year enlistments, but the recruits’ quality pales when compared with Western volunteer soldiers.     The

Ground Forces Command serves as a force provider to the military district commands. The AFS  consists of the aggregate of various military headquarters, facilities, and installations designed to man, train, and equip the Donovian military. The Ground Forces Command normally groups its forces into armies, divisions, or brigades for administrative purposes within three geographical commands designated as military districts. The AFS is structured to easily transform military districts into theater or operational-strategic commands (OSCs) for combat and can be task-organized with additional assets from throughout the military, including reserve personnel. The Donovian district-level commands maintain standard organizational structures (as depicted in the AFS order of battle). Normally these administrative groupings differ from Donovia’s go-to-war (fighting) force structure. If the SHC elects to create more than one theater headquarters, however, it may allocate parts of the AFS to each of the theaters, normally along geographic lines. Other parts of the AFS consist of assets centrally controlled at the national level such as the strategic force, SPF command, and the internal security forces. (See TC 7-100.2: Opposing Force Tactics, Chapter 3, Offense.)

Army Doctrine and Tactics

The Donovian ground forces assume the distinct possibility of intervention by a major extra-regional power in any regional conflict. Consequently, they will apply the following principles against any extra-regional threat:

• Control access into the region
• Employ operational shielding
• Control the tempo
• Cause politically unacceptable casualties to the enemy
• Neutralize technological overmatch

The Donovian ground forces’ and other troops’ primary tasks in wartime are to defeat aggression against Donovia and its allies. In order to defeat any opponent seen as a threat to the stability of the region, the ground forces use adaptive resistance and pursue objectives designed to force the enemy to cease hostilities on Donovian terms. Pursuit of comprehensive military objectives will bring to bear the full capabilities of the Donovian military across all elements of the operational  environment.

At all levels of command, this doctrine provides the basis for Donovian policy against regional and extra-regional forces that represent a theoretical threat. Adaptive resistance also includes operations designed to combat drivers of instability such as rogue regimes, non-state terrorist organizations, and various criminal elements. The Donovian ground forces pursue an integrated combined arms approach to operations that relies on speed, surprise, and momentum; force and firepower; maneuverability, agility, and minimal footprint; and dynamic coordination carried out across all domains of the battlefield.

Traditionally, the Donovian ground forces design themselves to respond to crises through the policy of mass mobility, whereby the government mobilizes many large divisions and regiments to deal  with a threat. The division remains the main organizational construct for the Donovian ground forces, but requirements to reduce the number of personnel in the Donovian military caused officials to reassess these principles. Recent Donovian military reforms generated the development of small, rapidly-deployable brigade-size elements designed to limit the number of personnel and assets through more effective and flexible deployment.

Advances in new technology and conventional firepower technology allow numerically small forces to inflict the same military effects against an opponent as larger forces previously caused. While many regard these changes as positive in terms of military capability and reduced bureaucratic overhead, others regard the former brigade/divisional structure as superior.

The Donovian ground forces organize the battlefield in such a way that they can rapidly transition between offensive and defensive operations and between linear and nonlinear operations. This flexibility can help the military adapt and change the nature of the conflict to something for which the enemy is not prepared. One of the most lethal aspects of Donovian ground forces is the ability of components to transition into various forms. For example, special purpose forces can change uniforms and insignia and other indicators of status to mask their capabilities and intentions while they successfully adapt to a variety of situations. Another example is the ability to rapidly task- organize units to maximize mission effectiveness.

Donovian forces often exploit the difficulties of positive identification of an enemy’s appearance and intent. The Donovian forces will intentionally disguise themselves to appear similar to enemy forces or neutral actors. Donovian troops may present themselves in many ways, but will always maintain the ability to mass at the time and place of their choosing.

The Donovian military is expert at organizing for mission success and in the use of deception. It is very adept at determining the appropriate composition of its combat organization. It is common for Donovian forces to shift between performing regular and irregular military operations. At some times, uniformed military forces can best perform the functions while at other times irregular forces may perform the action best. Both types of forces will often act together.

The Donovian ground forces leadership recognizes the complexity of the modern battlefield. This will often lead to situations where part of the military may operate most effectively in a linear fashion, while other parts may need to conduct nonlinear operations. The Donovian military understands what constitutes a linear or nonlinear battlefield based on general military theory accepted by many countries’ armed forces. Battlefield geometry contains two dimensions: the relationship  of units to each other, the enemy, and their support base; and the expected effects of that relationship. (For more information on tactics, see TC 7- 100.2: Opposing Force Tactics.)

Donovia sees offensive operations of combat and the ultimate means of imposing its will on the enemy. While conditions at a particular time or place may require Donovia to defend, defeating an enemy force ultimately requires shifting to the offense. Even within the context of defense, victory normally requires offensive action. Therefore, Donovian commanders at all levels seek to create and exploit opportunities to take offensive action, whenever possible.

The aim of offense at the tactical level is to achieve the tactical mission in support of an operation. A tactical command ensures that its subordinate commands thoroughly understand both the overall goals of the operation and the specific purpose of a particular mission they are about to execute. In this way, subordinate commands may continue to execute the mission without direct control by a higher headquarters, if necessary.

Army Training and Readiness

The Donovian military fields a well-trained and professional army with a 98% operational readiness rate, which is considerably higher than most other countries worldwide. The average individual in the Donovian military falls into one of four distinct groups: conscripts, contract troops, noncommissioned officers (NCOs), and officers. Both the enlisted and officers in the Donovian military attend professional development schools that start from the time they begin service and follow them throughout their careers.

Army Equipment and Weapons

Donovian military equipment and weapons reflect primarily tier 1 capabilities, but the military forces also possess random tier 2 capabilities throughout the force structure. The Donovian military can operate in all terrain types and can conduct 24-hour operations. (For further information see Section 4: Appendix C or the WEG: Vol. 1, Chapter 1, OPFOR Tier Tables.)

Naval Forces Overview

The Navy Command serves as a force provider to Donovia. Its area of responsibility includes the Black and Azov Seas on the western side of the country and the Caspian Sea to the east. The Donovian West Fleet in the Black Sea is the most modern and the strongest regional naval force.

The Donovian Navy maintains  a regional force-projection navy with significant access-control capability built on surface combatants, submarines, surface- and ground-based anti- ship missile units, and anti- ship mines. The Navy also possesses an amphibious capability along with its naval infantry division. Together they are capable of forced entry operations against any regional opponent. The Navy also fields organic SPF.

Navy Size and Structure

The Donovian Navy consists primarily of its Naval Headquarters, a West and East Fleet, a Naval Infantry Division, several modern and well-developed port facilities, and organizations providing support to the two fleets. The Naval Headquarters is based out of Novorossiysk on the Black Sea and is colocated with the Headquarters of the West Fleet. The Headquarters of the East Fleet is based on the Caspian Sea at Makhachkala. (See the OB at the end of this country’s variable.)

Navy Doctrine and Tactics

The Donovian Navy operates in support of the ground forces. The Donovian Navy missions include:

• Mine laying, particularly in narrow channels and coastal areas
• Insertion/extraction of SPF
• Naval gun fire support
• Defensive patrolling of coastal areas
• Counterdrug search and seizure
• Anti-smuggling and piracy operations

Navy Training and Readiness

The navy maintains an educated, well-trained, and highly motivated force with a 95% operational readiness rate. It conducts training year-round at the fleet level and participates in two semi-annual joint training events. Bi-annually it participates in international training to repel extra-regional forces.

Navy Equipment and Weapons

The Donovian navy’s equipment and weapons consist primarily of tier 1, modern competitive  military systems capability (with some tier 2 elements) throughout the navy’s force structure. This equipment allows the Donovian navy to conduct sustained all-weather, day/night operations. (See Section 4: Appendix C or the WEG: Vol. 3, Naval and Littoral Systems.)

Air Force Overview

The air force, like the navy, primarily supports the ground forces in a combined operations role. Each of the military districts is assigned an air force division in order to reduce the delay of waiting for aviation support from higher headquarters. The Donovian Air Force operates a number of different aircraft to include fighters, bombers, tactical transport, tankers, airborne early warning aircraft, electronic warfare (EW) aircraft, reconnaissance aircraft, and auxiliaries that can support a variety of different missions. The national-level air defense command (ADC) is subordinate to the air force. The ADC provides a modern integrated air defense system (IADS) throughout the country. Similar to other services, the air force fields its own organic air force SPF.

An air division can have fixed-wing aviation regiments of fighter, fighter-bomber, bomber, reconnaissance aircraft and possibly regiments of ground-attack or airborne jamming aircraft. It can also include medium transport, heavy transport, and air ambulance helicopters, and a heliborne jamming squadron.

Air Force Size and Structure

The Donovian air force maintains the largest, best-equipped, and best-trained air force in the region. Most fixed-wing assets belong to the air force, while some of the rotary-wing aircraft also belong to the army. The capabilities of the air force’s fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft far exceed those of its neighbors, allowing Donovia to generate regional air superiority in any localized combat operations.

The Donovian air force structures its units as regional divisions, regiments, and squadrons under the control of the military districts. This structure provides timely and effective use of assets at all levels of combat, from the strategic campaign to the tactical ground maneuver plan. As with the ground forces, the administrative force structure is a system in peacetime that mans, trains, and equips units to deploy for war. In times of conflict, the air force’s peacetime divisions may be utilized in whole or may be parceled to provide units to a theater- or operational-level command. (See Section 4: Appendix C.)

Air Force Doctrine and Tactics

As air and ground forces are introduced into an area of operations, the air forces (primarily the regional air divisions) must concentrate missions to gain airspace control. This is determined by the operational situation and the number of aircraft dedicated to the attainment of air superiority versus support of ground forces. In many cases, additional support is required by the national level air force assets.

Initially, most air division assets conduct strategic- and operational-level missions. Examples of these higher-level missions are strategic bombing, long-range fire strikes, counter air, air inter- diction, theater air reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and CBRN delivery.

Early operational and tactical aviation missions (such as air interdiction, air strikes, and ground missions including attacks on enemy airfields, or defense of friendly airfields) allow Donovian forces to attain air superiority from the outset. The airspace condition dictates aircraft employment throughout the theater of operations at the strategic, operational, and tactical levels.

Since aviation assets are only found at the operational levels of the force, Donovia will reinforce tactical maneuver units by allocating aviation assets, either through attachment or assignment as supporting aviation. An attached aviation unit is under the control of the maneuver unit  commander; an aviation unit assigned to support a maneuver force remains subordinate to its parent squadron or regiment but carries out missions in support of the maneuver commander.

The Donovian Air Force has the following capabilities:

• Fighter aviation
• Bomber aviation
• Reconnaissance aviation
• In-air refueling
• Mixed aviation (fixed- and rotary-wing)
• Long-range fixed- and rotary-wing transport
• Heliborne jamming

Integrated Air Defense System (IADS) under Air Defense Command Donovian air divisions contain:

• Fighter-bombers
• Combat helicopters
• Fighter-interceptors
• Fixed- and rotary-wing transport
• Ground-attack aviation
• Airborne jamming aviation
• Air ambulance

Air Force Training and Readiness

The operational readiness rate (OR rate), or “ready to fly rate,” refers to the capability of a unit, equipment, or weapon system to perform the mission or function for which it was organized or designed. Factors such as on-hand major-end items, spare part availability, scheduled aircraft maintenance, logistical and resupply procedures, transportation capabilities, and aircraft cannibalization and/or transfer procedures are considered. Initially, an OR rate in excess of 85 to 90 percent is considered normal. As hostilities continue, this rate can diminish considerably.

The Donovian air force trains its personnel for a variety of combat and combat support missions. The air force strives to maintain an 88% equipment OR rate. The air force fields a well-trained and  highly motivated force with an OR rate estimated at around 88%. The air force maintains maintenance and launch facilities, early warning and C2 sites, and ground-based air defense sites throughout Donovia and has the capability to expedite these capabilities when required. (See Section 4: Appendix C and FM 7-100.4, Opposing Force Organization Guide.)

Air Force Equipment and Weapons

The Donovian air force has largely tier 1 level equipment and aircraft (with some tier 2 elements) to meet mission requirements. It also possesses the potential for niche and emerging technologies. The Donovian  air force  fields  domestically manufactured  advanced  aircraft including long-range bombers, intercept/fighters, and multi-role aircraft. These capabilities allow Donovia to project power both regionally and globally.

Although these elements are not normally found at the tactical level, they are often tasked to provide support to ground force divisions. The primary function for tactical aviation is to provide continuous fire support to ground forces by serving as “flying artillery” and to quickly respond to changes in the battlefield situation. They can be used to strike targets out of artillery range and provide maneuver support to the tactical and operational depth of the enemy. The fixed-wing assets available to the ground commander are found at the military district level in the administrative force structure. However, the majority of aerial support that the ground commander receives is in the form of helicopters at the army level in the combat aviation brigades. (See Section 4: Appendix C or the WEG: Vol 2: Airspace and Air Defense Systems.)

Strategic Forces

In addition to the ground forces, navy, and air forces, Donovia has a Strategic Forces Command that provides         strategic-level functional capabilities.

Government Paramilitary Forces

The police, border patrol, militia, and internal security brigades constitute the majority of Donovian paramilitary forces. All of these forces are tasked with keeping the peace within Donovian borders. The Security Directorate operates throughout Donovia in peacetime. Many of these elements operate as paramilitary units equipped for combat. They include border guard forces, national security forces, and special purpose forces. Together with the regular armed forces, they maintain control over the population in peace and war.

In wartime, some or all of the Ministry of the Interior’s (MOI) internal security forces become subordinate to the SHC. Thus, they become the armed forces’ sixth service component. At that time, the formal designation “internal security forces” applies to all MOI forces subordinated to the SHC, which with the general staff controls and supervises their activities. The most likely forces subordinated to the SHC will come from the Security Directorate, the General Police Directorate, or the Civil Defense Directorate.