Cuba Army

The Cuban Revolutionary Army, known as the Ejercito Revolucionario, forms the land warfare component of the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces under the Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces in Havana. Cuba divides its territory into three command structures: the Western Army, the Central Army, and the Eastern Army, along with an autonomous military region for the Isle of Youth. Formations consist of armored, mechanized infantry, and motorized infantry brigades, supported by airborne units, field artillery regiments, and specialized air defense units. A specialized border brigade guards the boundary near the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base. Internal security and unconventional warfare capabilities are maintained through special forces units such as the Avispas Negras. The regular army is augmented by paramilitary forces, including the Territorial Troops Militia and the Youth Labor Army, which assist in reserve mobilization and defense duties.

The army relies on Soviet-era armaments, frequently rebuilt or modified domestically to extend serviceability. Armored units field T-55 and T-62 main battle tanks, alongside PT-76 light amphibious tanks. Mechanized and motorized units operate BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles and BTR-60, BTR-70, and BTR-152 armored personnel carriers, complemented by BRDM-2 reconnaissance vehicles. Field artillery forces maintain towed systems such as D-30 and M-46 howitzers, together with self-propelled 2S1 Gvozdika and 2S3 Akatsiya units. Air defense for ground formations relies on mobile surface-to-air missile platforms including the S-125 Pechora, 2K12 Kub, 9K33 Osa, and 9K35 Strela-10, as well as ZSU-23-4 Shilka self-propelled anti-aircraft guns and towed ZU-23-2 cannons. Army aviation assets consist primarily of Mi-8, Mi-17, and Mi-24 helicopters.

Modernization programs are conducted by the state-owned Union de Industrias Militares, which focuses on hybrid conversions and system overhauls. Local projects include mounting field guns, anti-tank cannons, and anti-aircraft systems onto armored chassis and heavy truck platforms to create improvised self-propelled artillery and armored vehicles. Foreign acquisitions remain limited, consisting mainly of selective technical assistance from nations such as Belarus, Russia, and China to upgrade radar, guidance systems, and electronics. The army operates under the military doctrine of the War of the Whole People, emphasizing decentralized defense, area denial, and asymmetric resistance to deter foreign military intervention on the island.