Albanian People's Army
The Albanian People's Army (Albanian: Ushtria Popullore Shqiptare, UPS ) was the army of the People's Socialist Republic of Albania from 1946 to 1990. It took part in the Warsaw Pact until it withdrew in 1968. It was dissolved in 1990 and retained its current form through the Albanian Armed Forces.
After 1946 Albania became a part of the Eastern Bloc and under Soviet influence.Like all other Communist states, the UPS was subjected to the rule of the Party of Labour of Albania.Most communist party elites had high ranks in the UPS.The Ideology of Marxism–Leninism was enforced strictly by Political commissars to increase government control over the UPS.On May 1, 1966 the military ranks were changed to the ranks of the Chinese Army during the Sino-Soviet split.One of the things that changed during the period was the role of the military commander was smaller due to the role of the political commissars. Before 1948 the UPS was heavily funded by Yugoslavia after however, after relations declined between the two countries Albania turned to the Soviet Union of military aid. In 1960, as the Sino-Soviet split was starting the UPS switched its military alliance from the Soviet Armed Forces to the PLA.
The combined strength of the UPS by 1990 was 48,000 troops, half of which were conscripts, with over 375,000 suited for service.The largest branch was the ground forces, which took up three-quarters of the UPS.Most of its equipment were old Italian, Soviet, and Chinese weaponry.The infantry brigades lacked mechanization, operating only about 130 armored vehicles. army units would be vulnerable to attack by modern fighter-bombers. The UPS Navy was the second branch and exclusively was the coastal defense forces of the country.The Naval forces numbered about 2,000 men, with almost one-half being conscripts.Patrol craft included 6 Chinese-made Shanghai-II fast inshore gunboats and two older Soviet Kronshtadt-class patrol boats. The air force of the UPS was founded in April 1952 and consist of 11,000 personnel.The missions of the air force were to repel the enemy at the country's borders and to defend the national airspace.In 1970 the UPS switched from Soviet to Chinese made planes. Helicopters consisted of one squadron of C-5 transports, a Chinese-manufactured Soviet An-2; one squadron of Chinese Li-2 transports; and two squadrons of Chinese Z-5 helicopters.Attack aircraft included 2 squadrons of J-4's and 1 squadron of J-2 bombers, the most advanced plane in the UPS.
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