79th Guards Zaporozhskaya order of Lenin Red Banner orders of Suvorov and Bogdan Khmelnitskiy Tank Division

79-я гвардейская танковая Запорожская ордена Ленина Краснознамённая орденов Суворова и Богдана Хмельницкого дивизия

Military Unit: 58950

Activated 17.5.57 in Jena, East Germany, as the 27th Guards Tank Division, from the 20th Guards Mechanised Division.

In 1960 the 65th independent Tank Training Battalion was disbanded.

Organisation 1960:

• 45th Guards Tank Regiment (Weimar, East Germany) - arrived from the 11th Guards Tank Division
• 211th Tank Regiment (Jena, East Germany)
• 213th Guards Tank Regiment (Jena, East Germany)
• 247th Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment (Weimar, East Germany)
• 172nd Guards Artillery Regiment (Rudolstadt, East Germany)
• 1075th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment (Weimar, East Germany)
• 10th independent Guards Reconnaissance Battalion (Saalfeld, East Germany)
• 88th independent Guards Sapper Battalion (Jena, East Germany)
• 110th independent Guards Communications Battalion (Jena, East Germany)
• 000 independent Chemical Defence Company (Jena, East Germany)
• 83rd independent Medical-Sanitary Battalion (Jena, East Germany)
• 731st independent Motor Transport Battalion (Jena, East Germany)

In 1961 the 345th independent Missile Battalion was activated.

19.2.62 the 66th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion was activated.

11.1.65 renamed 79th Guards Tank Division.

In 5.65 the 213th Guards Tank Regiment was replaced by the 17th Guards Tank Regiment, from the 57th Guards Motorised Rifle Division.

In 1968 the 88th independent Guards Sapper Battalion was renamed 88th independent Guards Engineer-Sapper Battalion.

Organisation 1970:

• 17th Guards Tank Regiment (Saalfeld, East Germany)
• 45th Guards Tank Regiment (Weimar, East Germany)
• 211th Tank Regiment (Jena, East Germany)
• 247th Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment (Weimar, East Germany)
• 172nd Guards Artillery Regiment (Rudolstadt, East Germany)
• 1075th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment (Weimar, East Germany)
• 345th independent Missile Battalion (Rudolstadt, East Germany)
• 24th independent Reactive Artillery Battery (Rudolstadt, East Germany)
• 10th independent Guards Reconnaissance Battalion (Saalfeld, East Germany) - 1979 to Rudolstadt
• 88th independent Guards Engineer-Sapper Battalion (Jena, East Germany)
• 110th independent Guards Communications Battalion (Jena, East Germany)
• 000 independent Chemical Defence Company (Jena, East Germany)
• 66th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion (Jena, East Germany)
• 83rd independent Medical-Sanitary Battalion (Jena, East Germany)
• 731st independent Motor Transport Battalion (Jena, East Germany)
• 28th independent Helicopter Detachment (Weimar-Nohra, East Germany) - activated 1969

In 1972 the 000 independent Chemical Defence Company was renamed 000 independent Chemical Defence Battalion.

In 1980 the 731st independent Motor Transport Battalion was renamed 1079th independent Material Supply Battalion, and the 24th independent Reactive Artillery Battery was absorbed by the Artillery Regiment.

Organisation 1980:

• 17th Guards Tank Regiment (Saalfeld, East Germany)
• 45th Guards Tank Regiment (Weimar, East Germany)
• 211th Tank Regiment (Jena, East Germany)
• 247th Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment (Weimar, East Germany)
• 172nd Guards Artillery Regiment (Rudolstadt, East Germany)
• 1075th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment (Weimar, East Germany)
• 345th independent Missile Battalion (Rudolstadt, East Germany)
• 10th independent Guards Reconnaissance Battalion (Rudolstadt, East Germany)
• 88th independent Guards Engineer-Sapper Battalion (Jena, East Germany)
• 110th independent Guards Communications Battalion (Jena, East Germany)
• 000 independent Chemical Defence Battalion (Jena, East Germany)
• 66th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion (Jena, East Germany)
• 83rd independent Medical Battalion (Jena, East Germany)
• 1079th independent Material Supply Battalion (Jena, East Germany)
• 28th independent Helicopter Detachment (Weimar-Nohra, East Germany)

In 5.83 the 28th independent Helicopter Detachment was renamed 345th independent Helicopter Squadron.

In 1985 the 000 independent Chemical Defence Battalion was renamed 333rd independent Chemical Defence Company.

In 1986 the 345th independent Missile Battalion was transferred to the 449th Missile Brigade.

Organisation 1988:

• 17th Guards Tank Regiment (Saalfeld, East Germany)
• 45th Guards Tank Regiment (Weimar, East Germany)
• 211th Tank Regiment (Jena, East Germany)
• 247th Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment (Weimar, East Germany)
• 172nd Guards Artillery Regiment (Rudolstadt, East Germany)
• 1075th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment (Weimar, East Germany)
• 10th independent Guards Reconnaissance Battalion (Rudolstadt, East Germany)
• 88th independent Guards Engineer-Sapper Battalion (Jena, East Germany)
• 110th independent Guards Communications Battalion (Jena, East Germany)
• 333rd independent Chemical Defence Company (Jena, East Germany)
• 66th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion (Jena, East Germany)
• 83rd independent Medical Battalion (Jena, East Germany)
• 1079th independent Material Supply Battalion (Jena, East Germany)
• 345th independent Helicopter Squadron (Weimar-Nohra, East Germany)

1.2.89 the 345th independent Helicopter Squadron was used to activate the 486th independent Helicopter Regiment.

Disbanded 7.92.

Headquarters:

• Jena, East Germany, 5.57 - 7.92 [50 56 59N, 11 36 16E]
• Samarkand, Samarkand Oblast, 7.92 - 7.92

Subordination:

• 8th Guards Combined Arms Army, 5.57 - 7.92
• Turkestan Military District, 7.92 - 7.92

Equipment:

• 1974: 325 T-62 and T-54/55 (T-54/55 in the 247th Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment)
• 1979: T-62 (all TP and MSP), T-64 (probably 211 TP), 122mm 2s1 (247 gv.MSP), 152mm 2s3 (probably artillery regiment), SA-6 (SAM regiment)
• 12.85: 9700 men, 319 T-80, 173 BMP-1, 60 BMP-2, 18 BTR-60, 6 BTR-70, 36 122mm 2s1, 36 122mm D-30, 36 152mm 2s3

Equipment 19.11.90 (CFE treaty holdings):

• Divisional HQ: 1 R-145BM and 2 R-156BTR

• 17th Guards Tank Regiment: 93 T-80, 18 BMP-2, 34 BMP-1, 2 BRM-1K, 1 BTR-60, 18 2s1 Gvozdika, 6 2s12 Sani, 3 BMP-1KSh, 3 PRP-3/4, 3 RKhM, 1 R-145BM, 2 PU-12 and 1 MT-LBT

• 45th Guards Tank Regiment: 97 T-80, 26 BMP-2, 28 BMP-1, 2 BRM-1K, 5 BTR-60, 18 12mm D-30, 6 2s12 Sani, 3 BMP-1KSh, 3 PRP-3/4, 3 RKhM, 3 1V18, 1 1V19, 1 R-145BM, 2 PU-12, 3 MT-55A and 9 MT-LBT

• 211th Tank Regiment: 95 T-80, 24 BMP-2, 30 BMP-1, 2 BRM-1K, 2 BTR-60, 18 122mm D-30, 6 2s12 Sani, 3 BMP-1KSh, 3 PRP-3, 3 RKhM, 3 1V18, 1 1V19, 3 R-145BM, 2 PU-12, 3 MT-55A and 4 MT-LBT

• 247th Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment: 31 T-80, 46 BMP-2, 39 BMP-1, 2 BRM-1K, 18 2s1 Gvozdika, 12 2s12 Sani, 5 BMP-1KSh, 3 RKhM, 2 R-145BM and 2 PU-12

• 172nd Guards Artillery Regiment: 36 2s3 Akatsiya, 18 BM-21 Grad, 3 PRP-3/4, 3 1V18, 1 1V19 and 1 R-156BTR

• 1075th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment: ZRK Kub (SA-6) and 1 R-156BTR

• 10th independent Guards Reconnaissance Battalion: 6 T-80, 10 BMP-1, 7 BRM-1K, 5 BTR-60 and 2 R-145BM

• 110th independent Guards Communications Battalion: 4 R-145BM, 4 R-156BTR and 1 R-2AM

• 88th independent Guards Engineer-Sapper Battalion: 3 UR-67 and 4 BTR-60

Divisional coordinates:

• Jena barracks (Zwätzen Kaserne) [US designation: Jena Army Barracks 221]: 50 57 33N, 11 37 17E (Divisional HQ, 211th Tank Regiment and 110th independent Guards Communications Battalion)
• Jena barracks (Löbstedt Kaserne) [US designation: Jena Army Barracks 222]: 50 56 52N, 11 36 14E (88th independent Guards Engineer-Sapper Battalion, 66th independent Equipment Maintenance and Recovery Battalion, 83rd independent Medical Battalion and 1079th independent Material Supply Battalion)
• Saalfeld barracks (Infanterie Kaserne) [US designation: Saalfeld Army Barracks 281]: 50 39 18N, 11 20 20E (17th Guards Tank Regiment and 10th independent Guards Reconnaissance Battalion)
• Weimar barracks (Artillerie Kaserne) [US designation: Weimar Army Barracks 202]: 51 00 08N, 11 18 24E (45th Guards Tank Regiment)
• Weimar barracks (Panzer Kaserne) [US designation: Weimar Army Barracks 203]: 51 00 31N, 11 18 45E (247th Guards Motorised Rifle Regiment and 1075th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment)
• Rudolstadt barracks (Flak Kaserne) [US designation: Rudolstadt Army Barracks 261]: 50 42 29N, 11 18 54E (172nd Guards Artillery Regiment, 24th independent Reactive Artillery Battery, 345th independent Missile Battalion and 10th independent Guards Reconnaissance Battalion)
• Weimar-Nohra airfield [US designation: Weimar Airfield 602]: 50 58 35N, 11 14 46E (345th independent Helicopter Squadron)

The division was maintained as a Ready Division - First Line (US terms: Category I) - manning was almost 100%.