Jordanian Southern Command

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).

Jordanian Southern Command المنطقة العسكرية الجنوبية
Southern Command Shoulder sleeve insignia
Active	1970 - present
Country	Jordan
Branch	Royal Jordanian Army
Type	Armored & Mechanized Infantry
Role	Multi Role
Size	13,000 - 15,000 (2012 est.)
Garrison/HQ	Aqaba, Ma'an, Tafilah, Al Karak
Colors	KA2 Desert Digital
Engagements	Six-Day War War of Attrition Black September
Commanders
Current commander	Brigadier General Hilal Abdul Halim Al-Khawaldeh

History

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

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

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

Border Guard Formation

3_rd Border Guard Force Brigade

• • Brigade HQ
    • Command Staff
    • Signal Company
    • Reconnaissance & Surveillance Center
  • 2_nd Border Guard Force Battalion
  • 7_th Border Guard Force Battalion
  • 8_th Border Guard Force Battalion
  • Combat Support (Direct Support)
    • 2_nd Engineer Company (DS, Command Engineer Battalion)
    • Chemical Support Platoon (DS, Chemical Support Group)
  • Combat Service Support
    • 2_nd Supply & Transport Company (DS, Command Supply & Transport Battalion)
    • Brigade Maintenance Company (Vehicles & Weapons Workshop)
    • Brigade Medical Company (Role 1)

Combat & Maneuver Units

Prince Zaid Bin Al Hussein 93_rd Mechanized Infantry Brigade

• • Brigade HQ
    • Command Staff
      • Joint Fires Coordination Cell - Targeting Cell
      • Information and PsyOps Cell
      • Intelligence Cell
    • Signal Company
    • UAS ISR Platoon
    • FPV Strike Platoon
    • JTAC Team
  • Martyr Abdelhamid Sharaf 41_st Mechanized Infantry Battalion (Aqaba) (M113A2 MK1)
  • Sharif Shaker bin Zaid 42_nd Mechanized Infantry Battalion (Al-Karak) (M113A2 MK1)
  • Sharif Naser bin Jamil 43_rd Mechanized Infantry Battalion (Ma'an) (M113A2 MK1)
  • Anti-Armor Company (Kornet-E)
  • Fires Support (Direct Support)
    • 84_th Field ADA Battalion (Shilka,Igla)
  • Combat Support (Direct Support)
    • 1_st Engineer Company (DS, Command Engineer Battalion)
    • Chemical Support Platoon (DS, Chemical Support Group)
  • Combat Service Support
    • 1_st Supply & Transport Company (DS, Command Supply & Transport Battalion)
    • Brigade Maintenance Company (Vehicles & Weapons Workshop)
    • Brigade Medical Company (Role 1)

Combat Support Units

• Southern Command Artillery
  • Command Artillery HQ
    • Signal Company
    • STA Company
  • 5_th Mortar Battalion (AGRAB Mk2)
• 3_rd Field Air Defense Group
  • Group HQ
    • Signal Company
  • 3_rd Field ADA Battalion (Shilka,Strela-10,Igla)
  • Electronic Warfare & Counter-UAS Unit (EW/C-UAS)
• Command Engineer Battalion
  • 2 Mechanized Engineer Companies ^[1]
  • General Support Company

Service Support Units

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

Notes:

1. Each company supports a brigade

Standard Mechanized Infantry Battalion Structure (TO&E)

This organizational structure reflects the standard Table of Organization and Equipment used by mechanized infantry battalions. Individual battalions may have variations depending on mission attachments or equipment.

• Battalion Headquarters
Battalion Commander (CO) Battalion Executive Officer (XO) Command and Control Section Fire Support / Artillery Coordination Element Tech / Tactical Communications (09T) JTAC (09K)

• Mechanized Infantry Company (x3)
Company HQ AMB – Ambulance/Medical Team ENG – Engineer Detachment ART – Artillery Liaison / FSO Team 3 × Mechanized Platoons (each with 3 sections)

• Support / Weapons Company
Company HQ SWP – Support-weapons / specialist element AMB – Ambulance/medical team WIN – Additional company support element Sniper Squad (Tac-50 & M82A1 Barrett) 4 x Sniper Teams (Teams 8A–8D) Anti-Tank Platoon (Javelin) Section 6A (2 teams) Section 6B (2 teams) Mortar Platoon (81 mm) Section 5A (2 APC-mounted mortars) Section 5B (2 APC-mounted mortars) Section 5C (2 APC-mounted mortars)

• Battalion Combat Support
Intelligence Cell (09C) Engineer Platoon (battalion-level) (09G) Artillery Liaison Element (09R) Electronic Warfare (EW) (09W) Air Defense Section (09A) CBRN Detachment (09N)

• Battalion Combat Service Support
Medical Section (09H) Manpower and Personnel Section (09M) Tactical Logistics Support

Unit Summary

Number	Unit Type	Equipment
3	Mechanized Infantry Battalion	YPR-765 IFV, M113A2MK1J, M577A2, YPR-806, Humvee, FMTV, Navistar 7000 series, DAF Military Trucks
3	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