What has the Cuban army achieved during half a century of confrontation with the United States?

The Cuban military, or more fully known as the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces, was officially established in 1960 and comprises the army, air defense and air force, navy, and militia.

The Commander-in-Chief of the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces is President Raul Castro, and the Minister of the Revolutionary Armed Forces is General Leopoldo Cintra Frias.

The Cuban Army currently has approximately 85,000 active personnel (according to 2011 statistics).

The Cuban Army remains the largest component of the Cuban armed forces. Most of the army's equipment originates from the Soviet Union and a few other countries, in addition to equipment upgraded and improved by Cuba itself.

Cuba's tank force currently maintains approximately 500 tanks, including the PT-76; T-54/55 and the T-62, which is the most modern type (pictured).

Cuba's armored personnel carrier/combat vehicle force comprises approximately 1,200 vehicles (such as the BMP-1; BRDM-1/2; BTR-152/40/50/60). However, only a portion may remain operational due to insufficient funds for maintaining the entire fleet. Notably, based on the BTR-60 armored vehicle chassis, Cuba has equipped it with some turrets taken from T-54/55 tanks and BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles, transforming it into a new type of combat vehicle.

The image shows the turret of a BMP-1 combat vehicle (73mm main gun and AT-3 anti-tank missile launcher) mounted on a BTR-60 armored personnel carrier chassis.

The BTR-60 armored vehicle was fitted with a T-54/55 tank turret, transforming it into a wheeled tank.

The BTR-60 is also used as a chassis for mounting the ZU-23-2 23mm short-range anti-aircraft gun, which can be used for army air defense.

The BTR-60 serves as the base chassis for the 37mm twin-barreled anti-aircraft gun. Immediately behind it is the 9K33 Osa short-range anti-aircraft missile system, capable of engaging targets at a range of 15km and an altitude of 12km. In addition to this, Cuban air defenses also include the 9K31 Strela-1 (range 4.2km), 9K35 Strela 10 (range 5km); the 2K12 Kub (range 24km); the S-75 (range 45-60km), S-125 (range 35km), and shoulder-fired missiles.

Similar to the army, Cuba has also independently upgraded some of its air defense missile systems, primarily to improve mobility. Pictured is the launcher and S-75 Dvina missile mounted on a T-54/55 tank chassis.

The S-125 missile launcher and missiles are mounted on a T-54/55 tank chassis.

Returning to the Cuban artillery forces, they are currently equipped with approximately 700 towed and self-propelled artillery pieces of various types.

Some of the cannons were also modified by Cuba itself, mounted on wheeled transport vehicle chassis to transform them into self-propelled artillery. Pictured is a D-30 122mm towed cannon mounted on the rear of a modified wheeled transport vehicle.

Cuba also possesses the widely used BM-21 Grad 40 multiple rocket launcher system with 122mm caliber barrels.

Cuba also possesses a small number of 4K51 Rubezh coastal defense missile systems capable of destroying targets within a range of 120km or less.

The Cuban Navy is the smallest of the components of the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces, with a strength of approximately 3,000 personnel (including 500 marines) and equipped with about 17-18 vessels of various types.

Cuba's largest warship is the Rio Damuji, equipped with a 57mm naval gun, two P-15 Termit anti-ship missiles, a 25mm cannon, and machine guns. However, the ship's shape resembles a transport vessel more than a true warship. It appears to be a modified version of some transport ship, fitted with anti-ship missiles.

The Cuban Navy still has approximately 6 Osa II high-speed missile boats (each equipped with 4 P-15 Termit anti-ship missiles) in service.

In addition, Cuba also has one Pauk II-class anti-submarine warfare vessel, the minesweepers Sonya and Yevgenya, and several small landing craft.