Equipment¶
The Armed Forces of the Confederated States are principally equipped from CSAT's own peer-tier domestic defence industrial complex, supplemented by Ardun-licensed production of Eastern-bloc-pattern legacy designs and a small import-content fraction in specific high-tech categories. The legacy fleet is late-Cold-War Eastern-bloc (T-80U, BMP-2, BTR-80A, Su-25, Su-27, Su-24) being progressively replaced by domestic modern systems (T-95V Shahbaz, BMP-K Khalifa, BTR-12 Karkadann, modern Su-pattern aircraft); the transition is partway through and not expected to complete before the early 2030s.
CSAT is the only ESA member that runs a substantial defence-export business as a foreign-currency earner — the AR-95 'Saghr' bullpup, the Orion-E 'Uqab' MALE UAS, the modernized Msta-S 152mm SPG, and the BTR-12 'Karkadann' wheeled APC are the principal export items.
Full equipment data: see data/equipment/csat.json.
Small arms¶
The AFCS runs a dual-track service-rifle posture that is one of its signature features:
- Priority formations (Confederal Marines, Confederal Airborne Division, Desert Mobile Force, Strategic Reserve, selected armored-infantry battalions) field the AR-95 'Saghr' — a domestic QBZ-pattern bullpup in 5.8×42mm produced by Confederal Munitions. The AR-95 is the signature CSAT small-arms export item and the principal weapon distinguishing CSAT formations visually from the DPRR's all-AK posture.
- Line conscript formations field the AK-74M (Ardun-licensed) — Eastern-bloc-pattern AK in 5.45×39mm, produced under licence at Confederal Munitions. The AK-74M is retained alongside the new bullpup primarily because ESA-wide 5.45×39mm ammunition standardisation with the DPRR is too entrenched to abandon.
Supporting small arms:
- Carbines: AR-95K (bullpup carbine, priority formations); AKS-74U (compact 5.45 carbine, line formations)
- Designated marksman rifle: SVD-A 'Nashin' (7.62×54R; Continental-bloc-pattern; modernized variant in priority formations)
- Sniper rifle: SV-98
- Anti-materiel rifle: ASVK 'Kornet' (12.7×108mm)
- Sidearm: PYa 'Yarygin' (9×19mm; domestic production)
- Squad automatic: RPK-74M (5.45mm)
- General-purpose machine gun: PKM (line) / PKP 'Pecheneg' (priority); both 7.62×54R
- Heavy machine gun: Kord 6P50 (12.7×108mm)
Infantry support weapons¶
- Underbarrel grenade launcher: GP-34 (AK-74M) / GP-95 (AR-95) — 40mm
- Automatic grenade launcher: AGS-30 'Plamya' (30mm)
- Disposable AT: RPG-26 'Aglen'
- Reusable AT: RPG-7V2 (line) / RPG-29 'Vampir' modern tandem-charge (priority)
- Man-portable ATGM: Kornet-EM (modern, fire-and-forget capable); legacy Konkurs / Metis-M1 in older formations
- MANPADS: Igla-S (9K338) — standard; legacy Igla in second-line
- Mortars: 82mm 2B14 'Podnos'; 120mm 2S12 'Sani'
Soldier kit¶
| Item | Standard issue |
|---|---|
| Body armor plates | 6B45 Level III plates |
| Body armor soft | Level II |
| Helmet | 6B47 Level II |
| Night vision (priority) | Gen 2+ |
| Night vision (line) | Gen 1, squad leaders and officers only |
| Squad radio | 6b29 handheld |
| Rifle optic (priority) | Integral 1.5× + reflex (AR-95) |
| Rifle optic (line) | Iron sights / dot-sight in priority subsets (AK-74M) |
| IFF / Blue-Force Tracker | Not fielded |
Armoured vehicles¶
The Confederal Army's armoured fleet is transitioning from late-Cold-War Eastern-bloc baseline to peer-tier domestic production:
| Role | Legacy (bulk) | Modern (priority) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main battle tank | T-80U (~1,200) | T-95V 'Shahbaz' (~80 fielded, target ~400 by 2032) | Legacy-dominant; modernization accelerating |
| Tracked IFV | BMP-2 / BMP-2M (~1,800) | BMP-K 'Khalifa' (~120 fielded) | Legacy-dominant |
| Wheeled APC | BTR-80A (~2,000) | BTR-12 'Karkadann' | Legacy-dominant; principal CSAT export item |
| Reconnaissance | BRDM-2M 'Sahari' modernized + BMP-2 RECCE | (domestic recon variants in priority formations) | Mixed |
| Light tactical | Tigr-M 'Sayyad' (Ardun-licensed production of the GAZ Tigr) | (same) | Standard active-force LTV |
| Medium logistics | Ural-Ardun (Ural-pattern) | (same) | Bulk truck |
| Heavy logistics | KamAZ-Ardun (KamAZ-pattern) | (same) | Heavy truck / PLS |
| Marines amphibious | PT-76 (phasing out) | BMP-3F (modernization tranche) | Marines-distinctive |
The Confederal Marines and the Strategic Armored Brigade "Khassa" are the priority recipients of the modern T-95V Shahbaz and BMP-K Khalifa tranche.
Artillery¶
- Towed howitzer: 2A65 'Msta-B' 152mm — bulk towed system
- Self-propelled howitzer: 2S19 'Msta-S' 152mm — principal SP system; Confederal Heavy Industries also producing a modernized upgrade variant (a principal export item)
- MLRS — medium: BM-21 'Grad' 122mm — bulk line MLRS
- MLRS — heavy: BM-30 'Smerch' 300mm — division-and-above
- Tactical ballistic missile: 9K720 'Iskander-E' — Strategic Reserve asset under General Staff direct control; conventional payload only (no nuclear per Sierran Conflict canon)
- Coastal anti-shipping: Bal-E and Bastion-P batteries — substantial deployment along Shalmeen and Aegiran coasts
Air defence¶
- Long-range SAM: S-400 'Triumf' (~4-6 battalions covering Mehrvaan and principal Shalmeen-Sea ports)
- Medium-range SAM: Buk-M3 (modern) / Buk-M2 (legacy)
- SHORAD: Tor-M2 + Pantsir-S1
- MANPADS: Igla-S — battalion-level distribution
- Radar: Domestic + Eastern-bloc-pattern early-warning network
Aircraft¶
Produced principally by Confederal Aviation Industries:
| Role | Aircraft |
|---|---|
| Heavy interceptor | MiG-31BM 'Saqr' |
| Multi-role fighter | Su-35S 'Anqa' / Su-30SM 'Anqa-2' |
| Tactical strike | Su-34 'Hammer' |
| CAS | Su-25SM 'Najm' |
| Long-range bomber | Tu-22M3 'Aqil' (conventional only — no nuclear) |
| Maritime patrol | Il-38 'Bahri' + Tu-142 'Bahri-Kabir' (Navy) |
| Carrier fighter | Su-33 'Bahri-Saqr' + MiG-29K 'Falcon-K' (Navy) |
| Strategic transport | Il-76MD 'Hammal' (~30) |
| Aerial tanker | Il-78M 'Saqi' (~6) |
| AEW&C | A-50U 'Mihrab' (~4) |
| Strategic ISR | Tu-214R 'Basir' |
| Airborne EW | Il-22M 'Janub' |
| Attack helicopter | Ka-52 'Timsah' + Mi-28N 'Tair al-Layl' |
| Utility helicopter | Mi-17 'Hisan' |
| Heavy-lift helicopter | Mi-26 'Jamal' (~12) |
| Naval helicopter | Ka-27 / Ka-29 'Bahri-Tair' (Navy) |
| MALE UAS | Orion-E 'Uqab' (signature export item) |
| Tactical UAS | Orlan-10 'Saqr-Sagheer' |
| Loitering munition | Lancet-A 'Rumh' |
| Advanced jet trainer | Yak-130 'Mu'allim' |
Naval vessels¶
Built by Confederal Naval Industries at FEZ-port shipyards. The Confederal Navy is the largest in Sierra by personnel except possibly the Aegiran Stolos and the only ESA navy that maintains peer-tier blue-water capability. No SSBNs — the submarine arm is fully conventional per Sierran Conflict canon.
| Class | Type | Fleet count | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mehrvaan-class CV | Light carrier | 1 | Fleet flagship (Kuznetsov through-deck); embarks Su-33 + MiG-29K |
| Dilvaan-class CG | Heavy guided-missile cruiser | 2 | Senior surface combatant (Slava) |
| Karesh-class DDG | Guided-missile destroyer | ~9 | Multi-role (Sovremenny/Udaloy) |
| Shalmeen-class FFG | Frigate | ~14 | Bulk modern surface combatant (Admiral Grigorovich) |
| Saghir-class corvette | Corvette | ~12 | Shalmeen Sea workhorse (Buyan-M / Steregushchiy) |
| Sayyaf-class FAC(M) | Fast-attack missile boat | substantial | Tarantul/Molniya |
| Hadi-class OPV | Offshore patrol vessel | extensive | Coastal and Shalmeen-coast patrol |
| Samaka-class SSK | Conventional attack submarine | ~10 | Improved Kilo / Lada AIP-capable; principal Aegiran-Sea anti-shipping force |
| Qalam-class SSGN | Conventional cruise-missile submarine | 2 | Long-range strike (no SSBNs per canon) |
| Asad al-Bahr-class LHD | Amphibious assault ship | 2 | Ivan Rogov / Mistral; embarks one Marine brigade |
| Najm al-Bahr-class LST | Landing ship tank | ~14 | Ropucha; bulk amphibious lift |
| Rih-class LCAC | Air-cushion landing craft | — | Zubr |
| Hadrat-class MCM | Mine countermeasures | moderate | Shalmeen and Aegiran approaches |
| Khazna-class AOR | Replenishment oiler | — | Fleet supply |
Defence industrial base¶
| Firm | Specialty |
|---|---|
| Confederal Heavy Industries (CHI) | Armored vehicles (T-95V Shahbaz, BMP-K Khalifa, BTR-12 Karkadann), artillery systems; Dilvaan-Valley plants |
| Confederal Naval Industries (CNI) | Naval combatants, submarines, amphibious vessels; FEZ-port shipyards |
| Confederal Aviation Industries (CAI) | Combat aircraft, helicopters, UAS (Orion-E); FEZ-anchored production |
| Confederal Electronics and Missile Systems (CEMS) | Missile systems (Kornet-EM, Iskander-E variants), electronics, command-and-control; FEZ-anchored |
| Confederal Munitions Authority (CMA) | Small arms (AR-95 Saghr bullpup; AK-74M licensed production), ammunition (5.45×39, 5.8×42, 7.62×54R, 9×19), artillery shells |
| Confederal Air Defence Industries (CADI) | SAM systems, radar, air defence electronics |
| Various FEZ technology partners | Specialised electronics, precision-munition components |
The defence industrial base has been operating at substantially elevated capacity since July 2026 — production rates approximately 140% of pre-war levels; new production lines for selected systems opened to replace combat losses; FEZ technology partnerships running at maximum sustainable rates given international restrictions.
Principal strategic imports¶
| Category | Notes |
|---|---|
| Rubber | The defining strategic import — no domestic source; imported from the Sur'Bari basin and Brassican producers |
| Specialized semiconductors | High-end ISR, EW, and precision-munition categories |
| Certain high-tech metals | Specific alloy categories not produced domestically |
Defence exports¶
CSAT is the only ESA member running a substantial defence-export business as a foreign-currency earner. Defence exports are the confederation's signature foreign-currency earner. Principal export items:
- AR-95 'Saghr' bullpup (5.8×42mm) — sold across the ESA and to non-aligned customers
- Orion-E 'Uqab' MALE UAS — a substantial export success
- Modernized 2S19 'Msta-S' 152mm SPG variant
- BTR-12 'Karkadann' wheeled APC
- Kornet-EM ATGM
- Cross-licensed equipment to the RPAF under ESA standardisation arrangements
Equipment philosophy¶
Confederal equipment design philosophy is peer-tier modern combined-arms with managed legacy transition: prioritise quality at the per-unit level, accept lower production volumes than mass-equipped peer adversaries, design for integration across the combined-arms force, and lean on domestic production for political-strategic independence. The trade-off is quantitative — the AFCS operates less aggregate equipment than the RPA — but qualitative — Confederal equipment is consistently peer-tier with WDP equivalents in modernized formations, with the legacy fleet remaining serviceable for defensive and reserve roles.
The current war has, so far, vindicated the philosophy. The eastern-island operations succeeded because amphibious-doctrine and amphibious-equipment investment paid off. The Aegiran-Sea contest has been costly but not catastrophic because peer-tier ships and submarines and aircraft have held their own. The principal remaining doctrinal question — and the one the current war's medium-term outcome will largely settle — is whether the peer-tier-but-quantitatively-limited model is sustainable against the aggregate WDP coalition's substantially greater combined force size.