Tank Crewman’s Day in Armenia Date in the current year: October 8, 2024

When Armenia was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, its armed forces were part of the soviet Armed Forces. The Red Army started using tanks in warfare in 1919, when one of its divisions took several Renault FT light tanks as a trophy in a battle with the French army. The first Soviet tank, KS (also known as Russian Renault), was a carbon copy of the Renault FT.

Mechanized troops in the ground forces of the Red Army were officially created in 1929. These troops were reorganized and renamed several times throughout their existence; they were known as armored troops from 1936 to 1942, armored and mechanized troops from 1942 to 1953, armored troops again from 1953 to 1960, and finally as tank troops from 1960 onward. At their peak, the Red Army’s tank troops had almost 64,000 tanks (more than all other countries in the world combined) and over 76,000 infantry fighting vehicles and armed personnel carriers.

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, newly independent republics started the formation of their own armed forces out of the former Red Army units stationed on their territory. For example, the Armed Forces of Armenia were created from the units of the 7th Guards Army of the Transcaucasian Military District. The creation of the Armed Forces of Armenia and the Ministry of Defense was officially proclaimed on January 28, 1992.

The formation of tank battalions in the Armenian Ground Forces was officially over on October 8, 1992. The anniversary of this day is now celebrated as Tank Crewman’s Day in Armenia. There are three independent tank battalions in the Armenian Ground Forces: one in the 1st Army Corps (headquartered in Goris), one in the 2nd Army Corps (headquartered in Khachaghbyur), and one in the 3rd Army Corps (headquartered in Vanadzor). The tank battalions of the Armenian Ground Forces operate tanks produced in the Soviet Union and Russia: T-90 and T-72 main battle tanks, as well as T-54 and T-55 medium tanks.

The history of Tank Crewman’s Day in Armenia dates back to the Soviet era; the All-Soviet Tank Crewmen Day was established by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR in 1946. It was celebrated annually on the second Sunday of September. Following Armenia’s independence, the holiday was preserved, but its date was moved to October 8 in order to commemorate the formation of the country’s tank troops.

On Tank Crewman’s Day, all people who serve or have served as tank crew members in the Armenian Armed Forces accept congratulations and gratitude for their contribution to the country’s defense. Like most military observances in Armenia and other former Soviet republics, Tank Crewman’s Day is not a non-working day unless it falls during a weekend.