99th Missile Brigade

99th Missile Brigade
Active	1955-1992
Countries	Kingdom of Afghanistan Republic of Afghanistan Democratic Republic of Afghanistan
Branch	Afghan Air Force
Type	Tactical ballistic missile Air defense
Garrison/HQ	Kabul, Afghanistan 35°21′N 69°35′E
Equipment	Scud missiles
Engagements	Soviet-Afghan War Afghan Civil War (1989-1992) Battle of Jalalabad (1989) Siege of Khost Afghanistan–Pakistan border skirmishes Afghan SCUD attacks in Pakistan

The 99th Missile Brigade (Russian: 99-я ракетная бригада) was a ballistic missile brigade of the Afghan Air Force and Air Defense, formed in 1955–56 by Prime Minister Mohammad Daoud Khan.

History

The brigade was formed in 1955–56, after the arrival of a Soviet Army mission, led by Marshal D.D Solovski, a veteran of World War II. They assisted Minister Daoud Khan with modernizing and re-arming the Afghan Army, using missile systems of the Soviet 111th Missile Brigade. The brigade participated in the Battle of Jalalabad in 1989, being under the constant protection of the Afghan Commando Forces. Operators of the brigade were awarded by President Najibullah for their actions during their defense of Khost. After the resignation of Mohammad Najibullah in April 1992, Ahmad Shah Masoud's forces captured the 99th's Scud missile launchers, however, the 99th Missile Brigade ditched their uniforms and left, leaving Massoud’s forces with no way of operating their newly acquired Scud launchers.

On October 12 1992, remnants of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan Armed Forces launched aerial bombing attack on Massoud's forces destroying multiple armed Scud launchers in Kabul. From 1989 to 1991, it is reported the 99th Missile Brigade launched 1,548 Scud Missiles.

In the same year, units of the 99th Missile Brigade in western Kabul were overran by Shia mujahideen factions Hezb-e-Wahdat and Harakat-i-Islami, although the missile operators safely fled. As a result, the two factions could not launch their newly-acquired Scud missiles, only using them for show during military parades in the capital.

Equipment

The 99th Missile Brigade was armed with S-125 Neva/Pechora surface-to-air rocket systems, as well as S-75 Dvina surface-to-air rockets systems used by the Royal Afghan Air Defense. They had 18 S-125 Neva/Pechora SAMs in 1992, and in the same year, at least 2000 missiles had been launched by the brigade. The 99th Missile Brigade's usage of Scuds was the most intensive – and less well-known – use of the weapon. The 99th Missile Brigade had a large quantity of Scud-Bs and some Scud-Cs as well.