The Cubans are gaining a great deal of combat experience from Angola. Their adventure in this country is providing them with a number of military advantages.
One, they are testing their command and control structures. Two, they are evaluating Soviet equipment Three, they are gaining experience in counterrevolutionary tactics Four, they are adapting tactics and doctrines. Five, they are evaluatiog and practicing air defense. Six, they are obtaining practical experience for their pilots.
The FAR is involved in advisory roles, defensive roles, offensive roles, and social action. Until 1980, the Cubans participated primarily in offensive actions.
Since then, however, they have gone more into defensive modes, so that the FAPLA the Angolan Army. can gain more experience in offensive tactics. The Cubans advise the Angolan forces in combat and logistics. Some Soviet advisors are now working at the brigade level, and indeed in a recent offensive UNITA took out several Russians who were actually in the front lines, manning tanks. The Cubans maintain the more sophisticated equipment The Cubans give intelligence and propaganda advice.
Today 18 500 Cubans are in defensive roles. They protect key infrastructures rajl lines, oil wells, strategic towns, and important industrial areas such as those in Luanda They also maintain the early warning systems and the air defense equipment and missiles. In the oil rich Cabinda enclave there are 6, 000 Cubans.
The number was recently increased from 3, 500 men The Cubans serve as escorts on logistic routes, and in the area of Luanda and other main urban areas they fulfill counter insurgency roles. In their offensive roles they do reconnaissance. They have a reaction force along the southern defensive line, the line that borders on the UNITA territory. The Cubans conduct counter insurgency operations against UNITA, they provide close air support for the Angolan air force, FAPA. The Cubao artillery and taok units support the FAPLA 11