The Army of the Czech Republic (Czech: Armáda ÄŒeské republiky, AÄŒR) comprise the Czech Land Forces, the Czech Air Force and support units. From the late 1940s to 1989, the extensive Czechoslovak People’s Army (about 200,000) formed one of the pillars of the Warsaw Pact military alliance. After the dissolution of Czechoslovakia, the Czech Republic is completing a major reorganisation and reduction of the armed forces, which intensified after the Czech Republic joined NATO on 12 March 1999. As defined by the Czech Law No. 219/1999 Coll., the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic (Czech: Ozbrojené sÃly ÄŒeské republiky) are the military forces of the Czech Republic. They consist of the Army of the Czech Republic, the Military Office of President of the Republic and the Castle Guard.
