JNA stands for Jugoslovenska Narodna Armija, which is the Serbo-Croatian term for the Yugoslav People's Army. It was the military force of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, a former country located in Southeast Europe, comprising six constituent republics. The JNA was established after World War II in 1945 and existed until the breakup of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s.
The JNA was a significant military force in the region, with a vast number of personnel and a wide array of equipment. Its primary objective was to defend Yugoslavia against external threats and to maintain internal stability. Throughout its existence, the JNA underwent various restructurings and modernizations, adapting to contemporary military doctrines and technologies.
With its headquarters in Belgrade, the JNA was a conscript army, meaning that its members were citizens of Yugoslavia who were drafted into military service. The army consisted of ground force units, air force and air defense units, naval forces, and various support and auxiliary units. The JNA had a chain of command, led by the General Staff, which oversaw the operational strategy, planning, and execution of military operations.
However, during the breakup of Yugoslavia and subsequent conflicts that followed, the JNA became involved in the Balkan Wars, specifically in the conflicts in Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and later also in Kosovo. The disintegration of Yugoslavia led to the subsequent dissolution of the JNA, as the various republics formed their own separate armed forces.
