Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Current form	1992
Service branches	Ground Forces Air and Air Defense Forces Caspian Naval Forces Border Services Republican Guard with Special Forces
Leadership
Commander-in-Chief	Nursultan Nazarbayev
Minister of Defense	Adilbek Dzhaksybekov
Personnel
Military age	18; minimum age for volunteers N/A (2004)
Conscription	Two years
Available for military service	3,758,255 males, age 15–49 (2005 est.), 3,822,845 females, age 15–49 (2005 est.)
Fit for military service	2,473,529 males, age 15–49 (2005 est.), 3,168,048 females, age 15–49 (2005 est.)
Reaching military age annually	173,129 males (2005 est.), 168,697 females (2005 est.)
Active personnel	150,000
Expenditure
Budget	$10.3 billion (FY05)
Percent of GDP	9.5% (2010 est.)

The Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan are derived from remnant forces of the former Soviet Union.

On May 7, 1992, the President of Kazakhstan took a number of actions regarding defense. He signed a decree on the 'establishment of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan', the transformation of the State Committee of Defence of the Republic of Kazakhstan into the Ministry of Defence, on the attribution of SK Nurmagambetova the military rank of Colonel General, and the appointment of General-Colonel SK Nurmagambetova as Defense Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

On June 30, 1992, the Soviet Armed Forces' Turkestan Military District disbanded, following the collapse of the Soviet Union. The most powerful grouping of forces from the Turkestan Military District then became the core of Kazakhstan's new military. Kazakhstan acquired all the units of the 40th Army (the former 32nd Army) and part of the 17th Army Corps, including 6 land force divisions, storage bases, the 14th and 35th air-landing brigades, 2 rocket brigades, 2 artillery regiments and a large amount of equipment which had been withdrawn from over the Urals after the signing of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe.

Kazakhstan maintains naval forces operating on the Caspian Sea with a strength of 3,000, equipped with 12 inshore patrol craft; including 4 Almaty, 1 Dauntless, 5 Guardian, and 2 Zhuk class vessels. The Border Troops were established by a law of January 13, 1992.

Today there are four regional commands: Regional Command Astana, Regional Command South at Taraz, Regional Command East at Semipalatinsk, Regional Command West at Aktobe, as well as the Air Defence Forces, the Air Mobile Forces of three brigades, and the Artillery and Missile Forces (formed as a separate branch on 7 May 2003).

Kazakhstan has an Individual Partnership Action Plan with NATO & strategic cooperation with the Turkish Armed Forces.

Ground forces

Members of the Kazakhstan Republican Guard perform precision drill routines during CENTRASBAT (Central Asian Peacekeeping Battalion) 2000 opening ceremonies

On November 1, 1992, on the basis of units of the former Soviet 32nd Army of the Turkestan Military District, the First Army Corps was created, with its headquarters in Semipalatinsk. Later, at its base was established the Eastern Military District, retitled on 13 November 2003 as Regional Command East.

In the middle of the 1990s Kazakhstan's land forces included the 1st Army Corps (HQ Semipalatinsk), with the 68th (the former 372nd Red Banner Novgorod Rifle Div) Motor Rifle Division (Sary-Ozek, in Kyzylorda Province) – 2 motor-rifle and one tank regiment and the 78th Tank Division (Ayaguz). While the 68th Division was called a motor-rifle formation, in equipment terms it had almost 300 tanks and about 500 armoured fighting vehicles. The 78th Tank Division had 350 tanks, 290 armoured fighting vehicles and 150 artillery pieces. The 210th Separate Training Center (a former motor rifle training division) had 6000 soldier and officers and 220 tanks and 220 artillery pieces, so was a strengthened division. (It was often called the Division of Guards by Kazakh sources).

Since 2000, the Kazakhstan Army has been rapidly expanded. Many of the systems are Russian made, with a small number of American systems also entering service in the Kazakh inventory. Some of Kazakhstan's officers have trained at the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Today the Ground Forces include four regional commands:

• Regional Command "Astana" (Headquarters Karaganda) - the administrative boundaries of Akmola, Karagandy Province, Kostanay Province and North Kazakhstan. The command acts as the Supreme Commander's reserve. The commander of the district is Major General Vladimir Shatsky (as of April 2008). The District includes the 7th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade at Karaganda.
• Regional Command "East" (Headquarters Semipalatinsk) - in the administrative boundaries of East Kazakhstan and Pavlodar Province (Families, Ust-Kamenogorsk, George, and Ayagoz Usharalsky garrisons). Commander of the district - Lt. Gen. Nikolai Pospelov (as of September 2008). The District has the 3rd Mechanized Division (formerly the 78th Tank Division) at Ayaguz, three (?) bases for storage of military equipment, 3rd Separate Motor Rifle Brigade at Usharal/Ушарал (Military Unit No.40398, formed on the basis of a motor rifle regiment of the 155th Motor Rifle Division), 4th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade at Novo-Akhmirovo (Ново-Ахмирово), Ust-Kamenogorsk (Military Unit No.27943), a cannon artillery brigade, and an air defense missile brigade.
• Regional Command "West," (Headquarters Atyrau) - in the administrative boundaries of the West Kazakhstan Province, Aktobe Province, Atyrau Province and Mangystau Province. The main task - ensuring the integrity of state borders, territorial integrity, sovereignty and economic interests of Kazakhstan in the Kazakh sector of the Caspian Sea. In 2008, the commander of the district appointed general Alimzhan Kanagatovich Erniyazov. The District has separate motor rifle and artillery brigades.
• Regional Command "South," (Headquarters Taraz) - in the administrative boundaries of Almaty Province, Zhambyl Province, South Kazakhstan Province and Kyzylorda Province. The district's main task is ensuring security in the south-eastern borders of the country. In 2008, General Alikhan Brimzhanovich Dzharbulov was appointed commander of the district. The District includes the 4th Motor Rifle Division at Sary-Ozek in Almaty Province, the 5th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade (Taraz, Military Unit No.85395, 1500 personnel), the 6th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade (Shymkent, Military Unit No.35748, with five motor rifle and tank battalions, two artillery battalions), a mountain battalion, the 210th Training Center, and the 206th Reserve Division.

The Air Mobile Forces have at least three brigades, which includes the former Soviet 35th Separate Air Assault Brigade at Kapshagai (Military Unit No.32363), the 36th Air Assault Brigade at Astana (Military Unit No.68665, former 2nd Motor Rifle Brigade), and the 37th Air Assault Brigade at Taldykorgan (Military Unit No.18404). Russian experts have now identified the existence of a fourth air assault brigade.

Additionally, a small Republican Guard exists, with 2,500 soldiers (1994), but this force is not considered a part of the Army. The Republican Guard was established on March 6, 1992, when the President of Kazakhstan signed a decree on their creation. Two Republican Guard regiments were created, stationed in Astana and Almaty.

In January 1992 the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan were formed, probably by 'reflagging' former Soviet Internal Troops units.

Commando units

• Arystan ('Lions') - a Kazakhstani battle commando units;

kazakhi army sniper

Current inventory

Light equipment

• AK-74;
• AKS-74U;
• RPG-7;
• RPG-32
• PK machine gun;
• SVD rifle;
• NSV (machine gun);

Tanks

4900, in service - 1550.

• T-62 - 250
• T-72B - 1372
• T-80 - 640
• T-80U - 290
• Challenger 1 - 100

kazakhi main battle tank

BMP-3 of Astana regional command

new F-4 Fantom of Astana regional Air army

Infantry Fighting Vehicles

APC units: 5179; in service - 2806;

• BMP-1-BMP-2 - 2702;
• MT-LB-200

• HMMWV - 140;
• BRDM - 940;
• BTR - 104;
• BTR-50-300
• BTR-60-600
• BTR-70-445
• BTR-80-BTR-80A-894

Artillery

Towed Artillery

• 100 mm MT-12 - 230;
• 122 mm D-30 - 440;
• 130 mm M-46 - 585;
• 152 mm D-20 - 330;
• 152 mm 2A36 - 300;
• 152 mm 2A65 - 290;

Self-propelled Artillery

• 122 mm 2S1 - 50;
• 152 mm 2S3 - 119;
• 170 mm M-1978 - 80;

Rocket Artillery

• 107 mm Type-63 - 220;
• 122 mm BM-21 - 190;
• 122 mm BM-14 - ~80;
• 220 mm 9P140 Uragan - 130;
• 240 mm M-1985 - 13;

Helicopters

Attack helicopters:

• 125 Mi-24 Hind

Transport Helicopters:

• 45 Mi-8 Hip/Mi-17 Hip-H

Kazakhstani Air and Air Defense Forces

On the 8th of May 1992 all former Soviet Armed Forces on Kazak soil (excluding strategic forces) came under the control of president Nursultan Nazabayev. The Russian Federation continues to operate Baikonur Cosmodrome, and in return for the continuing use of this facility and the relocation of the 40 Tupolev Tu-95MSs of 79 TBAD (Heavy Bomber Aviation Division) in 1993, Russia supplied MIG 29s (21), SU-25s (14) and SU-27's (38) between 1995-1997. A further four SU-27s were supplied on 25 January 1999.

Template:Standard table ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Aircraft ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Versions ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes |- ! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Fighter Aircraft |----- | Mikoyan MiG-27K || Soviet Union || fighter || MiG-27 || 120 || |----- | Mikoyan MiG-25 || Soviet Union || fighter || MiG-25 || 29 || 16 in inventory as of November 2008 || |----- | Mikoyan MiG-29 || Soviet Union || fighter || MiG-29 || 41 || |----- | Mikoyan MiG-31 Foxhound || Soviet Union || interceptor || MiG-31 || 44 ||Former 356th Fighter Aviation Regiment, flying from Semipalitinsk Airport; aircraft in storage. Ten aircraft to be refurbished by RSK MIG, Sept 2007. |----- | Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker || Soviet Union || fighter || Su-27 || 60 || |- ! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Ground-Attack Aircraft |----- | Sukhoi Su-24 Fencer || Soviet Union || bomber ||Su-24
Su-24MR || 37
12 || |----- | Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot || Soviet Union || attack || Su-25
Su-25UB || 25
12 || |- ! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Transport and Liaison Aircraft |----- | Antonov An-26 Curl || Soviet Union || tactical transport || An-26 || 16 || |- ! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Attack Helicopters |----- | Mil Mi-24 Hind || Soviet Union || attack helicopter (Russian modernisation) || Mi-24V || 42 || |- ! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Transport and Utility Helicopters |----- | Bell UH-1 Iroquois || United States || multi-role helicopter || UH-1H Huey II || 20 || |----- | Mil Mi-8 Hip || Soviet Union || transport helicopter || Mi-17 || 24 || |----- | Mil Mi-26 Halo || Soviet Union || transport helicopter || Mi-26 || 17 ||-- |----- |}

Surface-to-Air Missiles include many of:

• Lavochkin SA-2 Guideline
• Isayev SA-3 Goa
• Almaz SA-5 Gammon
• S-300 missile systems
• S-300 MPU-2 FAVORIT missile systems
• S-400 (missile)

References

• CIA World Factbook, 2003 edition.

External links

• Building National Armies - Kazakhstan
• Photogallery of kazakhi army, navy & air forces
• Kazakh armored forces parade
• Military drill in Kazakhstan