Kyrgyz Army
| Kyrgyz Ground Forces | |
|---|---|
| Кыргызстандын куралдуу күчтөру Сухопутные войска Кыргызстана | |
 Uniform sleeve patch of the Kyrgyz Armed Forces | |
| Active | January 25, 2017-Present |
| Country |  Kyrgyzstan |
| Branch | Armed Forces of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan |
| Type | Ground Force |
| Size | 18000 (2021) |
| Headquarters | Bishkek |
| Colors | Red and Yellow |
| March | March "Kyz kuumai" (Кыз Куумай) |
| Commanders | |
| Commander-in-chief | Sadyr Japarov |
| Commander of the Army | Colonel Almazbek Karasartov |
| Insignia | |
| Military Ensign (Kyrgyz, obverse) | .svg) |
| Military Ensign (Russian, reverse) | .svg) |
The Kyrgyz Ground Forces, also commonly known as the Kyrgyz Army is the infantry branch of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan. The current commander of the Kyrgyz Army is Colonel Almazbek Karasartov.
History
Kyrgyzstani authorities at first thought not having an entire army. That idea has since has been replaced by plans to create a conscripted army of 5,000 troops. During the months since independence, Kyrgyzstan advocated for a unified CIS Army which would replace the Soviet army. Those plans collapsed when Russia announced that it would not finance CIS troops. In April 1992, Kyrgyzstan formed a State Committee for Defense Affairs, and in June the republic took control of all troops on its soil (meaning remaining units of the former Soviet army).[1] In 1994, 30 percent of the officer corps were ethnic Russians.[2]The first commander was General Valentin Luk'yanov, an ethnic Ukrainian.[3] On January 25, 2017, President Almazbek Atambayev officially founded the Kyrgyz Army, with Colonel Erlis Terdikbayev acting as its first commander.[4]
Structure
Ground forces are divided into 2 military commands, the Northern and Southern Groups of Forces.[5][6]
Northern Group of Forces
- 8th Guards Motor Rifle Panfilov Division (Tokmok)
- 2nd Guards Motor Rifle Frunze Brigade (Koy-Tash)
- Independent Tank Regiment
- Machine Gun Battalions (Karakol)
- Artillery Battalions (Naryn)
- Engineering Battalion
- Signals Battalion
- Scorpion 25th Special Forces Brigade (Tokmok)
- Artillery Brigade
- Balykchynsky Brigade
- Ilbirs Special Purpose Brigade (Kök-Janggak)[7][8]
- Specialized units
Southern Group of Forces
- 68th Independent Mountain Rifle Brigade (Osh)[9]
- Armored Battalion (Ala-Buka District)
- Machine Gun and Artillery Battalion
- Mountain Rifle Battalion “Batken”[9]
- 24th Independent Special Purpose Battalion "Snow Leopard" (Ilbirs)[10]
- Reconnaissance Battalion
- anti-aircraft artillery regiment
- parts and subdivisions of support, chemical protection, etc.
Equipment
Weapons
- Makarov PM 9x18mm - sidearm
- AKM 7.62x39mm - service rifle
- AK-74 5.45x39mm - service rifle
- RPK 7.62x39mm - light machine gun
- Dragunov sniper rifle 7.62x54mmR - marksman/sniper rifle
- SKS 7.62x39mm - ceremonial rifle
Armor
| Name | Origin | Type | In service | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Armored fighting vehicle | ||||||
| T-72 | Soviet Union | Main battle tank | 215[11] | |||
| BTR-80 | Soviet Union | Amphibious APC | 80[11] | |||
| BTR-70 | Soviet Union | Amphibious APC | 135[11] | |||
| BRDM-2 | Soviet Union | Amphibious APC | 110[11] | |||
| BMP-1 | Russia | Infantry fighting vehicle | 230[11] | |||
| BMP-2 | Russia | Infantry fighting vehicle | 90[11] | |||
| Artillery | ||||||
| 122mm howitzer D-30 | Soviet Union | Howitzer | 107[11] | 35 are the M-30 standard. | ||
| 152mm howitzer D-1 | Soviet Union | Howitzer | 16[11] | |||
| 100mm field gun BS-3 | Soviet Union | Field gun | 18[11] | |||
| T-12 antitank gun | Soviet Union | Field gun | 18[11] | 100mm round | ||
| Self-propelled artillery | ||||||
| 2S1 | Soviet Union | Self-propelled howitzer | 18[11] | |||
| 2S9 Anona | Soviet Union | Self-propelled howitzer | 12[12] | |||
| Multiple rocket launchers | ||||||
| BM-21 Grad | Soviet Union | Multiple rocket launcher | 15[11] | |||
| BM-27 Uragan | Soviet Union | Multiple rocket launcher | 6[11] | |||
In August 2010, the Kyrgyz MOD received 45 Ford Ranger pickups and 44 Polaris quads from the U.S. Embassy's Office of Military Cooperation to increase the mobility of Kyrgyz counterterrorism units, particularly in mountainous regions.[13]
References
- ^ Pike, John. "Kyrgyzstan- Army". www.globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 2017-09-23.
- ^ Buyers, Lydia M. (2003). Central Asia in Focus: Political and Economic Issues. Nova Publishers. ISBN 9781590331538.
- ^ Hays, Jeffrey. "MILITARY IN KYRGYZSTAN: WEAPONS, TROOPS, POLICY | Facts and Details". factsanddetails.com. Retrieved 2017-12-03.
- ^ "Land Forces established in Kyrgyzstan". 25 January 2017.
- ^ "Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyz army land ground forces UK".
- ^ Vad777, accessed July 2008, reporting http://www.sk.kg/2004/n19/7.html - 2004, a dead link
- ^ "Новая воинская часть построена для спецназа минобороны "Илбирс"". kyrtag.kg (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-01-30.
- ^ Ибраев, Замир (2015-05-26). "Бригада "Илбирс", дислоцированная в Кок-Жангаке, обзавелась новым военным городком". K-News (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-01-30.
- ^ a b ЦЕНТРАЛЬНО-АЗИАТСКИЙ РУБЕЖ ОРГАНИЗАЦИИ ДОГОВОРА О КОЛЛЕКТИВНОЙ БЕЗОПАСНОСТИ
- ^ Десантные части и соединен
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Kyrgyzstan Army Equipment Globalsecurity.org Retrieved 31 March 2014.
- ^ Jane's Armour and Artillery 1997-98 ISBN 0-7106-1542-6
- ^ "Press release - Embassy of the United States Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic". Archived from the original on 24 December 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
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