Minister of Defence Taalaibek Omuraliev Conscription 18 months Founded 1992 | Chief of General Staff of Armed Forces Alymkojoev Asanbek Headquarters Bishkek Military age 18 | |
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Service branches Kyrgyz Army
Kyrgyz Air Force
Kyrgyz National Guard
Kyrgyz Frontier Force Commander-in-Chief President of Kyrgyzstan Almazbek Atambayev Available for
military service 1,234,457 (2002 est.), age 15–49 Similar Armed Forces of the Repu, Nepalese Armed Forces, Lao People's Armed Fo, Royal Cambodian Armed Fo, Sultan of Oman's Armed Fo | ||
The Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic, originally formed from former Soviet forces of the Turkestan Military District stationed in the newly independent state, includes the Army, the Air Force, Air Defence Forces, the Northern and Southern Groups of Forces, Interior Troops, Agency of National Security and Border Troops.
Contents
- Army
- Equipment
- Tanks
- AIFV APC
- Artillery
- Light equipment
- Subordinated to the Ministry of Defence
- National Guard Special Forces
- Agency of National Security
- Ministry of the Interior
- Air Force
- Air defence
- References
For much of the Soviet period, since 1967, the 8th Guards 'Panfilov' Motor Rifle Division was the main military force in the country, and the Division was only disbanded in January 2003. In 1967 the Division had been moved to Bishkek from the Baltic Military District, where it had previously been based.
In terms of foreign presence, the U.S.-led Operation Enduring Freedom coalition use the Manas Air Base (Bishkek's international airport) until June 2014. While Russia has the 999th Air Base at Kant which was set up by Moscow to counter the American military presence in the Former Soviet state. Moscow is believed to have promised Bishkek $1.1 billion for modernising its army. Agreements to this effect were reached during the visits to Bishkek by Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov in August and President Vladimir Putin in September 2012.
Army
The Army of Kyrgyzstan includes the 1st Motor Rifle Brigade (Mountain) at Osh, a brigade at Koy-Tash, in the Bishkek area, the 25th Special Forces Brigade, independent battalions at Karakol and Naryn, a brigade at Balykchi, and other units.
Two Groups of Forces, the Southern, and more recently the Northern, have been active during Kyrgyzstan's history. In 2004, the Northern Group of Forces was reported as consisting of the Balykchynsky brigade, the brigade deployed in suburb of Bishkek, separate battalions in Karakol and Naryn, and other army units.
Equipment
Excluding the M120 mortar, all army equipment are Soviet or Russian in origin.
Tanks
AIFV / APC
Artillery
Towed
Self-Propelled
Towed Mortars
Multiple Rocket Launchers
Light equipment
Subordinated to the Ministry of Defence
National Guard Special Forces
Agency of National Security
Ministry of the Interior
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.
Air Force
Kyrgyzstan's air arm was inherited from the central Soviet air force training school. This presented the nation a fleet of nearly 70 L-39s, dismantled MiG-21’s and several Mi-8’s and Mi-24’s. However, only a few L-39s and the helicopters are capable of flight. All Kyrgyz military aircraft are reportedly based at Kant, alongside the Russian 999th Air Base. Because of expense and military doctrine, Kyrgyzstan has not developed its air capability; a large number of the MiG-21 interceptors that it borrowed from Russia were returned in 1993, although a number of former Soviet air bases remain available. In 1996 about 100 decommissioned MiG-21s remained in Kyrgyzstan, along with ninety-six L-39 trainers and sixty-five helicopters. The air defence forces have received aid from Russia, which has sent military advisory units to establish a defence system. The Russians also help patrol Kyrgyz airspace as part of the Joint CIS Air Defence System Presently Kyrgyzstan has twenty-six SA-2 and SA-3 surface-to-air missiles in its air defence arsenal. In 2002 the Kyrgyzstan government allowed the United States to use Manas air base for support operations in the War on terror. This agreement lasted till June 2014.