Military of Kyrgyzstan
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Please help improve this article or section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (November 2007) |
| Military of Kyrgyzstan |
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|---|---|
 In downtown Bishkek. The sign says, "National Guard". |
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| Founded | circa 1992 |
| Service branches | Land Forces, Air Forces, Border Guards, Interior Troops, Ministry of Emergency Situations |
| Headquarters | Bishkek |
| Leadership | |
| Commander-in-Chief | Kurmanbek Bakiyev |
| Military age | 18 |
| Conscription | 18 months |
| Available for military service |
1,234,457 (2002 est.), age 15–49 |
| Fit for military service |
1,001,274 (2002 est.), age 15–49 |
| Reaching military age annually |
50,590 (2002 est.) |
| Active personnel | 12,500 (IISS 2007) |
| Expenditures | |
| Budget | 1.4 billion soms (IISS 2007) |
The armed forces of Kyrgyzstan, originally formed from former Soviet forces of the Turkestan Military District stationed in the newly independent state, includes the Army/Land Forces, the Air and Air Defence Forces, the Northern and Southern Groups of Forces, Interior Troops, and Border Troops.
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.[1] 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) while Russia has the 999th Air Base at Kant.
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[edit] Army
The Army of Kyrgyzstan includes the 1st Motor Rifle Brigade (Mountain) at Osh, a brigade at Koi-tash, in the Bishkek area, the 25th Special Forces Brigade, independent battalions at Karakol and Naryn, and other units.
[edit] Equipment
Armoured vehicle numbers are from the relevant Wikipedia articles.
- T-72 MBTs - 210
[edit] AIFV / APC
[edit] Artillery
Self-Propelled
[edit] Air Force
The Air and Air Defense Force includes a regiment of MiG-21s and L-39s, four Antonov transports, and a helicopter regiment (apx 23 Mi-8, 9 Mi-24). Estimates for the numbers of MiG-21s range from 48 to 60-odd. However, Brinkster.com says that 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 defense forces have received aid from Russia, which has sent military advisory units to establish a defense system. Presently Kyrgyzstan has twenty-six SA-2 and SA-3 surface-to-air missiles in its air defense arsenal.
[edit] Aircraft Inventory
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Versions | In service[3] | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aero L-39 Albatros |  Czechoslovakia |
light attack/trainer | L-39 | 4 | 96 acquired from ex-USSR. |
| Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 Fishbed |  Soviet Union |
fighter | MiG-21 | 48 | 100 acquired from ex-USSR. |
| Antonov An-12 Cub | Soviet Union |
transport | An-12 | 2 | |
| Antonov An-26 Curl | Soviet Union |
transport | An-26 | 2 | |
| Mil Mi-8 Hip Mil Mi-17 Hip-H |
Soviet Union |
transport/attack | Mi-8 Mi-17 |
23 | |
| Mil Mi-24 Hind | Soviet Union |
attack | Mi-24 | 9 |
[edit] References and links
- ^ http://www8.brinkster.com/vad777/sng/kirgizia.htm - accessed Aug 2007 and Jan 2008
- ^ Jane's Armour and Artillery 1997-98 ISBN 0 7106 1542 6
- ^ Kyrgyzstan Air Force at globalsecurity.org
- CIA World Factbook, 2003 edition.
- IISS Military Balance, 2007 edition
- Further reading - Henry Plater-Zyberk, Kyrgyzstan - Focusing on Security, Conflict Studies Research Centre K41, November 2003
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