Armed Forces of Turkmenistan

The Armed Forces of Turkmenistan (Turkmen: Türkmenistanyň Ýaragly Güýçleri), known informally as the Turkmen National Army (Turkmen: Türkmenistanyň Milli goşun) is the national military of Turkmenistan. It consists of the Ground Forces, the Air Force and Air Defense Forces, Navy, and other independent formations (etc. Border Troops, Internal Troops and National Guard).

Armed Forces of Turkmenistan
Türkmenistanyň Ýaragly Güýçleri
Founded27 January 1992 (1992-01-27)
Service branchesService branches
 ∟  Ground Forces
 ∟  Air Forces
 ∟  Navy
Independent formations
 ∟ Border Troops
 ∟ Internal Troops
 ∟ National Guard
Headquarters4 Galkynysh Street, Ashgabat[1]
Leadership
Supreme Commander-in-ChiefGeneral of the Army Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow
Minister of DefenceMajor General Begench Gundogdyev
Chief of the General StaffLieutenant Colonel Akmurad Anamedov
Manpower
Military age18[2]
Conscription24 months (IISS 2012)
Active personnel22,000 (Army 18,500, Air Force 3,000, Navy 500)
Reserve personnelformerly 108,000, not since 2007 at least.[3]
Expenditures
Budget$198 million (FY10) (IISS 2012)
Percent of GDP3.4% (FY10)[2]
Industry
Foreign suppliers Russia
 China
 Turkey
 Iran
 Ukraine
 Belarus
 United States
 Germany
 France
 United Kingdom
 Italy
 Czech Republic
 Kazakhstan
 India
 Uzbekistan
 Pakistan
 Azerbaijan
 Poland
Related articles
RanksMilitary ranks of Turkmenistan

History

After the fall of the Soviet Union, significant elements of the Soviet Armed Forces Turkestan Military District remained on Turkmen soil, including several motor rifle divisions. In June 1992, the new Russian government signed a bilateral defence treaty with Turkmenistan, encouraging the new Turkmen government to create its own armed forces but stipulating that they were to be placed under joint command.[4]

The Library of Congress Country Studies said that 'the Treaty on Joint Measures signed by Russia and Turkmenistan in July 1992 provided for the Russian Federation to act as guarantor of Turkmenistan's security and made former Soviet army units in the republic the basis of the new national armed forces. The treaty stipulated that, apart from border troops and air force and air defense units remaining under Russian control, the entire armed forces would be under joint command, which would gradually devolve to exclusive command by Turkmenistan over a period of ten years. For a transitional period of five years, Russia would provide logistical support and pay Turkmenistan for the right to maintain special installations, while Turkmenistan would bear the costs of housing, utilities, and administration.'

The Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies's Moscow Defence Brief said that in 1992-1993 Turkmenistan attempted to create a small national armed force based on the former 52nd Army (Soviet Union), which was located in the country and depended on support from Russia. Of the 300 formations and units, numbering 110,000 people, 200 were transferred to the command of Turkmenistan, 70 remained under Russia's jurisdiction, and 30 were either withdrawn or demobilized.[5]

In 1994, the chief of staff and first deputy minister of defense was Major General Annamurat Soltanov, a career officer who had served in Cuba and Afghanistan; another deputy minister of defense, Major General Begdzhan Niyazov, had been a law enforcement administrator prior to his appointment. Russian commanders included Major General Viktor Zavarzin, chief of staff and first deputy commander of the Separate Combined-Arms Army of Turkmenistan, and commander of the Separate Combined-Arms Army of Turkmenistan and deputy minister of defense Lieutenant General Nikolai Kormiltsev. Russian Major General Vladislav Shunevich served together with Turkmen Major General Akmurad Kabulov as joint commanders of the border troops in the Turkmen Border Guard.

Turkmenistan consistently has refused to join multilateral CIS military groupings, but Russia maintains joint command of the three motorized rifle divisions in the Turkmenistani army. Under a 1993 bilateral military cooperation treaty, some 2,000 Russian officers serve in Turkmenistan on contract, and border forces (about 5,000 in 1995) are under joint Russian and Turkmenistani command. Altogether, about 11,000 Russian troops remained in Turkmenistan in mid-1996.'[6] From V.I. Feskov et al. 2013 and Michael Holm's data, it appears that the three divisions were the 58th, 88th, and 209th District Training Centre (former 61 Training MRD) at Ashkhabad.[7]

Jane's Information Group said in 2009 that "Turkmenistan's military is, even by the standards of Central Asia, poorly maintained and funded."[8]

Military doctrine

Turkmenistan's first military doctrine was adopted in 1994.[9] Weeks after he was inaugurated for a first term, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov announced his decision to endorse the country’s second military doctrine, officially declaring neutrality and stating that the border with Afghanistan will be a national security priority. In 2016, a new military doctrine was adopted by Berdimuhamedov.[10] In November 2018, President Berdimuhamedov reiterated this at a session of the State Security Council.[11]

Military hierarchy

Defense Ministry

The Ministry of Defense of Turkmenistan is a government agency of the armed forces which is the executive body in implementing defense policies in Turkmenistan. It was founded in January 1992 with the assistance of the Russian Armed Forces. Most of the original employees were retired Soviet officials in the Communist Party of the Turkmen SSR.

State Security Council
Main article: State Security Council of Turkmenistan

General Staff

Structure
  • Land Forces Command
  • Department of the Missile Forces and Artillery
  • Department of the Air Force and Air Defense Forces Command
  • Department of Communication Troops
  • Department of Engineering Troops
  • Department of training specialists for the Armed Forces of Turkmenistan
  • Department of Specialized Formations

List of Chiefs of Staff
Main article: Chief of the General Staff (Turkmenistan)

The Chief of the General Staff of Turkmen Armed Forces is the highest-ranking military officer in the military, being responsible for maintaining the operational command of the military and its three major branches.

Military organization

The territorial Armed Forces of Turkmenistan are divided into 5 military districts in accordance with the administrative division of the country into 5 regions:[12][13]

Each military district includes district military command and control bodies, military units, individual military units and subunits, military commissariats of etraps and cities with etrap rights. The Territorial Defence Troops of Turkmenistan also serve regional purposes. In 2002, a "labor army" was created by Niyazov's orders which saw the creation of specialized labor military units. Soldiers in these units began to be sent from military units to enterprises, construction sites and hospitals as cheap labor, being removed from the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defense.[14]

Ground Forces
Soldier with the flag of the Turkmen Armed Forces

The Turkmen military inherited several motor rifle divisions from the Soviet Armed Forces Turkestan Military District, forming the basis of the Turkmen ground forces. Among them was the 58th Motor Rifle Division at Kyzyl-Arvat.[15] Interim Russian commanders in the first half of the 1990s included Major General Viktor Zavarzin, chief of staff and first deputy commander of the Separate Combined-Arms Army of Turkmenistan, and commander of the Separate Combined-Arms Army of Turkmenistan and deputy minister of defence Lieutenant General Nikolai Kormiltsev.

Today the ground forces include the 2nd, 3rd, 11th, and 22nd Motor Rifle Divisions.[16] The 11th Motor Rifle Division is the former Soviet 88th Motor Rifle Division. The 11th (according to other sources 357th) MSD behalf of Sultan Sanjar (former Soviet 88th MSD; Kushka officially - Serhetabat).

It was reported in January 2007 that on the Caspian Sea and the coastal zone to a depth of 350 kilometers, and on the Turkmen-Iranian border is located about 90% of the Army (22nd Motorized Division on the Caspian coast, 2nd and 3rd motorized divisions on the Turkmen-Iranian border, 11th Motorized Division on the Tajik-Afghan border).[17]

The military ranks have reverted to traditional names and structure, and are now:

Esger - warrior
Onbashi - leader of 10 (section leader)
Yuzbashi - leader of 100 (junior officer)
Munbashi - leader of 1000 (senior officer)
Goshunbashi - Army commander

The rank of a marshal has also apparently been reintroduced.[18] The real cash payment to the warrior rank in the army is about US$1.5 - 3 (2005 rates) per month. Only some of the conscript's time in the military is occupied with military service, the rest being occupied with "labour" (half a day) and "self-improvement" (2–3 hours a day) by reciting traditional Turkoman texts, learning songs and playing music.

Equipment

The number of vehicles is around 2,000, the number of tanks is around 700 and the number of artillery pieces is around 560.[19]

Turkmen ground forces equipment includes 702 T-72,[20] and 10 T-90, ordered in 2009 for approximately $30 million.[21][22]

AIFV / APC include BTR-60/BTR-70/BTR-80 - 829,[20] BMP-1/BMP-2 - 930,[20] BRM-1 12, and BRDM-2 - 170.

Artillery

Self-Propelled

Multiple launch Rocket Systems

Towed Guns

Mortars

Air Defence Guns

Surface to Air Missiles

Light equipment
  • Military guard of honor during the 20th year of independence in Turkmenistan.
  • T-72UMG tankman salutes during parade.
  • T-90SA and T-72UMG units.

Air Force
Flag of the Turkmen Air Force
AgustaWestland AW101 flying overhead
Mi-8s fly near the presidential palace

The IISS in 2012 said the Air Force had 3,000 personnel with 94 combat capable aircraft.[24] The total number of aircraft is around 120.[19] It said there were two fighter/ground attack squadrons with MiG-29/MiG-29UB (total of 24 both types), Sukhoi Su-17 Fitter-Bs (65) and two Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoots (with 41 more being refurbished). It reported one transport squadron with Antonov An-26 'Curl' (1), and Mi-8s and Mi-24s (8 and 10 listed in service respectively). Training units had Sukhoi Su-7 Fitter-As (3 listed in service) and L-39 Albatross. Air defence missile units had SA-2, SA-3, and SA-5.

Units:

  • 99th Aviation Base (former 67th Mixed Aviation Regiment) (Mary-2 airbase) with MiG-29 and Su-25.[25]
  • 47th Separate Mixed Aviation Squadron (Аk-Tepe/Ashkabad) with Аn-26/24, Mi-24 and Mi-8.
  • 107th Fighter Aviation Regiment (Ak-Tepe) with 38 MiG-23 and 20 MiG-25 (not operational).
  • 31st Separate Aviation Squadron (Chardzhou/Turkmenabad) with MiG-21, Su-7, L-39, Yak-28 and Аn-12 (not operational). Former 366th Independent Helicopter Squadron.
  • 55th Fighter Aviation Regiment (Balkanabat) with MiG-23М (not operational). Former 179th Fighter Aviation Regiment.
  • 56th Storage Base (Kyzyl-Arvat) with MiG-23. Former 217th Fighter/Bomber Aviation Regiment.
  • 1st Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment 'Turkmenbashi' (Bikrova/Ashkabad) with 2K11 Krug.
  • 2nd Radio-Technical Brigade.

Aircraft

Current inventory
Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Combat Aircraft
MiG-29 Russia multirole 24[26]
Su-25 Russia attack 20[26]
Transport
An-26 Ukraine transport 1[26]
An-74 Ukraine heavy transport 2[26]
Helicopters
Mil Mi-17 Russia utility 15[26]
Mil Mi-24 Russia attack 10[26]
AgustaWestland AW109 Italy attack / utility 3+[27]
Flag of the Turkmen Navy

Turkmen naval forces are currently directed by the defense ministry and consist of around 700 servicemen and sixteen patrol boats.[28] The Congressional Research Service, citing the International Institute for Strategic Studies, reports a number of six patrol boats.[19]

The International Institute for Strategic Studies reported in 2007 that Turkmenistan intended to form a navy and had a minor base at Turkmenbashy with one USCG Point class cutter and five Kalkan-class patrol vessels.[20] Jane's Fighting Ships 2001-2002 reported that the Point-class cutter was the Merjin, PB-129, (ex Point Jackson, 82378), which was transferred on 30 May 2000.

The country acquired four missile boats in 2011.[19] In 2014 they acquired 10 Tuzla-class patrol boats which were all delivered by 2015.

In 2012, Turkmenistan announced its first naval exercises in the Caspian Sea programmed for early September. Named Khazar-2012 (Khazar is the Persian name of the Caspian Sea), these tactical exercises came after a summer of somewhat heightened tensions with Azerbaijan over natural gas fields in a contested part of the sea.[29]

Other security forces
A vehicle of the security service in 2011.

The Presidential Security Service (Turkmen: Prezidentiniň howpsuzlyk gullugy) is responsible for ensuring the protection and security of the president. Established in November 1990, it is an directly reporting body of the President of Turkmenistan s not part of the ministry of defnese.[30] During state visits to foreign countries, the service provides at least 10 agents to protect the president.[31] The Presidential Security Service is currently composed of 2,000 employees.[32]

Border Guard

The State Border Service of Turkmenistan is a public service department in the government of the country and is under the command of the Ministry for National Security of Turkmenistan. The main tasks of the service include the following: protecting of the national border of the country, combating international terrorism and drug trafficking, targeting illegal migration and human trafficking, and protecting oil and gas platforms and pipelines in the Caspian Sea. The head of the service is a member of the Council of Border Guard Commanders of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).[33]

Internal Troops

The Internal Troops is under the auspices of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. It is designed to maintain law and order and enforce the status quo in terms of state sovereignty. It aides the Turkmen National Police in its everyday activities, being organized similarly to the ground forces.[34]

Ranks

NCOs and Enlisted

Military education
Main article: Turkmen military academies
The corps of drums of the Berdimuhamed Annayev 1st Specialized Military School.

Founded in 1993 and 2007 respectively, the Military Institute of the Ministry of Defense of Turkmenistan and the Military Academy of Turkmenistan are the seniormost military academies of their kind in Turkmenistan. Other military academies include the Turkmen Police Academy, the Turkmen National Security Institute, and the Turkmen Naval Institute. Border guards are trained at special institutes in military universities.[36]

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References
  1. Military Technology, World Defence Almanac 2008, p.255
  2. "Turkmenistan Military 2014, CIA World Factbook". Archived from the original on 24 December 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  3. John Pike. "Turkmenistan- Army". Archived from the original on 24 December 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  4. Stephen Foye, 'Russian-Turkmen Defense Accord,' RFE/RL Daily Report, no. 109, (10 June 1992), p.1, via Janne E. Nolan (ed.), Global Engagement, Brookings, Washington D.C., 1994, p.369.
  5. Colonel Oleg BELOSLUDTSEV, Candidate of Historical Sciences, and Colonel Alexander GRIBOVSKY, Russia's Military-Political Relations with Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, accessed at http://mdb.cast.ru/mdb/3-2002/at/rmpr/ Archived 25 March 2018 at the Wayback Machine, October 2015.
  6. Glenn E. Curtis (ed.), Russia: A Country study, Federal Research Division, Library of Congress, research completed July 1996 (Chapter 9)
  7. http://www.ww2.dk/new/army/corps/36ak.htm Archived 23 January 2018 at the Wayback Machine, and http://www.ww2.dk/new/army/gkv/turkvo.htm Archived 28 April 2018 at the Wayback Machine
  8. Josh Kucera, 'Centre of Attention: Central Asia,' Jane's Defence Weekly, 14 October 2009
  9. https://jamestown.org/program/turkmen-leader-plans-to-adopt-new-military-doctrine/
  10. http://tdh.gov.tm/news/en/articles.aspx&article16444&cat30
  11. https://menafn.com/1097652078/President-Turkmen-military-doctrine-is-of-defensive-nature
  12. https://www.caravan.kz/articles/voennyjj-balans-v-centralnojj-azii-371405/amp/
  13. https://tugulympu.ru/ashhabada-v-voiskah-artillerii-posle-armii-mira-vooruzhennye-sily-turkmenii/
  14. Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "Туркменские солдаты хотят в "дубайские роты" | DW | 04.02.2010". DW.COM (in Russian). Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  15. "58th Motorised Rifle Division". ww2.dk. Archived from the original on 9 January 2016. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
  16. Brinkster.com
  17. http://www.polit.ru/analytics/2007/01/03/kavkaz.html Archived 18 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine, translated from Russian by Google Translate, July 2009
  18. Игорь Елков, Вся постсоветская рать: Какая из бывших советских республик всех сильнее, Российская газета - Неделя №3893 от 7 октября 2005 г. Archived 29 November 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  19. Jim Nichol (Congressional Research Service) (16 May 2011). "Turkmenistan: Recent Developments and U.S. Interests" (PDF). fas.org. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 October 2012. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
  20. IISS (2007). The Military Balance 2007. London: Routledge for the IISS. pp. 326–327. ISBN 978-1-85743-437-8.
  21. "EurasiaNet News Briefs - Turkmenistan: Berdymukhamedov Mulls Russian Hi-Tech Deals". Eurasianet.org. 9 December 2009. Archived from the original on 27 September 2012. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
  22. "Procurement (Turkmenistan) - Sentinel Security Assessment - Russia And The CIS". Janes.com. 21 October 2009. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
  23. http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=3600387&c=EUR&s=LAN
  24. IISS 2012 p.290
  25. Vad777, Turkmenistan Archived 8 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  26. "World Air Forces 2015 pg. 31". Flightglobal Insight. 2015. Archived from the original on 24 March 2015. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
  27. Dominguez, Gabriel; Gibson, Neil (4 August 2017). "Turkmenistan releases footage of AW109 helos conducting live-fire drill". IHS Jane's 360. Archived from the original on 4 August 2017. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  28. "Defense & Security Intelligence & Analysis: IHS Jane's". Retrieved 24 December 2014.
  29. "The First Naval Exercises of Turkmenistan in the Caspian Sea". The Gazette of Central Asia. Satrapia. 30 August 2012. Archived from the original on 15 April 2014. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  30. http://base.spinform.ru/show_doc.fwx?rgn=2421
  31. https://pikabu.ru/story/koechto_o_prezidentskoy_okhrane_5967301
  32. https://en.hronikatm.com/2013/06/some-facts-about-the-presidential-security-team/
  33. https://web.archive.org/web/20150518065340/http://www.skpw.ru/History_skpw.htm
  34. "Закон Туркменистана "О внутренних войсках Туркменистана"". base.spinform.ru.
  35. Administrator. "Turkmenistan army ranks military combat field uniforms dress grades uniformes combat Turkménistan | Turkmenistan army military ranks combat uniforms | Turkmenistan army military equipment vehicle UK". www.armyrecognition.com. Archived from the original on 15 August 2017. Retrieved 14 August 2017.
  36. http://www.turkmenistan.ru/en/articles/14476.html
  • CIA World Factbook, 2003 edition.

Further reading
  • Allison, Roy: Military Forces in the Soviet Successor States, Adelphi Paper No. 280 (London: IISS, 1993).
  • Staar, Richard Felix: The new military in Russia: Ten myths that shape the image, Naval Institute Press, 1996.
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