Tajik Air Force

The Tajik Air and Air Defense Forces (Tajik: Қувваҳои ҳавоӣ ва мудофиаи Тоҷикистон; Russian: Военно-воздушные силы и противовоздушная оборона Таджикистана) is the aerial military service branch of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Tajikistan, which currently consists of 20 aircraft. The force engages in search and rescue missions, and military raids.

Air Force of Tajikistan
Tajik Air Force seal
Founded	2006 (2006)
Country	Tajikistan
Branch	Armed Forces of the Republic of Tajikistan
Type	Air Force
Role	Defense of Tajikistan
Size	One squadron
Headquarters	Dushanbe
Colors	Green
Anniversaries	February 23
Engagements	Tajik civil war
Insignia
Roundel

History

The Air Force was established the same year as the National Army. The Air Defense Forces were established in 1994. As a result of military reforms and the common goals and objectives, in 2005 the two forces were merged.

In 2007, it consisted of sixteen combat and support helicopters, prior to which the country had relied on the Russian Air Force for protection. Tajikistan is part of the Commonwealth of Independent States Joint Air Defense System, and its airspace is monitored by Russia. Currently, no air defense capabilities exist, with the exception of a few surface-to-air missiles that were transferred to the Tajik Army. Russia opposes Tajik’s ambition of a more capable air force, and Moscow has consistently declined to supply fighter aircraft or assist modernizing its military air traffic control system. Russia’s assessment is that its own air force contingent at Gissar and in Kazakhstan is sufficient to ensure adequate security for Tajikistan. Tajikistan’s modest number of combat-capable helicopters are primarily tasked with search and rescue and airlift duties; they have been occasionally deployed to attack opposition forces. Dushanbe receives minimal foreign military aid and has no funding available for procurement of fixed-wing combat aircraft. Moscow bolstered Tajikistan's rotary wing capability in 2006 by providing six Mi-8 and Mi-24 attack helicopters. It also provided four L-39 training aircraft. India’s defense ministry signed a basing agreement with Tajikistan that gives it access to Tajik’s Ayni Air Base that is also shared with the Russians. Under this trilateral agreement, the runway was extended, perimeter fencing erected and aircraft hangars built. Since 1985, this decaying airbase was used by the former Soviet Union during its Afghan war, and after renovation, it was officially opened in September 2010. India contributed 70 million dollars toward the renovation and sent specialists to help with the work. The airfield, located some 20 kilometers west of Dushanbe, now has state-of-the-art navigational and defense technology. Its runway was also extended to 3,200 meters so that all types of aircraft can land there.[1][2]

Structure

• Independent Helicopter Squadron (Aini, Dushanbe, Bokhtar and Khujand airfields)
• 536th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment (Dushanbe)
• 45th Radio Engineering Battalion (Dushanbe)
• 97th Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade (Kurgan-Tube)
• 770th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment (Isfara)
• 74th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment (Khujand)
• 69th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment (Kulyab)
• 42nd Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment (Dushanbe)

Aircraft

Current inventory

Name	Image	Manufacturer	Function	Number
Aircraft
Tu-95		Russia	Strategic bomber	2[3]
Tu-134		Soviet Union	Cargo aircraft	1[4]
Yak-40		Soviet Union	Cargo aircraft	1[5]
An-26		Ukraine	Cargo aircraft	1[6]
Aero L-39 Albatros		Czechoslovakia	Trainer aircraft	4[7]
Yak-52		Soviet Union	Trainer aircraft	2[8]
Helicopters
Mi-8		Soviet Union  Russia	Cargo and attack helicopter	10[9]
Mi-24		Soviet Union	Cargo and attack helicopter	6[10]
Mi-171		Russia	Cargo and attack helicopter	2[11]
Air defense
ZSU-23-4 Shilka		Soviet Union	Self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon	28[12]
AZP S-60		Soviet Union	Close-in weapon system	22[13]
S-75М		Soviet Union	Antiaircraft missile system	21[14]
S-75 Dvina		Soviet Union	Antiaircraft missile system	18[15]
S-125 Pechora		Soviet Union  Russia	Antiaircraft missile system	16[16]
FIM-92 Stinger		United States	Man-portable air-defense system	Unknown number[17]
Strela-2		Soviet Union	Man-portable air-defense system	Unknown number[18]

The Air Force and Air Defense of the Republic of Tajikistan protects the airspace of Tajikistan together with the Air Force of the Russian Federation, which has been constantly present in Tajikistan since the collapse of the USSR in the framework of the Casus foederis. In addition, Tajikistan is a member of the CSTO. The air group of the permanent deployment of the Russian air force consists of one squadron of five Su-25 attack aircraft and three MiG-29 fighters, as well as one helicopter squadron of four Mi-24 and Mi-8 helicopters. The air group of the permanent deployment of the Russian air force is stationed at Ayni Air Base, and is part of the Russian 201st Military Base, stationed in the cities of Dushanbe and Bokhtar. The Russian Air Force is able to quickly transfer the necessary amount of strike aircraft and forces to Tajikistan if necessary. From may 1993 to July 2005, a Group of border troops of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Tajikistan was also permanently stationed in Tajikistan, guarding together with local border guards the state border of the Republic of Tajikistan with Afghanistan (from the South) and China (from the East)[19].

Tajikistan's air defense forces are also extremely weak and limited. Military experts note that if Tajikistan were not theoretically a member of the CSTO and did not cooperate with Russia in the field of defense — like the entire army, the air force and air defense of this country will not be able to resist the possible military aggression of a third-party state, especially in the air[20].

Military equipment of the air Group of the Russian Air Force permanently stationed in the Republic of Tajikistan, which together with the air force and air defense of the Republic of Tajikistan protects the airspace of Tajikistan:

Type	Image	Manufacturer	Function	Number
Aircraft
SU-25		Soviet Union  Russia	Attack aircraft	5
MiG-29		Soviet Union  Russia	Fighter aircraft	3
Tu-134		Soviet Union	Cargo aircraft	1
Helicopters
Mi-8		Soviet Union  Russia	Cargo and attack helicopter	4
Mi-24		Soviet Union  Russia	Cargo and attack helicopter	4
Air defense
9K33 Osa		Soviet Union	Anti-aircraft weapon	12[21]
9K35 Strela-10		Soviet Union	Anti-aircraft weapon	6[22]
ZSU-23-4 Shilka		Soviet Union	Anti-aircraft weapon	6[23]

References

1. Kucera, Joshua (7 September 2010). "Tajikistan's Ayni airbase opens – but who is using it?". The Bug Pit – The military and security in Eurasia. The Open Society Institute. Archived from the original on 5 September 2013. Retrieved 12 September 2013.
2. John Pike. "Tajikistan- Air Force". GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved 2013-09-22.
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19. "А. Грезнев: Несостоятельная таджикская армия". ЦентрАзия. Retrieved 2020-06-16.
20. "А. Грезнев: Несостоятельная таджикская армия". ЦентрАзия. Retrieved 2020-06-16.
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