Kazakh Air Defense Forces

The Kazakh Air Defense Forces (Kazakh: Әуе қорғаныс күштері, Russian: Силы воздушной обороны) is the aviation warfare branch of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Their tasks include the ensurance of the protection of the airspace of the republic as well as the fulfillment of combat missions for air support of other branches of the armed forces. The official holiday of the air forces is Aviation Day on August 18.

Kazakh Air Defense Forces
Әуе қорғаныс күштері
Силы воздушной обороны
Kazakh Air Defense emblem
Founded1 June 1998 (1998-06-01)
Country Kazakhstan
Branch Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Typeair force
RoleMilitary aviation
Size12,000 airman[1]
Part ofMinistry of Defense of Kazakhstan
HeadquartersNur-Sultan
Colors     Light Blue
     White
AnniversariesDefender of the Fatherland Day (May 7)
Aviation Day (August 18)
Commanders
Supreme Commander-in-chiefKassym-Jomart Tokayev
Commander of the Air ForceMajor General Nurlan Karbenov
Chief of StaffMajor General Nurzhan Mukanov
Insignia
Flag of the Air Force
Roundel

The Talgat Bigeldinov Military Institute of the Air Defence Forces serves as the only educational service of the air force, having trained cadets from foreign countries including Hungary, Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan.[2][3][4]

History

Soviet era

In the first formation of the Central Asian Military District, it operated a Soviet Air Force district branch led by Major General M.P. Kharitonov. It operated in the early to mid-40s during the Second World War, and consisted of air brigades based on the territory of the Kazakh SSR.[5] The 73rd Air Army provided all air support for the district,[6] being known as the Air Forces of the Central Asian Military District from 1980 to 1988. Air defence was also provided the 12th and 14th Air Defence Armies. The 57th Separate Airborne Brigade based in Aktogay.[7] was the only unit of the Soviet airborne based in Kazakhstan.

Post-independence

At the time of the declaration of the independence of Kazakhstan and the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the 24th Fighter-Bomber Aviation Division, as well as three other separate air regiments, were stationed in the country.[8] By late 1993 the small Kazakh Air Force consisted of a six regiments as well as an air defence fighter regiment.

It included the following units:

  • 11th Division
    • 129th Fighter-Bomber Regiment (Taldy Kurgan)
    • 134th Fighter-Bomber Regiment (Zhangiztobe)
    • 149th Bomber Regiment (Zhetigen/Nikolayevka)
  • 715th Fighter Regiment (Lugovaya)
  • 39th Reconnaissance Regiment (Balkhash Airport)
  • 486th Helicopter Regiment (Ucharal)
  • 356th Fighter Aviation Regiment (Semipalatinsk), led notably by Major General Aliy Petrovich Volkov

Modern era

On 17 November 1997, President Nursultan Nazarbayev issued a decree titled "On Further Measures for Reforming the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan". As instructed by this, on 1 April 1998, Minister of Defense Sagadat Nurmagambetov, announced the creation of the Air Defense Forces of the Armed Forces, with the first day of operation being 1 June 1998. On 17 April 2008, the Commander-in-Chief of the Air Defense Forces announced August 18 would be celebrated as 'Aviation Day.'[9][10]

In November 2007, Kazakhstan signed an agreement with Belarus, under which 10 Russian-made Su-27 fighters were modernised at an aircraft repair plant in Baranavichy, designated for the Kazakh Air Defence Forces. In 2008, EADS agreed titanium sourcing agreements with Kazakh suppliers.[11] On 28 October 2010, Eurocopter created a 50/50 joint venture with Kazakhstan Engineering, under which 45 Eurocopter EC145s would be assembled locally for government use.[12] The first of six EC145s ordered by the Kazakh Ministries of Defence and Emergencies was delivered in November 2011.[13]

In early January 2012, Airbus Military and the state-owned Kazspetsexport defence company, signed a contract to deliver two EADS CASA C-295 military transport aircraft, and a Memorandum of Understanding for another six aircraft, which were to be delivered over the course of the following year. In May 2012, Kazakhstan announced its intent to acquire 20 Eurocopter EC725 helicopters that were to be assembled in Astana by officials from Kazakhstan Engineering and fitted by the Turkish firm Aselsan.[14]

Aircraft

Current inventory
A Kazakh Sukhoi Su-27 on take off
A Kazakh Su-25
An Antonov An-72 of the Kazakh Air Force
Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
MiG-31 Soviet Union interceptor 21[15]
Su-25 Russia attack 14[15]
Su-27 Russia Multirole fighter 24
Su-30 Russia Multirole fighter Su-30SM 12 24 on order
Transport
An-12 Ukraine heavy transport 1[15]
An-72 Ukraine heavy transport 1[15] STOL capable aircraft
CASA C-295 Spain transport C-295M 8[15]
Helicopters
Bell UH-1 United States utility UH-1H 1[15]
Mil Mi-17 Russia utility 49[15]
Mil Mi-35 Russia attack 8 on order[15]
Mil Mi-26 Russia heavy lift / transport 2[15]
Eurocopter EC145 France utility 1[15]
Trainer Aircraft
Aero L-39 Czech Republic jet trainer 17[15]
Zlín Z 42 Czech Republic basic trainer Z 242L 1[15]
UAV
CAIG Wing Loong China MALE UCAV 2[16]

Structure

The general composition of the Air and Air Defence Force is as follows:[17]

  • Military Aviation
  • Air Defence Forces
  • Center for Parachute Training
  • Air Traffic Control Center

Today the Air and Air Defence Force has four jet bases:[18][19]

References
  1. IISS 2013, 221.
  2. 167 ЛЕЙТЕНАНТОВ ПРИНЯЛИ ПРИСЯГУ, Окт 31 2013
  3. Военный институт Сил воздушной обороны им. дважды Героя Советского Союза Т. Я. Бегельдинова // Министерство обороны Казахстана
  4. В небе он был неустрашим // «Красная звезда». 05.09.2013
  5. Leo Niehorster, Order of Battle, CAMD, 22 June 1941, Orbat.com.
  6. Holm, Michael. "73rd Air Army". www.ww2.dk. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  7. "57th independent Landing-Assault Brigade". www.ww2.dk. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
  8. Michael Holm, 24th Fighter-Bomber Aviation Division, accessed October 2011. Note division was given as the 11th in Kazakhstan AF Restructures, Jane's Defence Weekly, 25 September 1993
  9. https://www.mod.gov.kz/rus/struktura/vooruzhennye_sily_rk/sily_vozdushnoi_oborony/osnovnaya_informaciya
  10. https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/centralasia/kazak-airforce.htm
  11. Defense Industry Daily, EADS-Signs-its-Own-Titanium-Deal-with-Kazakhstan
  12. "HeliHub Kazakhstan buys 45 EC145s and signs production JV with Eurocopter". Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  13. "HeliHub First of six EC145s deliverd to Kazakhstan". Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  14. "Airbus Group". airbusgroup. Archived from the original on 30 July 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  15. "World Air Forces 2020". Flightglobal Insight. 2020. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  16. "Kazakhstan purchases two Chinese Wing-Loong UCAVs | IHS Jane's 360". 2016-06-08. Archived from the original on 2016-06-08. Retrieved 2020-02-12.
  17. https://www.mod.gov.kz/rus/struktura/vooruzhennye_sily_rk/sily_vozdushnoi_oborony/struktura/
  18. Vad777, Brinkster.net, July 2010
  19. https://www.scramble.nl/orbats/kazakhstan/armedforces
  20. https://asker.kz/blog/tag/600-ya-gvardejskaya-aviabaza
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