Kazakh Ground Forces Explained

Unit Name:Kazakh Ground Forces
Native Name:Қазақстан Республикасының Құрлық әскерлері
Qazaqstan Respublikasynyñ Qūrlyq äskerlerı
Сухопутные войска Республики Казахстан
Start Date:9 April 1993
Country: Kazakhstan
Type:Army
Size:80,000
Command Structure:Armed Forces of Kazakhstan
Garrison:44 Victory Avenue, Astana
Garrison Label:Directorate of the Commander-in-Chief
Battles:Tajikistani Civil War
Iraq War
Anniversaries:7 May
Commander1:Kassym-Jomart Tokayev
Commander1 Label:Supreme Commander-in-chief
Commander2:Lieutenant General Murat Bektanov
Commander2 Label:Chief of the General Staff
Commander3:Major General Talgat Koibakov
Commander3 Label:Commander of the Ground Forces

The Kazakh Ground Forces (Kazakh: Qazaqstan Qūrlyq äskerlerı;) is the land service branch of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan. It is one of the three uniformed military services, and is the most senior branch of the Kazakh military in order of precedence. The main tasks of the Ground Forces include the following:[1] maintaining the readiness of troops to repel aggression, the armed defense of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Kazakhstan, protecting the state and military facilities, peacekeeping missions. In its duties, it primarily engages in land warfare and combined arms operations, including armored and mechanized operations as well as airborne and air assault operations. It is headed by a chief military officer, the Commander of the Ground Forces who is also a member of the General Staff.

History

Soviet era

Many large units of the Turkestan Military District were redeployed from the Turkmen SSR to Eastern Kazakhstan back in the 1960s. Immediately prior to its dissolution, the 40th Army (Soviet Union), the former 32nd Army, consisted of the 78th Tank Division, the 5202nd Base for Storage of Weapons and Equipment (prior to 1989, the 71st Motor Rifle Division), the 5203rd Storage Base in Ust-Kamenogorsk (prior to 1989, the 155th Motor Rifle Division), the 5204th Storage Bade at Karaganda (prior to 1989, the 203rd Zaporozhye Khingan Motor Rifle Division), the 69th Tank Division and the 10th Fortified Area.[2] The 69th Tank Division and the 10th Fortified Area were both disbanded in 1992.

The 57th Separate Airborne Brigade based in Aktogay, East Kazakhstan Region was the only unit of the Soviet Airborne Forces based in Kazakhstan.[3]

Post-independence

The Kazakh Army was founded on 9 April 1993, by the order of Defense Minister Sagadat Nurmagambetov. It followed the enacting of the law, "On Defense and Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan", which is the legal basis for the Kazakh military structures.[4] The former Soviet structure of troops was preserved, with the Kazakh Army being made up of the Soviet 32nd Army, which had been serving in the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic for many years before it came under Kazakh government control in May 1992.[5] That month, on the basis of the 5203rd Military Equipment Storage Base (formerly the 155th Motorized Rifle Division), the 511th Motorized Rifle Regiment was re-formed with a deployment in the settlement. Georgievka, Semipalatinsk Region.

In the middle of the 1990s, the Kazakh Ground Forces included the 1st Army Corps (HQ Semipalatinsk), the 68th Motor Rifle Division (Sary-Ozek in the Kyzylorda Province), with 2 motor-rifle and one tank regiments, and the 78th Tank Division (HQ Ayaguz).[6] The IISS reported that as of 1 June 1995 Kazakh ground forces included a corps HQ; a tank division; an artillery brigade; two motor-rifle divisions (one training); an artillery regiment; an independent motor rifle regiment; a multiple rocket launcher brigade with BM-21 and 9P140 "Urugan,"; and an air assault brigade. While the 68th Division was called a motor-rifle formation, in equipment terms it had almost 300 tanks and about 500 armored fighting vehicles. The 78th Tank Division had 350 tanks, 290 armored fighting vehicle, and 150 artillery pieces. The 210th Guards Training Center (often called the Division of Guards by Kazakh sources), had 6,000 soldiers and officers 220 tanks, and 220 artillery pieces, so was a strengthened division. In 1997, the 2nd Army Corps was created with headquarters in Almaty, under which all units and formations in the Almaty, Zhambyl and South Kazakhstan regions were transferred.

On 17 November 1997, the General Purpose Forces were formed.[7] In 2000, on the basis of the 35th Guards Airborne Assault Brigade, the Mobile Forces of the Armed Forces were created, which in 2003 were renamed into Airmobile Forces as part of the Ground Forces. In 2015, Airmobile Troops were renamed Air Assault Troops.[8] [9] Since 2002, the ground forces have begun the transition to a brigade structure. In this regard, there was a process of disbandment of divisions and the creation of brigades on the basis of regiments.[10]

Structure

Regional Commands

On July 6, 2000, military districts (Kazakh: әскери округтер) were created to control the ground forces:[11]

The Eastern Military District was formed on the basis of the administration of the 1st Army Corps.[12] The Directorate of the Southern Military District (Military Unit 03858) was created in Taraz on 15 September 2000, on the basis of the directorate of the 2nd Army Corps and the Directorate of the Ground Forces.[13] [14] On 7 May 2003, the military districts were renamed into regional commands (Kazakh: өңірлік қолбасшылықтар)[15] [16] Currently, the ground forces include four regional commands:[17]

Each of the commands have the following general composition:[18]

Regional Command "Astana"

It is located within the administrative boundaries of Akmola, Karagandy Province, Kostanay Province and North Kazakhstan. The command acts as the Supreme Commander's reserve. The District includes the following units:[19]

The command has had the following commanders:

Regional Command "East"

It is located within the administrative boundaries of East Kazakhstan and Pavlodar Province (Families, Ust-Kamenogorsk, George, and Ayagoz Usharalsky Garrisons). The District has the following units:[19]

The command has had the following commanders:[19]

Regional Command "West"

It is located within the administrative boundaries of the West Kazakhstan Province, Aktobe Province, Atyrau Province and Mangystau Province. The main task is ensuring the integrity of state borders, territorial integrity, sovereignty and economic interests of Kazakhstan in the Kazakh sector of the Caspian Sea. The District has the following units:[19]

The command has had the following commanders:[19]

Regional Command "South"

It is located within the administrative boundaries of Almaty Province, Zhambyl Province, South Kazakhstan Province and Kyzylorda Province. The district's main task is ensuring security in the southeastern borders of the country. The District includes the following:[19]

The command has had the following commanders:[19]

Air Assault Forces

The Kazakh Air Assault Forces were formed by grouping the 35th Guards Air Assault Brigade (which arrived from Germany in April 1991 and was taken over by Kazakhstan in 1992) with new brigades formed from previous Soviet units. In October 2003, the 36th Separate Air Assault Brigade was formed on the basis of the 2nd Motor Rifle Brigade. On the basis of the Taldykorgan Motor Rifle Regiment, in April 2003 the 37th Separate Air Assault Brigade was formed. The 38th Air Assault Brigade is also known as the KAZBRIG Peacekeeping Brigade and was given its current name in 2007.[27]

The Airmobile Forces consists of the following units:

Artillery and Missile Forces

The Artillery and Missile Forces of Kazakhstan was formed in 1992 on the basis of the headquarters of the Missile Forces and Artillery of the Central Asian Military District of the Soviet Armed Forces. At first, they were structurally part of the Special Forces of the Ministry of Defense, and then the General Purpose Forces. Since 2003, they have operated as a separate branch of the military under the Ground Forces. Units and subunits are equipped with all the necessary types of missile and artillery systems of caliber from 82 to 300  mm.

The Department of Artillery has been operating at the Military Institute of the Ground Forces since 1993, which annually graduates up to 60 officers-artillerymen. In 2014, on the basis of the National University of Defense, the Department of Missile Forces and Artillery was created. Professional officers of this profile are also trained at the Mikhailovskaya Military Artillery Academy in St. Petersburg. Additionally, the forces are replenished by graduates of the military departments of the Karaganda State Technical University and the Almaty Satbayev University. In 1998, at the Matybulak training ground, three Tochka-U tactical missiles were launched, the launch of the first rocket from which was then carried out by President Nazarbayev. In 2002, at the Saryshagan training ground, operational-tactical exercises of the Rocket Forces and Artillery “Shield of the Motherland” were held.[30]

The current commander is Colonel Askar Zholamanov.[31] 19 November is celebrated as the Day of Missile Forces and Artillery.[32]

Training

Military Institute

See main article: Military Institute of the Kazakh Ground Forces. The Military Institute of the Kazakh Ground Forces (Kazakh: Qurlyq áskerleriniń áskerı ınstıtýty / Құрлық әскерлерінің әскери институты) is the main educational institute of the Ground Forces and one of the leading Kazakh military academies. It has many notable alumni, including Lieutenant General Murat Maikeyev, Colonel General Saken Zhasuzakov and Major General Abibilla Kudayberdiev.[33]

Junior Specialist Training

The training of junior specialists of rank and file in military accounting specialties for the Ground Forces is carried out in the following training centers:

Cadet Corps

The Cadet Corps named after Shoqan Walikhanov is an institution of the Ministry of Defense was formed on 1 July 1996 as a secondary school that prepared Kazakh youth for service in the military. A month after its formation, the corps had 96 enlisted cadets, most of whom came from the Alma-Ata Higher All-Arms Command School. On its first graduation day in 1999, the corps received its own battle flag from the then head of the corps, Colonel Kuangaliev, and defense minister Mukhtar Altynbayev. The corps is currently based in the city of Shchuchinsk in the Akmola Region.[36]

Foreign education

Some of Kazakhstan's officers have trained at the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Equipment

See also: List of equipment of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Small arms

NameOriginCaliberNotes
Pistols
Makarov9×18mm Makarov
Stechkin9×18mm Makarov
Assault rifles
AK-477.62×39mm
AKM7.62×39mm
Beretta ARX160 Italy7.62×39mm
AK-745.45×39mmStandard assault rifle
Designated marksman rifles
SVD Dragunov7.62×54mmR

Infantry fighting vehicles

NamePhotoOriginTypeIn serviceNotes
BMP-2Infantry fighting vehicle300Kazakhstan has mastered its own production of 30 mm shells for 2A42
BMP-1Infantry fighting vehicle210

Armored personnel carriers

NamePhotoOriginTypeIn serviceNotes
BTR-82Amphibious armoured personnel carrier63
BTR-80AAmphibious armoured personnel carrier70
BTR-80Amphibious armoured personnel carrier150
BTR-60Amphibious armoured personnel carrierapproximately no more than 30Only in the modification KShMР-145БМ[39]
MT-LBAmphibious armoured personnel carrier50

Combat reconnaissance and reconnaissance patrol vehicles

NamePhotoOriginTypeIn serviceNotes
Arlan KazakhstanInfantry mobility vehicle163Arlan is a multi–purpose armored wheeled vehicle with enhanced mine protection of the MRAP type. Produced at the Kazakhstan Paramount Engineering LLP[40]
Otokar Cobra TurkeyInfantry mobility vehicle17+Manufactured locally with license[41]
Cobra II TurkeyInfantry mobility vehicle?/45It is planned to purchase 45 units of these vehicles for the needs of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan.[42]
Humvee United StatesArmored car40
GAZ TigrInfantry mobility vehicle21[43]
BRM-1БРМ60
BRDM-2БРМ40
BPM-97Armoured personnel carrier, MRAP18

Surveillance Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Surveillance Unmanned Aerial Vehicles!Name!Origin!Photo!In service!Notes
Surveillance Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
unknownIn service since 2014.[44]
Unknown Elbit UAV
Orlan-10E[45]
Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles
CAIG Wing Loong I4[46] In service since 2016. (Can be armed with two Blue Arrow 7 AGMs or YZ-100 guided bombs).
TAI Anka3[47] In service since 2022. (Can be armed with four MAM-L or MAM-C guided bombs).
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles - Prototypes
Shagala Kazakhstanunknown[48]
Leyla

References

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Kazakhstan- Army. www.globalsecurity.org. 6 April 2023.
  2. Michael Holm, 32nd Combined Arms Army, 2015.
  3. Web site: Michael Holm. 57th independent Landing-Assault Brigade. www.ww2.dk. 2019-11-10.
  4. Web site: Shield of the State · Publications · "Kazakhstan History" portal. e-history.kz. 5 November 2018. 27 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190727143926/https://e-history.kz/en/publications/view/3087. dead.
  5. Web site: Сухопутные войска. ir.kz. www.mod.gov.kz.
  6. Machine translated and cleaned up from a Russian source at http://www.nomad.su/?a=2-200205081022, 'Military-political safety of Kazakhstan'
  7. Web site: 2019-01-14. Указ от 17 ноября 1997 года № 3761 "О дальнейших мерах по реформированию Вооруженных Сил Республики Казахстан". www.adilet.zan.kz.
  8. Web site: История создания Аэромобильных войск Республики Казахстан. — Десантура.ру – о десанте без границ. 2013-01-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20130118231310/http://desantura.ru/articles/23/. live. 2013-01-18.
  9. Web site: Александр Мироглов. 2019-01-14. Возвращение в десантуру. www.np.kz.
  10. Web site: 2019-01-14. Кто такой морской пехотинец в Казахстане?. www.sarbaz.kz.
  11. Web site: 2019-01-14. Указ Президента от 06.07.2000 N 417 "О структуре Вооружённых сил Республики Казахстан" (ред. от 07.05.2003). www.kazakhstan.news-city.info. https://web.archive.org/web/20171009042030/http://kazakhstan.news-city.info/docs/sistemsn/dok_oericb.htm. 2017-10-09. dead.
  12. Web site: 2019-01-14. РгК "Восток" – четверть века боевой готовности. www.sarbaz.kz. https://web.archive.org/web/20190115023538/https://sarbaz.kz/ru/history/rgk-vostok---chetvert-veka-boevoy-gotovnosti-172991659/?sphrase_id=615089. 2019-01-15. dead.
  13. Web site: Раимжан Салиходжаев. 2019-01-15. Как создавалось Региональное командование "Юг". www.sarbaz.kz. https://web.archive.org/web/20170602221414/http://sarbaz.kz/ru/army/kak-sozdavalos-regionalnogo-komandovaniya-yug-162630926. 2017-06-02. dead.
  14. Web site: INFORM.KZ. 2020-09-26. "По-боевому" отметило свой юбилей региональное командование "Юг". 2021-01-09. www.inform.kz. ru.
  15. Web site: 2019-01-15. Указ Президента Республики Казахстан от 7 мая 2003 года № 1085 "О мерах по дальнейшему совершенствованию структуры Вооруженных Сил Республики Казахстан". www.online.zakon.kz.
  16. Web site: Вооруженные силы РК – Структура – Министерство обороны Республики Казахстан (МО РК). www.mod.gov.kz.
  17. Most specific unit information, including military unit numbers, locations, etc. is sourced from Vad777, Web site: 2012-03-24 . kazachstan-grand . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120324120422/http://www8.brinkster.com/vad777/sng/kazachztan/kazachstan-grand.htm . 2012-03-24 . 2020-09-03 . www8.brinkster.com . ru.
  18. Web site: Kazakhstan - Regional Commands.
  19. Most specific unit information, including military unit numbers, locations, etc. is sourced from Vad777, Kazakh Ground Forces, accessed February 2010
  20. Web site: Назначен командующий войсками РК "Астана". tengrinews.kz. 9 January 2020.
  21. Web site: Vad777 . Сухопутные силы Казахстана . Ground Forces of Kazakhstan . https://web.archive.org/web/20120324120422/http://www8.brinkster.com/vad777/sng/kazachztan/kazachstan-grand.htm . 24 March 2012 . ru.
  22. Web site: Войсковая часть 30217 РгК "Восток" отметила 27-ую годовщину со дня образования. 2017-01-23. https://web.archive.org/web/20170202083052/https://sarbaz.kz/ru/army/voyskovaya-chast-30217-rgk-vostok-otmetila-27-uyu-godovshchinu-so-dnya-obrazovaniya-163181654/. 2017-02-02. dead.
  23. Web site: ЖУСУПОВ Асан Куанышевич ЦентрАзия. 2021-01-09. centrasia.org.
  24. Web site: Radio Tochka – Sursa ta de informatii obiective. https://web.archive.org/web/20161013220116/https://radiotochka.kz/16762-osuzhden-esche-odin-soldat-v-otarskoy-tankovoy-divizii.html. dead. 13 October 2016. radiotochka.kz. 6 April 2023.
  25. Web site: proshu.html Major General Talgat Koibakov: I ask the mothers and girls of the recruits not to bother them again. 6 April 2023.
  26. Web site: The Minister of Defense of the Republic of Kazakhstan inspected the Guards and Saryozeks garrisons . 9 January 2021 . 21 December 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161221112954/https://mod.gov.kz/rus/press-centr/novosti/?cid=0&rid=3265 . dead .
  27. Web site: Kazakhstan Pursues Peacekeeping. 2021-01-09. unipath-magazine.com. 3 December 2015 .
  28. Web site: Peacekeeping Brigade Training Center Opens in Kazakhstan. www.tam.usace.army.mil . https://web.archive.org/web/20120331182244/http://www.tam.usace.army.mil/MED10-07-21-03.asp . March 31, 2012.
  29. http://www.nato.int/issues/nato-kazakhstan/
  30. Web site: 2020-11-16. Аскар Жоламанов: Испытываю гордость за нашу армию и ответственность. 2021-01-09. rus.azattyq-ruhy.kz. ru.
  31. Web site: Жоламанов Аскар Ахметович (персональная справка). 2021-01-09. Информационная система ПАРАГРАФ.
  32. Web site: INFORM.KZ. 2019-11-19. 19 ноября – День Ракетных войск и артиллерии. 2021-01-09. www.inform.kz. ru.
  33. Web site: Министр обороны Кыргызской Республики Кудайбердиев Абибилла Алымович . mil.kg . 2014-07-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140724085228/http://www.mil.kg:80/ru/ministry/ministr-oborony-kyrgyzskoj-respubliki.html . 2014-07-24 . dead . ru . 2020-09-03.
  34. Web site: 2019-01-16. Легендарная стрелковая дивизия отметила 75-летний юбилей. www.sarbaz.kz. https://web.archive.org/web/20190116200731/https://sarbaz.kz/ru/army/legendarnaya-strelkovaya-diviziya-otmetila-75-letniy-yubiley-163571104/?sphrase_id=816383. 2019-01-16. dead.
  35. Web site: 2019-01-16. В Спасске Карагандинской области открыт учебный центр боевой подготовки младших специалистов и резерва Вооруженных сил РК. 5 June 2010. www.inform.kz.
  36. Web site: Shield of the State. 5 November 2018. 27 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190727143926/https://e-history.kz/en/publications/view/3087. dead.
  37. Web site: Kazakh Army Equipment. John Pike. 13 November 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141019000229/http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/centralasia/kazak-ground-equipment.htm. 19 October 2014. live.
  38. International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). International Institute for Strategic Studies. Modernising military capabilities; familiar security challenges . Military Balance. 116. 185–186. Routledge. 9 February 2016. english. 10.1080/04597222.2016.1127558. free.
  39. Web site: Фото Р-145БМ с подготовки к Боевому параду 7 мая 2013 года в Отаре . 2016-05-27 . 2015-05-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150526212443/http://bnews.kz/ru/photonews/post/137690/ . dead .
  40. Web site: Baurzhan Mukanov. 2018-12-04. "60 Arlan armored cars adopted in the Kazakh army". www.informburo.kz. 2018-12-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20181204151629/https://informburo.kz/novosti/60-bronevikov-arlan-prinyali-na-vooruzhenie-v-kazahstanskoy-armii.html. live.
  41. Web site: Kazakhstan signs contract with Turkish Company Otokar to produce locally Cobra . www.armyrecognition.com. 18 October 2012 .
  42. Web site: Почему в минобороны казахстанскому "Алан-2" предпочли турецкую "Кобру-2" . 16 February 2023 .
  43. Web site: Trade Registers . armstrade.sipri.org . 2020-09-03.
  44. Web site: Israeli UAVs Will Soon Be Manufactured In Kazakhstan . 2022-10-12 . caspiannews.com . en.
  45. Web site: Oryx . Guardians Of The Steppe - Kazakhstan's UAVs . 2022-10-12 . Oryx.
  46. Web site: 2021-05-09 . Chinese drones a killer eye in the sky in Myanmar . 2022-10-12 . Asia Times . en-US.
  47. Web site: SABAH . DAILY . 2021-11-25 . Kazakhstan buys 3 Turkish Aerospace-made Anka UCAVs: Report . 2022-10-12 . Daily Sabah . en-US.
  48. Web site: KADEX 2018: Kazakh Air and Air Defence Forces draw Wing Loong I MALE UAV KADEX 2018 News Official Show Daily Defence security military exhibition 2018 daily news category . 2022-10-12 . www.armyrecognition.com. 25 May 2018 .