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    Central Asian Republics Militaries: News

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    Central Asian Republics Militaries: News Empty Russia - Turkmenistan relations

    Post  Admin Fri Jul 10, 2009 7:50 pm

    Russia will supply the Armed Forces of Turkmenistan shipment of T-90S, the value of which could reach 1 billion rubles. This, as reported by Interfax, said on 8 July in Nizhny Tagil, Deputy Director General of "Rosoboronexport Igor Sevastyanov. According to him, the corresponding pilot contract for the supply of a small batch of machines have already been signed. Its amount ranges from 500 million to 1 billion rubles.

    T-90S - it is the rocket-gun tank with reactive armor and opto-electronic suppression of interference. It was created on the basis of previous generations of tanks T-72 and T-80 based on the experience of their operational use in different countries.

    Optical-electronic suppression TSHU-1 Shtora "protects the tank from the anti-drone. According to experts, the T-90S could reflect the simultaneous application of two anti-tank missiles, with different principles of guidance from different directions.

    Note that the currently armed with the Russian army is about five types of tanks T-90 in various configurations. Around the same fleet of armored vehicles is India, where the T-90 manufactured under license. Delhi is planning to bring their numbers up to 1657 units, as the national development of Arjun tank does not meet the requirements of the military. Customers of T-90 is also Algeria, Saudi Arabia and Cyprus.
    08.07.2009

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    Post  Vladislav Thu Jul 16, 2009 5:30 am

    We sell three times as many as we buy. I hope T-95 comes out soon.
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    Post  Turk1 Thu Jul 16, 2009 6:36 am

    Why would they want T-90? They are Turks so they should buy our new Altay tanks.
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    Post  Vladislav Fri Jul 17, 2009 9:44 pm

    Turk1 wrote:Why would they want T-90? They are Turks so they should buy our new Altay tanks.

    I don't think you have an export license. I think the South Koreans would be pretty mad. lol!
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    Post  Admin Mon Aug 31, 2009 8:45 pm

    Turkmenistan plans Caspian naval base amid dispute

    By ALEXANDER VERSHININ (AP) – 8 hours ago

    ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan — Turkmenistan will establish a naval base on the Caspian Sea, the Central Asian nation's president said Monday — a move that could inflame disputes over the area's lucrative hydrocarbon fields.

    Addressing top security officials in televised remarks, President Gurbanguli Berdymukhamedov said a base will be built at the port city of Turkmenbashi to help "effectively fight smugglers, terrorists and any other forces."

    The joint naval and coast guard base will have two ships armed with missiles and an unspecified number of cutters, Berdymukhamedov said.

    Turkmenistan's coast guard has 16 patrol boats and 700 servicemen on the inland Caspian Sea, a minuscule remnant of the Soviet Caspian fleet that has mostly been taken over by Russia.

    The Caspian's rich hydrocarbon resources has been a focus of intense competition among shoreline nations Turkmenistan, Iran, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Russia since the 1991 Soviet collapse.

    Turkmenistan is locked in a dispute with Azerbaijan, on the opposite shore, over several oil and gas fields. Berdymukhamedov's decision to install a naval base is seen as a signal that his country will protect its interests.

    In July, Berdymukhamedov slammed Azerbaijan for its unilateral development of the disputed fields and threatened legal action.

    The tension hurts the prospects for Nabucco, a planned pipeline that the European Union and the United States hope will deliver Turkmen gas via Azerbaijan to Turkey and Europe bypassing Russia.

    Moscow has tried to maintain a lock on most of Turkmenistan's gas exports, but relations have been strained since Turkmenistan blamed the Russian gas monopoly Gazprom for a pipeline blast in April.

    Azerbaijani political analyst Zardusht Alizade said he believes the plan for a naval base signals that Turkmenistan is mending ties with Russia.

    "Turkmenistan is putting itself outside Nabucco and choosing the pro-Russian vector in its policy," he said.

    Berdymukhamedov has carefully opened up to courtship by the West and by China since he came to power in December 2006, and expressed increasing interest in diversifying Turkmen energy export routes.

    Turkmenistan is the largest gas producer in the former Soviet Union after Russia. The EU and U.S. have been pressing for better access to its resources and for the construction of Nabucco.

    The Caspian Sea, home to the world's first offshore wells, is estimated to contain between 17 billion and 33 billion barrels of proven oil reserves. The region is estimated to contain proven natural gas reserves of more than 200 trillion cubic feet.

    Associated Press Writer Aida Sultanova contributed to this report from Baku, Azerbaijan.

    Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

    http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hy7ZlyckgJohzLngbv_cAVHiSImgD9ADRS0G1
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    Post  Russian Patriot Wed Sep 02, 2009 11:14 pm

    Turkmenistan faces difficulties in opening Caspian naval base

    RIA Novosti

    21:24 31/08/2009 MOSCOW, August 31 (RIA Novosti) - Turkmenistan will find that opening a military base on the Caspian Sea is easier said than done, Fyodor Lukyanov, editor-in-chief of Russia in Global Affairs magazine, said on Monday.

    Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov announced on Sunday at the National Security Council session that Turkmenistan will in the immediate future open a naval base on the Caspian Sea to secure the country's maritime border.

    "I believe it will be more difficult to implement this decision than to announce it, since Turkmenistan is not a country with considerable military potential, which of course could be purchased with revenue from gas sales, but still it will not be easy to do," he said.

    He added that the announcement could also have been made in order to show Turkmenistan's determination to defend its interests against the backdrop of ongoing negotiations on the legal status of the Caspian Sea between the five littoral states - Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan.

    "The issue of the Caspian Sea delimitation is still undecided... with each country being afraid that the talks will not end in its favor, and Turkmenistan is particularly afraid of this as it views Kazakhstan, Iran, Azerbaijan and Russia with suspicion," Lukyanov said, adding that the plan to open the naval base could be "a symbolic move to show that Turkmenistan will be protecting its interests on the Caspian Sea."

    The status of the oil- and gas-rich inland sea has been a source of disagreement between Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

    The countries have yet to agree on how to divide the seabed. The Caspian's oil and gas reserves, believed to be the world's third largest, have also been a source of rivalry between Russia, Iran and the West.



    http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2009/08/mil-090831-rianovosti06.htm
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    Post  Russian Patriot Wed Sep 02, 2009 11:18 pm

    Azerbaijan Opposes Turkmen Plans For Naval Base

    September 01, 2009

    BAKU -- Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry has expressed support for the "demilitarization" of the Caspian Sea and said it disagrees with Turkmenistan's announcement on August 31 of its plan to build a naval base, according to reports by RFE/RL's Azerbaijani and Turkmen services.

    A spokesman for the ministry, Elkhan Polukhov, said Azerbaijan is a "supporter of disarmament, not armament."

    Unveiling the base plans, Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov said the facility would be built at the Caspian port city of Turkmenbashi. He said the naval base was necessary to protect "economic activity" in the Caspian and "to protect the Turkmen people's peaceful life from International terrorist groups."

    Turkmenistan recently rekindled a simmering feud with Azerbaijan over the ownership of three oil and gas fields in the middle of the Caspian Sea.

    Turkmenistan has accused Azerbaijan of unilateral efforts to develop the fields and threatened to take Baku to international arbitration court.


    Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/Azerbaijan_Opposes_Turkmen_Plans_For_Naval_Base/1812322.html
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    Post  Admin Sat Sep 05, 2009 5:16 pm

    Turkmenistan strengthen its armed forces in the Caspian Sea
    02.09.2009

    Turkmenistan intends to increase military presence in the Caspian Sea: the coast will be a permanent base of the Navy, and Turkmenistan will receive a new fleet of boats. According to experts, thus Ashgabat seeks to strengthen its position in the dispute with Azerbaijan concerning the origin of rich oil and gas deposits on the bottom of the Caspian Sea.

    The need to strengthen their position at sea was announced by Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov at the meeting of the State Security Council. Head of state pledged to create on the Caspian coast a permanent base of the Ministry of Defense and Border Guard

    Not specifying, however, the timing and exact location of the object, he also said that the Border Service of Turkmenistan to purchase new patrol boats, and for the fleet will be purchased "two modern ships armed with missiles." At the same time in the waters of the Caspian Sea naval forces of Turkmenistan intend to regularly conduct exercises

    Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov did not indicate potential adversaries Ashgabat on the sea. But explained that "it is necessary to effectively combat the smugglers, terrorists and any other forces which will attempt to violate the state maritime border in Turkmenistan, or they create an unstable environment"

    Recently Berdimuhamedov has accused Azerbaijan of exploitation of disputed fields in the Caspian Sea and promised that his country would defend its rights in the International Court of Arbitration. According to official Ashgabat, Turkmenistan is to qualify for deposit "Serdar", "Osman" and "Omar" (in Azeri version - stations, respectively Kyapaz Azeri and Chirag fields), while the Baku stated its readiness to consider only on the joint exploitation "Serdar". In the remaining fields in Azerbaijan Turkmenistan advised "to abandon frivolous claims." Most experts believe that even if the case goes to court, the chances of a favorable verdict for Ashgabat appear minimal

    Question of the division of the Caspian Sea between the riparian countries still remains open. Russia, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan had agreed on their positions and have no claims against each other. However, Turkmenistan and Iran are not yet able to find acceptable for themselves and their neighbors option. The next attempt to settle claims between Ashgabat and Baku will be made on September 13 in Aktau, where the leaders of Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, once again discussed the problems of the Caspian status and cooperation in the region

    The current controversy surrounding the Caspian Sea remains one of the main obstacles to the participation of Ashgabat in the Nabucco project, which involves construction of a gas pipeline under the Caspian Sea from Turkmenistan to Azerbaijan.

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    Central Asian Republics Militaries: News Empty Uzbekistan Armed Forces

    Post  Austin Sat Dec 29, 2012 10:33 am

    Uzbekistan’s Special Task Forces

    Vyacheslav Tseluyko

    Moscow Defense Brief

    Unlike most other post-Soviet countries, the Central Asian states do not believe in openness where national security is concerned. Uzbekistan, however, is ultra-secretive about these matters even by the region’s standards. All details pertaining to national security are banned from publication in the country. The cases where they reach the public domain are few and far between, although snippets of information are sometimes leaked by senior politicians and generals. No wonder, then, that little is known about the country’s secret services, and about its special task forces in particular. Collating and cross-referencing the details available in the public domain produces only a very approximate picture.

    Unlike the other four Central Asian republics, Uzbekistan inherited large and capable special task forces from the former Soviet Union. Their most significant component was the HQ of the 15th Independent GRU Spetsnaz Brigade in Chirchik, near Tashkent. The brigade had a lot of combat experience during the War in Afghanistan, where four of its battalions protected the eastern Afghan border. It is important to note, however, that back at the time most of the soldiers and officers serving with the brigade were ethnic Slavs. As of May 15, 1988, out of its 2,482 servicemen some 1,066 (43 per cent) were ethnic Ukrainians, 984 (40 per cent) Russians, 94 (4 per cent) Belarusians, and only 231 (less than 10 per cent) Uzbeks.1 After the pullout of Soviet forces from Afghanistan, the HQ of the 15th Brigade and its 154th Battalion (a.k.a. the Jalalabad Battalion) returned to Chirchik; the other three battalions were stationed in other Soviet republics.

    In the first years after the break-up of the Soviet Union the brigade’s units saw action during the civil war in Tajikistan. They fought for the People’s Front, which had the backing of Russia and Uzbekistan. In late 1994 the brigade was officially transferred to the command of the Uzbek MoD. In the early 1990s many of its servicemen, especially officers, were ethnic Slavs. (When the Uzbek armed forces were officially formed, only 6 per cent of their officers were ethnic Uzbeks, although the proportion had risen to 85 per cent by 2000). The Uzbek government’s policy was to build a predominantly mono-ethnic army dominated by ethnic Uzbeks. In addition, Tashkent has always been suspicious of Russia’s intentions. It doubted the loyalties of the highly trained special task force brigade, with its high percentage of Russian officers. That is why the government pursued a strategy of gradually replacing the Slavs serving in the brigade by ethnic Uzbeks; it also changed the specialization of the brigade by designating it as an airborne assault unit.

    It would therefore be a mistake to view the existing special forces of the Uzbek army as direct descendants of the former 15th Brigade of the Spetsnaz. Even the brigade’s 154th Independent Special Task Force Battalion, which became a separate 28th Independent Special Task Force Battalion of the Uzbek Armed Forces (or an independent reconnaissance battalion, according to other sources) was disbanded in 2000.2 That is why the existing Uzbek special task force battalions do not trace their lineage directly to the Soviet Spetsnaz. They are more of a national Uzbek product; in addition, several NATO countries had a significant involvement in the making of that product.

    Apart from the 15th Brigade, Uzbekistan also inherited the Soviet 459th Independent Special Task Force Company. Also known as the Kabul Company, it was one of the first Soviet special task force units to be deployed in Afghanistan. After the Soviet pullout from that country the company was stationed in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, and later became the core of an Uzbek special task force battalion. Another asset inherited by the Uzbeks from the Soviet Union was the 467th Spetsnaz Traning Regiment in Chirchik, which trained special task force fighters for service in Afghanistan. The availability of an established training facility meant that Uzbekistan was far better equipped than the other Central Asian republics to train its special task forces. However, the actual base of the Soviet Spetsnaz training regiment was used to host the airborne assault brigade (the successor the Soviet 15th Brigade), while the airborne brigade’s base was used as a counterterrorism training center.

    Although the Uzbek authorities were suspicious of the former Soviet GRU Spetsnaz units, they seemed to have a lot more confidence in the National Security Service (SNB), the Uzbek successor of the KGB. In addition to taking over all human intelligence operations (except for military intelligence, which remains the Army’s remit), the SNB has also formed its own special task force units. The main of these units is the Burgut special task force brigade.3 In addition, each of the country’s provinces has its own regional SNB Spetsnaz battalion. The SNB also has the Kobra and Chayon reconnaissance-and-search battalions.

    As for the Interior Ministry’s special task forces, they were never numerous to begin with, and in recent years they have been cut even further. The most drastic round of cuts came in 2009, when the government disbanded the Bars special battalion, which was involved in suppressing the unrest in Andijan. Prior to that it had disbanded another Interior Ministry unit, Yo’lbars. As a result, the ministry has no special task force units of its own, with the exception of special-purpose mobile police squads, the Uzbek equivalent of the Russian OMON. The decision to disband the special task force units controlled by the Interior Ministry (and some of the Army units) was a result of a power struggle between these two agencies and the SNB, in which the SNB came out on top. However, after the Interior Ministry took control over the National Guard, it set up the Qalqon reconnaissance-and-search battalion. The battalion, which is part of the National Guard, was also involved in the Andijan events.

    The structure of the Uzbek armed forces has a number of significant differences from the old Soviet template. They do not have squads, companies or regiments. What they have instead is combat groups, platoons, battalions, brigades and military districts.4 The Uzbek combat group is bigger than a squad; its size is similar to that of the old special task force groups of the Soviet Army. An Uzbek platoon is the size of a Soviet Spetsnaz company. Uzbek special task force battalions are much smaller than their Western equivalents or the “reinforced” Soviet Spetsnaz battalions which were deployed in Afghanistan.

    The main threat to Uzbekistan’s national security is posed by the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), which is a powerful terrorist organization. The training programs of the republic’s special task force units therefore have a clear focus on counterinsurgency.

    This is amply demonstrated by the recent joint exercises. The scenario of a joint Russian-Uzbek training event held at the Forish training grounds in Uzbekistan’s Central Military District in 2005 involved an operation against a “rebel base” in a village high in the mountains. The base was first surrounded by Russian and Uzbek Spetsnaz units, and then attacked by Uzbek alpine snipers.5 The scenario of the Combat Brotherhood exercise in 2006, held in Russia’s North Caucasus Military District, involved an operation by Russian and Uzbek special task forces to blockade “rebels” in a village. Fighters of a Uzbek counterterrorism unit then took the village by storm, and prevented trucks carrying reinforcements from joining the main rebel strength.6

    These scenarios, as well as the scenarios of other national or multinational exercises in which Uzbek forces take part7, are closely modeled on real events that took place during fighting with IMU rebels in 1999-2000 and during the two Russian campaigns in Chechnya. It is worth noting, however, that these exercises tend to ignore the possibility of the rebels changing their tactics in view of the new lessons leant in Libya and Syria.

    The Uzbek special task force units which took part in these and other joint training events were quite small, up to 200 people. That is equivalent to two reinforced platoons or an incomplete battalion.

    There has been some speculation about the possibility of the Uzbek special task forces being used in a conventional war. But Uzbekistan’s most likely adversary, Tajikistan, is too weak militarily to mount an energetic offensive. On the other hand, Tajikistan’s membership of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the presence of Russia’s 201st Military Base on the country’s territory substantially reduce the likelihood of a direct attack by Uzbekistan. As a result, the two countries are far more likely to fight by proxy, i.e. by supporting armed rebels operating in each other’s territory — which is something they have already done in the past. This is why it makes sense for Uzbekistan to focus on developing the counter-insurgency capability of its special task forces.

    In the past, IMU rebels have repeatedly tried to reach densely populated parts of Uzbekistan via the country’s mountainous areas. This is why mountain training is one of the key parts of the Uzbek special forces’ training programs. The facility used for these purposes is the Forish armed forces training base near Hayatbashi Mountain, on the northern slopes of the Nuratau ridge. The base has a computerized simulator complex, a firing range, a mountain obstacle course, a “spy trail”, and a psychological resilience course.8 The latter deserves to be described in a bit more detail. “It consists of an underground bunker with five separate rooms, with an entry hatch and an exit hatch,” the Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper wrote in 2005. “The main purpose of this facility is to give personnel the necessary skills and training in conducting special operations indoors, where they have to overcome various obstacles. The fighters are given a limited amount of time to reach the exit; they have to do it in utter darkness, with only occasional flashes of gunfire and explosions lighting up their way. The rooms are filled with obstacles such as crates, rocks, and razor wire. Part of the course is a labyrinth. Some sections of the floor unexpectedly collapse by 20 to 50 centimeters. The trainees are surprised by ‘rebels’ with assault rifles or by ‘hostages’ suddenly emerging from the dark. The atmosphere is augmented by the blaring of sirens, screams, shouts and cries of the ‘hostages’. The fighters are armed with special AK-74 rifles which fire a laser beam instead of bullets every time the trigger is pressed. The targets are equipped with sensors; each hit is registered on the display on the central computer operated by the staff of the facility.” 9

    Special task force fighters are also trained at the former base of the Soviet 15th Spetsnaz Brigade, which is now being used as a counterterrorism training facility.

    As part of the overall emphasis on mountain training of the Uzbek special task forces, in 2005 the Tashkent Higher Armed Forces Command School set up a separate Mountain Training Department.10

    The standards of mountain training of the Uzbek special task forces are fairly high. Fighters of the Burgut SNB special task force division came 7th in a mountain triathlon competition in Russia in 2010, beating several Russian mountain units.11

    The Uzbek Spetsnaz units are also given a lot of training in urban warfare. That is entirely justified, given that the country has several big cities and a high proportion of its population is urban. Besides, recent experience has demonstrated that conflicts are increasingly being fought in urban environments. The importance of proper training in this area was underscored by the 2005 unrest in Andijan, in which several special task force units operated by various Uzbek defense and security agencies were involved, including the Army special task force battalion of the Eastern Military District.

    The areas where the rebels are active (Fergana Valley, parts of the Tashkent Region, Surkhandarya Region, etc) are quite remote, and separated from the central parts of the country by natural barriers, including mountain ridges, rivers, and irrigation channels. Bringing special task forces to these areas by trucks can be very time-consuming, so these forces rely on airlift capability — especially helicopters — for rapid deployment. Most of the Uzbek helicopter fleet is old Soviet hardware, so it needs timely repairs and maintenance; new helicopters are needed as well. Given sufficient time, Uzbekistan is capable of deploying a fairly large special task force strength. When tensions rose on the Afghan border as IMU rebels were preparing to invade Uzbekistan in August 2000 in the Babatag ridge area, two special task force battalions were deployed. It is worth remembering, however, that each of these battalions is actually no more than the size of a reinforced company.

    Another thing to take into account is that so far, all the large clashes between the Uzbek forces and IMU rebels (in Kyrgyzstan’s Batken District, and around the Babatag and Kuramin ridges) took place in the mountains, where the rebels were on foot and could not move very quickly. That meant that the Uzbek forces had enough time to intercept them. In addition, these areas are close to large bases of the Uzbek army (in Fergana, Termez, and Tashkent), as well as the bases of special task force units of the MoD, the Interior Ministry and the SNB, mobile army units, and Interior Troops. Such a situation meant that ensuring rapid deployment capability for the special task force battalions was not quite as pressing as it would have been otherwise.

    Each of the Uzbek special task force battalions can form up to nine reconnaissance-and-search groups. That is less than the corresponding figure for the Soviet Spetsnaz battalions. In fact, the battalions which were part of the 15th and 22nd Spetsnaz brigades in Afghanistan each had 12 reinforced reconnaissance groups.

    The Uzbek special task force battalions’ limited reconnaissance capability, combined with the large territory they need to protect, as well as the difficult terrain, call for use of additional reconnaissance and search instruments. UAVs in particular would help a lot.

    The Uzbek government is aiming gradually to replace the conscripts in the armed forced with professional soldiers. It has reduced the term of conscription service from 18 months to 12. It has also introduced more stringent selection of conscripts. Half of the servicemen in the Uzbek armed forces are now professionals serving under contract. The special task force battalions are manned only by professionals. It is safe to assume that most of them are former conscripts who served in the paratrooper and airborne assault units, as well as in military reconnaissance.

    In addition to efforts to raise the professional level of the rank and file soldiers, Uzbekistan is also trying to establish a professional NCO corps, modeled on Western equivalents. To that end the government has established NCO schools at every military district. The length of the training course at these schools has been increased from the initial five months to nine.12

    One of the problems faced by the Uzbek special task forces is nepotism, with senior officers hiring members of their extended families to positions for which they are patently unsuitable. In the most egregious cases, some of the people on the payroll draw their salaries without ever showing up for work.13

    Events in Andijan in 2005 have shown that fighters of the Uzbek special task force units, including the special task force battalion of the Eastern Military District, are very loyal to the regime. These units also demonstrated relatively high morale — compared at least with their Kyrgyz counterparts — during clashes with armed rebels in 2000. But the scale of the fighting was small, the losses sustained by the Uzbek forces were not large, and the opponents they have faced so far were relatively weak. It is not clear, therefore, whether that high level of morale can be sustained if the Uzbek special task forces ever face a more formidable adversary capable of inflicting heavier losses.

    The weaponry used by the Uzbek Spetsnaz is overwhelmingly Soviet and Russian hardware. There are several explanations for this. To begin with, the Uzbek army has inherited a lot of Soviet hardware, as well as Soviet standards and military traditions. Another factor is that military-and-technical cooperation between Uzbekistan and NATO countries was frozen after the violent suppression of unrest in Andijan. Finally, Western weapons tend to be more expensive.

    In the first half of the 2000s Uzbekistan began to receive Russian small arms, including assault rifles, sniper rifles, and hand-held machine guns.14 Nevertheless, the Uzbek special task forces are not very-well armed compared with their Russian counterparts (i.e. special units of the FSB and the Interior Ministry), who have the latest Western and Russian-made sniper rifles, assault rifles and pistols. The difference has been very obvious during joint exercises and competitions in which the two countries’ forces were involved. The performance of the Uzbek teams during those events has also been described as "middling".15

    Clashes with rebels in August 2000 have demonstrated the importance of mobility in mountainous terrain. To that end the Uzbek special task forces are actively using helicopters. To bolster their firepower, they also rely on the ZU-23 23mm AA guns and mortars. During the unrest in Andijan they used BTR-80 APCs, trucks, and Land Rover Defender vehicles received from NATO countries as aid.

    Western allies have also helped to equip the Uzbek special task forces with modern communication and navigation instruments, thermal imagers, and other advanced technology. Relations between the United States and Uzbekistan have improved in recent years, and the unofficial ban on selling non-lethal weaponry to that country has been lifted. It is therefore reasonable to expect that the Uzbek special task forces will receive more Western hardware, including some of the NATO transport vehicles being pulled out out Afghanistan.

    To summarize, the following conclusions can be made:

       Uzbekistan has formidable special task forces. Most of them are controlled by the MoD and the National Security Service, the SNB.

       Efforts to make these forces more capable are being hampered by rivalry between the various Uzbek defense and security agencies. Another problem, which affects personnel policy in particular, is nepotism.

       The main objective of the Uzbek special task forces is to fight armed rebels based in the country itself and in neighboring states. The training programs of these forces therefore place heavy emphasis on counterinsurgency operations in mountainous terrain and in urban environments.

       Compared with their counterparts in the other former Soviet states, the training standards of the Uzbek special task forces are middling.

       These forces are armed mostly with Soviet and Russian-made weaponry, although they have some Western gear as well.

    On the whole, the capability of the Uzbek special task forces seems adequate to the challenges currently facing them. But in the event of a mass uprising (such as the one in Libya or Syria), the numerical strength and mobility of the these forces and of the MoD/Interior Ministry mobile units could well prove insufficient to nip such an uprising in the bud (as happened in Andijan in 2005) or to fight a large-scale civil war.

    1. The birthplace of the Chirchik Spetsnaz. History of the 15th Independent Special Task Force Brigade of the GRU. Edited by O.V. Krivolapov. — Dnipropetrovsk — 2007. — P.572.

    2. 154th Special Task Force Battalion. Reference. http://154stoder.ru/history.html.

    3. http://www.skc-fmba.ru/press/news/2010/05/73/.

    4. Islam Karimov. We will fight in a new way. Interview with the Uzbek President, by Yuriy Chernogayev. Kommersant newspaper, May 26, 2000. http://kommersant.ru/doc/148935.

    Interview with Uzbek Defense Minister Kabul Berdiev, by Mikhail Sevastyanov. Natsionalnaya Oborona journal, 2011. http://www.oborona.ru/includes/periodics/geopolitics/2011/0516/21276148/print.shtml.

    5. Roman Stershnev. Forish — tested by battle. Krasnaya Zvesda newspaper. September 24, 2005. http://old.redstar.ru/2005/09/24_09/1_01.html.

    Roman Stershnev. Alma Mater in Forish. Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper. September 29, 2005. http://old.redstar.ru/2005/09/29_09/n.html.

    6. Oleg Gorupay, Aleksandr Khrolenko, Vladimir Yevdomashkin. Military brotherhood of Moscow and Tashkent. Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper, September 22, 2006. http://old.redstar.ru/2006/09/22_09/1_02.html.

    7. Aleksey Matveyev. Military exercises as a weapon against dissidents. Gazeta SNG. http://www.centrasia.ru/newsA.php?st=1058993700.

    8. Andrey Korbut. Forish for Spetsnaz. Voyenno-promyshlennyy kuryer newspaper. September 28, 2005. http://80.251.128.199/articles/2591

    Roman Stershnev. Alma Mater in Forish. Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper. September 29, 2005. http://old.redstar.ru/2005/09/29_09/n.html.

    9. Ibid.

    10. The mountains choose the strongest. Uzbekistan Today. January 17, 2007. http://www.ut.uz/rus/obshestvo/gori_vibirayut_silneyshix.mgr.

    11. Sergey Shibayev. Mountain triathlon: Closing the subject. http://www.risk.ru/users/ssh/12842/.

    12. Andrey Teshayev. Uzbekistan’s armed forces guarantee the country’s peace and security. Uzbekistan Today. January 15, 2009. http://www.ut.uz/rus/obshestvo/voorujennie_sili_uzbekistana_garant_mirnoy_i_bezopasnoy_jizni_strani.mgr.

    13. Shomurod Ismoilov. Criminal clans in Uzbek secret services. September 13, 2004. http://www.centrasia.ru/newsA.php?st=1095045180.

    14. Bilateral military cooperation between Russia and Uzbekistan. December 29, 2008. http://easttime.ru/analitic/3/8/550p.html.

    15. Aleksandr Tikhonov. Alfa’s victory shots. Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper. July 1, 2009. http://old.redstar.ru/2009/07/01_07/1_11.html.
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    Post  George1 Thu Apr 09, 2015 7:37 am

    Uzbek, Russian military reportedly help protect Turkmen-Afghan border

    ASHGABAT (TCA) — Uzbek border guards and Russian military specialists have appeared on Turkmenistan’s border with Afghanistan, while more Turkmen troops have been moved to the border, the Chronicles of Turkmenistan independent website reports.

    On March 18 Turkmen media reported about a telephone conversation between the presidents of Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, after which residents of Afghan villages along the border with Turkmenistan have reported the presence of Uzbek border guards on the Turkmen side of the border.

    Russian military instructors were first seen on the Turkmen side of the border about a month ago. The Chronicles of Turkmenistan suggested that Turkmen authorities had asked Russia to assist in the protection of the uneasy border with Afghanistan.

    Some time between March 5 and 7, Turkmen troops were moved from eastern Turkmenistan to the village of Tagtabazar near the border with Afghanistan. Most of those troops are conscripts who have served for more than 1.5 years.

    RFE/RL’s Turkmen Service has been reporting for many months about the deteriorating situation in northern Afghanistan, just across the border with Turkmenistan.

    RFE/RL’s Gandhara website has also been reporting about the increasingly lawless areas just south of Turkmenistan’s frontier.

    In some of the areas adjacent to Turkmenistan it appears militant groups hold as much, and possibly more, territory than the Afghan government can claim to have under its control.

    The commander of a local paramilitary force in the Qaysar district of Afghanistan’s Faryab Province told RFE/RL that the village of Shakh in Jowzjan has fallen to “Taliban and Daesh (Islamic State)” militants. He claimed these militants have such control over the village that they are able to collect taxes from shopkeepers there.

    Afghan government officials have confirmed an IS presence in the country and Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov on March 5 warned about IS militants in Afghanistan.
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    Post  George1 Mon Jun 22, 2015 4:15 am

    Uzbekistan buys planes C295W

    Central Asian Republics Militaries: News 2228911_original

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    Post  franco Sun Jul 05, 2015 12:41 pm

    An overview of the Military Capabilities of the 5 Central Asian Republics;
    https://russiamil.wordpress.com/2015/06/28/central-asian-military-capabilities/
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    Post  Guest Sun Oct 25, 2015 11:22 am

    "The U.S. government has refused to allow Korea to export its indigenous supersonic training jets worth $400 million to Uzbekistan, sources said Sunday. The denial of permission is another blow to Korea's program to develop its own military aircraft and comes at a sensitive time when the U.S. government's refusal to hand over key avionics technologies regarding F-35 fighters to Korea has become a political issue between the two nations.

    Korea Aerospace Industries' (KAI) T-50 Golden Eagle was co-developed in 2006 with Lockheed Martin, using the U.S. firm's core technologies, including the avionics system and engine. Because of this, Korea needs to get approval from the U.S. government to export the aircraft in accordance with the U.S. Arms Export Control Act. "KAI has been in negotiations with the Uzbek government to export the supersonic trainers, but the U.S. government is opposing the deal, citing possible technology leakage and diplomatic policy," a source said. The U.S. refusal comes at a sensitive time when the Korea's weapons procurement agency has drawn fire for failing to receive key avionics technologies KAI seeks to sell 12 T-50s worth $400 million (454 billion won). In addition, the U.S. also expressed concerns that Uzbekistan's procurement of the T-50s may ratchet up tensions with neighboring countries, the source said.
    Central Asian Republics Militaries: News 151025_p01_T50

    The military believes that the U.S. opposition is due to Uzbekistan's membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) that some say has emerged as an anti-U.S. bulwark in Central Asia. The SCO's other members are China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan. "As Uzbekistan has close ties with Russia, the U.S. is worried that an export of T-50s to Uzbekistan may lead to its technologies being transferred to Russia," said a military official. U.S.-Russia ties are at their lowest ebb in decades since Moscow's annexation of the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine in March 2014. The U.S. opposition is a major blow to Korea, which has made all-out efforts to strike the contract with the Central Asian country.

    President Park Geun-hye and Uzbek President Islam Karimov reportedly discussed the issue during their summit at Cheong Wa Dae in May. In April, Defense Minister Han Min-koo and his Uzbek counterpart Kabul Berdiev signed the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on promoting bilateral partnerships and Berdiev piloted the FA-50 simulator. The FA-50 is a light attack variant of the T-50 that has been exported to Iraq, the Philippines and Thailand. KAI also exported 16 TA-50s, another T-50 variant, to Indonesia."


    Source: https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2015/10/116_189398.html
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    Post  George1 Fri Feb 12, 2016 11:43 pm

    Russia gave to Kyrgyzstan 20 BTR-70M

    http://bmpd.livejournal.com/1735461.html
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    Post  George1 Thu Mar 31, 2016 6:23 pm

    The first shots of the Chinese air defense system FD-2000 Turkmenistan?

    In Turkmenistan, at large-scale military exercises, and in my opinion they lit the Chinese SAM FD2000 (export version of the HQ-9), rumors about possible deliveries appeared at the beginning of last year. Unfortunately launcher does not been showed completely, but it can be seen that the outline of the actual RIC and starting somewhat different from those in C-300, note that TPK seems to have not a round shape, and with the faces (and such TPK appeared on the latest version of the FD-2000 as I remember, before they too were round), also different number and arrangement of the annular bulges at the WPK. Besides, Turkmenistan has not been previously S-300.

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    http://bmpd.livejournal.com/1822084.html

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    Post  George1 Wed May 18, 2016 10:28 pm

    FUzbekistan Air Force received the last, fourth ordered twin-engine turboprop military transport aircraft C295W constructed by group Airbus.

    Central Asian Republics Militaries: News 3128547_original

    http://bmpd.livejournal.com/1908629.html
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    Post  George1 Mon Aug 22, 2016 1:02 pm

    Modernized BTR-70 for Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan

    Central Asian Republics Militaries: News 3442331_original

    http://bmpd.livejournal.com/2080152.html
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    Post  George1 Thu Sep 01, 2016 8:38 pm

    Military Parade in Kyrgyzstan

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    Post  George1 Sat Oct 29, 2016 11:19 am

    Military parade in Turkmenistan with a lot of weapons purchased from China.

    Latest export version of SAM HQ-9 (FD-2000) and HQ-12 (KS-1A), they have bought FM-90 air defense missile system, that is acquired in the Chinese complete set of SAM small, medium and large range. Also bought multipurpose drones WJ-600 and CH-3A, station tropospheric TS-504 radar YLC-2V and YLC-18, etc. True Turkmenistan usually buys small quantities of weapons.



    http://bmpd.livejournal.com/2214698.html
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    Post  George1 Sat Jan 28, 2017 9:50 pm

    Some info in Central Asian states air forces (except Kazakhstan)

    Uzbekistan


    It should be noted that at the official level, all information about the status of the Uzbek armed forces completely closed. Data that can be obtained from various sources, often contradictory. For example, the news agency Sputnik referring to the report of the Expert Global Firepower, argues that the Army of Uzbekistan takes 54th place in the world in terms of combat capability (Kazakhstan - on the 66th, Belarus - to 78-m, and Tajikistan - 81 th places, respectively). Spending on the military-industrial complex of Uzbekistan in 2015, totaled $ 2.4 billion. The structure of the Air Force consists of 69 fighters, 89 attack planes different groups with fixed wing, 49 transport, 65 normal and 25 combat helicopters and other equipment.

    The legacy of the Soviet era the country has got a huge fleet of combat aircraft, and even the biggest in the Union of the Tashkent aircraft plant. But in the future vagaries of the country's leadership, which resulted in periodic curls up cooperation with the Russian Federation, where the aircraft manufacturers, the Uzbek Air Combat seriously squandered their potential. Today, the country's Air Force consists of four aircraft crews, helicopters and military transport crews, helicopter detachment and Aviation School. For air defense troops seconded 7 Su-27 fighters. On the arms are:

    Su-17 M3 / Su-17UM3 (3rd generation fighter-bomber). All defective.
    Su-24 / Su-24MP (bomber, 1 regiment - from 11 to 23 boards).
    Su-25 / Su-25BM (attack, 20 boards). Status unknown.
    MiG-29 / MiG-29UB (multi-role fighter, more than 30 boards, 18 of them in storage).
    Su-27 / Su-27UB (multi-role fighter, 24 sides, including more than 11 in storage).
    AN-12 / AN-12PP (transport aircraft, 26 boards). Status unknown.
    An-24 (transport aircraft, 1 side).
    AN-26 / AN-26KP (transport aircraft, electronic reconnaissance aircraft, 13 boards).
    Tu-134A (transport aircraft, 1 side).
    L-39 (training and combat aircraft, light attack aircraft, 14 boards).
    Mi-6 / Mi-6AH (transport helicopter, 28 boards). Status unknown.
    Mi-8 (multi-purpose helicopter, 52 boards). Status unknown.
    Mi-22 (air command post 2 side). Status unknown.
    Mi-24 (attack helicopter, 29 boards). Status unknown.
    Mi-171 (transport-combat helicopter). Number unknown.
    AS322 Super Puma (French transport helicopter, 8 boards).
    AS350 (French light helicopter, 8 boards).

    It was also reported that the Uzbek BBC purchased several new military transport aircraft C-295W, of Airbus Military production.
    Judging by the fact that the military-transport planes and helicopters are purchased in foreign countries, most of the Soviet fleet of cars in Uzbekistan is in a state unfit to fly. It can be assumed that the main fleet of combat aircraft and helicopters of Soviet productionis  in the same state, although the Uzbek military try to support and extend the resource available means. This suggests that the Uzbek authorities are not willing to tolerate such a situation and re-launched a program similar to the Kazakh.

    According to Sputnik, the country does not leave attempts to reduce its dependence on Russian arms. In particular, there is supposedly a contract with South Korea for the delivery of 12 training aircraft supersonic T-50 Golden Eagle, worth $ 400 million. From China has purchased drones UAV Chengdu Pterodactyl. Obviously, this fact stimulated Kazakhstan on purchase of four similar devices, which are now based in Taraz.

    The experts say that Russia in the foreseeable future, still remain the main supplier of weapons to Uzbekistan. On any contracts with the Russian side for Uzbekistan, of course, are not reported. For example, in the country there are helicopters Mi-171, which became known after the crash of a military sides of this class in the Ferghana region October 18, 2016-year. The disaster claimed the lives of nine Uzbek military. The main air bases are located in Chirchik city, Karshi, Tashkent, Nukus, Jizzakh, Kagan, Andijan, Termez, Navoi.


    Kyrgyzstan

    Here the situation is most depressing. Τhe country, most of whose territory is located in the mountains, having serious external threats, but still prone to constant internal conflicts, combat aircraft is necessary. But in Kyrgyzstan, it is practically not.

    MiG-21 (fighter 21 side). This machine is hopelessly outdated.
    An-26 (transport aircraft, 2 side).
    L-39 (training and combat aircraft, 4 boards). Status unknown.
    Mi-24 (attack helicopter, two sides).
    Mi-8 (multi-purpose helicopter, 8 boards).

    All the equipment is part of the Air Defense Forces and assigned to the air base "Frunze-1" (Bishkek).

    The only hope for the country's defense against aggression or terrorist attack from the outside in such a situation remains in the CSTO partners, first of all - Russia. In Kyrgyzstan is 999th Russian military air base deployed to the airfield in Kant, 20 kilometers east of Bishkek. Permanent staff of the air base on different data is up to 250 officers and 150 conscripts. On the basis of deployed, attack aircraft Su-25, primary trainer L-39 and Mi-8 transport helicopters. The main task of the air group - the control of the airspace in the region and, if necessary, strikes against terrorist groups.

    The potential of this object is huge. If necessary, Russia can throw any equipment here aerospace forces. Earlier it was reported on the expansion of the base, repair strips and construction of additional infrastructure. According to some sources, today, Kant is able to take interceptors and MiG-31 strategic missile carriers from the long-range aviation, as well as any types of fighters and bombers. Recently Kyrgyz leadership stated that it is not interested in extending the contract with Russia for the rental object after the end of his term.


    Tajikistan

    Tajik Air has no combat aircraft. The protection of the country's air space carried by the Russian Air Force.

    Mi-8 / Mi-17 (multi-purpose helicopter, 11 boards).
    Mi-24 (attack helicopter, 4 boards).

    The Russian air group of permanent deployment consists of five Su-25 (I-670 air squadron, Ayni airfield). Also at the Aini airfield deployed 303rd separate helicopter squadron (four Mi-24 and Mi-Cool. Wing is a member of the 201st military base. We can assume that, as in the situation with Kyrgyzstan, Russia is able to quickly transfer the necessary amount to Tajikistan shock of air assets.

    http://bmpd.livejournal.com/2400592.html
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    Post  George1 Fri Feb 24, 2017 6:21 am

    American company is offering for sale Uzbek air-force planes

    The American company Redfish Trading Company (incorporated in a private house in San Antonio, Texas), has for some time struggled on the field offers for sale of military equipment and weapons of Soviet manufacture, on his page on www.facebook.com put up for sale a number of former Soviet military aircraft.

    It is proposed for sale with an "immediate delivery" seven MiG-29 fighters, five Su-27, a Su-25 and 22 Su-17 fighter-bombers. We are talking about the presence of Air Force planes from Uzbekistan.

    http://bmpd.livejournal.com/2453741.html
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    Post  George1 Thu Jun 01, 2017 11:30 pm

    The event in honor of the 25th anniversary of the armed forces of Kyrgyzstan took place in Bishkek

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    Post  George1 Thu Jun 29, 2017 11:56 pm

    "Dashtan" torpedo plant in Kyrgyzstan

    http://bmpd.livejournal.com/2696031.html
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    Post  d_taddei2 Tue Jul 11, 2017 10:49 am

    When I Was In Kyrgyzstan I Went Swimming In Lake issyk kul it's crystal clear waters I was told by the locals that torpedoes use to be tested there anyone know if this could be linked or true
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    Post  flamming_python Thu Jul 13, 2017 12:03 am

    d_taddei2 wrote:When I Was In Kyrgyzstan I Went Swimming In Lake issyk kul it's crystal clear waters I was told by the locals that torpedoes use to be tested there anyone know if this could be linked or true

    Quite true.

    In fact I was under the impression that it is still used.

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