Kazakhstan Air Defense Force

Kazakhstan Air Defense Force
Active 1992-Present
Country Kazakhstan
Type Air force
Role Defence
Garrison/HQ Astana, Almaty
Colors Yellow, Red

The Kazakhstan Air Defense Force (Kazakh: Áue qurǵanysy kúshteri / Әуе қорғанысы күштері) is the air force of Kazakhstan. It mainly operates ex-Soviet fighters and helicopters.[1]

History

At the time of the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the 24th Fighter-Bomber Aviation Division with three aviation regiments and three separate regiments was stationed in Kazakhstan.[2] By late 1993 the Kazakhstan Air Force comprised a total of six regiments, with a further air defence fighter regiment. The 11th Division included the 129th Fighter-Bomber Regiment based at Taldy Kurgan, with MiG-27 'Flogger' aircraft and the 134th Fighter-Bomber Regiment at Zhangiztobe with MiG-27s. There was also the 149th Bomber Regiment at Zhetigen/Nikolayevka, with Sukhoi Su-24 'Fencers'. Independent elements comprised the 715th Fighter Regiment at Lugovaya Air Base, with MiG-29s and MiG-23 'Floggers'; the 39th Reconnaissance Regiment at Balkhash, with MiG-25RBs and Su-24MR 'Fencer' aircraft, and the 486th Helicopter Regiment based at Usharal with Mi-24 'Hind'. The sole air defence fighter aviation regiment was the 356th Fighter Aviation Regiment at Semipalatinsk with MiG-31 air defence fighters. The Air Force was under the command of Major General Aliy Petrovich Volkov.

Air Force 12,000 (incl Air Defence) 1 air force division. Pilots fly approximately 100 hours per year.

Today the Kazakh Air and Air Defence Force has four fast jet bases:[3]

Inventory

Current inventory

A Kazakhstan Sukhoi Su-27
A Kazakhstan Su-25
Antonov An-72 of Kazakh Air Force
A Kazakhstan CASA C-295
Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Combat Aircraft
MiG-23 Soviet Union fighter 3[4]
MiG-27 Soviet Union fighter bomber 12[4]
MiG-29 Russia multirole 25[4]
MIG-31 Russia Interceptor aircraft 25 [5]
Sukhoi Su-25 Soviet Union CAS 14[4]
Sukhoi Su-30 Russia multirole Su-30SM 8 23 on order[4]
Transport
Tupolev Tu-154 Russia VIP Tu-154M 1[4]
Antonov An-12 Ukraine heavy transport 1[4]
Antonov An-26 Ukraine transport 5[4]
Antonov An-72 Ukraine heavy transport 1[4] STOL capable aircraft
CASA C-295 Spain transport C-295M 8 all 8 planes delivered for 2018 [4]
Helicopters
Mil Mi-17 Russia utility Mi-8/17 50[4]
Mil Mi-24 Russia attack Mi-35 18 4 on order[4]
Mil Mi-26 Russia heavy lift / transport 4 4 on order[4]
Eurocopter EC145 Germany utility 12[4] assembled in Kazakhstan
Trainer Aircraft
Aero L-39 Czech Republic jet trainer 17[4]
Yak-130 Russia advanced trainer 4 on order[4]
unmanned aerial vehicle
CAIG Wing Loong People's Republic of China MALE UCAV 4 Four exported in 2016 [6]

Retired inventory

Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Combat Aircraft
Mikoyan-Gurevich Mig-25 Soviet Union Interceptor Mig-25RB 9 Acquired from Soviet Union during independence
Sukhoi Su-24 Soviet Union Attack Su-24MR 1
Tupolev Tu-160 Russia Bomber 2 Scrapped with funds by the USA

Future purchases

On 28 Oct 2010, two strategic agreements signed today establish the framework for Eurocopter’s creation of a 50/50 joint venture with Kazakhstan Engineering Kazakhstan to assemble EC145 helicopters, along with the sale of 45 of these locally assembled aircraft for government missions in the country.[7] On 28 November 2011, Eurocopter delivered the first of six EC145s ordered to date by the Kazakh Ministries of Defence and Emergencies.[8] Deliveries are to continue through 2017.

On 3 January 2012, Airbus Military signed a firm contract with Kazspetsexport, a state company belonging to the Ministry of Defence of Kazakhstan, to supply two EADS CASA C-295 military transport aircraft plus the related service support package for spare parts and ground support equipment. Additionally, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been signed for a further six C295 aircraft, for which separate firm contracts will be signed progressively over the next few years. The first two aircraft will be delivered by April 2013 and for the remaining six aircraft a delivery schedule will be defined over the following years. This purchase likely represents a quid pro quo. In 2008, EADS made titanium sourcing agreements with Kazakh suppliers.[9]

In May 2012, Kazakhstan signed a letter of intent to acquire 20 Eurocopter EC725 helicopters. They were to be assembled in Astana by Kazakhstan Engineering.[10] These Eurocoptors will be fitted with modern systems made by the Turkish firm Aselsan.

References

  1. ↑ "Kazakhstan Air and Air Defense Forces • Қазақстанның Қарулы күштері / XAIRFORCES". xairforces.net. Retrieved 2018-06-07. C1 control character in |title= at position 39 (help)
  2. ↑ 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
  3. ↑ Vad777, Brinkster.net, July 2010
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 "World Air Forces 2018". Flightglobal Insight. 2018. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
  5. ↑ "World Air Forces 2017". Flightglobal Insight. 2017. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
  6. ↑ Fischer Junior, Richard. "Kazakhstan purchases two Chinese Wing-Loong UCAVs" (7 June 2016). IHS Jane's 360. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  7. ↑ "HeliHub Kazakhstan buys 45 EC145s and signs production JV with Eurocopter". Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  8. ↑ "HeliHub First of six EC145s deliverd to Kazakhstan". Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  9. ↑ Defense Industry Daily, EADS-Signs-its-Own-Titanium-Deal-with-Kazakhstan
  10. ↑ "Airbus Group". airbusgroup. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
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