Armed Forces of the Republic of Uzbekistan

After the September 11, 2001 attacks, the United States leased the Karshi-Khanabad airbase in southern Uzbekistan, which borders Afghanistan. The American base there was called "Camp Stronghold Freedom," yet was more often referred to as "K2 Airbase" by the personnel in theater.

In May 2005, the military was involved in suppressing unrest in the Ferghana Valley city of Andijan, which became known as the Andijan massacre. Consequently, the EU banned arms sales and imposed a one-year visa ban on 12 senior officials, including the security chief and interior and defence ministers, accusing them of bearing responsibility for the killings.[8]

In the aftermath of the incident, President Karimov dismissed several senior military figures: Defense Minister Kadyr Gulyamov, Head of the Joint Headquarters of the Armed Forces Ismail Ergashev, and Commander of the Eastern military district Kosimali Akhmedov. Burnashev and Chernykh said that '..although these dismissals did not change the formal system of administration in the security and military structures, they reflected serious shifts in power relations among regional elites representing their clans.'[9]

A joint statement of the member countries of the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation issued in early July, 2005 on a conference in Nur-Sultan (Kazakhstan) called for a withdrawal of US troops from military bases in Central Asia. On July 29, 2005, Uzbekistan invoked a provision asking the U.S. to leave within 180 days. On November 21, 2005, the withdrawal of US troops from Karshi-Khanabad and any other bases was completed.[10]

The European Union lifted the arms sales ban in 2009.

The government has accepted the arms control obligations of the former Soviet Union, and acceded to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty as a non-nuclear state. It has also supported an active program by the U.S. Department of Defense Defense Threat Reduction Agency in western Uzbekistan (Nukus and the biological warfare test laboratory on Vozrozhdeniye Island).

Uzbek soldiers during parachute training at Fort Bragg (North Carolina) in 1997

The army includes five military districts, the Northwest at Nukus, the Southwest Special Military District at Karshi, the Central Military District at Dzhizak, and the Eastern Military District at Ferghana hui. In 2001, the Tashkent garrison was transformed into the Tashkent Military District.[11]

The headquarters of the military districts and their areas of responsibility are confirmed.

[12]

• General Staff of the Armed Forces
• Honor Guard Battalion of the Tashkent Military District
• Engineering Brigade
• Special Forces Battalion

• Training Regiment (Chirchik)
• 387th Airborne Training Regiment[13]
• 17th Air Assault Brigade at (Fergana)[12] - 5000 soldiers
• 1st Motor Rifle Brigade (Chirchik)
• 2nd Motor Rifle Brigade (Samarqand)
• 3rd Motor Rifle Brigade (Termez)
• 25th Motor Rifle Brigade (Karshi)
• 37th Motor Rifle Brigade (Andijan)[14]
• Tank Regiment (Ahangaran)

Uzbek soldiers during the Exercise Cooperative Osprey '96

Ceremonies marking the end of CENTRAZBAT '97 exercises in Chirchik.

From August to September 1997, Uzbekistan took part in the exercises of the Central Asian Battalion (CENTRASBAT) in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. as part of an eight nation joint exercise which include the United States, Russia and Ukraine.[15][16][17]

Uzbek troops participated in Partnership for Peace Exercise Cooperative Osprey '96 at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, hosted by the United States Marine Corps. They then participated as well in Exercise Cooperative Osprey '98.

In September 2004, the (then) Royal Regiment Of Wales 1RRW (now 3rd Bn The Royal Welsh) of the British Army participated with the Uzbek Army Peacekeeping Battalion in "Exercise Timurlane Express" in the Farish Mountain Training Area. This was a 3-week NATO sponsored Partnership for Peace training exercise.

Reportedly, Uzbek armed forces small arms include the AK-47, AK-74, Dragunov sniper rifle, Makarov PM pistol, and PK.

Current equipment
Name	Photo	Origin	Type	Quantity
Tanks
T-72		Soviet Union	Main battle tank	70[18]
T-64		Soviet Union	Main battle tank	100[18]
T-62		Soviet Union	Main battle tank	170[18]
T-54		Soviet Union	Main battle tank	80[18]
Infantry Fighting Vehicles
BMP-1		Soviet Union	Infantry fighting vehicle	180[18]
BMP-2		Soviet Union	Infantry fighting vehicle	270[18]
BMD-1		Soviet Union	Infantry fighting vehicle	120[18]
BMD-2		Russia	Infantry fighting vehicle	9[18]
M-ATV		United States	Infantry fighting vehicle	308[19][20]
Personnel carriers
BTR-60		Soviet Union	Armoured personnel carrier	24[18]
BTR-70		Soviet Union	Armoured personnel carrier	25[18]
BTR-80		Soviet Union	Armoured personnel carrier	210[18]
BTR-D		Soviet Union	Armoured personnel carrier	50[18]
BRM-1K		Soviet Union	Armoured personnel carrier	6[18]
BRDM-2		Soviet Union	Armoured personnel carrier	13[18]
Rocket artillery
BM-21 Grad		Soviet Union	122mm Multiple Rocket Launcher	50[18]
BM-27 Uragan		Soviet Union	220mm Multiple Rocket Launcher	48[18]
Tactical ballistic missile systems
Tochka		Soviet Union	Tactical ballistic missile	5[18]
HQ-9		China	surface-to-air missile	1[21]
Self-propelled artillery
2S1 Gvozdika		Soviet Union	122mm Self-Propelled Howitzer	18[18]
2S9 Nona		Soviet Union	Self-Propelled 120 mm Mortar	54[18]
2S5 Giatsint-S		Soviet Union	152mm Self-Propelled Howitze	17[18]
2S7 Pion		Soviet Union	203mm Self-Propelled Howitzer	48[18]

• 60th Separate Mixed Aviation Brigade (Karshi-Khanabad)(60 BAP), Su-24/Su-24MR, Su-27- (31 Su-24, 32 MiG-29, 6 Su-27, 1200 personnel.)
• Separate Mixed Aviation Brigade, Dzhizak, Su-25 - (Su-25, L-39, Mi-8, Mi-24)
• Separate Mixed Aviation Regiment, Fergana, Аn-12, 12РР, 26, 26РР
• Separate Mixed Aviation Squadron, Tashkent, Аn-24, Тu-134
• 65th Separate Helicopter Regiment Kagan, Bukhara Mi-6,8. According to the IISS Military Balance 2002- 28 Mi-6, 29 Mi-8. Former 396th Separate Helicopter Regiment, Southern Group of Forces
• 66th Separate Helicopter Regiment, Chirchiq, Mi-8/24/26 helicopters. The IISS Military Balance 2002 listed Uzbekistan with 42 Mi-24, 29 Mi-8,1 Mi-26
• 12th Anti-Aircraft Rocket Brigade
• Radio-Technical Brigade

Uzbek Air Force maintenance personnel tow an Air Force Su-24 Fencer aircraft at Karshi-Khanabad Air Base.

Uzbekistan governmental plane Boeing 767-300.

A 2012 stamp depicting a soldier taking the military oath.

The Military oath (Uzbek: Harbiy qasamyod) is taken by conscripts as a legal basis of the beginning of their military service. The oath is administered by the commanding officer of unit while a colour guard lowers the national flag for the soldier to kiss after he/she has taken the oath. The first military oath of the Armed Forces of Uzbekistan was adopted at the 10th session of the 12th convocation of the Supreme Soviet of Uzbekistan on 3 July 1992. The following is the text for the 1992 version of the oath:[29]

"I, (last name, first name, fatherland), joining the ranks of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Uzbekistan, solemnly swear allegiance to its people and the President.

I swear piously to abide by the Constitution and the laws of the Republic of Uzbekistan, to unconditionally fulfill military regulations, orders of commanders and chiefs, to strictly observe military discipline, to be honest, brave and watchful warrior.

I swear before the memory of my ancestors to be the true son of my homeland until the last breath, to withstand all the burdens and deprivations of military service, to keep state and military secrets.

I swear in the name of the bright future of my native Uzbekistan to be a worthy advocate of its state interests and independence. If I break this solemn oath, then let me be overtaken by the harsh punishment of the laws and the contempt of the people!"

With the entry of the Law "On General Military Commitment and Military Service" adopted by the Supreme Assembly in 2002, the oath was abolished and the original text was made unavailable. In April 2018, a long proposed new version of the oath was approved. The new version is as follows:[30]

"When I am in the ranks of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Uzbekistan, I swear to honor the Republic of Uzbekistan, to be loyal to my people and to the President.

I swear to honor and adhere to the Constitution and the laws of the Republic of Uzbekistan, to obey the orders of the military commanders and officers placed before me, to strictly adhere to military discipline and to be an honest, brave and vigilant serviceman.

Until the last breath, I swear in the spirit of my ancestors to be a faithful child of my Homeland, to steadfastly endure all the hardships and difficulties of the military service and to maintain the secrets of the state and the military secrets of the armed forces.

For the bright future of my dear Uzbekistan, I swear to be a worthy defender of state interests and independence.

If I ever break this solemn oath, I would be subject to the most severest punishments prescribed by law and the hatred of my people!"

These are the military holidays observed by all service personnel the Uzbek Armed Forces:

• 14 January – Defender of the Motherland Day
• 15 February – International Duties Memorial Day
• 5 April – National Security Service Day
• 9 May – Day of Remembrance and Honour
• 3rd day in August – Uzbek Air Force Day[31]
• 25 October – Police and Internal Affairs Servicemen's Day

Band of the Ministry of Defense

The armed forces maintains a number of cultural institutions that operated under the Ministry of Defense. Those institutions include the following:[32]

• State Museum of the Armed Forces of Uzbekistan – Founded in 1965 as the Museum of the Turkestan Military District, the State Museum of the Armed Forces (Uzbek: Oʻzbekiston Respublikasi Qurolli Kuchlari markaziy muzeyi) is under the direct control of the Ministry of Defense, being located in the ministry's central building since May 1975. The museum exhibits over 10,000 pieces of memorabilia, including World War II era tanks and military artifacts from the Timurid dynasty.[33][34]
• Tashkent House of Military Officers – The main building was built in 1885 and was used as a military assembly by the Imperial Russian Army before the October Revolution of 1917. In 1924, it housed the first House of the Red Army. In 1945, it became the House of Officers for the HQ Turkestan Military District. In the 1990s, after Uzbekistan gained its independence, it was renamed the Central House of Officers of the Ministry of Defense of Uzbekistan.[35] Since 2013, the original building of the Central House of Officers has been occupied by the Tashkent State Institute of Law.[36]
• Center for Spirituality and Enlightenment of the Ministry of Defense
• Central Song and Dance Ensemble of the Armed Forces
• Band of the Ministry of Defense
• Band of the Ministry of the Interior
• Band of the National Guard