Kazakh Ground Forces

The Kazakh Ground Forces is the army service branch of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Kazakh Ground Forces
Қазақстан Республикасы Қарулы Күштерінің Құрлық
Qazaqstan Respýblıkasy Qarýly Kúshteriniń Qurlyq
Сухопутных войск Республики Казахстан
Shoulder Patch of the Kazakh Ground Forces
Active9 April 1993 - present
Country Kazakhstan
Branch Armed Forces of Kazakhstan
TypeGround Force
Size20,000
Part of Ministry of Defense of Kazakhstan
Directorate of the Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces44 Victory Avenue, Nur-Sultan
Nickname(s)Kazakh Army
Anniversaries7 May
EngagementsTajikistani Civil War
Iraq War
Commanders
Supreme Commander-in-chiefKassym-Jomart Tokayev
Chief of the General StaffMajor General Murat Bektanov
Commander of the Ground ForcesMarat Khusainov[1]

History

The Kazakh Army was founded on April 9, 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.[2] The Kazakh Army was made up of the Soviet 32nd Army, which had been serving in the KSSR (Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic) for many years before it came under Kazakh government control in May 1992.[3]

Tasks

The main tasks of the Ground Forces include:[4]

  • Maintaining the readiness of troops to repel aggression.
  • Armed defense of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
  • Protection and defense of state and military facilities.
  • Defense of the state border by land and air.
  • Peacekeeping missions.

Structure

Regional Commands
Regional Commands of Kazakhstan

Currently, the ground forces include four regional commands:[5]

  • Regional Command "Astana" (HQ Karaganda)
  • Regional Command "East" (HQ Semey)
  • Regional Command "West" (HQ Atyrau)
  • Regional Command "South" (HQ Taraz)

Each of the commands have the following general composition:[6]

  • One mechanized division (comprising three tank regiments and one artillery regiment)
  • One motor rifle division (comprising one tank brigade, two motor rifle regiments, and one artillery regiment)
  • One training center with two motor rifle regiments
  • One motor rifle training regiment
  • One tank training regiment
  • One artillery regiment
  • Three independent motor rifle brigades
  • Two artillery brigades
  • One engineer brigade

These commands were all established in 2003.[7]

Training

Military Institute
Cadets of the military institute on Red Square during a 2015 Victory Day parade in Moscow
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.[8]

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:

  • Training Center for the Ground Forces named after Karasai Batyr – Jambyl Region[9]
  • Training Center for Combat Training of Junior Specialists and the Reserve of the Ground Forces – Spassk, Karaganda[10]
  • Training Center of the Missile Forces and Artillery – Priozersk, Karaganda

Equipment
An Otokar Cobra
Name Origin Type In service Notes
Armored fighting vehicle
T-72KZ Shigiz  Russia,  Kazakhstan Main battle tank 650[11]
GAZ Tigr  Russia Infantry mobility vehicle 21[12]
BMPT-72 Terminator  Soviet Union Tank Destroyer 10[12]
BTR-80  Soviet Union Amphibious APC 110[12] 44 are the 82A variant
BTR-3  Ukraine APC 2[13]
BPM-97  Russia APC, MRAP 18[12]
Otokar Cobra  Turkey Infantry mobility vehicle 17+[12] Manufactured locally with license[14]
Arlan  South Africa,  Kazakhstan APC, MRAP 90[12] Ordered by the Kazakh military in 2013 as a result of an agreement between Kazakhstan Engineering and Paramount Group[15]
Humvee  USA Armored car 40[12]

See also

References
  1. Токаев назначил главнокомандующего сухопутными войсками - новости Казахстана
  2. "Shield of the State · Publications · "Kazakhstan History" portal". e-history.kz.
  3. ir.kz. "Сухопутные войска". www.mod.gov.kz.
  4. https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/centralasia/kazak-army.htm
  5. Most specific unit information, including military unit numbers, locations, etc. is sourced from Vad777, Kazakh Ground Forces Archived March 24, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, accessed February 2010
  6. https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/centralasia/kazak-regional.htm
  7. "Вооруженные силы РК - Структура - Министерство обороны Республики Казахстан (МО РК)". www.mod.gov.kz.
  9. "Легендарная стрелковая дивизия отметила 75-летний юбилей". www.sarbaz.kz. Archived from the original on 2019-01-16. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
  10. "В Спасске Карагандинской области открыт учебный центр боевой подготовки младших специалистов и резерва Вооруженных сил РК". www.inform.kz. Retrieved 2019-01-16.
  11. International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) (9 February 2016). "Modernising military capabilities; familiar security challenges". Military Balance. Routledge. 116: 185–186. doi:10.1080/04597222.2016.1127558.
  12. Trade Registers. Armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved on 2017-12-18.
  14. Kazakhstan Signs Contract With Turkish Company Otokar To Produce Locally Cobra
  15. "Paramount opens vehicle factory in Kazakhstan". defenceWeb. 1 December 2015.
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