Kazakh Naval Forces

The Kazakh Naval Forces (Kazakh: Қазақстан Республикасы әскери-теңіз күштері, Russian: Военно-морские силы Казахстана) is the naval warfare branch of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The navy mainly operates on the Caspian Sea and is currently based in the coastal city of Aktau. The maritime branch currently has a strength of 3,000 personnel and is mainly equipped with fourteen inshore patrol craft.

History
Kazakhstan’s Naval Forces were originally established in April 1993 as a naval base of the Kazakh Army. The base, which was stationed in Aktau, initially became active in service on August 17, 1996 in spite of Kazakhstan being one of the largest landlocked countries on earth. In July 1999, the naval base became part of the Maritime units of the Border Guard Service of the National Security Committee of Kazakhstan. It became a separate military branch by presidential decree on 7 May 2003. In February 2010, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, in his position as supreme commander in chief of the entire military, presented the Battle Flag to the Kazakh navy. The 612th Airbase in Aktau was opened a year later, in 2011.

Structure
The following units form the structure of the Kazakh navy:


 * Naval Headquarters
 * Naval Infantry
 * Special Forces Troops
 * Marine Brigade
 * Coastal artillery
 * Caspian flotilla
 * Border Service of the KNB
 * 1st Naval Division (Bautino)
 * 2nd Naval Division (Bautino)
 * 3rd Naval Division (Atyrau)
 * Aktau Naval Institute (closed in 2011)