Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic

The Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic, originally formed from former Soviet forces of the Turkestan Military District stationed in the newly independent state, includes the Army, the Air Force, Air Defence Forces, the Northern and Southern Groups of Forces, Interior Troops, Agency of National Security and Border Troops.

For much of the Soviet period, since 1967, the 8th Guards 'Panfilov' Motor Rifle Division was the main military force in the country, and the division was only disbanded in January 2003. In 1967 the division had been moved to Bishkek from the Baltic Military District, where it had previously been based.

In terms of foreign presence, the U.S.-led Operation Enduring Freedom coalition used the Manas Air Base (Bishkek's international airport) until June 2014. In response, Russia set up the 999th Air Base at Kant to counter the American military presence in the Former Soviet state. Moscow is believed to have promised Bishkek $1.1 billion for modernising its army. Agreements to this effect were reached during the visits to Bishkek by Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov in August and President Vladimir Putin in September 2012.

Kyrgyzstan hosted Second Military Sports Games of CIS in 2017 in Balykchy town. The games included various competition in shooting, fighting, etc.

Army
The Army of Kyrgyzstan includes the 1st Motor Rifle Brigade (Mountain) at Osh, a brigade at Koy-Tash, in the Bishkek area, the 25th Special Forces Brigade, independent battalions at Karakol and Naryn, a brigade at Balykchi, and other units.

Two Groups of Forces, the Southern, and more recently the Northern, have been active during Kyrgyzstan's history. In 2004, the Northern Group of Forces was reported as consisting of the Balykchynsky brigade, the brigade deployed in suburb of Bishkek, separate battalions in Karakol and Naryn, and other army units.

Equipment
Excluding the M120 mortar, all army equipment are Soviet or Russian in origin.

Tanks

 * T-72 - 150

AIFV / APC

 * BTR-60 - 53
 * BTR-70 - 25
 * BTR-80 - 10
 * BMP-1 - 230
 * BMP-2 - 90
 * BRDM-2 - 30

Artillery
Towed
 * 100mm field gun BS-3 - 18
 * 100mm antitank gun T-12 - 18
 * 122mm howitzer D-30 - 72
 * 122mm howitzer M-30 - 35
 * 152mm howitzer D-1 - 16

Self-Propelled
 * 2S9 Anona - 12
 * 2S1 - 18

Towed Mortars
 * 2S12 Sani - 6
 * M120 - 48

Multiple Rocket Launchers
 * BM-21 "Grad" - 15
 * BM-27 Uragan - 6

Light equipment

 * Makarov PM pistol
 * TT-33 pistol
 * PP-2000 submachine gun (elite units only)
 * AK-47 assault rifle
 * AKM assault rifle
 * AK-74 assault rifle
 * AK-101 assault rifle (elite units only)
 * AN-94 assault rifle (elite units only)
 * AKS-74U carbine
 * AS Val suppressed assault rifle (elite units only)
 * SKS carbine
 * RPK light machine gun
 * PKM general purpose machine gun
 * PKP Pecheneg general purpose machine gun (elite units only)
 * NSV heavy machine gun
 * DShK heavy machine gun
 * Dragunov SVD sniper rifle
 * VSS Vintorez suppressed sniper rifle (elite units only)
 * OSV-96 anti-material sniper rifle (elite units only)
 * RPG-7 rocket launcher
 * GP-25 grenade launcher
 * AGS-17 automatic grenade launcher
 * SPG-9 recoilless rifle

Subordinated to the Ministry of Defence

 * 25th Special Force Brigade Scorpion. This brigade was formed in 1994. It began as the 525th Special Company, and now Scorpion is the best brigade in the country. Soldiers of this brigade use modern weapons and equipment.
 * "Ilbirs" brigade. Ilbirs means Tiger in the Kyrgyz language. It was formed in April 1999. At that period it was the 24th Special Forces Battalion.

National Guard Special Forces

 * The National Guard of Kyrgyzstan has an Airborne Battalion, Panther.
 * Bars (Барс) and Edelweiss units.

Agency of National Security

 * Alfa is an anti-terrorist unit. Almost all former Soviet countries' National Security Agencies have special teams called "Alfa". "Alfa" is a top-secret unit; there is no information available about it.

Ministry of the Interior

 * "SOBR" (СОБР) is a special team, similar to the American SWAT teams. SOBR also exists in Russia and many other post-Soviet countries.

In August 2010, the Kyrgyz MOD received 45 Ford Ranger pickups and 44 Polaris quads from the U.S. Embassy’s Office of Military Cooperation to increase the mobility of Kyrgyz counterterrorism units, particularly in mountainous regions.

Air Force
Kyrgyzstan's air arm was inherited from the central Soviet air force training school. This presented the nation a fleet of nearly 70 L-39s, dismantled MiG-21’s and several Mi-8’s and Mi-24’s. However, only a few L-39s and the helicopters are capable of flight. All Kyrgyz military aircraft are reportedly based at Kant, alongside the Russian 999th Air Base. Because of expense and military doctrine, Kyrgyzstan has not developed its air capability; a large number of the MiG-21 interceptors that it borrowed from Russia were returned in 1993, although a number of former Soviet air bases remain available. In 1996 about 100 decommissioned MiG-21s remained in Kyrgyzstan, as of 2017 only 29 MiG-21s are in working order, in service along with ninety-six L-39 trainers and sixty-five helicopters. The air defence forces have received aid from Russia, which has sent military advisory units to establish a defence system. The Russians also help patrol Kyrgyz airspace as part of the  Joint CIS Air Defence System Presently Kyrgyzstan has twenty-six SA-2 and SA-3 surface-to-air missiles in its air defence arsenal. In 2002 the Kyrgyzstan government allowed the United States to use Manas air base for support operations in the War on terror. This agreement lasted till June 2014.



Air defence

 * SA-2, SA-3 - 20
 * SA-4 - 12
 * SA-7
 * ZSU-23-4SP - 24
 * S-60 - 24

Military Education

 * Kyrgyz State National Military Lyceum
 * Military Institute of the Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic
 * Center for Advanced Training of Officers

References and links

 * CIA World Factbook, 2003 edition.
 * IISS Military Balance, 2007 edition