Kyrgyz Air Force
| Kyrgyz Air Force | |
|---|---|
| Кыргыз Республикасы Аскер-аба күчтөрү | |
 Kyrgyz Air Force roundel | |
| Founded | 27 July 1992 [1] |
| Country |  Kyrgyzstan |
| Type | Air force |
| Role | Aerial warfare |
| Part of | Kyrgyz Armed Forces |
| Headquarters | Bishkek |
| Anniversaries | 18 August (Aviation Day) |
| Engagements | 1999 Batken Conflict 2022 Isfara missile attacks |
| Commanders | |
| Commander-in-Chief | President Sadyr Japarov |
| Chief of the Air Force | Colonel Kylychbek Aidaraliev |
| Insignia | |
| Fin flash |  |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Helicopter | Mil Mi-8 Mil Mi-24 |
| Transport | Antonov An-26 |
The Kyrgyz Air Force (Kyrgyz: Кыргыз Республикасы Аскер-аба күчтөрү) is the official air force of the Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic. Its current commander is Colonel Kylychbek Aidaraliev.[2] The official holiday of the air forces is Aviation Day on August 18.[3]
History
[edit]The military aviation in the Kyrgyz SSR dates back to December 1991.[4] Kyrgyzstan's air arm was inherited from the central Soviet Air Force training school (now the Military Institute of the Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic). This presented the nation a fleet with several L-39s, some dismantled MiG-21s, Mi-8s and Mi-24s. However, only a few L-39s and some helicopters are capable of flight. All aircraft are reportedly based at Kant, alongside the Russian 999th Air Base.[5] 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, 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 Kyrgyz government allowed the United States to use Manas air base for support operations in the War on terror. This agreement lasted till June 2014.[6][7]
The Air Defense Forces were created by the decree of President Kurmanbek Bakiyev on July 27, 2006.[8] On its 11th anniversary in 2017, it was presented with its battle banner.[9] In August 2019, the 60th anniversary of military aviation in the nation was celebrated by the air force, holding an air parade in the Chüy Region.[10]
Structure
[edit]- Air Force HQ (Bishkek)
- 5th Guards Independent Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade (Bishkek)
- 11th Air Defense Brigade (Osh)
- 44th Independent Radio Engineering Battalion (Grigor'yevka)
- Frunze-1 Air Base (Bishkek)
- Central Command Post of the Northern Group of Forces (Bishkek)
Aircraft
[edit]Current inventory
[edit].jpg)
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Variant | In service | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transport | |||||
| Antonov An-26 | Russia | transport | 2[11] | ||
| Antonov An-2 | Soviet Union | transport | 4[11] | ||
| Helicopters | |||||
| Mi-8 | Soviet Union | utility | Mi-8MT | 3[12] | 1 to be donated[13] |
| Mil Mi-17 | Soviet Union | utility | Mi-17V-5 | 2[14] | |
| Mi-8 hip | Soviet Union | utility | 7[15] | 1 crashed in 2024[16] | |
| Mil Mi-24 | Russia | attack | Mi-24V | 2[17] | |
| Trainer aircraft | |||||
| L-39 Albatros | Czechoslovakia | Jet trainer | 4[11] | ||
| UAV | |||||
| Orlan-10 | Russia | surveillance | on order[18] | ||
Air Defence
[edit]| System | Origin | Type | Variant | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S-75 Dvina | Soviet Union | Medium-range surface-to-air missile | S-75M3 | 6[14] | |
| S-125 Neva/Pechora | Soviet Union | Short-range surface-to-air missile | S-125M1 | 8[14] |
Retired
[edit]Previous aircraft operated by the Air Force consisted of the L-39 Albatros, MiG-21, MiG-23, MiG-29, An-12 and the Tupolev Tu-134[19]
References
[edit]
- ^ "ELGEZIT Hа сайте ведутся технические работы!".
- ^ MOKRENKO, Anastasia (2017-01-25). "Kylychbek Aidaraliev appointed Commander of Air Defense Forces of Kyrgyzstan". 24.kg (in Russian). Retrieved 2017-09-15.
- ^ КАБАР, КНИА. "Bishkek celebrates the Aviation Day of the Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic". Archived from the original on 2017-09-17. Retrieved 2017-09-16.
- ^ "Кыргызстан отмечает День военной авиации".
- ^ "World Air Forces 2000 pg. 73". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
- ^ "World Air Forces 2004 pg. 70". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 4 May 2015.
- ^ Joshua Kucera. "U.S. Formally Closes Its Kyrgyzstan Air Base". Eurasianet. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
- ^ K-News (2013-07-26). "Силам воздушной обороны Кыргызстана исполнится 7лет". K-News (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-05-06.
- ^ Экономика; Политика; Общество; Президент; Парламент; Правительство; Аналитика; Covid-19; Выборы 2020. "Силы воздушной обороны ВС КР отпраздновали свое 11-летие". Информационное Агентство Кабар (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-05-06.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Кыргызстан отметил 60-летие военной авиации воздушным парадом".
- ^ a b c International Institute for Strategic Studies (February 2021). The Military Balance 2021. Routledge. p. 189. ISBN 978-1032012278.
- ^ Allport, Dave (2021-06-06). "Kyrgyz Air Force Mi-8MT crashes near Kichi-Alai". Key Publishing. Retrieved 2023-06-04.
- ^ "Russia to hand over Mi-8 helicopter to Kyrgyzstan". Kyrgyz National News Agency. 2023-06-01. Retrieved 2023-06-04.
- ^ a b c Military Balance 2024. IISS. 2024. ISBN 978-1032780047.
- ^ "The Military Balance 2023 p181".
- ^ "1 killed in Mi-8 military helicopter crash in Kyrgyzstan".
- ^ "World Air Forces 2023". Flightglobal Insight. 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
- ^ Cranny-Evans, Samuel (2021-10-25). "Kyrgyzstan to acquire Bayraktar TB2 UAVs from Turkey". Jane's. Retrieved 2021-12-26.
- ^ "Военная авиация Кыргызстана". techinformpress.ru. Retrieved 2022-06-08.
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