Summon Features
In 2015, the number of conscripts will be 29 thousand people, which will fully cover the needs of the Kazakh army for conscripts. The total number of conscripts in the armed forces is gradually decreasing and amounts to 35%, according to data for the previous year. Evasion from military service, according to the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan, has always been and is a crime and is punishable by a large fine and a term of imprisonment.
Hazing relationships
Hazing in the army of Kazakhstan is a topic for a separate discussion. It should be noted that in recent years, thanks to the joint work of the prosecutor’s office, the command of the armed forces, as well as educational authorities, there has been a positive trend in the army to reduce the number of cases of hazing, and cases of suicide and self-harm by conscripts have practically disappeared. Thus, it can be argued that the army of Kazakhstan, in which hazing still persists, has chosen the right vector of counteracting such behavior of old-timers towards new recruits. It should be mentioned that such a phenomenon as hazing is an inevitable cost of the conscription system for recruiting the armed forces of any state.
Conclusion
To summarize, it should be added that the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan are quite a serious force within the Central Asian region. Kazakhstan, of course, does not claim a leading role, but the attention paid to the army and its development allows the republic to provide a high level of defense capability, as well as participate in the international fight against terrorism and in peacekeeping missions, which is an important part of international cooperation in the field of defense.
Here is what the former commander of the Royal Navy, Rear Admiral Ratmir Komratov, says about this: “Kazakhstan at that time officially refused to divide the fleet, relying on the fact that Russia would protect our interests in the Caspian Sea.” But very soon the development of oil fields began at sea. There was an urgent need to create our own fleet to protect the country's national interests. On April 2, 1993, President Nursultan Nazarbayev signed a decree “On the creation of the Naval Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan.”
With the next division of the Caspian flotilla, the republic received 18 units. But there was nowhere to base them: the Guryev (Atyrau) port was unsuitable due to shallow waters, the Shevchenkovsky (Aktau) port was poorly equipped. Winters 1993-1994 and 1994-1995. The already quite worn-out ships had to spend time on external roadsteads, working out the service life of their mechanisms by breaking ice and maintaining the vital functions of the main ship systems.
At the same time, US Vice President Al Gore promised to donate to Kazakhstan six Point-class patrol boats decommissioned from the US Coast Guard. The first and, it seems, the only one of them reached the place in July 1994, but the physically and morally outdated boat did not represent any serious force.
In January 1996, an agreement was reached between the Ministries of Defense of Russia and Kazakhstan to transfer 5 vessels to the republic for the development of Coast Guard forces (CGF). As a result, by October 1996, the ROK Navy included 9 armored personnel carrier boats (two of its own, the rest received from the USA and Germany) and nine helicopters (Mi-8, Mi-2). The main base of the Republic of Kazakhstan Navy was located in the port of Aktau (Shevchenko). The work on creating the Kazakh fleet was led by captains 1st rank Pyotr Redkov and Vladimir Rashchupkin.
In October 1997, an agreement was reached on the supply of 2 minesweepers and 2 patrol boats from Russia to pay off the “Baikonur debt”.
But, as you know, the fleet is an expensive and troublesome business. The Republic clearly did not have enough funds for its maintenance and training of personnel. That is why on November 17, 1997, President Nursultan Nazarbayev issued a decree on the disbandment of the Navy as a branch of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The boats and vessels that remained afloat, along with their crews, were handed over to the maritime border guards - the Coast Guard.
But the dream of having our own fleet did not die. To train personnel, the Higher Naval School of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Kazakhstan began operating in Aktau in 2001. It is designed for the simultaneous training of 180 cadets (by Decree of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan No. 684 of July 10, 2003, the school was renamed the Naval Institute).
The intention to re-create the national Navy was justified on February 17, 2003 by the then Minister of Defense of the Republic M. Altynbaev. He stated the need to “ensure the security of oil-bearing areas in the Caspian Sea, where large foreign investments have been made, by monitoring the air, surface and underwater space.” Soon followed by Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated May 7, 2003 No. 1085 “On measures to further improve the structure of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan.” It instructed the government of the republic to “ensure the formation of the command and control bodies of the Naval Forces and the creation of the necessary infrastructure of the Naval Forces in accordance with the state program of military construction in the Republic of Kazakhstan for the period until 2005.” At the same time, the concept for the development of the Navy was developed. The fleet included marines, coastal artillery and the Caspian flotilla.
But for now, the functions of the fleet were performed by the Coast Guard. The composition of the BCHR turned out to be very varied. The main forces were represented by patrol boats of projects 1400M "Grif" and 1408 "Saiga" of Soviet construction, Ukrainian type "Kalkan", American type Dauntless with a displacement of 11 tons, very middle-aged German type 369 and Turkish type Turk. On May 18, 2005, a solemn ceremony of the official transfer of three American 42-foot Defender boats built to Safe Boat International took place in Aktau.
The construction of our own ships has begun in the Republic of Kazakhstan. By the government decree “On the shipbuilding program of the Republic of Kazakhstan” dated July 19, 1993, the Ural plant “Zenith” was designated as the lead builder of boats and ships. The first government order received under this decree was the patrol boat “Sunkar” - the Kazakh version of the Project 14081M “Saiga” boat on an air cavity with a water-jet propulsion. It is designed to carry out patrol service on rivers, lakes and coastal areas of the seas with waves up to three points. Its total displacement is 13 tons, length – 13.5 m, width – 3.5 m, speed – 70 km/h, crew – 2 people, passenger capacity – up to 8 people. In total, Zenit built 3 boats of this type.
Boats of the "Burkit" ("Berkut") type - a slightly revised Project 1400M - were also serially built at this plant. Displacement - about 40 tons, length - 23 m, cruising range - 450 miles, speed - about 29 knots. Zenit also supplied maritime border guards with boats of the Sapsan type with a displacement of 7 tons of its own design 110 and Sapsan-M with a displacement of 14 tons. In 2009, successful tests of the border interceptor boat FS-19 took place, which showed a speed of more than 100 km/h .
The next step was the creation of the Sardar, a boat with a displacement of 240 tons (according to the national classification, a 2nd rank border patrol ship). Its design was carried out by the St. Petersburg Northern Design Bureau, and construction was carried out by the Zenit plant. It is equipped with quite serious artillery and machine gun weapons. The coast guard of the republic received three ships of this type, which was a notable achievement of the Kazakh shipbuilders. The Republic of Kazakhstan has become the third country in the Caspian region, after Russia and Iran, capable of building warships at national shipyards.
The second enterprise engaged in assembling boats for the Kazakh BCHR is the Gidropribor Research Institute from Uralsk. He built 16 boats of Project 110 “Sapsan”, and then boats of the “Chagall” (“Chaika”) type. They are designed for operation both on rivers and lakes, and in coastal areas of the Caspian Sea.
It should be noted that the Zenit plant and the Gidropribor Research Institute are part of the National Company Kazakhstan Engineering JSC, which unites the most advanced enterprises in the engineering industry of the republic. This allows them to interact closely.
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Yoon Young-ha class missile boat. |
The beginning of the history of the modern Navy of the Republic of Kazakhstan can be considered May 30, 2006, when a detachment of three patrol ships transferred by the Republic of Korea to the Naval Forces of Kazakhstan arrived at the port of Aktau under the command of Captain 1st Rank Zhandarbek Zhanzakov. These are Sea Dolphin type patrol boats with a total displacement of 150 tons, a speed of 37 knots and a cruising range of 600 miles at 20 knots. Their armament consists of 40- and 20-mm automatic artillery mounts and heavy machine guns. They were given the names “Shapshan” (“Fast”), “Batyr” (“Brave”) and “Izet” (“Fearless”).
The modern one also includes the hydrographic vessel “Zhaiyk”, built for the Kazakh Navy at the Astrakhan shipyard in 2008. Its length is more than 31 m, its width is 7 m. The crew consists of eight sailors. The vessel is designed to study the topography of the seabed and currents of the Caspian Sea. Thanks to him, the safety of navigation in the Kazakh sector of the Caspian Sea is ensured not only for military vessels, but also for commercial vessels. “Zhaiyk” is equipped with a hydrological laboratory and other modern equipment, a crane and has satellite radio communications.
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Much attention is paid in the republic to the training and selection of personnel. Navy leaders have a sterling track record. Thus, Rear Admiral Ratmir Komratov, who headed the Republic’s Navy for several years, is a graduate of the Sevastopol Higher Naval Engineering School and the Naval Academy in Leningrad, he is a former submarine officer. The current commander, Captain 1st Rank Zhandarbek Zhanzakov, graduated from the Pacific Higher Naval School named after. S.O. Makarov in Vladivostok, then served on nuclear submarines of the Pacific Fleet, from 1995 - in the Armed Forces of Kazakhstan, and was chief of staff of the Navy. The naval forces are staffed exclusively by contract soldiers. In addition to the Naval Institute in Aktau, personnel are trained or their qualifications are improved in naval institutes, colleges and academies of Russia, the USA, Germany, Turkey, Pakistan, India and South Korea.
The leaders of the republic, the Ministry of Defense and the Navy themselves, of course, understand that the first steps have so far been taken to protect the country’s interests in the Caspian Sea. In April 2008, a tender was held for the development of design estimates for the construction of naval facilities in Aktau. An agreement was reached on the training of Kazakhstani naval special forces personnel on the basis of the reconnaissance and sabotage center of the Azerbaijani Navy. At the Zenit plant, the first missile and artillery boat is being prepared for laying.
There are also plans to purchase ships abroad. Recently, reports appeared in the media about the intention to purchase Yoon Young-ha (PKX-A) class missile boats from South Korea with a displacement of 570 tons and a 40-knot speed. Of course, these ships deserve attention, because according to their characteristics, at least as stated, they are among the best in their class. However, these boats are still “raw”. Suffice it to say that Yoon Young-ha was launched in June 2007, and was introduced into the South Korean Navy only in December last year. That is, it took qualified South Korean shipbuilders two and a half years to fine-tune it. It is unlikely that PKX-A are cheap ships, since they are full of modern equipment and weapons. In addition, these equipment and weapons are often of American origin, which creates additional obstacles when concluding a deal. Thus, American LM500 gas turbines are installed on Yoon Young-ha type boats. 700K Sea Star anti-ship missiles are a licensed version of the American Harpoon anti-ship missiles. Many elements of the combat control system also come from the USA. It is known that Washington is showing special attention to Astana, but this does not mean that it is ready to encourage the supply of modern weapons to Kazakhstan, which are subject to export regulation laws. Selling or even donating a Reliance-class patrol ship, which has served in the US Coast Guard for more than 40 years, is fine, but delivering a modern warship is unlikely. Suffice it to recall that during the modernization of Sea Dolphin-type patrol boats in South Korea, they were somewhat simplified by dismantling the most advanced systems, including American ones.
Be that as it may, the ROK Navy is experiencing a stage of qualitative growth and renewal. And this is natural. After all, Kazakhstan has the longest sea border in the Caspian Sea. And she needs to be protected.
The Navy of Kazakhstan is a branch of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan (AF RK), which guards and protects the state border, territorial integrity and sovereignty of our country in the waters of the Caspian Sea. All information about the successes of the Kazakh military fleet, plans for further development, equipment, training of military sailors and much more is collected here.
- 24.12.2018
- 1315
Military sailors practice course tasks
In the Navy, ship crews practice course tasks on organizing a ship and preparing it for battle and voyage as part of groups and commands. Naval sailors carry out measures to ensure that the ship is ready to perform tasks in accordance with its purpose, to develop documents regulating the maintenance of the ship, operation weapons and technical equipment, as well as the organization of ship, special, duty and watch services. With the beginning of the new academic year in the Naval...
- 31.10.2018
- 1709
The military delegation of Kazakhstan took part in the International Exhibition and Conference of Naval Equipment and Weapons
Under the leadership of the Commander-in-Chief of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Captain 1st Rank Saken Bekzhanov, the military delegation of Kazakhstan took part in the 26th International Exhibition and Conference of Naval Equipment and Weapons “Euronaval-2018”. During the event, the French side organized a number of presentations on the topics “Joint Interservice Military Operations”, “Area of Naval Operations”, “Cyber Security and Digitalization”, “Actions at Sea and Coastal Defense”. Military delegation...
- 26.10.2018
- 1765
At the helm of your life: the story of one RK Navy officer
Captain 1st Rank Ermek Bulatovich Baygabulov is a man with a strong character and a rich biography. He is one of those who stood at the origins of the formation of the Naval Forces of Kazakhstan and took a direct part in their development. Ermek Baygabulov began to seriously think about connecting his life with the Naval Forces as a child. This was influenced by the fact that he was born into a military family, in which discipline and responsibility were the main principles in raising children. At fifteen...
- 15.10.2018
- 1672
The military delegation of Kazakhstan takes part in the III International Maritime Competition
In accordance with the invitation of the Korean side, the Kazakh delegation under the leadership of the Commander-in-Chief of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Captain 1st Rank Saken Bekzhanov, participates in the III International Maritime Competitions as an observer, which are held on Jeju Island, Republic of Korea. III International Maritime Competitions are held as part of the celebration 70th anniversary of the formation of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Korea (in 1948). Korean side for...
- 19.09.2018
- 2003
Military sailors made a camping trip across the Caspian Sea
In accordance with the Combat Training Plan of the Naval Forces for 2018, a group of ships of the Naval Forces of Kazakhstan, consisting of the missile and artillery ships "Saryarka", "Oral" and "Mangystau" made a gathering trip through the waters of the Kazakh sector of the Caspian Sea. During the gathering - during the voyage, the crews of the ships conducted a series of ship combat exercises, in particular, moving away from the quay wall, sailing the ship in narrow areas near the shore, organizing a shift change while underway, determining the location of the ship, positioning the ship...
- 07.09.2018
- 1445
Increased the level of maritime skills
The Naval Forces conducted an operational-tactical exercise with the involvement of operational groups of the Air Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Regional Coast Guard Directorate of the Border Service of the National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The main purpose of the exercise was to test the level of training of personnel and the coherence of the work of the joint headquarters of the military units of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Regional Coast Guard Directorate of the Border Service of the National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan on issues of planning and managing forces at sea when they perform localization tasks...
- 24.08.2018
- 1837
The course is only forward
The past week was marked by the most important date in the history of the Navy of our country. On August 17, 1996, the naval flag of Independent Kazakhstan was raised. A significant date - it’s time to remember the main milestones in the development of this type of troops. August 17 symbolizes the birth of the combat component of the Naval Forces. Military sailors solemnly celebrate this event with a parade of ships, showing elements of combat training of personnel of formations and military units of the Navy...
- 20.08.2018
- 2875
Domestic media representatives temporarily became sailors
A thematic press tour for media representatives, initiated by the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Kazakhstan, ended in Aktau. During the trip, the Kazakh media got acquainted with the activities of the formations and military units of the Aktau garrison. As part of the press tour, a trip to the seaport was organized, where journalists were given an introductory tour of the missile and artillery ships of the Kazakh Navy. During the practical part of the press tour, media representatives together with instructors...
Astana has paid and is paying significant attention to the creation and development of national naval forces. Moreover, according to the decision made by the government of the republic in January 1994, former officers of the USSR Navy - captains 1st rank Pyotr Redkov and Vladimir Rashchupkin - helped the young state in this.
A patrol boat of one of the Soviet projects. Photo from the book “Weapons of Russia”
INHERITANCE AND GIFTS
By the way, the construction of the Navy was not carried out from scratch, since on Kazakh territory there was a certain naval infrastructure of the collapsed USSR. In particular, we are talking about the 284th division of water protection ships of the Caspian Flotilla (port of Bautino in the Tyub-Karagan Bay) and a division of special-purpose ships on the Aral Sea, which was also organizationally part of the CF. The latter was intended to support the activities of the Baikonur Cosmodrome and the research center for the development of biological weapons on Vozrozhdenie Island (the so-called Sector facility). This division included small landing ships of Project 106K (for transport), used as search vessels, torpedo boats of Project 368T, landing hovercraft of Project 1205 (possibly in a special search design for Project 1205P) and some other watercraft .The search vessels were intended to find spacecraft or their fragments that splashed down in the Aral Sea. The aviation component of this search and rescue force used Mi-14PS amphibious helicopters based at the airfield in Aralsk.
On the territory of the Kazakh SSR there were logistics and logistics facilities for the Navy (warehouses, etc.).
During the division of the Soviet Caspian flotilla, Kazakhstan, according to some information, received 18 of its small ships and auxiliary vessels - presumably all units of the Aral division and the experimental vessel OS-213 located directly in the Caspian Sea, the obsolete small torpedo boat TK-47 (apparently of Project 123K) , two patrol (according to the official classification - artillery) boats of Project 1400 (Grif type), two patrol (traveling) boats of Project 14081 (Saiga type) and auxiliary vessels Volna and Priboy. However, apparently, the indicated experimental and auxiliary vessels, as well as the torpedo boat, were not commissioned by the national Navy.
In the second half of the 1990s, the Kazakh Navy included four German coast guard patrol boats of Project 369 built in 1952–1953, six small American-built patrol boats of the Dontles type (free gifts from Germany and the USA), plus those transferred by Russia on account of the Baikonur debt" two raid minesweepers of project 1258 and two patrol boats of the "Grif" type. On August 17, 1996, in the port of Aktau (formerly Shevchenko), the commanders of the patrol boats of the Kazakh Navy were presented with the national naval flags established by decree of the country's President Nursultan Nazarbayev No. 3068 of July 18, 1996.
In addition, in 1998, Kazakhstan received several customs boats from the United Arab Emirates.
The largest foreign acquisitions of the Kazakh Navy date back to the 2000s: in 2001, they also received a Turkish patrol boat of the “Turk” type built in 1970 as gratuitous military assistance; in 2006, South Korea sold Astana for a symbolic the price of three patrol boats of the Sea Dolphin type ($100 each). Currently, it is planned to purchase Grif-class patrol boats and four Kalkan-class patrol boats from Ukraine.
In addition to the previously delivered boats, the United States, as part of the State Department's Export Control and Border Security Assistance (EXBS) program, provided three more "quick response" patrol boats built by SAFE Boats International (Port) to the maritime units of the Kazakh National Security Committee. -Orchard, Washington). The ceremony of handing over the boats took place in October 2005 in the port of Bautino.
NATIONAL SHIPBUILDING
At the same time, Kazakhstan managed to organize the construction of boats for the national Navy and maritime units of the border troops at the shipyards of the Zenit plant and the Gidropribor research institute in Uralsk - 42-ton "Burkit" type (similar to the "Grifa" type), 13-ton "Grifa" type. Sunkar" (Soviet project 14081M), 7-ton "Sapsan" type (our own project 110) and modernized 14-ton "Sapsan-M" type. In addition, at the Zenit shipyard in 2005–2006, a 240-ton patrol boat (according to the national classification - border patrol ship of the 2nd rank) "Sardar" of the Bars type was built - the lead in a series of three units, and at the Gidropribora shipyard – small border patrol boat of the “Chagala” type."Sardar" became a major success for Kazakh shipbuilders. Indeed, today only two countries in the Caspian basin (Russia and Kazakhstan) build warships and vessels on their own. Back in 1993, the Zenit plant was designated by the government decree “On the shipbuilding program of the Republic of Kazakhstan” as the parent enterprise within the framework of the national military shipbuilding program. During 1995–2004, four Burkit-type boats and two Sunkar-type boats set sail from here. Now the plant's capacity allows it to produce three to four boats per year. At Zenit they are undergoing a major overhaul; and to carry out routine repairs, the company built and handed over to the maritime border guards a special floating workshop. Soon the plant plans to begin work on the production of minesweepers.
By 2006, the shipyard of the Gidropribor Research Institute had built 16 small patrol boats.
From the Soviet defense industry, Kazakhstan inherited large enterprises specializing in the production of mine-torpedo weapons and mine defense equipment. The range of mine and torpedo weapons produced and the production capacity of these enterprises not only exceed the needs of the national Navy, but also go far beyond such needs, since Kazakhstan simply does not have carriers of many types of such weapons. Enterprises of the naval industrial complex include the aforementioned Zenit plant, the Kuibyshev machine-building plant (Petropavlovsk), the Gidromash plant and the Machine-Building Plant (Alma-Ata). The last three produce for export APR-3 aircraft anti-submarine missiles, homing anti-ship torpedoes (533 mm 53-65KE and 650 mm 65-75A), sea mines MDM-1, MDM-2, MDM-3, MTK-2, SMDM , "Langust-Pike", "Krechet", KPM (anti-landing mine), MNP-2 (sabotage mine), anti-submarine mine complex PMK-1, trawls and mine finders.
COMPOSITION AND OBJECTIVES
It should be noted that in 1997, the Kazakh Navy was completely transferred to the maritime units of the border service (“state border protection forces”) of the country’s National Security Committee. By this time, Kazakh sailors had managed to lose five Dontles-class patrol boats that sank during a storm, which apparently angered the government leadership, which had made such a radical decision. However, six years later, presidential decree No. 1085 of May 7, 2003 “On measures to further improve the structure of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan” determined that the naval forces (eskeri-tengiz kushteri) are one of the types of armed forces and include “control bodies, types of troops, special troops, rear services, military educational institutions and training units.” Thus, the eskeri-tengiz kushteri were restored as an integral part of the armed forces of Kazakhstan, and the border guards returned some of the boats to them.Nowadays, the Kazakh Navy (main headquarters in Astana), together with the naval units of the border service, numbers 3 thousand personnel and consists of divisions of ships and boats based in the ports of Aktau, Bautino, Atyrau (formerly Guryev, Ural River) and on the Aral Sea. The duration of military service in the navy is two years.
In the Caspian Sea, the Navy has approximately 10 patrol and patrol boats, two raid minesweepers and two small hydrographic boats, and in the Aral (presumably) - small landing ships and landing hovercraft. The Navy has aviation units that have 3–6 Mi-8 and six Mi-2 helicopters (probably two helicopter squadrons). Rotorcraft are located in Aktau and Atyrau. The latter is home to a Marine battalion. Another battalion of Marines may be formed or has already been formed on the coast of the Aral Sea. The Navy has a coastal defense brigade - an analogue of the army motorized rifle brigade.
The plans of the Eskeri-Tengiz Kushteri command include the construction of a main naval base in Kuryk Bay (southeast of Aktau) and a base in Fetisovo (Kazakh Gulf). The main headquarters of the Navy should be moved to Aktau. The total number of naval forces is planned to be increased to 5 thousand people. It is planned to create a sabotage and reconnaissance detachment of combat swimmers within their structure.
As part of the maritime border division (commander - Rear Admiral Kenzhemergen Abikeev) of the regional department "Batys" of the border service of the National Security Committee of Kazakhstan, there are about 20 sea and river patrol boats of various displacements. They are consolidated into the Atyrau and Aktau divisions. Border patrol boats, in addition to the ports of Atyrau and Aktau, are also based at Fort Shevchenko. Several small American-built border patrol boats are located on the Black Irtysh River (border with China).
The following military ranks have been established for the naval personnel of the Navy and maritime units of the border service of Kazakhstan: sailor, senior sailor, petty officer of the second class, petty officer of the first class, chief petty officer, petty officer of the third class, petty officer of the second class, petty officer of the first class, staff petty officer, master petty officer , lieutenant, senior lieutenant, lieutenant commander, captain 3rd rank, captain 2nd rank, captain 1st rank, rear admiral, vice admiral and admiral. The ranks of “class” petty officers, staff and master petty officers (obviously on the Western model) were introduced specifically for career naval non-commissioned officers of the contract service, the development of which system is given special attention in Kazakhstan.
To train officers of the Navy and maritime border guard, as well as command personnel of the civil fleet, a higher naval school was opened in Aktau in 2001 on the basis of vocational school No. 2 (since 2003, a naval institute). The duration of training in the specialties “navigator”, “operation and repair of ship radio equipment” and “operation and repair of ship diesel-electric and diesel power plants” is five years; graduates are awarded the military rank of “lieutenant” and given a diploma of higher professional education with the qualification “engineer”.
The Naval Institute simultaneously trains specialists with secondary vocational education in the specialties of “ship navigation and visual communications”, “ship communications” and “ship internal combustion engines and electrical equipment”. The duration of their training is two years; graduates are awarded the military rank of “sergeant major of the 2nd article” and the qualification “technician”.
NOT UP TO YOUR SHOULDER YET
In accordance with official statements of the Ministry of Defense of Kazakhstan, the country's Navy is entrusted with the following main tasks:- protection of the state border and economic interests of the country at sea (including assistance to the border service and other government agencies in the fight against poaching and the implementation of control functions);
- protection and defense of coastal waters (water areas), as well as offshore oil and gas platforms and artificial islands with oil and gas production facilities;
- combating enemy underwater sabotage forces and means;
- supporting the actions of the coastal flank of ground forces, amphibious landings, transportation of troops and cargo by sea, mine-sweeping operations;
- conducting reconnaissance and carrying out radar patrols at sea and in the coastal zone, including in the interests of the country's air defense;
- protection of maritime communications, including the convoy of oil tankers and other civilian vessels;
- navigation and hydrographic provision of navigation safety;
- implementation of maritime search and rescue operations in cooperation with the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Of the ground forces units included in the West command, we know about the 2nd motorized rifle brigade (Atyrau), an artillery brigade (Aktyubinsk - Aktobe) and a separate communications regiment (Aktau); In addition, a radio engineering brigade of the air defense forces (Air Force/Air Defense) has been deployed in the Aktau region. The West command is headed by Rear Admiral Ratmir Komratov (born in 1951), a former submarine officer, a graduate of the Sevastopol Higher Naval Engineering School and the Naval Academy (Leningrad). At the same time, he is the commander of the Kazakh Navy.
To carry out air defense of naval forces at sea, conduct maritime reconnaissance and strike surface targets (to a limited extent), Kazakhstan can use combat aircraft of its Air Force/Air Defense Forces (air defense forces), such as MiG-23, MiG-25, MiG-27 , MiG-29, MiG-31, Su-25 and Su-27. It should be noted that Kazakh military pilots are well trained, by post-Soviet standards, with an average annual flight time of up to 100 hours.
In principle, taking into account the balanced economic policy pursued by President Nursultan Nazarbayev, the presence of a powerful national military industry and the preserved (unlike other Asian republics of the former USSR) high proportion of the Slavic population, that is, highly qualified engineering and technical personnel, it can be predicted that in In the foreseeable future, Kazakhstan will try to acquire the second most important naval potential after Russia in the Caspian Sea. We should also expect replenishment of the Kazakh Navy through foreign supplies from both Russia (according to Rear Admiral Komratov) and NATO countries. According to some press reports, the United States expressed its intention to transfer to Kazakhstan a patrol ship with a displacement of about 1,000 tons. According to the author, in this case we may be talking about a small Coast Guard patrol ship of the Reliance class.
Astana intends to develop naval cooperation with Azerbaijan. During the visit of the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Kazakhstan Danial Akhmetov to Baku in October 2007, an agreement was reached on the training of Kazakhstani naval special forces personnel on the basis of the reconnaissance and sabotage center (military unit 641) of the Azerbaijani Navy. Considering that Azerbaijani combat swimmers are trained according to NATO standards and, in general, Baku is guided by the North Atlantic bloc in military development, this kind of Kazakh-Azerbaijani ties should become a definite signal for Moscow about the long-term intentions of its largest Central Asian ally...
The gray Caspian is still very, very far from absolute calm. On the world map, this is still not a sea or a lake, but a legally powerless inland body of water, fraught with many worries. And the first of them is the problem of ensuring global security of all five Caspian states: Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Iran.
The heated dispute over the legal status of the Caspian Sea has been going on for decades. There is something to fight for - a rich region. Black gold without measure, sturgeon caviar, fish, transit. Pirates have already appeared off the coast of Somalia. Civilian ships are attacked and everyone's nerves are tickled.
Vice Admiral on pain points
Heated up after a meeting with the Minister of Defense, the current one literally burst into the negotiation room and immediately, in his characteristic manner, took the bull by the horns: “We don’t have much time, so I ask you to ask substantive questions.” I agree with the admiral, why drag out?
Zhandarbek Saduevich, are you ready to meet the enemy in the Caspian Sea if something happens? Are the naval forces in full combat readiness? And the ships are in the roadstead?
Yes, the sailors are ready to defend their homeland. The question of whether steppe Kazakhstan needs a navy and powerful modern ships was resolved a long time ago, thanks to our President.
A powerful fleet is definitely needed! Otherwise, who will protect the oil rigs here and the peace of our citizens?
The significance of our border along the Caspian coastline cannot be underestimated. We are proud that we have resolved border delimitation issues with all our neighbors, but there is one issue regarding a strategically important section of 1,800 km. in the Caspian Sea is still open. And we are still very vulnerable on this side.
There is a threat of terrorist attacks in the Caspian Sea
Previously, Kazakhstan put forward a proposal to demilitarize the Caspian Sea, but it was not supported by the rest of the Caspian states. Everyone began to increase their military power by leaps and bounds, including those countries that had never had naval forces or warships. Eg, the military potential of the Turkmenistan Navy has now surpassed the navies of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.
According to Zhandarbek Zhanzakov, the threat of intensifying international terrorism, the potential possibility of committing various acts of sabotage in the Caspian Sea, ports and oil and gas facilities forces us not to hesitate, but to constantly strengthen the power of our Navy. This task is very urgent now.
It is necessary to ensure that the military has the ability to “see and hear” the Caspian Sea along its entire length, and not just in a certain and limited coastal zone.
Mister Admiral, on April 2, the naval forces of Kazakhstan turned 25 years old. Agree that this is a considerable period of time for development. What is the result? Is there anything to be proud of today?
Undoubtedly, Kazakhstan has managed to do a lot over the past quarter century. And revive the navy practically from scratch. I emphasize, from scratch! During the Soviet period, there was not a single unit of the USSR Navy on the territory of Kazakhstan.
From the collapse of the Union and its Navy, Kazakhstan received neither equipment nor documentation regulating the combat and daily activities of military sailors. Nothing.
At the initial stage, a Department of Naval Forces was created as part of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan under the leadership of Captain 1st Rank Ruslan Islamov, and in the fall of 1993, the first naval military unit was formed in Aktau, of which he was appointed commander Captain 1st Rank Ratmir Komratov. From that moment on, the formation of units and divisions of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the military presence in the Western strategic direction began. In another year The Training Center of the Navy of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan was formed in Uralsk, in which, since 1995, the training of junior naval specialists for the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Naval Units of the Border Troops of the National Security Committee began. They were trained in three specialties: helmsman - signalman, radiotelegraph operator and bilge mechanic.
In 1996, in Aktau it was possible to form the directorate of the commander of the Navy of the Republic of Kazakhstan with subordinate units: three divisions of ships and boats, a logistics base, a training center, a communications center, a special-purpose company and a hydrographic service.
At the same time, a shipbuilding program was developed and approved on the basis of domestic enterprises JSC Ural Plant Zenit and JSC Scientific Research Institute Gidropribor in Uralsk. The first boat of Project 100 “Sunkar” and the work boat of Project “Batyr” were launched and delivered to the customer in 1995. In the same year, in accordance with the Military Cooperation Plan between Kazakhstan and the United States The domestic Navy was replenished with five Boston-class boats and a Sea-Ark-class boat. Four small patrol ships with a displacement of 75 tons were delivered from Germany.
At the same time, a seal-killing vessel with a displacement of more than 400 tons was transferred from the balance of the Ministry of Marine Fisheries of Russia free of charge, which was later converted into a command ship for the Navy of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
A landmark event in the history of the creation of the Navy was the presentation in 1998 by the President of the country Nursultan Abishevich Nazarbayev of the Naval Flag to the commander of the ship of the new domestic project 200 “Astana”, Lieutenant Commander Karasaev.
Cheek brings success
There was another very noticeable event in 1999, about which sailors make up legends. They say that being a captain of the 3rd rank (major) at that time, you had to personally extract permission from Putin for the passage from Turkey to Kazakhstan of a sea hunter with a displacement of 180 tons with full weapons on board.
There was a thing. Only not from Putin personally, but from the Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation. Then we had to wait 38 days and nights in Rostov-on-Don for the release of the Russian government decree. Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin was acting prime minister at the time.
In the permitting documents, our Foreign Ministry indicated that it was just a ship coming from Turkey. The prefix “military” was not listed anywhere.
Therefore, when customs officers in Rostov saw cannons and machine guns on board the sea hunter, they were literally shocked.
Here, as Zhandarbek Zhanzakov frankly told Caravan, the adventures to one place began.
There were no traces of cell phones like there are now. I practically lived at the meeting point, and my the crew of 23 people obediently waited on the ship, studying the equipment without wasting time. And when, at the cost of incredible efforts (smiles) I got the telephone number of the reception room of the Minister of Transport and got through to his secretary, then immediately blurted out that I was a captain of the 3rd rank from Kazakhstan and I needed an urgent conversation with the head of the department. It’s funny to think about it now, but at that time there was no other choice.
- Cheek brings success.
That's it. The firm commanding voice and the title of the position - captain of the 3rd rank, probably had such a magical effect on the girl that she instantly connected me with her boss. And the matter was resolved. We made the transition from the Turkish port of Geljuk to the port of Aktau through the Marmara, Black, Azov and Caspian seas. We crossed the Bosphorus and Kerch straits, the Don and Volga rivers, the Tsimlyansk Reservoir, and the Volga-Don Canal. The total length of the route of passage of ships from the Sea of Marmara to the Caspian Sea was more than three thousand miles (more than 5.5 thousand km). Along the way, we eagerly learned everything and gained invaluable experience.
But when they returned home, in connection with the ongoing reforms in government structures, they were reorganized into a naval Border Division, that is, they were included in the Border Service of the National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
And I went to the operational department at the General Staff.
With the release in 2003 of the Presidential Decree on the three-service structure of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the second stage of the development and formation of the Navy began. And you returned to the fleet again and even stood at the helm of the Navy.
And that's true. Moreover, taking into account the current difficult situation in the Central Asian region and the Caspian basin in particular, on behalf of the head of state for the training of naval personnel in Aktau it was possible to form a Naval Institute.
Now I am proud that we have no problems with personnel. Perhaps this is one of the main achievements in the development of the Navy.
By the decision of the then Minister of Defense Halyk Kakarmany Army General Mukhtar Kapashevich ALTYNBAEV on the initiative Commander of the Regional Command "West" Rear Admiral Ratmir KOMRATOV The formation of units and subunits of the Navy of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan began again as part of the Regional Command “West”. A naval department was formed as part of the Commander's Office and a division of heterogeneous ships in the marine brigade. To coordinate actions, a Naval Forces department has been created in the Central Office of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
- All forces and ships are concentrated in Aktau, and you are sitting thousands of kilometers away in Astana. Comfortable?
The location of the headquarters of the Navy in the capital is, in my opinion, completely justified. It is more convenient to ensure the successful operation of the entire military fleet from here. And go into government offices in person, and solve tasks of paramount importance where necessary. I am glad that a very important program for the development of the Navy until 2030 has been adopted and is being implemented in Kazakhstan.
In this regard, we were able to increase our staff and equip military units with modern weapons and equipment, including state-of-the-art radar equipment.
For obvious reasons, I cannot disclose all the details in the open press, but the fact that thanks to the attention of the President we are constantly improving is an obvious fact. Aktau now has very good infrastructure. We have our own pier at our disposal. We don't rent it like we used to. And the issues regarding housing for personnel are being resolved positively.
Business before pleasure!
I know that in the interests of your subordinates, you defended a special daily routine for Navy personnel before the Minister of Defense. On Saturdays and Sundays, your officers and contractors spend time at home with their families.
My principle is simple: “If you’ve done the job, go for a walk!” If you carefully plan everything during the working week and keep up with your work, then there is absolutely no need to work on Saturday and Sunday. This also happens because all current sailors are fans of their craft. You can't live without it in the Navy. By the way, it is gratifying to note that our domestic shipbuilders also take their responsibilities seriously. Personally, I always advocate that the Navy should not use foreign-made ships, but its own, native ones.
This is probably why you and the current Chief of the General Staff, Murat MIKEEV, often have to argue with the leadership. It is even possible to run into conflict.
Do not argue, rather consistently defend your professional point of view. We do one thing in common - we protect the interests of the country! The Ministry of Defense, by the way, has decided to place all orders with Kazakh enterprises.
And in factories there is a constant rule: each subsequent sample must be more perfect than the previous one. Therefore, the next modernization of production lines is currently underway.
Working with domestic shipbuilders is also beneficial because they completely undertake further maintenance and repair work. This significantly increases the reliability and durability of the equipment. When government orders are in effect, machine builders receive a new impetus for the development and retention of qualified personnel. One of our tasks is to do everything possible to have every right to be proud of products with the “Made in Kazakhstan” brand.
There was a time when Iran and Azerbaijan were on the brink of conflict over the uncertain ownership of several disputed islands. After all, neither the convention on organizing the law of the sea nor the international practice of the watershed principle applies to the Caspian Sea. So it’s not far from a state of armed conflict.
The unresolved issue of the legal status of the Caspian Sea really creates the ground for disagreement and conflict. In this regard, negotiations continue between the Caspian states on the development of a convention on the legal status of the Caspian Sea, discussion of the issue of the geographical location of the modified average line and other controversial issues.
Let me remind you that when delimiting the Caspian seabed along a modified modern line, Kazakhstan accounts for more than 29.6 percent, Azerbaijan - 19.5 percent, Russia - 18.7 percent, Turkmenistan - 18.4 percent and Iran - 13.8 percent.
It is clear that Iran cannot be completely satisfied with this state of affairs. But this issue is not within the competence of the Navy. We are not politicians, we are defenders of the Fatherland!
Do pirates in the Caspian spoil your nerves? Rumor has it that recently there have been a lot of them here for some reason.
There is such a problem. Not without it. It happens that in international waters, especially desperate boats from time to time approach civilian ships and try to forcibly, at gunpoint, take away what they like. This is robbery in broad daylight.
These canoes then hide, go off in an unknown direction, and go out to rob again. That’s why we need to keep our eyes open here and do our best to prevent this pirate evil.
Interact with colleagues from the Caspian states, exchange valuable information, conduct joint exercises. Which, in principle, is what we are actively doing now.
Almaty-Aktau-Astana
