The Kazakh Naval Forces (Kazakh: Қазақстан Әскери-теңіз күштері, Qazaqstan Äskeri-teñız küşterı; Russian: Военно-морские силы Казахстана) is the naval force responsible for coastal defense, naval special warfare, and 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 branch currently has a strength of 3,000 personnel and is mainly equipped with patrol crafts, minesweepers and a research vessel.
History
editPreviously, the Soviet Navy's Caspian Flotilla served in the shores of the Kazakh SSR. Following the Dissolution of the Soviet Union, the fleet shrank, leaving the Kazakh contingent to serve as a basis for the newly formed navy. Kazakhstan's Naval Forces were 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.[2][3]
Structure
editThe following units form the structure of the Kazakh Navy:[4]
Aktau Naval Academy
editThe Aktau Naval Academy of the Ministry of Defense of Kazakhstan was the main educational institution of the naval forces. It established in March 2001 by order of the national government on the basis of the Vocational Technical School No. 2. which preceded it. It was reorganized into a naval institute on July 10, 2003, effectively upgrading its status as a nationally recognized military school. Graduates of the institute have served in ships and coastal units of the Navy and maritime units of the Border Service of the National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In 2011, the institute was deactivated and liquidated.[5]
Commanders
edit- Rear Admiral Ratmir Komratov (6 November 2008 – 17 July 2009)
- Vice Admiral Zhandarbek Zhanzakov (30 September 2009 – 18 April 2018)
- Rear Admiral Saken Bekzhanov (18 April 2018 – present)
Naval equipment
edit| Vessel | Origin | Type | In service | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vessel | |||||
| Kazakhstan | Missile boat | 4[6][7] | |||
| Mangistau | Missile boat | 1 | In December 2017, the flag of the Navy was raised on the ship in Aktau. The ship was commissioned into the Navy in October.[8] In July 2018, the ship arrived in Baku to participate in the "Sea Cup - 2018" international competition.[9][10] | ||
| Sea Dolphin | Fast patrol boat | 3 | |||
| Türk | Patrol boat | 2[11] | |||
| Archangel | Patrol boat | 3 | |||
| Dauntless | Patrol boat | 1 | |||
| Lashyn | Patrol boat | 1 | |||
| OPV-62 | Patrol boat | 2[11] | |||
| Shaldag | / |
Go-fast boat | 6[11] | Assembled in Azerbaijan | |
| Project 10750E | Minesweeper | 2 | The first vessel was commissioned in 2017[12][13] | ||
| Project 01340G | Research vessel | 1 | The ship is known to be a hydrographic ship. The vessel's name is Zhaiyk[14][15] | ||
| Aircraft | |||||
| Sukhoi Su-27 | Fighter jets | 2 | |||
| Mil Mi-24 | Attack helicopters | 12 | [16] | ||
Ranks and insignia
editCommissioned officer ranks
editThe rank insignia of commissioned officers.
| Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Жоғарғы Бас қолбасшының Joğarğı Bas qolbasşınıñ |
Адмирал Admïral |
Вице-адмирал Vice-admïral |
Контр-адмирал Kontr-admïral |
Бірінші дәрежелі капитан Birinşi därejeli kapïtan |
Екінші дәрежелі капитан Ekinşi därejeli kapïtan |
Үшінші дәрежелі капитан Üşinşi därejeli kapïtan |
Капитан-лейтенант Kapïtan-leytenant |
Аға лейтенант Ağa leytenant |
Лейтенант Leytenant | |||||||||||||||
Other ranks
editThe rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.
| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Шебер-старшина Şeber-starşïna |
Штаб-старшина Ştab-starşïna |
Бірінші сыныпты старшина Birinşi sınıptı starşïna |
Eкінші сыныпты старшина Ekinşi sınıptı starşïna |
Үшінші сыныпты старшина Üşinşi sınıptı starşïna |
Бас старшина Bas starshyna |
Бірінші сатылы старшина Birinşi satılı starşïna |
Екінші сатылы старшина Ekinşi satılı starşïna |
Аға матрос Ağa matros |
Матрос Matros | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
References
edit- ^ "Капитан 1 ранга Бекжанов Сакен Мансурович".
- ^ "Military "Balance in Europe 2011"". doi:10.1080/04597222.2011.559835. S2CID 219628702.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ "Основная информация | Военно-морские силы | Вооруженные силы РК | Структура | Министерство обороны Республики Казахстан (МО РК)".
- ^ "Казахстанский военный сайт - Военно-морской флот Казахстана: ВМС МО РК и БОХР ПС КНБ РК".
- ^ "Военно-морской институт (Актау), специальности". edu.Resurs.kz. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
- ^ "Министерство обороны Республики Казахстан (МО РК)". mod.gov.kz. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
- ^ "Kazakhstan Navy Unveils Its First Ship". EurasiaNet.org. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
- ^ "На ракетно-артиллерийском корабле "Мангистау" поднят флаг ВМС ВС РК". Tengrinews.kz (in Russian). 2017-12-21. Retrieved 2020-10-22.
- ^ "Kazakhstan's warship arrived in Baku". MINISTRY OF DEFENCE OF THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN. Retrieved 2020-10-22.
- ^ Lada.kz (2019-07-31). "Военный корабль "Мангыстау" примет участие в конкурсе в Азербайджане". Lada.kz (in Russian). Retrieved 2020-10-22.
- ^ a b c Trade Registers. Armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved on 29 May 2015
- ^ "Janes | Latest defence and security news". Janes.com.
- ^ "Use of the Tengrinews English materials must be accompanied by a hyperlink to en.Tengrinews.kz". 15 July 2013.
- ^ Pike, John. "Kazakhstan Navy". www.globalsecurity.org.
- ^ "Kazakh naval vessels participate in 2017 Sea Cup in Azerbaijan - The Astana Times". 8 August 2017.
- ^ "Military Balance in Asia 2011"., March 07, 2011, pages 55-56
- ^ a b "Қазақстан Республикасының Қарулы Күштері, басқа да әскерлері мен әскери құралымдары әскери қызметшілерінің әскери киім нысаны және айырым белгілері туралы". adilet.zan.kz (in Kazakh). Ministry of Justice (Kazakhstan). 25 August 2011. Retrieved 29 May 2021.