Kazakh Naval Forces

The Kazakh Naval Forces (Kazakh: Қазақстан Республикасы әскери-теңіз күштері, Qazaqstan Respýblıkasy áskerı-teńiz kúshteri; 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.

Kazakh Naval Forces
Kazakh: Қазақстан Республикасы әскери-теңіз күштері
Qazaqstan Respýblıkasy áskerı-teńiz kúshteri
Russian: Военно-морские силы Казахстана
Kazakh naval emblem
Founded2 April 1993 (1993-04-02)
Country Kazakhstan
Branch Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan
TypeNational naval force, green water navy
RoleNaval warfare and defense
Size3,000 sailors and 14 patrol boats
Part ofMinistry of Defense of Kazakhstan
HeadquartersAktau, Mangystau Region
Colors        Yellow, blue, black, and white
AnniversariesApril 2
May 7
Commanders
Supreme Commander-in-chiefKassym-Jomart Tokayev
Commander of the NavyCaptain 1st rank Saken Bekzhanov[1]
Chief of StaffCaptain 1st rank Marat Janaev
Deputy CommanderCaptain 1st rank Yermek Baygabulov
Deputy CommanderColonel Yerbol Begildayev
Notable
commanders		Rear Adm. Ratmir Komratov
Insignia
Naval ensign
Naval ensign of the Border Service
Naval jack of Kazakhstan

The branch currently has a strength of 3,000 personnel and is mainly equipped with patrol crafts, minesweepers and research vessel.

History

Previously, 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
Vice Admiral Kevin Cosgriff, commander of United States Naval Forces Central Command greets Rear Admiral Ratmir Komratov prior to a meeting in the Kazakh capital of Astana.

The following units form the structure of the Kazakh Navy:[4]

  • Naval Headquarters
  • Special Forces Unit
  • Coastal Artillery
  • Caspian Flotilla
  • Border Service of the KNB

Aktau Naval Academy

The 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
  • 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)
Vessel Origin Type In service Notes
 Kazakhstan  Kazakhstan Missile boat 4[6][7] Kazakhstan class
 Mangistau Missile and Artillery Ship  Kazakhstan 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]
Türk   Turkey patrol boat 2[11]
OPV-62  Israel patrol boat 2[11]
Shaldag   Israel Go-fast boat 6[11] Assembled in Azerbaijan
10750E harbor minesweepers  Russia minesweepers 2 The first vessel was commissioned in 2017[12][13]
Project 01340G  Russia Research vessel 1 The ship is known to be a hydrographic ship. The vessel's name is Zhaiyk[14][15]
Su-27  Russia fighter jets 2
Mil Mi-24  Russia attack helicopters 12 [16]

References
  1. "Капитан 1 ранга Бекжанов Сакен Мансурович".
  2. "Military "Balance in Europe 2011"".
  3. "Основная информация | Военно-морские силы | Вооруженные силы РК | Структура | Министерство обороны Республики Казахстан (МО РК)".
  4. "Казахстанский военный сайт - Военно-морской флот Казахстана: ВМС МО РК и БОХР ПС КНБ РК".
  5. "Военно-морской институт (Актау), специальности". edu.Resurs.kz. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
  6. "Министерство обороны Республики Казахстан (МО РК)". mod.gov.kz. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
  7. "Kazakhstan Navy Unveils Its First Ship". EurasiaNet.org. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  8. "На ракетно-артиллерийском корабле "Мангистау" поднят флаг ВМС ВС РК". Tengrinews.kz (in Russian). 2017-12-21. Retrieved 2020-10-22.
  9. "Kazakhstan's warship arrived in Baku". MINISTRY OF DEFENCE OF THE REPUBLIC OF AZERBAIJAN. Retrieved 2020-10-22.
  10. Lada.kz (2019-07-31). "Военный корабль «Мангыстау» примет участие в конкурсе в Азербайджане". Lada.kz (in Russian). Retrieved 2020-10-22.
  11. Trade Registers. Armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved on 29 May 2015
  12. "Janes | Latest defence and security news". Janes.com.
  13. "Use of the Tengrinews English materials must be accompanied by a hyperlink to en.Tengrinews.kz".
  14. Pike, John. "Kazakhstan Navy". www.globalsecurity.org.
  15. "Kazakh naval vessels participate in 2017 Sea Cup in Azerbaijan - The Astana Times". 8 August 2017.
  16. "Military Balance in Asia 2011"., March 07, 2011, page 55-56
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