Template:Infobox National Military The armed forces of Turkmenistan consist of an Army, Air and Air Defense Forces, Border Troops, and Internal Troops, and a National Guard. The Turkmen military inherited several motor rifle divisions from the Soviet Armed Forces Turkestan Military District, forming the basis of the Turkmen ground forces.

Contents 1 State Security Council of Turkmenistan 2 Land forces 2.1 Equipment 2.1.1 Main Battle tank 2.1.2 AIFV / APC 2.1.3 Artillery 2.1.4 Air Defence Guns 2.1.5 Surface to Air Missiles 2.1.6 Light equipment 3 Air Force 3.1 Structure 3.2 Aircraft Inventory 4 Border Guard 5 References and links 6 Comments

State Security Council of TurkmenistanEdit

The State Security Council is the most important defence decision-making body in the country.^[1]

The 1995 Law on defence^[2] says that the President of Turkmenistan defines the powers of the Security Council.

The Security Council is mentioned in the 2003 Constitution of Turkmenistan^[3] but not in the 1992 constitution [3], and it's only mentioned that the Security Council is guided by the president.

The Council was chaired by the former President of Turkmenistan Saparmurat Niyazov until his death, while Minister of Defence Agageldi Mämmetgeldiýew acts as its secretary.^[4]

Following the death of Niyazov, the Security Council announced Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow as his interim successor.^[5]

Land forcesEdit

Template:Politics of Turkmenistan The Turkmen military inherited several motor rifle divisions from the Soviet Armed Forces Turkestan Military District, forming the basis of the Turkmen ground forces. Today the land forces include the 2nd, 3rd, 11th, and 22nd Motor Rifle Divisions.^[6]

It was reported in January 2007 that on the Caspian Sea and the coastal zone to a depth of 350 kilometers, and on the Turkmen-Iranian border is located about 90% of the Army (22nd Motorized Division on the Caspian coast, 2nd and 3rd motorized divisions on the Turkmen-Iranian border, 11th Motorized Division on the Tajik-Afghan border).^[7]

The military ranks have reverted to traditional names and structure, and are now:

Esger - warrior

Onbashi - leader of 10 (section leader)

Yuzbashi - leader of 100 (junior officer)

Munbashi - leader of 1000 (senior officer)

Goshunbashi - Army commander

The rank of a marshal has also apparently been reintroduced.^[8] The real cash payment to the warrior rank in the army is about USD$1.5 - 3 (2005 rates) per month. Only some of the conscript's time in the military is occupied with military service, the rest being occupied with "labour" (half a day) and "self-improvement" (2–3 hours a day) by reciting traditional Turkoman texts, learning songs and playing music.

EquipmentEdit

Main Battle tankEdit

• T-72 - 702^[9]
• T-90 - 10 ordered in 2009 for approximately $30 million.^[10][11]

AIFV / APCEdit

• BTR-60/BTR-70/BTR-80 - 829^[9]
• BMP-1/BMP-2 - 930^[9]
• BRM-1 - 12
• BRDM-2 - 170

ArtilleryEdit

Self-Propelled

• 2S1 Gvozdika - 40
• 2S3 Akatsiya - 16
• 2S9 Anona - 12

Multiple launch Rocket Systems

• BM-21 Grad - 56
• BM-27 Uragan - 54
• BM-30 Smerch - 6 on order^[12]

Towed Guns

• D-30 122mm Gun - 180
• D-1 152mm Gun - 17
• 2A65 152mm Gun - 72

Mortars

• M-37M 82mm mortar - 31
• PM-38 120mm mortar - 66

Air Defence GunsEdit

• ZSU-23-4 - 48
• S-60 57mm AD gun - 22

Surface to Air MissilesEdit

• SA-8 - 40
• SA-13 - 13

Light equipmentEdit

• Makarov PM
• AK-74
• AKM
• AK-47
• RPK
• PKM
• Dragunov SVD
• NSV
• DShK
• RPG-7
• RPG-18
• RPG-22
• GP-25
• SPG-9

Air ForceEdit

StructureEdit

File:Turkmenistan airforces SU-24.JPG

• 67th Mixed Aviation Regiment (Mary-2 airbase) with МiG-29 and Su-25.^[13]
• 47th Separate Mixed Aviation Squadron (Аk-Tepe/Ashkabad) with Аn-26/24, Мi-24 and Мi-8.
• 107th Fighter Aviation Regiment (Ak-Tepe) with 38 МiG-23 and 20 МiG-25 (not operational).
• 31st Separate Aviation Squadron (Chardzhou/Turkmenabad) with МiG-21, Su-7, L-39, Yak-28 and Аn-12 (not operational). Former 366th Independent Helicopter Squadron.
• 55th Fighter Aviation Regiment (Balkanabat) with МiG-23М (not operational). Former 179th Fighter Aviation Regiment.
• 56th Storage Base (Kyzyl-Arvat) with МiG-23. Former 217th Fighter/Bomber Aviation Regiment.
• 1st Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment 'Turkmenbashi' (Bikrova/Ashkabad) with 2K11 Krug.
• 2nd Radio-Technical Brigade.

Aircraft InventoryEdit

Template:Standard table ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Aircraft ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Versions ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service^[14] ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes |----- ! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Trainer Aircraft |----- | Aero L-39 Albatros || Template:CZS || training/light attack || L-39 || 2 |----- |----- ! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Fighter Aircraft |----- |----- | Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29 Fulcrum || Template:USSR || fighter || MiG-29
MiG-29UB || 22
2 |----- ! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Attack Aircraft |----- | Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot || Template:USSR || close support || Su-25 || 43 |----- |----- ! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Transport Aircraft |----- | Antonov An-24 Coke || Template:USSR || tactical transport || An-24 || 1 |----- ! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Attack Helicopter |----- | Mil Mi-24 Hind || Template:USSR || attack || Mi-24 || 10 |----- ! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Transport Helicopter |----- | Mil Mi-8 Hip || Template:USSR || transport/attack || Mi-8 || 8 Template:Close table

Border GuardEdit

Turkmen naval forces are currently directed by the Border Guard Service and consist of around 700 servicemen and sixteen patrol boats.^[15]

The International Institute for Strategic Studies reported in 2007 that Turkmenistan intended to form a navy and had a minor base at Turkmenbashy with 1 USCG Point class cutter and 5 Kalkan-class patrol vessels.^[9] Jane's Fighting Ships 2001-2002 reported that the Point-class cutter was the Merjin, PB-129, (ex Point Jackson, 82378), which was transferred on 30 May 2000.

References and linksEdit

• CIA World Factbook, 2003 edition.

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