Armed Forces of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan

Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic
Coat of Arms of the Kyrgyz Armed Forces
Founded	1992
Service branches	Kyrgyz Army Kyrgyz Air Force Kyrgyz National Guard Kyrgyz Frontier Force
Headquarters	Bishkek
Leadership
Supreme Commander	President of Kyrgyzstan Almazbek Atambayev
Minister of Defence	Abibilla Kudayberdiev
Chief of General Staff of Armed Forces	Asanbek Tunguchpaevch
Manpower
Military age	18
Conscription	18 months
Available for military service	1,234,457 (2002 est.), age 15–49
Fit for military service	1,001,274 (2002 est.), age 15–49
Reaching military age annually	50,590 (2002 est.)
Active personnel	15,500 (IISS 2007)
Reserve personnel	10,000
Expenditures
Budget	1.4 billion soms (IISS 2007)
Industry
Foreign suppliers	Russia  India  United States  Kazakhstan  Turkey  Belarus  China  Azerbaijan  Iran  Ukraine  Pakistan  Latvia  Georgia

The Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic, originally formed from former Soviet forces of the Turkestan Military District stationed in the newly independent state, includes the Army, the Air Force, Air Defence Forces, the Northern and Southern Groups of Forces, Interior Troops, Agency of National Security and Border Troops.

For much of the Soviet period, since 1967, the 8th Guards 'Panfilov' Motor Rifle Division was the main military force in the country, and the division was only disbanded in January 2003. In 1967 the division had been moved to Bishkek from the Baltic Military District, where it had previously been based.

In terms of foreign presence, the U.S.-led Operation Enduring Freedom coalition used the Manas Air Base (Bishkek's international airport) until June 2014. In response, Russia set up the 999th Air Base at Kant to counter the American military presence in the Former Soviet state. Moscow is believed to have promised Bishkek $1.1 billion for modernising its army. Agreements to this effect were reached during the visits to Bishkek by Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov in August and President Vladimir Putin in September 2012.

The Army of Kyrgyzstan includes the 1st Motor Rifle Brigade (Mountain) at Osh, a brigade at Koy-Tash, in the Bishkek area, the 25th Special Forces Brigade, independent battalions at Karakol and Naryn, a brigade at Balykchi, and other units.

Two Groups of Forces, the Southern, and more recently the Northern, have been active during Kyrgyzstan's history. In 2004, the Northern Group of Forces was reported as consisting of the Balykchynsky brigade, the brigade deployed in suburb of Bishkek, separate battalions in Karakol and Naryn, and other army units.

Excluding the M120 mortar, all army equipment are Soviet or Russian in origin.