Tag: Military

  • Uzbekistan keeps relying on Russia for its military equipment

    Uzbekistan keeps relying on Russia for its military equipment

    uzbekistan drones

    Over the recent years, Russian and international media have been actively writing about various contracts of Uzbekistan for the purchase of Russian military equipment, some of them are the most modern, and the other part are a legacy of the USSR. The numerous deals indicate Tashkent’s determination to take arms sales talks with Moscow to a higher level. In 2017, Uzbekistan committed to modernizing its armed forces as part of a five-year development strategy. Another factor that may have spurred Uzbekistan’s Defense Ministry recently was the intra-Afghan conference in Qatar, which resulted in the adoption of a nascent peace resolution. Tashkent has a lot at stake in this process, since any withdrawal of Western (particularly American) troops as a result of the resolution will have direct security consequences. Thus, Uzbekistan will take sole responsibility for protecting its border with Afghanistan.

    In addition, in 2019, Uzbekistan purchased 12 Mi-35M military helicopters. These transport helicopters, which can also be used to attack ground targets, have been in production since the 2000s. Besides, Uzbekistan has ordered an unspecified number of BTR-82A armored personnel carriers (APCs), capable of carrying three crew members and seven soldiers. Previously, Tashkent also purchased “several dozen” special-purpose armored vehicles VPK-233136 “Tiger”, capable of transporting up to seven military personnel (according to TASS).

    In addition to modernizing equipment for its ground forces, Uzbekistan plans to enter into contracts for the Air Force and order new fighter jets and a radar system. In particular, Tashkent is negotiating the purchase of Su-30SM multirole fighters, which Russia has deployed in Syria. Uzbekistan has also expressed interest in acquiring Sopka-2 radar systems, which monitor airspace, as well as upgrading the country’s existing military radars to Sopka-2 levels.

    Closer-than-usual military cooperation between Russia and Uzbekistan began with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s first trip to Moscow in April 2017 and President Vladimir Putin’s return visit to Tashkent in October 2018. During these meetings, the parties discussed issues of military cooperation and modernization of Uzbekistan’s military equipment using Russian assets; the real details of these conversations are only surfacing now. And, no doubts, Uzbekistan’s recent purchases of Russian weapons, along with ongoing negotiations between the two sides, are directly related to these aforementioned summits.

    A number of factors indicate that Uzbekistan’s efforts to update its military arsenal are related to the dynamically developing situation in Afghanistan. Earlier this year, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Uzbekistan, Major General Pavel Ergashev, spoke about the movement of “centres of instability” in northern Afghanistan (i.e. areas close to or bordering Uzbekistan), which, in his opinion, threatens stability in Central Asia. The fact that these purchases came after intense peace negotiations in Afghanistan, which were supported by Uzbekistan, is not a mere coincidence. Assuming a subsequent withdrawal of US troops from the theater of operations in the short to medium term, the burden of defending the Afghan-Uzbek border will now fall solely on Tashkent.

    Despite the fact the Turkish drones such as the Bayraktar TB2 have become extremely popular due to their successful deployment in multiple conflicts around the globe and have also popped up in Central Asia, Uzbekistan seems to rely more on the Russian drone system. In August 2021, Uzbek armed forces performed a readiness drill with Russian-made drones in an area near the country’s southern border. The Yug-2021 exercise was held jointly with the Russian army against the backdrop of worsening stability in neighboring Afghanistan.

    Uzbekistan has tried to develop domestic defense capabilities elsewhere too. In October 2021, the State Defense Industry Committee announced it had developed its own remote-controlled heavy machine gun. A month later, the same body said it had begun production of a domestically designed light-armored vehicle called Qalqon (Shield).

    It is much more profitable for Uzbekistan to purchase military equipment from Moscow rather than from NATO for a number of reasons. Firstly, in the current conditions of logistical difficulties, the delivery of military equipment from Russia is much safer and cheaper than from NATO countries. Secondly, given Uzbekistan’s Soviet past, many standards and the language of instructions for Russian equipment are clearer than Western ones. Thirdly, the United States is gradually curtailing its geographic scope of military operations, since it cannot support them financially, and accordingly, supplies of depleted equipment to Uzbekistan will cost more, and their effectiveness is quite low. Finally, Uzbekistan is also aware of the strategic risks of purchasing military equipment from NATO – ultimately this will lead to the deployment of NATO military bases on the country’s territory under the pretext of “maintaining and monitoring” equipment in proper condition, joint exercises, etc.

    Thus, these factors and global changes are motivating Uzbekistan to quickly acquire military equipment from the country where most of its obsolete military equipment originally came from.

  • Some quotes about Turkish military

    Some quotes about Turkish military

    • “I will no longer fight the Turks. They are very brave and good people.” (Andreas Phitiades)
    • “Give me an army of Turks and I’ll take the world hostage.” (Napoleon Bonaparte)
    • “There are two merits that glorify a person: being courageous for a man and being virtuous for a woman. Besides these two, there is another merit that glorifies both man and woman: so much loving the homeland to an extent with being ready to sacrifice his/her life, if needed. Turks are such courageous and virtuous people. That is why you can kill a Turk but you can never defeat them.” (Napoleon Bonaparte)
    • “Whoever wants to enjoy the pleasure of a war, they should war against the Turks.” (Townsend (British Commander)
    • “No other army in the world other than the Turks can stand for this long.” (General Hamilton)
    • “Turks are fierce riders. In their attack, the Turks turn the enemy like a leaf and destroy it.” (Jahiz)
    • “There is no soldier who is more ready to give his life for the sake of his religion and country other than the Turks.” (General Hamilton)
    • “You can ask any army in the World and they will admit how hard to plan against Turkish soldiers. Turks are for two thousand years professional soldiers. Every Turk’s profession is to become a soldier.” (Donaldson)
    • “Turkish armies have shown heroism and sacrifices unprecedented in history.” (M. Kemal Ataturk)
    • “Turkish army; There has never been a more pure, more solid soldier than yours in any army in the world.” (M. Kemal Ataturk)
    • “Our army is the sole fulcrum of the aims of the nation in the struggle for life and honor.” (M. Kemal Ataturk)
    • “Our army is a steeled expression of Turkish unity, Turkish might and ability, and Turkish patriotism. Our army is the invincible guarantee of the Turkish lands and the systematic efforts we are making to realize the ideal of Turkey.” (M. Kemal Ataturk)
    • “The most vivid example of an armed nation is the Turks. The commoners of this land has the strength of a gun-wrapping claw in the grip of the sickle, dexterity of a duelist with the scribe’s pencil, and even the skirts of his women. The Turk doesn’t walks but strides awake like a soldier sent on an expedition.” (Helmuth Karl Bernhard von Moltke)
    • “The spirit of the Turks will shine again and the history of this heroic nation, born to use weapons, will find its old light.” (Moltke)
    • “It is possible to see the sense of security that a weapon gives to the soul in the gaze of every Turk. He has learned to look at life and events with confidence.” (Molkte)
    • “There is no tribe superior to the Turks in terms of strength and courage; There is no tribe more astute than them in terms of achieving great goals. Allah Almighty created them as lions.” (Ibn Hassul)
    • “We failed at Dardanelles. How could we succeed? Turks were fighting like furious, angry and courageous lions whose homes have been transgressed. I have never seen a nation like Turks.” (Sir Julien Corbet)
    • “If the power of ten valiant men of ten nations were gathered in a single person, it would not be worth a Turk. The thing that Turks talk about the most is war, victory. Their entertainment is horses, they are weapons. The truth and honesty of the Turks is praiseworthy.” (Charles McFarlene)
    • “Turks not only have a boundless bravery but also a dazzling level of intelligence. With such intelligence, they have become victorious, build civilizations, and accomplish the highest achievements of mankind. Without such intelligence they would not be able to rule half the Europe for centuries.” – Carnayev (Russian Commander)
    • “Turks are first class masters in destroying and establishing a state. They have turned the continents upside down, not the countries, and created their dominance, which is not easy to shake in the midst of terrible attacks. History has learned a lot from the Turks. There are such works of art by their hand that they become ornaments for civilization.” (Hammer)
    • “There are two unknowns in the World. The Poles and the Turks!” (Albert Sorel)
    • “Be friends of Turks, never their enemies.” (Gianni de Michelis)
    independence war

    We are not afraid to die.

    • “You can never find a soldier in any other nation like the Turks who smile to death. All they need to succeed is a good commander.” (Mulman)
    • “Turkish soldiers are brave. He loves his homeland and will sacrifice his life for it if necessary without hesitation.” (Albert Einstein)
    • “Turks know how to die, and they know it well. I am experienced enough to know that a nation that knows how to die cannot be defeated. It is possible to build armies out of nothing here and drag these armies to death. I take advantage of these opportunities. But there is one obstacle that has staggered the armies I have forged: the living memories of the Turks! The Turks, who defeated every power and every nation three or four centuries ago, are now staggering every attempt with their indelible memories. I sense this fear in almost every heart. So, it is necessary to defeat not only the Turks, but also their history. In this case, I also understand the secret of the Turks governing dozens of nations. They defeat nations once, but they can imprint their victories on spirits and generations.” (Montecucco)

    Turks know how to be merciful too.

    • “The hand of a Turk who uses a sword with utmost skill is also skillful to heal the wounds of those whom he has defeated.” (Lord Byron)
    • “I’m talking about the Turks. The Turk, who resembles a relentless hurricane, a terrible sea and a ruthless lightning while attacking his enemy; It is a morning wind, a clear lake, in the presence of a friend and an unarmed enemy. To intimidate this heartwarming wind, to turn this dazzling lake into an exuberant sea would be a mistake that hurts nature.” (Torquato Tasso)
    • “I was a prisoner in Poltava. It was a death for me, I survived. The danger loomed stronger before the river of wheat; water in front of me, the enemy behind me, the sun raging above me… The water wanted to drown me, the enemy to tear me apart, the sun to melt me; I survived again. But today I am a prisoner, a prisoner of the Turks. What iron, fire and water could not do, they did to me, they made me captive. Only I have no chains on my feet, nor am I in a dungeon; I’m doing what I want. But this time, I am a prisoner of compassion, nobility and kindness. The Turks wrapped me in this diamond bond. How sweet it is to live as a free prisoner among such a noble, noble and gentle nation.” (Charles XII)
  • Turkey detains 49 officers for espionage

    Turkey detains 49 officers for espionage

    Turkey has arrested 49 military officers in the second phase of an operation to dismantle a military espionage ring in the country.

    c 330 235 16777215 0 images stories edim 01 tuTurkish newspaper Today’s Zaman quoted Izmir Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office as saying that the 49 arrestees were among the 51 officers against whom arrest warrants had been issued on Wednesday.

    Sting operations were launched simultaneously in 16 provinces. The detainees are reportedly holding high-profile positions in the Ministry of Defense, the Land Forces Command, the Naval Forces Command and the Gülhane Military Academy of Medicine (GATA).

    The officers are accused of blackmailing, and illegally obtaining military information. The gang reportedly used prostitutes to blackmail and obtain classified security information from high-ranking officers and senior bureaucrats.

    The first phase of the operation was launched in May when 20 people were arrested for involvement in the espionage gang.

    Based in Izmir, the gang is reported to have branches in a number of provinces, including Istanbul, Ankara, Bursa, Antalya, Mugla, Manisa, Zonguldak and Ordu.

    The Turkish military, which has been the self-appointed guardian of secularism in the country since the founding of the republic in 1923 and was widely regarded as an important element of the deep state, has overthrown four governments in coups in 1960, 1971, 1980, and 1997.

    (Source: Press TV)

    via Turkey detains 49 officers for espionage – Tehran Times.

  • Turkey Unveils Reforms to Military Conscription

    Turkey Unveils Reforms to Military Conscription

    By Joe Parkinson

    AFP/Getty Images  Turkish soldiers march during the Victory Day celebrations in August.
    AFP/Getty Images Turkish soldiers march during the Victory Day celebrations in August.

    ISTANBUL — Turkey’s Prime Minister on Tuesday announced long-awaited reforms to military conscription, offering draftees over the age of 30 the chance to buy their way out of service and inching NATO’s second biggest army closer to becoming a professional force.

    If passed by the Cabinet, the moves, announced by Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara, will allow Turkish nationals aged 30 or above to pay 30,000 liras to be exempt from military obligations and the preliminary 21-day basic training. Turks working abroad for at least three years could pay €10,000 for the same exemption with no age limit.

    Recent weeks have seen heated debate between the government and opposition over the breadth of conscription changes — a touchstone issue in a country where the military is revered by the majority. Mr. Erdogan’s ruling AK party, which has won three successive elections after sweeping to power on a landslide in 2002, has consistently chipped away at the military’s one-time dominance over popularly elected governments. In August, the military’s top commanders resigned en masse in a dispute over the status of jailed officers. For decades it had worked the other way round; governments resigned when the military was unhappy.

    Military service is compulsory in Turkey for all male citizens between 24 to 41 years of age with some exemptions based on education and sexual orientiation, and Turks who attempt to avoid military service can be forced to serve. But payouts to avoid obligations are not new — especially for those who lived and worked abroad for a significant period. However, Tuesday’s reforms represent the broadest change yet to Turkey’s military service obligation.

    The last time Turkey introduced a paid military-service law was after two devastating earthquakes that ravaged the country’s northwest in August and November 1999. It exempted conscripts from military service in return for a payment and a basic training of four weeks.

    Some analysts have argued that the moves were driven more by ideology than economic considerations; specifically the ruling AK-party’s long-held goal of creating a professionalized military. Despite Turkey’s budget deficit, its primary fiscal balances are in relatively rude health, posting a 35 billion lira ($18 billion) surplus from January to October; a 95% rise on the same period a year ago, according to the central bank.

    Government ministers say that the reforms also have an economic logic — boosting the public finances and allowing larger donations to the families of soldiers killed in action and veterans’ charities. Government sources told pro-government newspaper Zaman they expected 100,000 male citizens to take advantage of the offer, raising some $1.5 billion, the newspaper said.

    But political analysts say the measures would likely raise a significantly lower amount than government forecasts.

    Government ministers have stressed that conscription reforms would be motivated by “social realities” rather than financial pressure. Turkey’s economy is forecast to grow between 7% and 8% this year, after a 9% expansion in 2010, with little sign yet of any rapid slowdown. That growth has also brought some problems, with booming domestic demand propelling a current-account deficit forecast to top 9% of gross domestic product this year, leaving the economy exposed to external shocks.

    via Turkey Unveils Reforms to Military Conscription – Emerging Europe Real Time – WSJ.

  • Turkey considers allowing conscientious objection to military service

    Turkey considers allowing conscientious objection to military service

    Men over the age of 20 must serve in the military for 15 months up and conscientious objectors are routinely prosecuted

    Associated Press in Ankara

    guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 15 November 2011 20.13 GMT

    Turkey’s justice minister says the country is considering introducing the right to conscientious objection for men who do not believe in military service.

    Military service in Turkey is obligatory for men over the age of 20, who must serve for 15 months. Conscientious objectors are routinely prosecuted.

    Sadullah Ergin, the justice minister, told reporters on Tuesday that the right to conscientious objection “will be assessed, discussed and brought to parliament if deemed applicable”.

    He was speaking at a conference aiming to reduce the number of human rights abuse cases filed against Turkey at the European court of human rights, including by conscientious objectors.

    via Turkey considers allowing conscientious objection to military service | World news | The Guardian.

  • Who is threatening Turkey?

    Original in Deutsch: https://www.turkishnews.com/de/content/2011/11/10/wer-bedroht-eigentlich-die-turkei-politically-incorrect/

    Who is threatening Turkey?

    by sheikyermami on November 9, 2011

    Take a look:

    Why is Turkey spending so much for its military when everybody else in Europe is cutting military spending?

    Any idea why Turkey needs to spend so much for its military? Who’s threatening Turkey?

    Indonesia to increase military spending too:

    Australia is asleep at the wheel:

    “Move to boost defence budget by 35 per cent seen as bid to balance China’s growing military in Southeast Asia.”

    Sure. The Indo’s will ‘protect us’ from the Chinese. Indonesia will be “an important ally ” to the U.S. The Indo’s need fighter aircraft “more than anything”, to ‘compete with the rest of the region’…..

    (Sorry I can’t post the vid)

    The Indonesian government has said it will increase its defence budget by 35 per cent next year, in a step which is seen as helping to balance China’s growing military strength in the region.

    Indonesia has the largest army in Southeast Asia, but its equipment is often outdated and dangerous, so the upgrade is seen as necessary. The machines that make ammunition in the nation’s weapon factories currently date back to 1938.

    In 2005 the US lifted a six-year weapons embargo that had been imposed after alleged human-rights abuses. That embargo, and a tight military budget, were the main reasons behind why the equipment was never renewed.

    Al Jazeera’s Step Vaessen reports from Jakarta.

    via Who is threatening Turkey? — Winds Of Jihad By SheikYerMami.

    Original in Deutsch: https://www.turkishnews.com/de/content/2011/11/10/wer-bedroht-eigentlich-die-turkei-politically-incorrect/