The Russian media house Sputnik has carried an interview with the military observer affiliated with the news agency RIA, Alexander Khrolenko on the military strength of Turkmenistan.
Most of the information given by Khrolenko in his interview tallies with the data available at the website of GFP (Global Fire Power – https://www.globalfirepower.com/
Here is the summary of Khrolenko’s interview carried by Sputnik, with additional information from GFP website:
The armed forces of Turkmenistan rank 75 globally, and third in the Central Asia region after Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. During the past one year the Turkmen armed forces rose by 5 positions in the GFP index.
The strength of the armed forces of Turkmenistan is 36000. For comparison, the strength of the Uzbekistan forces is 50000 (48th in ranking) and Kazakhstan 40000 (54th in ranking).
The armed forces of Turkmenistan are compact and efficient, sufficient to protect the state integrity and sovereignty against any possible aggression. According to the military doctrine of Turkmenistan issued in 2016, Turkmenistan adheres strictly to its policy of permanent neutrality and the armed forces are maintained for self defence. The military doctrine underlines the importance of strengthening peace, developing friendly, fraternal, and good-neighborly relations with all countries.
The expert points out that the military doctrines of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are also based on self defence.
The upgrading of hardware is a continuing process.
Aircraft 72 – fighters 24, attack 44, transport 3
Helicopters 25, including 10 attack helicopters
Tanks 712
Infantry fighting vehicles BMPs and BTRs – 1940
Artillery mounts (self propelled artillery, and towed artillery) 338
Missile units 110
The training of officers is carried out at the Ashgabat Military Institute. The officers also obtain training from some foreign countries, mainly from Russia, Pakistan, Turkey, and Ukraine.
Turkmenistan acquires military equipment and hardware from a number of countries including Russia, Belarus, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Turkey, and China.
In the past decade Turkmenistan received 10 T-90S tanks, two Mi-17-1V helicopters, and six Smerch MLRS through Rosoboronexport, eight infantry fighting vehicles and more than 1,000 KamAZ trucks. In addition, the Sredne-Nevsky Shipyard in 2011 built two missile boats of project 12418 Lightning.
In Turkmenistan, the assembly of Belarusian drone “Busel-M”, developed by specialists of the Scientific and Production Center “BAK and Technologies”, has been established. The Russian-Belarusian company Defensive Systems has completed the modernization of the S-125M anti-aircraft missile system to the Pechora-2M level.
According to SIPRI (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute), Ashgabat has become one of the major importers of Turkish weapons in recent years: 36% of Turkmenistan’s weapons imported are from Turkey, 27% of Turkmen military imports come from China. During a military exercise the Chinese anti-aircraft missile system FD-2000 was demonstrated. Long-range survey radars were also received. Several dozen Turkmen troops underwent training and education in China. /// nCa, 19 August 2019