Kazakhstan and Türkiye have inked a military cooperation plan for 2024, strengthening their bilateral ties in various strategic sectors.
A statement released by the Defence Ministry of Kazakhstan revealed that the comprehensive document was signed following negotiations between Kazakh Colonel General Ruslan Zhaksylykov and Turkish Minister of National Defense Yashar Guler in Ankara.
During the discussions, both parties delved into the current state and future prospects of their mutual interests.
“As a result of the meeting, a military cooperation plan between Türkiye and Kazakhstan for 2024 was signed,” the ministry said.
The ministry noted that the signed document solidifies the strong historical and cultural ties that bind Kazakhstan and Türkiye.
“Currently, interaction has been established between the defense departments in the fields of military science, education and combat training,” the ministry said, adding that military-technical cooperation is being established.
The Kazakh delegation also visited the united company Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAS), which produces aviation equipment and unmanned aerial vehicles.
Türkiye and Kazakhstan have agreed to boost political, economic, trade and defense cooperation under a joint memorandum signed on May 10, 2022. The two countries also signed 15 agreements covering defense industry, military intelligence, trade and agriculture.
On May 11, 2022, the Kazakhstan Engineering national company and TUSAS signed an agreement approving the joint production of Anka drones in Kazakhstan.
In accordance with the agreement, the Turkish side will transfer technology and train personnel for the maintenance and repair of Anka drones to be used by the Kazakh Armed Forces.
The Anka drone inducted into the Turkish Air Force in 2013 can carry out various intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions with a flight duration of 30 hours. It can carry 200 kilograms of multiple surveillance and signal equipment. Developed in 2010, Anka has evolved into a modular platform with synthetic aperture radar, ground moving target indicator radar, and a modified radome structure incorporating airborne satellite communications antenna, which provides secure, high-speed beyond-line-of-sight communications. The drone can be used to detect, identify and track stationary or moving ground targets.
A country of slightly more than 19 million, Kazakhstan has the second-largest military power in Central Asia, behind Uzbekistan, and ranked 63 out of 145 countries, according to Global Firepower’s 2023 report. Rankings are based on the strength of individual combat arms, the number of servicemen, the length of a country’s borders, and the availability of oil reserves and labor.
At the same time, officials in Kazakhstan are working on upgrading the country’s military equipment, part of which was left over from the Soviet Union when it dissolved in December 1991.
According to Global Firepower data, Kazakhstan’s army is equipped with 300 tanks, 1,200 armored fighting vehicles, 407 rocket projectors, 238 military aircraft, 15 military naval vessels, and 22 combat helicopters.