Kant air base: growth potential
October 23 marks the 10th anniversary of the opening of the Russian aviation bases in Kant (Kyrgyzstan). It was formed in accordance with the agreement between Russia and Kyrgyzstan on the status and conditions of stay of the Russian air base. Russian President Vladimir Putin, who attended the opening ceremony of the new military unit, then emphasized in his speech that “the base will become a good deterrent for terrorists and extremists of all stripes. By creating this coalition shield here in Kyrgyzstan, we intend to strengthen security in the region. The base will allow the use of combat aircraft in difficult mountainous terrain, where ground forces cannot always effectively counteract international gangs and drug trafficking. ”Raised from scratch
The formation of a new aviation unit in Kant took place at the site of an abandoned military camp and airfield of the former fifth Central Training and Improvement Courses for Aviation Personnel of the USSR Ministry of Defense, from 1956 to 1991, the year of training for foreign air forces.The Russian aviators, under the leadership of the first commander of the unit, Colonel Andrei Samotsvet, had to lift the base, which is called, from scratch, at a new location where there was no elementary residential zone and infrastructure of the airfield.
Thanks to the patronage of the Ministry of Defense, the active support of civilian authorities at all levels, within six months, the dormitories were repaired for the families of military personnel, the headquarters building, the medical center and the club were commissioned. Landscaped territory. The Kant air base rapidly developed into a model military campus with new barracks, hostels and modern housing for officers, a boiler room and a laundry, an indoor sports complex and a secondary school, a television center and a printing house. Work was under way to improve the infrastructure of the airfield.
... Fast and high-quality infrastructure restoration allowed the command to quickly move the base into the category of units of constant readiness. Already in August, 2004 of the year, its personnel successfully completed the tasks of the joint exercises of the Collective Rapid Reaction Forces (CRRF) of the CSTO. The combat and flight training of aviators was also highly appreciated by the results of their participation in the Russian-Kyrgyz joint exercises South-2006.
At various times, the air base was commanded by talented military men - combatants - 1-class pilot Colonel Andrei Samomvet, 1-class pilot Colonel Oleg Vinogradov, sniper pilot Colonel Vladimir Nosov. Under the leadership of these officers, the personnel made an enormous contribution to the improvement of the combat readiness of the unit. The runway of the airfield, which is now capable of receiving all types of air transport, was increased, the communication and radar flight support system was modernized, the entire territory of the airfield was now equipped with the latest security system, and the town received its own modern boiler room.Improved and sports campus town. With the assistance of the government of St. Petersburg and the administration of the Sverdlovsk region, an indoor sports complex with its gym, showers, sauna was erected here ...
On the initiative of the command of the unit, the number of flight shifts (up to four) was increased from 2006, which made it possible to intensify flight training and increase the number of flights for combat use at the Edelweiss high-altitude range. Much has been done to improve the life and lifestyle of military personnel and their families. So, for the soldiers and sergeants a two-story high-level barracks was built, their own secondary school was opened, and the families of officers and contract soldiers were settled in a new house. Next in line is a kindergarten, a 130 apartment building, a swimming pool ...
The composition of the air base, which served here under the command of the holder of the Order of Courage, pilot-sniper Colonel Oleg Molostov in the period from 2010 to 2012, left a good memory of himself. Under his command, the pilots achieved success by participating in joint exercises of the KSBR “Peace Mission - 2010”, and then in joint exercises of the KSBR according to the plan “KNU-Center 2011”. It was during this period, in December of 2011, that a significant event took place - the presentation of a part of the new model to the Air Force Base base.
In 2012, the level of airbase equipment increased significantly due to the replacement of outdated Su-25 aircraft with more modern cruise vehicles of this type. And in the autumn of 2012, military pilots on the new aircraft brilliantly carried out all the tasks during the joint peacekeeping mission of the KSBR “Peace Mission - 2012”, which took place on the territory of Tajikistan.
Subject to consolidation
The words of the President of Russia that “the base will become a good deterrent for terrorists and extremists of all stripes” turned out to be prophetic: over the past 10 years there has not been a single case of illegal armed formations entering the territory of Kyrgyzstan from the outside. But the memory of the citizens of Kyrgyzstan is still fresh dramatic events 1999 — 2000, when the Batken region in the south of the republic was terrorized for almost a year by a gang of terrorists invading from abroad ...The Minister of Defense of Kyrgyzstan, Major General Taalaibek Omuraliev, very convincingly spoke about the role of the Russian airbase in an interview with Red Star, published on 27 in March of this year: “It was the Batken events and the threat of repetition of armed incursions by terrorists that intensified joint efforts of the CSTO countries in decisive practical actions. As a result, in 2003, on the initiative of our side, a Russian air base was deployed in the city of Kant. But it is too early to calm down. The destabilizing factors for the entire Central Asian region include the processes occurring in Afghanistan. Due to the withdrawal of the International Security Assistance Force from this Islamic Republic, scheduled for 2014, the situation there is unlikely to change for the better. And the leadership of our country, the Ministry of Defense, proceeding from the situation developing in the southern direction, made the appropriate conclusions ... ”
Indeed, the military-political outlook for 2014 for the former Soviet republics of Central Asia cannot be called favorable. And the CSTO member states are preparing in advance to prevent potential threats that may arise after the withdrawal of ISAF forces from Afghanistan next year. In this connection, the role of the Russian Kant airbase in the system of the ARCF significantly increases. It is significant that the on-site meeting of the Permanent Council of the CSTO 15 — 16 in April this year was held on the territory of this particular part. In the nearest plans of the CSTO leadership - an increase in the number of personnel of the base, strengthening it with new combat units of aircraft ...
“The Russian air base, located in Kant, is the most important component of the CSTO Collective Forces in the Central Asian region,” said CSTO Secretary General Nikolai Bordyuzha.
The airborne commander of the 1 class, Colonel Igor Mordovkin, who was present at the same time, noted that negotiations are currently being actively held with the Kyrgyz side on strengthening the military potential of the unit under his command.
CSTO Secretary General Nikolai Bordyuzha, Chief of the CSTO Joint Headquarters Lieutenant General Alexander Studenikin, Secretary of the Security Council of Kyrgyzstan Busurmankul Tabaldiyev and other participants of the meeting of the CSTO Permanent Council examined the Su-25 attack aircraft, as well as the Mi-8 MTV-1 helicopter Mi-XNUMX helicopters. aviation base.
“The personnel and equipment are ready to carry out any task,” the deputy commander of the airbase Kant, 1-class pilot Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Yakovlev, clearly told the CSTO Secretary General.
And in confirmation of these words, especially for the high guests, military pilots raised their combat vehicles into the air. During the demonstration flights, they demonstrated the combat capabilities of the Su-25. Nikolai Bordyuzha and members of the CSTO delegation gave a positive assessment of the base’s activities and its readiness for action as intended.
We went to the anniversary with dignity
The exercises, which were held on the territory of Kyrgyzstan in September 2013 of the year according to the plan of the Joint Staff of the CSTO, became a serious test of combat maturity for all their participants. Including for the personnel of the Russian Kant air base. Recall that 20 September in Kyrgyzstan held special anti-drug exercises (ACS) under the conditional name "Thunder-2013", and then, 26 September - joint exercises "Ala-Too-Antiterror-2013".
The events of the Grom-2013 SAU were held under the leadership of the Chairman of the Coordination Council of the heads of the competent authorities on countering the illicit drug trafficking of the CSTO member states, Director of the Federal Drug Control Service of Russia Viktor Ivanov and CSTO Secretary General Nikolai Bordyuzha.Anti-narcotics exercises under this title were conducted in Kyrgyzstan for the first time. And the participation of the special forces unit "Thunder" of the Federal Service for the Control of Drug Trafficking (FSKN) also became a debut. Nevertheless, during the exercise, joint operations to curb conditional drug group activities were successfully worked out, new effective ways of countering the drug threat in the CSTO member countries were developed, taking into account the withdrawal of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan from 2014.
For the first time, combat aviation — the Su-25 pair (the lead pair — the flight commander of a military pilot of the 1 class, Major Yevgeny Koshelev) from the Kant air base — was involved in anti-drug doctrines of this scale. The actions in the air of our pilots were highly appreciated by the head of the exercises.
Aviators also did not let the Ala-Too-Anti-Terror-2013 joint antiterrorist exercises of the CIS member states fail. Major Alexander Alexander Martynov, a military pilot of the 1 class, who led the flights, was at the frontline position on the Ala-Too training ground to share his impressions of these exercises.
- Conditional gangs were blocked in the mountains. Artillery fire first fired at its firing points and the accumulation of manpower. Then a pair of our Su-25 (the leader of the pair is the flight commander of a military pilot of the 1 class, Major Yevgeny Koshelev, his follower is a military pilot of the 1 class, Senior Lieutenant Yuri Konyukhov) was to deliver a missile-bomb attack on the “enemy”. And after the work of aviation, the BMP had to be connected to the fire defeat of the conditional bandit formation. There was no doubt that Koshelev and Konyukhov would perform the task perfectly - each of them had more than 120 flying hours in this academic year. In Koshelev, moreover, behind the shoulders of participation in hostilities, in many joint exercises. All the complexity of this battle, in which artillery, special forces, airborne forces and motorized rifle units, helicopters and attack aircraft took part, is in the coordination of actions. Never before have I, who acted as a flight director, had to worry so much! After all, a pair of attack aircraft had to strike in exactly the allotted period of time. But the misfires did not happen: the pilots accurately met the time and delivered a decisive blow to the "enemy" ...
Distinguished during the playback of another episode of these maneuvers - the release of students and teachers, according to legend, the teachings captured as hostages by conditional terrorists in one of the schools of Kant, the crew of the Mi-8 helicopter, commanded by 2-class pilot Major Zdvizhkov.
This is what the commander of the Russian aviation base Kant, Colonel Igor Mordovkin, told about this:- The mission of the Mi-8 crew included the landing of a special forces group on the roof of one of the local schools. This element is rather complicated, because when it is carried out, the helicopter crew must maintain a constant height and prevent lateral displacement. In addition, its implementation was carried out in a densely populated area of the city. But there was no doubt about the success of the helicopter pilots. In accordance with the flight training plan, exercises for the hanging of a helicopter over a platform of limited size are regularly practiced. And the pilots performed the task of landing troops on the roof of the school confidently, as a result deserving an excellent assessment. The goal of the operation was achieved: the “terrorists” were neutralized, the “hostages” were not injured and were released.
As noted by the head of the Ala-Too Antiterror-2013 exercise, the head of the CIS Anti-Terrorist Center, Colonel-General Andrei Novikov, "during the operation, the best aspects of the military community of the CIS countries were shown".
- The traditional question: what is the secret of success? - I am interested in Colonel Mordovkin.
- In full and high-quality implementation of the combat training plan in 2013. This is the merit of not only the pilots, the annual raid of each of which is more than 110 hours, but also the engineering staff, rear, communications, security company, that is, all units of the unit. On the eve of the 10 anniversary of the airbase, I would like to thank the flight crew in the person of Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Yakovlev, Majors Evgeny Koshelev, Stanislav Astaev, Alexander Martynov, and Senior Lieutenant Yuri Konyukhov. The success of the base team was made possible thanks to the high professionalism of the chief engineer - the head of the aviation engineering service of the airbase of Colonel Vladimir Bezusov, the head of the RAV service, Major Andrei Nikitin, the commander of the aerodrome-technical company, Major Dmitry Panchulov and many other servicemen. The air base, as they say, continues to gain momentum. Due to what? First, we do not lack aviation fuel. In addition, we benefit from competent planning. After all, it is important to distribute flight shifts in such a way and use the technique to eliminate the slightest downtime.
The celebration of the 10 anniversary of the part for the convenience of invited guests, including veterans of the aviation base, the delegation of the St. Petersburg City Hall, representatives of the Central Military District Command, 2-th command of the Air Force and Air Defense, government officials of the Ministry of Defense of Kyrgyzstan, the city hall of Bishkek, is scheduled for 26 - 27 of October, that is, on the weekend. The program of the holiday includes the reception of guests, a solemn meeting of personnel, demonstration parachute jumps, a demonstration of hand-to-hand combat by the servicemen of the Scorpion Special Forces brigade of the Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic and other entertainment events.
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