Drones to space tech: What reforms Kazakhstan’s military needs

In light of the recent tragedy that claimed the lives of 14 servicemen in the Caspian Sea, military experts shared their views with Kursiv.media on what a modern army should look like and what reforms are needed in Kazakhstan’s defense sector.

Amangeldy Kurmetuly points out that Kazakhstan is not alone in struggling to keep pace with changes in warfare over the past five years. Most post-Soviet states — and, indeed, many countries around the world — face similar challenges.

We still rely heavily on towed artillery

«We immediately saw how the nature of warfare changed during the Russia-Ukraine war. We also saw how modern armies had evolved during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war. In reality, our military exercises are still conducted according to outdated protocols. Much of our equipment is obsolete, with problems ranging from armored personnel carriers (APCs) to helicopters. We still rely heavily on towed artillery. It is true that outdated mindsets and old approaches persist,» the expert said.

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According to Kurmetuly, Kazakhstan’s military doctrine was adopted in 2017, and many elements of the document resemble Russia’s military doctrine.

«There is every reason to believe that the army remains stuck in the last century in terms of morale, equipment and tactics. If we had deployed underwater robots first during the recent exercises in Mangystau, might our citizens have been spared? For instance, just last week, Ukraine deployed a landing party using robots and tested them on the battlefield; not a single soldier was involved. This demonstrates how rapidly the approach to military operations is changing,» Kurmetuly said.

Space-based reconnaissance is an everyday tool for a modern army

In his view, drones play a decisive role in modern warfare. At the same time, the importance of robots is growing, with machines equipped with machine guns or anti-tank systems already being deployed on battlefields.

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«Space technology is becoming an integral part of a modern army. We can see the significant role Starlink has played in Ukraine. Consequently, Russia is also developing alternative satellite systems. Many tactics, such as space-based reconnaissance, have become standard tools for modern armies,» the expert said.

According to Kurmetuly, the conflict in the Middle East demonstrates that missiles remain critical to modern warfare, while aviation also continues to play an important role. Therefore, comprehensive analysis is essential when undertaking military reform.

A shift in mindset is needed

Expert Aman Mambetaliyev believes the military is not merely about conscription; it is a vast system comprising numerous processes.

«Some of these processes have remained unchanged since the Soviet era — most notably, mindsets and perspectives. The causes and response to the tragedy in the Caspian Sea confirm, as the president pointed out, that we are dealing with an army rooted in the last century. Back then, every soldier was viewed merely as a resource. We cannot make much progress with such an attitude. While processes are underway within the military, what we truly need is fundamental reform,» the expert said.

According to Mambetaliyev, the priority in the defense sector must be to address outdated mindsets. Modernization is essential.

«Without modernizing the mindset, nothing else will change. The way we view military service should be different. This is not something that can happen overnight; the process is moving very slowly. Neither society nor the leadership is satisfied with this situation. Experts need to study what kind of reform would be suitable for Kazakhstan,» Mambetaliyev said.

Tokayev calls for fundamental military reform

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev addressed the need for a fundamental transformation of the defense sector at a recent Security Council meeting. He described the state of the military by saying that «our army is stuck in the last century.» He also emphasized the need to restructure the command system in line with international best practices.