Long-range Peklo (“Hell”) missile drones on display during the handover of the first batch to the Ukrainian Defense Forces in Kyiv on December 6, 2024. PHOTO: Volodymyr Tarasov / Zuma Press / Profimedia
Kazakhstan has established a school of military drone operators following the recent Ukrainian attacks on its oil terminals on the Black Sea and on oil tankers leased by this state that has so far maintained its neutrality in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, reports Agerpres.
“More than 300 cadets in the last year at the Army General Sagadat Nurmagambetov Land Forces Military Institute are learning to operate FPV drones. For this purpose, the institution created the Training School for Drone Specialists,” the Ministry of Defense of Kazakhstan announced in a statement.
The Central Asian nation's military command said that “with the help of the school's experienced instructors, cadets from the higher education center are gaining experience in operating unmanned systems, which have significantly changed the methods of combat.”
“By mastering these modern technologies, the cadets acquire practical knowledge about the operation of drones, which are currently used in many fields,” explained the director of the school, lieutenant colonel Daniar Dilbadaiev.
At the military training center, future officers study the characteristics and construction details of drones, how to use them, how to perform maintenance, safety measures and the specifics of their use in various conditions, the Ministry of Defense said.
Special attention is paid to practical exercises in computerized simulators, where cadets perform flight missions and learn to react to unusual situations without endangering equipment or troops. In addition, real-world ground flights will be conducted, including obstacle maneuvers and reconnaissance missions. The school includes a dedicated FPV drone track, which will be used for cadet competitions.
“The training of specialists in the field of unmanned aerial systems aims to guarantee the presence of highly qualified personnel in the armed forces, capable of using modern technologies in the interest of the security and defense of the country”, the statement concluded.
Kazakhstan, which has tried to remain neutral in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, has reported repeated attacks by Ukrainian drones against its Caspian Pipeline Consortium (KTK) maritime terminals in the Black Sea and against chartered oil tankers.
