http://www.airforcesmonthly.com #365 AUGUST 2018 // 65ADEX 2018 – held on the
military side of Astana
International Airport from
May 23 to 26, and officially billed
as the International Exhibition of
Weapons Systems and Military
Equipment – included an opening
ceremony speech by Kazakh President
Nursultan Nazarbayev, who said: “Our
country, as you know, is pursuing a peace-
loving policy aimed at strengthening good
relations with all its neighbours, but today’s
global situation forces everyone to strengthen
their defences, and we are doing the samewithin the Collective Security
Treaty Organization [CTSO].”
First signed by post-Soviet
states on May 15, 1992, the
CTSO military alliance currently
includes six full members:
Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan.
“At the same time,” the president
added, “the defence sector and armed
forces development are among the state’s
priorities and [KADEX is an] effective
instrument of their implementation – the
only one of its kind in Central Asia.”promise?
K
Below: A Kazakhstan Air Defence Force Mi-35M
in action. The fi rst four Mi-35s (‘01-04 Red’) were
delivered to Kazakhstan in late 2016 and another
four are scheduled for arrival before the end of
the year as part of a contract signed with Russian
Helicopters in 2017. The country recently ordered
another four ‘Hinds’. Bottom: Kazakhstan Air
Defence Force Su-30SM pilots discuss their display
after landing at Astana International. These jets
serve with the 604th Air Base at Taldykorgan.
All photos Daniele Faccioli and Giovanni Colla