By presidential decree, Uzbekistan is establishing an Air Force Combat Command, as announced by Minister of Defense Lieutenant General Shukhrat Kholmukhamedov in an interview with the Uzbekiston 24 TV channel.
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed a defense presentation introducing proposals to implement a completely new airspace protection system and restructure aviation units to meet contemporary requirements Monday.
The Minister of Defense noted that the President signed a historic decree on the effective deployment of air defense systems, precision-guided weapons, and military aviation. Under this document, the Air Force Combat Command is being formed on the foundation of existing leadership structures, equipped with a modern, digitized command and control system.
Concurrently, definitive measures are being laid out to boost the combat readiness and operational capabilities of the air force. This will be achieved by establishing new units armed with precision-guided aviation technology and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) complexes.
"Undoubtedly, this decree will serve to double the combat capabilities of our military aviation and air defense units, while further strengthening our capacity to protect critical and strategic installations from air strikes," Shukhrat Kholmukhamedov stated.
Furthermore, the president signed a resolution approving an agreement between the governments of Uzbekistan and Turkey to advance cooperation in military medicine. Under this agreement, the two nations will collaborate across nearly ten medical fields—including dentistry, pharmaceuticals, and general medicine—focusing on specialist training, retraining, professional development, knowledge sharing, and patient care.
The presentation also highlighted proposals to digitize military registration, medical boards, and conscription commissions, aiming to implement a "zero bureaucracy" principle within defense departments. According to the plans, data on 16-year-old boys who receive their national ID cards will be pulled directly from the Ministry of Internal Affairs' information systems to automatically enroll them in the military registry.
Concurrently, the practice of undergoing medical examinations directly at local defense offices will be abolished. Instead, all military medical screenings are scheduled to be integrated into central district and city multidisciplinary clinics.
The Minister of Defense noted that the president approved all the proposals and issued a series of directives to fast-track these initiatives.
Additionally, a major resolution was signed to strengthen social protections for military personnel and civilian employees within defense agencies. This decree increases housing rent compensation by 25% for service members stationed in the cities of Tashkent and Samarkand. Furthermore, salaries for civilian staff in defense departments will see a 20% increase starting July 1 of this year, followed by an additional 50% raise on January 1, 2027.
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