Kazakhstan Expands Military Spending With A Focus On UAVs

Kazakhstan will raise defense spending to one percent of GDP in 2026, with much of the money set to go toward new weapons and military upgrades, Orda.kz reports.

Deputy Defense Minister Askar Mustabekov said a large share of the funding will be used to purchase military equipment, with a particular focus on unmanned aerial vehicles.

The funds will be used to modernize weapons and purchase new types of weapons. As you know, new types of weapons are now being produced — in particular, unmanned aerial vehicles. The funds will also be used to modernize aviation equipment and purchase military air defense equipment. he said on the sidelines of the Mazhilis. 

A total of three trillion tenge has been allocated to the security bloc for 2026, which is 335 billion tenge more than previous year.

According to officials, the money will be used not only to maintain combat readiness, but also to implement broader systemic changes in the defense sector.

Original author: Ilya Astakhov

Read also:

• UAV Operators to Be Trained on EXPO Territory in Astana
• Are Kazakhstan’s Air Defenses Ready To Shoot Down Foreign Drones? The Defense Ministry Responds
• Kazakhstan To Deploy Nearly 60 Drones Against Locust Threat