Die Kosovarischen Sicherheitskräfte (FSK), die bisher nur für den Katastrophenschutz zuständig sind, sollen in eine reguläre Armee umgewandelt werden. Diese soll laut Verteidigungsminister Agim Ceku zur Staatsidentität und zur Konsolidierung des kosovarischen Staates beitragen, der sich 2008 von Serbien abgespalten hat. Der Parlamentssitzung wohnten 107 der 120 Abgeordneten bei. Sie alle stimmten für die Schaffung einer eigenen Armee.
Die derzeitigen Sicherheitskräfte haben 2.500 Angehörige, die künftige Armee soll laut Medienberichten etwa 5.000 Angehörige im aktiven Militärdienst und etwa 3.000 Reservisten haben. Die Umbildung der Sicherheitskräfte in eine Armee soll laut früheren Medienberichten etwa zehn Jahre in Anspruch nehmen.
AM General Delivers Bastion to Kosovo Ministry of Defense
SOUTH BEND, Ind., April 22, 2021 – AM General, leading military-grade tactical vehicle and mobility systems provider, participated in a delivery ceremony today for three Bastion armored personnel carriers (APC) to the Kosovo Ministry of Interior (MOI) for use with their police special forces. This delivery further strengthens the long partnership that AM General has with Kosovo, including having delivered nearly 200 HUMVEE vehicles over the last three years in support of the country’s security efforts. The ceremony also marked the first completed order stemming out of a partnership agreement with Arquus, a global defense manufacturer of military mobility solutions.
The Bastion will continue to augment the Kosovo MOI’s strategic protection initiatives, adding to the various high-quality, robust HUMVEE® vehicles delivered over the last three years including the HUMVEE 2-CT™ (M1152, 2-Door Cargo Truck), 4-CT™ (M1165, 4-Door Cargo Trucks) and 4-CT™ Fastback (M1151). The vehicles have various levels of armoring to support different army and police missions.
Kosovo to Equip Security Forces With Armoured Vehicles (20. August 2021)
The Kosovo Security Force, KSF, will soon be equipped with American-made Armoured Security Vehicles, ASVs, the country’s Defence Minister, Armend Mehaj, announced.
A total of 50 armoured vehicles will arrive in Kosovo in the coming days, while some have already been delivered, BIRN can confirm.
“One of my short-term operational objectives is to strengthen military capacity to conduct defence and international peacekeeping and stability operations,” Mehaj said, adding that the new ASVs “will be a very important system for our military capabilities”.
The vehicles, which have Mk19 grenade launchers, M2 machine guns and M240 machine guns and provide high safety levels for the crew, will be introduced formally at a ceremony at the end of the month.
The Ministy of Defence confirmed to BIRN that the vehicles were purchased, not donated, but refused to answer how much they paid for them nor make mention of any procurement procedures conducted regarding the vehicles.
Mehaj announced in late June that, following a review of the budget for 2021, 7.7 million euros had been allocated for military purchases. He had also said the government had “allocated additional funding for purchases – 4.5 million euros for military purchases alone, specifically drones”.
AV Inc., Simi Valley, California, was awarded an $11,010,530 firm-fixed-price contract for the Puma Long Endurance unmanned aircraft system. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Simi Valley, California, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 25, 2022. Fiscal 2021 Foreign Military Sales (Kosovo) funds in the amount of $11,010,530 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-22-C-0021).
Die Spezialeinsatzkräfte der kosovarischen Armee verwenden offensichtlich schwere Scharfschützengewehre Barrett M107A1 und Zielfernrohrgewehre SIG SAUER 716G2 DMR:
Earlier this year Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani and Defense Minister Armend Mehaj visited a Baykar production plant in Turkey, expressing their intention to buy the TB2. In response, Kosova’s Balkan rival Serbia announced in September that it wanted to buy the Turkish combat drones. Negotiations for each potential order are underway.
Kosovo Security Forces receive Turkish Bayraktar drones
The Kosovo Security Forces received five Türkiye's Bayraktar TB2 drones almost seven months after an agreement was signed, the KlanKosova portal reported Friday.
The agreement was signed by Minister of Defense Armend Mehaj, according to an exclusive story by the portal.
Kosovo Security Forces received the drones amid the start of the largest international exercise, Defender Europe 23.
Kosovo will play host for the second time as it participates in the US-led exercise with more than 1,100 soldiers.