AI technologies department to be established at Defense Ministry

An Artificial Intelligence Technologies Department and a Cybersecurity Laboratory will be established at Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Defense. The issue was discussed on May 7 during a presentation to President and Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Shavkat Mirziyoyev on improving the military personnel training system and digitalizing the army. 

It was noted that unmanned aerial vehicles, robotic systems, electronic warfare tools and modern command technologies are being widely used in armed conflicts around the world in recent years. This requires not only the renewal of weapons and military equipment, but also the training of a new generation of specialists.

Consistent work is being carried out in this area in Uzbekistan. New units have been created in the troops for the combat use of drones and counter-drone operations, while a system has been established to train unmanned aerial vehicle operators, engineers and robotics specialists.

During the presentation, the head of state was briefed on the activities of these mobile units and the system for training specialists in this field.

Special attention was paid to reforming the military education system. In 2025, at the initiative of the President, measures were taken to develop this area and train military personnel with modern knowledge and practical skills. As a result, all higher military educational institutions were granted institute status, a unified vertical management system was created, and the University of Military Security and Defense of the Republic of Uzbekistan was established.

New qualification requirements, curricula and programs are being introduced based on modern combat operations, the real needs of the troops and the experience of leading higher education institutions. Training is being organized on the principle of combining theory and practice, enabling future officers to acquire the necessary skills during the educational process to serve in line with current operational conditions.

Under a completely new model for training military personnel at the bachelor’s level, cadets will study foreign languages, information technologies and artificial intelligence in depth.

For command and staff officers, a new three-stage training system will be introduced for the first time, based on advanced foreign experience and the study of modern armed conflicts.

At the same time, the scale of training for sergeants will also be expanded. One of the main innovations is the launch of distance learning for sergeants in six civilian bachelor’s degree specializations at higher military educational institutions. In addition, the system for training aviation and unmanned aerial vehicle specialists will be further improved, and a procedure will be introduced to train Armed Forces servicemen in this field and issue them a single certificate.

The presentation also reviewed issues related to digitalizing the army and ensuring cybersecurity.

In recent years, communications infrastructure within the Ministry of Defense system has been modernized, modern information and communication technologies have been introduced, and secure data exchange channels have been developed.

Military programmers have developed about 50 information systems in various areas of troop activity. In particular, the Chaqiruv electronic information system has been created in defense affairs bodies and integrated with 19 ministries and agencies. This has made it possible to obtain 39 types of certificates online and, for the first time, conduct conscription procedures fully electronically.

A unified medical information system and telemedicine have also been introduced in the field of military medicine, with integration ensured with the Health Ministry’s D-MED system.

Taking into account modern risks and threats, an Information Security Monitoring Center has been established at the Ministry of Defense to detect and prevent cyberthreats in a timely manner.

During the presentation, comprehensive measures were proposed to further develop automated command systems, expand the use of robotic and autonomous systems, and launch research and development work.

Plans are being made to establish a Main Department of Digital Technologies, an Artificial Intelligence Technologies Department and a Cybersecurity Laboratory within the central office of the Ministry of Defense. A Satellite Communications Center will also be launched to ensure uninterrupted and stable communications across all regions of the country.

To implement a unified digital policy in the defense sector, the post of deputy defense minister for digitalization, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity has been introduced. Similar deputy commander positions for digitalization, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity are also planned to be introduced in military districts.

At the end of the presentation, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief approved the proposals and signed documents aimed at further digitalizing the army and introducing modern information and communication systems and artificial intelligence technologies into the troops.

Officials were instructed to prioritize the full digitalization of the defense sector, the creation of national artificial intelligence models and the further improvement of the system for training qualified military personnel.