AKIPRESS.COM - Deputy Commanding General of United States Army Central, Major General Wendul Hagler presented 50 Polaris MRZR light tactical combat mobility vehicles to the Special Operations Forces of the Ministry of Defense of Uzbekistan, the U.S. Embassy in Uzbekistan says.

The Head of the Special Operations Forces Directorate of the Ministry of Defense accepted the equipment on behalf of the Special Operations Forces.

Officials from the Central Military District Command, United States Army Central, and United States Embassy Tashkent participated in the ceremony.

The equipment was presented under the United States Department of Defense-funded Building Partner Capacity Program.

The vehicles are valued at $2.8 million and represent a portion of U.S. defense articles provided to Uzbekistan on a grant basis.

"The transfer of this equipment is only one form of assistance the United States offers Uzbekistan to contribute to Uzbekistan’s protection of its national sovereignty and territorial integrity. The United States looks forward to continuing to build on our partnership, which has greatly progressed over the last 31 years," Major General Hagler noted in his opening remarks.