SELF-SUFFICIENT DEFENSE

The analysis of current local conflicts and hybrid wars clearly confirms that the most important factor in achieving military triumph is the ability of a state to modernize its defense industry, providing for the development of sufficient military ammunition and high-tech “smart” arms systems. Azerbaijan adheres to a similar strategy set about ten years ago and has created the most powerful military-industrial complex in the South Caucasus.

It is evident that Azerbaijan has the most powerful armed forces in the region today ready for any combat missions. The power and the high level of technical equipment of its army was clearly demonstrated during the provocations of Armenian aggressors in April.

“It is impossible to ignore the advantages of Azerbaijan in the political, economic and other spheres, including the progress in army building. The fighting in April has demonstrated that our army is among the strongest armies of the world and can perform any task”, said President Aliyev in his assessment of the recent events. International experts have repeatedly confirmed this assessment, noting Azerbaijan’s high level of defense capacity.

In particular, the recently published Global Firepower Index 2016 considers the army and defense industry of Azerbaijan as the strongest in the South Caucasus and one of the best in the former Soviet Union. In the latest ranking of Global Firepower Index Azerbaijan’s position rose by three points ranking the 60^th in the world by aggregate indicator of military power, while Armenia lost 20 points sliding down to the 94^th position. Another country of the South Caucasus, Georgia, ranked 80^th.

Despite economic problems due to the global energy crisis, Azerbaijan has not cut spending on defense and national security. The draft state budget for 2017 allocates 2.9 billion AZN (over $1.8 billion at current rates) for these purposes, which is 6.9% higher than in 2016. In general, this amounts to 17.4% of total budgetary expenditures for the next year. In fact, Azerbaijan’s security and defense bill can be even higher, since a portion of these expenditures is listed under other budget items and remains undisclosed pursuant to the Law on State Secret.

For comparison, the draft state budget of Armenia for 2017 assumes the allocation of 209.8 billion drams ($440 million) for military expenditures. Thus, even a direct comparison shows that the defense budget of Azerbaijan is more than four times the budget of the neighboring state. Given the indirect factors, the real defense figures look much better.

The obvious evidence of the effectiveness of Azerbaijan’s defense strategy and the justification for investments are the achievements of the defense industry. Thanks to the efforts of the Ministry of Defense Industry (MDI), an array of modern defense enterprises have been created in Azerbaijan. The production of a wide range of ammunition equipment, including but not limited to cartridges, shells, unguided and guided bombs and missiles, light artillery weapons, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), armored vehicles, radio communication equipment, optical systems was launched with the support of companies from almost four dozen countries of the world, especially Turkey, Israel, Russia, South Africa, Belarus, and Pakistan.

The achievements of the national defense industry were demonstrated for the second time at the Azerbaijan International Defense Exhibition (ADEX-2016). Technically, the most demanding segment of the national defense is the production of UAVs. In fact, ​​the production of intelligence drones Orbiter-2M and Aerostar based on Israeli technology was launched as early as 2011. So far, the product line of MDI has expanded and now includes a new generation of UAVs, namely Orbiter-3 and Orbiter-4, which have greater autonomy and range. Unlike previous models, they can stay in the air for 6 and 24 hours, respectively. Furthermore, with a more powerful engine and a wingspan of 5.4 m, the payload range of Orbiter-4 (50 kg) reaches 12 kg at a velocity of 70 kph with a flight radius of 150 km. Yet another advantage of the new drones, made of composite materials “transparent” to electromagnetic radiation, is that they are virtually invisible to radars, which significantly increases the survivability of UAVs.

UAV Zərbə is of particular interest. It was successfully employed and demonstrated its capabilities during the April fighting. Zərbə stays in the air for 2.5 hours, operates day and night in any weather conditions and has a distance radius of 100 km, detecting enemy targets automatically or manually, and can make unexpected strikes. The warhead of this kamikaze-drone is equipped with high-explosive charge effective against both manpower and various equipment, adversary warehouses and command posts.

In addition, there are plans to expand the production line of light and heavy armored vehicles. “There are several options to create a national armored vehicle Tufan designed to carry out various military operations and equipped with a 12.7mm remotely controlled weapon station, anti-tank guided missile system, avionics for combat and exploration, as well as other systems”, says the Minister of Defense Industry Yaver Jamalov. The prototype of Tufan should be ready by the end of 2016. Meanwhile, the prototypes of new armored vehicles İldırım and Qasırğa, with a mass production scheduled to begin in 2017, were developed as a result of negotiations with foreign states. MDI has also introduced a prototype version of the armored vehicle İldırım. The production will launch soon in cooperation with the experts from South Africa. This machine weighs 13 tons, is designed to take 12 soldiers, and can be armed with a 12.7mm machine gun NST, and other combat systems. Another novelty from MDI is a versatile armored vehicle Gürzə equipped with small weapons.

A joint venture of Azerbaijan and Canada will be launched soon for the production of another type of armored vehicles, APC AZCAN, which will be produced at the MDI enterprises and sold around the world.

MDI also launches the production of armored reconnaissance and patrol vehicles (BRDM) equipped with high-precision anti-tank missile system by the Turkish company Roketsan. The new BRDM-2M is equipped with four mid-range missiles Mızrak with tandem warheads capable of destroying targets with dynamic protection. It also has a two-axis stabilizing system for marching fire, satellite navigation systems and the friend-or-foe recognition system.

Thanks to the efforts of MDI, we are producing a new generation of aerial bombs. Seven types of such bombs were presented at the exhibition, including the high-precision high-explosive fragmentation bomb QFAB-100SAB, which can adjust its flight trajectory and destroy the target at a considerable distance from the discharge point. Two new 80mm unguided missiles of domestic type were also presented during the exhibition.

A high-precision machine gun Şimşək was among the favourites of the exhibition. The mass production line of Şimşək, equipped with day-and-night vision cameras and designed to be mounted on top of armored vehicles, was launched in 2016.

Azerbaijan also expands the production of firearms, such as machine guns, automatic rifles, grenade launchers, and sniper rifles. These include the 14.5mm high-caliber sniper rifle NST weighing 19 kg and usable in the range of 1,600 meters with a flame arrester and the recoil reduced to 50%. Another rifle, Vaşaq, was developed with two types of cartridge calibers (7.62mm and 8.6mm) in mind and with effective aiming range of 1000 and 1500 meters, respectively. In perspective, MDI plans to start export of these rifles.

The sniper rifles and other small arms are not the only article of MDI’s export revenues. In recent years, the defense enterprises of Azerbaijan have exported a wide range of ammunition, mortars, small arms and light weapons, optics and radio communications. In 2013, Azerbaijan exported a total of $123 million-worth weapons and munitions. The exports in 2014 totaled $100 million. In July 2016, the MDI’s export portfolio was estimated at $106 million.

“The demand for our products is so high that we even have to give up some orders due to lack of time and opportunity. Basically, we receive orders for ammunition and weapons from Europe, Africa, and Asia. We have competitive and high-quality weapons priced with global market prices in mind”, says the Deputy Minister of Defense Industry Yahya Musayev.

Currently, the Ministry of the Defense of Azerbaijan exports to ten countries of the world. Another batch of 10 modified armored personnel carriers ZTR-70 will be exported to Congo soon.

Currently, the Ministry is negotiating the export of optical sights in Russia and the United States, grenade launchers RPQ-7V2 and sniper rifles to several Arab states, as well as ammunition to a number of other countries in the region.

“Our products meet international and NATO standards, which provides us access to international markets. We have recently signed a contract for the supply of 500 rocket-propelled grenades, 500 mortars and ammunition to Iraq. The automatic rifle EM-14, designed by Azerbaijani specialists for 5.56mm NATO cartridges, has a high export potential”, says Minister Yaver Jamalov.

In other words, the technical capacity of Azerbaijan’s defense enterprises will build up gradually and the production of new weapon types in the country will improve. In particular, MDI signed an agreement with the Russian corporation Tactical Missiles on the production of tactical missiles. Together with Russian specialists, Azerbaijan plans to produce a new generation of air-to-air and air-to-land class.

In turn, Ukraine and Azerbaijan are planning to establish a joint production line for anti-tank missile systems and the guided missiles at MDI enterprises.

The examples mentioned above is merely a small portion of defense projects to implement in Azerbaijan during the coming years. The continued occupation of Azerbaijani territories and Armenia's de-facto refusal to stop aggressive policy dictates the need to strengthen the military power of our country. “This task is carried out successfully. Azerbaijan has the strongest army and the defense industry in the South Caucasus”, says Mr. Jamalov.