APA, Azerbaijan
Feb 14 2009
Azerbaijan’s Air Defence Force "most powerful" in South Caucasus – agency
Azerbaijan has "the most powerful" Air Defence Force in the South
Caucasus, the Baku-based APA news agency has reported. It also
published information on the number and type of military planes,
helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles that Azerbaijan, Armenia and
Georgia have. The report also provided information on projects to
modernize Azerbaijan’s Air Defence Force. The following is an excerpt
from report by private Azerbaijani news agency APA published on 14
February; subheadings inserted editorially:
Baku, 14 February: The Azerbaijani Air Defence Force marks the
anniversary of its establishment on 14 February. The Azerbaijani Air
Defence Force is currently regarded as the most powerful in the South
Caucasus because of the number of its aircraft, state-of-the-art
military equipment and the highest skills of pilots.
Azerbaijan has gained superiority in the air defence sphere in the
South Caucasus region over the past nine years by modernizing its Air
Defence Force and increasing the number of aircraft. Azerbaijan will
continue to increase the capacity of its military aviation in the next
five years as well. It was recently noted that 50 per cent of the
aircraft fleet of the Air Defence Force will be modernized owing to
state-of-the-art warplanes in 2008-10. The Azerbaijani Air Defence
Force will also be supplied with JF-17 Thunder, Su-27 and Su-30
aircraft by 2015. Purchase of modern MiG aircraft is also expected.
The development trends for the Azerbaijani Air Defence Force are
these: purchasing modern aircraft and helicopters; modernizing
aviation equipment; modernizing control centres and command posts;
improving the professional skills of and training aviation personnel;
and increasing the number of aircraft owing to domestic production.
The state of war [with Armenia] and a favourable landscape, as well as
the main air bases of the former Soviet army in the South Caucasus
deployed in Azerbaijan created an opportunity for Azerbaijan to
develop its armed forces after it gained independence.
It must be noted that according to the Treaty on Conventional Armed
Forces in Europe Azerbaijan retains the right to keep 100 warplanes
and 50 helicopters.
Azeri Air Defence Force fleet
The Azerbaijani Air Defence Force is mainly equipped with Soviet-made
MiG-21, MiG-23, MiG-25, Su-24 and Su-25 aircraft, as well as
"fourth-generation" MiG-29 aircraft purchased from Ukraine in
2006. The Soviet-made Il-79 and An military transportation planes and
the long-range Tu-16 twin-engine jet bombers which have remained from
the Soviet period are also part of the arsenal of the Azerbaijani Air
Defence Force. Negotiations with Pakistan on the purchase of JF-17
Thunder aircraft are under way.
Moreover, Czech- and Ukrainian-made L-29 and L-39 training jet
aircraft, as well as Yak planes which are for carrying airborne
troops, that belong to the State Border Service and the Voluntary
Military Patriotism and Technical Sports Society can also be [regarded
as] part of the arsenal of the Air Defence Force.
The helicopter fleet is mainly equipped with Soviet-made helicopters,
including Russian-made Mi-27, Mi-8 and Mi-6 helicopters. An agreement
on the purchase of Mi-171 helicopters was signed with Russia last
year. The State Border Service, the Interior Troops and the Ministry
of Emergency Situations also have helicopter squadrons, like the Air
Defence Force does.
The Azerbaijani Air Defence Force has six Orbiter and Aerostar
unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) manufactured by the Israeli Aeronautics
company. These UAVs were demonstrated at a military parade held in
Baku last year. According to the Israeli media, Azerbaijan is
currently holding negotiations on the purchase of Hermes and Heron-TP
unmanned aerial vehicles.
Air fleet in South Caucasus countries
Aircraft in the air fleet of the South Caucasus countries (year 2008)
[info is given in the form of a table:]
Azerbaijan: MiG-21 – 21 [pieces], MiG-25 – 31, MiG-29 – 49, Su-17 –
4/26 [as given], L-29 – 8, L-39 – 12, Il-76 – 3, Yak-52 – 12, An-12 –
1, An-24 – 1, Tu-134 – 1, Mi-24 – 49, Mi-8 – 13.
Georgia: Su-25 – 24, L-29 – 2, L-39 – 18, An-24 – 1, An-32 – 1, Tu-134
– 2.
Armenia: MiG-25 – 1, Su-25 – 15, L-29 – 4, Yak-52 – 16.
Helicopters in the air fleet of the South Caucasus countries (year
2008) [info is given in the form of a table:]
Azerbaijan: Mi-2 – ? [question mark as given, presumably meaning that
the number of helicopters is not available], Mi-6 – 4, Mi-8 – 13, Mi-9
– ?, Mi-24 – 49, Mi-17 – 4, Mi-171 – 6, Bell UN – none;
Georgia: Mi-2 – 7, Mi-8 – 18, Mi-24 – 12, Bell UN-1H – 8; Armenia:
Mi-2 – 9, Mi-8 – 16, Mi-9 – 2, Mi-24 – 16, Mi-17 – 3.
Unmanned aerial vehicles in the South Caucasus countries: Azerbaijan –
6, Georgia – 24, Armenia – none.
Foreign support to Azeri Air Defence Force
Azerbaijani pilots are trained at Azerbaijan’s High Military Aviation
College. Training flights are held at military bases. Exchange of
experience is held with Turkey, Ukraine, the USA, as well as some NATO
member countries. Azerbaijani pilots are also trained at a Turkish
aviation college and attend training courses in Ukraine. Azerbaijani
military pilots are regarded as ones who fly most of all in the CIS.
The USA plays an important role in modernizing the Azerbaijani Air
Defence Force. The military aerodromes of the Air Defence Force in
Qala and Haci Zeynalabdin Tagiyev settlements have been modernized
with the support of the USA within the framework of the Individual
Partnership Action Plan signed between Azerbaijan and NATO. There is
special equipment installed at the military aerodromes to ensure
safety of flights. The main command post, engineering control
facilities and a building for aeronautical engineering staff have
already been commissioned there. Discussions on modernization of other
aerodromes (Kurdamir air base) are under way. Both aerodromes [in Qala
and Haci Zeynalabdin Tagiyev settlements] are used by NATO aircraft
flying to Afghanistan. In 2008 the USA allocated 4.2m dollars in aid
to Azerbaijan to install an air traffic control system in line with
NATO standards.
The most up-to-date air traffic control system has been installed at
the Dallar aerodrome with the support of the USA.
It must be noted that Turkey has been participating in the
implementation of a project to modernize the central command post of
the Air Defence Force since September 2008. Under an agreement, the
central command control post will be constructed in line with NATO
standards with the support of Turkey. A number of joint projects to
manufacture Attack military helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles
with Turkey will be implemented in the near future.
Azerbaijan’s main aircraft supplier is Ukraine. Under an agreement to
the tune of 125,000 dollars, Ukraine supplied Azerbaijan with
fourth-generation MiG-29 aircraft in 2005.
The Czech Aero Trade company is also holding negotiations with
Azerbaijan on the sale of L-39 aircraft. According to the
director-general of the [Czech] company, Zdenek Prokop, the company
has already sent several L-39 aircraft to Azerbaijan. Some of these
were demonstrated in a military parade held in Baku on 26 June 2008.
[translated from Azeri]
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress