WPS Agency, Russia
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
February 25, 2009 Wednesday
DUE TO ABSENCE OF MECHANISMS FOR CONTROL OVER ARMAMENT, BAKU HAS ITS
HANDS UNTIED
by Gayane Movsesyan
AZERBAIJAN ACCELERATED REARMING OF ITS ARMY WITH NEW MODELS OF
MILITARY HARDWARE; After the withdrawal of Russia from the
Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) treaty last year, the CFE
practically stopped working. This circumstance enables Azerbaijan to
rearm its army successfully.
After the withdrawal of Russia from the Conventional Forces in Europe
(CFE) treaty last year, the CFE practically stopped working.
Sergei Minasyan, director of the department of political research of
the institute of the Caucasus, remarks, "Armenia, Georgia and
Azerbaijan keep exchanging some information now but it is clear that
there are practically no serious mechanisms of regulation and the CFE
plays a formal role. The formation of some new mechanisms of control
over armament not only in the South Caucasus but also on the global
level will be possible only when Russia, European countries and the US
reach compromises regarding the general structure of European
security. Any regional or sub-regional mechanisms of control over
armament are hardly possible until then."
During all these years, Azerbaijan was successfully exceeding the
quotas set for it. According to the contract signed in 2007, in 2008
Azerbaijan had to receive several BTR-90 armored personnel carriers
and 70 BTR-80As made by the Arzamas machine building plant. In 2005,
Turkey provided military aid worth $170 million to Azerbaijan. In
2005, Azerbaijan signed a contract with Ukraine on the purchase of 12
MiG-29, two MiG-29UB and 12 L-39 airplanes. During this period
Azerbaijan bought 12 Su-25 (supposedly from the Czech Republic) and
one airplane Su-27UB from Georgia. Azerbaijan reached an agreement on
purchase of Su-27 and Su-25 from Ukraine. South African ATE Company
operating in Ukraine modernizes combat helicopters Mi-24 of
Azerbaijan. Between 2002 and 2006, Baku bought 106 tanks T-72. Of them
the country bought 45 tanks from Ukraine (2004-2006), 60 tanks from
Belarus (2005-2006) and one tank from the Czech Republic (2002). In
2005, Azerbaijan bought two combat infantry vehicles BMP-1 from
Ukraine. In 2006, it bought three BTR3U. In 2002, it bought from
Ukraine 36 130-mm towed guns M-46, in 2002 it bought from Bulgaria 72
100-mm antitank guns MT-12, between 2004 and 2005 it bought from
Ukraine 12 multiple rocket launcher systems 9RK58 Smerch, between 2005
and 2006 it bought from Ukraine 85 mortars PM-38, between 2006 and
2007 it bought from Ukraine 12 airplanes MiG-29. In 2006, it bought
from Ukraine two MiG-29UB airplanes and between 2002 and 2005 it
bought from Georgia 12 Su-25 airplanes.
Azerbaijan also buys small arms and modern military hardware from
American and Israeli companies. In August of 2008, the Military Herald
of Israel magazine reported that Azerbaijan purchased 5.56-mm
automatic rifles TAR-21 TAVOR, rocket systems PC30 Lynx of ÒÀÀÑ on the
basis of KamAZ-63502 trucks (8×8) in several versions: both with
122-mm and 160-mm rockets and eight heavy 300-mm rockets EXTRA made in
cooperation by ÒÀÀÑ and ÒÀÀ. Azerbaijan also bought two types of
unmanned aerial vehicles of Aeronautics, namely Orbiter and Aerostar.
In September of 2008, Israeli mass media reported that Tel Aviv signed
defense contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars with
Baku. According to Haarets newspaper, the contracts were signed on
supplying Azerbaijan with the newest TAR-21 automatic rifles TAR-21
and ammunition, as well as on deals for the sale of howitzers and
ammunition for them made by Soltam, rocket systems and ammunition for
them made by TAAC and communication systems made by Tadiran. Haaretz
also wrote about supplying Azerbaijan with armament of joint
Israeli-Kazakh production. For Kazakhstan Soltam developed 122-mm
self-propelled howitzer Semser mounted on KamAZ and 120-mm
self-propelled mortar Aibat.
Soltam and Elbit also developed an integrated automatic control system
uniting all three artillery systems.
The supply of armament to Azerbaijan by Ukraine and Turkey and the
plans of Baku to create its own military industrial complex are topics
of a separate conversation. Meanwhile, Turkish company Roketsan and
research and production association Iqlim of the Defense Ministry of
Azerbaijan reached an agreement on joint production of armament. In
March of 2009, Roketsan and Iqlim will start production of 107-mm and
122-mm multi-barrel rocket launcher systems.
In the near future, Azerbaijan is going to begin production of
aviation bombs and ammunition for tanks and artillery systems. In 2009
Azerbaijan plans to start the production of unmanned aerial vehicles
and helicopters.
The militarization of Azerbaijan continues.
Source: Respublika Armenia (Yerevan), February 13, 2009, p. EV
Translated by InterContact