Almost a month ago, the Military Review published a controversial article on the Current State of the Armenian Air Defense System. In their comments to it, some "hot guys" living in Azerbaijan were especially distinguished. Obviously, this is due to the fact that Armenia and Azerbaijan, which were once parts of the USSR, still have an unresolved territorial dispute, which regularly escalates into armed clashes on the confrontation line in Nagorno-Karabakh. This circumstance not only poisons relations between the two Transcaucasian republics, but also forces Baku and Yerevan to spend substantial funds on military preparations. Since the military budget of Armenia is many times less than the financial resources allocated by Azerbaijan for defense, the Armenian leadership has relied on a military alliance with Russia. Azerbaijan, in turn, is systematically building up the power of its own armed forces, purchasing modern equipment and weapons abroad, and developing the national defense industry.
Currently, Armenia and Azerbaijan are unable to achieve victory in an armed conflict with each other. In the event of an attack on Armenia, the Russian military contingent stationed in the republic will act against the aggressor. And there is no doubt that in the event of an escalation of the conflict, Russian troops will be promptly reinforced by the transfer of personnel, equipment and weapons from the territory of Russia. At the same time, it is quite obvious that our military stationed at the bases of Gyumri and Erebuni are carrying out a purely defensive mission and will not take part in aggressive actions against any state that has a common border with Armenia. At the same time, although the Armenian Air Force has a small number of Su-25 attack aircraft and L-39 combat training aircraft and there are no capable supersonic fighters and front-line bombers at all, in recent years a systematic increase in the combat capabilities of Azerbaijan's air defense system can be observed. And we are talking not only about strengthening the anti-aircraft cover of army units, which can be threatened by attack aircraft and combat helicopters. Abroad, anti-aircraft complexes and medium and long-range systems are actively purchased and deployed around administrative and industrial centers, which also have a certain anti-missile potential.
From the very beginning, Azerbaijan and Armenia found themselves in unequal conditions. During the Soviet era, much attention was paid to the anti-aircraft cover of the Baku oil fields. Back in 1942, the Baku Air Defense District was formed. Until 1980, this operational formation of the Soviet air defense forces defended the skies over the North Caucasus, Transcaucasia and the Stavropol Territory. In 1980, during the reform of the USSR Air Defense Forces, the Baku Air Defense District was disbanded, and the air defense units were reassigned to the command of the Transcaucasian Military District and the 34th Air Army. This decision caused serious damage to the country's defense, since the army command did not understand many of the nuances associated with organizing airspace control, and radio-technical and anti-aircraft missile troops became overly dependent on the Air Force command. Subsequently, this decision was recognized as erroneous, since the management of air defense throughout the country was largely decentralized. It was at this time that the cases of violation of the air border of the USSR by Turkey and Iran became more frequent, to which it was not always possible to react in a timely manner. To correct the current situation and restore unified centralized control over the airspace of the region in 1986, the 19th separate Red Banner Air Defense Army was created with headquarters in Tbilisi. The area of responsibility of the 19th OKA Air Defense included: Georgia, Azerbaijan, part of Turkmenistan, Astrakhan, Volgograd and Rostov regions and Stavropol Territory. In October 1992, the 19th Air Defense OKA was disbanded, and some of the equipment and weapons were transferred to the "independent republics".
Azerbaijan got the property of the 97th Air Defense Division. At the time of the collapse of the USSR, two radio engineering brigades in the Ayat and Mingechevir region, the 190th anti-aircraft missile regiment - headquarters in the city of Mingachevir, the 128th and 129th anti-aircraft missile brigades with headquarters in the villages of Zira and Sangachaly were stationed on the territory of the republic. These units were armed with long-range air defense systems S-200VM - 4 divisions, medium-range complexes С-75М2 / М3 - 6 divisions, low-altitude С-125М / М1 - 11 divisions.
Four dozen MiG-25PD / PDS interceptors of the 82nd Fighter Aviation Regiment were based at the Nasosnaya airfield near Sumgait. Also, several MiG-21SM and MiG-21bis were included in the Azerbaijan Air Force.
The MiG-25 interceptors flew until 2011, after which they were put "in storage", where they remained until 2015. It was assumed that these machines will undergo major repairs and modernization, for which the Azerbaijani side was negotiating with foreign contractors.
However, having weighed all the pros and cons, they refused to modernize the interceptors built more than 30 years ago, preferring the purchase of modern aircraft. At present, the fate of the Azerbaijani MiG-25s is unknown; they no longer exist at the former Nasosnaya airfield.
Since the MiG-25PD / PDS interceptors were frankly outdated, and their operation was too expensive, in 2007 12 MiG-29 and 2 MiG-29UB fighters were purchased in Ukraine. In 2009-2011, Ukraine additionally supplied 2 more combat training MiG-29UB. Before being sent to Azerbaijan, the aircraft were partially modernized and underwent refurbishment at the Lviv State Aircraft Repair Plant. The modernization of avionics consisted in the installation of new communication and navigation equipment. The planned modernization of the radar with an increase of about 25% in the detection range of air targets did not take place. They could not create their own radar for the fighter in Ukraine.
As part of the Azerbaijani-Ukrainian contract, spare RD-33 engines, a set of spare parts and R-27 and R-73 guided missiles were supplied together with the fighters.
According to The Military Balance 2017, the Azerbaijan Air Force had 13 MiG-29s as of 2017. It is not known how many of them are in flight condition, but Azerbaijani MiGs are not flying very actively. All aircraft from the 408th Fighter Squadron are based at the Nasosnaya airbase near Sumgait.
Soon the life cycle of the MiG-29 fighters built in the USSR will end and the Azerbaijan Air Force is looking for a replacement for them. The most likely contenders are considered the F-16 Fighting Falcon of the Turkish assembly or used aircraft from the US Air Force, as well as the light Pakistani-Chinese fighter JF-17 Thunder. In addition, Azerbaijani representatives probed the ground regarding the possibility of purchasing light Swedish Saab JAS 39 Gripen and Russian multifunctional Su-30MK fighters. Possible deliveries of JAS 39 Gripen are hindered by restrictions in Swedish law prohibiting the sale of weapons to countries that have unresolved territorial disputes with neighbors. In addition, the engine, avionics and weapons of American production are used on the Swedish fighter, which means that a US permit is required. The Russian Su-30MK fighter has much greater capabilities than the JF-17 and Saab JAS 39, but after the delivery of these aircraft, Azerbaijan will receive a serious superiority over Armenia, which is a strategic ally of Russia, which could aggravate the situation in the region in the future.
In the first years of independence, the republic's top military-political leadership did not understand the role that air defense forces play in the republic's defense capability, and therefore this segment of the armed forces gradually degraded. However, the Azerbaijani military managed to keep in working order a significant part of the equipment and weapons. Unlike Georgia, which also received Soviet-made air defense systems S-125, S-75 and S-200, in Azerbaijan due to the involvement of foreign specialists, training of calculations abroad and the conclusion of contracts for repair and modernization with specialized enterprises in Ukraine and Belarus, it turned out to maintain the combat readiness of its air defense at a sufficiently high level. Currently, the anti-aircraft missile forces, which are organizationally part of the Azerbaijan Air Force, have: one anti-aircraft missile regiment, four anti-aircraft missile brigades and two separate radio technical battalions.
Particular respect is inspired by the fact that, until recently, the air defense missile forces of Azerbaijan were on combat duty with the S-75M3 and S-200VM air defense missile systems with liquid anti-aircraft missiles. Which require time-consuming maintenance, regular refueling and draining of liquid toxic fuel and corrosive explosive oxidizer using respiratory and skin protection. Until 2012, there were four C-75M3 missiles in positions, mainly around the city of Mingachevir, in the Yevlakh region. The last C-75M3 division in the vicinity of the Kerdeksani settlement northeast of Baku was removed from combat duty in mid-2016.
At the beginning of the 21st century, the Azerbaijani S-200VM complexes underwent "minor modernization" and refurbishment. It was reported that the stocks of heavy anti-aircraft missiles 5В28 were replenished as a result of purchases from Ukraine.
The positions of the S-200VM long-range complexes (two divisions each) were in the Yevlakh region, not far from the village of Aran and on the Caspian coast east of Baku. The range of destruction of the Azerbaijani S-200VM air defense systems made it possible not only to control the airspace over the entire republic, but also to shoot down targets flying at medium altitudes over the territories of other states and a significant part of the Caspian Sea.
In 2016, at positions 35 km east of Baku on the coast of the Caspian Sea, according to satellite images, two long-range anti-aircraft battalions S-200VM were on alert. The photographs also show that the missiles are not on all "guns". Missiles are equipped with 2-3 launchers of the six available in the missile defense. Apparently, the Azerbaijani Vegas will be removed from service in the near future. The S-200 air defense missile system, even taking into account the unrivaled range and height of destruction of air targets in our country, is too time consuming and expensive to operate. And the maintenance of the equipment that has worked out its resource with a high proportion of electrovacuum elements requires heroic efforts from the calculations. However, it is possible that the S-200VM air defense missile systems will continue to play a "ceremonial" role after the air defense system is removed from service - they look very impressive at military parades.
Unlike complexes with liquid-propellant missiles, Soviet-built air defense systems S-125M / M1 with solid-propellant missiles will still serve. This very successful low-altitude air defense system has a great modernization potential, in connection with which its updated versions have been developed in Poland, Ukraine, Russia and Belarus.
According to data published by the Stockholm Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), in 2014 Azerbaijan received 9 divisions (27 launchers) of the S-125 air defense missile system of the S-125-TM "Pechora-2T" modification, ordered in Belarus in 2011.
Low-altitude S-125M / M1 upgraded by the Belarusian NPO "Tetrahedr" to the level of C-125-TM "Pechora-2T". At the same time, in addition to extending the service life of the complex, the noise immunity and the ability to combat subtle targets in the radar range were increased. It is assumed that after the modernization of the S-125-TM "Pechora-2T" they will be able to operate for another 10-15 years.
Training of personnel for anti-aircraft missile units of the Azerbaijani armed forces is carried out in the 115th training center of anti-aircraft missile forces not far from the Kurdamir airbase. Here, at specially prepared positions, there are S-125, Krug and Buk-MB anti-aircraft missile systems, as well as P-18, P-19, 5N84A radars and modern 36D6M radars.
Since 2008, Azerbaijan began to receive serious funds from the export of "big oil". Taking into account the fact that the weapons and equipment of the air defense forces produced in the USSR needed modernization and replacement, the country's leadership directed significant financial resources for these purposes. According to the Russian Center for Analysis of World Arms Trade (TsAMTO), in 2007 Azerbaijan signed a contract worth $ 300 million for the purchase of two divisions of S-300PMU-2 Favorit air defense systems from Russia, eight towed launchers in each air defense missile and 200 missiles 48N6E2. The deliveries of the equipment began in the summer of 2010 and ended in 2012. There is information that these air defense systems were originally intended for Iran. However, after our leadership succumbed to pressure from the United States and Israel, the contract with Iran was canceled. However, in order not to let down the manufacturer of the S-300P systems, the Almaz-Antey air defense concern, it was decided to sell the already built air defense systems to Azerbaijan.
Calculations of long-range anti-aircraft missile systems supplied to Azerbaijan have been trained and trained in Russia. The S-300PMU2 Favorit is an export modification of the Russian S-300PM2 air defense system. It uses a towed launcher with four transport and launch containers.
For the first time, Azerbaijani S-300PMU2 were publicly demonstrated during the parade on June 26, 2011 in Baku. Then, three towed 5P85TE2 launchers, two 5T58 transport-loading vehicles and one 30N6E2 illumination and guidance radar passed in the parade line.
In 2012, both divisions were deployed on the coast 50 km north-west of Baku, in the place where the positions of the C-75 and C-125 air defense systems were located in the past. However, later the divisions were divided, for one in 2014 they began to prepare a position on the top of a hill in the western suburb of Baku, not far from the village of Kobu. They began to carry out combat duty on an ongoing basis here in 2015. Another position is located 10 km east of the Azerbaijani capital, near the settlement of Surakhani.
In addition to defending the capital from air attacks and tactical missile strikes, a long-range anti-aircraft missile system covers the main Azerbaijani air base Nasosnaya and the reserve Sitalchay, a large ammunition depot in Gilazi and a new naval base in the Karadag region of Baku.
Attention is drawn to the fact that the Azerbaijani S-300PMU2 air defense systems are on combat duty in a reduced composition. At each indicated position, instead of the eight towed launchers laid down by the state, four are deployed.
The Russian S-300PMU2 air defense systems are not the only modern long-range anti-aircraft systems available in Azerbaijan. It is reported that the armed forces of Azerbaijan in December 2016 carried out rocket fire from the Israeli long-range air defense system Barak 8. Apparently, Azerbaijan became the first buyer of the ground version of the Israeli air defense system. The complex was developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) in partnership with Elta Systems, Rafael and other firms.
Azerbaijan has ordered a towed version of the air defense system and 75 anti-aircraft missiles. SAM Barak 8 is capable of fighting ballistic and aerodynamic targets at a distance of up to 90 km. The cost of one battery is $ 25 million, the SAM has a cost of about $ 1.5 million per unit.
A solid-propellant two-stage missile defense system with a length of 4.5 m is equipped with an active radar seeker. The rocket is launched from a vertical launcher. After the launch, the rocket is displayed on the intercept trajectory and receives illumination from the guidance radar. When approaching the target at the distance of turning on the active seeker, the second engine is started. In-flight guidance equipment provides information transfer to the missile, and can re-target it after launch, which increases the flexibility of use and reduces the consumption of missiles. The ELM-2248 multipurpose radar for detection, tracking and guidance is also capable, in addition to controlling the Barak 8 air defense system, to coordinate the actions of other air defense units.
When the Soviet military property was divided, the Azerbaijani armed forces got 9 batteries of the Krug-M and Krug-M1 army mobile medium-range anti-aircraft missile systems on a tracked chassis.
Until 2013, three anti-aircraft batteries were involved in combat duty in the Agjabadi region of Azerbaijan, consisting of a P-40 air target detection radar, a 1S32 missile guidance station and three 2P24 SPUs. However, at present, the morally and physically obsolete Krug-M1 air defense systems have been replaced by Buk-MB medium-range complexes.
At the moment, the Krug air defense missile system of all modifications has been transferred to the storage bases and, most likely, they will not return to service, they will be disposed of. The main reason for this, in addition to the deterioration of the equipment of the 1C32 guidance station, where a significant part of the electronic units were built on electrovacuum devices, was the impossibility of further operation of the 3M8 missiles with a ramjet engine running on kerosene. Due to the cracking of the soft rubber fuel tanks, the rockets leaked and became unsafe in terms of fire.
In addition to the medium-range military air defense systems "Krug", the Azerbaijani army air defense system inherited from the Soviet Army: about 150 "Strela-2M" and "Strela-3" MANPADS, 12 combat vehicles of the mobile amphibious air defense system "Osa-AKM", a dozen of "Strela" air defense systems -10SV "on the basis of the tracked MT-LB, and about 50 ZSU-23-4" Shilka ". In addition, the ground units have a number of 23-mm ZU-23 anti-aircraft guns, including those installed on the MT-LB tracked tractors. There are also 57-mm S-60 anti-aircraft guns and 100-mm KS-19 anti-aircraft guns in storage. Arrows "of the first modifications are hopelessly outdated, and their batteries, most likely, have become unusable. In this regard, in 2013, Russia supplied Azerbaijan with 300 Igla-S MANPADS.
“The improvement of the air defense of Azerbaijan's ground forces is carried out both by purchasing new equipment abroad and by modernizing existing samples. So, in 2007, a contract was signed with Belarus for the modernization of Azerbaijani air defense systems "Osa-AKM" to the level of "Osa-1T". Modernization works were carried out at the Belarusian Research and Production Unitary Enterprise "Tetraedr". The modernized complexes were handed over to the customer in 2009.
During the modernization, the appearance of the car remained practically unchanged. But thanks to the use of new radar and computer technology, built on a modern element base, the reliability of the complex has increased, the probability of hitting a target has increased, and noise immunity has improved. The introduction of an optoelectronic system for tracking an air target increases survivability in conditions of the use of anti-radar missiles and electronic suppression by the enemy. With the switch to solid-state electronics, response times and power consumption have decreased. The maximum target detection range is 40 km.
The complex uses modified anti-aircraft missiles. The maximum slant target destruction range is 12.5 km. The height of the lesion is 0, 025 - 7 km. The folding / deployment time is 5 minutes. It is reported that thanks to the modernization, the service life of the Osa-1T has been extended by another 15 years.
There is information that along with the modernization of the Osa air defense system, Azerbaijan in 2011 acquired anti-aircraft missile systems of a similar class - T38 Stilet. This complex is a further variant of the development of the Osa air defense system, but due to the use of fundamentally new anti-aircraft missiles, a modern radar and electronic computing base, its efficiency has been significantly increased.
SAM T-38 "Stilet" is located on the Belarusian wheeled chassis MZKT-69222T with increased cross-country ability. SAM T38 "Stilet" is a joint Ukrainian-Belarusian development. The hardware part of the complex was created by the specialists of the Belarusian enterprise "Tetraedr", and the T382 anti-aircraft missiles for it were developed at the Kiev design bureau "Luch". The Stiletto complex is armed with 8 T382 missiles. Compared with the Osa-AKM air defense missile system, the range of destruction of air targets has doubled and is 20 km. Due to the use of a two-channel guidance system, it is possible to fire at one target simultaneously with two missiles, which significantly increases the likelihood of destruction. According to data published in foreign directories, as of 2014, two batteries of mobile T-38 Stilet air defense systems were delivered to Azerbaijan.
In 2014, Russian Il-76 military transport aircraft delivered to Azerbaijan the last 4 of 8 Tor-2ME air defense systems ordered in 2011 at the Nasosnaya airbase.
In the modern export version of the short-range complex, 9M338 missiles are used. SAM Tor-2ME is able to deal with actively maneuvering targets at a distance of 1-12 km and an altitude of up to 10 km and accompany 4 targets simultaneously.
At the parade in June 2013 in honor of the 95th anniversary of the armed forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan, mobile anti-aircraft missile systems of the Buk family were demonstrated for the first time. In various sources, there are discrepancies regarding the origin of the SAM data. It is known that some time ago Azerbaijan purchased from Belarus two divisions of the Buk-MB air defense system, which is a deep modernization of the Soviet Buk-M1 air defense system. Each air defense missile launcher has six self-propelled missile launchers 9A310MB, three ROMs 9A310MB, an 80K6M radar on the MZKT "Volat" wheeled chassis and a 9S470MB combat command post, as well as technical support vehicles.
The modernized complexes supplied for export were taken from the armed forces of Belarus. It is reported that a number of electronic units "Buk-MB" and export missiles 9M317E for arming the Belarusian air defense system were supplied from Russia. Apparently, the cost of the used Belarusian complexes is significantly lower than the new Russian ones, which was the reason for their acquisition.
There is also information that in service in Azerbaijan there is at least one division of the Buk M1-2 air defense missile system, delivered from Russia. Anti-aircraft complexes "Buk-MB" with 9M317E missiles equipped with a multi-mode semi-active Doppler radar seeker are capable of hitting targets with a maximum flight speed of more than 1200 m / s, at a range of up to 3-50 km and an altitude of 0.01 - 25 m.
In addition, a number of media outlets claimed that Azerbaijan ordered in Israel the SPYDER SR near-zone air defense system with a range of 15-20 km and the Iron Dome anti-missile system, designed to protect against unguided missiles with a range of 4 to 70 kilometers. However, at the moment there are no facts confirming the practical implementation of this contract.
At the time of the collapse of the USSR, mobile and stationary radars were in service with radio engineering units deployed in Azerbaijan: P-12, P-14, P-15, P-18, P-19, P-35, P-37, P-40, P-80, 5N84A, 19Zh6, 22Zh6, 44Zh6 and radio altimeters: PRV-9, PRV-11, PRV-13, PRV-16, PRV-17. Most of this technique was 15-20 years old. Radars and altimeters, built on a lamp element base, required significant efforts to maintain them in working order, and therefore, several years after the transfer to Azerbaijan, the number of serviceable radars was greatly reduced. Currently, there are 11 permanently deployed radar posts on the territory of the republic. Radars have survived since Soviet times: P-18, P-19, P-37, P-40, 5N84A, 19Zh6, 22Zh6 and altimeters PRV-13, PRV-16 and PRV-17. Radars P-18, P-19, 5N84A and 19Zh6 were repaired and modernized with the help of foreign specialists. There is information that the Soviet meter P-18 and decimeter P-19 were modernized in Ukraine at the State Enterprise "Research and Production Complex" Iskra "in Zaporozhye to the level of P-18MU and P-19MA. power consumption and increase MTBF The detection characteristics have also been improved, the ability to automatically track the trajectories of air objects has been implemented.
To replace obsolete and worn-out Soviet-made radars in the early 2000s, supplies of 36D6-M three-coordinate airspace survey radars were carried out from Ukraine. Detection range 36D6-M - up to 360 km. To transport the radar, the KrAZ-6322 or KrAZ-6446 tractors are used, the station can be deployed or collapsed within half an hour. The construction of the 36D6-M radar was carried out in Ukraine by the Iskra enterprise. Until now, station 36D6-M meets modern requirements and is one of the best in its class in terms of cost-effectiveness. It can be used both independently as an autonomous air traffic control center, and in conjunction with modern automated air defense systems to detect low-flying air targets, covered with active and passive interference. Currently, there are three 36D6-M radars operating in Azerbaijan.
In 2007, Ukraine began mass production of the 80K6 three-dimensional circular-view radar with a phased array antenna. A circular viewing station with a phased antenna array is a further development option for the 79K6 Pelican radar, which was created back in the USSR.
The 80K6 radar is intended for use as part of the Air Force and Air Defense Forces to control and issue target designation to anti-aircraft missile systems and automated air traffic control systems. The radar deployment time is 30 minutes. The detection range of high-altitude air targets is 400 km.
In 2012, the purchase of Belarusian Buk-MB air defense systems was linked to the purchase of modernized Ukrainian radars, the 80K6M radar. The 80K6M mobile three-coordinate all-round radar station was first demonstrated on June 26, 2013 at a military parade in Baku.
Compared to the basic modification, its characteristics have been significantly improved. The deployment-folding time of the 80K6M radar has been reduced by 5 times and amounts to 6 minutes. The 80K6M radar has an increased vertical viewing angle - up to 55 °, which makes it possible to detect ballistic targets. Antenna post, hardware and calculation are placed on one on a cross-country chassis. According to representatives of NPK Iskra, the 80K6M radar can compete with the American AN / TPS 78 three-coordinate radar and the French GM400 Thales Raytheon Systems station in terms of the main tactical and technical capabilities of the 80K6M radar.
In addition to Ukrainian radars, Azerbaijan purchased mobile three-coordinate Israeli radars ELM-2288 AD-STAR and ELM-2106NG. According to Israeli data, radars have a dual purpose, in addition to controlling the actions of air defense missile systems and targeting fighters, they can be used for air traffic control.
The ELM-2288 AD-STAR radar is capable of detecting high-altitude aerial targets at a range of up to 480 km. Radar ELM-2106NG is designed to detect low-flying aircraft, helicopters and UAVs at a distance of up to 90 km, the number of simultaneously tracked targets is 60. Apparently, the purchase of radars ELM-2288 AD-STAR and ELM-2106NG was carried out under one contract with the air defense system Barak 8.
There is also information that an EL / M-2080 Green Pine early warning radar is operating in Azerbaijan. According to the Stockholm Peace Institute (SIPRI), the contract for the supply of an anti-missile radar was signed in 2011. The main purpose of the EL / M-2080 Green Pine radar is to detect attacking operational-tactical missiles and issue target designations for Barak 8 air defense systems and S-300PMU2 air defense systems.
The Israeli-made radar has an active phased array antenna, which includes more than 2000 transmitting modules and operates in the frequency range 1000-2000 MHz. Antenna dimensions - 3x9 meters. The mass of the radar is about 60 tons. The detection range of ballistic targets is more than 500 km.
Information about the air situation, received from radar posts via fiber-optic and radio relay lines, flows to the central command post of Azerbaijan's air defense, located at the Nasosnaya airbase. About 15 years ago, a radical improvement of the system of combat control of air defense troops and fighter aircraft began. In this, Ukraine, as well as the United States and Israel, rendered significant assistance to Azerbaijan. In addition to the supply of automated control equipment and high-speed data exchange, training was organized for local personnel.
Azerbaijan conducts active military cooperation with Turkey and the United States and provides information from its radar stations. The Americans are especially interested in the data obtained on the border with Iran and Russia, as well as the situation in the Caspian Sea.
In 2008, two stationary radars, modernized with the help of the United States, began work on the dominant elevation on the terrain, 1 km from the Iranian border in the Lerik region of Azerbaijan. In Soviet times, two stationary VHF radars of the P-14 family functioned here. It is not known what equipment is currently installed under radio-transparent protective domes; it is quite possible that these are American ARSR-4 radars - a stationary version of the three-coordinate AN / FPS-130 radar manufactured by Northrop Grumman Corporation. The detection range of large high-altitude targets using the ARSR-4 radar reaches 450 km. The electronic reconnaissance equipment of Russian planes flying in transit through Iranian airspace to Syria, in the past, regularly recorded the work of powerful radars on the Russian-Azerbaijani border and over the Caspian Sea.
At present, there is a continuous radar field over the territory of Azerbaijan, repeatedly covered by radars of various types. In addition, Azerbaijani radars are capable of looking far beyond the borders of the republic. In general, Azerbaijan has a fairly balanced and perfect air defense system capable of inflicting serious losses on a potential aggressor, covering important military and administrative-political facilities and its military units from air strikes.
