The headlines of the latest news on the topic of the Azerbaijani military industry speak for themselves: “Azerbaijan presented about 170 exhibits at the defense industry exhibition ADEX-2014 in Baku”, “The defense industry is ready to provide the Azerbaijani Armed Forces with optical devices and systems”, “It is no secret that companies are actively involved in the construction of the Azerbaijani military industry , etc., etc. The Azerbaijani Minister of Defense Industry Yaver Jamalov said that his country is focused on increasing the volume of military products.
As the correspondent of the "Caucasian Knot" Faik Majid writes, at the First Azerbaijan International Defense Industry Exhibition ADEX-2014 in Baku, 168 items of local military and civilian products were presented. The exhibition ran from 11 to 13 September; products of two hundred companies from 34 countries were exhibited there.
According to the Deputy Minister of Defense Industry of Azerbaijan Y. Musayev, this exhibition is the first event of this format. The deputy minister also noted that Azerbaijan is now producing 900 types of various products, including armored vehicles, small arms, ammunition, unmanned aerial vehicles "Aerostar" and "Orbiter 2M".
The exhibition featured modernized Soviet armored vehicles: BTR-70, BRDM, BRDM-2, tracked reconnaissance and patrol vehicles. The vehicles can run on diesel fuel, and the armored personnel carrier is equipped with a cannon instead of a machine gun. An armored personnel carrier "Matador" was also presented, made according to the technology of the "Paramount Group" company (South Africa). Azerbaijani armored patrol cars "Gurza" are equipped with machine guns and automatic grenade launcher.
“At this exhibition, except for Azerbaijan, practically no country presented ammunition. Many states have arsenals of weapons. But the products of Azerbaijan have been produced in recent years and are manufactured taking into account the latest modifications. This creates the advantages of Azerbaijani products in the arms market and may interest potential buyers,”said a specialist in the Azerbaijani defense industry.
On September 11, on the first day of the aforementioned exhibition, the Vesti.az portal published a material dedicated to the visit of Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon to the Republic of Azerbaijan, which coincided with the date of ADEX-2014 for a reason. The visit to the international exposition was originally planned by a high-ranking guest. The fact is that the products of Israeli companies were also presented at the exhibition.
Arie Gut, an expert in international relations, commentator on Israeli radio and television, noted that the first visit of the Israeli Defense Minister to Azerbaijan proves the fact of strengthening strategic relations between the two states. Gut said: “Azerbaijani-Israeli relations are of a very important strategic nature for both countries and peoples. The visit of the Israeli Defense Minister to Azerbaijan is a new stage in the development and strengthening of relations between Israel and Azerbaijan. Today it is no secret that Israeli companies are actively and effectively participating in the construction of the Azerbaijani military industry. Israel is one of the main buyers of Azerbaijani oil in the world market. The State of Israel is an important strategic partner of Azerbaijan in the supply of the most advanced technologies in the oil and gas, telecommunications and agricultural fields."
We add to this that Mr. Ya'alon held talks not only with Ilham Aliyev, but also with his Azerbaijani counterpart Zakir Hasanov and Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov. Issues of bilateral cooperation were discussed at the meetings.
Military cooperation with Turkey is also strengthening.
General Director of the Alov plant of the Optical and Mechanical Production Association of the Ministry of Defense Industry of Azerbaijan Kamal Askerov said that the plant produces fourteen types of defense products. This was reported on September 16 by the "Trend" agency.
“These are daytime optical sights, night vision sights, thermal imaging sights. The plant produces three types of small arms sights for customers,”Kamal Askerov said.
In addition, the plant produces two types of telescopic sights for sniper rifles: “These are telescopic sights for close and long range shooting. The Istiqlal rifle, which is in service with the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, is equipped with similar optical sights. These sights allow you to shoot at targets located at a distance of 2000-2400 meters."
He also informed the agency that the plant produces three types of collimator sights for close combat small arms. Day-night optical sights for grenade launchers are also produced at "Alov". According to the general director, the plant has customers abroad: the enterprise has orders from the Turkish company "ASELSAN", and also cooperates with Russia, Romania, Belarus, Iran, Israel and other states.
As "Day.az" clarifies, Kamal Asgarov said that the plant received orders from several structures for the production of thermal imagers. Thermal imagers will be produced with the assistance of the aforementioned Turkish company "ASELSAN".
“The production of thermal imagers will be organized as soon as possible. They are mounted on small arms, including sniper rifles,”noted Mr. Askerov.
Analyst of the "Military-Industrial Courier" Nikolay Novichkov writes that Azerbaijan is focused on increasing the volume of military products. Minister Yaver Jamalov announced this at the ADEX-2014 exhibition.
According to him, the volume of export of Azerbaijani military products last year amounted to about 96 million manat ($ 123 million). It is planned to increase the value of this indicator. For the development of the national defense industry, the minister noted, 254 million manat (325.12 million dollars) was allocated in 2013.
“In 2009, at one of the expositions in Istanbul, we presented 27 types of defense products,” the analyst quotes the minister. - For the last time, at the April DSA-2014 exhibition in Malaysia, there are already 132 titles. The range of our products is increasing from year to year."
Yaver Jamalov noted that Turkey, Belarus and Russia became the main buyers of military products in 2013.
According to the minister, companies from Singapore and Malaysia will carry out marketing of Azerbaijani products in Southeast Asia.
As for the new products, as the journalist points out, Azerbaijan is implementing several projects: serial production of 4 types of rocket-propelled grenades for RPG-7V2; production of 85-155 mm artillery shells; production of VOG-17 and VOG-25 grenades (respectively for AGS-17 and under-barrel GP-25). Jamalov also said that the AGS manufacturing plant is being prepared for commissioning. In addition, by the end of this year, Azerbaijan plans to commission a plant for the production of barrels for small arms and cannon weapons of 5, 45-30 mm caliber. The technology for the production of barrels with increased durability was purchased from Serbia.
In 2014, it is expected that the tests will be completed and the following sniper rifles will be put into service: the Mubariz semi-automatic rifle chambered for the Russian cartridge 12, 7x108 mm; rifle "Yalguzag" chambered for 7, 62x51 mm NATO.
Azerbaijan has established licensed production of three pistols developed by the Turkish company Tisas and a 40 mm revolving grenade launcher manufactured by the Serbian company Zastava Arms.
Also in Azerbaijan, a Kalashnikov machine gun called UP-7, 62 was modernized (a shortened version for special forces units - HP-7, 62).
As for the UAV, Novichkov indicates that Azerbaijan has achieved certain success in this area.
“In 2014, we are exporting 100 kits to one of the NATO member countries. The contract includes UAVs of the Orbiter-2M type (Orbiter-2M), as well as Aerostar-BP,”says Minister Dzhamalov.
The publication notes that both named drones are the development of the Israeli company "Aeronautics Defense Systems, Ltd." They are produced under license by the AZAD systems joint venture established in Baku by the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry and an Israeli company.
Expansion of international cooperation is expected in the future, including with Turkey. Together with the Roketsan company, it is planned to launch the production of 107 and 122 mm rocket missiles. The decision of the Azerbaijani government on this issue is now expected.
“Through our activities, we will demonstrate that Azerbaijan is a country that will have its say not only in the oil, but also in the defense industry,” says Yaver Jamalov.
Thus, Azerbaijan is not only expanding international cooperation in the field of military products and promoting new products to international markets, starting with Southeast Asia, but also establishing production of its own products, announcing the opening of new enterprises and the construction of factories.
Reviewed by Oleg Chuvakin
- specially for topwar.ru
