Ministry of Defence of Azerbaijan
Azərbaycan Respublikasının Müdafiə Sənayesi Nazirliyi
Agency overview
FormedDecember 16, 2005; 18 years ago (2005-12-16)
JurisdictionGovernment of Azerbaijan
Headquarters40, Metbuat Ave. Baku, AZ 1141, Azerbaijan Republic
Minister responsible
Websitewww.mdi.gov.az

The Ministry of Defence Industry of Azerbaijan (Azerbaijani: Azərbaycan Respublikasının Müdafiə Sənayesi Nazirliyi) is a governmental agency within the Cabinet of Azerbaijan in charge of design, manufacturing, regulation and maintenance of products in the fields of defense, radio electronics, instrument engineering.

The Ministry was established on December 16, 2005, by presidential decree. The new Ministry, incorporated the State Departments for Military Industry and the Armaments and the Military Science Center, both of which were formerly separate agencies within the Military of Azerbaijan. Yavar Jamalov was the first head of this ministry between March 2006 – 23 June 2018.[1] Lieutenant general Madat Guliyev was appointed as the Minister of Defence Industry by decree of the Azerbaijani President dated 20 June 2019.[2]

Background

Azerbaijan has a desire to become a major arms exporter to the South Caucasus, Central Asia and Middle East. It was announced in January 2008 that the defence industry of Azerbaijan would begin to manufacture armoured personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles, as well as small calibre artillery guns.[3] Whether this has actually taken place is unclear. The new ministry is cooperating with the defence sectors of Ukraine, Belarus and Pakistan.[4] In 2008 several more military factories were created in Azerbaijan.

According to Sumarinly, the MDI has been in talks with various Israeli defense firms and two Turkish companies about the production of an armored vehicle based on the Russian T-55 tank’s chassis. MDI will also provide 30 South-African-designed Matador and Marauder armored vehicles to the army.

Matador and Marauder mine-protected vehicles at the military parade in Baku
AZAD Systems Co production branch of the Defense Industry Ministry presents Zarba UAVs

In March 2011 the MDI presented its prototype of an Austrian-designed four-seater known as the Diamond DA-42 military passenger plane. The plane is assembled by AZAD Systems, an Azerbaijani state-owned firm.[5]

Overall, Azerbaijani military production more than doubled between 2009 and 2010, and the product line expanded by 17 percent, according to MDI.

Enterprises

Enterprises of the Ministry include:[6]

Cooperation

The Ministry's enterprises co-operate with partners in many foreign countries in following areas:

Recently, the Turkish firms of ASELSAN and MKEK has signed a deal with Azerbaijan. ASELSAN has been awarded to co-produce monocular night vision sights and thermal scopes (sniper rifles etc.) with Azerbaijan.

Makina Kimya Endüstrisi Kurumu (MKE) has been awarded a contract worth $1.150.000 to produce weapons, ammunition, chemicals and other materials. Besides the contract, MKEK will also take part in the assistance of modernization of the Azeri defense industries.[8]

Azerbaijani-made prototypes of Orbiter 2M Unmanned aerial vehicle are expected to undergo testing for up to two years. Full-scale production won't begin before 2013, under the existing timetable.[9] Production of drones has started at Azad Systems, a joint venture between Azerbaijan's Defence Industry Ministry and Israeli manufacturer Aeronautics.[10][11]

Research Production Enterprise Iglim

On September 27, 2016, the 2nd Azerbaijan International Defence Exhibition “ADEX-2016” was hold at Baku Expo Centre. The “Memorandum of Understanding” was signed between the Minister of Defence Industry Yavar Jamalov and the Minister of Defence Zakir Hasanov during the event. According to the agreement between the parties, the Armed Forces will be supplied with new unmanned aerial vehicles which were produced at the Ministry's enterprises. The aerial vehicle included reconnaissance and observation drones and new model of “Zarba".[12]

The ministry of Defence Industry also cooperates with the following countries in the field of production and modernization of military equipment.

Air Force

Orbiter-2M

The country also manufactures Israeli-designed spy planes. Among the licensed pilotless spy plane is the Orbiter-2M and the Aerostar. Both are manufactured at the government-owned Azad Systems Company plant near Baku.[17][18] The head of the Defense Industry, Yaver Jamalov, said that by the end of 2011 a total of 60 UAVs would be produced.[19][20]

Navy

In May 2011, President of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic Rovnag Abdullayev stated that Azerbaijan will start the production of national warships after 2013.[21][22]

Current production

Istiglal IST-14.5.

In 2008, Azerbaijan revealed the Istiglal IST-14.5. An anti-material rifle, which can be taken down into 2 separate components for easy transportation.[23][24] The rifle is said to be operable in adverse weather such as rain and dirt with temperature ranges from 50 to -50 degrees Celsius.[23][24] The rifle is operated in several countries. In 2011, Azerbaijan has begun producing AK-74M assault rifles under a license from the Russian armaments manufacturer Izhmash.[25] The assault rifles are being produced for the Azerbaijani Armed Forces under the name Khazri.[26] In addition to production of Istiglal IST-14.5 and AK-74M, Azerbaijan has also been producing the following weapon systems:

Potential future projects

Murad Bayar, the undersecretary for Turkish Defense Industries, said that Turkey aimed to manufacture new tanks for the Turkish Armed Forces. "Some of these tanks could be manufactured in Azerbaijan, and some can be produced in Turkey, joint production with Azerbaijan in line with this country`s needs in the future." Bayar told.[29]

Azerbaijani-made prototypes of Orbiter 2M Unmanned aerial vehicle are expected to undergo testing for up to two years. Full-scale production won't begin before 2013, under the existing timetable.[9] Production of drones has started at Azad Systems, a joint venture between Azerbaijan's Defence Industry Ministry and Israeli manufacturer Aeronautics.[10][11]

According to the Azerbaijani APA agency in November 2010, "Azerbaijan is in the negotiations with some other countries on helicopter production." - said by the Minister of Defence Industry of Azerbaijan, Yavar Jamalov. He also mentioned that recently the Ukrainian Premier Minister offered Azerbaijan joint production of 100 helicopters[30] and it is possible. According to him, the Ministry of Defence Industry of Azerbaijan is in the negotiations with some other countries as well as Ukraine.[31]

Modernization

In 2011, the reconstructed instrument-making plant of the Jihaz Production Association of the Ministry of Defence Industry was opened in Baku.[32]

In 2011, production of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) of the Aerostar and Orbiter-2M brands was continued.[33]

In 2016, the industry started its own production of short-range missiles. Approximately 125 types of products are being developed, and projects for creating air-to-ground, air-to-air, and ground-to-ground missiles are being implemented.[34]

On February 14, 2017, there was a demonstration of the national armoured vehicle “Tufan”, which is resistant to mines. About six months was spent for the development of this armoured vehicle.[35]

On June 23, 2017, the opening ceremony of a plant for the production of various types of MSGL grenade rounds and 40 types grenade launchers of the Sharg Production Association of the Ministry was held in Shirvan. The main goal of this plant is to organize the production of four types of grenade rounds: fragmentation, cumulative fragmentation, lighting and smoke for 40x46 mm revolving grenade launchers capable of meeting the standards of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).[36]

The improvement of the Gürzə armoured vehicle continues by attaching new combat modules to it.[37]

References

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  2. ^ "New minister of defense industry appointed in Azerbaijan". Trend.Az. 2019-06-20. Archived from the original on 2019-06-27. Retrieved 2019-06-27.
  3. ^ BBC Monitoring Service, APA News Agency,, AZERBAIJAN TO START MANUFACTURING ARMS, MILITARY HARDWARE IN 2008 Archived 2012-02-11 at the Wayback Machine, 26 January 2008
  4. ^ Richard Giragosian, Azerbaijan: Baku Signals New Determination For Defense Reform Archived 2007-05-08 at the Wayback Machine, RFE/RL, February 01, 2007
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  6. ^ Aircraft Repair Plant of Azerbaijan to be reconstructed Archived 2012-02-15 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ ""AZAD Systems Co" production branch of the Defense Industry Ministry presents "Zarba" UAVs President Ilham Aliyev attended the event VIDEO". azertag.az. 2016. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  8. ^ "ASELSAN, Azerbaycan ve Körfez ülkeleri ile ortaklaşa gece görüş sistemleri üretecek. MKE ise Azerbaycan'la silah üretiminde işbirliğine gidecek". Archived from the original on 2011-07-24. Retrieved 2010-05-12.
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  11. ^ a b "Israel Markets UAVs To Moslems". Archived from the original on 20 March 2011. Retrieved 29 March 2011.
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  13. ^ Известия, Газета Азербайджанские. "Газета Азербайджанские Известия - Успешное балансирование - Известия Азербайджан - Новости". www.azerizv.az. Archived from the original on 2018-09-14. Retrieved 2018-10-30.
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  19. ^ "Azərbaycan ilin sonuna qədər 60 ədəd pilotsuz təyyarə istehsal edəcək". "ANS Press". May 11, 2011. Archived from the original on September 20, 2011. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
  20. ^ "До конца года Азербайджан произведет 60 беспилотников". Archived from the original on 14 May 2011. Retrieved 12 May 2011.
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  22. ^ "Azerbaijan to produce ships". Archived from the original on 10 April 2011. Retrieved 9 May 2011.
  23. ^ a b "Azerbaijan's "Istiglal" rifle becomes interesting for the world". 2009-04-29. Archived from the original on 2010-02-17. Retrieved 2009-07-03.
  24. ^ a b "AZERBAIJAN'S "ISTIGLAL" RIFLE BECOMES INTERESTING FOR THE WORLD". 2009-04-30. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2009-07-03.
  25. ^ "Azerbaijan begins AK-74M production". United Press International. Archived from the original on 12 July 2011. Retrieved 12 July 2011.
  26. ^ "Azerbaijan starts production of Kalashnikovs". News.az. Archived from the original on 18 March 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2011.
  27. ^ Вадим Зайцев, Юрий Лямин. Силы специальных операций Азербайджана // журнал "Экспорт вооружений", № 4, 2021.
  28. ^ "The Emanzipation of Azerbaijan's Defence Industry". Retrieved 2011-10-18.
  29. ^ "Azerbaijan May Join Turkey's New Tank Manufacturing Project, Bureaucrat". Archived from the original on 2018-10-05. Retrieved 2011-01-13.
  30. ^ Azerbaijan and Ukraine plan to produce helicopter Archived 2012-03-25 at the Wayback Machine
  31. ^ "Azərbaycan helikopter istehsalı ilə bağlı danışıqlar aparır" Archived 2012-03-21 at the Wayback Machine, Azadliq Radiosu, November 3, 2010
  32. ^ President. "Официальный сайт президента Азербайджанской Республики - НОВОСТИ » Мероприятия Ильхам Алиев принял участие в открытии Бакинского приборостроительного завода Министерства оборонной промышленности". ru.president.az. Archived from the original on 2018-09-14. Retrieved 2018-10-30.
  33. ^ "Азербайджан приступает к производству беспилотников". ИА REGNUM (in Russian). Archived from the original on 2018-09-14. Retrieved 2018-10-30.
  34. ^ "Азербайджан замахнулся на баллистические ракеты". Рамблер/новости (in Russian). Archived from the original on 2018-09-14. Retrieved 2018-10-30.
  35. ^ "Presentation of National Armored Vehicle "Tufan" of the Ministry of Defence Industry has been Performed". www.mdi.gov.az. 2017-02-14. Archived from the original on 2018-10-30. Retrieved 2018-10-30.
  36. ^ "Opening of plant for production of rounds for revolver type grenade launcher of Production Union "Sharg" was held". www.mdi.gov.az. 2017-06-23. Archived from the original on 2018-10-30. Retrieved 2018-10-30.
  37. ^ "Азербайджан усовершенствует "Гюрзу" - компания Евраком". компания Евраком (in Russian). 2014-04-14. Archived from the original on 2018-09-14. Retrieved 2018-10-30.

External links

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Azerbaijani Armed Forces
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