Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Due to absence of control over armament, Baku has its hands untied

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Due to absence of control over armament, Baku has its hands untied

    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 (8x8) 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
Working...
X