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  • BAKU: DM: We have launched production of unmanned aerial vehicles

    Azerbaijani defense industry minister: We have launched production of
    unmanned aerial vehicles

    17 December 2009 [14:21] - Today.Az

    APA's interview with Azerbaijan's Minister of Defense Industry Yavar Jamalov.

    APA: The employees of Azerbaijan's defense industry will mark their
    professional holiday on December 17. What has the Ministry of Defense
    Industry achieved within the last four years?

    Yavar Jamalov: As to work of the ministry that I have led for the last
    four years, I can say that defense industry was established in
    Azerbaijan within the past four years. Thanks to the attention and
    care of the head of state, a number of facilities have been
    established and supplied with modern equipment. Cooperation has been
    established with about 60 companies of 20 countries in aviation,
    navigation, instrument-making and other spheres. Old equipment has
    been updated, hundreds of new machines have been bought. A total of 21
    facilities have been reconstructed within the reporting period. For
    the first time in the international practice defense industry has been
    established within four years and participated in the exhibitions
    abroad. In a short timeframe we demonstrated 27 kinds of defense
    products, small arms, bullets, air bombs and munitions in the IDEF
    exhibition in Istanbul. Even the developed countries took interest in
    our products. We are having talks with these countries on purchase and
    sale. Talks with a Turkish company have ended and a contract has been
    signed. According to the contract, we will sell 30 million 7.62mm
    caliber munitions to that company.

    What are your plans for the coming years?

    We plan to overhaul 12 areas of production, buy modern technologies
    from developed countries for production of 8 kinds of defense products
    in 2010. Moreover, we are having talks to buy new technologies to
    produce 5-6 kinds of products in the second half of next year.

    What is the share of the defense industry in non-oil sector? How much
    will this sector increase in near future?

    I can say that the share of non-oil sector is increasing
    year-after-year. Great improvements are expected in this field in near
    future. It is early to predict figure of growth of this production.
    But I can say that there will be significant improvements.

    The production of new vehicles has started this year within the
    cooperation with Paramount Group of the Republic of South Africa. Will
    the cooperation with this company continue?

    We have high-level relations with the Paramount Group. Together with
    this company we have started producing 30 Matador and Marauder
    armoured mine protected vehicles. In the first half of next year these
    vehicles will be delivered to the Defense Ministry. I believe our
    cooperation will continue in future.

    In the Soviet times `Iglim' and `Aviaagregat' plants, which are now
    subordinated to the Ministry of Defense Industry, produced important
    parts for the air industry. Is Azerbaijan using its potential now? Do
    you plan to produce military aircrafts and helicopters on basis of
    these facilities in future?

    Spare parts for Azerbaijani aviation are being produced in these
    facilities. If they are effective, this kind of projects may be
    implemented in future. We have also started work on production of
    unmanned vehicles. I think this project will be implemented in 2010.

    Azerbaijani government and a Singaporean company have recently signed
    a memorandum on the construction of shipbuilding plant near Baku. Will
    some navigation systems produced in Azerbaijani defense industry
    facilities be used in the construction of ships in this plant?

    Navigation systems are produced in some of our facilities. We have
    enough practice and potential in this field. This company will mainly
    produce civilian ships. If it is planned to produce warships, we will
    participate in these projects.

    `Istiglal' sniper rifle demonstrated in IDEF exhibition attracted
    attention. Do you plan to modernize Azerbaijan's first national
    weapon, and produce new small arms?

    `Istiglal' sniper rifle that we demonstrated in IDEF exhibition is
    14.5mm caliber. On the basis of this weapon, we have started producing
    IST 12.7, i.e. 12.7mm caliber model. We plan to produce 23mm and 30mm
    caliber sniper rifles in 2010-2011. These will be purely national
    products worked out by the local specialists. We have already begun
    producing `Inam', `Zafar', `Zafar-K' pistols, telescopes, cartridges
    for sporting guns meeting NATO standards.

    There were some reports that a project was being work out on
    establishing new vehicles on the basis of Soviet-era PDM and T-55
    tanks. What can you say about it?

    We have begun modernizing Soviet-era vehicles and producing new
    vehicles on their basis. A number of military bodies of Azerbaijan
    have given five kinds of vehicles to us to modernize them.
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