Azerbaijan demonstrates its defense products in Malaysia

/By Azernews/

By Amina Nazarli

Azerbaijani military products are put on display at the 15th Defense Services Asia Exhibition and Conference kicked off in Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur on April 18.

At the exhibition to run until April 21, the Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan is displaying some 220 items of defense products manufactured by the structure’s enterprises.

Azerbaijan has presented a new machine from the EM14 series -- AZ-7.62. Moreover, the ministry also featured new 7.62mm automatic weapon and HP-7.62 machine gun of domestic production.

A real samples of many weapons were demonstrated during the exhibition, while heavy military equipment were exhibited in maquette form.

Azerbaijan is participating with a large delegation headed by of Defense Industry Minister Yaver Jamalov.

On the first day of the exhibition Jamalov attended pavilions of several countries and got acquainted with their defense products.

He was particularly interested in optical devices. The delegation hold negotiations with Canadian and Swiss companies, who have extensive experience in optical devices.

They also discussed possibilities of joint cooperation with the representatives of Brazil on 180mm rockets and Italia on ballistic missiles and torpedoes.

During the event the minister will hold meetings with heads of Malaysian and other countries’ delegation.

In total, more than 1,200 companies from 60 countries are participating in the four-day exhibition.

The presentation of “ADEX-2016”, the second Azerbaijan International Defense Exhibition scheduled for September 27-30, will also be held within the Defense Services Asia.

Azerbaijan’s expanded military budget has lifted it to the top among its neighbors in the South Caucasus.

The country manufactures the Istiglal sniper rifle, Mubariz rifle, Orbiter-2M unmanned intelligence drones, Gurza armored patrol car, "Matador" and "Marauder" armored vehicles, anti-tank mines, etc.

Last year, the Defense Industry Ministry accomplished work over the creation of night vision devices, prismatic binoculars with a compass, mine fuses of different types and organized their production.

Azerbaijan, which is in war with neighboring Armenia over the latter's territorial claims during more than 20 years, keeps in focus the armament, working closely with leading companies and firms in various fields of military industry.

The country purchased numerous weapons from foreign countries including Turkey, Russia and Israel, to modernize and upgrade its armed forces, and signed military contracts with over 20 countries which envisage a large-scale weapons supply.

Azerbaijan, leaves behind many CIS and regional countries to take its place among the first 70 strongest militaries of the world, according to the US-based Global Firepower survey center.