Defense Industry Ministry ups production volume, product assortment

By Azernews

By Rashid Shirinov

Azerbaijan’s Defense Industry Ministry increased the volume of defense industry products by 1.6 times compared to 2015, while the product assortment rose by 1.8 times.

Minister Yaver Jamalov announced about this at an event marking the 11th anniversary of establishment of the Defense Industry Ministry in Baku on December 17.

Twenty-eight military factories are currently operating within the Defense Industry Ministry, which have manufactured 1,160 kinds of defense products so far. Azerbaijan`s defense products are exported to more than 10 countries.

Furthermore, Azerbaijan will start serial production of unmanned aerial vehicles Zarba. “The serial production of the drones will begin in the near future in order to supply the Azerbaijani Armed Forces with Zarba drones,” Jamalov said.

The minister mentioned that Zarba UAVs and reconnaissance drones manufactured at the Ministry’s enterprises were successfully tested and presented on September 21 with the participation of Azerbaijan’s President, Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev.

“Zarba” drone was also exhibited at ADEX-2016 international defense exhibition in late September in Baku.

The Azerbaijani pavilion at the exhibition presented over 260 kinds of defense products and special-purpose weapons and ammunition, including a high-explosive air bomb QFAB-100SAB, 14.5 mm-caliber NST sniper rifle, sniper machine gun ‘Shimshek’ ,mine protected armored vehicles Ildirim and Gasirgha, the latest advanced types of UAVs, new models of small arms, special reconnaissance patrol vehicle Gurza, fitted with antitank guided missiles, ammunition and their warheads, etc.

The minister further emphasized that the locally-manufactured military products played an important role in the destruction of manpower and military equipment of the enemy during the April fighting.

 “Weapons and ammunition manufactured at the enterprises of the Ministry – anti-tank grenade launchers, mortars and ammunition, sniper rifles, universal machine guns, ammunition of different caliber– were used in April battles,” Jamalov said, reminding that the Azerbaijani Army’s counterattack in response to Armenia’s provocations in early April led to liberation of several strategic heights and settlements.

Jamalov noted that Azerbaijan’s Defense Industry Ministry is taking the necessary measures to expand the production of ammunition and military equipment, to improve their quality in order to fully equip the country’s army.

The minister further added that the country negotiates with well-known foreign companies in several projects. “Following the talks we have reached agreement on two projects. Our main aim is the production of rockets of distant radius of action,” Jamalov said.

The minister also spoke about new purchases of Azerbaijan – the country has reached an agreement with Israel regarding the purchase of Iron Dome missile defense system.

Iron Dome is a mobile all-weather air defense system developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aircraft Industries. The system is designed to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and artillery shells fired from distances of 4 kilometers to 70 kilometers away and whose trajectory would take them to a populated area.

 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’s military budget for 2016 is about $1.466 billion, which exceeds the overall state budget of occupant Armenia by more than $1 billion.

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