Azerbaijan – February 9: President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev (3R) signs Bayraktar AKINCI … [+]
Azerbaijan officially revealed its acquisition of Turkey’s sophisticated Bayraktar Akinci combat drone on February 9, following Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s criticism of recent arms purchases by neighboring Armenia.
Aliyev inspected These include a newly acquired high-altitude long-endurance unmanned combat aircraft on February 9, and a variety of Turkish-made accompanying weapons, including SOM and Kakir cruise missiles manufactured by Turkey’s Rokestan missile manufacturer. He also signed the drone.
The Akinci ACAV is much larger and has more advanced and sophisticated sensors than its widely exported predecessor, the Bayraktar TB2. It also has more hardpoints than the TB2, allowing it to carry heavier and more capable bombs and missiles. In the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, Azerbaijan’s TB2 annihilated Armenian ground forces, resulting in a decisive victory for Baku.
Akinci can also carry long-range munitions, such as the cruise missiles Aliyev inspected, allowing it to remain outside air defense range and potentially carry out standoff attacks against Armenian targets without leaving Azerbaijani airspace.
The UCAV’s powerful active electronically scanned array radar and sensors could complete valuable intelligence, surveillance and target acquisition (ISTAR) and command and control communications (C3) tasks for the Azerbaijani military.
Baku, Azerbaijan – May 29: MiG-29 fighter jet and Bayraktar Akinci perform at “TEKNOFEST” … [+]
Akinci is the most advanced drone Azerbaijan has ever procured and is another evidence of the close military ties between Baku and Ankara.
The UCAV announcement comes just months after Aliyev harshly criticized France and India for selling Armenian military equipment.he blamed those countries “pour oil on the flame” This created an “unrealistic illusion in Armenia” that Nagorno-Karabakh could be recaptured. Baku completely conquered the enclave in a surprise military offensive on September 19, resulting in the entire Armenian population of over 100,000 fleeing in terror to Armenia, creating a humanitarian crisis.
Armenia has signed important arms deals with France and India in recent months. These agreements come in the wake of Moscow’s failure to prevent or even significantly protest Azerbaijan’s military offensive, which has traditionally been its role as a major arms supplier and security guarantor since the end of the Cold War. This coincided with growing dissatisfaction in Yerevan with Moscow. Moreover, since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, its reliability as a provider of weapons, spare parts, and technical assistance has declined significantly, making Armenia a difficult target for procurement of military equipment. I’m thinking of diversifying my future.
Most of the weapons Armenia has ordered so far are for defensive purposes. It has acquired short-range Mistral air defense missiles and Bastion armored personnel carriers from France. From India, Ordered Pinaka multiple rocket launcher and Medium range Akash air defense.
New Delhi, India – January 13: Akash Missile is seen during the full dress rehearsal of the film … [+]
It is not surprising that Armenia is interested in diversifying its air defense means. During the 2020 war, Azerbaijan’s Israeli-made Harop loitering weapons sought out and destroyed Armenian Soviet-made long-range air defense missile systems within Armenian borders. Akash is said to be able to counter enemy aircraft and cruise missiles up to a maximum. approximately 29 miles awayYerevan would be needed if attacked by Azerbaijan’s Akhintsis. The Mistral is much more modest and can attack targets 4-5 miles away, but can only provide point defense against specific bases and facilities, and certainly has no ability to change the situation. there is no.
In other words, these acquisitions strengthen Armenia’s defenses but do not change the balance of military power in the South Caucasus. And Azerbaijan already has a comparable and even better system.
Azerbaijan in particular Live fire was fired at Israel’s Barak air defense system. During a large-scale air defense exercise in the week leading up to Operation Karabakh in September 2023. The move was likely a preparation to prevent Armenia from intervening with its small air force or retaliating with Iskander short-range ballistic missiles.Azerbaijan is believed to be Shoot down Armenian Iskander with Barak 8 in 2020. Like Armenia, Azerbaijan also has S-300s. This month’s training practice.
Baku also reportedly used Harops and Israeli-made LORA theater sub-ballistic missiles during the September operation.Israel supplied Azerbaijani forces have equipment and ammunition ready for both attacks.
Baku, Azerbaijan – President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev (C) receives information from Azerbaijan … [+]
Most recently, on February 13, Armenia lost four soldiers to Azerbaijani shelling on its border. “Operation Revenge” In response to an incident the previous day in which an Azerbaijani border guard was injured by Armenian military fire. Even Mr. Aliyev’s closest ally, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has urged Mr. Aliyev: Avoid such a flare-up and pursue a comprehensive peace agreement Together with Yerevan.
Armenia has already agreed to renounce all claims to Karabakh, provided that national sovereignty is recognized and not violated along Soviet-era borders. Azerbaijan’s president is keen to build a land bridge in parts of southern Armenia, which Azerbaijan calls the Zangezur Corridor, connecting it with the western enclave of Nakhchivan.But he showed generosity in establishing his Alternative corridor through Iran.
Meanwhile, with no peace agreement and Azerbaijan continuing to strengthen its modern military with state-of-the-art Akinj drones and Israeli weapons, Armenia is facing the completely unthinkable: is investing in relatively modest defense acquisitions in preparation for a third conflict. Ten years.
