Azerbaijan to manufacture new UAVs in 2017
By Rashid Shirinov
An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) ‘Zarba’ has been successfully tested and its mass production has already been launched.
This was stated in a report of the Cabinet of Minister on 2016 results, which will soon be presented at the Parliament.
Two more types of UAV are also planned to be manufactured in the country in 2017, according to the document.
The report shows that the number of types of defense products and their spare parts, manufacture of which has already been mastered, reached 1,100 units in 2016.
The Azerbaijani-made products transferred to the security forces include such weapons as mortars of various caliber and their ammunition, 5.45-millimeter machine gun, 7.62-mm general-purpose machine gun, sniper rifle of special purpose, Matador and Marauder armored personnel carriers.
Moreover, Azerbaijani military factories produced 30-mm automatic grenade launcher complex, sight for ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft installation, ammo of various calibers, PG-7V grenade launchers, aerial bombs for a training exercise, 2 Orbiter UAVs and other weapons.
Azerbaijan, which is in war with neighboring Armenia over the latter's groundless territorial claims during more than 20 years, keeps in focus the armament. The country creates its own armament and works closely with leading companies and firms in various fields of military industry.
The country’s Defense Industry Ministry increased the volume of defense industry products in 2016 by 1.6 times compared to 2015, while the product assortment rose by 1.8 times.
Twenty-eight military factories are currently operating within the Defense Industry Ministry of Azerbaijan. Products of these factories are exported to more than 10 countries of the world.
---
Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov
Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz