Azernews.Az

BAKU – Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Defense Industry plans to manufacture 60 drones by the end of 2011, Minister Yaver Jamalov has said.

Jamalov told the press as a major international defense industry exhibition started in Istanbul on Wednesday that the newly opened plant in Azerbaijan produces two types of unmanned aerial vehicles.

The minister also listed the weaponry to be produced jointly with Turkey under the agreements signed with the country’s defense industry companies.

"We agreed upon joint production of weapons and 12.17 mm sniper rifles in Azerbaijan. This project will be implemented soon. We have signed letters of intent with Turkey’s Aselsan and Roketsan on joint production of numerous military goods. These include 122 mm rockets and nocturnal devices."

Azerbaijan is displaying a variety of weaponry at IDEF-2011, the sixth exhibition showcasing goods produced at the ministry’s facilities. This year’s exhibition, which will last until Friday, displays 89 types of Azerbaijani military goods, a surge compared to the one held in 2009 when the country first joined the international exhibition with 27 types of goods. In addition to the weaponry displayed at previous exhibitions, Azerbaijan put on show its UAVs, new types of firearms and ammunition.

The exhibition was joined by over 400 companies from 71 countries.