Azerbaijan to produce air bombs, drones
Azerbaijan will launch production of air bombs in
the coming years, with special technology being delivered from
Pakistan for the purpose, Minister of Defense Industry Yaver
Jamalov has said.
Jamalov told ANS TV channel that the country`s military power already has the capability for the manufacturing of intelligence drones. Moreover, Azerbaijan will produce ammunition for tanks and artillery weapons.
"We have scheduled manufacturing of drones for 2009…At the same time, we have tackled modernization of the infantry combat machines and armored vehicles."
The minister noted that by 2016 at the latest, Azerbaijan-made military helicopters would be available. This work has not yet begun as it is not commercially viable at this point.
Next year, the Ministry of Defense Industry will also begin manufacturing military machinery of the MATADOR (Man-portable Anti-Tank, Anti-DooR) type and Marauder bombers, which were presented to the commander-in-chief, President Ilham Aliyev, at the opening of the Alov plant this summer. An agreement regarding the project has been signed with a South African spare parts manufacturer.
According to Jamalov, Azerbaijan is also in talks with Turkish companies operating in the defense industry field on ways of further increasing the country`s military power.
Jamalov said that since the weaponry produced by Azerbaijan fully meets international standards, the country would, beginning now, join military exhibitions not as a visitor, but as a participant. Azerbaijan will be represented for the first time at an exhibition to be held in Turkey in 2009.
Also, the Ministry of Defense Industry intends to open new military enterprises not only in Baku, but also in Ganja, Khachmaz and Nakhchivan in the next two years.
Azerbaijan currently produces 444 types of military products. 141 million manats ($174 million) had been allocated from the state budget for the defense industry in 2008, and the figure is expected to increase next year.
Azerbaijan`s military budget was set at over $2.4bn in 2009, up from $2bn in 2008.
Jamalov told ANS TV channel that the country`s military power already has the capability for the manufacturing of intelligence drones. Moreover, Azerbaijan will produce ammunition for tanks and artillery weapons.
"We have scheduled manufacturing of drones for 2009…At the same time, we have tackled modernization of the infantry combat machines and armored vehicles."
The minister noted that by 2016 at the latest, Azerbaijan-made military helicopters would be available. This work has not yet begun as it is not commercially viable at this point.
Next year, the Ministry of Defense Industry will also begin manufacturing military machinery of the MATADOR (Man-portable Anti-Tank, Anti-DooR) type and Marauder bombers, which were presented to the commander-in-chief, President Ilham Aliyev, at the opening of the Alov plant this summer. An agreement regarding the project has been signed with a South African spare parts manufacturer.
According to Jamalov, Azerbaijan is also in talks with Turkish companies operating in the defense industry field on ways of further increasing the country`s military power.
Jamalov said that since the weaponry produced by Azerbaijan fully meets international standards, the country would, beginning now, join military exhibitions not as a visitor, but as a participant. Azerbaijan will be represented for the first time at an exhibition to be held in Turkey in 2009.
Also, the Ministry of Defense Industry intends to open new military enterprises not only in Baku, but also in Ganja, Khachmaz and Nakhchivan in the next two years.
Azerbaijan currently produces 444 types of military products. 141 million manats ($174 million) had been allocated from the state budget for the defense industry in 2008, and the figure is expected to increase next year.
Azerbaijan`s military budget was set at over $2.4bn in 2009, up from $2bn in 2008.
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