Israeli Defense Company to Upgrade Azerbaijan's T-72 Battle Tanks
http://hetq.am/en/region/41835/
[ 2010/10/23 | 11:04 ]
region
Elbit Systems wins $56 million modernization contract
Rashad Suleymanov of the Azeri-Press Agency (APA) quoted military
sources reporting that the Israeli company and Azerbaijan's Ministry
of Defense Industry (MDI) had reached an agreement on the upgrade of
the Army's Russian-built MBTs.
The contract, which was announced by Elbit Systems on October 4, 2010,
will provide Azerbaijan's T-72s with state-of-the-art battle
management systems as well as observation and surveillance systems.
According to the Israeli company, the modernization program has a
total value of $56 million and will be completed within two years.
Neither Elbit Systems nor Azerbaijani officials provided further
details on the contract, such as the number of tanks to be upgraded.
Azerbaijan operates a fleet of some 180 T-72 main battle tanks, of
which 62, reportedly, were purchased from Russia in 2009.
According to APA, Elbit Systems was recently selected over
Turkish-based ASELSAN to carry out the modernization project. Both
companies had simultaneously tested the systems offered in their
respective bids for the multi-million dollar program on several tanks
of the Azerbaijani Army in Nakhijevan, an autonomous region in
south-western Azerbaijan.
The company already works with the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense
Industry (MDI) in the field of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Furthermore, APA reported in September 2009 that the MDI decided to
co-operate with Turkish and Israeli defense companies in the joint
production of armored combat vehicles, including tracked fighting
vehicles, bridge-layers and armored trucks assembled on surplus
vehicle chassis.
Azerbaijan's finance minister has recently announced that the country
will spend $3.287 billion on defense next year, making it one of the
priorities in the 2011 state budget. According to AzerNews, this
financial boost doubles the defense budget to a total of 18.9 per cent
of the overall state budget in comparison to 2010. Nearly half the
budget, reportedly, will be spent to modernize the Azerbaijani Armed
Forces.
P.S. - Federmann Enterprises Ltd, a privately-owned company organized
under the laws of Israel, owns 45.4% of Elbit's outstanding shares.
From: A. Papazian
http://hetq.am/en/region/41835/
[ 2010/10/23 | 11:04 ]
region
Elbit Systems wins $56 million modernization contract
Rashad Suleymanov of the Azeri-Press Agency (APA) quoted military
sources reporting that the Israeli company and Azerbaijan's Ministry
of Defense Industry (MDI) had reached an agreement on the upgrade of
the Army's Russian-built MBTs.
The contract, which was announced by Elbit Systems on October 4, 2010,
will provide Azerbaijan's T-72s with state-of-the-art battle
management systems as well as observation and surveillance systems.
According to the Israeli company, the modernization program has a
total value of $56 million and will be completed within two years.
Neither Elbit Systems nor Azerbaijani officials provided further
details on the contract, such as the number of tanks to be upgraded.
Azerbaijan operates a fleet of some 180 T-72 main battle tanks, of
which 62, reportedly, were purchased from Russia in 2009.
According to APA, Elbit Systems was recently selected over
Turkish-based ASELSAN to carry out the modernization project. Both
companies had simultaneously tested the systems offered in their
respective bids for the multi-million dollar program on several tanks
of the Azerbaijani Army in Nakhijevan, an autonomous region in
south-western Azerbaijan.
The company already works with the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense
Industry (MDI) in the field of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Furthermore, APA reported in September 2009 that the MDI decided to
co-operate with Turkish and Israeli defense companies in the joint
production of armored combat vehicles, including tracked fighting
vehicles, bridge-layers and armored trucks assembled on surplus
vehicle chassis.
Azerbaijan's finance minister has recently announced that the country
will spend $3.287 billion on defense next year, making it one of the
priorities in the 2011 state budget. According to AzerNews, this
financial boost doubles the defense budget to a total of 18.9 per cent
of the overall state budget in comparison to 2010. Nearly half the
budget, reportedly, will be spent to modernize the Azerbaijani Armed
Forces.
P.S. - Federmann Enterprises Ltd, a privately-owned company organized
under the laws of Israel, owns 45.4% of Elbit's outstanding shares.
From: A. Papazian