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PARADING STRENGTH: MILITARY EXPERT PRAISES ARMENIAN ARMY QUALITY DEMONSTRATED ON SEPTEMBER 21
NAZIK ARMENAKYAN
ArmeniaNow
News | 22.09.11 | 12:23
By Gayane Lazarian
ArmeniaNow reporter
The fifth military parade devoted to the 20th anniversary of
Independent Armenia featuring 4,000 marching troops and 3,000 pieces
of armored hardware created a festive, high spirit and combat-ready
atmosphere in the Armenian capital on September 21.
For the first time demonstrated was the military technology that can
reach target deep in the enemy territory and with high precision.
Military expert Artsrun Hovhannisyan said in this connection, though,
that the parade was not pursuing a quantity show-off, and as such it
should not be compared to the Azeri arms and armament; the parade,
he stressed again, was not meant as a show-off.
~SIf Azerbaijan by its annual parade, with more headcount and
equipment, seeks PR and tries to prove something to the world and to
its people, Armenia does not have the same urge,~T says the expert.
The parade featured exclusive military technology, such as artillery
fire control and reconnaissance systems, trench mortar volley systems.
Hovhannisyan says that some of the anti-aircraft defense systems were
of domestic production or updated derivatives. Among the displayed
tactical missiles, were 120-km range ones as well as 9K78 tactical
ballistic missile derivative of ~SElbrus~T (also known under its NATO
name of Scud), which is being further developed in Armenia to reach
a greater precision.
~SThis missile has a 300-km range that can reach any target in
Azerbaijan. It is exceptional in its tactical features, and the only
operators of such missiles in the region are Iran and Armenia. For
the first time we have displayed qualitative characteristics,~T
says Hovhannisyan.
Referring to the parade march (defile) by the honor guards drill team
at the end of the event, he defined it as astonishing and said that
not all countries succeed in displaying such a drill, which speaks
volumes about the soldiers~R discipline.
~SA parade does not illustrate the army~Rs total combat power, rather
displays drill readiness, that is: how disciplined soldiers are. No
parade is designated to show the full level of combat-capacity,~T
he stresses. Hovhannisyan points out that freedom fighters~R and
clergymen~Rs presence in Republic Square was very important, as they
symbolize the strength of the army and the high spirit of people~Rs
combat-readiness.
Soldiers of Russian military unit N102 took part in the parade, too.
As press secretary of the Defense Ministry David Karapetyan said
in an interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty~Rs Armenian
service (Azatutyun), because the military unit has an active part
in ensuring Armenia~Rs security, the detachment~Rs participation
symbolizes the deep roots of Armenian-Russian cooperation in the
field of defense. ~SThere is no ground for speculations,~T he said.
However, the opposition sharply criticized the Russian soldiers~R
participation.
Heritage parliamentary faction member, MP Larisa Alaverdyan says in
this connection: ~SThey are working here, aren~Rt they. It~Rs their
job; it~Rs a contract-based employment, so why should they participate
in the parade? It doesn~Rt make sense; it can be explained, but not
accepted. If the point was to show to neighbor countries that we are
not alone on festive days either, that~Rs a different issue, however,
still not acceptable. We have to not only gain independence, but also
free our souls of this serfdom, and rid our perceptions off the image
of a mighty partner.~T
Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutyun faction member Lilit
Galstyan believes that in order for the country to be on a leveled
strong backbone, it has to be strong from the inside, but when the
country is vulnerable it turns to ~Swedding generals~T. (Old Russian
custom when a general was invited to a merchant~Rs wedding to make
it look more prominent).
According to Heritage's Alaverdyan, vulnerability has always been an
issue for independent Armenia that started with the first president,
increased with the second, and keeps growing now with the third.
"If it keeps going the way it has, maintaining our absolute value is
going to become very costly," she says.
NAZIK ARMENAKYAN
ArmeniaNow
News | 22.09.11 | 12:23
By Gayane Lazarian
ArmeniaNow reporter
The fifth military parade devoted to the 20th anniversary of
Independent Armenia featuring 4,000 marching troops and 3,000 pieces
of armored hardware created a festive, high spirit and combat-ready
atmosphere in the Armenian capital on September 21.
For the first time demonstrated was the military technology that can
reach target deep in the enemy territory and with high precision.
Military expert Artsrun Hovhannisyan said in this connection, though,
that the parade was not pursuing a quantity show-off, and as such it
should not be compared to the Azeri arms and armament; the parade,
he stressed again, was not meant as a show-off.
~SIf Azerbaijan by its annual parade, with more headcount and
equipment, seeks PR and tries to prove something to the world and to
its people, Armenia does not have the same urge,~T says the expert.
The parade featured exclusive military technology, such as artillery
fire control and reconnaissance systems, trench mortar volley systems.
Hovhannisyan says that some of the anti-aircraft defense systems were
of domestic production or updated derivatives. Among the displayed
tactical missiles, were 120-km range ones as well as 9K78 tactical
ballistic missile derivative of ~SElbrus~T (also known under its NATO
name of Scud), which is being further developed in Armenia to reach
a greater precision.
~SThis missile has a 300-km range that can reach any target in
Azerbaijan. It is exceptional in its tactical features, and the only
operators of such missiles in the region are Iran and Armenia. For
the first time we have displayed qualitative characteristics,~T
says Hovhannisyan.
Referring to the parade march (defile) by the honor guards drill team
at the end of the event, he defined it as astonishing and said that
not all countries succeed in displaying such a drill, which speaks
volumes about the soldiers~R discipline.
~SA parade does not illustrate the army~Rs total combat power, rather
displays drill readiness, that is: how disciplined soldiers are. No
parade is designated to show the full level of combat-capacity,~T
he stresses. Hovhannisyan points out that freedom fighters~R and
clergymen~Rs presence in Republic Square was very important, as they
symbolize the strength of the army and the high spirit of people~Rs
combat-readiness.
Soldiers of Russian military unit N102 took part in the parade, too.
As press secretary of the Defense Ministry David Karapetyan said
in an interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty~Rs Armenian
service (Azatutyun), because the military unit has an active part
in ensuring Armenia~Rs security, the detachment~Rs participation
symbolizes the deep roots of Armenian-Russian cooperation in the
field of defense. ~SThere is no ground for speculations,~T he said.
However, the opposition sharply criticized the Russian soldiers~R
participation.
Heritage parliamentary faction member, MP Larisa Alaverdyan says in
this connection: ~SThey are working here, aren~Rt they. It~Rs their
job; it~Rs a contract-based employment, so why should they participate
in the parade? It doesn~Rt make sense; it can be explained, but not
accepted. If the point was to show to neighbor countries that we are
not alone on festive days either, that~Rs a different issue, however,
still not acceptable. We have to not only gain independence, but also
free our souls of this serfdom, and rid our perceptions off the image
of a mighty partner.~T
Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutyun faction member Lilit
Galstyan believes that in order for the country to be on a leveled
strong backbone, it has to be strong from the inside, but when the
country is vulnerable it turns to ~Swedding generals~T. (Old Russian
custom when a general was invited to a merchant~Rs wedding to make
it look more prominent).
According to Heritage's Alaverdyan, vulnerability has always been an
issue for independent Armenia that started with the first president,
increased with the second, and keeps growing now with the third.
"If it keeps going the way it has, maintaining our absolute value is
going to become very costly," she says.