Tweet
AZERBAIJAN STEPS UP NATIONAL UAV PRODUCTION
By Nicolas von Kospoth
Defence Professionals
Sept 22 2011
Azerbaijani Armed Forces to receive 60 new UAVs by the end of 2011
The Armed Forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan will take delivery
of 60 license-built tactical unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) by the
end of 2011. As Rashad Suleymanov of the Azeri Press Agency (APA)
recently reported (see http://goo.gl/sfUa7), the Israeli-designed
small unmanned aircraft are currently being manufactured and assembled
by the Baku-based Azad Systems Company, a joint venture between
the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defence Industry (MDI) and Israeli UAV
manufacturer Aeronautics Defense Systems.
Aeronautics, which is Israel~Rs third-largest UAV manufacturer after
IAI and Elbit Systems, provided Azerbaijan with its Aerostar and
Orbiter 2M UAV systems. The Orbiter 2M mini UAV operates at a height
of 4 to 6 kilometres with a maximum of 5 hours in flight. The somewhat
larger Aerostar UAV provides the Azerbaijani Army with situational
awareness from a height of approximately 10 kilometres and offers an
endurance of up to 12 hours.
Azad Systems currently manufactures these UAVs at its Baku facility
and plans to deliver 60 of the small aircraft to the Armed Forces by
the end of this year. The latter will use the aircraft primarily for
intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) purposes. However,
Azerbaijani Minister of Defence Industry Yavar Jamalov told APA that
the country is also considering the production of armed UAVs that
could actively engage ground targets. According to the Minister,
this project is scheduled to be implemented within the next two years.
Suleymanov told defpro.com that the technical characteristics of
licence-built UAVs are very similar to the original Israeli design.
While 30 per cent of the equipment is being manufactured in Azerbaijan,
the majority of the systems~R elements are being produced abroad and
delivered to Azerbaijan for final assembly.
Azerbaijan launched studies on the domestic production of UAVs in
late 2009. According to APA, several Turkish companies, including
TAI, Baykar Makina and Global Teknik, as well as Israeli companies,
submitted proposals for a joint production. The Azerbaijani MDI~Rs
decision in favour of Israeli designs, supported by the fact that
armed forces~R already operate Israeli-built UAVs, resulted in the
establishment of Azad Systems in March 2011.
While Israeli-Turkish relations are currently experiencing tough times,
Israel~Rs defence industry has closely worked with the small but
oil-rich Muslim country located by the Caspian Sea during recent
years. The bilateral ties have flourished, in particular, since
Azerbaijan became one of the largest crude-oil suppliers to Israel
in 2006. Defence programmes with a major involvement of Israeli
industries include communications and satellite systems, as well as
artillery systems and UAVs.
The Azerbaijani Armed Forces already operate Elbit Systems~R Hermes
450 and IAI~Rs Searcher reconnaissance UAVs, as well as a number of
Aeronautics~R Aerostar and Orbiter UAVs. Some of the Armed Forces~R
unmanned assets were displayed during a military parade in Baku in
June 2011.
Due to country~Rs long-standing dispute with Armenia over the
Nagorno-Karabakh territory, which was occupied by Armenia in the
Nagorno-Karabakh War that ended in 1994, Azerbaijan is undertaking
great efforts to modernise its armed forces. To accomplish this
aim, the relatively small country is seeking close industrial
co-operation with regional and international partners in all major
sectors of defence manufacturing. Among the most important partners
are Turkey and Israel. However, countries such as the Czech Republic
(modernisation of Azerbaijan~Rs L-29 and L-30 aircraft) and South
Africa are also involved in important modernisation programmes.
Azerbaijan~Rs antagonist, Armenia, has also engaged in the national
production of UAVs. Among the results of this effort is the
Armenian-made Krunk drone, which was presented to the public during
a military parade in Yerevan on September 21 dedicated to the 20th
anniversary of the country~Rs independence from the Soviet Union.
(Photo: Aeronautics Defense Systems)
http://www.defpro.com/daily/details/887/?SID=5fa90aa3920b4c180a9add5d2780aeb0
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
By Nicolas von Kospoth
Defence Professionals
Sept 22 2011
Azerbaijani Armed Forces to receive 60 new UAVs by the end of 2011
The Armed Forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan will take delivery
of 60 license-built tactical unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) by the
end of 2011. As Rashad Suleymanov of the Azeri Press Agency (APA)
recently reported (see http://goo.gl/sfUa7), the Israeli-designed
small unmanned aircraft are currently being manufactured and assembled
by the Baku-based Azad Systems Company, a joint venture between
the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defence Industry (MDI) and Israeli UAV
manufacturer Aeronautics Defense Systems.
Aeronautics, which is Israel~Rs third-largest UAV manufacturer after
IAI and Elbit Systems, provided Azerbaijan with its Aerostar and
Orbiter 2M UAV systems. The Orbiter 2M mini UAV operates at a height
of 4 to 6 kilometres with a maximum of 5 hours in flight. The somewhat
larger Aerostar UAV provides the Azerbaijani Army with situational
awareness from a height of approximately 10 kilometres and offers an
endurance of up to 12 hours.
Azad Systems currently manufactures these UAVs at its Baku facility
and plans to deliver 60 of the small aircraft to the Armed Forces by
the end of this year. The latter will use the aircraft primarily for
intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) purposes. However,
Azerbaijani Minister of Defence Industry Yavar Jamalov told APA that
the country is also considering the production of armed UAVs that
could actively engage ground targets. According to the Minister,
this project is scheduled to be implemented within the next two years.
Suleymanov told defpro.com that the technical characteristics of
licence-built UAVs are very similar to the original Israeli design.
While 30 per cent of the equipment is being manufactured in Azerbaijan,
the majority of the systems~R elements are being produced abroad and
delivered to Azerbaijan for final assembly.
Azerbaijan launched studies on the domestic production of UAVs in
late 2009. According to APA, several Turkish companies, including
TAI, Baykar Makina and Global Teknik, as well as Israeli companies,
submitted proposals for a joint production. The Azerbaijani MDI~Rs
decision in favour of Israeli designs, supported by the fact that
armed forces~R already operate Israeli-built UAVs, resulted in the
establishment of Azad Systems in March 2011.
While Israeli-Turkish relations are currently experiencing tough times,
Israel~Rs defence industry has closely worked with the small but
oil-rich Muslim country located by the Caspian Sea during recent
years. The bilateral ties have flourished, in particular, since
Azerbaijan became one of the largest crude-oil suppliers to Israel
in 2006. Defence programmes with a major involvement of Israeli
industries include communications and satellite systems, as well as
artillery systems and UAVs.
The Azerbaijani Armed Forces already operate Elbit Systems~R Hermes
450 and IAI~Rs Searcher reconnaissance UAVs, as well as a number of
Aeronautics~R Aerostar and Orbiter UAVs. Some of the Armed Forces~R
unmanned assets were displayed during a military parade in Baku in
June 2011.
Due to country~Rs long-standing dispute with Armenia over the
Nagorno-Karabakh territory, which was occupied by Armenia in the
Nagorno-Karabakh War that ended in 1994, Azerbaijan is undertaking
great efforts to modernise its armed forces. To accomplish this
aim, the relatively small country is seeking close industrial
co-operation with regional and international partners in all major
sectors of defence manufacturing. Among the most important partners
are Turkey and Israel. However, countries such as the Czech Republic
(modernisation of Azerbaijan~Rs L-29 and L-30 aircraft) and South
Africa are also involved in important modernisation programmes.
Azerbaijan~Rs antagonist, Armenia, has also engaged in the national
production of UAVs. Among the results of this effort is the
Armenian-made Krunk drone, which was presented to the public during
a military parade in Yerevan on September 21 dedicated to the 20th
anniversary of the country~Rs independence from the Soviet Union.
(Photo: Aeronautics Defense Systems)
http://www.defpro.com/daily/details/887/?SID=5fa90aa3920b4c180a9add5d2780aeb0
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress