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DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
March 16, 2012 Friday
AZERBAIJAN BETWEEN THE HAMMER AND THE ANVIL
Yaroslav Vyatkin
Source: Argumenty Nedeli, No. 9, March 11-17, 2012, p. 20
[translated from Russian]
TRANSCAUCASIA IS ON THE THRESHOLD OF A NEW WAR FOR NAGORNO-KARABAKH?;
The Ambassador of Azerbaijan in Iran was called to the Iranian Foreign
Ministry recently to provide explanations about the upcoming purchase
of weapons worth $1.6 billion by Baku from Israel, an enemy of Iran.
There the Ambassador released an official statement saying that the
armament was bought "to liberate the occupied land of Azerbaijan"
meaning the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. What is this, another
ritual phrase or the matter is driving towards a war really?
The Ambassador of Azerbaijan in Iran was called to the Iranian Foreign
Ministry recently to provide explanations about the upcoming purchase
of weapons worth $1.6 billion by Baku from Israel, an enemy of Iran.
There the Ambassador released an official statement saying that the
armament was bought "to liberate the occupied land of Azerbaijan"
meaning the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. What is this, another
ritual phrase or the matter is driving towards a war really?
Deal with Israel
The Ambassador was called because of the deal with Israeli armament
corporation IAI. Azerbaijan bought military hardware from this company
before, for example, small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). However,
the present package is special. Israel will sell UAVs with long flight
duration Heron and Searcher (the latter is produced in Russia under
Forpost name), as well as radio technical reconnaissance stations. The
package also includes two radar stations Green Pine. These stations
are parts of Israeli antimissile defense system Khets-2. Baku
evidently wants to use them as radar stations of early warning about
launches of Armenian, Iranian and probably Russian tactical theater
missiles.
There is also information that the newest middle-range air defense
missile systems Barak-8 with range of up to 70-120 kilometers created
by Israel for India are ordered too. In any case, this system did not
even pass tests yet and such acquisition looked like a "pig in a
poke."
Purchases of the most modern weapons
Azerbaijan that receives big revenues from oil and gas production is
one of the biggest buyers of armament now. The country already grew
over the stage of purchase of "secondhand" Ukrainian, Bulgarian and
Belarusian armament and started purchasing the most modern hardware.
Among the main suppliers of modern armament are Russia, Israel and
Turkey. Quite recently, Azerbaijan purchased new air defense missile
system S-300PMU-2. Armenia does not have such system and has older
version of S-300PT-1. Azerbaijan buys armored personnel carriers
BTR-80A and armored trucks KamAZ. In South African Republic Azerbaijan
bough armored vehicles of MRAP class. Purchase of Cobra armored
vehicles in Turkey looks strange. Azerbaijani military officials say
that "servicemen in neighboring Georgia are very happy with them and
the protection is suitable for them."
Georgian are probably content with them but in August of 2008 several
such vehicles were damaged and captured by Russian servicemen. The
verdict of specialists could be characterized briefly as "weekly
armored trash." Baku evidently does a favor to its Turkish patrons in
such way.
T-90S and Mi-35M
Azerbaijani tanks T-72AV purchased in Belarus and Ukraine were
modernized by the Israelis according to the scheme similar to that of
modernization of Georgian tanks before the August war. These
T-72-SIM-1 were captured by Russian servicemen and were well
appreciated by specialists. Along with this, it was said that
modernization of the firing control system without replacement of the
gun and stabilizer drives (Israelis cannot do this without us) had
only a limited effect.
Officials in Baku made the same decision and bought T-90S. Neither the
quantity nor the configuration of the tank is known yet. Azerbaijan
also manifests its interest in T-90MS Tagil, the newest export deeply
modernized tank.
Special attention is paid to long-range destruction of Armenian
fortified installations in Nagorno-Karabakh and prevention of coming
of reserves from Armenia. From Ukraine Azerbaijan bought multiple
rocket launcher systems Smerch and Uragan, long-range artillery
systems Giatsint and Pion, tactical missile systems Tochka-U and from
Israel Azerbaijan bought modernized multiple rocket launcher systems
Grad-LAR. The contract on supply of 24 combat helicopters Mi-35M from
Russia is currently being fulfilled.
It is necessary to remark that Moscow tries to compensate for any sale
of weapons to Azerbaijan by armament supply to Armenia. Armenia as a
CSTO member receives weapons with discounts but it cannot buy weapons
in the same quantities as the neighbor. Along with this, it is obvious
that something will be supplied to Yerevan soon too, possibly even on
credit.
To be continued in the next issue of the bulletin
March 16, 2012 Friday
AZERBAIJAN BETWEEN THE HAMMER AND THE ANVIL
Yaroslav Vyatkin
Source: Argumenty Nedeli, No. 9, March 11-17, 2012, p. 20
[translated from Russian]
TRANSCAUCASIA IS ON THE THRESHOLD OF A NEW WAR FOR NAGORNO-KARABAKH?;
The Ambassador of Azerbaijan in Iran was called to the Iranian Foreign
Ministry recently to provide explanations about the upcoming purchase
of weapons worth $1.6 billion by Baku from Israel, an enemy of Iran.
There the Ambassador released an official statement saying that the
armament was bought "to liberate the occupied land of Azerbaijan"
meaning the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. What is this, another
ritual phrase or the matter is driving towards a war really?
The Ambassador of Azerbaijan in Iran was called to the Iranian Foreign
Ministry recently to provide explanations about the upcoming purchase
of weapons worth $1.6 billion by Baku from Israel, an enemy of Iran.
There the Ambassador released an official statement saying that the
armament was bought "to liberate the occupied land of Azerbaijan"
meaning the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. What is this, another
ritual phrase or the matter is driving towards a war really?
Deal with Israel
The Ambassador was called because of the deal with Israeli armament
corporation IAI. Azerbaijan bought military hardware from this company
before, for example, small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). However,
the present package is special. Israel will sell UAVs with long flight
duration Heron and Searcher (the latter is produced in Russia under
Forpost name), as well as radio technical reconnaissance stations. The
package also includes two radar stations Green Pine. These stations
are parts of Israeli antimissile defense system Khets-2. Baku
evidently wants to use them as radar stations of early warning about
launches of Armenian, Iranian and probably Russian tactical theater
missiles.
There is also information that the newest middle-range air defense
missile systems Barak-8 with range of up to 70-120 kilometers created
by Israel for India are ordered too. In any case, this system did not
even pass tests yet and such acquisition looked like a "pig in a
poke."
Purchases of the most modern weapons
Azerbaijan that receives big revenues from oil and gas production is
one of the biggest buyers of armament now. The country already grew
over the stage of purchase of "secondhand" Ukrainian, Bulgarian and
Belarusian armament and started purchasing the most modern hardware.
Among the main suppliers of modern armament are Russia, Israel and
Turkey. Quite recently, Azerbaijan purchased new air defense missile
system S-300PMU-2. Armenia does not have such system and has older
version of S-300PT-1. Azerbaijan buys armored personnel carriers
BTR-80A and armored trucks KamAZ. In South African Republic Azerbaijan
bough armored vehicles of MRAP class. Purchase of Cobra armored
vehicles in Turkey looks strange. Azerbaijani military officials say
that "servicemen in neighboring Georgia are very happy with them and
the protection is suitable for them."
Georgian are probably content with them but in August of 2008 several
such vehicles were damaged and captured by Russian servicemen. The
verdict of specialists could be characterized briefly as "weekly
armored trash." Baku evidently does a favor to its Turkish patrons in
such way.
T-90S and Mi-35M
Azerbaijani tanks T-72AV purchased in Belarus and Ukraine were
modernized by the Israelis according to the scheme similar to that of
modernization of Georgian tanks before the August war. These
T-72-SIM-1 were captured by Russian servicemen and were well
appreciated by specialists. Along with this, it was said that
modernization of the firing control system without replacement of the
gun and stabilizer drives (Israelis cannot do this without us) had
only a limited effect.
Officials in Baku made the same decision and bought T-90S. Neither the
quantity nor the configuration of the tank is known yet. Azerbaijan
also manifests its interest in T-90MS Tagil, the newest export deeply
modernized tank.
Special attention is paid to long-range destruction of Armenian
fortified installations in Nagorno-Karabakh and prevention of coming
of reserves from Armenia. From Ukraine Azerbaijan bought multiple
rocket launcher systems Smerch and Uragan, long-range artillery
systems Giatsint and Pion, tactical missile systems Tochka-U and from
Israel Azerbaijan bought modernized multiple rocket launcher systems
Grad-LAR. The contract on supply of 24 combat helicopters Mi-35M from
Russia is currently being fulfilled.
It is necessary to remark that Moscow tries to compensate for any sale
of weapons to Azerbaijan by armament supply to Armenia. Armenia as a
CSTO member receives weapons with discounts but it cannot buy weapons
in the same quantities as the neighbor. Along with this, it is obvious
that something will be supplied to Yerevan soon too, possibly even on
credit.
To be continued in the next issue of the bulletin