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Azerbaijan Air Force - Modernization

During the second independence of Azerbaijan - on April 8, 1992, Lieutenant-General Lieutenant Vagif Gurbanov escaped from the former Soviet Army's Sitalchay airfield and brought Su-25 fighter jets to the Azerbaijani army. In this way, the Azerbaijan Air Forces adopted the first fighter armament. As a result of the efforts of Nasosni - the current Haji Zeynalabdin Tagiyev, Colonel Vladimir Kravtsov (the first commander of the Air Force of Azerbaijan) and Lieutenant-Colonel Alexander Plesh, who served at the Dalles Airport, the Soviet aviation aircraft at these bases was transferred to Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan is considered to have the largest fighter jet inventory in the South Caucasus region. According to various sources, the Azerbaijani Air Force, which currently serves 8,000 personnel, includes about 200 fighter jets, about 160 helicopters, as well as 46 aircrafts and helicopters. The Air Force's arsenal of 8,000 people serving staff " Aero L-29 ", " Aero L-39 " training-striker, different types of MiG-21, MiG-25, MiG-29, Su-17, Su-24, Il-76, An-24, An-12, Tu-134A, Tu-16, Mi-2, and Mi-6. There are Mi-8, Mi-24, Mi-35 M helicopters, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles manufactured by world-renowned companies (Aerostar, Orbiter).

The number of combat aircraft and attack helicopters that the Azerbaijan may have in its active inventory was formerly constrained by the equipment ceilings of the CFE Treaty. Azerbaijan's national limits are 100 combat aircraft and 50 attack helicopters, both limits far exceed current holdings. By 2004 the joint air/air defense forces had about 7,900 personnel, and included a combination of combat assets to support both offensive and defensive air operations. The air element reports holdings of at least 47 combat aircraft and 15 attack helicopters. Although IISS reported only 47 combat aircraft, the country's CFE reporting listed 54 combat aircraft.

Along with the other aircraft not-reportable under CFE, the Air Forces are organized into five functional commands: a fighter ground-attack regiment; a fighter squadron; a transport squadron; a training unit; and a composite helicopter regiment. The air defense elements comprise fighter units (in their primary role, these units also are considered part of the offensive air element), surface-to-air gun/missile units, and air defense surveillance radar units.

The various air units included a mix of aircraft types because several of the legacy units were heavily attrited during the Mountainous Karabakh conflict, which claimed over 50 aircraft, including Mi-24 (Hind-attack helicopters), Mi-8 (support helicopters), Su-25 (Frogfoot close air support), MiG-25PB (Foxbat- reconnaissance, used as fighter-bombers) and L-29 (Delphin/Maya-armed trainers) aircraft.

The great portion of the Azerbaijani air forces was made up of a large number of Soviet helicopters and MiG-25 aircraft of various prototypes (nearly 30 units) which are meant to be used in aerial combat, as such they are not practical for use against ground troops. However, in the presence of a very small Armenian air force, the use of Azerbaijani MiG-25 and Su-27 (purchased from Kazakhstan a few years ago) interceptors in aerial combat are very limited in scope. But it is worth mentioning the presence of certain quantity of Su-25 and Su-24 bombers within the Azerbaijani air force. These are meant to be used as close air support for advancing ground troops. These types of aircraft have gained a good reputation in various wars of the 20th century and were commonly used by Azerbaijan in the Karabakh war from 1992-1994.

Azerbaijan signed an agreement with Ukraine on the purchase of 12 MiG-29 fighter jets, two MiG-29 UB and 12 E-39 jets in 2005. The Air Force and Air Defense Force of Azerbaijan acquired two squadrons of MiG-29 fighter aircraft from the Ukraine Air Force in 2007. By one report the purchase comprised 24 MiG-29 (or MiG-29S) fighters, mostly single-seat variants with some MiG-29UB two-seat trainer/combat variants. The Viyskovo-povitryani syly (Air Force of Ukraine) had some 190 MiG-29s of various models in its inventory, including the later-delivered "S" variant. The move confirmed a statement made In March 2007 by Lt.-Gen. Rayil Rzayev, Commander-in-Chief of the Air Forces and the Aircraft Defense Forces, that new fighters had been acquired, and that airfield upgrades were also to begin soon. On 29 January 2008 a MiG-29 from Azerbaijan's air force crashed into the Caspian Sea on Tuesday during a routine training mission, killing both crew members.

In 2007 the Air Force of Azerbaijan (by one count, 61 combat aircraft, 46 auxiliary aircraft) included a combined aviation regiment, a fighter and bomber squadron, and separate squadrons of fighters, reconnaissance planes, and training aircraft. Main airbases: Kyurdamir, Zeinalabdin (equipped with a NATO air traffic monitoring system), Dallyar, Gyandzha, Kala. The Air Defense Forces of Azerbaijan included four air defense brigades, one air defense regiment, and two separate radar battalions. They are equipped with S-200, S-125, S-75 (35 launchers), Krug, and Osa air defense systems.

Azerbaijan purchased the air missile system S-300 PMU-2 "Favorit" (the amount of the contract was $300 million) from Russia, and along with India it clinched its status as the largest recipient of Russian helicopters. In addition to 24 combat helicopters Mi-35M, ordered by Azerbaijan, contracts with FSUE "Rosoboronexport" in the delivery of 40 military transport helicopters Mi-17-1B for the Azerbaijani Air Force and 20 military transport helicopters Mi-17-1B for the Border Service of Azerbaijan were signed and are still implemented. It should be noted that all contracts involve the purchase of goods at market prices, without any special exclusive privilege.

The Azerbaijani air defense system is manufactured by Spanish company Indra, operating day-to-day and providing all available airadditionally equipped with modern and mid-range Lanza radar stations with aerodynamic and ballistic detection. In order to overcome the threats of the enemy, it has a new digital element base in the air defense forces of Azerbaijan, equipped with advanced self-propelled missile launchers, as well as advanced algorithms for destroying aircraft, helicopters, PUA, winged and ballistic missiles.

As of 2009 Nasosnaya operated MiG-29 fighters and L-39 trainers. Nasosnaya also has a decaying former contingent of MiG-25 interceptors, including trainers, which were corralled in an open area near a set of empty reinforced hangars at the northern end of the base. The MiG-25s are not operational.

Azerbaijan is the latest operator of the Leonardo M-346 advanced jet trainer. The Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Leonardo SpA exchanged the Declaration on the acquisition of M-346 aircraft integration system by the Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan, Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov and the Executive Director of Leonardo SpA Alessandro Profumo. The declaration was signed during the state visit of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to Italy. President Ilham Aliyev 's state visit to Italy began on 19 February 2020. In May 2017 Leonardo showcased its Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master trainer aircraft to top Azeri military officials. While the number of aircraft was not revealed, in July 2019 Leonardo chief executive Alessandro Profumo said that his company had signed a deal for six M-346FA light attack aircraft with a major "international customer".

"The technical characteristics of the M-346 aircraft that Azerbaijan bought from Italy also allow it to be used in combat." Military-political commentator Ramil M ammadli said in a statement to the Report while speaking about the M-346 training aircraft. He said that the Azerbaijani Air Force is taking major steps to modernize the military aviation fleet: "For the first time on May 10, 2017, a new generation of Italian Leonardo Aircraft manufactured at one of the Azerbaijani Air Forces Air Force Base. Azerbaijan's pilots were closely acquainted with the aircraft and the importance of the aircraft was then investigated." According to the military expert, after three years of research it was concluded that the aircraft was profitable for Azerbaijan. A final step has already been made to purchase the aircraft and the M-346 will be located in the Azerbaijani Air Force Aviation Park: "It should be noted that the M-346 is one of the best in its class."

Mammadli said that Azerbaijan's purchase of this level with the NATO member states in the region where strict defense industry rules are applied is due to the serious political will of Baku. Armenia, unable to implement major procurement projects with European companies, of course, will not be able to calmly welcome Azerbaijan's purchase of M-346 aircraft with Italy, while the Azerbaijani Armed Forces have taken serious steps in recent years to strengthen air defense and aviation. So, Azerbaijan will strengthen its military aviation fleet with modern technologies in the coming years, which will ensure that our airspace is fully established."