Azerbaijani Armed Forces
| Military of Azerbaijan | |
|---|---|
| Military manpower | |
| Military age | 18-35 years of age for compulsory and voluntary military service (2001) |
| Availability | males age 18-49: 1,961,973 (2005 est.) |
| Fit for military service | males age 18-49: 1,314,955 (2005 est.) |
| Reaching military age annually | males: 82,358 (2005 est.) |
| Active troops: | 67,000 (Ranked 55th) |
| Military expenditures | |
| Dollar figure | $650 million (FY06) |
| Percent of GDP | 3.2% (2006) |
The Azerbaijan Armed Forces consists of four military branches: the Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces. It was partially formed from the former Soviet 4th Army. Current Defence Minister is colonel-general Safar Abiyev, and Chief of Staff is colonel-general Najmaddin Sadikhov.
In July of 1992, Azerbaijan ratified the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE), which establishes comprehensive limits on key categories of conventional military equipment and provides for the destruction of weaponry in excess of those limits. Although Azerbaijan did not provide all data required by the treaty on its conventional forces at that time, it has accepted on-site inspections of forces on its territory. Azerbaijan approved the CFE flank agreement in May, 1997. It also has acceded to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty as a non-nuclear weapons state. Azerbaijan participates in NATO's Partnership for Peace. The country also integrates the "Georgia, Ukrain, Azerbaijan, Moldova regional co-operation group", known as GUAM.
Overview
In light of recent oil boom within the nation and the completion of the US-backed Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, Azerbaijan intended to spend $300 million dollars on its armed forces in 2005. That is 70% increase from the previous year. Many believe this rise in military expenditure followed the Azeri announcement that the army would be willing to recapture the separatist region of Nagorno Karabakh, which is currently under the occupation by troops from neighbouring Armenia who fought against Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh war during the early 1990s.
Troops from Azerbaijan serve as peacekeepers in NATO-led operations in Kosovo and Afghanistan. Azerbaijan joined the Coalition of the Willing during Iraq War, and as of 2006, is protecting the Northern parts of Iraq. It has provided 250 troops. One hundred soldiers were sent on December 29, 2004 to reinforce the 150 soldiers already in the country. They provide security for local Turkmen populations, religious sites and convoys.
Azerbaijan Army
In 1997 the Azerbaijan military had 274 tanks excisting from out 150 T-72 and 124 T-55Main Battle tanks and BM-21 122-mm Grad Artillery Rocket Launcher. Azerbaijan also had 361 armored combat vehicles (mostly BMP-1&2 and MT-LB) and 410 artillery of 100 mm caliber or more.
Since 1994 Azerbaijan has started to increase its military budget, and since 2005 it has risen to $650 million compared to Armenia's $162 million. Azerbaijan is further expanding its military budget to $1 billion within the year 2006 (that figure is equivalent to the entire Armenian state budget). Since the fall of the Soviet Union, Azerbaijan, like its Armenian counterpart, has been trying to further develop its armed forces into a professional, well trained, and mobile military.
Azerbaijan is also expanding its active forces, now numbering about 72,000, with an additional reserve of 82,000, as well as a "reserve of the reserve" of 1,314,955. The Azeri ground forces have in addition 15.000 airborne dropping troops. In the training of its troops, Azerbaijan has signed many contracts to strengthen its armed forces and to train its military with Turkey. Azerbaijan has also token a new organisation style to modernize its army organisation. Over the last 14 years, Azerbaijan has been preparing its military for possible action against Armenian forces in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh. It is feared that Azerbaijan may attempt to re-take Karabakh by military force, because the last negotiations were a faillure in France.
Azerbaijan Air Force
The Azerbaijan Air Force (AzAF) has about 3,000 personnel and troops. The AzAF currentely has 115 aircraft on 14 bases (with additional 50 other airports. Combat aircraft include the Su-17 attack fighter (4), Su-24 fighter bomber (5) and SU-25 ground attack aricraft (2), as well as the MiG-21 fighter (5) and MiG-25PD interceptor (11). High-altitude recoinassance is provided by 14 MiG-25RB aircaft. Total of 41 warplanes. Training aircarft (which can be used for attack purposes) consist of 18 Czech made L-29s and 12 L-39s, in addition there are 8 MiG-25U conversion trainers for the MiG-25 series.
The helicopter force is provided by 15 Mi-24 attack gunships and Mi-8 and Mi-2 for transport (13 and 7 respectively). The transport fleet consists of 3 Il-76 and one of An-24, An-12 and Tu-134A aircraft. In 2002, the Air Defense Forces received a major upgrade, and plans to further expansion in 2006. Upgrade consisting of 19 MiG-25 Foxbat fighters, 6 Su-25 Frogfoot Ground attack planes, 10 Tu-16 Badger heavy bombers, 9 Su-24 Fencer fighter bombers. The Army airforce has also upgraded with 25 additional Mi-24 Hind attack helicopters.
Azerbaijan Navy
The Azerbaijan Navy has about 5,000 personnel in sixteen units inlcuding the Caspian Flotilla and a Border Coast Guard. The navy has three patrol boats, five minesweepers, six landing crafts, two landing cutters, one special purposes warship and one special purposes cutter.
Afghanistan
In 2005 Azerbaijan sent 22 troops to Afghanistan for assistance. In 2006, Azerbaijan and Croatia joined the Lithuanian-led NATO provincial reconstruction team (PRT) in western Afghanistan. Azerbaijan has contributed by sending 8 military doctors to the team. So far Azerbaijan has deployed 30 troops in Afghanistan.
Iraq
Azerbaijan is part of the Coalition of the Willing in Iraq, its protecting the Northern parts of Iraq. Azerbaijan has provided 250 troops. 100 soldiers were sent on the 29th of December 2004 to reinforce the 150 soldiers already in the country. They provide security for local Turkmen populations, religious sites and convoys.
References
- http://disarmament2.un.org/UN_REGISTER.nsf
This article incorporates public domain material from The World Factbook. CIA. 2005- This article incorporates public domain material from U.S. Bilateral Relations Fact Sheets. United States Department of State. 2003
- http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=940090&C=asiapac