ARMY OF ONE WAR

Azerbaijani army from the point of view of the Russian military-political analyst Alexander Khramchikhin. Comments by military historian Mnatsakan Khachatryan.

Azerbaijan closely cooperates militarily with Israel, so it is likely that the Azerbaijani T-55 will become a heavy infantry fighting vehicle such as Israeli “IDF AHZARIT”.

There are 88 BRDM-2, 20 BMD-1, 63 BMP-1 and 21, BRM-1, 186 BMP-2, 101 BMP-3.

Comment:

Armored reconnaissance and patrol vehicles BRDM-2, combat vehicles BMD-1, reconnaissance vehicles BRM-1 and BMP-1, BMP-2 and BMP-3 together make up 479 units, and the total number of armored combat machines of Azerbaijan is 220 units, of which only 135 can be BMP. Here is a clear multiple superiority of quotas (infringement).

The number of APCs and armored vehicles approaches to a thousand – 3 Ukrainian BTR-3U (Azerbaijan refused of further purchases), 40 BTR-60, from 179 to 239 BTR-70, 33 BTR-80 and 70 BTR-80A, 11 BTR-D, 55 South African “Matador” and 85 “Marauder” (produced under license in Azerbaijan), at least 35 Turkish “Cobra”, 393 MTLB. More than half of all that technology is not listed in the Armed Forces, but in the internal forces and the border troops.

Comment:

Firstly, we emphasize that on the relevant agreement valid set of combat armored vehicles for Azerbaijan has been established 220 units. By the number of only armored vehicles this country is almost 4,5 times more than the permitted limit. If we sum up the Azerbaijani armored combat vehicles and armored personnel carriers, the superiority will be more than 6 times.

Then Khramchikhin notes that “more than half of this equipment is listed in the internal forces and border troops. Even in this case, the breach is obvious and constitutes large figure. Moreover, in internal and border troops of Azerbaijan the number of military equipment of this type should not exceed 100 units. I.e. here there is also a violation.

Artillery includes more than 150 self-propelled guns – 25 2S9, 18 2S31, 66 2C1, 16 2S3, 18 2S19, 5 Israeli ATMOS-2000, 15 2S7. It is expected to purchase 36 Turkish T-155 self-propelled guns. Towed Guns – 199 D-30, 36 M-46, 16 2A36, 24 D-20. Mortars – 400 2B14, 107 PM-38, 85 M-43, 10 Israeli CARDOM.

A lot of attention is paid to the development of rocket artillery, which is essential to the successful offensive of the powerful Armenian fortifications. There are 44 Soviet MLRS BM-21 and 20 Turkish T-122, 30 Turkish T-107 and 20 TR-300, 18 Russian TOS-1A, 30 “Smerch”, 6 Israeli multicalibre “Links.”

Comment:

Quota of artillery means, specifically artillery offensive of 100mm caliber and more,  ie excluding anti-tank and anti-aircraft guns, for Azerbaijan is set 285 units. The mere number of self-propelled and towed guns is exceeded by 64 units. If we add to them also mortars of 100mm caliber and more, where is not included 82 mm 2B14, the violation will reach 266 units. Finally, we add to all these Russian, Turkish, Israeli-made MLRS, and the violation will be 310 units, twice more than is set. Do not forget also the above-mentioned 12 tactical missile system units “Tochka”.

There are 10 Ukrainian ATRA “Skiff”, 100 Russian “Cornet”, 150 Soviet “Malyutka”, 100 “Fagot”, 20 “Konkurs”, 10 “Metis”. Anti-tank guns: 72 D-44, 72 MT-12.

Army air-defense includes 3 Divisions SAM “Buk-M1” and the Belarusian “Buk-MB” (18 CP), 1 division of the Israeli air defense system “Barak-8” (9 CP) and obsolete Soviet SAM “Krug” (27 CP), 150 SAM of short-range (80 “Osa”, 8 Belarusian-Ukrainian “Tetrahedron”, 54 “Strela-10”, 8 new “Thor”), 300 MANPADS “Igla” and 18 “Strela-3″, 40 ZSU-23-4 ” Shilka “.