how would you re-build the Azerbaijani military aviation?

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10 years 11 months

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since the Argentinian one seems mostly decided.

Azerbaijan is interesting.. growing economic energy power
military equipment primarily: Russia, Israel, Turkey

Enemy = Armenia, Iran

Russia was generally pro-Armenia, but with the money Azerbaijan can pour into Russian defense industries, and growing energy interests.. good chance Russia can ditch Armenia for Azerbaijan which would be more lucrative.
but don't count on new Sukhoi sales to Azerbaijan.. since Sukhoi is run by an Armenian.

Original post

Member for

13 years 6 months

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Current equipment (according to Wikipedia - sorry no better source):

24 x MiG-29/UB (older MiGs retired)
33 x Su-25 (apparently upgraded to Scorpion standard)
5 x Su-24
28 x L-39
5 x Il-76
84 x Mi-24/-35
100 x Mi-8/-17.

Investment has been made in various Israeli UAVs (Hermes, Heron, Searcher etc).

Map of country:

http://www.captainsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/azerbaijan_map.jpg

Population is about 9 million.

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13 years 5 months

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MiG-35.

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14 years 1 month

Posts: 8,850

I have severe doubts that all Azeri Su-25s were upgraded to KM standard, if any.
The available photos usually show their aircraft with the T-shaped dorsal antenna which is not present on the Scorpions.
If there are some Su-25KMs, then they are not many of them in service.

Member for

10 years 11 months

Posts: 2,040

I have severe doubts that all Azeri Su-25s were upgraded to KM standard, if any.
The available photos usually show their aircraft with the T-shaped dorsal antenna which is not present on the Scorpions.
If there are some Su-25KMs, then they are not many of them in service.

is Georgia still in a position to offer upgrades to the su-25s or did the factory lose that capability?

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14 years 1 month

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is Georgia still in a position to offer upgrades to the su-25s or did the factory lose that capability?

http://www.tam.ge/

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16 years 9 months

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since the Argentinian one seems mostly decided.

Azerbaijan is interesting.. growing economic energy power
military equipment primarily: Russia, Israel, Turkey

Enemy = Armenia, Iran

Russia was generally pro-Armenia, but with the money Azerbaijan can pour into Russian defense industries, and growing energy interests.. good chance Russia can ditch Armenia for Azerbaijan which would be more lucrative.
but don't count on new Sukhoi sales to Azerbaijan.. since Sukhoi is run by an Armenian.

TF-X

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11 years 4 months

Posts: 976

Well they start in a good place so moving forward I would start with ordering

18 An-32’s of which 4 would be MP’s to give a light/medium tactical transport capability
Start replacement of the 60 Mil-24’s with 40 TAI/AW T129 helicopter
Start replacement of the L39’s with 25 Yak-130’s in the LIFT/ A2G role
Replacement of SU-25’s with 50 JF-17’s In the A2G/A2A role
Replacement of Mig-29’s with 30 Mig-35’s in the A2A/A2G role
Reduce the Mil-17 fleet to 80
Order 10 Mil-26’s

Member for

11 years 6 months

Posts: 254

Enemy = Armenia, Iran

What haven't stopped the Caucasus's trio to ditch their hatred and work together with Iran on Syria.

Russia was generally pro-Armenia, but with the money Azerbaijan can pour into Russian defense industries, and growing energy interests.. good chance Russia can ditch Armenia for Azerbaijan which would be more lucrative.

They are doing fine selling to both so no need to ditch neither of them.

but don't count on new Sukhoi sales to Azerbaijan.. since Sukhoi is run by an Armenian.

As a result of the efforts made by persons of Armenian descent, who lead the Russian aviation industry, the negotiations with Russia on the purchase of combat aircrafts Su-27, Su-30 and MiG-31 have not produced results.
Someone's trolling like a sir in Azerbaijan :dev2:.

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12 years 6 months

Posts: 61

Not aviation related but Russia started the delivery of a large package constisting of land systems to Azerbaijan, worth about $1 billion.

http://www.vedomosti.ru/politics/news/13199631/v_baku_idet_smerch

There are options on all military equipment bought, including an option for 94 more T-90. Earlier reports talked of 200 T-90, so probably around that number is considered.

Also from the article:

This is not the first major package of arms contracts between Russia and Azerbaijan. In 2010-2011. concluded and almost made ​​contracts for the supply of Azerbaijani armed forces and other security agencies of the two battalions of air defense missile systems S-300PMU-2, several batteries air defense systems "Tor-M2E", 60 transport helicopters Mi-17 and 24 attack helicopters Mi-35M for a total of nearly $ 3 billion

So I think the prospects of purchasing new fighters from Russia is there. Also Azerbaijan seems to be seriously interested in YAK-130, pilots of the airforce made flights with it last year.

Member for

11 years 10 months

Posts: 980

I would focus on infrastructure and defensive sub-systems. Make sure all of the air bases are in good order and what not. I would also complement the S300 systems currently in use. The Hind fleet is relatively modern, so there is no need to replace those just yet. A squadron of T-129 (most likely) or Ka-52's could go along real nice with the rotary winged component(s). I believe all of the Su-25's have been upgraded, if they have not, make that a priority. I would put the MiG-29's closer to replacement than the upgraded Su-25's. Get rid of the small amount of Su-24's in service. Keeping 5-6 of any type, like that, does not make much sense.

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10 years 10 months

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SU-34

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11 years 10 months

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What kind of strategic goals does Azerbaijan have? Is it just enough to keep Iran from invading, or are there other objectives?

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13 years 6 months

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I think they're probably more worried about Armenia than Iran.

Iran is a non-entity in an area still dominated by Russian influence.

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12 years 6 months

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What kind of strategic goals does Azerbaijan have?

Karabakh, restoration of territorial integrity first and foremost.

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13 years 5 months

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Karabakh, restoration of territorial integrity first and foremost.

With Russia protecting Armenia though, through security guarantee, it will never happen.

I think, if we look at the situation objectively, the sooner Azerbaijan shifts that goal, the better for the country.

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13 years 5 months

Posts: 9,579

SU-34

I think more general mulch-purpose birds are a better idea for the Azeris.
Su-34 is a specialized luxury for a relatively small AF (even though they are comparatively lavishly funded, dat sweet sweet oil ), not to mention they have no use for its very long range strike role.

They recently took delivery of upgraded MiG-29s from Ukraine (~ two dozen IIRC). These are the logical starting point for a bigger fleet. More upgraded MiG-29s is probably the sensible solution, MiG-35 if they are feeling like splurging + if the maintenance and training footprint is not too different from legacy Fulcrums.
Yak-130 also very much makes sense.

I wonder what ATGM the Ka-52s will come with, if deal goes through. There is a lack of clarity what they are integrated with...

Also they really need to change their MiG-29 camo, it looks horrific.

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13 years 6 months

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I agree with TR1.

As a a purely offensive system, Su-34 a great/super power playtoy.

Smaller and even medium countries are better serviced by multi-role fighters. In this case MiG-29 is perfectly capable, especially upgraded to M/M2 standard.

Member for

12 years 6 months

Posts: 61

Mig-29s were bought back in 2006-2007, but back then Azerbaijan did not had the same funds it does now, so a better choice would be new fighters from Russia, more advanced. The "upgrade" to Mig-29s by Ukraine was only minimal. I would also think along the lines of Mig-29M2, or even Su-30 series.

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11 years 4 months

Posts: 976

I think it depends on what life the current Mig-29's have left if there is life left to carry out an upgrade to SMT standard then possibly this is the way forward pick the 15 best airframes and rotate them through the upgrade program at the same time buy 20 Mig-35's once the first 8 29's are back from upgrade retire the older 29's also start to look at JF-17 as a replacement for the SU-25 fleet with a view to getting 40 airframes last of all replace the L-39 fleet with 25 Yak-130's this should give them a more flexible air defence and ground attack capability

I still think they need to get a tactical airlift type An-32 or C-295 possibly C-295 as they already operate 3 HC-144's

Also as said T-129's to replace Mil-24/35's