Sunday 17 October 2021

Azerbaijan’s Emerging Arsenal Of Deterrent


By Stijn Mitzer and Joost Oliemans
 
Tensions have increased between Iran and Azerbaijan over road tax imposed on Iranian truck drivers that want to enter Armenia through Azerbaijan, over Azerbaijani ties to Israel and plans for a corridor linking Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan exclave with mainland Azerbaijan. The latter's occurence could see Tehran lose its connection to Armenia altogether, hindering its access to the regional market. While current tensions between Tehran and Baku have so far been confined to diplomatic tensions and military exercises along their respective borders, some fear that mounting tensions between the two countries could one day escalate into an all-out regional conflict.
 
In early October, Tehran launched a number of exercise along its northern border with Azerbaijan. Although presumably aimed at sending a strong message to Baku, the 1960s-era Chieftain MBTs, BMP-1 IFVs, M577 APCs and M109 SPGs covered by ZSU-23 SPAAGs did little to impress international spectators. However, later footage also revealed the deployment of short-range ballistic missiles, and the unimpressive equipment does not accurately represent the scores of newly-developed loitering munitions and ballistic missiles that have entered service with Iran's armed forces in recent years.

While Iran's extensive arsenal of missiles and drones has received plenty of attention, Azerbaijan also maintains an emerging arsenal of deterrent. In addition to being one of the most modern and capable in the region - combining modern equipment from sources like Israel, Turkey and Belarus - it is also one of the fastest-growing. In recent years, Azerbaijan has also initiated the development of several guided armament types, so far including the design and production of a number of guided missiles and bombs. This list aims to catalogue these armament types currently in Azerbaijani service.

(Click on the equipment to get a picture of them in Azerbaijani service)

(Anti-tank) Guided Missiles


Loitering Munitions

  • Quzğun [Range: 7km] [0.5kg warhead]
  • STM Kargu [Range: 10km] [1.3kg warhead]
  • Zarba [Range: 15km] [2.5kg warhead]
  • Orbiter-1K [Range: 100km] [3kg warhead] (In service with the State Border Service)
  • Zarba-K [Range: 100km] [3kg warhead] (In service with the State Border Service. Azerbaijani-manufactured version of the Orbiter-1K)
  • İti Qovan (Azerbaijani-manufactured version of the Orbiter-1K)
  • SkyStriker Early [Range: 100km] [5 or 10kg warhead] (In service with the State Border Service)
  • SkyStriker Late [Range: 100km] [5 or 10kg warhead] (In service with the State Border Service)
  • IAI Harop [Range: 1000km] [23kg warhead] (In service with the State Border Service) 
  • Unknown loitering munition (1)

Towed Artillery

 

Self-Propelled Artillery


(Unguided) Multiple Rocket Launchers


(Guided) Multiple Rocket Launchers


Ballistic Missiles

 

Cruise Missiles

  • SOM-B1 [2021] [Range: 250+km] (For use by Su-25 attack aircraft)
 

Guided Air-To-Ground Weaponry

  • QFAB-50-ISAB [Range: Up to 65km] (For use by Su-25 attack aircraft)
  • QFAB-100-SAB [Range: Up to 65km] (For use by Su-25 attack aircraft)
  • QFAB-250-LG [Range: 12+km] (Aselsan LGK laser guidance kit integrated on an Azerbaijani-produced QFAB-250 bomb. For use by Su-25 attack aircraft)
  • QFAB-250-KAB [Range: ?] (For use by Su-25 attack aircraft)
  • QFAB-250-SAB [Range: ?] (For use by Su-25 attack aircraft)
  • FAB-50-KAB [Range: 25km or 50km with a rocket booster] (For use by Su-25 attack aircraft)
  • FAB-75-KAB [Range: 30+km or 60+km with a rocket booster] (For use by Su-25 attack aircraft)
  • Konteyner-250/10 gliding cluster bomb (For use by Su-25 attack aircraft)
  • Unknown Guided Bomb (1) [Range: ?] (For use by Su-25 attack aircraft)
  • Unknown Guided Bomb (2) [Range: ?] (For use by Su-25 attack aircraft)
  • MAM-L [Range: ~15km] (For use by Bayraktar TB2 UCAVs)
  • KGK-82 [110km] (For use by Su-25 attack aircraft)


Electronic Warfare Systems


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The Oryx Handbook of Iranian Ballistic Missiles and Artillery Rockets