Military of Azerbaijan

Military Of Azerbaijan

Standard of the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan

The Azerbaijani Armed Forces (Azerbaijani: Azərbaycan Silahlı Qüvvələri) were re-established according to the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the Armed Forces from 9 October 1991. The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR) had originally formed its own armed forces from 26 June 1918. However these were dissolved after Azerbaijan was absorbed into the Soviet Union as the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic from 28 April 1920. After the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991-92 the armed forces were reformed based on Soviet bases and equipment left on Azeri soil.

The armed forces have three branches: the Azerbaijani Land Forces, the Azerbaijani Air and Air Defence Force, and the Azerbaijani Navy. Associated forces include the Azerbaijani National Guard, the Internal Troops of Azerbaijan, and the State Border Service, which can be involved in state defense under certain circumstances.

According to the Azerbaijani media sources the military expenditures of Azerbaijan for 2009 were set at $2.46 billion USD, however according to SIPRI, only $1.473 billion was spent in that year. IISS also suggests that the defence budget in 2009 was $1.5 billion. Azerbaijan has its own Defense Industry, which manufactures small arms. In the future, Azerbaijan hopes to start building tanks, armored vehicles, military planes and military helicopters.