The Ministry of Defence Industry of Azerbaijan () is a governmental agency within the Cabinet of Azerbaijan in charge of design, manufacturing, regulation and maintenance of products in the fields of defense, radio electronics, instrument engineering.
The Ministry was established on December 16, 2005, by presidential decree. The new Ministry, incorporated the State Departments for Military Industry and the Armaments and the Military Science Center, both of which were formerly separate agencies within the Military of Azerbaijan. Yavar Jamalov was the first head of this ministry between March 2006 – 23 June 2018. Lieutenant general Madat Guliyev was appointed as the Minister of Defence Industry by decree of the Azerbaijani President dated 20 June 2019.
Background
Azerbaijan has a desire to become a major arms exporter to the South Caucasus, Central Asia and Middle East. It was announced in January 2008 that the defence industry of Azerbaijan would begin to manufacture armoured personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles, as well as small calibre artillery guns. Whether this has actually taken place is unclear. The new ministry is cooperating with the defence sectors of Ukraine, Belarus and Pakistan. In 2008 several more military factories were created in Azerbaijan.
According to Sumarinly, the MDI has been in talks with various Israeli defense firms and two Turkish companies about the production of an armored vehicle based on the Russian T-55 tank’s chassis. MDI will also provide 30 South-African-designed Matador and Marauder armored vehicles to the army.
In March 2011 the MDI presented its prototype of an Austrian-designed four-seater known as the Diamond DA-42 military passenger plane. The plane is assembled by AZAD Systems, an Azerbaijani state-owned firm.
Overall, Azerbaijani military production more than doubled between 2009 and 2010, and the product line expanded by 17 percent, according to MDI.
Enterprises
Enterprises of the Ministry include: RPE Iglim, "Avia-Agregat" plant, RPE "Sanayejihaz" ("Prompribor"), RPE "Dalga” and "Alov"plant are the biggest suppliers for aviation and shipbuilding industries. Radiogurashdirma ("Radio engineering"), "Azon", "Peyk" and "Computer" plants are manufacturing products for communication means and radio-electronic industry. RPE Neftgazavtomat, "Telemekhanika" and Baku "Jihazgayirma" (Instrument Engineering) plants are involved in manufacture of devices and automation systems for monitoring technological processes in oil/gas production, refinery and chemical industries. RPE Automatic Lines is manufacturing non-standard equipment and products for application in electrotechnical &machine engineering industries. Avia-Agregat manufactures multi-purpose aviation equipment, various airdrome conditioners, universal container of board conductor, air-to-air radiators, fuel-oil, air-to-air heat exchangers, ventilators. AZAD Systems Co presented Zarba UAVs in 2016.
Cooperation
The Ministry's enterprises co-operate with partners in many foreign countries in following areas: Aviation Oil industry Instrument Engineering Navigation
Recently, the Turkish firms of ASELSAN and MKEK has signed a deal with Azerbaijan. ASELSAN has been awarded to co-produce monocular night vision sights and thermal scopes (sniper rifles etc.) with Azerbaijan.
Makina Kimya Endüstrisi Kurumu (MKE) has been awarded a contract worth $1.150.000 to produce weapons, ammunition, chemicals and other materials. Besides the contract, MKEK will also take part in the assistance of modernization of the Azeri defense industries.
Azerbaijani-made prototypes of Orbiter 2M Unmanned aerial vehicle are expected to undergo testing for up to two years. Full-scale production won't begin before 2013, under the existing timetable. Production of drones has started at Azad Systems, a joint venture between Azerbaijan's Defence Industry Ministry and Israeli manufacturer Aeronautics.
Research Production Enterprise Iglim
Multi-purpose Airfield Conditioners: АК-04-9А; АК-1,6-9А
Attendant's Container KBU 8-10
Air-to-Air Radiators: VVR 01.7604.5100.00; VVR 5.12.7604.0020.00; VVR 2.11.7604.0400.00; Fuel-Oil Radiators: 5451Т; 5580Т; 5783 Т-1 Fuel-Oil Heat Exchangers: 6212 Т; 6212Т-01; 6107 Т Air-to-Air Heat Exchanger 6246 Т Supercharger 5620 Dehydrator 2394T Fans: 5617 Т; 4523 Air Drier 6011 Moisture separators: 2227; 6368; 5676А; 2788; 6377; 6917; 6678