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Qabil Ashirov

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The interview of Pakistani Information Minister Atta Tarar with the local media outlets in Azerbaijan sparked excitement and debate. Thus, the Pakistani minister noted that the two countries may jointly manufacture military aircraft.

Azerbaijan, which owns a small but strong air force comprising various types of aircraft, such as fighter bombers, tactical bombers, interceptors, interceptor-reconnaissance, and multirole aircraft, strived to renew and modernize its aircraft for a long. Pakistani-made JF-17 became the solution to the issue. With the 4+ generation JF-17, the strength of the Azerbaijani air forces increased, leaving all neighbouring countries, excluding Russia, in the dust. However, producing a military aircraft can elevate Azerbaijan to new levels, decreasing dependency on abroad in such strategic issues.

Speaking to Azernews on the issue, military expert Ramil Mammadli noted the military technological collaboration between Pakistan and Azerbaijan, particularly in modern and advanced variants, is a highly successful and positive development. Here, it is important to recognize that this cooperation is not one-sided.

“It involves not only the expertise of Pakistani engineers but also the exchange of ideas and experiences, joint actions, and project implementations. In this regard, the cooperation between Pakistan and Azerbaijan, especially in the field of military technology, has proven to be fruitful.

Since its establishment, Pakistan has integrated itself into the world’s most modern technologies in the military industry, specializing in several areas, one of which is aviation. This collaboration between Pakistan and Azerbaijan has led to agreements and contracts in various fields, particularly regarding combat aircraft,” the expert said.

He added that the creation and production of joint combat aircraft or various types of aircraft is undoubtedly a promising step forward. However, in today’s rapidly advancing world, it is crucial to consider the profitability and viability of such projects.

“Personally, I would be more interested in the creation and production of a new combat aircraft rather than just the JF-17, between Pakistan and Azerbaijan. This is because Pakistan has vast capabilities and specialized institutions that can assimilate these technologies. The country has the necessary infrastructure in this sector. Azerbaijan, by supporting this process, could take a successful mission by producing certain components in Azerbaijan, such as parts of an aircraft. This could contribute to the development of Azerbaijan's defence industry and might lead to the formation of new institutions,” Ramil Mammadli pointed out.

The military expert opined that this could serve as the revival of processes that existed during the Soviet era but did not develop after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, albeit in a more modern form. The collaboration with Pakistan in combat aircraft production could lay the scientific foundation for such advancements.

“This market is highly competitive, as only a few countries in the world produce multi-role combat aircraft, and competing with them is challenging. However, if we are not alone in this effort—if we collaborate with Pakistan and include other countries—success becomes possible, and it could provide the foundation for future endeavours,” he said.

The expert noted that the process of modernizing Azerbaijan’s military aviation is also tied to this. The arrival of the JF-17 in Azerbaijan could lead to the replacement of the older military aviation equipment.

“In general, aviation is a sector where equipment is used for many years, and after a certain period, significant repairs and deep modernization are required to extend its service life. Azerbaijan's military air force has already involved its combat aircraft in modernization and overhaul projects over time. For example, MiG-29 combat aircraft, purchased in 2009-2010, were later modernized. The Su-25 aircraft, often called the “flying tank” in the world, has also been modernized.

Thus, without replacing the existing aircraft, the modernization of Azerbaijan’s military aviation forces is a necessity, and steps are being taken in this direction. The arrival of the JF-17 marks the beginning of this process,” Ramil Mammadli concluded.