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)
- 9K111 Fagot [Range: 2.5km]
- 9M113 Konkurs [Range: 4km]
- 9K114 Shturm [Range: 5km] (For use by Mi-24V/P attack helicopters)
- Spike-LR [Range: 4km] Two launch configurations: (2)
- Skif [Range: 5km]
- R-2 Baryer ''Barrier'' [Range: 5km] (For use by Mi-24G attack helicopters)
- 9M133 Kornet [Range: 5.5km]
- 9P157-2 "Khrizantema-S" [Range: 6km]
- 9M120 Ataka [Range: 6km] (For use by Mi-35M attack helicopters)
- Spike-ER [Range: 8km] Three launch configurations: (2) (3) (Also for use by Shaldag Mk V patrol vessels)
- Spike-NLOS [Range: 25km] Two launch configurations: (2) (For use by Mi-17 attack helicopters and Sa'ar 62 patrol vessels)
- Experimental Tactical Missile (ETR-M) [Range: 60+km]
- STM Kargu [Range: 10km] [1.3kg 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)
- 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)
- 85mm divisional gun D-44 [Range: 15.6km]
- 122mm (D-30) howitzer 2A18 [Range: 15.4 km or 21.9 km when using RAPs]
- 130mm (M-46) field gun M-1954 [Range: 27.5 km or 38 km when using RAPs]
- 152mm 2A36 Giatsint-B field-gun [Range: 15.2km or 21.9km when using RAPs]
- 100mm T-55 (Used as an indirect-fire platform)
- 120mm Cardom [Range: 8km]
- 120mm Spear Mk2 [Range: 10km]
- 120mm 2S31 Vena [Range: 18km]
- 122mm 2S1 Gvozdika [Range: 15.2km or 21.9km when using RAPs]
- 152mm 2S3 Akatsiya [Range: 18.5km or 24km when using RAPs]
- 152mm SpGH DANA [Range: 20km]
- 152mm 2S19 Msta [Range: 25km or 28.9km when using RAPs]
- 203mm 2S7 Pion [Range: 37.5km or 55.5km when using RAPs]
- 155mm ATMOS 2000 [Range: 24.5km or 41km when using RAPs] (Documented by a few sources. Not yet seen)
- 220mm TOS-1A [Range: 6km]
- 107mm T-107 'Boran' [Range: 11km]
- 107mm MRLS-107 [Range: 11km]
- 128mm RAK-12 [Range: 13km]
- 122mm BM-21 'Grad' [Range: 40km]
- 122mm RM-70 [Range: 40km]
- 122mm KRL 122 [Range: 40km]
- 122mm T-122 'Sakarya' [Range: 40km]
- 122mm Grad 'Lynx' [Range: 40km]
- 160mm LAR-160 'Lynx' [Range: 45km]
- 300mm BM-30 'Smerch' [Range: 90km]
- 230mm TRLG-230 [Range: 70km] [CEP: 2m] (Used in conjuction with Bayraktar TB2 UCAVs)
- 300mm TRG-300 Kasirga [Range: 120km] [CEP: 10m]
- 306mm Extra [Range: 150km] [CEP: 10m]
- 300mm Polonez [Range: 200km] [CEP: 30m]
- 300mm Polonez-M [Range: 290km] [CEP: 45m]
- OTR-21 Tochka-U [Range: 120km] [CEP: 95m]
- LORA [Range: 430km] [CEP: 10m]
- SOM-B1 [2021] [Range: 250+km] (For use by Su-25 attack aircraft)
- 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)
- 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)
- Groza R-934UM2 [Range: Up to 65km] (For use by Su-25 attack aircraft)
- Koral (Documented by a few sources, not yet seen)
Recommended Articles:
The Oryx Handbook of Iranian Ballistic Missiles and Artillery Rockets
The Oryx Handbook of Iranian Drones
The Oryx Handbook of Iranian Fighting Vehicles