Armenia has officially announced the export of weapons for the first time in its history, though the headline-grabbing declaration leaves behind a number of unanswered questions: what exactly was sold, who purchased it, and why many believe the deal likely involved drones and software-based military systems.
Attention has now shifted toward identifying the companies that may stand behind the export — and understanding what role Europe, Ukraine, and Yerevan’s emerging alliances may have played.
On the eve of the announcement, Armenia’s Minister of High-Tech Industry, Mkhitar Hayrapetyan, proudly declared that Armenian defense enterprises had exported military products abroad for the first time since the country gained independence.
The value of the contract was described only vaguely as amounting to several million dollars, while the exact range of exported products remains undisclosed.
A Bet on Drone Technologies
One could, of course, undertake a detailed analysis of Armenia’s military-industrial sector, yet it is not particularly difficult to assume that this export “defense product” is connected to drone technologies and software-hardware systems.
The fact that the announcement came from the Ministry of High-Tech Industry only reinforced that assumption.
Broadly speaking, the field of unmanned technologies and software solutions remains one of the few areas of the global defense market where new players can still enter relatively quickly.
The sector continues to expand at a rapid pace, the international market has not yet been fully divided, and any manufacturer capable of offering a genuinely competitive product still has an opportunity to secure a place within it.
The Traditional Arms Market Remains Closed
The market for traditional weapons, by contrast, remains far more closed and considerably more difficult to penetrate.
An established circle of manufacturers already dominates the field, while the production of systems such as tanks or self-propelled artillery requires enormous investment in research, development, and industrial capacity.
The manufacturing process itself remains highly resource-intensive, making participation in such sectors an expensive privilege reserved for only a limited number of states.
European Preferences for Yerevan
In addition, Armenia appears to have benefited from favorable political circumstances.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan currently enjoys significant support from the European Union, and it is highly likely that Brussels has created a number of preferential conditions to facilitate Yerevan’s access to European markets.
After all, the Armenian public must somehow be persuaded by the promises of the so-called “European garden.”
Not long ago, the Armenian government also reported sharp growth in exports of civilian products.
The increase reportedly reached 90 percent, specifically in trade with the European Union.
It appears the authorities believe Armenian society should be impressed by Europe’s open doors and ultimately support Pashinyan in the upcoming elections.
The Companies Potentially Behind the Export
Almost simultaneously with the announcement regarding military exports, another report appeared in Armenian media: two companies involved in military development, Cifora and Davaro, revealed that they had entered into a strategic partnership.
That announcement may well provide the answer regarding the companies standing behind Armenia’s first military export deal.
Cifora specializes in software-hardware solutions designed for battlefield management.
Davaro, meanwhile, possesses a broad portfolio of drones and remote weapon-control systems.
The company also develops military software, the presentation of which is accompanied by polished promotional imagery on its official website.
Davaro and the Dispute Over Drone Technologies
Yet drones remain the company’s principal focus.
Quite recently, however, Davaro found itself forced to respond to accusations that it had copied foreign technologies.
Critics alleged that Armenian drones incorporated Israeli technological solutions.
Davaro representatives immediately rejected those claims, insisting that the company develops its products exclusively on the basis of proprietary technological solutions, relying on Armenian engineering expertise, accumulated experience, and domestic scientific potential.
The company further stated, with a noticeable hint of irritation, that similarities in drone concepts or structural configurations cannot automatically be interpreted as imitation or copying.
According to Davaro, the global aviation and defense industries widely employ universal engineering approaches and aerodynamic principles recognized internationally as effective structural solutions.
The company may not have needed to take the criticism so personally.
Most of the complaints reportedly originated in Azerbaijan, where commentators expressed frustration less toward Armenia itself and more toward Israel — Azerbaijan’s longstanding partner — accusing it of failing to safeguard its technologies properly.
Domestic Debate Over Armenia’s “First” Arms Export
Still, this episode appears characteristic of the style of internal political debate in Armenia — defending one’s position to the very last moment and showing little hesitation in allowing arguments to descend into bitter public disputes.
It bears more than a passing resemblance to another country whose name begins with the letter “U.”
No sooner had the Minister of High-Tech Industry celebrated Armenia’s first arms export than a counterargument emerged from former head of the Military-Industrial Committee Avetik Kerobyan.
He confidently declared that Armenia had exported military-related products before.
What followed was a dispute between the two sides over what should properly be classified as weapons and what should instead be considered dual-use technology.
The Main Question Remains the Buyer
Whether it was truly necessary to attach such symbolic importance to the country’s first official export of military products remains open to interpretation.
If the products were sold, then congratulations are in order. If they were not, perhaps that would also have been for the best.
Much depends on who ultimately received them.
The identity of the recipient country also remains concealed.
Whether the buyer was in Europe or elsewhere has not been disclosed.
Still, many believe it is not especially difficult to guess who may have become the recipient of Armenia’s military exports — namely the country where people like to say, “This is Europe.”
Otherwise, why maintain such secrecy?
And where else could Armenian drones realistically be tested under genuine combat conditions if not in Ukraine?
Surely they were not sold to the United States for use against Iran.
Yerevan has generally sought to maintain cordial relations with Tehran.
Although, given the direction in which Pashinyan’s Armenia now appears to be moving, the country may soon find itself acquiring both new friends and new toys.
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Disclaimer: This article was contributed and translated into English by Manouk Vasilian. While we strive for quality, the views and accuracy of the content remain the responsibility of the contributor. Please verify all facts independently before reposting or citing.
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