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| Azerbaijani National Army | |
|---|---|
| Name | Azerbaijani National Army |
| Founded | 1918 |
| Country | Azerbaijan |
| Allegiance | Azerbaijani Armed Forces |
| Branch | Land Forces, Air and Air Defence Force, Navy, Special Forces |
| Type | Armed forces |
| Size | Approximately 126,000 active (est.) |
| Garrison | Baku |
| Battles | Battle of Shusha (2020), First Nagorno-Karabakh War, Second Nagorno-Karabakh War |
| Anniversaries | 26 June (Armed Forces Day) |
| Commanders | Ilham Aliyev, Zakir Hasanov |
Azerbaijani National Army
The Azerbaijani National Army is the principal military force of Azerbaijan, forming the combat arm of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces and tasked with defending territorial integrity, sovereignty, and national interests. Originating in the republics and empires of the 20th century, the force has been shaped by conflicts such as the First Nagorno-Karabakh War and the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War, and by relationships with states including Russia, Turkey, Israel, Ukraine, and Pakistan.
The roots trace to the short-lived Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (1918–1920) and its military interactions with Ottoman Empire, British Empire, and neighboring Armenia during the post-World War I period. Following incorporation into the Soviet Union, Azerbaijani personnel served within the Red Army and took part in operations on fronts described by World War II historiography, notably in engagements connected to Caucasus Campaign units. After independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, rapid formation of units coincided with clashes in Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast involving the Armenian forces and paramilitary groups allied to Karabakh Movement. The dissolution phase produced reorganizations under presidents such as Heydar Aliyev and Ilham Aliyev with reforms influenced by military models from Turkey, Israel, and the United States. Key historical events include the 1993 political-military crisis involving Abulfaz Elchibey and subsequent reconstitution under Heydar Aliyev and later modernizing drives linked to the aftermath of the Four-Day War (2016) and the 2020 Battle of Shusha (2020).
Command resides under the President of Azerbaijan as Supreme Commander-in-Chief, with strategic oversight from the Ministry of Defense (Azerbaijan), the General Staff of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, and defence ministers including Zakir Hasanov. Major branches include the Land Forces (Azerbaijan), Azerbaijani Air and Air Defence Force, Navy (Azerbaijan), and Special Forces (Azerbaijan), complemented by the State Border Service (Azerbaijan) and Internal Troops of Azerbaijan. Organizational reforms adopted NATO-compatible staff procedures influenced by cooperation with NATO partners, exchanges with the Turkish Armed Forces, officer education at institutions such as the Azerbaijan Higher Military Academy and foreign academies like NATO Defense College and United States Military Academy alumni programs. The chain-of-command interoperates with national structures including the Ministry of Internal Affairs (Azerbaijan) during crises and coordinates with diplomatic entities such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan.
Personnel numbers have fluctuated due to mobilization during conflicts such as the First Nagorno-Karabakh War and the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War, with active-duty strength supplemented by reservists and paramilitary formations like the Azerbaijani National Guard. Conscription laws enacted by the Milli Majlis set service terms, while military education institutions include the Baku Higher Combined Arms Command School and specialized schools aligned with foreign training from Turkey, Russia, Israel, Pakistan, and NATO member programs. Notable personnel figures include career officers educated at Moscow State Military Academy and Western exchanges that produced liaison officers attached to multinational headquarters such as Joint Force Command Naples and United States European Command.
Modernization programs have procured hardware from vendors including Russia (e.g., T-72 variants), Turkey (e.g., Bayraktar TB2), and Israel (e.g., unmanned aerial systems and intelligence systems), alongside domestic upgrades performed at facilities in Baku and in collaboration with firms like Rostec and private defense contractors. Key equipment classes include battle tanks, armored personnel carriers, multiple rocket launcher systems related to BM-21 Grad lineage, air defense systems with ties to S-300 technology, attack helicopters comparable to Mi-24, and widespread deployment of armed drones modeled on Hermes 450 and IAR 330. Logistic and C4ISR modernization has drawn from systems used by Turkish Armed Forces and integrated components from Elbit Systems and other international suppliers. Naval modernization includes patrol craft operations in the Caspian Sea and cooperation with Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company assets.
Operational history is dominated by the Nagorno-Karabakh conflicts, including large-scale operations during the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War culminating in engagements like the Battle of Shusha (2020) and maneuvers affecting populations from Stepanakert to border zones with Georgia and Iran. Limited deployments and rotations have occurred for internal security coordinated with the Ministry of Internal Affairs (Azerbaijan) and the State Security Service (Azerbaijan), while expeditionary elements have participated in bilateral exercises with Turkey, Pakistan, and multinational exercises with NATO partners, affecting doctrine and force posture.
Doctrine development blends lessons from post-Soviet lineage with Turkish and Western operational concepts, influenced by case studies like the Battle of Sadarak and asymmetric warfare analyses from conflicts such as Gulf War and Kosovo War. Training centers include ranges near Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and exercises such as TurAz Qartal and bilateral maneuvers with Türkiye and the Russian Armed Forces that emphasize combined-arms operations, drone-integrated strike doctrine, urban warfare tactics exemplified in studies of Shusha, and counterinsurgency principles seen in regional security literature.
Azerbaijan has contributed personnel to international missions and engaged in military diplomacy with partners including NATO, United Nations frameworks, and bilateral ties with Turkey, Israel, Russia, Pakistan, and Ukraine. Peacekeeping participation and training exchanges have been conducted under multinational auspices in theatres connected to KFOR-style arrangements and observer roles modeled on deployments to Somalia and stabilization efforts studied by the United Nations Security Council. Defense cooperation agreements and procurement contracts have fostered interoperability with units from Turkey, officer exchanges with Russia, and logistics partnerships with Georgia and Kazakhstan.
Category:Military of Azerbaijan Category:Military history of Azerbaijan