page_title: Reforms in Azerbaijan
section_title: Military
hierarchical_section_title: Reforms in Azerbaijan / Military
caption_attribution_description: Members of the Azerbaijani Army stand in formation during their Change of Command Ceremony at the Hadithah Dam, Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Azerbaijani Army is deployed with Regimental Combat Team 7, I Marine Expeditionary Force (FWD) in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in the Al Anbar Province of Iraq (MNF-W) to develop the Iraqi Security Forces, facilitate the development of official rule of law through democratic government reforms, and continue the development of a market based economy centered on Iraqi Reconstruction.
context_page_description: Azerbaijan has been ruled by the former Soviet Union for nearly 70 years. Azerbaijan gained its independence in October 1991 following the fall of the Soviet Union. Reestablishment of independent country has led to chaos and regression in the field of economy, education and health. In this regard, the Azerbaijani government signed the "Contract of century" and implemented reforms to develop the above-mentioned fields.
context_section_description: Azerbaijan and NATO signed Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) in May 2005. The action plan aims to deal with defense and security issues in Azerbaijani society.
  In the early 2000s, Azerbaijan started to produce its own military equipment and machines. In this manner, the Ministry of Defense Industry of Azerbaijan was established on December 16, 2005 under the presidential decree.
  Approximately 130 defense goods were produced in Azerbaijan including Gurza patrol vehicles, 7.62 х 54 millimeter Gurza and Shimshek-10 machine guns, 7.62 х 51 millimeter Yalguzag, Istiglal-1T and Mubariz sniper rifles, 7.62 х 54 millimeter attack machine guns of HP-7.62 type. All produced weaponry meets the NATO standards.
  Azerbaijan has built partnership with the NATO implementing military training and education programs since 1994. NATO's military education system standards have been applied in the Azerbaijan Higher Military Academy since 1997, in the War College of the Armed Forces since 2000, and in the Education and Training Center of the Armed Forces since 2001. Special forces are being trained to participate in international peacekeeping and humanitarian operations in terms of Individual Partnership Program (IPP). The program implementation fields include defense policy and strategy, language training; military exercises and related training; military education, etc.
  Azerbaijan started to directly participate in NATO-led operations after joining the NATO's Operational Capability Concept Evaluation & Feedback program in March 2004. A peacekeeping platoon was established in 1997 and a peacekeeping battalion was founded in 2001. NATO provided assistance for the process of preparing key national strategic documents, to name but a few the National Security Concept (NSC), Military Doctrine (MD), and Strategic Defense Review (SDR). The President of Azerbaijan confirmed national Security Concept (NSC) on 23 May 2007. The Parliament of Azerbaijan adopted the Military Doctrine in June 2010.
  In addition, Azerbaijan closely cooperates with Euro-Atlantic security institutions. This cooperation allowed Azerbaijan to contribute to international peace and security by participating in peace support operations, increase level of operational interoperability within the NATO Operational Capability Concept Evaluation and Feedback program, applied NATO standards in the Azerbaijani military, expand Azerbaijan's military education and training system, improve strategic conceptual documents, training professional personnel in fields relevant to cooperation, boost operational capability.
  In 1992, the International Committee of the Red Cross started to operate in Azerbaijan in conformity with the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia. The committee deals the issues regarding missing persons and detainees held for conflict-oriented or security reasons. The ICRC works to protect and help population living close to the Line of Contact and the international border with Armenia.
  In 1997, Azerbaijan established its peacekeeping troops and joined operations mainly implemented by NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. Azerbaijan is among the countries whose peacekeeping forces serves together in a USA Marine battalion.
  In October 2009, the Azerbaijani parliament adopted a decision increasing the number of peacekeepers in Afghanistan to 90. The Azerbaijani peacekeeping platoon participated in peacekeeping and peace support operations in Kosovo from 1999-2008. In addition, Azerbaijani peacekeeping contingent served in Iraq from 2003-2008.
caption: Azerbaijani soldiers in Iraq.
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