be interchanged between the Mi-17-1
and Mi-24V eets and res RV-2 anti-
tank missiles up to a range of 7,500m.
The Spike ER long-range missile is also
interchangeable and was introduced at
the same time as ‘Lahat’.
In March 2018, the 5th (Special
Operations) Squadron became mission-
ready with Bell 412 helicopters. Three of
the type were acquired from Canada in- Maj Zaur Agayev, one of the unit’s
pilots, said, ‘In January 2018, a number
of pilots were trained over a two-month
period in a ‘train-the-trainer’ concept.
Besides the three Bell 412s, a Bell 401 and
MD530 were also acquired, all sporting
black colors. Both of the latter types are
currently not operational as pilots have
not been trained yet.’
Agayev graduated from the Turkish Air
Force academy and will be one of the
instructors within the 5th Squadron. One
airman is in Pakistan learning to y the
Bell 412, and is due to return home and
instruct others.
Mission-ready helicopters
Around nine Mi-24Vs are operational
and a further nine were updated in
2013 to Mi-24G ‘Super Hind’ standard.
The upgrade program was based on
co-operation between South AfricanAbove: To prepare
for a centenary
parade, a number
of the air force’s
Su-25s deployed
from Kurdamir
to Tagiyev for
combined training
and work-ups.
Right: Tagiyev
base commander
Col Zaur
Rustamov.
Left: Azerbaijan’s
MiG-29 squadron
has no formal
identity, but
is the premier
fi ghter unit in
the country.
MiG-29 ‘Bort
03’ completed
overhaul at
the Lviv State
Aircraft Repair
Plant and was
delivered back to
Azerbaijan on 13
July 2017. Three
further ‘Fulcrums’
are undergoing a
3,000-fl ight hour
inspection.
Left inset: The
MiGs are held
on alert duty at
Tagiyev and used
for conversion
training.
CLOSECO-OPERATIONInternational co-operation on
defense, security and military training
means that Turkey and Azerbaijan
have worked closely together since
1992 and hold regular joint exercises.
The best-known of these is ‘TurAz
Şahini’ (‘TurAZ’) in which Azerbaijan
MiG-29s, Su-25s and Mi-17-1s work
alongside Turkish units out of Konya
in central Turkey. The last ‘TurAZ’ took
place during September 2017.http://www.combataircraft.net // October 2018 85