BAKU (UPI)—Azerbaijan has begun producing AK-74M assault rifles under a license from the Russian armaments manufacturer Izhmash.
The assault rifles are being produced for the Azeri armed forces under the name “Khazri.” The Azeri AK-74M rifles have a number of modifications from the Russian model of the weapon, the Azerbaidzhanskoe Informatsionnoe Agentstvo news agency reported on July 12.
The Izhevsk Machine-Building Plant—or Izhmash—is a munitions manufacturer with headquarters in Izhevsk, Russia. Founded in 1807 by decree of Czar Alexander I during the Napoleonic wars, Izhmash is one of the largest armaments corporations in the world. The city is best known for its Kalashnikov series of assault rifles. Izhmash also manufactures other armaments, including artillery, missiles, and shells along with other goods, such as motorcycles and cars.
While the Khazri uses the same 5.45mm ammunition as the Russian AK-74M, the Azeri variant can be fitted with night-vision devices, laser spotting, illumination, and scope systems.
During the first phase of production, the AK-74M assault rifles for Azerbaijan will be produced using Russian components until Azeri defense enterprises are capable of producing parts of the rifles’ assemblies themselves. The Azeri state defense order program envisages the production and delivery of 5,000 Khazri assault rifles to the country’s defense ministry.
More than 5 million AK-74s have been manufactured since the weapon was introduced in 1974. The AK-74 is an adaptation of the 7.62mm AKM assault rifle, which features several significant design improvements. The AK-74M is the main service rifle in the Russian army and was first used during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the early 1980’s. Other nations utilizing the AK-74M include Afghanistan, Armenia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Estonia, Georgia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Mongolia, North Korea, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. Poland and Romania manufacture their own variants of the AK-74M under license.
Last month, during a speech delivered during a military parade marking the 20th anniversary of Azerbaijan’s independence, Azeri President Ilham Aliyev said Azerbaijan’s military budget, which totaled $160 million in 2003, had risen to $2.15 billion in 2010 and $3.3 billion in 2011.
“Today, the money Azerbaijan is spending on the military exceeds the entire budget of Armenia by 50 percent,” Aliyev said. “We live in a time of war. The war is not over yet, only its first stage is, and a country at war should first of all focus on building the army.”
“Today, military spending ranks first in the state budget of Azerbaijan and this will be the case until our land is freed from occupation.”
“Today, military spending ranks first in the state budget of Azerbaijan and this will be the case until our land is freed from occupation.”
As I understand it, he means Azerbaijan is free from azeris….
Publication of similar articles without providing objective analzby Armenian media about her enemy’s statements regarding their military activities is counter productive.
Aim for the Azeri pipelines… this Azeris will comprehend (and too, a few countries which use Azeri oils) since, too, it will limit the monies that their leaderships can use for themselves – and to hell with their Azeri citizens who shall do the fighting to protect the leaderships… citizens who have not been recipients of benefits which leadership pockets – ONLY for themselves!!
As per the latest agreement with defense agreement with Russia, Armenia will be further developing its defense industry as well.
AK-47 means it was designed in 1947 and
AK-74M means it was designed in 1974 and Modernized a bit later…
The Azeris had plenty of AK’s in 1991-94 until they abandoned many of their weapons and supplemented the Armenian side. The differentiators in this conflict are not weapons… the arms dealers tend to keep all sides balanced. The real difference is which side is fighting for its home, its freedom and to prevent further oppression. Only the defenders of Artsakh can make that claim. Who in Azerbaijan wants to die to take back something that is not theirs. The politicians in Baku will always send their young to the west to exploit their disgusting hatred.
Azeri politicians don’t “send their young to the west to exploit their disgusting hatred” – they send young men from minorities like Avar, Lezgi, Tolysh, Udi and other minorities to die for the Pan-Turkic idea. They also hire mercenaries like Afghan Taliban and Ukrainian ultra-nationalists…
I wish to remind again and again to my compatriots that we should bear in mind that Azerbaijan(did not exsist till 1918)but ,even as of 1905 was supported,with Ottoman turkish troops and instigators there to attack ,kill, massacre Ermenis….
I believe more than 20,000 Armenians were looted and massacred then in BAKI,then somehow with intervention of Russia they settled down again and lived there in relative peace,until the 1915´s when again great republic of Tukrey sent i their agents to provoke and attack Armenians ,untill again this time Red Army took over and Lenin Stalin rule tried to work it out under banner of brotherhood of nations equality etc.,This , has not realized either..impossible, as we can see even TODAY.
great Turkey will not budge untill all important nations(today,yesterday only Oct. 6,2011,pres. of France Sarkozymade it clear that They-Turkey should face history and recognize the Genocide they perpetrated on armenians , or else till end of year the Senate in France would ratify making it Law-like in Switzerland-that denying the Armenian genocide is punishable …
We must understand that without support of Turkey, Azerbijan would lonmg ago have agreed upon reality of Independent NK Artsakh and stopped rhetoric ,war creis. My viewpoint is and will remian that we are dealing with Turkey not Azerbaijan really.
Few would accept that ,but that is the reality. Mark my word.the moment Turkey is brought to give in like France has just INITIATED.,,,and hopefully it will be picked up by the others…then they will act differently.
azerPyjan is sandwiched between Iran and Armenia. Russia, Turkey and Israel are fully aware of that, so milking Mr. alioff as much as they can, giving him toy guns, special flying kites, grenade factories…they keep him busy until a new younger oil gendarme overthrow alioff dynasty, then they will start with the next one!!