YEREVAN (RFE/RL)—Armenia demonstrated Iskander tactical missiles and other advanced weapons acquired from Russia recently as it marked the 25th anniversary of its independence with a military parade held in Yerevan on Sept. 21.
Hundreds of Armenian troops marched through the city’s central Republic Square, followed by columns of tanks mounted on heavy military tracks, armored vehicles, artillery and air-defense systems, and ballistic missiles. They were joined by a company of Russian soldiers from Russia’s military base headquartered in Gyumri.
A dozen MiG-29 fighter jets of the Russian base and Armenian Su-25 attack aircraft roared overhead during the parade watched by Armenia’s political and military leadership.
The participating troops also included soldiers of an Armenian peacekeeping brigade. They carried the national flags of the United States, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Greece symbolizing the brigade’s past and present involvement in multinational contingents led by those NATO member states.
President Serge Sarkisian praised the Armenian military as he addressed the troops lined up at the sprawling square. “We have the power to defend our freedom and our rights,” he said. “This parade bears testimony to that.”
“During the course of the past 25 years we have achieved irreversible successes,” added Sarkisian. “Sometimes we made mistakes and sometimes we went to extremes, but by and large we have followed the right path.”
The Armenian military used the occasion to put on display several Russian-made weapons that appear to have been supplied to it this year. The most important of them are Iskander missiles that have a firing range of up to 300 kilometers (approx. 187 miles) and are known for their precision. A public announcer commentating on the parade said Armenia can use them to destroy “strategic facilities” of its enemies.
In particular, the sophisticated missiles developed in the 1990’s and first acquired by Russia’s armed forces in 2006 should make Azerbaijan’s vital oil and gas installations more vulnerable to Armenian missile strikes.
Yerevan has made no secret of its readiness to launch such strikes in the event of a full-scale war for Nagorno-Karabagh (Artsakh/NKR). Its ballistic missile arsenal until now included only Soviet-era Scud-B and Tochka-U systems, which were also demonstrated during the parade.
Oil-rich Azerbaijan has said in the past that its oil and gas infrastructure and key military facilities are protected against these missiles. The Azerbaijani armed forces are equipped with Russian S-300 air-defense systems which may be able to intercept Scud-Bs. In recent years, Baku has also reportedly purchased from Israel similar surface-to-air missiles as well as a missile defense radar.
Iskander is thought to be capable of overcoming just about every missile defense shield currently existing in the world. Armenia is the first country other than Russia which is known to have obtained such missiles.
Citing two senior Russian defense industry executives, the Russian daily “Vedomosti” reported at the weekend that Moscow supplied Armenia with at least four Iskander launchers that simultaneously can fire two missiles each. The unnamed sources also said that the delivery was not covered by a $200 million (USD) Russian loan which Armenia is to spend on the purchase of more Russian weapons.
In February, the Russian government disclosed the types of military hardware which Yerevan can buy with the loan disbursed in 2015. They include Smerch multiple-launch rocket systems with a range of up to 90 kilometers (approx. 60 miles).
The Sept. 21 parade featured Smerch rockets as well, suggesting that Armenian army got hold of them earlier this year.
Yerevan pressed Moscow to speed up the implementation of the $200 million arms deal following last April’s outbreak of heavy fighting around Artsakh which nearly escalated into an all-out Armenian-Azerbaijani war. It also used the escalation to renew its criticism of at least $4 billion worth of offensive weapons which the Russians have sold to Azerbaijan since 2010.
Among other newly acquired weaponry demonstrated at the Armenian parade were modernized variants of the Buk medium-range air-defense system and Infauna electronic warfare vehicles that use advanced technology to jam enemy communications.
Armenia also plans to buy soon Russian-made TOS-1A heavy flamethrowers using thermobaric rockets and Kornet anti-tank systems.
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Will Russia let Armenia fire one of these missiles toward Axerbaichan???
This is great to see, but I don’t know if this was a good idea to display them in the open. The thing that is concerning is, now BritishPetroleumBaijan is going to seek the same types of weapons and I fear the Russian policy of “Chevronbaijan is our strategic partner” is going to oblige. I hope that Armenia has a plan in place to prevent this from happening.
Additionally, I believe Armenia actually needs many more, and longer range missiles in order to bolster its security, heading southwest and west, for example which would reach the northern part of the gulf of aqaba and the eastern part of the aegean sea. This would cover all of Armenia’s main enemies effectively. It would not necessarily need to be used at all, but could serve as a very effective statement and deterrent to their anti-Armenian activities and any possible future “plans” they might have.
Thank goodness for Russia keeping her promises and supplying “the goods”. Armenians world wide should help our homeland in buying all we need to defend ourselves.
Acquiring weapons necessary to defend ourselves is the minimum. We need offensive weapons that can reach Baku and Ankara. Add to that nuclear warheads with the will and determination to launch and then we got something. Our enemies are not the kinds to sit around tables with but the kinds that we need to put the fear of God in them. The more devastating the weapon the better and the more they will come to their senses.
Ararat,
Iskander-Ms are offensive weapons capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. The range of their export version that were given to Armenia is, reportedly, 280-300 km, while the range of the same missiles stationed in the Russian base in Gyumri is 500 km. But even with the range of 280-300 km, if launched from Artsakh, Iskanders are capable of reaching Baku. The range also “covers” most of our Western Armenia, now in Turkey.
Fair enough, I think in logical terms we need a fund , for the army that is separate from any national or local involvement! JUST like HAAF.
We need to bolster our defence and offence!
Not just that but a domestic military industry so not all of the money leaves the country but keeps smart engineers in the country and adds to the economy.
This is a strong message and big development.
But, is anything preventing Russia from selling the same to Azerbaijan in the future.
Is Russia’s sale of weapons being shipped to Armenia right now meant to give Armenia an edge or bring a balance with Azerbaijan? If the latter, then the balance was not there. Azerbaijan seems to get the more advanced stuff before Armenia, giving them an edge.
That said, those are some serious hardware.
It never fails to amaze me that articles about Russia’s arms sale to Azerbaijan have several dozens of comments, with certain posters never tiring to criticize it time and again, as in, for example:
Sleeping with Our Enemy: Russia Sells Weapons to Azerbaijan (http://armenianweekly.com/2015/03/05/sleeping-with-enemy/) – 109 comments
Hundreds in Yerevan Protest Russian Arms Sales to Azerbaijan (http://armenianweekly.com/2016/04/14/anti-russian-protest-yerevan/) – 50 comments
Boyajian: Is Russia Really Armenia’s Ally? (http://armenianweekly.com/2016/04/19/boyajian-russia/) – 106 comments
Russia Will Continue to Supply Arms to Azerbaijan (http://armenianweekly.com/2016/04/08/russia-azerbaijan/) – 38 comments.
While an article about Russia giving Armenia the best tactical missiles in the world, Iskander-Ms, which only Russia and Armenia have, and capable of destroying the enemy’s economic and military infrastructure, acquired only 7 comments so far…
Something must be fundamentally wrong with the integrity and impartiality of certain AW posters.
Are there assurances that Russia will not sell Iskanders to Russia or even more hardware? That’s the issue. Russian arms supplies to Armenia are not seen as assurances of Armenia having a military edge over Azerbaijan. The relief of seeing such new hardware in Armenian hands is always going to be tempered with what Russia will sell next to Azerbaijan.
The lack of overwhelming comments in this article is based on concern for Armenia. There is basic psychology here too. When an enemy state of Armenia receives brand new weapons, people will *naturally* complain more than when Armenia receives weapons of their own. Threats are a bigger motivator for talking out loud than relief, which is expressed silently.
Are there assurances that America’s closest ally Israel will not sell even more hardware to Azerbaijan and America’s valuable ally Turkey will not supply even more advisers and weapons to Baku? Statements from Israel’s political leaders and military analysts reveal that Tel Aviv sold arms to Baku worth of 5 billion US dollars. At this moment, with Iskander-Ms, Armenia, clearly, does have a military edge over Azerbaijan. Given Russia’s geostrategic interest in keeping a military balance in the South Caucasus, it is unlikely that whatever Moscow will sell next to Azerbaijan will give Azerbaijan a military edge over Armenia. Even with the weapons sold to Azerbaijan prior to Armenia’s receiving Iskanders, Azerbaijan did not have a military edge over Armenia. If it had, Baku could have won in the April war.
Extensive debates on the same subject in other threads suggest that the lack of overwhelming comments in this article is based neither on concern for Armenia nor on “basic psychology”. It is based on bias and partiality on the part of certain AW posters. When an enemy state of Armenia receives brand new weapons from both Russia and Israel (even more from Israel), “basic psychology” suggests that truly unbiased and impartial posters must complain equally about both cases. And if it is true that threats are a bigger motivator for talking out loud, then one would expect to hear adequately loud concerns about Israeli weapons in Baku’s possession that were killing Armenian soldiers during this year’s April war.
“This is great to see, but I don’t know if this was a good idea to display them in the open. The thing that is concerning is, now BritishPetroleumBaijan is going to seek the same types of weapons and I fear the Russian policy of ‘Chevronbaijan is our strategic partner’ is going to oblige. I hope that Armenia has a plan to prevent this from happening.”
That’s exactly how I feel too, Hagop. After all, Russia who vehemently pretends to be Armenia’s ally, went behind its back and sold over four billion dollars worth of heavy military arms to Armenia’s mortal enemy, Azerbaijan; let’s also not forget that Russia will continue to furnish Azerbaijan with so many more military arms. By now, it’s perfectly clear that Russia’s strategy in all of this, consists of helping to deliver the military advantage to neither side, while deceitfully trying to show each of these two sides that it favors one over the other. Therefore, because of the extreme lack of integrity displayed by Russia up to now, there’s absolutely nothing to prevent it from selling those same Iskander missiles to Hyena Aliyev at the highest possible price.
Hagop,
Reports indicate that Iskander-Ms were displayed in order to send a strong message to AzerVOCHKHARstan, apparently from the Kremlin, to stop the Turkish-Azeri military build-up in Nakhichevan. It is unlikely that the Azeris will get the same types of weapons from Russia, because in that case the military balance will be upset, something that Moscow is trying to avoid at all costs.
“Reports indicate that Iskander-Ms were displayed in order to send a strong message to AzerVOCHKHARstan, apparently from the Kremlin, to stop the Turkish-Azeri military build-up in Nakhichevan.”
Well, why don’t you show us these reports?
“It is unlikely that the Azeris will get the same types of weapons from Russia, because in that case the military balance will be upset, something that Moscow is trying to avoid at all costs.”
Therefore, you are agreeing that those Iskander missiles do not give Armenia the military advantage over Azerbaijan.
I’m not obliged to show anything or repeatedly drub simple ideas into the heads of Azeri agent provocateurs.
Well said John.
Of course, you’re not obliged. After all, Azeri agent provacateurs, employed by the Kremlin, are never obliged to show any reports which they falsely claim to exist, nor are they obliged to explain their foolish ideas.
“Statements from Israel’s political leaders and military analysts reveal that Tel Aviv sold arms to Baku worth of 5 billion US dollars.”
Well, you still haven’t produced any evidence which reveals that Tel Aviv sold five billion dollars worth of arms to Baku. Nevertheless, although Russia’s sale of military weapons to Azerbaijan is higher than Israel’s, Israel isn’t any less guilty than Russia in all of this.
“When an enemy state of Armenia receives brand new weapons from both Russia and Israel, ‘basic psychology’ suggests that truly unbiased and impartial posters must complain equally about both cases.”
What a gigantic hypocrite you are to make such a statement, when in fact, you and your fellow Kremlin-employed Azeri agent provacateurs have never once complained about the Russian four billion dollar sale of heavy military arms to Azerbaijan, nor did you ever once complain about the killing of Armenian soldiers by those Russian military weapons, during the 4 day war in April.
“Even with the weapons sold to Azerbaijan prior to Armenia’s receiving Iskanders, Azerbaijan did not have a military edge over Armenia. If it had, Baku could have won in the April war.”
Not true! The Armenian military forces, so far, have been capable of repelling Azerbaijani attacks, not because of its Russian military weapons arsenal, which unlike the Azerbaijani arsenal, largely consists of older, unadvanced military weapons from previous decades (even going as far back as the 1980’s), but because of its superior fighting skills.