3266 replies to this topic

[MosJan]

Israeli Defense Company Accused of Drone Attack on Artsakh Targets

 

JERUSALEM, YEREVAN—The Israeli Defense Ministry said it is investigating allegations that Azerbaijan asked an Israeli defense firm to carry out live demonstrations of a suicide drone system, which it sold to Azerbaijan, on Artsakh targets.

The Israeli daily Maariv on Sunday reported that Aeronautics Defense System, which manufactures the drone, sent a team to Azerbaijan to finalize a sale of its Orbiter 1K unarmed aircraft. The Israeli team was asked by the Azerbaijani army to test the drones, armed with explosives, on a military position in Artsakh.

Maariv, which reported about the complaint, added that Aeronautics Defense System strongly denied that its staff carried out the alleged test saying the company “never carries out demonstrations [of the operations of the drone] on live targets, and that was true in this case as well.”

The existence of the complaint was reported Sunday by the Israeli daily paper Maariv. For its part however, Aeronautics Defense Systems strongly denied that its staff carried out such a mission, saying that it was carried out by the purchaser of the aircraft.

According to Maariv, however, the two Israeli drone operators refused to hit the Artsakh target, and after firmly refusing and being threatened by Azerbaijanis, senior representatives of the company armed and operated the drone, which is said to have missed its target without causing damage.

The complaint, however, states that one of them hit about 330 feet from the intended target.

The complaint against the company was filed with the ministry’s Defense Export Controls Agency, which oversees the activities of the country’s defense contractors. The defense ministry said, “As a rule,” it does not “make it a practice to comment on issues involving military exports. The claim is being examined by the relevant parties at the ministry.”

“Aeronautics markets its products to customers in about 50 different countries,[and] only in accordance with approval from the Defense Export Controls Agency. The operational action was carried out by the purchaser alone and on its responsibility. Aeronautics has never carried out demonstrations on live targets, and that was true in this case as well,” said a statement from Aeronautics Defense System.

Official Baku has boasted it reported purchase of $5 billion in arms from Israel, which were used on Artsakh targets during the April 2016 war, when a Harop aircraft, manufactured by the Israel Aerospace Industries, hit a bus and killed seven Armenians on board.

[MosJan]

[MosJan]

The Artsakh Army said that Azerbaijan used a suicide drone to attack its positions in northeastern Artsakh as recently as July 7. According to Colonel Armen Gyozalian of the Artsakh Army, two soldiers were injured during that attack, but no hardware was damaged.

Armenia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tigran Balayan told Armenpress that the ministry is monitoring the reports about the drone testing.

“We are aware of those issues and are following them. Processes are underway. We carefully follow all developments related to Artsakh’s security,” said Balayan.

The spokesperson said that Armenia has a clear position on arms sales to Azerbaijan by any country and that stance has not changed.

Armenia’s Honorary Consul to Israel, Tsolag Moumjian, told Azatutyun.am that he, as well as Armenia’s foreign ministry are carefully following the developments since Sunday’s publication of the report, adding that the Armenian community in Israel was also extremely interested in the matter.

Hagop Sevan, the chairman of the Armenian National Committee of Jerusalem, called the allegation of the testing the drones on live targets “criminal”

“They [Israeli officials] have conduct an internal investigation and make decisions. For Israel to carry out such tests of its military hardware is nothing but criminal,” said Sevan adding that the ANC of Jerusalem has filed numerous complaints since the 2016 April war urging Israel to withraw its military experts from Azerbaijan.

Sevan said that this did not amount to Israel’s overt involvement in the war, but what has happened is a “hostile act” toward Armenia.

 

Asbarez

[Yervant1]

Lragir, Armenia

Aug 14 2017

 

 

Israel Also Got Into Trouble Due to Azerbaijan

Lragir.am 
Politics - Monday, 14 August 2017, 17:46

 

 

 

The Ministry of Defense of Israel has started an investigation into Azerbaijan’s request to Aeronautics Defense Systems. The Haaretz informed that Azerbaijan had requested the Israeli company to demonstrate Orbiter 1K UAV on the military positions of the Armenian army.

 

Aeronautics Defense Systems denies that its staff ever performed such tests. The company emphasized that it "never carries out demonstrations [of the operations of the drone] on live targets, and that was true in this case as well", the Haaretz informed.

 

Aeronautics claimed that its products are sold in around 50 countries with the approval of the Defense Export Control Agency. The demonstration was performed only by the buyer, i.e. Azerbaijan, it noted.

 

The Maariv informed that following threats from the Azerbaijani side some representatives of the management of the company personally demonstrated the devices but they did not hit targets and they fell around 100 meters from the Armenian military positions.

 

The complaint of the Armenian side is being scrutinized by the Defense Export Control Agency in Israel’s MoD.

 

Earlier Lragir.am reported that Karabakh has become a target of trade and demonstration of modern weapons for some countries, including Russia and Israel. In fact, the scandal in Israel is an indication of this.

 

In a recent interview the defense minister of Artsakh Levon Mnatsakanyan stated that the Azerbaijanis need to learn how to use modern equipment. In fact, Azerbaijan is not limited to training of staff, it also demands demonstration of equipment on Armenian military positions.

 

For example, the minister of defense of Azerbaijan hinted that the Russian specialists help them use the modern Russian weapons.

 

Azerbaijan has problems with not only equipment but also fighting. Azerbaijan lost the war in Karabakh when the Russian troops left that country. The Russian army provided huge assistance and support to Azerbaijan, not even refraining from direct military actions against the Armenian forces of Karabakh.

 

For its part, Azerbaijan is trying to involve different countries in the conflict in an effort to resolve its own problems. Thanks to the Armenian army, the countries which give any military assistance to Azerbaijan always get into trouble. These countries are directly responsible for the humanicide policy of Azerbaijan.

 

http://m.lragir.am/i...tics/view/37318

[Yervant1]

The Media Line

Aug 14 2017

 

 

Complaint: Israeli Drone Maker Targeted Armenian Army For Azeris

By Charles Bybelezer | The Media Line

August 14, 2017

An Israeli drone manufacturer has come under fire for reportedly agreeing to bomb an Armenian military target on behalf of Azerbaijan, during a demonstration of one of its “suicide” unmanned aerial vehicles last month. A complaint filed with the Israeli Defense Ministry against Aeronautics Defense Systems Ltd. claims the firm sent a team to the Azerbaijan capital Baku to demonstrate its Orbiter 1K drone, which can be outfitted with a small explosive payload. According to the complaint, the company was asked to carry out a live test against Armenian assets, but ended up missing the target, causing no injuries. Israeli defense officials confirmed an investigation has been launched into the matter, but would not disclose any details. Azerbaijan, one of Israel’s only Muslim-majority allies, has been fighting a sporadic conflict with Armenia for nearly 25 years over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

http://www.themedial...an-army-azeris/

[Yervant1]

The Times of Israel

Aug 14 2017

 

 

Complaint claims Israeli drone maker tried to bomb Armenian army for Azeris Aeronautics Defense Systems denies it illegally used its suicide drone against Armenian forces during demonstration in Baku; Defense Ministry says it is investigating

By Judah Ari Gross August 14, 2017, 9:04 am

 

An Israeli drone manufacturer attempted to bomb the Armenian military on behalf of Azerbaijan during a demonstration of one of its “suicide” unmanned aerial vehicles last month, according to a complaint filed with the Defense Ministry. 

 

A copy of the complaint filed against Aeronautics Defense Systems Ltd. with the ministry’s Defense Export Controls Agency was leaked to the Maariv newspaper, which published the details on Sunday.

The Defense Ministry confirmed that it was investigating the issue, but would not discuss the case further.

“As a rule, the Defense Ministry does not comment on issues concerning defense exports. The allegation is being investigated by relevant figures in the ministry,” a spokesperson said in a statement on Sunday.

According to the report, the firm sent a team to the Azerbaijan capital Baku to demonstrate its Orbiter 1K unmanned aerial vehicle, which can be outfitted with a small explosive payload, 2.2 to 4.4 pounds (one to two kilograms), and flown into an enemy target on a “suicide” mission.

According to the complaint, while demonstrating the Orbiter 1K system to the Azerbaijani military sometime last month, the company was asked to carry out a live fire test of the system against an Armenian military position. The two countries have been been fighting a sporadic conflict for nearly 25 years, which has ramped up over the last 16 months over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Such a test would be illegal under Israeli law, as companies require a seldom-granted permit allowing them to carry out demonstrations against real targets. In this case, Aeronautics Defense Systems would be even less likely to receive such a permit, as Israel does not consider Armenia to be an enemy state.

The two Israelis operating the two Orbiter 1K drones during the test refused to carry out the attack, despite threats from their superiors, Maariv reported.

Two higher ranking members of the Aeronautics Defense Systems delegation in Baku then attempted to carry out the Azerbaijani request, but, lacking the necessary experience, ended up missing their targets, according to the report. No injuries or damage were caused.

An Aeronautics Defense Systems Ltd. Orbiter 1K drone. (Screen capture: YouTube/Practical Information)

The company denied the assertion, saying it “has never carried out a demonstration against live targets, including in this case.”

The company said it sold its wares to some 50 countries with the permission of the Defense Export Controls Agency.

“Operational actions are carried out by the purchaser alone and on its responsibility,” the company’s statement said.

 

 

 

Aeronautics Defense Systems, which specializes in UAV technology, also manufactures drones similar to the Orbiter 1K, but that lack its attack capabilities and can only be used for reconnaissance. Azad Systems, a subsidiary of Aeronautics Defense Systems that is run by the Azerbaijani defense ministry, currently manufactures at least two models of the Orbiter platform. Azerbaijani news outlets have also reported that the country has its own Orbiter suicide drones as well.

Photo of the alleged Israeli-made Harop drone used by Azerbaijan that exploded in Nagorno-Karabakh in April 2016. (Facebook)

Last year, Azerbaijan used another Israeli suicide drone, an Israeli Aerospace Industries Harop-model, in an attack on a bus that killed seven Armenians.

Azerbaijan is one of the largest importers of Israeli military equipment and is seen as an important ally to the Jewish state, given the fact that it shares a border with Israel’s nemesis, Iran. Last year, the country’s president, Ilham Aliyev, revealed Azerbaijan had purchased some $5 billion worth of weapons and defense systems from Israel.

In 2012, Foreign Policy reported that Israel had reached an arrangement with Azerbaijan allowing it to potentially fly sorties out of the country.

“The Israelis have bought an airfield,” a senior US administration official told Foreign Policy at the time, “and the airfield is called Azerbaijan.”

Israel has come under internal criticism for its cooperation with Azerbaijan over the country’s reported human rights violations, despite it being one of the few majority Muslim countries with which Israel enjoys an openly positive relationship.

Last month, Azerbaijan sentenced an Israeli blogger, Alexander Lapshin, to three years in prison for traveling to the Nagorno-Karabakh region of the country, which is controlled by Armenian separatists, and for insulting Azerbaijani President Aliyev.

Lapshin’s attorny said his client met with an Israeli official and is hoping to be extradited to the Jewish state.

 

 

http://www.timesofis...rmy-for-azeris/

[Yervant1]

May you rest in peace, Armenian hero!

Panorama, Armenia

Aug 14 2017

 

 

Karabakh soldier shot dead by Azerbaijani fire

On August 14, at around 11:00, Armenian soldier Arman S. Movsisyan was fatally wounded in one of the military posts of the Defense Army of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR/Artsakh) in northeastern direction as a result of the Azerbaijani fire.

An investigation has been launched into the incident, the press service of Karabakh Defense Ministry reports.

“The NKR Ministry of Defense shares the grief of the loss and extends condolences to the family members, relatives and co-servicemen of the deceased soldier,” the ministry says in a released statement.

http://www.panorama....rbaijan/1820122

 

 

[Yervant1]

Sputnik International, Russia

Aug 14 2017

 

 

Israeli Defense Company Accused of Attacking Armenian Outpost with Drone

© Sputnik/ Vladimir Vyatkin

Middle East

 

An Israeli drone manufacturer has been accused of attempting to test one of their weapons systems on an Armenian military position on behalf of Israel’s defense partner, Azerbaijan.

The complaint was levied against Aeronautics Defense Systems Ltd (ADS), an Israeli defense contractor that specializes in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and reconnaissance systems. So the complaint goes, ADS were demonstrating their Aeronautics Defense Orbiter 1K drone to Azerbaijani military leaders in Baku. The Azerbaijanis then asked the Israeli contractors to fly their drone, which was equipped as a "suicide" drone to deliver an 2-pound explosive payload, at a nearby Armenian military position.

The two ADS operators sent to demonstrate the drone refused to follow the request despite threats from their superiors, according to the complaint. Two higher-ranking members of the delegation then attempted to fulfill the Azerbaijani wish, but as they were not experienced drone operators they missed their target. No injuries or damage were reported.

ADS denied that the incident described ever took place. They have "never carried out a demonstration against live targets, including in this case," according to a statement. "Operational actions are carried out by the purchaser alone and on its responsibility."

The Israeli Defense Ministry issued a statement of their own, claiming that they are investigating the issue and therefore would not discuss the case. "As a rule, the Defense Ministry does not comment on issues concerning defense exports. The allegation is being investigated by relevant figures in the ministry," a spokesperson said in a statement on Sunday.

If the test occurred as the complaint states, then ADS is in violation of Israeli law. In order to conduct a demonstration against human targets, Israeli contractors must secure permits from the Defense Ministry. As Armenia is not an enemy state of Israel, it is highly unlikely that Jerusalem would grant such a permit to ADS.

Azerbaijan has bought drones from ADS in the past, and ADS has set up an Azerbaijani subsidiary called Azad Systems to manufacture the Orbiter-3 stealth and reconnaissance drone within Azerbaijan. ADS claim to sell drones and systems to 50 nations in total.

When Azerbaijan became an independent nation in 1991, Israel was one of the first powers to recognize its statehood. In the last year or so, the two nations have strengthened their alliance, making Azerbaijan one of the few Muslim-majority nations to have a positive and strategic bilateral relationship with the Jewish state. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev claimed that his country purchased $5 billion worth of military equipment from Israel in 2016.

Azerbaijan's defense needs have increased in recent years as it clashes with its neighbor and rival Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, a 95-percent Armenian province of Azerbaijan that has de facto seceded into its own independent republic. The two nations warred over control of Nagorno-Karabakh in the early 90s, and sporadic violence has broken out since then.

A 2016 clash between Azerbaijan and Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh left 350 dead according to the US State Department and the Azerbaijanis, and between 650 and 1,650 killed according to the Armenians. Since then, skirmishes have frequently broken out between the two nations, often with fatal consequences. Azerbaijan reported on Monday that Armenia spent the weekend attacking their positions along the border with heavy machine guns, although no casualties were reported.

https://sputniknews....ack-accusation/

[Yervant1]

The Israelis may wonder as to why Armenians feel towards them the way they do. Sad!!!!!!!!

News.am, Armenia

Aug 14 2017

 

 

Armenian military analyst: Maariv's report is serious blow to Azerbaijan's image

16:12, 14.08.2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

YEREVAN. – The reports of Israeli daily Maariv are a serious blow to Azerbaijan's image , Armenian military analyst Arkadi Grigoryan told Armenian News – NEWS.am.

His comment came in response to the recent Israeli media publications saying Israeli company was asked by Azerbaijan to test the drones on Armenian positions.

According to the analyst, the aim of this “leak” was probably to soften Armenia's criticism over Israel’s role in supplying arms to Azerbaijan: “If they believe that we will slam them less, they are mistaken. We will still scold them. There will be people in their country who will criticize their government, too.”

Arkadi Grigoryan considers that there is also the second point which we don't see under the influence of emotions: “Perhaps, some circles of Israel aren't really happy with military cooperation with Azerbaijan. This is an interesting message addressed to Azerbaijan.”

At the same time, the analyst emphasized that the operator of the UAV must get special permission of the Ministry of Defence, but not be guided by morality.

“This also shows the low level of training of Azerbaijani specialists. In fact, they have been working with the Israeli side for 10 years, but they still need help to operate the equipment. There were rumors that during the April war Israeli drones were operated by Israeli experts.  This report confirms the speculations could have been right,” Arkady Grigoryan noted.

At the same time, he believes Azerbaijan’s behavior is a blow to the authority of Israel as reliable military partner and supplier of arms.

“In fact, Baku tried to force the Israeli experts to take an illegal step.”

 

https://news.am/eng/news/404723.html

 

 

[Yervant1]

EurasiaNet.org

Aug 14 2017

 

 

Israeli Arms Manufacturer Alleged To Have Attacked Armenia From Azerbaijan

August 14, 2017 - 11:08am, by Joshua Kucera

• 
   

 

An image of the Orbiter 1K, the drone that Israeli private company officials are alleged to have launched into Armenian territory. (photo: Aeronautics Defense Systems)

Officials from an Israeli arms manufacturer fired two drone missiles from Azerbaijan into Armenian-held territory, according to a complaint under investigation by the Israali Ministry of Defense.

According to the allegations -- which have been denied by the company, Aeronautics Defense Systems -- the episode occured a little more than a month ago. Company officials were in Azerbaijan to promote their "suicide drone," the Orbiter-1K, and Azerbaijani officials asked for a sort of live demonstration, to launch the drone into Armenian territory.

The drone operators refused, but then company officials armed and launched the drones themselves, according to the complaint.  Both are said to have missed their targets and caused no damage. The company has said that it is against their policy to demonstrate their arms using live fire. 

The complaint was first reported by an Israeli newspaper, Maariv, then picked up by a number of other Israeli media. It's not clear who filed the complaint.

Israel is one of Azerbaijan's key foreign partners, and has provided Baku with some of its most sophisticated weaponry, including a reconnaissance version of the Orbiter. That drone is produced in Azerbaijan by an Azerbaijani-Israeli joint venture, Azad. Azerbaijan's Israeli weapons, in particular drones, were used to significant effect in last year's heavy fighting with Armenia. 

Azad also has already been producing a suicide drone called Zerbe, apparently modeled on the Orbiter 1K. At an arms expo in Baku last year, Azerbaijan's Minister of Defense Industry Yavar Jamalov said the Zerbes “have become a nightmare for the Armenian army."

So it's not clear why Israeli officials were on an apparent sales mission to Azerbaijan to show off the Oribiter 1K.

On July 7, the de facto military of Nagorno Karabakh reported that an Azerbaijani suicide drone hit close to an Armenian position near the line of contact between the two sides, injuring two Armenian soldiers. That attack would fit the timeline alleged in the Israeli complaint. 

Later in July, a senior Israeli official made a rare visit to Armenia, and there have been signs that the Israeli government's strong support of Azerbaijan may be wavering. 

One Azerbaijani military analyst, Ramil Mamadli, said the new report was false. "This kind of disinformation aims to damage Azerbaijan-Israel military-technical relations. Behind this disinformation is either the competition between companies or the activity of the Armenian diaspora in Israel," he told the website big.az. Azerbaijan's government has yet to officially comment on the report. 

http://www.eurasianet.org/node/84706

[Yervant1]

Israeli Suicide-drone Maker Carried Out Live Demo on Armenian Army Targets, Complaint Says

 

Israeli Defense Ministry probes allegation that Azerbaijan asked Aeronautics Defense Systems to demonstrate drone on military target. When the drone operators refused, managers attempted to carry out the test. The company denies the allegation

 

Gili Cohen

13.08.2017 | 14:05

 

Israel's new kamikaze drone

https://www.youtube....h?v=zYKmVEWzkxo
 

 

The Defense Ministry is examining whether the Israeli firm Aeronautics Defense Systems was asked to actually demonstrate the use of an armed unmanned aircraft in the Central Asian republic of Azerbaijan against a military position of the neighboring country of Armenia, with which Azerbaijan has a border dispute. The Israeli company denies the allegation.
 

The Defense Ministry recently received a complaint alleging that after a team from Aeronautics Defense Systems came to Azerbaijan seeking to finalize a contract for the sale of company's Orbiter 1K unmanned aircraft, they were asked to deploy the aircraft, armed with explosives, on a military position of the Armenian army.
 

The existence of the complaint was reported Sunday by the Israeli daily paper Maariv. For its part however, Aeronautics Defense Systems strongly denied that its staff carried out such a mission, saying that it was carried out by the purchaser of the aircraft, and the company "never carries out demonstrations [of the operations of the drone] on live targets, and that was true in this case as well."
 

According to Maariv, the two Israeli operators of the craft refused to hit the Armenian position, and after remaining firm in their refusal even after threats directed against them, senior representatives of the company armed and operated the unmanned aircraft themselves. Ultimately the drones are said to have missed their targets, and no damage was caused, but according to the complaint, one of them struck at a distance of about 100 meters (330 feet) from the position.
 

The company's website states that the Orbiter 1k in is capable of carrying a special 1 to 2 kilogram (2.2 to 4.4 pound) special explosive payload. 

 

The complaint against the company was filed with the ministry's Defense Export Controls Agency, which is responsible for overseeing the activities of the country's defense contractors, certainly when it is demonstrating the use of such equipment.

 

The dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia, which has resulted in fighting over the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, has resulted in the loss of life. In the past, it had been reported that an unmanned aircraft, including aircraft of the type that crash into their targets, was seen on the attack in Nagorno-Karabakh. In that case, the aircraft was a Harop model produced by Israel Aerospace Industries. In 2016, it was reported that a Harop hit a bus and killed seven Armenians.

 

Azerbaijan's president, Ilham Aliyev, recently said that his country had purchased nearly $5 billion worth of military equipment from Israel. On a visit by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Azerbaijan late last year, the Azeri president made note of the military cooperation between the two countries over many years. According to foreign reports, Israel has sold Azerbaijan radar and unmanned aircraft systems as well as Israeli Tavor rifles.

 

The Defense Ministry said in response: "As a rule, the Defense Ministry does not make it a practice to comment on issues involving military exports. The claim is being examined by the relevant parties at the ministry."

 

Aeronautics Defense Systems stated: "Aeronautics markets its products to customers in about 50 different countries,[and] only in accordance with approval from the Defense Export Controls Agency. The operational action was carried out by the purchaser alone and on its responsibility. Aeronautics has never carried out demonstrations on live targets, and that was true in this case as well."

 

http://www.haaretz.c...l-news/1.806579

[MosJan]

[Yervant1]

FOCUS ON KARABAKH

USC Institute of Armenian Studies

August 14, 2017

 

 

 

Aeronautics headquarters in Yavne, Israel. From http://aeronautics-sys.com

 

Personnel from Israeli Aeronautics Defense Systems (also known as Aeronautics Ltd.) operated an armed drone that attacked an Armenian military position last month, according to an article in Maariv newspaper on August 13. Veteran national security writer and journalist Yossi Melman authored the article, citing a complaint filed with Israel’s Defense Ministry.

 

According to the report, two company employees, one recently sacked and another apparently on his way out, filed the complaint alleging that they were punished for refusing to operate an armed Orbiter-1K drone produced by Aeronautics to target Armenian forces in what amounted to a “live test” of the system. Other company personnel then conducted the attack, but were unable to hit the forces they targeted. Aeronautics denies any wrongdoing. Israel’s Defense Ministry confirmed that it was looking into the complaint.

 

Prior to the Maariv report, in an interview published in August 2-8 issue of Hay Zinvor, a weekly newspaper of the Armenian Defense Ministry, Col. Armen Gozalian revealed that on July 7 Azerbaijani forces used an Orbiter-type armed drone to target a unit under his command with two servicemen injured as a result.

 

And on July 24, Israeli minister Tsachi Hanegbi, known to be a key figure in the Benjamin Netanyahu government, visited Armenia seeking, as he put it, a “breakthrough” in relations, while avoiding public comment when asked by media about weapons sales to Azerbaijan.

 

Azerbaijan has been building its armed drone fleet, focusing on Orbiter-1K locally known as Zerbe. An Azerbaijani official told Jane’s Defence Weekly in June that “the loitering/suicide-type craft has a high-explosive cumulative warhead that’s already been adopted and was handed over to the [Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense].” According to the official: “There also is a launching-vehicle outfitted with a catapult and we expect to complete test work within a few months (emphasis added), after which we plan to field 100 of them. Due to its very low acoustic signature it is not detectable until two seconds before diving into attack.”

 

The Azerbaijani forces also used the larger Harop drones in more than half a dozen attacks on Armenian forces and civilian infrastructure during the April 2016 war.  At least eleven Armenians are believed to have been killed in three of those attacks, including nine volunteers, one military driver and one logistics officer. Several Harop drones were shot down by ground fire. Harop is produced by Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI) and the extent to which IAI’s or associated personnel were involved in the attacks is unknown.

 

IAI reported revenues of $3.8 billion in 2014 and Aeronautics of $550 million in 2015. Azerbaijan sales account for significant portions of these revenues.

 

Azerbaijan is known to have engaged mercenaries to conduct military operations throughout the Karabakh war. Between 1992 and 1994, these included several dozen military pilots, most from Russia and Ukraine, who conducted bombing raids in Karabakh and Armenian border areas, attacking both military and civilian targets. Several hundred former Soviet military personnel, both from bases in Azerbaijan and those in Russia, were also contracted to handle tanks, artillery and other weaponry Azerbaijan received after the Soviet break-up. Additionally, Azerbaijan hired more than one thousand fighters from Afghanistan, who fought in Karabakh from 1993 to 1994.

[Yervant1]

Eurasia Review
Aug 15 2017


Israeli Arms Manufacturer Alleged To Have Attacked Armenia From Azerbaijan

August 15, 2017 
EurasiaNet
By Joshua Kucera

Officials from an Israeli arms manufacturer fired two drone missiles from Azerbaijan into Armenian-held territory, according to a complaint under investigation by the Israeli Ministry of Defense.

According to the allegations — which have been denied by the company, Aeronautics Defense Systems — the episode occured a little more than a month ago. Company officials were in Azerbaijan to promote their “suicide drone,” the Orbiter-1K, and Azerbaijani officials asked for a sort of live demonstration, to launch the drone into Armenian territory.

The drone operators refused, but then company officials armed and launched the drones themselves, according to the complaint.  Both are said to have missed their targets and caused no damage. The company has said that it is against their policy to demonstrate their arms using live fire.

The complaint was first reported by an Israeli newspaper, Maariv, then picked up by a number of other Israeli media. It’s not clear who filed the complaint.

Israel is one of Azerbaijan’s key foreign partners, and has provided Baku with some of its most sophisticated weaponry, including a reconnaissance version of the Orbiter. That drone is produced in Azerbaijan by an Azerbaijani-Israeli joint venture, Azad. Azerbaijan’s Israeli weapons, in particular drones, were used to significant effect in last year’s heavy fighting with Armenia.

Azad also has already been producing a suicide drone called Zerbe, apparently modeled on the Orbiter 1K. At an arms expo in Baku last year, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Defense Industry Yavar Jamalov said the Zerbes “have become a nightmare for the Armenian army.”

So it’s not clear why Israeli officials were on an apparent sales mission to Azerbaijan to show off the Oribiter 1K.

On July 7, the de facto military of Nagorno Karabakh reported that an Azerbaijani suicide drone hit close to an Armenian position near the line of contact between the two sides, injuring two Armenian soldiers. That attack would fit the timeline alleged in the Israeli complaint.

Later in July, a senior Israeli official made a rare visit to Armenia, and there have been signs that the Israeli government’s strong support of Azerbaijan may be wavering.

One Azerbaijani military analyst, Ramil Mamadli, said the new report was false. “This kind of disinformation aims to damage Azerbaijan-Israel military-technical relations. Behind this disinformation is either the competition between companies or the activity of the Armenian diaspora in Israel,” he told the website big.az. Azerbaijan’s government has yet to officially comment on the report.

http://www.eurasiare...rom-azerbaijan/

[Yervant1]

Lragir, Armenia

Aug 15 2017

 

 

Azerbaijan Got Unexpected Strike

Lragir.am 
Politics - Tuesday, 15 August 2017, 15:57

 

 

 

The Israeli media have published information about supplying drones to Azerbaijan and demonstrating them at the front line in Karabakh. The Ministry of Israel has started an investigation into Azerbaijan’s request to Aeronautics Defense Systems. The Haaretz informed that Azerbaijan had requested the company to demonstrate the Orbiter1K UAVs on the Armenian positions.

 

Aeronautics Defense Systems denies that its staff agreed to demonstrate but after threats some representatives of the company management personally demonstrated the devices, the press reported.

 

Interestingly, this scandal occurred when the minister of territorial cooperation of Israel visited Armenia. Two important agreements were signed and several issues of mutual interest were discussed during the visit. It is possible that the issue of supply of hi tech weapons to Azerbaijan were discussed.

 

The Israeli mass media revealed this incident after the visit of the Israeli minister. Is there a link between these two things and is the Israeli side trying to “resolve” this matter for the sake of important cooperation with Armenia?

 

What turn will the Israel-Azerbaijani military cooperation, namely the supply of military technology and technological weapon take after this scandal? Is there a possibility that it will be stopped after this disclosure? There is one obvious thing – Azerbaijan is becoming an “outlaw” in international relations, which is a headache for its partners.

 

This scandal strikes Azerbaijan because it reveals some details regarding the supply of weapons that may be essential in the upcoming political and military developments.

 

http://m.lragir.am/i...tics/view/37319

[Yervant1]

News.am, Armenia

Aug 17 2017

 

 

Armenian analyst on Maariv's report: It is international scandal

12:52, 17.08.2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

YEREVAN. – Participation of Israeli citizens in the testing of drone on human target is an international scandal, Modus Vivendi Center Director and political scientist Ara Papyan said at a press conference on Thursday.

In recent days, the Israeli media has  actively been spreading the information that Israeli experts took part in testing of an armed unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on Armenian positions at the request of Azerbaijan. Israeli daily Maariv was first to report about this.

“We previously assumed that the Israelis participated in the April events,” Papyan noted.

According to him, it is a serious incident, and participation of Israeli citizen in similar tests is prosecuted under criminal law of the country.

 

https://news.am/eng/news/405176.html

[Yervant1]

Lragir, Armenia

Aug 18 2017

 

 

Azerbaijan Demonstrated New Anti-tank Rockets

Lragir.am 
Politics - Friday, 18 August 2017, 00:33

 

The Azerbaijani border guard services held exercises in the Caspian Sea, demonstrating for the first time the Israeli LAHAT (SkyBow)anti-tank rockets which are launched from MI-17 helicopters, haqqin.az informed.

 

SkyBow rockets are operated through semi-active laser guidance. The helicopters are armed with two four-tube launchers and a MOSP-3000D electro-optical system for targeting. Azerbaijan is the first foreign client of helicopter-mounted LAHAT rockets. MI-17 helicopters armed with LAHAT can strike tanks at 13 km.

 

http://m.lragir.am/i...tics/view/37327

[Yervant1]

Interfax - Russia & CIS General Newswire
August 18, 2017


Baku denies heavy Karabakh casualties in April 2016

BAKU. Aug 18

The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry has dubbed reports alleging heavy
Azerbaijani army casualties in the April 2016 hostilities in
Nagorno-Karabakh as misinformation.

According to some media outlets, Azerbaijani General Staff Chief
Najmeddin Sadykov sent a letter to Defense Minister Col. Gen. Zakir
Hasanov saying that the Azerbaijani army suffered heavy casualties
(558 men killed and 1,293 wounded) in clashes on April 2-6, 2016.

"The Defense Ministry states that this information and this document
are fictional and fake. Reprinting of this information by Azerbaijani
media outlets and its discussion in social networks are inadmissible.
We ask you to disregard the misinformation, which serves the interests
of the enemy," the ministry said.

[Yervant1]

ARMINFO News Agency, Armenia
August 18, 2017 Friday


Stepanakert: data on losses of Azerbaijani Armed Forces faced during
April war,contained in Sadykov`s letter to Hasanov are artificially
decreased in multiple

Yerevan August 18

Marianna Mkrtchyan. NKR head press secretary David Babayan is assured
that data on losses of Azerbaijani Armed Forces faced during April
war, contained in Chief of General Staff of Azerbaijani Armed Forces,
Najmeddin Sadykov's letter , addressed to Defense Minister Zakir
Hasanov are artificially decreased in multiple.

According to him, Armenian side repeatedly reported several thousand
losses from the Azerbaijani Armed Forces. "The letter notes that
during the period from 2 to 6 April 2016, the losses of the Armed
Forces of Azerbaijan amounted to 558 killed and 1,293 wounded, with 98
soldiers killed during offensives in the direction of Talish-Agdara
(Martakert-ed). This document does not fully reflect the total number
of losses. I will remind you that at the meeting of the first lady of
Azerbaijan Mehriban Aliyeva with the mothers of the deceased were
present more than 1000 women, which already indicates that the losses
of the Azerbaijani side were at least 1500 to 2,000 servicemen,
"Babayan noted.

At the same time, he expressed confidence that appearance of this
document in the media may indicate that the domestic political crisis
and the intra-clan struggle have seriously deepened in Azerbaijan. At
the same time, he did not rule out that the publication of the
document was initiated with the easy submission of Ilham Aliyev
himself. "Similarly, attempts are being made to exert pressure on
certain security forces. This is not the whole list, left backlash. I
also believe that an attempt to distract the attention of society from
the real number of losses is done by such a throwing, as serious fires
of discontent have appeared in the society, "Babayan said.

At the same time, he said that in Azerbaijan, serious business has
been built on the deaths of the dead servicemen: the bodies of these
young children have been sold, the funds allocated to the families of
the deceased do not reach them completely, half settle in the pockets
of military officials, cash in on the amounts for tombstones, and
sites allocated for graves. "And this list can be continued - this is
a show that should continue and it continues. And the totalitarian
dynastic regime in Azerbaijan so far allows us to "shut up the mouths"
of relatives and friends of the deceased, "the press secretary of
President of Artsakh concluded.

[Yervant1]

TERT, Armenia

Aug 24 2017

 

 

Armenian-Israeli relations 'hit by drone' - Komersant

14:10 • 24.08.17

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Israeli Ministry of Defense is conducting an investigation against Aeronautics Defense Systems (ADS), a company manufacturing unmanned drones, a correspondent for the Russian Komersant, Kiril Krivosheev, says in a recent article.

In an earlier report, the Israeli Maariv expressed concerns that the company’s employees based in Tel Aviv might have joined the airstrikes against Armenian defense positions in Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) in April 2016. Though the company dismisses the accusations, the cooperation with Azerbaijan has been long known as an accomplished fact, writes the Russian journalist.

The specialists managing the drone were earlier reported to have rejected the offer, leaving the task to top representatives of the company.  

 

A complaint filed recently with the Ministry claims that the Aeronautics Defense Systems team, which left for Azerbaijan to conclude the Orbiter 1K drone’s sales agreement, was asked target an Armenian military objective by using the system.

According to the Israeli publication, the two Israeli specialists operating the drone refused to conduct the deadly airstrike, standing firmly their ground even after facing personal threats. High-ranking representatives of the company later moved to equip and use the vehicle themselves. Due to a lack of experience, however, the two unmanned vehicles did not hit the right target, falling short of inflicting material or human damage. The document claimed that one of the vehicles hit an object lying 100 meters away from Armenian defense positions.

 

One of the specialists has reportedly left the company, with the other planning to step down soon.

 

Krivosheev cites the Armenian media reports confirming July 7 as the day of the attack (citing their own sources). Azerbaijan’s defense office has issued no official statement in that connection; neither did they respond to Komersant.

 

The Israeli ministry also refrained from comments. “The Ministry of Defense does not normally comment upon reports addressing military exports. The issue is in the process of verification by the corresponding the Defense Ministry departments,” reads the agency’s response.

 

“Even if engineers of Aeronautics Defense Systems left for Azerbaijan, they weren’t accompanied by Israeli scientists,” the Ministry added.

 

The Komersant source close to the Israeli government described the news story in Maariv as an “extraordinary” report. “Nothing of the kind had ever happened before. The non-interference principle applying to foreign conflicts is of a pivotal value for the Israeli military industries. I do want to believe the report will not be confirmed. Should, however, it prove true, the military agency will certainly enforce sanctions against the company.”

No known specific timeframes for concluding the investigation are reported.

The website notes that Azerbaijan made its first use of Israeli unmanned drones under military conditions in Nagorno-Karabakh in 2016. After the end of the confrontations on April 14, the Israeli-Armenian Diaspora conducted a protest outside the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem, making calls for ending the weapons sale to the country.

“The need to halt Azerbaijan’s armament is our community’s coordinated decision. As for the article in Maariv, we are waiting until the investigation comes to a close, as there is no common opinion here. Some Armenians think the operators who refused to hit a strike are real heroes. Others do not believe the newspaper, doubting that it is just an attempt to spoil the Armenian-Israeli relations which have quite improved recently,” Artyom Chernamoryan, the head of the local Armenian NGO Nairi, is quoted as telling Komersant.

The website further cites Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s 2016 statement saying that the country signed US $5 billion worth military industry agreements with Israel last December (adding that most of the deals have been already accomplished). The military agreements implemented between Moscow and Baku over the past five years are worth an estimated $ 4 billion or more, according to the publication.

http://www.tert.am/e.../israel/2464969