Azerbaijan, Baku, Mar. 6 / Trend I. Izzet /
In 2012, Azerbaijan produced and delivered to customers defence products to the amount of 119.8 million manat, or 10.3 per cent more than in 2011, according to a government report.
Last year, development works were conducted in the areas of missiles, artillery and small arms, ammunition, optics, engineering machinery, military equipment and spare parts for armoured vehicles, radio systems, means of chemical defence and intelligence systems. Work in 18 areas was completed including various mortars, mines, machine guns, training facilities, track sets for armoured vehicles and individual gas masks. Production of all the listed defence production has been completed and recommended for use, the report said.
The product range of defence goods, production of which is complete, reached 700 units.
Three new production sectors of the defence industry were created during the reporting year. To this end, world class production lines, modern machines and equipment have been acquired from the world's leading companies and installed. Five more items will be put into operation in 2013.
Funding worth 224 million manat was allocated for the development and improvement of the production sector, the report said.
Military-technical cooperation was also extended in 2012. Azerbaijan closely cooperates in the defence sector with Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, South Africa, Romania, Pakistan, Georgia, Belarus, Israel, Poland, Belgium, Czech Republic, Serbia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Italy, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Iran, Korea and with more than 60 companies in other countries in the areas of aviation, navigation and production of devices.
Last year, the total output of goods in the defence industry increased by 3.3 million manat, reaching 153.4 million manat, or by 3.7 times more than in 2007 and by three per cent more than in 2011.
Production of defence goods has increased by 23.7 times in comparison with 2007 and by 12 times in comparison with 2011, the report said.