Azerbaijan, Baku, 30 July / Trend I.Izzet /
In the first half of 2013, 86.4 percent of output of the Ministry of Defence Industry fell to defence and special use products, and 13.6 percent - to civilian use products. The range of defence products has exceeded 750 items, a board meeting of Azerbaijan's Ministry of Defence Industry on the results of the first half-year mentioned on Tuesday.
The meeting chaired by the Minister Yavar Jamalov discussed production issues, the results of financial and business operations and prospects of the enterprises and organizations of the defence industry. It was noted that as a result of activities under the Ministry's respective programs, the work on creation of manufacturing sites for the production of defence products has been continued.
According to the production plan for 2013, research and development works, covering 70 topics and 208 stages, have been launched. Research and development works on 11 topics are being successfully conducted at a research institute under the state order.
Two new sites of the Ministry of Defence Industry for production of large-caliber bullets at the 'Telemekhanika' plant of the Production Association 'Sherg' and for recycling live ammunition at the 'Araz' plant of the Production Association 'Ufug' were put into operation this year with the participation of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. The work is underway with regards to construction of other production sites to be commissioned in 2013.
It was noted during the meeting that the Ministry regularly presents the products of its enterprises at various international exhibitions. The Ministry first presented only 27 items at the IDEF-2009 exhibition, whereas 130 defence products were presented at the IDEF-2013 exhibition in May in Turkey. As previously, the products presented at the IDEF-2013 were met with great interest.
The meeting also heard reports of the heads of associations and enterprises.