Azerbaijan eyes purchasing Pakistani fighter jets

By Azernews

By Vugar Khalilov

Azerbaijan intends to buy Pakistani JF-17 Thunder fighter jets, Trend reported on November 2.

Azerbaijan’s military attaché in Islamabad Col Mehman Novruzov confirmed the state’s willingness of purchasing fighter jets from Pakistan, the report added.

Novruzov said that purchasing jets is the main topic on the embassy’s agenda and Azerbaijan is working with Pakistan to modernize its Air Forces.

He added that Azerbaijan intended to buy a modification of the JF-17 Block 3 fighter, which was launched in December 2019 in China.

Compared to its previous version, this model employs more advanced cockpit electronics and radar systems, Trend said.

The two countries signed an agreement on mutual military cooperation at the fifth meeting of the working group on Azerbaijani-Pakistani military cooperation in the city of Islamabad in winter 2014.

In October 2016, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif confirmed plans to carry out joint military exercises.

In September 2021, the Azerbaijani, Turkish and Pakistani special forces conducted the Three Brothers - 2021 joint drills to improve the coordination among the military units of friendly and partner countries during combat operations, prepare for operations in peacetime and wartime, exchange knowledge and experience.

During the 44-day war with Armenia in 2020, Turkey and Pakistan were among the first countries voicing political support for Azerbaijan. The two fraternal countries also support Azerbaijan in the restoration of the country's liberated territories.

Furthermore, the parliaments of Azerbaijan, Turkey and Pakistan have signed the Baku Declaration on cooperation. The document was signed following the trilateral meeting held by speakers of the three countries’ parliaments on July 27, 2021.