CONTEMPORARY EURASIA VOLUME VII (1, 2) Contemporary-Eurasia-3new | Page 32

CONTEMPORARY EURASIA
airbases of Navtalan (10km), Agstafa (10-20km), Aghjabedi (30-40km),
Baylakan (30km), Mingechaur (45km), Yevlakh (35km) and Qyurdamir
(90-110km). Interestingly enough, airbases of Aghjabedi, Mingechaur
and Baylakan are constructed in time interval 2014-2017, the base in
Yevlakh was also reconstructed during this period. 44 It is clear, Azerbai-
jan strongly contributes to the development and equipment of airbases,
especially those located close to the Armenian or Karabakhi borders. The
fi gure below illustrates the statement made above (newly constructed
air-bases are marked in green).
Figure 3 Air-bases of Azerbaijan locate near Armenian or Karabakhi borders
(source: Vrtanesyan et al. 2018)
Azerbaijan invests in the development and modernization of naval forc-
es to project security in the Caspian basin as well. However, the emphasis
is done on the development of ground forces connected with the territorial
issue with neighboring Armenia. 45 The ground forces consisted of 5 main
military corps including the military base in Nakhijevan. However, in 2013
the 5th military corps of Nakhijevan was recreated as a separate combined
army unit. The airbase of Nakhijevan is one of the biggest in Azerbaijan
with 3300meter airstrip and big military arsenal. 46 The logistics and com-
munication system used in Nakhijevan are provided by Turkey, and the
permanent presence of Turkish armed subdivision there ensures the Turkish
infl uence on the development of air and ground forces of Nakhijevani com-
44
45
46
Vahagn Mkhoyan, Karen Vrtanesyan and Taron Hovhannisyan, Adrbejan: Razmakan-Qagh-
aqakan handes, (in Armenian), [Azerbaijan: Military-political Periodical], (Yerevan: Zorakn
Scientifi c and Educational Youth Foundation, 2018).
Minasyan et al., Region’s military handbook.
Mkhoyan et al., Azerbaijan.
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