Turkey, Azerbaijan to hold joint army drill in Turkey

BAKU – Anadolu Agency

AA photo

The Turkish and Azerbaijani armies will hold a joint military exercise in Turkey in March 2015, according to a statement released by the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense.

Around 30,000 soldiers and aircraft belonging to the Turkish Air Forces have been participating in joint military exercises in Azerbaijan since Sept. 13.

Deputy Defense Minister and Commander of the Air Forces Colonel-General Ramiz Tahirov met with Brigade General Emin Ayık, head of Turkey’s Department for Work with Air Forces Personnel, who is currently visiting Azerbaijan, Azernews reported on Sept. 30.

The delegation, headed by Brigade General Ayık, viewed the simulators used for training pilots in the military unit and discussed future tasks with Azerbaijani officers.

More than 250 armored vehicles, 150 missiles and cannons were included in the exercises held in Baku, Azerbaijan’s capital.

Turkey and Azerbaijan have been developing their political, economic and military ties, particularly with a project to carry gas from Azerbaijan to Europe through the Trans-Adriatic-Pipeline (TAP), which will traverse Turkey and Greece. 

Military cooperation between Azerbaijan and Turkey began in 1992 with an agreement on military education. The agreement established close and sustainable cooperation of the Azerbaijani and Turkish governments in the fields of defense and security.

Turkey and Azerbaijan have recently reiterated their pledge to develop their economies through mutual cooperation, particularly in the energy and defense industries, ahead of the inauguration of the first phase of the crucial gas transportation project between the two countries.