Israel reportedly signs $235 million missile deal with Azerbaijan, expanding military cooperation

TEL AVIV–BAKU— Israeli defence company Elbit Systems has secured a $235 million contract to supply advanced precision-guided rockets and multiple-launch rocket systems to Azerbaijan, further strengthening the longstanding military partnership between the two countries.

The agreement, announced Monday, October 19, was confirmed by Elbit Systems, which identified the recipient only as a European country. However, Israeli business newspaper Globes, citing informed sources, reported that Azerbaijan is the undisclosed customer.

The three-year contract covers EXTRA-MR precision-guided rockets, capable of striking targets at distances of up to 80 kilometres, alongside PULS multiple-launch rocket systems, additional artillery platforms and logistical support. The quantities being supplied have not been disclosed.

The latest agreement reinforces Israel’s position as one of Azerbaijan’s principal military suppliers, whose weapons have played a significant role in Baku’s military aggression against Armenia and Artsakh.

Figures from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) indicate that Israel accounted for 69 percent of Azerbaijan’s major arms imports between 2016 and 2020. Israeli-supplied drones, guided missiles and other sophisticated weaponry were extensively deployed during the 2020 Artsakh war.

Amnesty International also documented the apparent use of Israeli-manufactured M095 cluster munitions by Azerbaijani forces against residential areas of Stepanakert during that conflict, raising serious concerns over the consequences of continued arms transfers to Baku.

The announcement follows another significant development in Israeli-Azerbaijani defence cooperation. Israeli manufacturer Ari Arms recently inaugurated an expanded rifle production facility in Azerbaijan, attended by President Ilham Aliyev and senior defence officials. The facility will manufacture Western-style M4 rifles through cooperation with Azerbaijan’s defence industry.

Beyond conventional weapons purchases, the project signals efforts to establish domestic production capabilities using Israeli technology and expertise.

The latest military agreements come three years after Azerbaijan’s September 2023 offensive in Artsakh, which forced more than 120,000 Armenians to flee their ancestral homeland.

With the displaced population’s right to return and other consequences of the conflict remaining unresolved, Azerbaijan’s continued acquisition of sophisticated offensive weapons raises renewed concerns about the regional military balance and the prospects for lasting peace.