YEREVAN (RFE/RL)—Azerbaijan has reportedly protested to France and Germany against the apparent acquisition by Armenia’s armed forces of anti-tank missiles jointly developed by the two NATO member states.
The complaint reported by the Azerbaijani news agency APA on Thursday stems from a photograph of the MILAN anti-tank system that was posted late last month on Razm.info, an Armenian news website specializing in defense and security. The online publication said the picture was taken last year during an exhibition at Armenia’s Defense Ministry that featured weapons manufactured or modernized by Armenian companies.
It said the French-German guided missiles produced since the early 1970s were upgraded with Armenian-made electronic devices. Razm.info called the Armenian army’s possession of MILANs a “serious development.” No further details were reported.
Azerbaijani news agencies were quick to pick up the report. Citing unnamed military sources, APA said that the Azerbaijani authorities have demanded that the French and German embassies in Baku explain “how those systems ended up in Armenia.”
France’s ambassador to Azerbaijan, Pascal Meunier, told reporters in Baku last week that the French government is “investigating the credibility of that information.” He said French or German arms sales to Armenia are “very unlikely” because they would violate a Western embargo on arms deliveries to the parties of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
MILAN’s current principal manufacturer is the Euromissile consortium based in France. The missile systems originally designed by French and German companies in the 1960s are also license-built by several other NATO member states as well as India. They have been in service in over 40 countries.
The Armenian Defense Ministry declined to confirm or refute the MILAN acquisition on Thursday. The ministry spokesman, Artsrun Hovannisian, told RFE/RL’s Armenian service only that Armenia is continuing to “develop our defense capability.”
Speaking to journalists last December, the commander of Karabakh’s Armenia-backed army, General Movses Hakobian, listed anti-tank rockets among new weapons which he said were supplied to his forces in 2011 and 2012. He did not elaborate on their type and origin.
The news of Armenia’s purported possession of MILAN came just days after it emerged that Russia has begun supplying roughly $1 billion worth of new military hardware to Azerbaijan. According to the Russian media, the arms consignment purchased by Baku includes more than 90 battle tanks. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said at an ensuing military parade that his country will continue buying weapons to force the Armenians to give up control over Karabakh and surrounding territories.
I’m wondering, why the government in Armenia doesn’t complain to Russia for the arms purchased by Azerbeijan?
The only appropriate response to the protests by the criminal and artificial state of Azergayjan about the supply of the French-German guided missiles to Armenia is to give Azergayjan a taste of those missiles by firing a couple of hundreds in the direction of their fabricated state and take out their newly acquired battle tanks.
Fire another missile straight at coward Alliyev’s palatial residence and put this pseudo-Turkish imbecile mutt out of his misery. This war-mongering parasite Alliyev, a chicken turned into a hawk who has never seen or been in any battle, must be crushed like a cockroach that he is.
Haha!! Love it!! Come and get it, Kaiser Ilham!!
The More sophisticated weaponry, for Armenia, the more Armenia will be secure!!
Good. A tank costs millions of dollars, an antitank MILAN missile costs hundreds to manufacture. As I said before, the Azery leadership will spend all their money on military hardware, while we spend it on infrastructure and people. The hardware becomes absolete in time, but roads last forever.
When Armenia would have atomic bombs?
It’s funny to hear the German Ambassador assuring Azerbaijan that French or German arms are illegal to sell to Armenia…WOW! Let’s see now…has Germany ever come to terms of how many Armenians perished with German arms delivered in shiploads to the Ottoman Empire: Europe’s failure to disarm Turkey after WWI, remember Turkey was a defeated ally of Germany. Instead more weapons were supplied to Ataturk’s armies to finish the job on the Armenians. It was the superior German and French made artillery in Turkish hands that made the difference against the fledgling Republic of Armenia leaving the beleaguered nation with less than 25% of her former self. Russia, France, Germany, and England…you’re a guiltier of the Genocide of your fellow Christians then the Turks themselves….
Well it seems the 70 odd Russian tanks that the azeris ordered will be good target practice for our military should aliyev and his gang of ax murdering oil thugs decide to begin another war to again steal lands that never belonged to them in the first place.
Its amazing how thieves always manage to convince themselves that stolen goods rightfully belongs to them
The aggresive criminal regime of azerbaijan who bought assault weapons from Russia and other countries and which has plans to launch a war against the NGR is protesting against the sales of defensive weapons to Armenia. The whole world knows these stupid games of the azeris , let the azeris “Bark” we don’t care , Our beloved Artsakh will remain Free, Independent , & Sovereign till Eternity.
This shows the shortsightedness of Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev’s theory to continue buying weapons to force the Armenians to give up control over Karabakh and surrounding territories, this is the way to absorb Azerbaijan’s natural wealth by Arms producer countries, whyle his people are living in poverty and in ignoranse,
ARMENIA ingeniously demonstrated a counter strategy to new $ 1 Billion worth of Azeri tank purchases from Russia. With these missiles Azeri threat is neutrilized. I believe in a , Head-to-Head battle , after intense fighting ARMENIA will OUTLAST and DEFEAT Azeris decisively. The immoral Azeri godfather Aliyev underestimated the ARMENIA’s brilliance and courage and displays his rude and insulting behavior to French and German Embassies.
According to the experts.
Azerbaijan will loose more territories in case of starting War in Karabakh.
Without Baku Azerbaijan will not exist as a country.
Mr.ALIYEV HAS TO THINK TWICE BEFORE TAKING ANY ACTION
I can’t wait till these mongol turks start another war so I can go steal all there new toys and us it to kill them just like we did last time…;)
As a US taxpayer, I DEMAND that NO further monies go, as military foreign aid, to Armenia!!! After all, they’re being “protected” by the Russians (they love bragging about it)! Armenians have always manipulated others to do their “dirty work”!
For Azari dictator Sultan alieve, any occassion is a blessing opportunity to stand in front of his people claim he has strongest army in the region bragging he spends billions for his army that even surpas Armenia’s national gross income,at this time situation already changed the same bragging person crying painfully because Armenia bought a few million dollares of armament for self defence this whole process exhibit his
weakness which needs lie his own people, he expected Armenians must come to defend themselves with stick & club to fulfill his 2nd stage glorry of victory pipe dream but suddenly everything is smoked into nightmare.
Azari people need to realize Sultan alieve & his family already plundered there national wealth & dignity by inventing problems imaginary enemy & jingoism holding there grip to power & enslave them.
Next time a war breaks with Azerbaijan, Iran should get involved and anex Azerbaijan to Iran as a prevention for future larger problems, Iran should have in mind Azerbiajan will be used to attack Iran in case of an Israeli attack on Iran.
Actually, this old anti-tank weapon is powerless against the T-90C tank with Shtora-1 and Kontakt-5 active defenses that Azerbaijan got. The Shtora-1 reduces the probability of MILAN’s hit by 60%, whilst Kontakt-5 and T-90C’s own armor allow for it to be hit 2-3 times in the same spot (almost impossible) before it is put out of active duty. So we are in self-denial to celebrate this practically useless weapon. We will only put our soldiers in danger with a false sense of ability to win Azeris.
Lol you think our military leaders don’t know what they’re buying and what it can be used against? This equipment is being modified by our experts to improve their effectiveness and application.
Most modern armed forces have phased out this equipment in favor of newer technologies. This piece of kit has been around since the 60’s, there is no more upgrading to be done that hasn’t been done already and I highly doubt that our “experts” have any unique knowledge over the manufacturer’s who have 50+ years experience with this weapon.
We know for a fact that the Milan has a questionable success rate when used against T-50 tanks. Do you seriously believe this will be useful against a T-90 tank and other modern armored vehicles?
On top of this, the Milan needs a line of sight for successful target acquisition. A force using modern surveillance and imaging equipment will likely be able to see the operator and neutralize before any successful acquisition is made.
The Milan is an outdated weapon. We need modern weapons to use against our enemies modern equipment and capabilities.
About time they have the fear
George, you do realize that there are more than twice as many Azeris in Iran than in Azerbaijan. Also, a large majority of Iranian leadership and military is at least part Azeri including the Ayatollah.
Hayk, I was going to say the same thing. I think the move to buy these defunct weapons is just Sargsyan’s way of placating the populace in response to the recent massive Russian – Azeri arms deal. However, Sargsyan must think people are pretty dumb and will believe him that these weapons offer some sort of security against the ever increasing Azeri arsenal. Though, reading some of the comments on here, he is probably right, sure got the ignorant riled up with this old and useless tech.
Instead talking nonsense and showing off useless weaponry, Sargsyan should ask the two faced Russians for the AT-14 Cornet guided anti-tank missiles and AT-15 Chrysanthemum supersonic anti-tank missiles, these are modern weapons designed to take out current and future generations of main battle tanks and can also be used against some slower aerial tech.
Who cares what the complex neighbors think, they get much more weapons than we do from countries like (Russia, israel, turkey, Pakistan, Hungary, Ukraine) ! Our weapon is our strategy we use at war and the high grounds we hold at this moment ! It will be nearly impossible for azerbaijan or any other azerbaijan to enter Artsakh as long as we keep the high grounds well ! Since we have s400 in Armenia not even turkey would dare to attack!
There are more volunteered Türks taking training in case of a new war against armenia and same for South Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan makes a good corridor with Georgia for NATO, armenianshits are already on their knees against russia while Turkey&Azerbaijan spends more for R&D and starts new arm production projects. Turkey will have laser gun in 5 years, wait for those to get killed in peace!