Nagorno-Karabagh: Military Balance Between Armenia & Azerbaijan

[Armanen]

Re: Nagorno-Karabagh: Military Balance Between Armenia & Azerbaijan

The more they kill each other the better, especially senior officers of their armed forces.

[burjuin]

Re: Nagorno-Karabagh: Military Balance Between Armenia & Azerbaijan

Armenian peacekeepers in Kosovo:

[ninetoyadome]

Re: Nagorno-Karabagh: Military Balance Between Armenia & Azerbaijan

Armenia, Karabagh ‘Ready’ for Another War
By Editor on Jan 30, 2010 in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Front Page News
By Sargis Harutyunyan

YEREVAN (RFE/RL) — Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian warned Azerbaijan on Monday against attempting to win back Nagorno Karabagh by force, saying that Armenian troops have significantly beefed up defense fortifications around the territory and are prepared for another war.

“As defense minister, I’m always getting ready for that,” Ohanian said when asked about chances of renewed fighting for Karabagh at a meeting with students and the faculty of Yerevan State University.

“Both the entire army personnel and all of our veteran guys, mobilization resources know that the army command, including the defense minister, would be personally engaged in all hot and tough spots that might, God forbid, emerge on the borders of our republic and Artsakh (Karabagh) in order to defend our people,” he told them.

Ohanian says the Karabagh Armenian army backed by Armenia proper has in recent years further fortified its positions east and north of the territory in a way that precludes the success of any Azerbaijani offensive. “The Defense Army of the Nagorno-Karabagh Republic has created such a system of fortifications which the enemy can not attack and overcome in a classical style,” he said.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev regularly states that Baku will “liberate” Karabagh and Armenian-controlled territories surrounding it if the long-running peace talks with Armenia end in failure. International mediators disapprove of such threats, saying that the Karabagh conflict can not be resolved by military means.

Armenian leaders have repeatedly denounced the war rhetoric. “Such statements show that Azerbaijan is not prepared for mutual concessions in 2010 as well,” Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian said on January 17. He said they also “can not make any impact on or intimidate Armenia or Artsakh.”

Ohanian, who was a senior Karabagh Armenian commander and lost a leg during the 1991-1994 war, likewise insisted that the Azerbaijani leadership would fail to solve the conflict “unilaterally.” He also said Yerevan will never accept a settlement that would place Karabagh back under Azerbaijani rule and strip it of a “common border” with Armenia.

[burjuin]

Re: Nagorno-Karabagh: Military Balance Between Armenia & Azerbaijan

Armed incident in Azerbaijani military unit leaves 6 dead, 2 injured
Two soldiers shot dead four fellow soldiers and injured the other two in an azerbaijani military unit today, Ministry of Defense said.

According to the Defense Ministry, the soldiers shot themselves dead after they committed the murders.
http://today.az/news/society/60460.html

Division MLRS BM-21"Grad" in Dashkesan region of Azerbaijan, where the incident

[burjuin]

Re: Nagorno-Karabagh: Military Balance Between Armenia & Azerbaijan

http://www.afisr.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123115259

by Master Sgt. Reginal Woodruff
70th Intelligence Wing Public Affairs

9/15/2008 - FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. -- "Some things have not changed ... and that is the commitment of our men and women in uniform who, when the call comes to take on dangerous missions, over foreign skies, raise their hand and say 'send me'," said Col. John Stauffer, 70th Intelligence Wing commander.

On Sept. 2, members of the 70th IW and others gathered at Fort Meade's National Vigilance Park to pay tribute to 17 Airmen who said, "send me" and never returned from their mission.

Fifty years ago on that day, Flight 60528, an Air Force C-130, departed Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, on an air-reconnaissance mission about 100 miles from Armenia. The mission of the 17 Airmen on board was top secret and dangerous. Collecting data from 25,000 feet up, they crossed the Armenian border. A short time later Soviet MiGs approached and attacked the unarmed C-130, killing everyone aboard.

For decades, Soviet officials denied attacking the plane, calling the incident a crash. They initially turned over only six sets of remains. Decades later, after the Cold War's end, declassified Soviet documents revealed the truth about the attack. Officials of the Commonwealth of Independent States, formerly the Soviet Union, handed over remains of the other crew members. This brought closure to family members who had known little about the operation.

"A friend of mine, whose husband died on the mission, initially got a telegram from the Pentagon saying the crew was missing," said Larry Tart, who wrote a book about the operation. "She waited 39 years to hear what mission they were on and what really happened."

Mr. Tart, a Cold War-era cryptology Airman, said the nature of intelligence collection operations often left families in the dark. He said it was typical for him and other members of his unit to leave home for weeks, telling their spouse little. The importance of the operations warranted such secrecy.

Brig. Gen. Tom Jones, deputy chief, Central Security Service, called the missions dangerous and critical to winning the Cold War. The operations provided photos and data that revealed much about Soviet society.

"Due to the unique nature of the conflict, it was not only military superiority that mattered but political and diplomatic as well," said the general, speaking at the 50th anniversary ceremony. "In short, in our nation's efforts to defeat the (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics), information was power.

"Victory was secured by the countless groups of dedicated men and women who took it upon themselves ... to get information that our policy makers and war fighters needed."
The general's words are a rare acknowledgement of the valuable role crypto Airmen of the past and present play in winning wars. The secret nature of the job is also successful in making the people who perform it nearly anonymous.

"As I look out over the audience," Col. Stauffer said during the ceremony, "I see military personnel who volunteered for the difficult and often thankless task of watching over Americans who may never know, and who cannot know, the extent of sacrifices that were made on their behalf."

Of the 17 Airmen aboard Flight 60528, 11 were cryptanalysts. Nine were airmen first (E-4) or second class (E-3). In 1997, the crew was honored with a memorial at Fort Meade. Research for the memorial brought together former crypto Airmen and family members of the mission crew.

Many of the Airmen and family members attend the memorial ceremony annually. Along with current Airmen within the intelligence community, they work to ensure the bravery and commitment of those who died secretly defending their country is remembered.

[burjuin]

Re: Nagorno-Karabagh: Military Balance Between Armenia & Azerbaijan

http://www.149fw.ang.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123163604

Armenian institute commander: Humanity key to relations
Posted 8/17/2009 Updated 8/17/2009 Email story Print story
by Master Sgt. Gregory Ripps
149th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
8/17/2009 - YEREVAN, Armenia -- (Author's note: This interview was conducted informally through an interpreter.)
Col. Daniel Balayan, commander of the Military Aviation Institute here, greeted his two public affairs visitors cordially and gestured for them to sit down at a narrow table that formed a "T" with his desk. The desk was modest, but the man who sat down behind it left no doubt that he was comfortable - comfortable in a leadership position.
Colonel Balayan said he had been in a leadership position for 26 years, the last 17 as commander of the institute, where the 149th Civil Engineers billeted for most of the first two weeks of August. He said that whether U.S. military increments would billet at the institute in the future was a decision made "higher up," but that the institute had a tradition of hosting military from other nations.
The institute, which is situated on a city block in southeast Yerevan, was built in the early 1980s as a training facility for high school students and included trade shops, but according to Colonel Balayan, it fell into neglect during the early 1990s, during a period of national educational restructuring.
When the institute first opened in another location in 1993, Colonel Balayan was appointed commander. In years prior to that, he was director of the national aero club, founded during the Soviet era when each of the "republics" had such an organization. Colonel Balayan explained that the Armenian Aero Club, which controlled its own airfield, trained young men in piloting skills and parachute jumping.
"It helped young people find their lives, and it also developed a reserve force for the Soviet Union," said Colonel Balayan.
Some of the aero club pilots developed aerobatic skills. He was especially proud of one who became a world champion. He said he was sharing this to show that Armenia had accumulated valuable aviation experience before the institute was established.
When the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics broke apart, "We were in a tough situation," said Colonel Balayan. "Armenia had no air training."
He outlined the options Armenia faced:
--- It could train pilots in another country for three or four years -- which would be very expensive; or
--- It could establish a national base with a pool of expert knowledge, drawn from that accumulated over many years with the aero club, and keep that knowledge in Armenia.
Colonel Balayan said that when he made the recommendation for a military aviation institute, the Ministry of Defense immediately approved it.
"Since the institute was established, it has continued smoothly," he said, noting that 99 percent of the pilots in Armenia are Armenian.
Colonel Balayan said military cooperation with the United States of America began in 2000.
"When the Soviet Union's [breakup-related] problems settled down, we developed more and more events [with the United States]," he said. "We started with only one or two annually, but recently we had 1,000 professional events. We also have contact with the U.S. European Command, U.S. Air Forces Europe, and NATO and European countries.
"A lot has changed," he continued. "Twenty or 25 years ago, we would not be [sitting] here together."
Previous to the deployment of the Texans here a few days earlier, Colonel Balayan's contact with the National Guard was with Kansans, in a relationship that goes back several years. He pointed to a 2006 exercise as an excellent example of military cooperation among Armenia, the United States and several European countries.
"We were very excited ... to participate," he said. "It was a big success, and it won high praise by the government."
Most importantly, in his eyes, "It made links closer not only militarily but from a man's [individual's] viewpoint.
"The key point is that we are all military," he continued. "That makes us close to each other.... We have a lot in common. First we have to know each other as human beings - the most important part of relations."
Colonel Balayan added that without personal relations, professional relations are nothing.
"During the Cold War, we couldn't even talk," he said. "Through human relations, the Cold War ended, and we started doing things together ... on the highest levels of mutual trust.
He noted as evidence of that trust that Armenia was sending troops to Afghanistan and has a force in Kosovo now. Furthermore, he was "100 percent sure" the Armenian military will fully integrate into any mission in which they participate.
"The objective of the military is to maintain peace - to guarantee peace and security of their country," he said. "The stronger you are, the more confident you are."
He also said military people are the first not to want war to happen.
"I'd like to wish peace to all my colleagues - the military people, [especially those] who travel to other countries.... Don't forget they have left behind families and friends. I wish that they return safely home. That is my biggest wish."
With that, the commander rose from his seat, and so did his visitors. As he walked them to the door, he pointed out, through the interpreter, that he originally trained as a pilot instructor.
"To train a person, you must know him," said Colonel Balayan. "You must train him psychologically as well as technically."

[Eddo211]

Re: Nagorno-Karabagh: Military Balance Between Armenia & Azerbaijan

http://www.149fw.ang.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123163604

I have great respect for Col. Daniel Balayan and I share his outlook on the future cooperation with the West.
It is very good to have this Armenian Eagle who knows how to "spread his wings" as our Military aviation commander.

As a 'Hot dog' he also knows how talented Armenians can be when it comes to stick and rudder................That Eagle on the Coat of Arms is not there just for looks you know.

[burjuin]

Re: Nagorno-Karabagh: Military Balance Between Armenia & Azerbaijan

http://www.afisr.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123115259

Monument to the lost crew С-130 in the USA:

C-130 Memorial at NSA
They died honorably while engaged in the Silent War. Now -- the Air Force 694th Intelligence Group (IG) in coordination with the National Security Agency (NSA) is creating a memorial honoring them. While on a routine mission along the Turkish-Armenian border on September 2, 1958, a U.S. Air Force C-130 crew inadvertently entered denied airspace over Armenia. Four Soviet MiG-17 pilots intercepted the C-130 tail number 60528 and shot it down, killing the seventeen Americans aboard. The crew consisted of six USAFE flight crew members and eleven United States Air Force Security Service (USAFSS)reconnaissance crew members.

[Tigranakert]

Re: Nagorno-Karabagh: Military Balance Between Armenia & Azerbaijan

In 1993, local villagers created an Armenian memorial at the crash site honoring the seventeen Americans who perished in the crash.

[burjuin]

Re: Nagorno-Karabagh: Military Balance Between Armenia & Azerbaijan

Stepanakert airport under construction in Artsakh: