Military parade in Baku: structure of armaments and their practical significance Analysis by Caliber.Az

On 8 November 2025 a large-scale military parade was held in Baku, where Azerbaijan showcased its architecture of defence capabilities.

Parade formations included traditional heavy platforms — modernised tanks and self-propelled artillery — alongside mobile armoured vehicles for rapid response, and a wide range of next-generation means of strike: strike and reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicles, loitering munitions, operational-tactical missiles and high-precision MLRS.

Particular attention is drawn to the echeloned air-defence system — from short- and very-short-range assets to long-range complexes — and the integration of domestic developments with imported solutions. Taken together, what was displayed points to the following priorities: an emphasis on manoeuvrability, stand-off engagement and resilience against aerial threats.

SandCat (including Stomer, Spear) — a light, high-mobility armoured platform intended for rapid-reaction forces. Protection against small-arms fire and fragments, high speeds over rough terrain and modular variants for ATGMs, mortar systems and communications allow the vehicle to serve as the foundation for manoeuvre fire groups.

ATGM Spike — guided missiles equipped with a thermal imaging seeker and operating on the “fire-and-forget” principle, capable of striking tanks from the upper hemisphere. Effective against armoured vehicles, fortifications, and concealed targets.

The 120-mm self-propelled Spear mortar mounted on the SandCat Stomer — a mobile mortar system with automated fire control. It can change position within minutes, ensuring counter-battery survivability and providing fire support to manoeuvring units.

Vaşaq — a national armoured vehicle designed for rapid-reaction forces. It features high ballistic protection, excellent off-road capability, and is intended for assault and counter-terrorism operations in urban and rugged environments.

Kobra-2 (including the medical variant) — a multi-purpose armoured platform with enhanced mine protection. Used for reconnaissance, troop deployment, fire support, and evacuation of personnel in combat zones.

Land Rover 110 (SOC) — a classic off-road vehicle used in special operations, serving as a manoeuvrable platform for mobile groups, including the mounting of ATGMs and communication systems.

ATGM “Skif” (mounted on Kobra) — a Ukrainian-Belarusian anti-tank system enabling missile launch from cover with remote guidance. Effective both in defensive operations and mobile anti-tank groups.

BTR-82A — a high-mobility wheeled armoured personnel carrier armed with a 30-mm cannon, capable of providing fire support to infantry and transporting units in high-intensity combat conditions.

BMP-3 — one of the infantry fighting vehicles with the highest concentration of firepower: a 100 mm gun, a 30 mm automatic cannon and an ATGM. Provides tank-level fire support for accompanying infantry.

T-72M1 and T-90S — main battle tanks. The T-72 has been modernised with improved protection and communications; the T-90S is a more advanced platform with active protection systems and thermal sights, intended to breach fortified lines.

Air-defence systems

S-125 TM — a modernised medium-range system designed to protect facilities from low-flying targets and UAVs. New electronics increase guidance accuracy.

Buk-MB / Buk-MBK — medium-range air-defence systems capable of intercepting aircraft, cruise missiles and drones. High resistance to jamming and good mobility.

İldırım-8 (Barak-8) — a modern long-range complex for intercepting highly manoeuvrable targets, including drones and tactical missiles.

S-300 “Favorit” — a long-range system for engaging high-speed and high-altitude targets. Forms an echeloned air- and missile-defence umbrella around strategic assets.

TOR-2M — a mobile system for countering UAVs, rockets and aircraft at low and medium altitudes. Features a powerful radar capable of operating under heavy electronic interference.

Vikinq (domestic) — a mobile system for countering UAVs and low-flying targets. Employs high-precision optics and jamming-resistant guidance.

ZSU “Shilka” — a short-range anti-aircraft artillery system. Effective against drones, ground-attack aircraft and surface targets.

HQ-9 BE — a long-range air-defence system, analogous to the S-300; capable of intercepting ballistic missiles and aircraft at long distances, recently accepted into service.

Armoured vehicles

Matador / Marauder (MRAP) — highly protected vehicles with mine-resistant architecture. Used in counter-terror operations and for the safe transport of units in high-risk areas.

UAVs and loitering munitions

Orbiter (1KM, 2, 3, 4, 5) — a family of light tactical UAVs for reconnaissance, adjustment and precision strikes. Compact and quiet, allowing covert operations.

Aerostar — a medium-altitude reconnaissance UAV with long endurance, used for surveillance and artillery target-finding.

Bayraktar TB2 — an armed UAV that changed the character of modern combat. Combines reconnaissance, target designation and precision strike capability.

Hero-120, SkyStriker, Harop — loitering munitions that act as “flying shells.” They destroy vehicles, air-defence positions and command posts with high accuracy.

Hermes 450 — a tactical reconnaissance UAV with a broad sensor suite, resilient to electronic warfare.

“Kaira” — a maritime kamikaze drone. A tool for asymmetric strikes against ships, port facilities and coastal infrastructure.

Bayraktar Akıncı — a heavy strike UAV with large payload capacity. Carries air-to-surface missiles and cruise munitions, performing aviation roles without risking pilots.

Artillery

2S31 “Vena” — a universal self-propelled system: it can fire both mortar and artillery rounds. Rapid position changes and precision in counter-battery engagements.

2S1, 2S3, 2S19, DANA, NORA, DITA — self-propelled howitzers from 122 to 155 mm. They feature high mobility, automated fire control and fast shoot-and-scoot capability (some models were only recently adopted into service).

2S7 “Pion” (203 mm) — super-heavy artillery for destroying fortifications, depots and command posts at long range.

TOS-1M — a heavy thermobaric rocket launcher system used to destroy fortified strongpoints and enemy personnel.

“Khrizantema-S” — a self-propelled ATGM system with radar guidance. It penetrates tank armour at ranges of several kilometres in all weather conditions.

Rocket systems

RM7085, LAR-160, TRLG-230A, TRG-300, “Smerch”, EXTRA, “Polonez” — multiple-launch rocket systems with ranges from about 20 km up to 300+ km. They can strike concentrations of vehicles, depots and airfields. Turkish and Israeli models support high-precision guidance.

Predator Hawk (370 mm) — an operational-tactical precision missile with a range of up to 300 km. Allows striking targets deep in the enemy’s defences.

Ice Breaker — an anti-ship digital missile with autonomous guidance and low-altitude flight. A threat to surface ships and coastal infrastructure (equipped with artificial intelligence that uses a large database to select flight scenarios and enable the missile to autonomously detect and recognise targets).

LORA (624 mm) — a long-range tactical ballistic missile. High accuracy and the ability to strike critical infrastructure — bridges, headquarters, depots and other facilities.

Aviation

IL-76, C-27J Spartan — military transport aircraft for the movement of troops and equipment, airdrops and logistics.

Mi-17 — a versatile transport-attack helicopter used for insertion, evacuation, resupply and fire support.

JF-17 Block 3 — the JF-17C Block III multirole fighters, recently delivered to the Azerbaijani Air Force, are 4+ generation combat aircraft with some fifth-generation features. The JF-17C Block III can conduct both air-to-air and air-to-surface combat and offers high manoeuvrability at medium and low altitudes.

Su-25M “Lachin” — a close-air support attack aircraft for the support of ground forces. Employed against fortifications, equipment and troops at the forward edge.

The parade in Baku is a systemic message about how the military organises its approach to warfare. Today’s suite of systems clearly reflects several interrelated priorities: gaining an information advantage, ensuring the ability to deliver high-precision strikes deep into enemy territory, creating a multi-layered defence against aerial threats, and increasing the mobility of tactical units. Together these priorities form a viable model for conflict response in which decision speed and strike accuracy are decisive factors of combat effectiveness.

First. Reconnaissance and target designation — the foundation of tactics. The large presence of tactical and operational UAVs, loitering munitions and long-endurance surveillance systems turns the battlefield into a “visible” and predictable environment. This shortens the time lag between target detection and its destruction, reducing the role of traditional massed manoeuvres. Where columns of armoured vehicles and heavy artillery support were once required, today a combination of reconnaissance and precision strike delivery is often sufficient.

Second. Echeloned air defences. The combination of long-range systems (S-300 “Favorit”, İldırım-8 / Barak-8, HQ-9 BE), medium tiers (Buk and modernised S-125 TM) and short-range assets (TOR-2M, ZSU “Shilka”, the domestic Vikinq) substantially reduces the effectiveness of swarm attacks — UAVs and tactical missiles.

Third. Artillery and MLRS plus operational-tactical missiles are instruments of deterrence. Precision munitions and guided projectiles convert salvo systems from area weapons into tools for surgically striking key enemy infrastructure and logistical nodes.

Fourth. Mobility and survivability of ground units. Multi-role armoured cars, MRAP platforms and modular bases such as the SandCat keep the operational tempo high and reduce losses against asymmetric threats. But it is the interconnection — tank + UAV + artillery + air defence — that gives platforms real effectiveness on the battlefield; outside that network each system is vulnerable.

The display of such a wide spectrum of systems — from reconnaissance drones and precision artillery to echeloned air defences and tactical missiles — shows that the army has formed a model in which speed, strike accuracy and information superiority play the decisive role. In modern warfare this architecture sets the rules of the battlefield, turning time and precision into the key instruments of defence and deterrence.

Of course, the parade did not showcase Azerbaijan’s entire arsenal. Far more powerful systems exist whose demonstration would be inappropriate at this stage. Nevertheless, what was shown is sufficient to make it clear that the country’s military potential is at the highest level.