The military reform in Azerbaijan is driven by both domestic needs and its foreign policy course aimed at rapprochement with the NATO alliance, which dictates its own standards.

Azerbaijan’s victory in the second Karabakh war is often explained by the successful military reform carried out under Turkey’s guidance. Experts underline the role of modern weaponry, especially unmanned aerial vehicles, and effective troop management, involving Turkish command. Thus, the successes of the Azerbaijani army can be indirectly put down to NATO’s influence, taking into account Turkey’s membership in the alliance.

Azerbaijan actively invested in rearming its army, receiving significant military assistance, primarily from Turkey and Israel. This assistance comprised military and technical cooperation, personnel training, intelligence information, and other forms of support. Although weaponry was also procured from other countries, Turkey’s contribution remains the most substantial.

Leveraging the experience of Turkish military advisors and taking into account the lessons drawn from modern conflicts in the Middle East, Azerbaijan altered its combat tactics, transitioning to modern standards. Baku actively used manoeuvre forces, including special forces, in difficult mountainous terrain. It was reported that during the military conflict, Chief of the General Staff General Najmeddin Sadikov was relieved of troop control duties, with command being effectively transferred to Turkish General Bahtiyar Ersay, who has experience in mountain warfare.

Azerbaijan was a participant in the Collective Security Treaty (CST) from September 24, 1993, to April 2, 1999, under the rule of Heydar Aliyev. Although in 2002 the CST was renamed the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Baku had already withdrawn from the organization by that time.

It is likely that Azerbaijan’s participation in the CST in 1993–1999 was dictated by H. Aliyev’s desire to keep to a minimum the threat of Armenia’s military strengthening. During that period, Azerbaijan, defeated in the first Karabakh war, was in a vulnerable position. The buildup of the republic’s........

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