Drones, training programs, cyber warfare

“We have laid the foundations of a continuously deepening system of military-to-military relations, which has strategic significance to both parties” – declared the Chief of Defence. He added that during the useful and forward-looking discussions, the two sides assessed the security challenges. The central topics on the agenda included coordinating the training of Special Operations Forces (SOF) as well as preparing joint programs aimed at developing drone capabilities and air operations.

The two nations’ armed forces are quite similar in terms of size, organizational structure and security policy situation, so cooperation is a logical and mutually beneficial step. The sharing of information and lessons learned is one of the key issues in 21st-century warfare, and Azerbaijan has an active role in it, as it continuously utilizes the lessons learned in Ukraine in the development of its armed forces, with special regard to drone capabilities, cyber security and mine clearance.

“The two nations’ armed forces have similar capabilities and personnel numbers, and the security challenges they are tackling with are also similar” – emphasized General Böröndi. The visit has confirmed that Azerbaijan is not only a friendly country but also a military partner, together with which Hungary can give joint responses to the challenges of modern warfare.

General Dr. Gábor Böröndi invited his Azeri counterpart, General Karim Valiyev to Hungary and offered to introduce him to the workings of the NATO Centre of Excellence for Military Medicine (MILMED COE) and the Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) capability.

“Hungary is strong only if it has friends and allies, and the Azerbaijani military is a friendly one” – this was how the Chief of Defence summed up his experiences after the discussions. He pointed out that the analysis and sharing of lessons learned is vital in the training and preparation of 21st-century armed forces.