The presence of President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva at the headquarters of the Azerbaijani Navy in Baku, their familiarization with the work being carried out there, and the presentation of next-generation unmanned maritime vehicles are of significant importance. The event is another indication of the strong emphasis placed in Azerbaijan’s defense policy on modern technologies, innovation, and expanding national defense industry capabilities.

Of particular note was the presentation and practical testing of the SALVO armed unmanned surface vehicles and KAYRA kamikaze unmanned surface vehicles developed at the Navy’s production facility. This demonstrates that Azerbaijan has evolved beyond being merely a country that purchases modern military equipment from abroad and has become a state that also participates in the development and production of advanced military technologies.

The particular importance of Azerbaijan-Türkiye defense industry cooperation should also be emphasized. Developed through the joint efforts of the MİRAS Military-Industrial Company and Türkiye’s DEARSAN, these systems demonstrate that defense industry cooperation between the two brotherly countries has entered a new technological phase.

The nature of modern warfare is changing, and unmanned systems have already become one of the key elements of military strategy. Azerbaijan’s timely investment in this field demonstrates the country’s preparedness for the warfare technologies of the future. The development of a strong and modern Navy is particularly important for reliably protecting our national interests, borders, and strategic facilities in the Caspian Sea.

In this regard, President Ilham Aliyev’s presence at the Navy and the operational meeting he held there on military development issues also carries an important message. It demonstrates that military development is a continuous process and that all branches of Azerbaijan’s armed forces, including the Navy, are being continuously developed and strengthened.

In fact, one of Azerbaijan’s key objectives today is to ensure military superiority not merely through numerical strength, but through technological superiority. The new unmanned systems demonstrated by the Navy are precisely part of this strategy.

Today’s presentation marks a new stage in Azerbaijan’s defense industry. To ensure its security, Azerbaijan must possess a strong military, a modern defense industry, and the latest technologies. The policy pursued under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev is based precisely on the integration of these three areas.