Azerbaijan Air Force trains for Anatolian Eagle 2021 exercises.

The flight crew of the Azerbaijan Air Force that will take part in the "Anatolian Eagle 2021" International Flight-Tactical Exercises, has completed preliminary training. The military pilots carried out flights to study airspace flight zones, flight landing strips on the ground, and the air navigation state along the route and to familiarize themselves with the conditions at the departure and landing airfields, as well as alternate airfields.

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MiG-29 of the Azerbaijan Air Force (Picture source: Azerbaijan MoD)

At the same time, the representatives of the flight crews from different countries viewed the tasks fulfillment areas during the flight carried out as part of the training exercises. Two MiG-29 fighters and two Su-25 attack aircraft of the Azerbaijan Air Force are involved in the "Anatolian Eagle - 2021" International Flight-Tactical Exercises that start on June 21. One may expect that some of the exercises will refer to the recent war against Armenia, which was defeated.

Brinkster.net reported in October 2004 that the Azeri Air and Air Defence Force comprised a fighter squadron at Nasosnaya Air Base with MiG-25PDs and training variants, a bomber aviation regiment at Kyurdamir with Su-17/24/25, MiG-21s, and L-29/39s, a transport aviation squadron at Ganja Airport with Il-76s(?), Аn-12/24, and Тu-134s, a helicopter squadron at Baku Kala Air Base with Mi-2/8/24s, two aircraft repair factories, and two air defense missile units. Other air bases include Dollyar Air Base (which Jane's Sentinel says is reported to be non-operational) Nakhchivan Airport in the Nakhchivan exclave, Sanqacal Air Base, and Sitalcay Air Base.

The MiG-29 has been designated as the standard aircraft for the AzAF. In September–October 2010, Azerbaijan purchased 24 Mi-35M from Rostvertol. 8 of them have been delivered in the end of the first quarter of 2012 and four more in August 2012. With the arrival of the MiG-29s, the Air Force appears to have retired the MiG-25 aircraft that it used to fly from Nasosnaya Air Base. IISS estimates in 2007 reported 26 as still in service; other figures previously placed the total as high as 38. The Air Force retains in store L-39 fighter training aircraft produced in the Czech Republic and Ukraine.

Su-25 of the Azerbaijan Air Force (Picture source: Azerbaijan MoD)