Azerbaijan Purchases ‘Iron Dome’ Missile Defense System

Azerbaijan Defense Industry Minister Yaver Jamalov confirms sealing of a deal with Israel for purchase of the Iron Dome missile defense system.

Jamalov was reported to have said that a purchase agreement had been signed by both countries, but did not provide any details on the scope of the deal or how many Iron Dome batteries would be purchased, the Azerbaijani Press Agency reported Saturday.

Azerbaijan is believed to be one of the first countries to purchase the weapon. 

Last week, President Ilham Aliyev revealed  that his country has purchased nearly $5 billion worth of Israeli defense equipment 

"So far, the contracts between Azerbaijani and Israeli companies with respect to purchasing of defense equipment is close to five billion dollars. More precisely – $4,850,000,000. The biggest part of these contracts have already been executed and still we are continuing to work on that and we are very satisfied with the level of this cooperation," Aliyev said, during an official visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the Muslim country.

Developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, the system intercepts shortrange rockets and artillery shells fired from a distance of four to 70 kilometers if their trajectory takes them into populated areas.