Azerbaijan

Republic of Azerbaijan

Formerly a socialist republic of the USSR (Soviet Union,) the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azərbaycan Respublikası) established its full independence in October of 1991. Since that time, there has been a gradual decline in the use of Soviet-style camouflage uniforms within the Azerbaijani Armed Forces (Azərbaycan Silahlı Qüvvələri) with the standard operational uniforms being replaced by those of other nations and at least a couple patterns of indigenous origin.

Between February of 1988 and May 1994, Azerbaijan took part in the Nagorno-Karabakh War, in which ethnic Armenians living in Azerbaijan (and militarily supported by the Republic of Armenia) fought to wrest control of the Nagorno-Karabakh region from the Azebaijanis. A ceasefire was declared on 16 May 1994, although tensions still exist between the two nations. Since 1992, when the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic was officially established, the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Defense Army (Լեռնային Ղարաբաղի Հանրապետության ինքնապաշտպանության բանակ) has established a defence of the region jointly along with the Armenian Defence Forces.

Camouflage Patterns of Azerbaijan

• The traditional Soviet KLMK sun-ray or solnechnye zaychiki pattern camouflage uniform has been in service with Azerbaijani forces since it was a Soviet republic. During the earliest period of its independence, airborne and special forces units retained the pattern, which they have continued to use sporadically into the present era. The grid-pattern printed on the reverse of these uniforms was intended to render early night vision equipment less effective.

• Azerbaijani forces in the early 1990s have been documented as wearing at least two variants of the Soviet-designed 1988 TTsKO tricolor woodland or 3-TsV pattern. One variant is also worn by Armenia and features very dark brown & medium brown shapes on a light brown background. The other is a standard green/brown pattern of Russian origin. Additionally, Azeris have been documented wearing what appears to be the 3-TsV "whorls" variant commonly attributed to Georgia.

• During the first Nagorno-Karabakh War (1988-1994) - aka the First Karabakh War - many Azeri military personnel wore variations of the Soviet TTsKO camouflage patterns. In some designs, the shapes of appear smaller than the more ubiquitous Soviet era TTsKO and incorporate shape variations as well. Several color variations have been documented during this time period, particularly circa 1993-94, including purple-blue dominant, reddish-brown/tan dominant, and a version with a grey background. The majority of documented photos show personnel deployed to the Nagorno-Karabakh region, although there are some examples of the patterns appearing on Azeri military personnel outside of that area.

• Some photographs from the 1992-94 era illustrate Azerbaijani troops wearing variations of the Russian dubok (little oak) or VSR camouflage pattern, as well as the later Flora pattern of 1998. These were undoubtedly imported from Russia or the Ukraine and appear to have been fairly short-lived. These uniforms often appear intermixed with the aforementioned TTsKO variants.

• Since 2001, peacekeeping forces of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces have frequently deployed wearing the Turkish "elongated leaf" or "squashed leaf" camouflage pattern. The uniforms appear to be both ex-Turkish military issue and export versions.

• The State Border Service (Dövlət Sərhəd Xidməti) of Azerbaijan have worn a unique "green woodland" pattern camouflage uniform in recent years. The design incorporates black, dark green & aqua green woodland shapes on a sea green background, and is of undetermined origin. As with most other contemporary patterns, the fabric appears to have been made in Turkey.

• Special Forces units of the State Border Service periodically wear the Russian Berezkha (birch tree) camouflage, a pattern derivative of the old KLMK sun-ray design. This contemporary version has jagged lime green shapes on a dark khaki field.

• One standard camouflage pattern of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces today is a copy of the US m81 woodland camouflage pattern made in Turkey.

• Another pattern worn by Azeri personnel is a variation of the Turkish "elongated leaf" or "squashed leaf" seen above. The Azeri version seems to have more contrast and may be locally produced.

• Between 2002 and 2005, Azerbaijani military personnel deployed to Iraq (OIF) wore ex-USA surplus tricolor desert pattern camouflage uniforms. The uniforms may still be in use with personnel deployed to arid or desert regions.

• Appearing first in 2008, the Kobra Special Group of the Interior Troops (Azərbaycan Respublikası Daxili Qoşunların Xüsusi Təyinatlı Dəstəsi) or Kobra XTD have been documented wearing a copy of the USA Universal Camouflage Pattern (UCP) in public parades. Whether this camouflage design is also worn operationally has yet to be determined.

• Multicam pattern uniforms have been worn operationally by the Kobra Special Group of the Interior Troops, and by the Rapid Response Unit of the State Border Service since at least 2012.

• Since at least 2013, the regular Armed Forces and Internal Troops of Azerbaijan (Azərbaycan Respublikası Daxili Qoşunların) have been wearing Turkish arid digital pattern camouflage uniforms. In some cases, the uniforms and caps are styled differently than those issued by the Turkish Armed Forces, indicating they are not simply surplus Turkish Military issue.

• In 2013 a unique pixelated camouflage design first appeared in service with some members of the Interior Troops (possibly only with the Kobra XTD unit). The design appears to be a kind of "arid" pattern, incorporating tan, khaki, brown and olive green shapes. Whether this will prove to be an operational or working design remains to be seen, since most of its appearances have been in public appearances such as parades.

• Also appearing in service with the State Border Service's Rapid Response Unit since 2013 is a copy of the A-TACS AU arid pattern.

• The West German produced Schneetarn (snow camouflage) general purpose coverall pattern has been observed in limited use with Azerbaijani soldiers.

• In 2016 Azeri Special Forces were observed wearing an improved lizard camo pattern from the company Fibrotex. According to the manufacturer these uniforms are reversible, so it is possible the Azeri-issued uniforms also feature a second pattern.

• Since at least 2016 Azeri Special Forces were observed wearing an arid pattern from the company Fibrotex. According to the manufacturer these uniforms are reversible, so it is possible the Azeri-issued uniforms also feature a second pattern.

• During a military parade in 2018 Marines from Azerbaijan were seen wearing black MulitCam uniforms for the first time.

• A unique tiger stripe-like pattern from ATACS, the IX design was observed during a military parade in 2018.

• Another pattern from the Fibrotex company has been observed in use since at least 2019 within the Azeri Special Forces during winter operations.

• Since October of 2020, photos of some Azerbaijani Ministry of Internal Affairs personel can be seen wearing a copy of the Finnish M04 Hellekuvio desert camouflage pattern.

• The border guards of the State Border Service (Dövlət Sərhəd Xidməti) of Azerbaijan have been observed wearing a pixelated version of the unique "green woodland" pattern camouflage in December 2020.

Camouflage Patterns of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Defense Army

• Conventional Forces of the Army have been documented wearing a large number of camouflage designs, including Armenian-produced woodland camouflage patterns seen below.

• Both paratrooper and marine units (presumably trained in Armenia) have been documented wearing uniforms of imported Greek "lizard" pattern camouflage.

• Internal Security units of the Ministry of Interior wear a variation of the "blue lizard" camouflage design that orinated in Russia.

• Copies of the commercially-produced Multicam design have also appeared among some military personnel.

• Most recently, a copy of the Italian Army vegetata pattern has been adopted.

• The Ministry of Emergency Situations in Nagorno-Karabakh is wearing the same camouflage uniform as used by the Armenian Ministry of Emergency Situations. The pattern consists of a bright blue-dominant digital camouflage pattern made by the Russian company Mogotex (моготекс).

• The Nagorno Karabkh Police currently wear a pixelated camouflage design with a blue colorway, similar to a pattern developed in Russia for use by the MVD. This same camouflage pattern is also in use with the Armenian Police.