The two-year contract is worth $13 million and will see maintenance work for the Orbiter 1K drones sold to a key client, according to a company statement.
The Orbiter 1K is a loitering suicide drone capable of carrying a 1-2 kg. explosive payload. The vehicle-mounted unmanned aerial vehicle, or UAV, is highly transportable and can fly for up to three hours carrying a multi-sensor camera with day and night capabilities.
After being launched from a catapult, the Orbiter 1K can independently scan an area, detect and then destroy a moving or stationary target. In case the target isn’t detected, the system’s recovery capability allows it to return to base and land by using a parachute and airbag.
Azerbaijan has become the main supplier of crude oil to Israel. It has also become a major recipient of Israeli military hardware in recent years. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute placed Azerbaijan as the third-largest consumer of Israeli arms, having bought $137m. worth in 2017.
In January, Israel’s Elbit Systems sold Azerbaijan its SkyStriker UAV, which is capable of long-range, precision “kamikaze” strikes.
The SkyStriker has been described by Elbit Systems as a “silent, invisible, and surprise attacker [that] delivers the utmost in precision and reliability, providing a critical advantage in the modern battlefield.”
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