On June 8, Azerbaijan signed an agreement on purchasing C-27J Spartan aircraft from Italy, "Leonardo" company reported.

"Leonardo" company stated that the Azerbaijani delegation visited Italy to sign the contract with the participation of high-level representatives of the two countries' defense ministers. "Initially, the cooperation between Italy and Azerbaijan, which was related to the energy sector, is now expanding in the direction of the supply of defense industry products, thanks to the valuable contribution of the Italian Ministry of Defense working group. The C-27J from Leonardo has many years of proven experience in the most difficult operational scenarios. "The acquisition program is the result of technical discussions between the Italian and Azerbaijani Defense Ministries. This contract is part of the modernization program of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, which focuses more on the products of the Italian industry," the information said.

"Leonardo's C-27J Spartan aircraft, which have proven themselves in the most difficult geographical, environmental, and operational conditions, is capable of performing a wide range of defense and civil defense missions. Extensive experience gained in operations with various air forces around the world has recognized this aircraft as an important air transport vehicle for military transport missions, airdrops of paratroopers and materials, tactical support of troops, operations of special forces, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief," the company added.

Importantly, Agil Gurbanov, the Deputy Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan - Head of the General Department of Military-Technical Supply, met with Guido Crosetto, the Minister of Defense of Italy, in Rome on June 7. At the meeting, which was also attended by Vice Admiral Subhan Bakirov, Commander of the Naval Forces, the prospects of development of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Italy in the field of military, military-technical, and military education, as well as the issues of mutual interest were exchanged.

Notably, the C-27J Spartan is a versatile medium-sized military transport aircraft produced by the Italian aerospace company Leonardo S.p.A. It was developed as a joint venture between Leonardo and the American company Lockheed Martin to create an aircraft that combines the capabilities of a tactical transport aircraft and a cargo aircraft. Several military forces around the world have adopted the C-27J Spartan. It is currently in service with the Italian Air Force, the United States Air Force (designated as the C-27J), the Hellenic Air Force, the Royal Australian Air Force, the Romanian Air Force, and several other nations. The aircraft has demonstrated its reliability and effectiveness in various military operations and has been well-regarded by operators.

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