Baku Invests Over $6 Billion in Chinese-Pakistani Fighter Jets Two Years After Emptying Artsakh of Armenians

Image credit: Rehan Waheed / Shutterstock

Azerbaijan has begun one of its largest military expansions since the 2020 war, investing more than $6 billion in the Chinese-Pakistani JF-17 Thunder fighter jets. This expansion comes less than two years after Azerbaijan carried out the full ethnic cleansing of Artsakh’s Armenian population in 2023, forcing more than 120,000 people to flee their indigenous homes. Instead of showing readiness for peace in 2025, Baku is expanding its ability to project force deeper into the region.

The original report explains that “Azerbaijan bets on the Chinese-Pakistani JF-17” and has already bought 16 aircraft for $1.6 billion, with another 40 planned under a $4.6 billion agreement. These jets appeared publicly at a parade in Baku in early November, showing that the program is already underway.

For Armenia, which is still dealing with the humanitarian, political, and security consequences of the 2023 cleansing of Artsakh, Azerbaijan’s new air force represents one more step toward long-term military dominance.

Azerbaijan continues to present itself as a country seeking stability, but its actions show the opposite. After emptying Artsakh of its Armenian population through force, starvation, and intimidation, Baku is now spending billions on new offensive fighter jets.

The analysis notes that “the total commitment is said to be more than $6.2 billion”, a shocking figure for a country of this size. 

The JF-17 Block III fighter is equipped with technologies that matter in a region where one side aggressively pursues military solutions. The aircraft includes the KLJ-7A AESA radar, advanced sensors, and new long-range PL-15E missiles. The report explains that this system can detect and track multiple targets at more than 150 km and deliver strikes far beyond older Soviet-era platforms.

By adding jets with this technology, Azerbaijan is not stabilizing the region. It is giving itself new tools to intimidate Armenia, which has limited resources and continues to face security gaps after years of pressure and aggression.

Azerbaijan used drones, artillery, and foreign support during the 2020 and 2023 attacks. These new jets extend the reach of its military even further.

Before these purchases, Azerbaijan relied on MiG-29s, Su-25s, and extensive drone fleets provided by Turkey and Israel. With the arrival of JF-17s, Baku is moving toward a modern, multi-role strike force. The report states that the full program could eventually give Azerbaijan “more than 50 JF-17s”—a massive increase in capability for a nation of this size.

This new force structure is designed for fast action and potential offensive strikes, not defensive stability. The jets are expected to be based at the Nasosnaya air base, which already hosts MiG-29s and key offensive systems.

Baku claims this move reduces dependence on Russia, but the report clarifies that China actually controls the critical technology. It states that “critical technologies… come from Beijing.” This means Azerbaijan is locking itself into a long-term military relationship with China, which sees the Caucasus as a strategic foothold between Russia, Turkey, and Iran.

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