Yerevan, April 19. /Mediamax/. Israel Aerospace Industries has offered to sell Azerbaijan its Heron 1 and Searcher 2 unmanned aircraft systems as part of “comprehensive solutions” to answer the nation's defense needs, Flightglobal.com reported.

A new Azad Systems joint venture between Azerbaijan's defense ministry and Israel's Aeronautics Defense Systems launched production activities in March.

Azeri press reports suggest that its Baku facility will assemble and manufacture the Israeli company's Aerostar and Orbiter UAS.

Israeli industry has become a major supplier to Azerbaijan over recent years, having previously supplied other UAS, artillery systems and communications equipment.

The original story is available here: http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/04/18/355665/iai-offers-to-sell-heron-searcher-uavs-to-azerbaijan.html.