Slovakia to Supply Azerbaijan With SAM-120 Mortars
Bratislava has signed a framework agreement to supply its locally-developed SAM-120 self-propelled mortars to Azerbaijan, according to Slovak news agency Pravda.
The deal was concluded on the sidelines of the World Defense Show in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between Slovakia’s state-owned ZŤS Špeciál and Azerbaijan’s defense company Iglin Scientific Production Enterprise.
It includes the delivery of 96 units, with options for up to 300 systems, depending on Baku’s military requirements.
The cost of the initial order is valued at 210 million euros ($249 million), with production to begin immediately.
‘Largest Deal’
Slovak Defense Minister Robert Kaliňák said his government plans to present the first system for Azerbaijan’s armed forces and stakeholders at a defense exhibition in Baku in the autumn of 2026.
He added that both countries will discuss “purchasing a license and transferring the possibility of partially or completely producing this weapon in Azerbaijan.”
“This is probably the largest deal that ZŤS Špeciál has concluded in recent times and probably in history,” Pravda quoted Kaliňák as saying.
“We believe that this is the beginning of a new increase in the self-confidence of the Slovak defense industry.”
The SAM-120 Weapon System
ZŤS Špeciál launched the 120-millimeter SAM-120 in 2024 as a fully-automated artillery system leveraging a 35-round magazine.
The turreted weapon has a range of about 8 kilometers (5 miles) and a firing rate of up to 20 rounds per minute.
It is operated by a crew of two to four personnel and can turn 360 degrees for coverage in all directions.
