SAM Papers Kafkasya'da Zorlu Mücadele: Azerbaycan Silahlı Kuvvetlerinin 2020 Yukarı Karabağ Savaşı'ndaki Performansı ve Askeri Stratejisi

The 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh clashes marked more than a bonanza between two belligerents. In essence, the war was fought between two strategic paradigms, one belonging to the 21st century and the other the remnant of 20 th century military thinking. On the one hand, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces showcased the zeitgeist through the systematic use of unmanned systems, net- work-centric operational art and information superiority on the battleground. On the other hand, the Armenian formations relied on heavily fortified defensive positions along a tough landscape, ballistic missiles to escalate the conflict, as well as Soviet-Russian doctrines prioritizing overwhelming fire-power through echeloned defenses. Eventually, Azerbaijan scored an undeniable victory and the Azerbaijani campaign recaptured a large portion of the occupied territories.This report’s primary scope is the military-strategic assessment of the Azerbaijani combat performance during the war. The paper, therefore, revolves around defense analyses rather than diplomatic considerations.