Seven Seconds to Die: A Military Analysis of the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War and the Future of Warfighting

The Second Nagorno-Karabakh war was the first war in history won primarily by unmanned systems, with Azerbaijan's alliance with Turkey and close technological support from Israel strategically isolating Armenia and Turkey's posturing influencing the Russians not to intervene. The Turkish-made BAYRAKTAR TB2 Unmanned Air Combat Vehicle (UCAV) and the Israeli-made HAROP Loitering Munition (LM) dominated the fighting and provided Azerbaijan with a war-winning advantage.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 160 pages
Publication date: 28 May 2022
Publisher: Casemate Publishers

The Second Nagorno-Karabakh War, which took place between Armenia and Azerbaijan from September 24 to November 10, 2020, was a historic event that saw the first-ever victory primarily attributed to unmanned systems. The 44-day conflict resulted in a decisive military victory for Azerbaijan, despite Armenia's initial control of the high ground in a mountainous region that favored traditional defense. Azerbaijan's strategic alliance with Turkey and close technological support from Israel, coupled with Turkey's posturing and the pandemic, effectively isolated Armenia. What made this war exceptional was the decisive role played by unmanned weapons, particularly the Turkish-made BAYRAKTAR TB2 Unmanned Air Combat Vehicle (UCAV) and the Israeli-made HAROP Loitering Munition (LM). These advanced systems dominated the fighting, providing Azerbaijan with a significant war-winning advantage. The use of unmanned systems in modern warfare has been on the rise in recent years, and this conflict highlighted their potential to shape the outcome of battles. While the victory was not unprecedented given the disparity in forces, the widespread use of unmanned weapons in the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War marked a significant milestone in the evolution of military technology.

Weight: 324g
Dimension: 152 x 230 x 14 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781636241234