At the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union, conventional weaponry stationed in Azerbaijan was estimated at 391 tanks, 1,285 armored combat vehicles, 463 artillery pieces, 24 helicopters, 124 fighter aircraft, with a combined total of 66,000 military personnel.

The Armed Forces of Azerbaijan were re-established according to the Law of the Azerbaijan Republic on the Armed Forces issued on 9 October 1991. According to the law, draftees of ages 18 to 25 were obliged to serve in the Army for 18 months (12 months for graduates); contractors for three years, and women between the age of 18-35 could serve with contracts on a voluntary basis. Alternative service was also allowed. The law guaranteed military ranks of the officers obtained during their service in the Soviet Army. The Azerbaijan Ministry of Defense (MoD) decided to build the Army from mobile units based on a Brigade-Corps system, which was different from the Soviet system of Regiment-Division-Army principles. Each Brigade consisted of five operational Battalions. Each Battalion was comprised of about 450 personnel. First volunteers and national army draftees formed the first Azerbaijani Brigade in late 1991. Additional brigades consisted of about 3,000-3,500 personnel each.