diff --git a/.pipelines/templates/create-cluster.yaml b/.pipelines/templates/create-cluster.yaml
index 0066e1ac1ef..27b4c42d09d 100644
--- a/.pipelines/templates/create-cluster.yaml
+++ b/.pipelines/templates/create-cluster.yaml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ parameters:
   clusterName: "" # Recommended to pass in unique identifier
   vmSize: ""
   k8sVersion: ""
-  windowsOsSku: "Windows2022" # Currently we only support Windows2022
+  osSkuWin: "Windows2022" # Currently we only support Windows2022
   dependsOn: ""
   region: ""
 
@@ -31,6 +31,13 @@ jobs:
             fi
             mkdir -p ~/.kube/
             make -C ./hack/aks azcfg AZCLI=az REGION=${{ parameters.region }}
-            make -C ./hack/aks ${{ parameters.clusterType }} AZCLI=az REGION=${{ parameters.region }} SUB=$(SUB_AZURE_NETWORK_AGENT_BUILD_VALIDATIONS) CLUSTER=${{ parameters.clusterName }} K8S_VER=${{ parameters.k8sVersion }} VM_SIZE=${{ parameters.vmSize }} WINDOWS_OS_SKU=${{ parameters.windowsOsSku }} WINDOWS_VM_SKU=${{ parameters.vmSize }} WINDOWS_USERNAME=${WINDOWS_USERNAME} WINDOWS_PASSWORD=${WINDOWS_PASSWORD}
+
+            make -C ./hack/aks ${{ parameters.clusterType }} \
+            AZCLI=az REGION=${{ parameters.region }} SUB=$(SUB_AZURE_NETWORK_AGENT_BUILD_VALIDATIONS) \
+            CLUSTER=${{ parameters.clusterName }} \
+            VM_SIZE=${{ parameters.vmSize }} VM_SIZE_WIN=${{ parameters.vmSizeWin }} \
+            OS_SKU_WIN=${{ parameters.osSkuWin }} OS=${{parameters.os}} \
+            WINDOWS_USERNAME=${WINDOWS_USERNAME} WINDOWS_PASSWORD=${WINDOWS_PASSWORD}
+
             echo "Cluster successfully created"
         displayName: Cluster - ${{ parameters.clusterType }}
diff --git a/hack/aks/Makefile b/hack/aks/Makefile
index 4aae6f5783f..c8c12420c46 100644
--- a/hack/aks/Makefile
+++ b/hack/aks/Makefile
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ AZCLI   ?= docker run --rm -v $(AZCFG):/root/.azure -v $(KUBECFG):/root/.kube -v
 
 # overrideable defaults
 AUTOUPGRADE     ?= patch
-K8S_VER         ?= 1.27 # Used only for ubuntu 18 as K8S 1.24.9, as K8S > 1.25 have Ubuntu 22
+K8S_VER         ?= 1.27 # Designated for Long Term Support, July 2025 | Only Ubuntu 22.04 is supported
 NODE_COUNT      ?= 2
 NODEUPGRADE     ?= NodeImage
 OS_SKU          ?= Ubuntu
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ overlay-byocni-up: rg-up overlay-net-up ## Brings up an Overlay BYO CNI cluster
 	$(AZCLI) aks create -n $(CLUSTER) -g $(GROUP) -l $(REGION) \
 		--auto-upgrade-channel $(AUTOUPGRADE) \
 		--node-os-upgrade-channel $(NODEUPGRADE) \
+		--kubernetes-version $(K8S_VER) \
 		--node-count $(NODE_COUNT) \
 		--node-vm-size $(VM_SIZE) \
 		--load-balancer-sku basic \
@@ -107,6 +108,7 @@ overlay-cilium-up: rg-up overlay-net-up ## Brings up an Overlay Cilium cluster
 	$(AZCLI) aks create -n $(CLUSTER) -g $(GROUP) -l $(REGION) \
 		--auto-upgrade-channel $(AUTOUPGRADE) \
 		--node-os-upgrade-channel $(NODEUPGRADE) \
+		--kubernetes-version $(K8S_VER) \
 		--node-count $(NODE_COUNT) \
 		--node-vm-size $(VM_SIZE) \
 		--load-balancer-sku basic \
@@ -123,6 +125,7 @@ overlay-up: rg-up overlay-net-up ## Brings up an Overlay AzCNI cluster
 	$(AZCLI) aks create -n $(CLUSTER) -g $(GROUP) -l $(REGION) \
 		--auto-upgrade-channel $(AUTOUPGRADE) \
 		--node-os-upgrade-channel $(NODEUPGRADE) \
+		--kubernetes-version $(K8S_VER) \
 		--node-count $(NODE_COUNT) \
 		--node-vm-size $(VM_SIZE) \
 		--load-balancer-sku basic \
@@ -138,6 +141,7 @@ swift-byocni-up: rg-up swift-net-up ## Bring up a SWIFT BYO CNI cluster
 	$(AZCLI) aks create -n $(CLUSTER) -g $(GROUP) -l $(REGION) \
 		--auto-upgrade-channel $(AUTOUPGRADE) \
 		--node-os-upgrade-channel $(NODEUPGRADE) \
+		--kubernetes-version $(K8S_VER) \
 		--node-count $(NODE_COUNT) \
 		--node-vm-size $(VM_SIZE) \
 		--load-balancer-sku basic \
@@ -154,6 +158,7 @@ swift-cilium-up: rg-up swift-net-up ## Bring up a SWIFT Cilium cluster
 	$(AZCLI) aks create -n $(CLUSTER) -g $(GROUP) -l $(REGION) \
 		--auto-upgrade-channel $(AUTOUPGRADE) \
 		--node-os-upgrade-channel $(NODEUPGRADE) \
+		--kubernetes-version $(K8S_VER) \
 		--node-count $(NODE_COUNT) \
 		--node-vm-size $(VM_SIZE) \
 		--load-balancer-sku basic \
@@ -170,6 +175,7 @@ swift-up: rg-up swift-net-up ## Bring up a SWIFT AzCNI cluster
 	$(AZCLI) aks create -n $(CLUSTER) -g $(GROUP) -l $(REGION) \
 		--auto-upgrade-channel $(AUTOUPGRADE) \
 		--node-os-upgrade-channel $(NODEUPGRADE) \
+		--kubernetes-version $(K8S_VER) \
 		--node-count $(NODE_COUNT) \
 		--node-vm-size $(VM_SIZE) \
 		--load-balancer-sku basic \
@@ -184,6 +190,7 @@ cilium-overlay-up: rg-up overlay-net-up ## Brings up an Overlay BYO CNI cluster
 	$(AZCLI) aks create -n $(CLUSTER) -g $(GROUP) -l $(REGION) \
 		--auto-upgrade-channel $(AUTOUPGRADE) \
 		--node-os-upgrade-channel $(NODEUPGRADE) \
+		--kubernetes-version $(K8S_VER) \
 		--node-count $(NODE_COUNT) \
 		--node-vm-size $(VM_SIZE) \
 		--load-balancer-sku basic \
@@ -200,6 +207,7 @@ cilium-podsubnet-up: rg-up swift-net-up ## Bring up a SWIFT BYO CNI cluster with
 	$(AZCLI) aks create -n $(CLUSTER) -g $(GROUP) -l $(REGION) \
 		--auto-upgrade-channel $(AUTOUPGRADE) \
 		--node-os-upgrade-channel $(NODEUPGRADE) \
+		--kubernetes-version $(K8S_VER) \
 		--node-count $(NODE_COUNT) \
 		--node-vm-size $(VM_SIZE) \
 		--load-balancer-sku basic \
@@ -216,6 +224,7 @@ windows-cniv1-up: rg-up overlay-net-up ## Bring up a Windows CNIv1 cluster
 	$(AZCLI) aks create -n $(CLUSTER) -g $(GROUP) -l $(REGION) \
 		--auto-upgrade-channel $(AUTOUPGRADE) \
 		--node-os-upgrade-channel $(NODEUPGRADE) \
+		--kubernetes-version $(K8S_VER) \
 		--node-count $(NODE_COUNT) \
 		--node-vm-size $(VM_SIZE) \
 		--network-plugin azure \
@@ -239,6 +248,7 @@ linux-cniv1-up: rg-up overlay-net-up
 	$(AZCLI) aks create -n $(CLUSTER) -g $(GROUP) -l $(REGION) \
 		--auto-upgrade-channel $(AUTOUPGRADE) \
 		--node-os-upgrade-channel $(NODEUPGRADE) \
+		--kubernetes-version $(K8S_VER) \
 		--node-count $(NODE_COUNT) \
 		--node-vm-size $(VM_SIZE) \
 		--max-pods 250 \
@@ -247,7 +257,6 @@ linux-cniv1-up: rg-up overlay-net-up
 		--os-sku $(OS_SKU) \
 		--no-ssh-key \
 		--yes
-
 	@$(MAKE) set-kubeconf
 
 down: ## Delete the cluster
diff --git a/test/integration/manifests/cni/cni-installer-v1-windows.yaml b/test/integration/manifests/cni/cni-installer-v1-windows.yaml
index ca303efff19..07fde1c4140 100644
--- a/test/integration/manifests/cni/cni-installer-v1-windows.yaml
+++ b/test/integration/manifests/cni/cni-installer-v1-windows.yaml
@@ -65,6 +65,9 @@ spec:
             - azure-vnet-telemetry.config
             - -o
             - /k/azurecni/bin/azure-vnet-telemetry.config
+          env:
+          - name: PATHEXT
+            value: .COM;.EXE;.BAT;.CMD;.VBS;.VBE;.JS;.JSE;.WSF;.WSH;.MSC;.CPL;;
           volumeMounts:
             - name: cni-bin
               mountPath: /k/azurecni/bin/