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Rosoboronexport State Corporation at Africa Aerospace and Defence 2006 |
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(Source: Rosoboronexport State Corporation; issued Sept. 19, 2006)
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On September 20-24, 2006, the «Africa Aerospace and Defence’2006” (AAD) international conference and exhibition of armaments and military equipment will be held for all fighting services at the “Ysterplaat” Air Force base situated at the famous Table Mountain near the city of Cape Town (Republic of South Africa).
The South-African Association of Space, Navy and Defense Branches of Industry (AMD), the Armaments Corporation (development and manufacture of armaments) of South Africa (АRMSCOR), the Civil Aviation Association of South Africa (CAASA) and the South African Air Force (SAAF) are among the organizers of this exhibition of land force, navy and aerospace armaments and equipment, the largest and exclusive on the African continent.
Russia will take part in the exhibition for the fourth time. Rosoboronexport is a traditional organizer of the common exposition where a wide range of products of nine companies of the defence and industrial complex will be demonstrated. The Head of the Russian delegation – Alexander Fomin, Deputy Director of the RF Federal Service on military and technical cooperation, the Head of the Rosoboronexport delegation – Nikolai Dimidiuk, Director Special Projects.
Rosoboronexport places vital emphasis in its marketing strategy upon expansion of geography, nomenclature and volumes of deliveries of the Russian armaments and military equipment (AME) (military products) to the regional markets, including the African one.
Positive changes in the military and technical cooperation (MTC) of Russia with the African states have become evident of late. Cooperation of Rosoboronexport with traditional importers of the Russian arms such as Algeria, Libya, Angola, Ethiopia and Uganda has noticeably enhanced. Note steady development of the relationships with Morocco, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Mozambique and Burkina Faso.
Rosoboronexport offers its African partners the competitive projects both for delivery of the new up-to-date armaments and for restoration, overhaul and updating of the Russian armaments and military equipment being in service with a number of African countries. These are first the air and armored material, missile/gun armament and air defence weapons and equipment.
Rosoboronexport promotes highly effective armaments and military equipment to the African market. These include the multi-role fighters of types Su-30МК, MiG-29, Su-27SКМ; helicopters of types Мi-17, Мi-35, Мi-26, Ка-31, Ка-28, Ка-226, К-50; military transport aircraft of type Il-76МF/МD, Аn-38, combat trainer Yak-130; armored materiel, including Т-90S, BTR-80А, BMP-3, GAZ-35371-221 truck; anti-tank missile systems of type Metis-М” and Konkurs-М”, “Krasnopol” type guided weapons systems, self-propelled howitzers of type “Msta-S”, “Grad” and “Smerch” multiple rocket systems, automatic gun fire control systems; different types of small arms and ammunition, including the rocket assault grenades of type RSHG-1/2; antiaircraft missile systems such as S-300PМU1/2, Buk-М1-2, Buk-М2, “Kvadrat”, Osa”, S-125 “Pechora”, “Igla” man-portable surface-to-air missile system, AA launchers such as ZU-23М, ZU-23-М1, ZU-23-2М1, radar systems such as P-18, P-19, Nebo-SVU, Kasta-2Е2, Podsolnukh-E; frigates, patrol boats, coastal zone surveillance equipment, including the integrated systems; means of instruction for different types and kinds of armament and equipment.
Rosoboronexport offers different variants of repair and updating of the Russian armaments and military equipment, in particular including:
- Мi-8Т, Мi-24 and Мi-35 helicopters and МiG-23, МiG-27, МiG-29 and Su-24 aircraft;
- Т-72, Т-55 and Т-62 tanks, BTR-60 armored personnel carriers, BRDM-2 reconnaissance vehicles, BMP-2 infantry combat vehicles, “Akatsiya” and “Gvozdika” type self-propelled gun mounts, “Grad” and “Smerch” multiple rocket systems, RPG-7 hand-held grenade launchers and the “Mashina” type automated control systems;
- S-125 “Pechora” antiaircraft missile system, S-60 type antiaircraft launchers (RVV-AE missile launcher in the AA version), ZU-23 AA launchers, and radar system of types P-12 and P-18;
- ships of projects 1234E, 1159Т and submarines of project 877EКМ.
One of the most cost-effective projects for the countries of Africa may be, by the experts’ estimate, the integrated surveillance system offered by Rosoboronexport, which is adaptable to the specific conditions of each country. The system can provide surveillance of the sea area, control and defence of military and economic facilities on the shelf and along the coasts. It is rather flexible as to its equipment, area of employment and missions.
Rosoboronexport may offer various means of practical influence upon an intruder such as patrol boats, helicopters and shore-based firing systems to enhance effects of the surveillance equipment (radar, TV and optical). The system performance becomes outstanding when included into composition of the Russian innovation – the surface-wave over-the-horizon radar system, which provides surveillance even beyond the exclusive economic zone. According to the estimates of the military institutes of Russia, the integrated surveillance system improves effectiveness of the controlled forces and means by 1.7 to 3 times, depending on the specific nature of the mission they perform.
Rosoboronexport is also ready jointly with the Russian developers and, if necessary, in cooperation with the companies of the Republic of South Africa and other countries to perform all bids within the shortest possible time to extend the service life of the previously delivered armaments and military equipment of the Soviet and Russian make, including the aircraft and helicopters.
There is a great market potential and demand for updating the Russian helicopters, over 700 of which were delivered to the African continent (including about 150 attack helicopters of the Мi-24/25/35 type). The updating programs offered by Rosoboronexport foresee fitting of the helicopters with the latest armaments, avionics and protection equipment. There are some variants of updating the equipment directly in the country of the customer and with its participation (if the corresponding technical base is available). Rosoboronexport is ready to consider the projects for construction of the regional repair and maintenance centers for the Russian armaments and military equipment.
The Russian armaments and military equipment delivered by Rosoboronexport (especially helicopters, small arms, armored personnel carriers) show high performance and reliability under adverse weather conditions of Africa in peacemaking operations on the African continent by the international organizations and first of all by the United Nations. The Russian peacemakers take part practically in all UN peacekeeping operations on the African continent.
In particular, the Russian military subunit incorporating 115 military men and the air group of four Мi-24 combat helicopters with standard armament, ammunition and military materiel have participated in the UN peacemaking mission in Sierra Leone since August 2000. Its mission was to provide safety for the UN personnel and included the air escorting of the ground convoys, search-and-rescue flights, support of the airmobile operations of the UN Mission’s military contingent and patrol and surveillance flights. The UN management highly appreciated the work of the Russian air group, especially underlining the effectiveness and reliability of the Russian combat materiel. Owning to the combat power of the attack helicopters and high skill of the personnel, the Russian air group has become one of the main guarantors of stability and security in that country.
There is another example of successful employment for several years of the “Ural 4320-31” trucks by the subunits of the Uruguay’s armed forces within the frameworks of the UN peacemaking mission in the Republic of Congo (delivered to Congo by Rosoboronexport). The “KAMAZ” heavy trucks were successful more than once in the “Paris- Dakar” rally. Several modifications of this truck now undergo tests in Kenya. The trucks spur great interest among the force departments of the Republic of South Africa, Morocco and Congo and a number of other countries.
Rosoboronexport always endeavors to render assistance to its partners in minimizing their military expenses, appreciating the criterion of effectiveness/cost in its recommendations for the Russian armaments and military equipment, without ceasing a search for the new ways of optimization of the military and technical cooperation.
Rosoboronexport is ready to resort to the alternative and flexible schemes of mutual settlements. These include, for example, settlements by the African export traditional goods (counter deliveries) – diamonds, timber, cotton, palm oil, coffee, etc; quotas for development of the resources and seafood; establishment of joint ventures in the sphere of fishery, minerals and oil industries and territory mine clearing.
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