majalah militer

February 16, 2009, Moscow -- Russian state-controlled arms exporter Rosoboronexport has a foreign orders portfolio of $20 billion, company official Nikolai Dimidyuk said on Monday.

Russia exports weapons to over 80 countries. Among the key buyers of Russian-made weaponry are China, India, Algeria, Venezuela, Iran, Malaysia and Serbia.

Dimidyuk, Rosoboronexport's special programs director, said the majority of the current orders were from India and China, while the amount of orders from Arab states was insignificant.

He added however that the company had recently concluded an arms contract with an Arab country. He also said that a contract for the delivery of spare parts had been agreed on with a European state, although he declined to name the countries concerned.

"We have recently signed a contract on the delivery of BMP-3M [infantry fighting vehicles] with an Arab country and a contract on the supply of spare weapons parts to a European country," the official said.

Russia exported $8 billion worth of armaments and military hardware in 2008 and is planning to increase arms exports by 6% to $8.5 billion in 2009.

The most popular types of weaponry bought from Russia are Sukhoi and MiG fighters, warships, air defense systems, helicopters, battle tanks, armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles.

Russia also maintains traditionally strong positions in the sales of small arms, and anti-tank and surface-to-air missile systems.

Dimidyuk said Russia would extensively promote Russian-made weaponry at the Idex 2009 show in Abu Dhabi, the capital of United Arab Emirates, on February 22-26.

"We will conduct aggressive marketing policies at the upcoming arms show in Abu Dhabi, and display a large amount of weaponry for ground forces, air defense, navy and air forces," the official said. (RIA Novosti)