September 2017 turned out to be rich in news regarding the export of Russian arms. In particular, it was in September that details of the deal for the supply of S-400 Triumph air defense systems to Turkey appeared, as well as information about a very large contract for the supply of BMPT-72 Terminator-2 to Algeria. In addition, Algeria may have become the second export customer of the Iskander-E tactical missile system. Traditionally, there have been news about the Russian military aviation. For example, Kazakhstan buys 12 more Su-30SM fighters from Russia.
Details of the contract with Turkey for the supply of S-400 "Triumph"
The contract for the supply to Turkey of the S-400 Triumph anti-aircraft missile system, of course, can be attributed to one of the most important contracts of 2017. For a long time, Russian experts doubted that this deal could actually take place, but the contract between Moscow and Ankara was indeed signed, becoming one of the largest, especially in Russian-Turkish defense relations.
The Turkish newspaper Hurriyet reported about the signing of a contract for the supply of S-400s by Russia and Turkey in mid-September. “Our friends have already signed an agreement on the supply of S-400, as far as I know, the first installment has also been transferred,” the Turkish edition quotes the words of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. - The process will continue with the transfer of a loan to us from the Russian Federation. Both me and Vladimir Putin are determined on this issue. The signing of the agreement between Russia and Turkey was confirmed by TASS and Vladimir Kozhin, who is the presidential aide for military-technical cooperation (MTC). According to the Kommersant newspaper, the Federal MTC Service confirmed to the publication that the Russian Federation is ready to implement this contract. At the same time, Rosoboronexport refrained from commenting on this.
According to Kommersant, the agreement between the countries provides for the transfer of the S-400 Triumph anti-aircraft missile system (SAM) to Ankara in the amount of 4 divisions worth more than two billion dollars. So far, the issue of providing the Turkish side with a loan, as well as a transfer of technologies has not been finally resolved, additional negotiations will be held on these issues. If they are successfully completed, Turkey will become the third country in the world after Russia and China to receive the S-400 complex, and the first NATO country to sign such a major arms supply contract with Russia.
The contract is very important, as this is the first such transaction between the countries since 2008, when Ankara bought 80 Kornet-E ATGMs in Russia. The next deal could have taken place in 2013, when Turkey announced a tender for the supply of modern air defense systems totaling $ 4 billion. The tender was won by the Chinese state corporation CPMIEC, it not only reduced the cost of the contract for its HQ-9 complex to 3.44 billion dollars, but also agreed to transfer technology to Ankara. However, a firm contract was never signed. Then Moscow explained its failure with the Antey-2500 air defense system for political reasons.
Military-diplomatic sources of Kommersant journalists admit that the signing of the contract for the supply of S-400 to Turkey is a consequence of political agreements reached at the highest level - between the presidents of the two countries. In March and May 2017, this issue was one of the key issues during personal meetings between Putin and Erdogan. This, most likely, made it possible to conclude the contract in record time - less than a year. For comparison, a firm contract with China for the supply of 4 S-400 divisions was signed after three years of difficult negotiations, the amount of this deal is estimated at $ 1.9 billion. The Federal MTC Service did not disclose the details of the deal between Moscow and Ankara, citing the sensitivity of this topic, while emphasizing that the supply of S-400 to Turkey meets the geopolitical interests of Russia. It is worth noting that this contract has become not only the largest in relations between Russia and Turkey, but also between Russia and a NATO member state.
Algeria may have become the second foreign buyer of Iskander-E OTRK
Algeria may have acquired four Iskander-E operational-tactical missile systems from Russia, thus becoming the second foreign recipient of this system after Armenia. On September 12, a specialized military blog bmpd wrote about this, which is maintained by specialists from the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies (CAST), citing their own Algerian sources.
The launch of an Iskander-M cruise missile during the active phase of the Zapad-2017 exercise, photo: ministry of defense.rf
Iskander-E is an export version of the Russian operational-tactical complex with an underestimated firing range of up to 280 kilometers; the Russian Iskander-M has a declared firing range of 500 kilometers. OTRK "Iskander" was adopted by the Russian army in 2006, currently the troops have about 120 launchers of this complex, consisting of 10 missile brigades, the supply of the complex to the troops continues. The main purpose of the Iskander OTRK is to defeat both small-sized and area targets in the depths of the operational formation of the enemy troops by combat units in conventional equipment. It can be effectively used to destroy enemy missile defense and air defense systems, defeat important objects (airfields, warehouses, storage bases, military units) covered by them, as well as command posts and communication centers, concentrations of troops and equipment, including on the march.
It is curious that in June 2016 Sergei Chemezov, who is the head of the state corporation Rostec, told reporters that the export of Iskander OTRK from Russia was prohibited and this complex would not be sold to foreign customers, despite the increased interest in it., for example, from the military from Saudi Arabia. A few months after that, on September 16, 2016, at the parade in honor of the 25th anniversary of Armenia's independence, the combat vehicles of the Iskander-E operational-tactical missile system were first demonstrated in Yerevan. Thus, the Armenian army became the first foreign customer and operator of these complexes. Presumably, the contract for their supply to Armenia was signed in 2014.
Algeria purchased 300 BMPT-72 Terminator-2 combat vehicles
According to the Algerian Internet resource "Menadefense", data on the BMPT-72 tests in Algeria appeared back in 2013. Even then, the Algerian military was very interested in the Russian novelty. They need this combat vehicle to enhance the power of their armored units. Later, the Russian resource "Pravda.ru" announced the existence of a contract between Russia and Algeria for the supply of BMPT-72. According to the newspaper's journalists, this contract was signed last year.
As Algerian journalists write in the article "Le BMPT-72 en Algérie début 2018", deliveries of combat vehicles from Russia will begin in the first quarter of 2018, they will continue at least until the end of 2019. The modification prepared for Algeria by Uralvagonzavod will be maximally unified with the T-90SA main battle tank, which is already being supplied to Algeria. The article also says that the contract was not signed in 2013, because Algeria was waiting for the appearance of a more advanced version of the BMPT - "Terminator-2", this combat vehicle had a reduced weight, and the number of crew members was reduced from four to three people …
BMPT-72 "Terminator-2", photo: uvz.ru
The total number of BMPT-72s ordered by Algeria exceeds 300 units. Their main task in the Algerian army will be to escort T-90SA tanks as part of armored divisions and ensure their protection on the battlefield. At the moment, the Algerian military is using a combination of the Shilka ZSU and Land Rover all-terrain vehicles equipped with the Russian Kornet-E anti-tank systems to protect their tanks.
Terminator-2 is a fire support combat vehicle created by Uralvagonzavod specialists. This vehicle is able to effectively fight against infantry fighting vehicles and enemy tanks, as well as other armored objects, to hit enemy firing points, as well as infantry using grenade launchers and anti-tank systems against advancing tanks. The main armament of the Terminator-2 is a twin 30-mm automatic cannon 2A42 and 4 launchers for guided missiles. The armament complex is remotely controlled, it was removed from the manned compartment and is located in a special armored superstructure.
Kazakhstan purchased 12 more Su-30SM fighters from Russia
On September 12, the TASS agency reported that Russia and Kazakhstan had signed a contract for the supply of 12 Su-30SM fighters. Vladimir Kozhin, aide to the President of Russia for military-technical cooperation, told reporters about this. “This framework contract was signed within the framework of the Army-2017 International Military-Technical Forum. The terms of the contract presuppose its phased implementation within three years from the moment of the first delivery of the fighters,”Kozhin said. According to the official, the agreement will be implemented within the framework of the current agreement on military-technical cooperation between Moscow and Astana, which was signed in 2013 and involves direct interaction between the Russian corporation Irkut and the Kazakh state-owned enterprise Kazspetsexport.
Su-30SM at a military base in Taldykorgan, photo: voxpopuli.kz
It is worth noting that the cost of one Su-30SM aircraft for the Russian Air Force is estimated at about $ 50 million. Earlier, the vice-president of the Irkut corporation for state defense order and flight work in an interview with the Kazakh edition of Voxpopuli noted that within the framework of the CSTO, Russian weapons and military equipment are sold at prices that are valid for the armed forces of the Russian Federation. He also noted that in terms of their technical equipment, the fighters purchased by Kazakhstan fully correspond to those that are currently used in the Russian Air Force.
As the specialized blog bmpd notes, a framework agreement was concluded between Russia and Kazakhstan for the purchase of additional 12 multipurpose two-seat Su-30SM fighters. Within the framework of this agreement, specific contracts will be concluded by Kazakhstan, as it did before, for a batch of 4 fighters annually. It should be noted that Kazakhstan, under two contracts with Russia, has already ordered a total of 11 Su-30SM aircraft manufactured by the Irkutsk Aviation Plant PJSC Irkut Corporation. Earlier, there was information that the Kazakh military are going to purchase a total of 36 multipurpose Su-30SM fighters by 2020.
Sri Lanka is negotiating the purchase of 6 Su-30K fighters
According to the Internet publication Sri Lanka Guardian, the government of Sri Lanka is currently negotiating with JSC Rosoboronexport on the purchase of 6 remaining Su-30K fighters (former Indian machines), which are located at the storage base of JSC 558th Aviation repair plant in Baranovichi (Belarus), as well as a number of other types of Russian military equipment. Sri Lanka is going to make purchases on account of Russian loans.
According to the Internet publication, the Sri Lankan Air Force is going to buy the 6 remaining fighters in Baranovichi, after 12 other Su-30K aircraft were purchased by Angola under a 2013 contract. The first two fighters under this contract were recently handed over to the African side after being repaired at the 558th Aviation Repair Plant.
It is reported that negotiations on the purchase of the six Su-30K fighters remaining in Baranovichi took place here in early November 2016. They were attended on the one hand by high-ranking officers of the Sri Lankan Air Force, as well as by Czechoslovak Export Ltd and Lanka Logistics and Technologies Limited, on the other hand, by representatives of JSC Rosoboronexport, JSC 558th Aviation Repair Plant and PJSC Corporation Irkut. As a result of the negotiations held in Baranovichi, the parties signed a joint protocol.
The acquisition of these six Su-30K fighters became part of a package of contracts for the acquisition of various weapons between Rosoboronexport and Sri Lanka, which is expected to be concluded. The purchases will be made against two credit lines provided by Russia. The first of them, worth about $ 300 million, was offered by Moscow to Sri Lanka back in 2010 and has not been used since then. Russia offered another credit line to Sri Lanka during the visit of President Maitripala Sirisena to Moscow in March 2017, the cost of this credit line is about $ 400 million.
According to the Sri Lanka Guardian website, out of about $ 700 million in total loans issued by Moscow, $ 146 million should go to pay for a contract signed back in 2013 for the supply of 14 Mi-171 helicopters to Sri Lanka (including two machines in VVIP configuration). The remaining amount is to be spent on financing three other purchases from Rosoboronexport - the already designated six multipurpose Su-30K fighters, 33 BTR-82A armored personnel carriers to equip the Sri Lankan battalion of the UN peacekeeping contingent in Mali and one patrol ship of the Gepard 5.1 project.
India has made significant progress on the issue of leasing the second nuclear submarine of project 971
According to the Indian Internet resource theprint.in, Delhi is in an active stage of negotiations with Moscow on the lease of the second Russian nuclear submarine of Project 971 for the Indian fleet. It is reported that negotiations are actively progressing. An agreement between the countries on this issue was signed in October last year. This happened during the visit of the Russian President to Goa, where the next BRICS summit was held. The cost of the agreement is estimated at $ 2.5 billion, and the term for its implementation will be 78 months. The cost, apparently, included the repair and re-equipment of the submarine in the interests of Indian sailors.
It is reported that during this period, the Project 971 nuclear submarine from the Russian fleet will undergo repair and re-equipment in Severodvinsk at the head enterprise Zvezdochka Ship Repair Center JSC, after which it will be leased to the Indian Navy for a period of 10 years. According to theprint.in, a group of Indian specialists have already visited a Russian enterprise in Severodvinsk, where they took one of the two Project 971 nuclear submarines located there. According to the Indian resource, this is one of the two submarines of the Pacific Fleet that were delivered to Severodvinsk for repairs back in 2014 - K-295 "Samara" and K-391 "Bratsk".
The first nuclear submarine of Project 971U "Schuka-B" was leased to the Indian Navy on January 23, 2012. The submarine is leased for 10 years. At the same time, the total cost of the contract then concluded was $ 900 million. In the Indian Navy, the Russian submarine K-152 "Nerpa" was named INS "Chakra".
