The main export news last December was a large contract for the supply of Russian arms to Serbia, the details of which became known in the second half of the month. Earlier it was known that the basis of the contract will be 6 multipurpose MiG-29 fighters, transferred from the Russian Aerospace Forces.
The largest Russian-Serbian arms contract
According to the bmpd blog, citing Svetozar Jokanovic, a well-known Serbian aviation expert, as a result of negotiations held in Moscow, in which Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandr Vucic and the Russian leadership took part, in 2017 the Serbian armed forces will receive six MiG-29 fighters., 30 main battle tanks T-72S and 30 BRDM-2, as well as other military equipment. During 2017, new contracts are expected to be signed between the two countries - as part of the second stage of the modernization of the Serbian armed forces. Within the framework of additional contracts, it is planned to purchase in Russia the Buk-M2 air defense missile system, three-coordinate radar stations, the Tunguska air defense missile system and 4 combat helicopters. The delivery of these weapons is scheduled for 2018.
According to Vucic, the agreements reached will significantly improve the capabilities of the Serbian army. According to him, 30 T-72S tanks and 30 BRDM-2 combat reconnaissance vehicles were received from Russia as a gift. The most important part of the agreement signed between the countries was 6 multipurpose MiG-29 fighters, which are transferred from the presence of the Russian Aerospace Forces, they were previously operated at the Millerovo airbase (31st Fighter Aviation Regiment), and are currently located at the Kubinka airfield. The planes are also donated to Serbia, but the Serbian side will pay for their modernization.
MiG-29UB of the Air Force and Air Defense Forces of Serbia
All four single-seat fighters and two twin fighters are currently in flight condition, but the Serbian side will pay the Russian aircraft repair factories for all costs associated with bringing the aircraft to export appearance, extending the service life, repairing and modernizing all six fighters, as well as four remaining with the Serbs MiG-29. The package agreement also includes the supply of a large number of spare parts, weapons and additional equipment sufficient for the operation of MiG-29 fighters for 3-5 years. This decision is in sharp contrast to the current practice of the Serbian Ministry of Defense to buy components for “here and now” operation.
As a result of the agreement concluded in 2017, Serbia, after a long break, will be able to have in its air force 7 operational single-seat multifunctional MiG-29 fighters and three MiG-29UB combat training aircraft, which will allow organizing a normal pilot training process, which in at present, it is almost impossible due to the presence of only two serviceable MiG-29Bs, one MiG-29UB and one morally and physically obsolete MiG-21UM in the country's air force, which are mainly used for patrolling the airspace. The modernization of the aircraft will cost the Serbian side 180-230 million euros. The modernization will include the installation of a new radar on the fighter and the possibility of using medium-range air-to-air missiles - RVV-AE.
“If we expected to purchase fighters equipped with the missiles we want, then their price would be about 600 million euros,” the TASS agency quotes the words of the Prime Minister of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic, which he said on December 21, 2016 after a meeting with the Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
Kazakhstan received from Russia two Su-30SM fighters and 4 Mi-35M helicopters
The Air Defense Forces of Kazakhstan received another batch of two-seat multifunctional Su-30SM fighters, Lenta.ru reports. The volume of the batch of fighters transferred in December was not disclosed, but according to the information from the spotter sites, we can talk about two fighters (side numbers "05" and "06" are red), which were produced in the fall of 2016 at the Irkutsk Aviation Plant. The first four Su-30SM fighters were ordered by Kazakhstan back in 2014 and received in April 2015. The volume of the signed contract was then about 5 billion rubles. The new fighters were transferred to the 604th Aviation Base of the Kazakhstan Air Defense Forces, located in Taldy-Kurgan.
Photo: mod.gov.kz (Ministry of Defense of Kazakhstan)
In December 2015, Vedomosti announced a new contract for the supply of Su-30SM fighters. The publication reported that the delivery of another 7 aircraft to Kazakhstan for a total of about 10 billion rubles is being prepared. In total, as reported to the newspaper by military sources in Kazakhstan, it is planned to purchase up to 24 fighters of this type in Russia.
The multifunctional super-maneuverable two-seat fighter Su-30SM, which is produced at the Irkutsk Aviation Plant of the Irkut corporation, was developed on the basis of the export Su-30MKI fighter, created specifically for India (since 1999, more than 200 fighters of this type have been delivered to the customer, 272 aircraft have been ordered) …
According to the available spotter photographs, the Air Defense Forces of Kazakhstan in December 2016 also received all 4 Mi-35M combat helicopters ordered in Russia. It's time to mention spotters as well. The word comes from the English "spot" - to recognize, to see. Probably, each of you saw during reports from airports or military bases people who stand along the fences with cameras with powerful optics. These are spotters - people who are fond of photographing aviation equipment. Someone collects stamps, and someone photographs planes, each has its own hobby. The goal of any spotter is to catch an airplane or a helicopter in the lens of his camera and make a clear, beautiful frame.
Photo: Alma-Ata, 12.12.2016 (c) Maxim Morozov / russianplanes.net
The fact that in 2016 Kazakhstan expects to receive 4 combat helicopters Mi-35M, earlier in an interview with TASS said the Deputy Minister of Defense of the country Okas Saparov. On June 1, 2016, Alexander Shcherbinin, who holds the post of deputy head of the Russian Helicopters holding, announced the start of deliveries of Mi-35M helicopters to Kazakhstan at the end of the year. The fact that Kazakhstan is showing interest in this combat vehicle has been known since the summer of 2015. All Mi-35M helicopters received in December 2016 were transferred to Kazakhstan under a 2015 contract, while in September 2016 Okas Saparov said that Kazakhstan expects to conclude another contract for the supply of 4 combat helicopters by the end of the year.
The Mi-35M combat helicopter is a deep modernization of the Mi-24VM multipurpose attack helicopter, the legendary "crocodile", developed by the Moscow Helicopter Plant and serially produced at the Rosvertol plant since 2005. The updated attack helicopter features a number of design changes, including a shortened wing, a new X-shaped tail rotor instead of a three-bladed, and a fixed landing gear. The helicopter received a new sighting and navigation system, which includes television and thermal imaging channels, a direction finder and a laser rangefinder, as well as an electronic display system with multifunctional color displays in the cockpits. The helicopter, which is the direct heir to the Mi-24, is well exported. Combat helicopters Mi-35M were delivered to Azerbaijan, Brazil, Venezuela, Iraq.
Algeria received 8 Su-30MKI (A) fighters and a batch of T-90SA tanks
Eight Su-30MKI (A) fighters built by the Irkutsk Aviation Plant PJSC Irkut Corporation were transferred to Algeria by the end of 2016. They were delivered to North Africa in pairs by four flights of An-124-100 Ruslan transport aircraft, Rossiyskaya Gazeta reports. The letter "A" in the aircraft name indicates that this version has been specially adapted for Algeria. The advantage of the two-seat Su-30 fighters is that they have a so-called open platform, which allows adapting it to the requirements of customers from different countries without reducing the combat qualities of the aircraft.
According to the military blog bmpd, the third contract for the supply to Algeria of multifunctional two-seat fighters Su-30MKI (A) was signed by Rosoboronexport in April 2015. The contract provides for the supply of 14 fighters to the country in 2016-2017. Thus, the first 8 combat vehicles under this contract were delivered to Algeria literally on the eve of the New Year. The six remaining fighters of the African air force will receive in 2017.
Su-30MKI (A) and Il-78 tanker of the Algerian Air Force
Earlier, under two contracts with Russia, Algeria has already received 44 Su-30MKI (A) fighters. 28 aircraft were delivered under a 2006 contract, the transaction amount was $ 1.5 billion (the aircraft were delivered in 2007-2009), another 16 aircraft were delivered under a 2009 contract for about $ 0.9 billion. So Algeria realized the option under the 2006 contract (the aircraft were delivered to the country in 2011-2012). Taking into account the last December delivery, the Algerian Air Force already has 52 multifunctional Su-30MKI (A) fighters.
In mid-December 2016, Algerian sources, citing messages on local social networks, noted that on December 14, another batch of Russian-made T-90SA main battle tanks arrived at the Algerian port of Oran. The tanks are being delivered to the country under the third contract with Russia. The contract was signed with Rosoboronexport back in 2014. The new batch of military equipment was delivered to Oran by the transport vessel Ocean Dream of the ro-ro type (roll-on / roll-off special ships for transporting goods on a wheeled or tracked base). The vessel arrived in Oran from the Russian port of Ust-Luga on the Baltic Sea, from where it left on November 30, 2016.
Unloading T-90SA tanks in the Algerian port of Oran, 2015, facebook.com
According to the bmpd blog, in 2014 Rosoboronexport signed a contract with Algeria for the supply of approximately 200 T-90SA main battle tanks. According to earlier reports, most of the tanks under this contract were to be assembled in Algeria from Russian vehicle kits at a local tank repair plant, but these data have not been confirmed. According to available information, all tanks are supplied to Algeria in complete sets directly from JSC "Scientific and Production Corporation" Uralvagonzavod ". Completion of deliveries under this contract is expected in 2017.
According to Algerian sources, the first batches of tanks under this contract were delivered to the country in November and December 2015. The delivery of the second batch of 67 T-90SA tanks was made in July 2016. Earlier, Algeria received a total of 308 T-90SA tanks produced at Uralvagonzavod under two contracts from 2006 and 2011. Today, T-90S tanks (export version) are the best-selling MBTs in the world. In addition to India and Algeria, the major operators of these tanks are Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Uganda.
China received the first Su-35 fighters
At the end of December 2016, the Chinese newspaper People's Daily reported that the first batch of 4 Russian-made Su-35 multipurpose fighters arrived in China on December 25. In November 2015, Russia and China signed a contract for the supply of 24 Su-35 multipurpose fighters. The cost of the agreement concluded between the countries is estimated at no less than $ 2 billion; the contract also provides for the supply of backup engines and ground equipment. Earlier, sources in the aircraft industry noted that this contract will be fully implemented within 3 years, TASS reports.
The Su-35 is a Russian multipurpose super-maneuverable fighter that belongs to the 4 ++ generation. The vehicle is equipped with an onboard radar station with a passive phased antenna array, as well as new AL-41F1S engines with a fully controlled thrust vector. As a deep modernization of the Su-27 aircraft, the new fighter received a largely new and strengthened airframe. Unlike the "old" Su-27M, the aircraft does not have a front horizontal tail and a brake flap. When landing, the pilot slows down by deflecting the rudders in different directions.
Russian fighter Su-35 at an air show in China
According to the electronic version of the newspaper "People's Daily", in the future, China will be able to completely abandon the acquisition of multi-role fighters abroad. This will happen in the case of the adoption of the fifth-generation multi-role fighter of its own design, the J-20. The Chinese publication notes that with the commissioning of the J-20 fighter, whose successful debut took place in November 2016 at the Zhuhai air show, the value of foreign-made fighters, including the Russian Su-35, for the Chinese market will decrease. Thus, the Russian Su-35 could become the last foreign fighter that Beijing acquired abroad.
Uruguay received three more armored vehicles "Tiger"
As Alfredo Clavillo, who holds the post of director of the National Republican Guard of Uruguay (the structure was formed in 2010 and is part of the country's Ministry of Internal Affairs, actually being a special forces of the national police), said in an interview published on December 20, 2016 with the Russian news agency "Sputnik" the department received three Russian armored vehicles "Tiger" in addition to the three already available vehicles, which were delivered in September 2011. Then the price of the contract with Rosoboronexport amounted to 840 thousand dollars. The order of three new armored vehicles was carried out in 2016 based on the results of the positive operating experience of previously acquired armored vehicles.
Montevideo, 16.12.2016 (c) Marcelo Soba / mundo.sputniknews.com
The new Tigers received from Russia were presented to the public for the first time in a ceremony held on December 16. It was held in the capital of Uruguay, Montevideo and was timed to coincide with the 187th anniversary of the establishment of the Uruguayan National Police. Judging by the published photographs, the National Republican Guard of Uruguay purchased special armored vehicles SBM VPK-233136 (five-door), which are produced by the Military Industrial Company LLC. In 2011, Uruguay purchased three three-door armored vehicles made by GAZ-233036 SPM-2.
