Yesterday Vladimir Putin said that Russia sold arms worth $ 14.5 billion in 2015, and the order book reached a record value since 1992 - $ 56 billion. The main deliveries fell on such traditional partners of Russia as India and Iraq. According to Kommersant's information, in 2016, special attention will also be paid to Algeria, which is ready to buy Su-32 bombers and Antey-2500 air defense systems, as well as the implementation of already concluded contracts with Egypt and China.
The first meeting of the MTC commission in 2016 was held in Nizhny Novgorod, where Mr Putin had a whole program planned (see page 3). In his opening remarks, the President said: arms exports in 2015 amounted to $ 14.5 billion, which allowed Russia to maintain the second place in the world in terms of the volume of products supplied. "The capabilities of our equipment and weapons were demonstrated in a combat situation, in the course of fighting the terrorist threat," Vladimir Putin stressed. He added that the order book "for the first time since 1992" reached the $ 56 billion mark (due to new contracts signed in 2015, worth more than $ 26 billion). Arms and equipment were supplied to 58 countries of the world, but India, Iraq, Vietnam, China and Algeria were named among the main partners of Russia in the military-technical cooperation sphere.
According to Kommersant's sources in the military-technical cooperation sphere, it was these countries that generated the 2015 profit. For example, 12 sets were shipped to India for the assembly of Su-30MKI fighters, 23 Mi-17V-5 helicopters, a batch of Al-31FP and RD-33 aircraft engines, as well as the modernization of a diesel-electric submarine of the 877 Sindhukitri project, and six Ka- 31, and other types of weapons and military equipment (all together - at least $ 4 billion). Equipment was supplied to Iraq under 2013 contracts: Mi-35M, Mi-28NE and Mi-171SH helicopters, Pantsir-S1 anti-aircraft missile and cannon systems, TOS-1A heavy flamethrower systems, T-72B tanks (over $ 1 billion). Vietnam received two diesel-electric submarines of the 06361 Varshavyanka project, four Su-30MK2 fighters and weapons for them (totaling about $ 1 billion). Six Mi-26T2 helicopters, a batch of Pantsir-S1 air defense missile systems, T-90SA tanks were shipped to Algeria, and they also began to modernize their infantry fighting vehicles to the BMP-2M version (about $ 800 million). China this year limited itself to only a batch of Ka-32 helicopters and D-30KP2 aircraft engines. In addition, Egypt signed a large package of contracts with Russia (at least $ 5 billion), including the supply of MiG-29M fighters, Buk-M2E and Antey-2500 air defense systems, as well as 46 Ka-52 helicopters: this year agreements will continue to be implemented.
The agreements with the CIS countries mentioned by Vladimir Putin also played a role: for example, a batch of T-90S tanks, BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles, Mi-17V-1 helicopters was transferred to Azerbaijan, and a contract for the supply of 18 TOS-1A units (not less than $ 600 million). From the CSTO countries, commercial supplies went only to Belarus (its Air Force received four Yak-130 combat training aircraft) and Kazakhstan (four Su-30SM fighters), but only their very fact is called "a great success" by Kommersant's interlocutors. small - about $ 500 million - but still "real money, not gratuitous supplies."
Free Russian equipment from the presence of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation was supplied to Belarus (four divisions of S-300PS anti-aircraft missile systems), Kazakhstan (five divisions of such systems) and Kyrgyzstan (ten armored personnel carriers BTR-70M).
According to Kommersant's sources, last year Rosoboronexport faced not only tough competition in the market and increased demands from customers, but also a drop in income from traditional buyers - primarily due to cheaper oil. Nevertheless, this did not prevent Algeria from concluding a contract for the purchase of about 40 Mi-28NE helicopters, sending an application to Moscow for the purchase of a squadron of front-line Su-32 bombers, and also testing the flight and technical characteristics of the Su-35 fighter at its training ground. In addition, according to Kommersant's information, negotiations are underway to purchase several Antey-2500 divisions.
Kommersant's interlocutors pin great hopes in 2016 with China and India. For two years in a row, Beijing became a launch customer for Russian novelties: in September 2014, it was the first to buy four divisions of S-400 Triumph anti-aircraft missile systems ($ 1.9 billion), and in November 2015, it was the first to sign a contract for 24 Su-35 fighters. (about $ 2 billion). In particular, negotiations are underway with Delhi on the purchase of two Project 636 submarines and, as Vladimir Drozhzhov, Deputy Director of the Federal MTC Service, admitted yesterday, on leasing a second nuclear submarine from the Russian Federation (Kommersant wrote about this on March 24). Negotiations with Saudi Arabia have intensified: Riyadh is showing interest in S-400 systems and Iskander-E operational-tactical missile systems. Kommersant's sources do not harbor illusions, predicting "difficult negotiations with an unclear outcome."
The lifting of the embargo on the supply of the S-300 complex to Iran and the signing of the corresponding contract in 2015 helped stabilize relations between the two countries, but Tehran's desire to receive weapons on credit and sanctions from the UN Security Council hinder the conclusion of transactions.
According to Kommersant's information, yesterday's meeting was not without criticism. In particular, Vladimir Putin drew attention to the 2011 contract for the purchase of two Mistral helicopter carriers from France, which was drawn up on conditions extremely unfavorable for Russia (the French could terminate the contract on the basis of a government decision, and according to the court, Moscow would receive no more than 20% of the billion contract). The second question concerned technical problems with the implementation of contracts - in particular, for the supply of BTR-82A to Azerbaijan (see Kommersant on March 3).
