Military and technical cooperation
Alexander Fomin: “Russia remains one of the world’s top defense products suppliers”
At a recent meeting held in Sochi between Russian
President Vladimir Putin and Kuwaiti Emir Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah it has been
emphasized that mutual goods exchange between the two countries is growing;
besides, a considerable share in export prospects is made of Russian defense
products well-known in the region, which have shown themselves to advantage also
in military conflicts. Monitoring and supervision over military and technical
cooperation between the Russian Federation and other countries is performed by
Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC of Russia).
Military and technical cooperation between Russia and Asian states is on the
rise now. I should say that Persian Gulf nations account for considerable part
of Russian defense products delivery. This number may quite possibly rise
significantly. Besides, seeing the growing interest toward aviation and air
defense equipment, we hope for stepping up of cooperation in this regard.
Russian planes and helicopters have proven themselves highly efficient during
large-scale counter-terrorism operations worldwide. Their air superiority and
anti-ground high-precision strikes capabilities are also well known to our
partners in Arab states. Among others, in this region large export potential
belongs to gunships and transport helicopters, various air defense systems,
especially ‘Pantsir-S1’ antiaircraft gun and missile system.
Military and technical cooperation with the region’s nations tends to increase
both in terms of quality and quantity. Thus, recently FSMTC of Russia experts
have participated in ‘DUBAI AIRSHOW-2015’ international airspace exhibition held
on November 8-12, 2015 in Dubai (United Arab Emirates). Russia has been an
exhibitor at ‘DUBAI AIRSHOW’ since 1993. The Russian display area this year has
been 678 square meters. The exposition involved 23 Russian enterprises including
the largest ones like ‘Rostech’ State Corporation, ‘Rosoboronexport’, ‘Almaz
Antei’, Russian aircraft Corporation MiG, ‘Sukhoi’, ‘Vertoley Rossii’ (Russian
Helicopters). Altogether about 200 samples of Russian advanced defense products
have been shown in Dubai.
During the exhibition Russia has held negotiations with delegations of UAE,
Kuwait, India, RSA, Malaysia, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Indonesia, Jordan, Oman and
other countries. They discussed prospects for Russian armament supply including
aircraft, air weapons and air defense equipment as well as issues of creating
maintenance facilities and establishing after-sale service.
Russia considers Kuwait to be among the most signficant partners as to military
and technical cooperation in this region and in whole Asia. Military and
technical cooperation between our two countries goes deep. It began in 1978 and
advanced in a rather active manner. Thus, back then our country provided Kuwait
with about 700 ‘Strela’ portable antiaircraft missile systems and twenty ‘Osa’
air defense missile systems.
Extending cooperation between Russia and Kuwait is spoken by the Memorandum of
military and technical cooperation between ‘Rosoboronexport’ and Defense
Ministry of Kuwait undersigned in November this year, which shows Kuwaiti
military’s profound interest towards purchasing Russian military equipment. In
particular, Kuwait is interested in Russian battle aircraft and air defense
systems. More details of types and purchases will go public later. So far only
growing interest can be observed. Besides, much attention has been paid to
creation of heavy infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) based on Enigma IFV developed
by UAE and Russian AU-220M weapon station equipped with 57mm gun.
In his interview for Russian Industrial Weekly newspaper Alexander Fomin,
Director of FSMTC of Russia has described the extent to which the current stage
of military and technical cooperation with other countries is significant. Among
other things he said the following.
“Today the situation of world armament and military equipment market depends on
many factors. These are ongoing global economic crisis, complex military and
political situation in Middle East and North Africa, stepping up of military
production competitors which include first of all the USA, Germany and France.
We should recognize stepping up of such armament exporters as China, Republic of
Korea, Israel and Turkey as well as entry of new ambitious players like Japan
and Republic of South Africa. It is needless to say that development of military
and technical cooperation between Russia and other countries is to some extent
influenced by so-called ‘anti-Russian sanctions’. Nevertheless, Russia is still
one of the largest global defense suppliers and it is keeping intensive military
and technical cooperation underway.
Indian Air Force and Navy are armed with many Russian (Soviet) aviation
equipment such as Su-30MKI, MiG-21, MiG-23, MiG-29 ground and ship-based
fighters, Il-76 transport aircraft and Il-78 tankers, naval Tu-142M and Il-38,
Mi-17, Mi-26, Ka-28 and Ka-31 helicopters. The mentioned aircraft are going to
be used by Air Force and Navy of India for next decades and should be constantly
maintained by Russia.
Nowadays India is much interested in establishing production of Ka-226T
helicopters in India. There are negotiations underway as to cooperation
conditions under this project. There is a possibility of additional lots of
Mi-17V-5 helicopters to be delivered and increasing the number of Su-30MKI
planes being produced under license in India. All this makes us enthusiastic in
Russian and Indian cooperation in terms of battle aircraft.
Main areas of cooperation with Malaysia in this regard include after-sale
service of Su-30MKM aircraft. In 2012 a maintenance facility was established
under the delivery contract. Besides, there are efforts to promote additional
lot of Su-30MKM’s to Malaysian market. Currently Malaysia is considering
proposals for upgrading MiG-29 planes delivered before.
Military and technical cooperation between Russia and China as to battle
aircraft is also promising”.
Answering the question of joint defense production to be established by Russia
in partner countries, Director of FSVTS emphasized as follows:
“Decisions to establish joint defense-oriented enterprises are made by the
President of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Russian
Federation. Our Federal Service is responsible for implementing the mentioned
decisions and monitoring.
In this regard I would like to state that while the decision to establish a
joint enterprise is being prepared, the issue is to be addressed comprehensively
in all departments and agencies including FSMTC of Russia, Russian Defense
Ministry, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Industry and Trade and
other agencies in order to avoid losses for the Russian Federation. Besides, all
factors like political, economic, military and technological ones should be
taken into account. Targeted decisions are made as to each separate joint
enterprise. Joint development and production are cross-pollinating and allow
consolidating and developing technological potential of Russia as well as
facilitate future innovation-driven growth”.
Major areas of FSMTC of Russia activities shall be:
- To perform control and supervision functions in the area of military-technical
cooperation in compliance with laws of the Russian Federation;
- To participate jointly with other federal government authorities in
elaboration of state policy in the area of military-technical cooperation and
submit in the established manner relevant proposals to the President of the
Russian Federation, the Government of the Russian Federation, and Defense
Ministry of the Russian Federation;
- To ensure jointly with other federal government authorities implementation of
key state policy guidelines in the area of military-technical cooperation as set
by the President of the Russian Federation; and Within its competence and
jointly with other federal government authorities, to implement state
regulations in the area of military-technical cooperation.
In conformity with laws of the Russian Federation, FSMTC of Russia shall perform
control and supervision functions relating to:
- Compliance, of activities in the field of military-technical cooperation of
federal government authorities, government authorities of the Russian Federation
constituencies, and Russian organizations empowered in the established manner to
carry out foreign trade activities regarding military purpose products,
corporate developers and manufacturers of military purpose products, other legal
entities, officials and individuals, with legal acts and regulations of the
Russian Federation and key state policy guidelines in the field of
military-technical cooperation, requirements of the Russian Federation laws on
export control over procurement of military purpose products;
- Implementation of underlying state policy principles in the field of
military-technical cooperation including state monopoly;
- Efficient functioning of state regulatory system in the field of
military-technical cooperation;
- Fulfillment of international treaties of the Russian Federation in the field
of military-technical cooperation;
- Activities in the field of military-technical cooperation of representative
offices of military-technical cooperation–affiliated entities in the Russian
Federation and foreign states, as well as those of other organizations;
- Marketing, advertising, and exhibition activities in the field of
military-technical cooperation;
- Efficient application of funds allocated from the federal budget to finance
activities in the field of military-technical cooperation, as well as efficient
use of federal property by military-technical cooperation–affiliated entities;
- Level of foreign trade prices for export and import military purpose products
with due regard to protection of economic interests of the Russian Federation;
- Level of local prices for military purpose products to be funded out of the
federal budget, and supplied to foreign customers under international treaties
of the Russian Federation.
