Russia exports record 5.6 bln dollars worth of weapons: Putin

MOSCOW (AFP) Mar 01, 2004
Russia exported a record 5.57 billion dollarsbillion euros) worth of weapons last year, with sales again dominated by the aeronautics sector, President Vladimir Putin said Monday.

Exports were up 15 percent from the previous year's foreign sales of 4.82 billion dollars, ITAR-TASS news agency quoted Putin as saying.

The main markets were China and India, with the latter's arms purchases from Russia exceeding China's for the first time last year, according to a report published Monday by the Centre for the Study of Technologies and Strategies (ACT).

The southeast Asian countries of Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam were also a growing market, the report said, adding that Middle Eastern markets had not lived up to their promise.

"These (Middle Eastern) countries have made it clear that they have ended their massive purchases and are now planning to modernise their existing armaments," said the ACT report.

Sales in the aviation sector were again dominant, it added.

Nineteen Russian Sukhoi Su-30 MKK fighter jets were delivered last year to China, in fulfillment of a contract signed in 2001, and 12 Sukhoi Su-30 MKI fighters to India, said the report.

Navy products made up between 12 and 15 percent of sales, due largely to the delivery of two frigates to India.

Products for land-based forces made up 10-12 percent of sales, consisting largely of parts for Russian T-90 tanks made under licence in India and of S-300 PMU-1 air defence missile systems.

Malaysia has placed a 900-million-dollar order for 18 Su-30 MKM fighters, said the report, adding that Vietnam has placed orders worth 500 million dollars.

Indonesia has ordered two Su-27 SK fighter jets, two Su-30 MKs and two Mi-35 helicopters, in an order worth 193 million dollars, said the ACT.

The Russian state-owned arms export agency Rosoboronexport had 12 billion dollars on its order books in early December 2003, it said.

Aerospace company Sukhoi, with sales of USD 1.5 billion dollars in 2003, was the top earner last year among Russia's defence companies, with 95 percent of its products going abroad, the report said.

Holding second place among military suppliers in 2003 was tank-maker Uralvagonzavod, with revenues of 750 million dollars. Siberian aerospace firm Irkut came in third, with revenues of 500 million dollars.

WAR.WIRE