Arms sales record in Russia in 2012

Exports of military equipment from Russia, second arms supplier in the world after the United States reached a record level of $ 15.2 billion (11.4 billion euros) in 2012, announced Monday, January 21 a senior official quoted by Russian news agencies.

This figure must be further refined at the end of January or beginning of February, more than 12% of the government's goals, said Alexander Fomin, the director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation. It is, moreover, an increase of 15% compared to the year 2011, during which Moscow had delivered $ 13.2 billion for weapons.

AMONG ITS BIGGEST CLIENTS OF INDIA AND CHINA

Russia has more than doubled its sales abroad compared to the early 2000s. The country has among its largest customers in India and China. He continues to sell equipment to Syria, but says it is mainly air defense weapons and not itself. Mr. Fomin said that Afghanistan, Ghana, Tanzania and Oman were among the new customers of Russian industry in 2012.

Russia has exported more than $ 15 billion in arms in 2012

Exports of military equipment from Russia, second arms supplier in the world after the United States reached a record $ 15.2 billion in 2012. This figure exceeds 12% of the government objectives.

Russian air force puts X-38 air-to-surface missile into Service

The Russian Air Force HAS put the advanced X-38 air-to-surface missile into service. Although the short-range missile was Developed for the T-50 fifth generation fighter jet, the fighter jets and bombers Existing, Including Su-34 and MiG-29 will be equipped with CMT thesis missiles.

The missile was tested in great secrecy in 2012, and was commissioned in late December. The delivery of missiles will be started Shortly. The new missile will be equipped with guided indépendamment Warheads. This solves various tasks and Increases the striking power of T-50 multipurpose fighter jets. The missiles will be Placed inside the jet That Is Being Developed using stealth technology, says editor-in-chief of the "Nezavisimoe Voennoe Obozrenie" Victor Litovkin magazine.

"A fighter jet may Have special characteristics, Including non-visibility to radar and other equipment Detecting, aim it is just an aircraft. Purpose When it is equipped with high-precision guided missiles, this is a high-precision aviation complex. That can be regarded a fifth generation fighter jet. The fact, that 'the missile on board the jet Increases icts low visibility, "Victor Litovkin said.

The missile will not Reflect on the radar screen. It Has another advanced feature. It can orient Itself falling on the flight using the GLONASS space navigation system. The recent armed conflicts, Including in Afghanistan and the Middle East Have Shown That It is difficulty to discover targets from the air even with guidance from the ground Because advanced systems camouflaging Have Been Developed. These missiles will be guided to the target by a GLONASS satellite, says Victor Litovkin.

Russia Plans to Revive Shipbuilding on Black Sea Coast

Russia is planning to construct shipbuilding and ship-repair facilities on the Black Sea coast to ensure proper maintenance of its civilian and military fleets in the region, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said on Friday.
Addressing a conference on the development of Russia’s shipbuilding capability in the Black Sea region, Rogozin said that following the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 1990s Russia has lost the bulk of its shipbuilding assets that were primarily located in Ukraine.
Most of the shipbuilding industry is currently concentrated in northern Russia and in Russia’s Far East, which makes the maintenance of the ships based on the Black Sea, especially the warships of the Black Sea Fleet, a difficult task.
“The situation is unbearable,” Rogozin, who oversees the Russian defense industry, said.
“We must determine our priorities in this [Black Sea] region as soon as possible,” Rogozin said, adding that the efforts should be focused on facilities in Novorossiisk, Sochi and other ports along the Russian Black Sea coast.
“It's important to immediately start the construction of facilities that would ensure proper maintenance of the Black Sea Fleet and the defense of our southern borders,” the deputy prime minister said.

Mali: Moscow promises military aid to France

Russia, which has publicly supported the French operation "Serval" should send an Antonov 124 and men of the 224th Air Detachment in Mali.

Breaking with his usual caution, Russia promised military aid to the French intervention in Mali. According to our information, provide assistance to Moscow Paris by sending in the coming days, a plane Mali, intended to carry arms. It would be an Antonov 124, belonging to the company Volga Dnepr, a device that has the habit of serving in Africa under UN mandate. Men of the 224th Air Detachment were also involved on Malian soil.


After the Russian Foreign Ministry has publicly supported the operation "Wolverine" and gave the green light to the French military intervention in the Security Council of the UN, behold Moscow takes a more active role in the African conflict. This attitude is surprising when one considers that for several months, Russia, citing a sacrosanct principle of non-interference, opposes any Western military intervention in Syria.

History meet appearances and prevent emerging controversy, the Russian government is recalled that in the context of force Misma, ie under the aegis of the UN and the African Union. Russian trainers could also be dispatched to the scene, not formally to help France, but the Malian government itself. Semantic precision "extremely important for Moscow," said a diplomatic source, but that hides strategic interests.

Russian MoD plans to procure mine clearance robots

The Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) is planning to substitute soldiers with robotic systems for munitions disposal and mine clearance operations in the battlefield.

An invitation to tender (ITT) has been recently issued by the MoD requesting industry teams for production of new types of weapons and military hardware, including robots, according to Russia & India Report.

An undisclosed company source Andrei Nosov said it has submitted a proposal for the tender and already started development of a robot that will imitate the operator's hand movements, unlike legacy joystick-operated systems.

" "We first created it for Roscosmos. Now we hope the military will be interested as well."

"We first created it for Roscosmos," Nosov said. "Now we hope the military will be interested as well."

The MoD is currently considering the procurement of civilian robotic equipment, such as snow and swamp-traversing vehicles, Yel-10 and Yel-4 firefighting complexes, and LUF-60 tracked firefighting support units.

Options for the deployment of robotic systems to conduct critical mine clearance missions in Chechnya is also under consideration by the ministry, the publication reported citing Russian chief of general staff Valery Gerasimov.

Robotisation of critical military missions is not only expected to protect soldiers, but also results in RUR75bn ($2.4bn) as cost savings to the ministry between 2012 and 2014.

Russian Navy exercise off the Syrian coast

Russian Navy will conduct military maneuvers off the coast of Syria in preparation for inter-fleet exercises planned end of January in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, reported Friday the Russian Ministry of Defence.

"Led by the cruiser Moskva , a tactical group of the Russian Fleet in the Black Sea will conduct military maneuvers in the eastern part of the Mediterranean, "the source said.

It was earlier announced that naval exercises involving all Russian fleets - the Black Sea, North Pacific and Baltic - would be held in late January in the basin of the Mediterranean and Black Sea.

Russia Finally Becomes An Su-30 Player

The Russian Air Force recently ordered another 30 Su-30SM two-seat fighters. Thirty of these were ordered back in April and deliveries to the Russian Air Force were to begin in six months and the first one did arrive six months later. All this was pretty impressive when you consider that that Su-30SM flew for the first time last September 21st. All 60 SU-30SMs are to be delivered by 2016. Before this order Russia had only 11 Su-30s in service, far fewer than China and India. All Russia could afford until recently was the older Su-27.

The Su-30SM is a Russian Air Force version of the Su-30MKI that has long been exported (to India, Algeria, and Malaysia). For the last two decades Russian defense manufacturers have survived on exports. The Russian military halted most procurement spending after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 (largely from financial mismanagement).

In the last decade the Russian military has gradually resumed buying. Initially the Russian military could not afford the best stuff (like the Su-30MKI). But that has changed, and now the Russian military is catching up. This is the first Su-30 model for the Russian Air Force that uses thrust vectoring (the ability of the engine to direct its exhaust a bit and enhance maneuverability).

Both the Su-30SM and Su-30MKI are most similar to the two seat American F-15E fighter-bomber. The Su-30MKI, even though equipped with Western electronics, costs less than $40 million each, about half of what an equivalent F-15 costs. The Russian version will have Russian electronics and other Russian made gear but otherwise be nearly identical to the Su-30MKI. The Su-30MKI/SM can carry more than eight tons of bombs and hit targets over 1,500 kilometers away. The Su-30SM is able to use a large range of missiles and smart bombs.

The SSBN Yury Dolgoruky officially handed over to the Russian Navy

The nuclear submarine Yury Dolgoruky (SSBN) was officially handed over to the Navy at a ceremony held at the Severodvinsk shipyards Sevmach (northern Russia) announced Thursday a correspondent of RIA Novosti.

The ceremony took place in the presence of the Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu.

The nuclear submarine Yury Dolgoruky type (Borei class) form the basis of strategic Russian Maritime Forces after the disposal of submarine classes Akoula (Typhoon according to the code of NATO), and Kalmar and Mourena (Delta -3 and Delta-4 according to NATO) in 2018. Russia intends to build eight 2015.

The first submarine of the series, the Yury Dolgoruky, was initiated in 1996. 170 m long and 13.5 m wide, has a draft of 24 000 t with 12 Bulava-30 missile and torpedo.

Finally flying colors: Yury Dolgoruky nuclear sub joins Russian Navy

After years of sea trials and missile test launches, the Borei class nuclear-powered submarine Yury Dolgoruky is officially becoming part of the Russian Navy. The sub and its siblings are to be part of Russia’s nuclear deterrence shield.

The official ceremony of raising the Russian Navy colors on the submarine is to occur on Thursday. Yury Dolgoruky is the lead vessel of the Borei family, the most modern nuclear-powered strategic submarines made in Russia.

Commenting on the news on Twitter, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, who is known for his saber-rattling, tongue-in-the-cheek rhetoric, posted: “Tremble, bourgeoisie! You’re done with!”

The submarine was commissioned in 1996 at a shipyard in Severodvinsk. It endured several years of budget restraints and design changes, after the intercontinental ballistic missile Bark, which was slated to become its prime armament, was scrapped. Its reactor was finally launched in 2008.

Between 2009 and 2012 the submarine was involved in both sea trial and test-firing of the Bulava missile, which was the replacement for the Bark. It was expected to enter service back in 2011, but the deadline was eventually postponed by a year. In December 2012 the Navy officially accepted the submarine as ready to take combat missions.

Russia has commissioned three submarines of the Borei class. Yury Dolgoruky’s sister boats, Aleksandr Nevsky and Vladimir Monomakh have been in construction since 2004 and 2006 respectively. Nevsky has been undergoing sea trials since October 2012 while Monomakh has been put on water in late December 2012.

Russian Navy: 15 new SSBNs by 2020 (Defense)

Besides the nuclear submarine (SSBN) Yury Dolgoruky presented Thursday to the Russian Navy, 14 more attack submarines Borei class Iassen complement and naval forces of the country by 2020, announced to reporters Thursday the Minister Russian Defense, General Sergei Shoigu. "In addition to the SSBNs, the Russian Navy will receive seven strategic submarines of this class and seven multipurpose nuclear submarines," said the minister at the end of a videoconference with President Vladimir Putin. According to him, the entry into service of Yury Dolgoruky to hope that the weapons program for 2020 will be realized. building One Borei class, the Yury Dolgoruky, has Thursday was officially handed over to the Navy at a ceremony held at the Severodvinsk shipyards Sevmach (northern Russia) in the presence of Mr Shoigu. According to the military, nuclear submarines of this class form the backbone of the naval component of the Russian strategic nuclear forces.

Russian Navy: Bulava missile reliability is no doubt (Kremlin)

There is no reason to question the reliability of the intercontinental ballistic missile Bulava submarine-based, said Thursday Sergei Ivanov, head of the administration of Russian President visiting Severomorsk (northern Russia). "The naval forces of the country have no reason to doubt the reliability of solid propellant missile," said Mr. Ivanov to a question by a journalist. Begun in 2004, tests of the Bulava has had its ups and low, so that the fate of the missile was one of the topics most discussed by Russian military experts. Thus, of the 18 launches from the submarine Yury Dolgoruky , 11 were successful. The greatest success was achieved in 2011: all four tests of the missile went off without a hitch. End of 2011, the Bulava was deemed fit to enter service. Nevertheless, it took another 12 months to develop the Russian Navy. missile The first Russian sea-based solid propellant and its carrier, the nuclear submarine Yuri Dolgoruky, was presented Thursday to the Russian Navy. Over the next 30 to 40 years, submarine and other vessels Borei class will be the backbone of the naval component of the Russian strategic nuclear forces.