OREANDA-NEWS. April 15, 2011. The LAAD 2011 Latin America Aero and Defence show will be held at the RIOCENTRO exhibition centre in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on 12-15 April, 2011. It will be the eighth time this most important exhibition of cutting-edge arms and materiel has been held under the auspices of the Brazilian Ministry of Defence and the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The arms show is sponsored by CLARION EVENTS.

The Rosoboronexport Corporation, which is Russia's only enterprise authorised to export and import the entire range of military and dual-purpose end products, technologies, and services, is a traditional participant in the show. The unified Russian exhibition stand in Rio de Janeiro will display products of such flagship Russian companies as the Russian Helicopters Joint Stock Company, the Bazalt State Research and Production Enterprise, and the Almaz-Antei Air Defence Consortium. The Russian exposition is sponsored by the Russian Technologies State Corporation, and the Russian delegation will be headed by Deputy Director of the Russian Federal Service for Military Technical Cooperation Alexander Fomin.

A high level of scientific and technological development, powerful production facilities, and highly qualified staff justly ensure Russia’s leading positions as a manufacturer of all types of arms and materiel. Russia has been the world’s second largest exporter of defence-related products for a long time. Rosoboronexport increases exports on an annual basis. Last year arms exports amounted to USD 8.6 billion. At the present time the Corporation maintains cooperation with more than 70 foreign countries. India, Algeria, and China are the top three importers of Russian arms. At the same time Russia continues to actively develop military technical cooperation with Brazil, Venezuela, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Syria, and other states in all corners of the globe.

Aircraft traditionally account for the lion’s share of Russian defence-related product exports. Their share has exceeded 43 per cent of all arms exports. This figure results from deliveries of assembly sets and equipment for Su-30MKI licensed production to India, Kamov-family helicopters and aircraft engines to China, Su-30MK2 aircraft to Vietnam, Mi-35M helicopters to Brazil, Mi-35P helicopters and Su-27SKM aircraft to Indonesia.

Naval materiel accounts for 22.7 per cent of all exports, Army hardware for 16 per cent, and air defence systems for just over 13 per cent. The remaining five per cent are constituted by other export products, including space hardware.

The Latin American market has accounted for about two percent of Russian defence-related product exports in the past few years. This fact proves great prospects and a significant potential of military technical cooperation between Russia and Latin American states.

Expansion of such cooperation results from the fact that many national armed forces operate Russian-made defence-related products. That is why Colombia, Nicaragua, Cuba, Mexico, and Peru are interested in highly professional and efficient maintenance, repairs, and upgrades of Russian materiel supplied earlier.

Rosoboronexport has managed to establish mutually beneficial relations with Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Uruguay, and Ecuador through active marketing efforts. These countries express their interest in Russian air defence systems, radars, aircraft (first and foremost, helicopters), naval materiel, small arms, and special weapons.

These are exactly the advanced systems, which are either in service with or are under development for the Russian Armed Forces, that Rosoboronexport is going to display at the LAAD 2001 international arms show.

For one thing, such cutting-edge weapon systems will include Tor-M2E and Buk-M2E surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems, Tunguska-M1 and Pantsir-S1 air defence gun/missile systems, and Igla-S man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS). Rosoboronexport will also provide information on Su-30/Su-35-family aircraft and the Yak-130 trainer aircraft, and exhibit Mi-17, Mi-35M, and Mi-26T helicopters, as well as a T-90S main battle tank (MBT), a BTR-80 armoured personnel carrier (APC), and a GAZ-2330 Tigr armoured high mobility tactical vehicle (HMTV). The Corporation will also showcase training aids. Top-notch Russian hardware both can compete in basic specifications and operating performance and features a substantial superiority in the cost-efficiency ratio.

Construction of licensed production and assembly facilities, manufacturing certain armoured and motor vehicles and small arms, evolves into one of the crucial lines of military technical cooperation between Russia and Latin American countries. Components can be delivered to such facilities by Russian defence contractors. This approach will allow Latin American states to both create new jobs at national defence industry enterprises, and master new technologies and production of new defence-related products.

For instance, establishment of a joint venture for manufacturing Tigr soft-skinned police vehicles is being discussed with Brazil.

Rosoboronexport is ready to set up a system of after-sale services and spare parts supply in Latin America and the Caribbean, build maintenance and repair centres, and train personnel of national armed forces, including establishment of specialised training centres.

“We offer both arms procurement contracts and a wide range of after-sale services, and even licensed production of hi-tech Russian combat systems, including manufacture of the Su-35 super-fighter in Brazil. Many Latin American countries are quite familiar with Russian arms and materiel. I am certain that LAAD 2011 will strengthen and expand future mutually beneficial cooperation with our partners in the region,” head of the Rosoboronexport delegation Sergei Ladygin pointed out.