Export of weapons to other countries. The arms market has reached its highest level since the Cold War in five years.

April agenda

April was marked by two reasons for closer attention to the potential of Russian arms supplies to other countries. The first reason is an agreement with Turkey on the export of the S-400 complex. The second is the Defexpo India 2018 international arms exhibition held in India.

During his recent visit to Turkey, Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed that S-400 deliveries will take place (and at an accelerated pace) as early as July this year. At the end of 2017, Turkey entered into preliminary agreements with Russia for the purchase of two S-400 batteries, which will be serviced by Turkish military personnel. Russia will partially finance this deal, which is estimated at $2.5 billion. According to the plan, the S-400 in Turkey will be put on combat duty in 2020.

In addition to the Turkish contract, news also periodically appears about the possible deliveries of the Russian S-400 complex to Saudi Arabia and Iraq, and in early April, the first regiment of S-400s purchased by Beijing had already begun to arrive in China.

As for Defexpo India 2018, as India is the world's leading arms importer (12% of global procurement), this event is of great interest to arms manufacturers and military experts. Russia, like other countries, pins its hopes on the sale of military products to Delhi and is ready to actively speak at the event.

The Rosoboronexport delegation at Defexpo India 2018 is headed by Igor Sevastyanov, Deputy General Director of the company, who stated: “Participation in Defexpo India for Rosoboronexport is one of the most important marketing events of the year. We expect to discuss the prospects for and implementation of a number of important joint projects in more than 200 topical key areas in the field of military-technical cooperation between our countries. The theme of the exhibition is of particular interest to us, given that Russia occupies a significant share of the Indian market in the segments of weapons and military equipment for the navy and ground forces.”

The T-90C and T-90MS tanks, the TOS-1A heavy flamethrower system, the Kornet-E and Kornet-EM anti-tank missile systems, as well as the latest Kalashnikov assault rifles have the greatest prospects in the arms market of India and the countries of Southeast Asia. . At Defexpo India 2018, potential buyers are expected to pay close attention to the Pantsir-S1 anti-aircraft missile and gun system and the Tor-M2E anti-aircraft missile system.

Today, India also operates about 400 units of Russian helicopters. On the eve of Defexpo India 2018, Andrey Boginsky, General Director of the Russian Helicopters Holding, noted: “During the negotiations, we plan to pay special attention to the issues of after-sales service, repair and modernization of equipment previously delivered to India, we are preparing several signings on this topic. In addition, the implementation of a joint project - the Russian-Indian enterprise for the assembly of Ka-226T, registered in May last year, will be discussed. For our partners, a presentation of the shipborne Ka-226T will be held, which, in our opinion, could also be assembled as part of the joint venture.”

Big Picture

As for the global market as a whole, a month ago the Stockholm Peace and Conflict Research Institute (SIPRI) published its regular report, from which it followed that in 2013-2017. the volume of Russian arms exports fell by 7.1% compared to 2008-2012. The share of Russia in the world arms market, in turn, decreased by 4% in 2013–2017, to 22%. According to the report, Russia's key clients are India (35%), China (12%) and Vietnam (10%). Russia supplies weapons to more than 100 countries.

For comparison, the United States, our main competitors in the arms market, during this time increased its share by 4% (from 30 to 34%). The volume of US arms exports increased by 25%. Saudi Arabia (18%), the United Arab Emirates (UAE) (7.4%) and Australia (6.7%) buy the most weapons from the United States. About 49% of US military exports go to the Middle East. The states supply their products to 98 countries of the world.

If we talk about the amount of contracts, Vladimir Kozhin, Assistant to the President of Russia for Military-Technical Cooperation, cited the following figures: new contracts worth more than $16 billion.”

In March, Vladimir Putin held a meeting of the Commission on Military-Technical Cooperation of the Russian Federation with Foreign States, at which he announced that the volume of foreign deliveries of Russian-made weapons and military equipment has been growing for the third year in a row, and in 2017 it amounted to more than $15 billion.

Experts note that domestic demand for military products is reaching its ceiling and Russia will have to focus on the development of arms exports one way or another, entering into fierce competition with other world players.

Where else?

Among the recent successes of this year, we can note the visit of Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to Myanmar in January this year and the signing of a contract for the supply of six Su-30 fighters to this country.

In January, the Indian Minister of Defense approved the purchase of 240 corrected aerial bombs for the Indian Air Force from the Russian JSC Rosoboronexport. The purchase price will be $197.4 million. This munition, designed to destroy especially fortified targets - objects in the mountains, buried command posts, underground bunkers, weapons depots, reinforced concrete shelters, has proven itself well in Syria.

In February, a contract was signed for the purchase of 11 Su-35 multipurpose fighters for the Indonesian Air Force. The deal is valued at $1.14 billion, of which $570 million will be covered by Indonesian commodities.

In March of this year, Algerian media reported that the licensed assembly of Russian T-90S/SK tanks in Egypt would begin in the 4th quarter of 2019. Egypt will receive and assemble 400 T-90S/SK main battle tanks at its enterprises.

T-90S/SK tanks, like other equipment, are also already being delivered to Iraq, and deliveries of these vehicles to Vietnam are next in line, by agreement.

At the end of March, Rosoboronexport announced the start of promotion of the latest Russian air defense system Viking (Buk-M3) to foreign markets. The firing range of the new complex was increased to 65 kilometers, the number of simultaneously fired targets was also increased by 1.5 times - 6 air targets for each self-propelled firing system, the number of anti-aircraft guided missiles ready for launch in a firing position consisting of two combat units increased from 8 to 18.

Pushing elbows with the Americans

The main struggle between Russia and the United States in the field of military supplies is unfolding in India. From 2012 to 2016, India was the world's top arms importer, accounting for 13% of all sales, according to SIPRI. India imported 68% of weapons from Russia and only 14% from the United States. Of course, the Americans would like to increase their share. India is also seeking to diversify its suppliers and is building relationships with Israel, France, Spain and South Korea.

By 2025, India, as stated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, plans to spend $250 billion to modernize its armed forces. The game is worth the candle.

In addition to the MiG-35, Russia plans to supply S-400 systems, 200 Ka-226T, 48 Mi-17V-5 helicopters, two A-50EI radar detection and control aircraft, eight Su-35 aircraft, four Project 11356 ships, as well as modernization already available in India Su-30MKI and carrier-based MiG-29K. According to the Indian newspaper The Economic Times, arms deliveries worth $10.5 billion are at stake.

The long history of military-technical cooperation, the presence of an established base for the repair and maintenance of equipment, the quality and relative cheapness of the weapons offered are in favor of Russia in the struggle for the Indian market.

The Americans entered the Indian market in earnest only in 2013, selling almost $2 billion worth of weapons - five years before that, sales amounted to only hundreds of millions of dollars. In addition to India's desire to diversify supplies and localize military production at home, US strategic plans to contain China played a role. The US also theoretically views India as a replacement for Pakistan in the fight against Afghan Islamists and as a significant player in putting pressure on Iran. In recent years, India has already ordered Apache helicopters, Chinook transport helicopters, P-8 anti-submarine aircraft, C-130 transport aircraft, Globemaster C-17 military transport aircraft, US Gulfstream-3 reconnaissance aircraft from the United States. Since 2008, India has bought $15 billion worth of weapons from the United States.

Another country is a field for competition. The aggravation of relations between Turkey and the United States also gives Russia a good chance to gain a foothold in the Turkish market. What, in fact, is indicated by the agreements on the supply of S-400, the likely purchase by Turkey of Russian Kornet anti-tank missile systems and cooperation with Russia to strengthen the armor of Turkish tanks.

Sanctions and pressure

Not everything is going well for Russia due to US pressure on potential buyers in other countries. For example, Lebanese Defense Minister Yacoub Sarraf also returned to Lebanon from Moscow last weekend empty-handed. It was expected that he would arrive with signed agreements on interest-free supplies of Russian weapons (primarily tanks) to Lebanon, and before that, the possibility of opening Lebanese airspace for Russian aviation, permission to use ports and air bases, the exchange of intelligence information, and the training of Lebanese military personnel by Russian military and cooperation in the field of combating terrorism. The Lebanese cabinet did not even discuss a potential deal in April, which is explained by the influence of the United States and Western countries on Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri.

Representatives of Hezbollah are most outraged in Lebanon by the delay in signing agreements with Russia. For example, Lebanese MP Nawaf al-Musawi rhetorically asks why Lebanon does not buy weapons from Russia and China, why does not sign an agreement with Russia, why does not go under the “air umbrella” of Russia, referring to air defense systems and the presence of military aviation in the country ? Hezbollah cites Assad's agreement with Russia as an example and wants the same for Lebanon, saying that if Russia wants to have naval and air bases in Lebanon, then Moscow should be given such an opportunity.

The Asia Times resource writes that in Lebanon, not only Hezbollah listens to Russia, but also the Greek Orthodox community, socialists, and Arab nationalists. And given that the cash supply from Saudi Arabia is in doubt, the US and the EU are in no hurry to pour their resources into Lebanon because of Hezbollah and Iran is increasing its influence in Syria, the money, weapons and geopolitical weight of Moscow may appeal to the Lebanese man in the street .

Saudi Arabia is a major purchaser of US weapons, and in October last year the world was shaken by the news that the Saudis could buy $3.5 billion worth of Russian weapons. So far, everything has remained within the framework of intentions, and the very fact of such negotiations and the possibility of Russian manufacturers entering the US-owned market is rather a slight blackmail of their American partners by the Saudis. Of course, the United States will not allow Saudi Arabia to become a client of Moscow.

Qatar also negotiated the purchase of the S-400 last year, but now, under pressure from the United States, the deal is a big question mark.

Assistant to the President of the Russian Federation for military-technical cooperation Vladimir Kozhin also spoke about how the United States is trying to disrupt Russia's deals in Asia. According to him, for example, the Americans put pressure on Indonesia: “We are grateful to the military-political leadership of Indonesia for their firm position, which they were not afraid to openly declare, including to their American partners ... When everything was ready, the American partners took the stage and put unprecedented pressure on the Indonesian side so that this contract (delivery of the Su-35) did not take place. Kozhin also mentioned US attempts to influence Vietnam: “Let’s not recall the history of the relationship between Vietnam and the United States, and last year we observed what kind of activity was deployed by the United States in order to pull Vietnam towards itself and turn it away from us.”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was even more straightforward: “Sanctions against our defense industrial complex are clearly unfair and unscrupulous competition, because in parallel with these sanctions, the United States is “rushing” around the world and, through its ambassadors, demands from the countries of Latin America and Asia , Africa to refuse to purchase military equipment and weapons from us, arguing that the Americans are compensating for the lack of appropriate equipment in this or that country. This is just a gross exclusion from the market, and through the methods of blackmail and ultimatums.”

So far, most Russian military analysts are convinced that the sanctions will have no effect on Russian arms sales to other countries. However, it is worth considering that so far the United States has not taken any real economic measures or military-political influence (unofficially, Washington warned Turkey that it would not sell F-35 aircraft to Turkey if the Turks buy Russian S-400s), and the United States also thought about how influence India) on potential buyers of Russian arms under its phasing-in of Countering America's Adversaries through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), and that "containment of Russia" and attempts to "remove" it from geopolitical arena so far only at the very beginning. One should not underestimate the capabilities of the United States and its allies, which are slowly swaying, but sticking to their line.

New distant niches or mirages?

The possible prospects of Latin America for the supply of Russian weapons are often mentioned, especially in the light of US sanctions and US pressure on other countries cooperating with Russia. In theory, there is no such intense competition with political overtones in the Latin American market, and Russia could go beyond the usual customers in Asia. But so far this is more of a desired than a real direction of development.

According to a study by the British analytical center Chatham House, from 2000 to 2016, Latin American countries accounted for only 4.6% of Russian arms exports, and 80% of them were to Venezuela. Deliveries to Brazil and Peru were relatively noticeable in dollar terms, but only Nicaragua and Venezuela account for more than 60% of their arms imports from Russia. For all other countries in the region, this figure does not exceed 20% at best. In Latin America, suppliers from Europe, the USA and Brazil dominate.

With Venezuela, the main buyer of Russian weapons in the region, Russia is also not doing well, since, for example, in 2015, 90% of the country's arms imports came from China. In addition to competition from China, the deplorable economic situation of Venezuela poses a threat to Russian supplies.

In 2017, Alexander Mikheev, CEO of Rosoboronexport, noted what approaches Russia uses to obtain contracts: “From 2001 to the present day, more than 10 billion US dollars worth of weapons and military equipment have been supplied to Latin American countries. In recent years, competition from American and European arms manufacturers has increased significantly in this region, but we are ready to fight for a customer. To do this, we use all modern marketing tools. We offer flexible financial schemes, including netting, offset, trade-in, individual approach to each partner. Customers have confidence in us and highly appreciate the quality after-sales service, extensive upgrade options, as well as the willingness to provide any technical and legal advice 24/7.”

Latin America is interested, according to a representative of Rosoboronexport, in Russian aviation and helicopter equipment, the use of which in Syria has increased the attention of potential customers to it. Clients are also interested in Russian armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles, KamAZ, Ural, UAZ vehicles and Tigr armored vehicles. Rosoboronexport also promotes Integrated Security Systems to the Latin American market, which serve as a platform for integrated solutions in the field of cybersecurity, control of air and coastal zones, state borders, large administrative entities and facilities.

It is also worth noting that if we consider the African arms market, which Russia could also theoretically rely on (in addition to the already traditional client in the person of Algeria), then Moscow will have to take into account the fact that China is targeting this piece of the pie with its cheap weapons. France also remains a serious competitor in this area.

The main trump card of Russian weapons is the campaign in Syria, where Russia tested more than 200 types of new weapons. After the beginning of Russia's participation in the war in Syria, interest in Russian weapons has increased dramatically.

On the other hand, the United States is beginning to influence potential buyers, Washington is ready to make either competitive offers, or dumping, and frankly intimidate partners for ties with Russian companies. So far, this tactic does not work in Indonesia, Turkey, Vietnam, Egypt, but the activity and aspiration of the United States to disrupt deals with Russia cannot be discounted.

These two factors have a neutralizing effect on the market balance and growth prospects for Russian arms exports.

The lack of reliable information on the operation of Russian air defense systems is also an uncertain factor. When the US attacked the Syrian air force base with cruise missiles a year ago, Russian air defense systems were not officially activated. Israel regularly and effectively launches air strikes on Syria without incurring tangible losses. The air defense market is a tasty piece of the pie and all potential buyers pay special attention to it.

But here it should be noted that the same American-made Patriot systems have ambiguously proven themselves in Saudi Arabia when they do not work properly when intercepting missiles launched by the Yemeni Houthis, or are not at all able to “cover” protected objects.

Last year, Chatham House made the following findings regarding the prospects for Russian arms exports in general:

• Russia is seeking to strengthen its position as an arms exporter in new markets.
• Russia, the world's second largest arms exporter with a wide product line and a diverse order book, will continue to occupy an important niche in the market in the near future and remain a reliable supplier of weapons to countries that do not have the best relations with the United States.
• 70% of Russian arms exports go to Asian countries, where the main buyers are India, China and Vietnam. The Middle East and North Africa market is important, but there is a lot of competition. The markets of Latin America and Africa are of moderate importance for Russia.
• Domestic purchases support Russia's military-industrial complex, but the peak of 2011 has passed, and now the industry is unlikely to receive so much attention, which may also affect the ability to export.
• It is also not yet clear what role Western sanctions against Russia have played, whether Russia has been able to carry out a real import substitution of Western military technologies and high-tech products, or whether Russia will begin to lose its technological level and, accordingly, export orders due to sanctions.
• There are a number of more general internal factors that may affect exports: the aging material and production base of the Russian military-industrial complex, the aging layer of highly qualified specialists capable of advanced R&D (research and development work), and weak ties between higher educational institutions and military-industrial companies of Russia.

An analysis of the prospects for Russian arms exports by foreigners is interesting, but be that as it may, Russia will strive to actively develop this area. Based on the results of the operation in Syria, the emphasis will be placed on air defense systems, aviation and high-tech equipment of the army and navy.

The Asia-Pacific market will continue to be a priority for Russia, given the arms race fueled by the fears of China's neighbors that the Celestial Empire will dictate its terms to them. Also, Donald Trump's foreign policy in the Middle East is forcing some countries in the region to diversify their arms suppliers, not relying only on the United States.

Most likely, the localization of the production of Russian equipment in other countries (India, Egypt) will develop.

Sanctions against the military-industrial complex by the United States and Western countries and pressure on potential buyers of Russian weapons, the growth of exports of Chinese products (ground equipment, drones) will be the main limiting factors for the development of Russian arms exports.

Ilya Plekhanov

On September 28, it became known that the commander-in-chief of the Libyan army, General Khalifa Haftar, turned to Moscow with a request for supplies to Libya. Deliveries have been banned since 2011, and many world powers are active on this, but the Libyan army chose Russia. Like many other armies.

Demand for Russian weapons with the start of the operation of the Aerospace Forces of the Russian Federation in Syria has grown. In the harsh Middle East conditions, the products of the domestic defense industry (including software for cruise missiles and GLONASS) have confirmed high reliability and efficiency.

Russian planes launch airstrikes against ISIS in SyriaThe strikes are carried out on military equipment, communication centers, transport, warehouses of weapons, ammunition and fuel and lubricants belonging to terrorists from the Islamic State.

In 2015, Russia exported arms worth $14.5 billion. The portfolio of orders reached a record amount since 1992 - $ 56 billion. The predominant share of deliveries is high-tech aviation products and air defense systems. Rosoboronexport's portfolio includes aircraft orders worth $18 billion and air defense systems worth $9 billion.

In addition to recognizing outstanding tactical and technical characteristics and application capabilities, global demand and 27% of the arms market testify to the steady scientific and technological progress in Russia and the collapse of the policy of isolation and economic pressure of the West.

If the beginning or outcome of armed conflicts on the planet ceases to depend on US military power, the Americans will finally lose control over geopolitics.

However, the authoritative American politician Henry Kissinger once said: "Diplomacy is the art of harnessing power." Thus, both the S-300 air defense system and the S-400 anti-aircraft missile system, which will soon receive, can only be considered tools of diplomacy.

First of all, helicopters

Virtual battles of the most advanced developments in aviation technology and weapons are taking place at international arms exhibitions. The winners receive not only money, they determine the level of military-technical cooperation and the technological level of future military conflicts.

For example, the legislators of the helicopter style live in the Russian Federation - this is confirmed by the International Exhibition and hundreds of joint Russian-Indian projects in the field of helicopter construction.

In September 2015, the Indian Defense Procurement Board approved the purchase of 48 Mi-17V5 helicopters for the amount of . Earlier in May, the purchase of 197 Kamov helicopters was approved in the same way. Note that India is already operating more than 400 Russian rotorcraft.

And in the future, according to an agreement with Russia, helicopters of the Mi-17 and Ka-226T types (up to 400 per year) will be produced on Indian territory. By the way, the Russian Ka-226 competed in the Indian tender with the European AS550 Fennec, but the tender was canceled - the high performance of the Ka-226 in mountain and marine modifications completely satisfied the customer.

"Dry" suppresses

In recent years, Russia has been supplying India with weapons and military equipment worth about $5 billion. In February 2015, the Aero India-2015 exhibition strengthened the tradition.

Aero India-2015: Russia has shown that it is open and high-techDespite the aggravation of the international situation, Russia remains a leader in the field of high-tech defense developments, a welcome guest and participant in arms exhibitions around the world, Alexander Khrolenko notes.

Today, the Su-30MKI fighters, which have repeatedly demonstrated superiority over most modern fighters, form the basis of the combat strength of the Indian Air Force.

In October 2015, India again gave preference to Russian fighters, which pressed the French. Prospects for military-technical cooperation with India are visible for years to come.

Our other neighbors are also catching up. China will be the first country after Russia to receive 24 Su-35S aircraft. Fighters of this type have an increased fuel capacity, a range of more than 1,500 km, and will effectively complement the capabilities of the Navy.

Potential buyers of the Su-35S include Indonesia, Algeria, Vietnam, and Venezuela. According to experts, the Russian aviation industry can annually export up to a hundred Su-35S fighters to the world market. Vietnam plans to expand its fighter aircraft fleet by purchasing fighters.

The civil products of CJSC Sukhoi Civil Aircraft are also in steady demand on the international market - only within the framework of the salon, foreign companies ordered Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ100) aircraft worth over $1 billion. The priority is the joint production of defense products on the territory of the partner countries.

New items for the ground forces

At the end of September, Russia presented over 300 samples of military equipment at the ADEX 2016 exhibition in Azerbaijan. Among them are the Tigr armored vehicle, the Tor-M2KM anti-aircraft missile system, the T-90S tank, the Metis-M1 anti-tank systems, the Krasnopol-M2 artillery system, the Gran mortar system, missiles for the Pantsir air defense missile system. -S1", AGS-30 grenade launcher, as well as small arms and flamethrower weapons. And near the stands - crowded.

Earlier, at the international defense exhibition IDEX-2015 in Abu Dhabi, the Russian Federation for the first time showed a modernized tank and an uninhabited combat module with a rapid-fire 57 mm cannon.

The era of robotization of weapons, combat drones in all spatial environments begins. Russia has already done a lot in this direction. The weight of the Russian defense industry was also appreciated at the arms exhibition DSA-2016.

The competitive advantages of Russian manufacturers are the independent foreign policy of the Russian Federation, the effective combat use in local conflicts, the successful long-term operation of weapons in all climatic zones of Asia, Africa and Latin America.

Perfection wins

There is still a high interest in Russian weapons innovations for the Navy. In July 2015, this was confirmed by the Naval Salon, with the participation of 46 countries and 10 commanders-in-chief of the Navy.

Today, only the Russian Navy has. Not every country can boast of the Kalibr-NK shipborne missile system, which has proven itself well. Export potential of these and other samples.

Over the past 15 years, the Russian Federation has delivered warships worth more than $21 billion abroad (a third of this amount is accounted for by submarines). This is not the limit. Future plans are related to expanding the boundaries of military-technical cooperation and prompt response to market conditions and geography.

By the way, about geography. Over the past 12 years, Russia has sold military equipment and weapons worth $14 billion to Latin American countries. The most active partners in the field of military-technical cooperation are Cuba, Nicaragua, Peru, Venezuela, Argentina, Ecuador, Uruguay, Mexico, Colombia, which account for about 15 percent of Russian arms exports. The capacity of the Latin American arms market for the next ten years may reach $50 billion. A very promising continent.

In today's world, only militarily strong states have real sovereignty. Russia offers ready-made high-tech products, an honest technology transfer and samples of combat use.

10. Netherlands
The Netherlands closes the top ten with a market share of 2%.

The main buyers of weapons from the Netherlands are countries such as Egypt, India, Pakistan.

It is worth noting that in recent years the Netherlands has been losing its position in the arms market. If in 2008 the country was in the top 5 largest arms exporters in the world, now it has dropped to 10th place.
9. Ukraine
Market share: 2.6%

The main recipients of Ukrainian weapons are countries such as Nigeria, Thailand, Croatia, China and Algeria.

Among the weapons - battle tanks T-72, armored personnel carriers BTR-4EN, BTR-3E1 and others.

As a result, Ukraine became the ninth largest arms supplier in the world.

8. Italy
Market share: 2.7%

Italy is one of the world and European leaders in arms exports.
7. Spain
Market share: 3.5%

The main recipients of Spanish weapons were also the countries of the Middle East - Oman, Bahrain, the UAE, as well as Australia.
6. UK
Market share: 4.5%

Great Britain took sixth place in the ranking, becoming one of the largest arms exporters to Europe. The main direction of British arms exports has become the Middle East - a region in which military operations are constantly taking place and, accordingly, there is a constant need for arms supplies.
5. Germany
Market share: 4.7%

Germany dropped to fifth place with a market share of 4.7%.

For the period from 2011 to 2015. German arms exports halved.

In Europe as a whole, imports decreased by 41% between 2006 and 2010 and between 2011 and 2015.
4. France
Market share: 5.6%

France, having shifted to fourth place, reduced the supply of weapons by 9.8%.

During 2015, France signed several major arms contracts, including the first two contracts for the supply of the Rafale military aircraft.
3. China
Market share: 5.9%

Chinese arms exports grew by 88% and ranked third in the market.

"China continues to build up its military capabilities both through imports of weapons and through domestic production," said Simon Wezeman, senior fellow at the SIPRI Arms and Military Expenditure Program.

At the same time, China also entered the top 5 leaders among arms importing countries. In this ranking, the country ranks third, behind only India and Saudi Arabia.
2. Russia
Market share: 25%

Russia ranked second among arms exporting countries.

Compared to 2006-2010 deliveries of Russian military equipment increased by 28%.

However, SIPRI points out, in 2014 and 2015. exports were significantly lower than in 2011-2013 and were at the levels of the previous five-year period.

In 2011-2015 Moscow has supplied weapons to 50 countries, as well as insurgents in Ukraine, according to the Stockholm Institute for Peace Research.

India became the largest buyer of Russian weapons with 39% of the volume of weapons sold by Russia, China and Vietnam share the second and third places - 11% each, Vedomosti notes.
1. USA
Market share: 33%

The United States, with a 33% share of the arms market, remains the main arms exporter in 2011-2015, having increased its share during this period by 27%.

"As tensions mount and regional conflicts escalate, the US maintains its leading position as an arms exporter, well ahead of competitors," said Aude Fleurant, director of the Military Expenditure Program at SIPRI (Arms and Military Expenditure Program).

"Over the past five years, the United States has sold or transferred weapons to at least 96 nations, and the US military industry has numerous export orders, including the delivery of 611 F-35 military aircraft to nine nations," he said.

In December 2019, it became known that Algeria signed a contract for the purchase of 14 Russian fifth-generation Su-57E multirole fighters and 14 Su-34 front-line bombers. This is reported by the portal Menadefense.

The execution of the contract, which is estimated at six billion dollars, is scheduled for the period until 2025. The portal notes that Algeria has been negotiating the acquisition of aircraft for a long time. The decision was made after the Algerian delegation visited the MAKS air show in Moscow in the summer of 2019. It is reported that information about the purchase of the Su-57 was also confirmed by international media sources. According to experts, in this way Algeria became the first foreign customer for the Su-57 and Su-34.

2018: Russia is the largest arms exporter to Africa

From 2000 to 2018, the countries of the Black Continent have been buying weapons mainly from Russia.

Over the past five years, the status of the main importer of Russian (and not only) weapons has been held by Algeria: 56% of the total African imports came from this country, while these purchases from most countries were insignificant.

The main importers of Russian weapons are also: Nigeria, Angola, Sudan, Cameroon and Senegal. In addition, the volume of deliveries to Egypt over the past five years amounted to 46%.

2017: Reduction of a share for 5 years from 26% to 22% on the basis of the open data on deliveries

Data from the Stockholm Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) indicates that in 2013-2017, the arms market grew by 10% compared to 2008-2012. The top five arms exporters are Russia, France, Germany and China. These countries account for 74% of sales. India, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and China turned out to be the largest arms importers. They buy 35% of the weapons sold.

The share of the United States in the arms market over the past five years increased by 4%, amounting to 34%. The main US customers are Saudi Arabia (18% of deliveries), the United Arab Emirates (7.4%) and Australia (6.7%). Russia's market share, on the contrary, decreased by 4%, from 26% to 22%. The key clients of the Russian Federation are India (35%), China (12%) and Vietnam (10%).

2016: Export more than $15 billion, a backlog of orders for $50 billion

In March 2017, Russian President Vladimir Putin summed up the results of arms exports for 2016, saying that Russia managed to supply over $15 billion worth of weapons and military equipment abroad. According to Kommersant, 2016 was devoted to the implementation of existing agreements with Algeria , Vietnam, China and India. In 2017, the Russian Federation expects to conclude new billion-dollar deals.

The results of arms exports for 2016 were summed up by Vladimir Putin at a meeting of the commission on military-technical cooperation (MTC). Recalling that Russia "confidently holds the second place in the world" in this indicator (second only to the United States), he said that in 2016 export deliveries exceeded $15 billion (against $14.5 billion in 2015). The President clarified that the total portfolio of orders remained at the level of $50 billion - this, according to him, was achieved due to new contracts signed in 2016 in the amount of about $9.5 billion.

"Russian military equipment is in steady demand and is supplied to 52 countries of the world," Mr. Putin summed up.

Of the contracts concluded in 2016, it is worth noting the agreements with China for the supply of AL-31F and D-30KP2 aircraft engines (worth over $1.2 billion). Andrey Frolov, editor-in-chief of Arms Export magazine, says that in 2016 there was not a single serious contract for the supply of combat aircraft, for naval equipment and for air defense systems:

"The amount of 9.5 billion had to be collected literally by the bottom of the barrel."

This is partly confirmed by Kommersant's sources in the field of military-technical cooperation. According to them, the main emphasis in 2016 was placed on the implementation of previously undertaken obligations. So, the execution of the Chinese contract for the supply of 24 Su-35 fighters began (four aircraft had already been delivered by March 2017), deliveries of Ka-32A11BC helicopters, as well as D-30KP2 and RD-93 aircraft engines, continued.

A contract for carrier-based MiG-29K/Kub fighters (29 units in total) was closed with India, but the modernization of these aircraft to the UPG level continued, and spare parts for T-72 tanks were also supplied.

A contract was closed with Vietnam for six project 06361 Varshavyanka diesel-electric submarines and the last of 12 Su-30MK2 fighters were delivered, while the implementation of an agreement on the licensed construction of project 12148 boats for the Vietnamese Navy began.

A large volume of deliveries fell on Algeria: the country received 8 out of 14 ordered Su-30MKA fighters, Mi-28NE and Mi-26T2 helicopters, at least a hundred T-90CA tanks and Kornet anti-tank systems.

Iraq was transferred mainly helicopter equipment: Mi-35M and Mi-28NE. The last of the 48 ordered Pantsir-S1 anti-aircraft missile and gun systems have arrived in Iraq.

Three divisions of anti-aircraft missile systems "Antey-2500" (S-300VM) went to Egypt.

Four divisions of S-300PMU-2 anti-aircraft missile systems were delivered to Iran.

In 2016, the CIS countries did not remain without weapons: for example, Belarus became the owner of four divisions of the S-300PS air defense system and one division of the Tor-M2K air defense system, BTR-82A armored personnel carriers, and Mi-17V-5 helicopters.

Deliveries of T-90S tanks to Azerbaijan, Su-30SM fighters, Mi-171Sh and Mi-35M helicopters continued to be delivered to Kazakhstan.

Armenia, we note, became the first foreign owner of the Iskander operational-tactical missile system, transferred to it from the reserves of the Ministry of Defense. Deliveries to the CIS were carried out both within the framework of the obligations of the Russian Federation under the CSTO, and under separate commercial agreements, Kommersant's sources specified: "Commercialization of relations with these countries will continue."

Kommersant's interlocutors admit that 2016 was devoted to marketing, which was based, among other things, on the results of the use of military aviation and air defense systems in the Russian military operation in Syria. Thus, a serious backlog for 2017 was created, according to Kommersant's sources: substantive negotiations are underway on the purchase of Su-32 bombers by Algeria (export version of the Su-34), Indonesia's interest in Su-35 fighters has increased, and the anti-aircraft missile system has been seriously promoted S-400 "Triumph" to India and Turkey (an intergovernmental agreement has already been concluded with Delhi).

Great hopes are also connected with naval equipment: Jakarta wants to acquire a pair of diesel-electric submarines of project 636 Varshavyanka, and Delhi wants to lease a second nuclear submarine from the Russian Federation.

"If we conclude all the pending contracts with India, we will secure half of the annual volume of supplies," says Mr. Frolov. "There are chances to reach the level of $16-17 billion in contracts and $14-15 billion in supplies."

at a meeting of the Commission on military-technical cooperation with foreign states.

“The results are good, we cannot slow down the momentum,” Putin said. "The export of high-tech military products, especially in a difficult geopolitical situation, is significant for Russia," he stressed.

At the same time, Putin called on Russian arms exporters to expand their presence in the "promising markets of Latin America, Southeast Asia, Africa and the Caribbean."

In March 2018, there were no contracts that would relate to concluded contracts or Russian export deliveries to various countries of the world. At the same time, news directly related to the export of Russian weapons was present. In particular, the amount of Russian arms exports in 2017 was officially announced. Details also appeared on the possible production of the T-90S / SK in Egypt, and Rosoboronexport announced the promotion of the new Russian Viking anti-aircraft missile system (Buk-M3) on international markets.

The Kremlin called the volume of exports of Russian arms and military equipment in 2017

In early March, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin held the first meeting of the Commission on military-technical cooperation between the Russian Federation and foreign states in 2018. By tradition, at the beginning of the meeting, the results of the work for the previous year were summed up. Vladimir Putin noted that Russia still maintains a high reputation, confirming its status as one of the leading supplier countries on the international arms market. According to him, the volume of foreign deliveries of Russian-made weapons and military equipment has been growing for the third year in a row, in 2017 it amounted to more than $15 billion, the President of Russia reports.

The President emphasized that the ability to work effectively even in the face of economic sabotage and political provocations underscores the strengths of the Russian system of military-technical cooperation (MTC), its stability and great potential. This assessment belongs to the buyers themselves and potential buyers of Russian weapons and military equipment. At the same time, the geography of Russian military-technical cooperation is constantly expanding, and the number of our partners already exceeds 100 countries.

At the meeting, it was noted that at the end of 2017, the volume of signed contracts almost doubled, exceeding $16 billion. Currently, the portfolio of orders for Russian weapons and military equipment is estimated at more than $45 billion. This means that the Russian military-industrial complex is provided with orders for the supply of various types of weapons and military equipment for several years to come.

During the meeting, it was noted that the experience of modern wars and conflicts shows us that it is unacceptable to neglect the means of protecting people and protecting state sovereignty. Therefore, the Russian Federation will actively develop military-technical cooperation with all interested states, including in the most high-tech segments for those types of weapons - air defense systems, aircraft, ground forces, navy - that have shown exceptional effectiveness in the course of military operations in Syria.

New details on the assembly of T-90S / SK tanks in Egypt have become known

According to the Algerian Internet resource menadefense.net, the licensed assembly of Russian T-90S / SK tanks in Egypt should begin in the 4th quarter of 2019, after deliveries of vehicle kits from Russia begin. Deliveries will be carried out by JSC Research and Production Corporation Uralvagonzavod. According to the Algerian edition, according to the agreement reached between Moscow and Cairo, Egypt will receive and assemble at its enterprises 400 T-90S / SK main battle tanks, of which 200 vehicles will be delivered in the form of ordinary vehicle kits (SKD), and another 200 in the form of kits SKD, which provide for welding and assembly of some elements (turrets and hulls). The program for the assembly of Russian tanks in Egypt is designed for 2019-2026 with a planned pace of 50 combat vehicles per year.

As the specialized blog notes, in the previously published annual report of Uralvagonzavod for 2016, the list of priority areas for the military-technical cooperation included "work on a project to create an enterprise for the licensed assembly of T-90S / SK tanks (SK - commander's version) at the customer" 818 " (Egypt)". Financial details of the deal with Egypt were not disclosed. At the same time, in 2018, Russia has already begun deliveries of T-90S / SK to Iraq, which ordered 73 tanks. The first part of the 36 combat vehicles was handed over to the customer in February this year, the rest of the tanks are planned to be delivered to Iraq by the end of April. In addition, Vietnam also bought similar tanks.

It is worth noting that since 1992, in Egypt, at tank factory No. 200, located in Helwan, licensed assembly of American M1A1 Abrams main battle tanks from vehicle kits supplied directly from the United States as part of military assistance has been carried out, the tanks assembled here are in service with the Egyptian army . The plant itself was built back in 1984 under an agreement with General Dynamics Corporation. The construction cost was $150 million, and the work was also funded by US military aid to Cairo. In total, from 1992 to the present, the United States has already financed the supply of 1105 vehicle kits for M1A1 Abrams tanks to Egypt in addition to the 25 ready-made Abrams delivered in the same 1992. At the same time, the first 75 car sets of the SKD level, the rest of the CKD level of varying degrees of localization. Previously, Egypt planned to produce 1300-1500 M1A1 tanks in the country, however, at present, the prospects for the production of these tanks at the Egyptian plant No. 200 no longer look as certain as before, although the assembly of Abrams tanks here will apparently continue.

Rosoboronexport has started promoting the Viking air defense system to foreign markets

At the end of March, Rosoboronexport announced the start of promotion of the latest Russian air defense system Viking (Buk-M3) to foreign markets. According to Sergey Ladygin, General Director of the Rosoboronexport company, at present, the Viking anti-aircraft missile system has no equal on the world arms market among competitors. “This complex has retained all the best qualities that were inherent in the Buk air defense system line, it represents a new word in the development of medium-range air defense systems. The manufacturer endowed the new complex with a set of unique characteristics that meet modern requirements in the field of protecting infrastructure facilities and troops from air strikes carried out by modern and advanced air attack weapons, including in the face of fire and electronic countermeasures from the enemy,” said Sergey Ladygin.

According to "", the highly mobile, multi-channel medium-range air defense system "Viking" is a further development of the world-famous line of air defense systems of the "Cube" - "Buk" series. Compared with the Buk-M2E air defense system, the firing range of the new complex was increased by almost 1.5 times - up to 65 kilometers. In addition, the number of simultaneously fired targets was increased by 1.5 times - 6 air targets for each self-propelled firing system (SDA). At the same time, the number of anti-aircraft guided missiles ready for launch in a firing position consisting of two combat units increased from 8 to 18.

“The Buk-M3 air defense system adopted by the Russian army and its export version called Viking demonstrated a very high level of combat effectiveness during exercises and operation. The Viking complex has the ability to defeat, with a very high degree of probability, not only aviation targets attacking elements of high-precision weapons, but also tactical ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as ground and sea targets,” Ladygin emphasized. At the same time, the Viking anti-aircraft missile system received a number of unique features that had not previously been implemented in any air defense system.

For example, the Viking air defense system has the opportunity to integrate launchers from another Russian anti-aircraft missile system Antey-2500, which provides the ability to hit air targets at a distance of up to 130 kilometers. The combat control point of the new air defense system has the ability to interface not only with the standard radar, but also with other radar stations, including foreign ones. In addition, the Viking air defense system provided for the possibility of autonomous use of firing units and even individual self-propelled guns, which increases the total defended area and the number of objects covered from air strikes, and also allows foreign customers to minimize the cost of organizing a full-fledged air defense system.

Stuff about Azerbaijan's dissatisfaction with the quality of Russian weapons

At the end of March, the Belarusian opposition publication "" (based in Poland) published a large article by Yuri Baranevich entitled "Supplies of Russian weapons to Azerbaijan cause discontent in Baku and indignation in Armenia." Regardless of the level of information provided and its reliability, it can be noted that for the Republic of Belarus (for quite official Minsk) such material would also be beneficial in the sense that Azerbaijan is traditionally a buyer of Belarusian weapons, including a potential buyer of the Polonaise missile system ”, which is positioned as a counterbalance to the Russian Iskander-E OTRK, which were previously supplied to Armenia. Currently, Belarus is a fairly large player in the international arms market, selling military products for about one billion dollars a year. The result for a country with a population smaller than the population of Moscow is more than worthy.

The above article said that Azerbaijan is dissatisfied with the quality and state of military-technical cooperation with Russia and is trying to find an alternative to such cooperation. It is reported that at the end of 2017, as part of a closed meeting of the Russian-Azerbaijani commission on military-technical cooperation, official Baku raised the issue of Moscow's fulfillment of its obligations to supply various military equipment under existing and already completed contracts. It is reported that during the commission, Baku expressed a fairly large number of claims.

Firstly, Azerbaijan indicated dissatisfaction with the fulfillment of the terms of contracts for the supply to the country of BMP-3, BTR-82, T-90S, Msta-S self-propelled guns, Tor-M2 air defense systems, Smerch MLRS, as well as other types of weapons Russian production. It is noted that Baku's main claims are related to the non-compliance of the supplied military equipment with the lists of technical equipment specified in the contracts, the lack of technical documentation for the equipment, the failure of some types of military equipment due to obvious factory defects, as well as the lack of components necessary for the current repair of the supplied equipment. to the land of technology.

Secondly, Baku complains about specific problems: missiles for the Smerch MLRS do not explode when fired, and ammunition for BTR-82A machine guns does not reach the target at all; On Mi-35 helicopters, thermocouple breakdowns are constantly noted, which make it impossible to start the engine, the systems of automatic fire and firing of Shturm-V and Ataka-M missiles do not work properly, and there are also malfunctions in the on-board equipment.

In addition, despite the fact that the Azerbaijani side categorically insists on eliminating all identified problems during the current year, Russia points out the impossibility of these requirements and proposes to ensure the solution of the issue until 2021.

The passages indicated above were officially refuted by the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan, the website of the local news agency reports. The Ministry of Defense of the country noted that the reports that appeared in the media are not true and are provocative. The defense ministry especially emphasized the fact that Azerbaijan pays special attention to the issue of acquiring various types of weapons and military equipment in certain producing countries, choosing the best, most high-quality and effective military products that the Azerbaijani army needs to increase its combat potential.

At the request of 1news.az, the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan noted: “The new Russian-made weapons meet the increased requirements for modern weapons systems, and also significantly increase the fire and maneuver capabilities of units, and especially those that perform combat missions at the forefront of defense of our troops.” .