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Brazil keen to buy Russian weaponry
February 4, 2013, 11:22 am

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Russian arms exports reached a record $14 billion in 2012. [Xinhua]

Brazil’s defence ministry says it intends on buying air defence systems from Russia.

“We are interested in acquiring three batteries of Pantsir-S1 missiles and two batteries of Igla missiles,” General Jose Carlos De Nardi, head of the joint chiefs of staff of the Brazilian Armed Forces, said in a statement.

An agreement, if signed, would envisage the construction of a factory in Brazil and the transfer of technologies, General De Nardi said.

The possible purchase of Russian anti-aircraft weaponry will be discussed during Medvedev’s visit to Brazil scheduled for the end of February, De Nardi said.

The Pantsir-S, produced by Russia’s KBP, is a gun-missile system combining a wheeled vehicle mounting a fire-control radar and electro-optical sensor, two 30-mm cannons and up to 12 57E6 radio-command guided short-range missiles.

It is designed to take on a variety of targets flying at low altitudes and can engage targets up to 20 km (12 miles) by missiles and 4 km (2.5 miles) using cannons, KBP claims.

The export version of the system, Pantsir-S1, has been sold to the United Arab Emirates, Syria and Algeria.

The Igla is a Russian man-portable infrared homing surface-to-air missile.

Russian arms exports reached a record $14 billion in 2012 – it is the world’s second largest arms exporter.

Source: Agencies