Russia, Brazil eye joint missile development
April 9, 2013, 10:27 am

Rosoboronexport will bring over 200 items of Russian weapons and military equipment to the LAAD 2013 Defence and Security exhibition [laadexpo.com.br]

Delivery of the finished items, their licence production, implementation of projects for joint development and production of new air defence equipment are due to be high on the agenda at the LAAD 2013 Defence and Security exhibition in Rio de Janeiro.

According to Rosoboronexport, Russia’s state intermediary agency responsible for import and export of the full range of defense products, Brazil is an important buyer of Russian missile defense systems, especially Russian air defence equipment items such as the Pantsir-S1 gun-missile system and Igla-S man-portable missile system.

The company brings over 200 items of Russian weapons and military equipment intended for all services to the LAAD 2013 Defence and Security exhibition to be held in Rio de Janeiro on April 9-12, 2013.

Rosoboronexport considers Latin America as a promising market and accounts for 18 per cent of Russia’s total military sales.

“Latin America is a strategic region to us, and this is specifically emphasised at the highest political level. In recent years we have been successful in preparing a solid base for a qualitatively new breakthrough” says Sergei Ladygin, head of Rosoboronexport’s regional department and company’s delegation to the exhibition.

“All prerequisites are in place for making this step forward and, what’s important, Russia and countries of the continent share common interests in substantially expanding military technical cooperation.

“Especially important is that Russia is not only ready to deliver finished products but also to transfer full-fledged technologies, set up licence production, and implement joint projects for the development and production of new items,” noted Ladygin.

Russia’s military cooperation with Brazil started in the mid-1990s.

Daria Chernyshova