23/ 08/ 2005 - Russia to present 100 models of naval engineering and weapons at Venezuela exhibition

MOSCOW, August 23 (RIA Novosti) - Russia will present more than 100 models of naval engineering and weapons at a major international exhibition in Venezuela, Russia's main arms exporter said Tuesday.

The international exhibition, ExpoNaval Venezuela Internacional 2005, will be held August 24-27 in Caracas, the Venezuelan capital.

The press release by Rosoboronexport, the only state intermediary agency for arms exports, said the Russian defense sector would be represented by the leading experts of the Izhmash concern and helicopter producers of Kazan and Rostov.

The Russian exhibits will reflect the individual needs of the Venezuelan navy and regional fleets.

Some of the naval engineering models are unrivalled, including the submarine model of the 950 Amur project that is capable of hitting both sea and surface targets. Russian exhibits also include a patrol ship of the Mirazh 14310 project, which is known for its powerful weapons, high speed, and navigability, and a landing craft on an air cushion of the Murena-E project.

Rosoboronexport will also present weapons and equipment for naval aviators and marines, in particular, a Su-39 assault aircraft and a Su-35 (Flanker) aircraft - the favorite of the tenders for fighters that Brazil's Air Force held in the past few years.

Rosoboronexport's press release said Russia's helicopters Mi-26 (Halo), Mi-35 (Hind), and Mi-17 (Hip) would soon be supplied to Venezuela.

In 2001, when Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez first visited Moscow, the sides signed intergovernmental agreements on military and technological cooperation, which laid the legal basis for bilateral cooperation.

This March and June, Rosoboronexport and the Venezuelan Defense Ministry signed ambitious contracts on helicopter supplies to Venezuela. The first helicopters will be sent to Venezuela later this year.

This May, Rosoboronexport signed a contract to supply 100,000 of the latest Kalashnikov assault rifles to Venezuela.

24/ 08/ 2005 - Russia to explore Latin American
arms market

MOSCOW, August 24 (RIA Novosti) - The Russian Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation will continue its efforts to attract Latin American arms dealers and support Russian arms exports at various exhibitions, an agency official said Wednesday.

"Russia is interested in exploring the Latin American arms market," Mikhail Dmitriyev, head of the agency said, commenting on Russia's participation in the Exponaval 2005 International Maritime Defense Exhibition scheduled for August 24-27 in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela. "At present, there is an urgent need to modernize outdated military equipment in several countries in the region, and Russian exporters have to actively explore this market."

He said the agency formed a delegation, headed by a Rosoboronexport (Russia's only state exporter of armaments) official, to participate in Exponaval 2005. The delegation comprises representatives from the Izmash concern and the Kazan and Rosvertol helicopter-manufacturing plants.

Russia will exhibit armaments selected according to a marketing research of the regional market, including naval weaponry and military equipment for the army and air force, the official added.

According to Dmitriyev, Russia's participation in the exhibition in Caracas is part of the effort to explore the Latin American arms market. Russian arms exporters also plan to attend an upcoming arms exhibition in Buenos Aires.