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Russia,
Algeria to Strike $4Bln Arms Sale Deal
Russia
is set to sell $4 billion worth of arms to Algeria, in what
would be its largest post-Soviet defense export deal
By
Lyuba Pronina
Staff Writer
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"The
work on the package of contracts for the delivery of a large
part of Russian weapons to Algeria is practically complete,
and they are likely to be signed in February," Interfax
quoted an unnamed source in the defense industry.
The
multibillion-dollar list of weapons includes 36 MiG-29SMT
and 28 Su-30 fighter jets, eight divisions of S-300MPU2 Favorit
air defense systems and a batch of T-90 battle tanks, the
source said. Along with the four deals, Russia will sign a
few more contracts for the upgrade of Soviet-made arms already
in Algeria's possession, the source said.
The
news was confirmed by an independent defense source, who said
the package of contracts had already been ratified and was
expected to be signed during President Vladimir Putin's visit
to the North African country late next month or in March.
MiG,
Irkut, which makes Sukhoi fighter jets, and the Almaz-Antei
air defense concern refused to comment, as did Rosoboronexport,
the state-owned arms selling agency.
The
weapons will be paid for in a "complicated scheme involving
striking off part of Algeria's Soviet debt," the source
told Interfax, without specifying the period over which the
arms would be delivered.
In addition
to the upcoming contracts, Algeria may buy up to 50 Yak-130
combat trainer planes and about 30 Tunguska-M1 air defense
systems, the source said.
"If
signed, it will be the largest arms deal for post-Soviet Russia;
it will be grandiose," said Konstantin Makiyenko, deputy
head of the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies,
a Moscow-based defense think tank.
The
last deal of similar magnitude was signed with India in 2000
for licensed production of 140 Su-30MKIs and was worth $3.3
billion, Makiyenko said.
For
the last few years, Russia, the world's largest arms exporter
after the United States, has been selling in excess of $5
billion worth of arms annually. The deal with Algeria is very
timely as Russia's prime clients -- China and India -- are
increasingly looking to diversify their arms suppliers and
their markets are gradually becoming saturated, analysts said.
"Algeria
was Russia's traditional arms client in Soviet times, but
after the breakup it switched to Ukraine and Belarus mainly,
buying Su-27s and MiG-29s. This contract will be Russia's
triumphant return to North Africa," said Ruslan Pukhov,
editor of Moscow Defense Brief magazine.
"In
the coming years, Algeria will account for 20 percent of Russian's
arms exports, while China and India will plummet from 70 percent
to 50 percent," Pukhov said.
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