Algeria Buying More Sukhoi Flankers From Irkut

Russian aircraft manufacturer Irkut has lined up orders with the Russian Defence Ministry and Algeria for the delivery of 22 Su-30 heavy multi-role fighter jets over the next two years, Russian officials said this week.

Sergey Chemezov, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and the head of Russia's state defense technology holding Rostec, announced Friday that Russia has signed an agreement with Algeria for the delivery of 14 Sukhoi Su-30MKI multi-role fighter jets.

The Su-30 is classified by the Russians as a generation 4+ fighter, and is a less advanced derivative of the Soviet-designed Su-27 flanker than the newer Su-35 multi-role fighter, which is marketed as a generation 4++ fighter jet, sporting Russia's latest electronics and weapons.

The price of the Algeria contract was not disclosed, but the reported cost of an Su-30MKI fighter is 2 billion rubles (US$30 million). The MKI is an export variant of the Su-30, and over 200 of the planes are in service with the Indian Air Force. Algeria has 44 of the aircraft already.

Chemezov said Algeria's new Su-30MKI fighters would be delivered between 2016 and 2017 — the same time frame for delivery as a contract for eight of the more recent Su-30SM variant of the fighter jets signed by Irkut and the Russian Defence Ministry on Tuesday.

Deputy Defence Minister for Procurements Yury Borisov said Tuesday that the eight planes were being purchased for the Russian Navy, which operates the Su-30 as a maritime strike aircraft out of Crimea, but that a larger 75-fighter contract was teed up for the air force.

That contract will be signed by the end of the year and “will give additional orders to the Irkut Aviation Plant, and secure its corresponding economic stability,” Borisov was quoted as saying in an Irkut news release Tuesday.

Irkut is one of Russia's three largest airplane manufacturers, which include MiG and Sukhoi. All three are owned by the United Aircraft Corporation, a massive Russian state-owned aviation holding company.

Rostec's Chemezov, speaking at the 2015 Russia Arms Expo held Sept. 9-12 in Nizhny Tagil — home to tank manufacturer UralVagonZavod — said that Irkut was expected to produce 60 aircraft this year, setting a post-World War II record for the aviation plant.

Irkut is in the final stages of completing deliveries under a 2011 contract with the Russian Defence Ministry to deliver 60 Su-30SM fighter jets. The new contract for 75 of the fighters will see 20 to 25 of the planes roll off Irkut's assembly line over a period of three years.

The Russian Navy is also interested in future orders of the Su-30SM. In August, the head of Russia's naval aviation branch, Maj. Gen. Igor Kozhin, said the navy would procure around 50 of the aircraft by 2020, bringing the total number of Su-30SMs in service across all branches to 160.

While the Defence Ministry is preparing to sign a contract for more Su-30 fighters, it is also gearing up to sign a 100 billion ruble (US$1.5 billion) contract for 48 Su-35 fighter jets by the end of the year. Sukhoi manufactures the Su-35 itself and is expected to complete a similar 48-fighter contract this year.

Russia Arms Sales Grew Sharply in 2012 – Report

STOCKHOLM, January 31 (RIA Novosti) – Russian defense companies saw a large increase in arms sales in 2012 due to growing domestic procurement, an independent think tank said Friday.

 

Russian defense companies saw a large increase in arms sales in 2012

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) released new data on international arms production, showing that while sales by companies in the United States, Canada and most West European countries continued to fall, arms sales by Russian firms increased by 28 percent.

Sales of arms and military services by the largest arms-producing companies totaled $395 billion in 2012, according to SIPRI's annual list of the world’s 100 largest arms manufacturers.

The seven Russian companies that made it into the 2012 SIPRI Top 100, including Almaz-Antei, United Aircraft Corporation and Russian Helicopters, sold over $22 billion worth of weaponry.

“Russian arms companies continue to maintain high export levels, but the increase in estimated arms sales in 2012 mainly reflects large and growing domestic sales, as part of Russia’s $700 billion 2011–20 State Armaments Plan,” the institute said in a press release.

According to Sam Perlo-Freeman, Director of SIPRI's Military Expenditure and Arms Production Program, “the Russian arms industry is gradually re-emerging from the ruins of the Soviet industry.”

“Nonetheless, the industry is still plagued by outdated equipment, inefficient organization and widespread corruption, which will continue to limit Russia’s ability to compete technologically with the West,” he said.

Russia became the world’s second-largest arms exporter in 2011, generating $13.2 billion in revenues.

In 2012, Russia exported $15.2 billion worth of weaponry while adding Afghanistan, Ghana, Oman and Tanzania to a list of about 80 foreign customers.

India remains the leading purchaser of Russian arms, with China, Vietnam, Myanmar, Venezuela and countries of the Middle East also figuring among the main clients of the Russian defense industry.

Russia Arms Sales Grew Sharply in 2012 – Report

STOCKHOLM, January 31 (RIA Novosti) – Russian defense companies saw a large increase in arms sales in 2012 due to growing domestic procurement, an independent think tank said Friday.

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) released new data on international arms production, showing that while sales by companies in the United States, Canada and most West European countries continued to fall, arms sales by Russian firms increased by 28 percent.

Sales of arms and military services by the largest arms-producing companies totaled $395 billion in 2012, according to SIPRI's annual list of the world’s 100 largest arms manufacturers.

The seven Russian companies that made it into the 2012 SIPRI Top 100, including Almaz-Antei, United Aircraft Corporation and Russian Helicopters, sold over $22 billion worth of weaponry.

“Russian arms companies continue to maintain high export levels, but the increase in estimated arms sales in 2012 mainly reflects large and growing domestic sales, as part of Russia’s $700 billion 2011–20 State Armaments Plan,” the institute said in a press release.

According to Sam Perlo-Freeman, Director of SIPRI's Military Expenditure and Arms Production Program, “the Russian arms industry is gradually re-emerging from the ruins of the Soviet industry.”

“Nonetheless, the industry is still plagued by outdated equipment, inefficient organization and widespread corruption, which will continue to limit Russia’s ability to compete technologically with the West,” he said.

Russia became the world’s second-largest arms exporter in 2011, generating $13.2 billion in revenues.

In 2012, Russia exported $15.2 billion worth of weaponry while adding Afghanistan, Ghana, Oman and Tanzania to a list of about 80 foreign customers.

India remains the leading purchaser of Russian arms, with China, Vietnam, Myanmar, Venezuela and countries of the Middle East also figuring among the main clients of the Russian defense industry.