Russia purchases French-made individual combat system FELIN Sagem Future Soldier Equipment 0211122.

"We intend to purchase more systems of Future Soldier equipment FELIN for the use and study," said M.Serdioukov.

"We need to consider this option and take the decision to manufacture these products in cooperation with other countries and to see if the products designs in Russia are satisfactory. We want to make a comparative analysis to understand which country has made the greatest progress, and to not create what already exists, "he added.

FELIN (Fantassin à Equipements et Liaisons INtégrés) for which the French Company Sagem is the prime contractor, is the French Army’s soldier system. With 22,600 units ordered, it will be put into service with the French Army in 2010. Fully modular, FELIN can be used in all combat phases: day, night, offboard and onboard vehicles and aircraft, etc. It is available in configurations adapted to each operation. Combat-ready, FELIN complies for use in airborne, urban, desert, wilderness and high-mountain environments.

Russia is currently testing a Russian-made individual soldier combat system called "Ratnik" ("warrior" in Russian).

In February 2011, the Russian First Deputy Minister of Defense Vladimir Popovkin announced that Russia was conducting negotiations with France for the purchase of FELIN. The General Chief of Staff of the Russian Army Nikolai Makarov announced later that the Department of Defense had developed its own system of Future soldier equipment.

Russia and France are not the only countries who create individual combat systems. Such systems also exist in the United States, Germany, United Kingdom, Spain, Sweden, Italy and of other countries.