Kazakhstan plans to purchase one additional Russian Buk-M2E missile battalion.

Kazakhstan bought a battalion of Russian Buk-M2E air defense missile systems and plans to procure another one, said the Kazakh Defense Minister Saken Zhasuzakov at KADEX-2018 defense exhibition and arms trade show in Kazakhstan.

Russian-made Buk-M2E mobile medium-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system.  (Picture source Army Recognition)

"We have signed a contract for the tracked hardware [the Buk-M2E on the tracked chassis]. Let us look at the second battalion on the wheeled chassis," the minister said as he viewed the display of Russia’s Almaz-Antey manufacturer.

The Buk-M2 (NATO name SA-17 Grizzly, Russian name 9K317) is a Russian made mobile medium-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system designed to defend field troops and logistical installations against air threats. The Buk-M2E is the export version of the Russian-made Buk-M2

The Buk-M2 can engage a wide variety of targets from aircraft to missiles flying at an altitude of between 10 and 24,000 m out a maximum range of 50 km in given conditions. The SA-17 Grizzly can engage simultaneous of up to 24 targets flying from any direction.

Zhasuzakov also showed interest in Russia’s most advanced Buk-M3 air defense missile systems and Pantsyr-S1 complexes. The Buk-M3 also nicknamed Viking, medium-range surface-to-air missile system is a modernized version of the Buk-M2 system, features advanced electronic components and a deadly new missile and could be regarded as a completely new system.

The Pantsir-S1 (SA-22 Greyhound NATO code name) is a Russian-made air defense missile-gun system designed to protect vital small-size and big military areas, industrial targets and land forces units and reinforced the air defense units responsible for the protection of troops and military installations against precision-guided air attack from low and extreme low altitudes. T

Kazspecexport CEO Arman Ramazanov earlier told TASS that Russia and Kazakhstan were negotiating the deliveries of these air defense missile systems and had already signed a memorandum of intentions.