USD 5.2 billion contracts of Russian arms export since beginning of 2019.

The Russian state Company for arms export, Rosoboronexport has signed contracts worth 5.2 billion U.S. dollars since the start of 2019. It has also exported arms and military hardware to foreign partners under contracts worth 4.9 billion U.S. dollars, the company reported with reference to its Head Alexander Mikheyev.

Tigr-M 4x4 armored and Topol-M ICBM at Victory Day Parde in Moscow, Russia. May 9, 2019. (Picture source Wikimedia)

"Rosoboronexport delivered arms and military hardware to foreign countries under contracts with 4.9 billion U.S. dollars in the first four months of 2019. It also struck new deals worth 5.2 billion U.S. dollars," Rosoboronexport’s press service quoted Mikheyev as saying.

According to Mikheyev, the contracts come as the result of an enormous marketing effort undertaken by Russian participants in military-technical cooperation and manufacturing enterprises. "A public demonstration of military hardware at parades and exhibitions is a vital element of this work," he explained.

Modern pieces of military hardware, whose export variants have been included in Rosoboronexport’s catalogue, will be demonstrated during the Victory Parade on Red Square on May 9. They include Buk-M2E and Tor-M2E surface-to-air missile systems; the Pantsir-S1 air defense missile/gun system; the Iskander-E operational tactical missile system; the Msta-S self-propelled howitzer; the Smerch multiple launch missile system; the Tigr-M and Taifun-K wheeled armored vehicles; BTR-82A armored personnel carriers; T-72 type tanks and BMPT tank support fighting vehicles.

The aviation hardware includes an Il-76MD-90A (E) military transport aircraft, a Mig-29M multifunctional frontline fighter jet; a SU-30SME super maneuverable multifunctional aircraft; a SU-32 fighting bomber and a multirole super maneuverable SU-35 fighter jet; Mi-28NE and Ka-52 combat helicopters and the MI-26T2 heavy transport helicopter.

"The Armata tank, the Bumerang armored personnel carrier and the Kurganets-25 infantry fighting vehicle, which will appear on Red Square on May 9, have got a huge export potential. The military hardware, which will participate in the Victory Parade, will demonstrate the latest advanced technologies used by Russian defense enterprises to foreign partners," the press service added.

The Russian Defense Ministry says that more than 1,600 pieces of military hardware will participate in Victory parades across Russia on May 9.