Russia Promotes Its Military HArdware At This Year's Airshow China

SCMP: In the market for a missile system? The Russian military hardware on show at Airshow China

As the biggest exporter of weapons to China, Russia has more than 100 products on display at this year’s Airshow China. Here is some of the hardware it had on show to attract clients in China and around the region.

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WNU Editor: The above post has a good list on what the Russians were selling.

Growing Demand For Russian Warplanes

REUTERS/Host Photo Agency/RIA Novosti

Martin Matishak, Business Insider/The Fiscal Times: Everyone's trying to score one of Russia's new warplanes

The jet fighter war between the United States, China and Russia expanded this week when Moscow unveiled a new, export version of its Sukhoi-30 warplane.

"The Su-30SME aircraft (the export version of the Su-30SM fighter jet) has been shown on the international market for the first time," a source in the defense and industrial sector told TASS, Russia’s state-owned news agency.

The new aircraft will be equipped with Russian-made avionics unlike previous versions that contained French components.

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WNU Editor: But the plane that everyone is looking at is the SU-35 .... Russia to supply first four Su-35 fighters to China in 2016 (UPI), even though there are concerns on its 5th generation capabilities .... Singapore Airshow 2016: Analysis - PAK-FA's Asian export hopes stymied by lack of 'fifth-generation' qualities (IHS Jane's 360).

Civil War In Libya Will Cost Russia Billions In Arms Exports

Libya was expected to be the first export customer for the Su-35.

Russia Expects To Lose Billions In Arms Exports To Libya -- DefPro

While Libya is still struck by increasingly intense fighting between Muammar Gaddafi’s forces and those who protest against his regime, countries which have been trading with Libya before the uprising began are also looking at the developments with a crying eye. Besides those countries that partly rely on oil supplies from Libya or suffer from effects on the global markets, this also includes Russia.

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More News On Russia's Arms Trade With Libya

Russia will lose $4bn in Libyan arms deals: official -- Ahram Online
Russia to lose $4bn in arms exports to Libya: Official -- Times Of India/AFP
Libya unrest costs Russia $4 bln in arms deals-media -- Reuters
Russia to lose $4-bln arms deal due to Libya turmoil -- IBTimes
Sanctions on Libya will cost Russia 4bn in arms exports -- Business Day

My Comment: It should then be no surprise that Libya's main arms suppliers are against armed intervention in the country.

Is Syrian - Russian Relations On The Way Out?

MiG-31E Foxhound interceptor-Fighter(Photo from TestPilotRU.)

Russia Freezes Warplane Contract With Syria -- RIA Novosti

MOSCOW, May 20 (RIA Novosti) - Russia has put on a hold a contract to deliver MiG-31E Foxhound interceptor-fighters to Syria, a Russian business daily reported on Wednesday, citing defense-industry sources.

According to Kommersant, the $400-500 million contract for the delivery of eight MiG-31E aircraft was signed in 2007. Since production of MiG-31E's had stopped in 1994, Syria was to receive retrofitted aircraft from Russia's Air Force reserves.

There has been no official comment on the decision to freeze the contract, but an industry source quoted by the daily said the contract was terminated due to Damascus's financial problems.

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Update: Belarus denies plans to sell Syria, Iran weapons -- RIA Novosti

My Comment: Belarus is a very close ally of Russia ... they would never do anything that would contravene Russia's foreign interests. Therefore ..... Belarus is not going to sell weapons to Iran or Syria unless Russia gives its A-OK. For the moment .... this arms sale appears to be dead.

Some have commented that this may mean a change in policy by the Russian government to favor the West. I do not believe this is the case .... to me, it is a question of money. Russia needs money and jobs, and they are more than eager to sell their weaponry. But (unfortunate for the Russians) Syria has a huge debt .... and Iran has a lousy history in paying off its bills. They are not the best customers.

Russia Arms Exports To Hit Record 8 Bln Dollars In 2008: Report

Sukhoi Su-30 MK-2 Fighter

From Defense Technology News:

December 5, 2008: Russia’s military exports will exceed $8.5 billion in 2008, a senior government official said here. Russia has doubled annual arms exports since 2000 to $7 billion last year, becoming the world’s second largest exporter of conventional arms after the US.

Military exports “are planned at $8.5 billion this year (2008), and I think we will fully meet the plan, and even exceed it,” Mikhail Dmitriyev, head of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, told a news conference.

Russia exports weapons to about 80 countries. Among key buyers of Russian-made weaponry are China, India, Algeria, Venezuela, Iran, Malaysia and Serbia. “Our foreign customers are queuing up for new Russian-made weaponry,” Dmitriyev said. “Among our main 10-15 customers are China, India, almost all Middle East countries, Algeria, Morocco and Venezuela.”

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