Middle East and North Africa (MENA) remains a key region for the Russian defense export.
Dmitry Shugaev, Head of the Federal Service on Military-Technical Co-operation (FSVTS), named MENA among the Russia’s “Top 5” buyers of defense related technology.
The region’s purchase basket has not been below USD 6 billion annually within the period from 2015 to 2020, which means from 30 to almost 50% of the total Moscow defense export.
After the massive presentation at the Dubai Air Show in November and EDEX in December, Russia arranged an impressive debut at the World Defense Show which concluded in Riyadh last week. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has never been a recipient of the Russian defense products but in recent time the situation has changed as the Kingdom put an eye on a variety of Moscow products from small arms to the most advanced systems.
The national pavilion has been organized by Rosoboronexport, state arms trade mediator, being teamed by the High Precision Weapons Holding (HPW), Almaz-Antey Air-and-Space Defense Concern, Kalashnikov Group of Companies among the many. The smart weaponry and air defense systems have formed a core of the Russian exposition.
As usual, one of the key elements was the Kornet ATGW. Just ahead of the show the national media released a news on the final stage of firing tests of the Kornet-D1 self-propelled missile system on the chassis of the BMD-4M combat vehicle being intended for the airborne troops.
Kornet ATGW was developed at the Tula-based Shipunov KBP Design Bureau, HPW subsidiary. The weapon can be employed against all types of tanks, armored vehicles and low flying targets. Guidance is carried out by a laser beam. The maximum range of the Kornet-D is claimed to be 10 kilometers while the previous versions have a range of 5.5 kilometers.
Kornet-D1 vehicle is capable of hitting several targets simultaneously. Firing can be done in automatic mode. The complex has been created for two platforms - Tiger-M and BMD-4M but can be installed on a variety of 4x4 vehicles.
The very new one appeared from the Tor SHORADS family. It was designated as the Tor-M2KM self-contained combat module (CM). It differs from the Tor basic version by absence of a regular chassis. As a result, the CM is claimed to be noticeably cheaper, twice as light (15 tons) and easier in transportation.
The Tor-M2KM is in production by the Izhevsk-based Kupol plant, Almaz-Antey subsidiary.
The manufacturer claims the single module protection zone is from 10 m to 12 km in altitude, from 1 km to 15 km in range, with course parameter of ± 8 km to cover the area up to 480 sq km.
Other features being disclosed are as follows. The module’s radar enables to detect aerial assault means at a range of up to 32 km. The radar features airspace observation speed of 1 revolution per second. Up to 48 targets can be detected within the antenna one revolution, up to 144 in three revolutions. Trajectories for detected targets are entered in automatic mode. 10 most dangerous ones are displayed on the indicator monitor.
The system features radio command guidance. The guidance station is equipped with phased antenna array. Simultaneous engagement of up four aerial targets is ensured. The target’s maximum flight speed is up to 700 m/s, its minimum effective scattering area is 0.1 m2.
The module is able to employ six different methods of reaction depending on the target type. One of the guidance methods enables to engage low-flying cruise missiles at altitude of up to 10 m above the ground. Another method provides for engagement of the so-called «diving» targets. The third one helps destruction of guided air bombs. The fourth, fifth and sixth ones enable to kill aircraft, helicopters and UAVs, respectively.
The module is claimed to go from standby to full alert in 3 minutes.
The system is completely self-contained and can be mounted on different platforms of the appropriate load capacity (car chassis, semi-trailers, trailers, railway platforms, roofs of buildings and installations, onboard warships and commercial vessels, etc.). The CM can be transported by any type of transportation with sufficient carrying capacity, including heavy helicopters of the Mi-26T type on an external sling. The CM can be easily mounted and removed by any lifting device with load capacity of at least 25 tons within 10 minutes.
The producer claims the module sufficiency against terrorist attacks employing cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles carrying strike weapons and kamikaze drones to employ the Tor-M2KM CM as a reliable mean to defend various crucial facilities - such as oil refineries, nuclear power plants, command centers, etc.
The next Russian defense industry exposition under Rosoboronexport umbrella has been scheduled for Eurasia Airshow in Antalya, Turkey, this April.
