NEWTOWN, Conn. - The head of a Russian Technologies (Rostec) high-tech state corporation delegation, Sergei Goreslavsky, said on May 18 at the international arms exhibition in Peru (SITDEF Peru 2013) that Russia will actively seek new arms deals in Latin America.
According to Goreslavsky, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela are all interested in buying helicopters and air defense systems. Arms sales to the region are expected to reach $50 billion in the next 10 years, he said.
During the exhibition, discussions were held with Peru regarding the purchase of Russian trucks, helicopters and tanks. Moscow is also considering allowing Bolivia to purchase 10 Mi-8/17 helicopters on credit.
Over the past 12 years, Rosoboronexport has sold $14.5 billion worth of weaponry to Latin American countries. Between 1999 and 2007, Russia increased its share of the Latin American market from 0.7 percent to over 7.7 percent as the portion of Russian arms being delivered to Latin America increased from 3 percent to 17 percent.
Venezuela remains the number one buyer of Russian arms. Signed contracts between Russia and Venezuela now amount to almost $11 billion since 2006. Caracas initially purchased 24 Su-30MK2 fighter jets, more than 50 transport and attack helicopters, and 100,000 AK-103 Kalashnikov assault rifles with ammunition. Between 2006 and 2012, Venezuela purchased T-72B1 tanks, BMP-3M infantry fighting vehicles, BTR-80A armored personnel carriers, Msta-S 152mm self-propelled howitzers, Nona-SVK 120mm self-propelled mortars, Pechora 2M missiles, mobile BM-30 Smerch 300mm multiple rocket launchers, Bal-E mobile coastal defense systems, Buk-M1-2 medium-range air defense missiles, and S-300VM long-range surface-to-air missile systems.
