Libya is arming again... :(

[Lunatik]

Libya to acquire: S-300PMU-2, Tor-M1, Su-30MK2 fighters, MiG-29SMT fighters & submarines from Russia

Russia’s state weapons exporter, Rosoboronexport, is elaborating a contract to sell weapons to Libya for a total worth of more than $2.2 billion. Libya that has purchased no armaments of Russia for over 15 years may emerge as one of ten top buyers now. The bulk of the acquisition will be formed by air defense systems, more powerful than needed for regional conflicts.

The contract for weapons delivery to Libya could be sealed already this year, during the visit of Russia’s President Vladimir Putin to Tripoli. The budget of the deal will exceed $2.2 billion. Russia is expected to pardon Libyan debt, and Tripoli will undertake to widen cooperation in fuel, energy and nuclear fields in addition to military and engineering contacts. The parties, however, still disagree about the actual amount of the debt. Moscow insists on $4.4 billion, while Tripoli acknowledges no more than $1.723 billion.

The sources say Libya is mostly interested in air defense systems – four batteries of S-300PMU-2 long-range antiaircraft missile systems and around 20 Top-M1 short-range antiaircraft missile systems. Moreover, Tripoli is willing to buy 12 Su-30MK2 fighters, 12 MiG-29SMT fighters and one or two submarines of Project 636. It is also ready to pay for repairing two guard-ships and a small-size missile ship that were supplied earlier.

For Russia, Libya will probably become the second country of North Africa in budget of military contracts. The leader is Algeria (around $8 billion), and Russia also supplies air defense systems to Morocco and negotiates the delivery of air defense systems and MiG-29SMT fighters to Egypt.

http://www.kommersant.com/p763383/Libya_weapon_sales/

 

[A Can of Man]

People like to cooperate with the tougher bastard.

 

[rock45]

Seen this

Hi Lunatik
I've seen this before right after they turn down France's Rafale offer. Even that almost order was strange 13 aircraft were mentioned. As far as I could tell nothing has been signed but time will tell. Buying up the SAMs makes sense but doesn't seem odd the low numbers of fighters and of two types? His entire fleet is very old and needs replacing or at the very least upgrading.

Libya's AF best aircraft might be their Su-24, read a while back that the squadron or so still getting training hours. Mig-23, 21, and Su-20/22 use to be the bulk of his force with some French models Mirage 5/50 and/or Mirage F1. All of these aircraft need work big time but the French models might have time left on their frames and worth upgrading.

12 Su-30MK2 fighters, 12 MiG-29SMT

It would be better for training, support, and maintenance being one type. Also Fulcrums would need tanker support to operate from the Med to Chad, an all Flankers fleet would serve their purpose better.

Don't forget the English sold them some missiles not to long ago the Typhoon is on the table as well but in the back ground.

Would the US really sell F-16s to Libya?

 

[Lunatik]

Would the US really sell F-16s to Libya?

Hi Rock, yes, I guess this is possible. Destroy one dictator and occupy his country, and keep another in power and sell him weapons. It may sound a bit twisted and immoral but it's the way of commerce. I like the fact that Lockheed's Ft. Worth production line is switching to F-35 so any international F-16 orders would have to be produced by Lockheed's Turkish partner TAI in Eskisehir. We have sold F-16s to Egypt before, so why not their neighbor? Go Gaddafi go! But go American. :smil:

I agree with you that having two different types of aircraft is harder and costlier to maintain. But I think Libyan Air Force already has the necessary support/logistics facilities because of their existing Russian aircraft. And let's not forget the fact that Russian fighters are generally simpler and easier to maintain than their Western counterparts and the screwdriver that will open up the engine bay of a Mig-29 will likely also open up that of a Su-30, even though they're manufactured by two distinct companies Mikoyan and Sukhoi respectively.

S-300PMU2 and TOR are excellent systems and are two of Russia's major defense export commodities. The price gap between what the Russians are asking and the Libyans proposing seems a bit wide though, no?