Russian arms exports to exceed $8.5 bln in 2008

Lunatik

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MOSCOW, August 5 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's military exports will exceed $8.5 billion in 2008, a senior government official said on Tuesday. 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 United States.
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 RIA Novosti 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."

The most popular types of weaponry bought from Russia are Sukhoi and MiG fighters, air defense systems, helicopters, main battle tanks, armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles.

Russia also maintains traditionally strong positions in sales of small arms, and anti-tank and air-defense missile systems.

Dmitriyev said Russia's defense companies were overloaded with orders and urgently needed to increase capacity to meet existing orders and ensure future growth in national arms exports.

"I think our defense industry can handle this situation," he said.

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http://en.rian.ru/russia/20080805/115750191.html
 
They're amassing money that they can then spend on re-arming...
Yeap. And also strengthening relations with client states and further enlarging their sphere of influence with new countries. Very strategic long term moves are being made; like offering the S-400 to a NATO country, Turkey, or threatenning of military countermeasures against America's planned European missile defense installations..

This is definitely not 1990s' passive, dismantling Russia anymore. Far from it.
 
I think a very large war may be in our future. I would assume it will somehow be started with something in regards to Iran. I think Russia and China is just itching for an excuse to combat with the USA.
 
We only criticize for only one reason: they are the enemy. From a purely "moral" standpoint there isn't a whole lot to go by, except the Russians and Chinese will sell to just about ANYONE, whereas in the US there is a certain degree of control measures.
 
Well, we have no problem selling arms to Saudi Arabia, a country that does not let women participate in the Olympics.

Our closest ally in the War on Terror... I guess it is a bit hyprocritical.
 
We only criticize for only one reason: they are the enemy. From a purely "moral" standpoint there isn't a whole lot to go by, except the Russians and Chinese will sell to just about ANYONE, whereas in the US there is a certain degree of control measures.

Twaddle, I suppose Nicaragua and the Contras are a fine example of your argument.
:2guns:
 
Of course there are always exceptions.
;)
But whereas for us it seems like exceptions, for those countries it's practically the rule!
 
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