Hey, I'm new here and I hope this is in the right thread. I just wanted your opinions on Venezuela's military buildup.
Modernization
The Venezuelan government has embarked on a massive military modernization and purchases that greatly expand their defensive and offensive capabilities, including negotiations for German submarines and transport aircraft, several agreements with Russia (outlined below), transport aircraft and naval vessels from Spain, radars from China, home-made and designed armored light vehicles and rocket launchers, studies for Leopard 2 main battle tanks, amongst many others. Most if not all European military hardware have not been delivered to Venezuela due to the U.S. embargo.
2005-2006
In 2005 Venezuela signed agreements with Spain to procure 12 naval transport and reconnaissance aircraft and eight naval patrol vessels. The deal is worth $1.5-2 billion dollars to the Spanish defense industry, as well as an estimated 900 new jobs, but was cancelled due to the U.S. embargo. The cancellation does not affect the eight naval patrol vessels.
Venezuela in 2006 purchased 100,000 AK-103 assault rifles and 53 Russian helicopters[1], including 12 Mi-17 military helicopters.[2] The government of Venezuela has also announced its intention to obtain about 3 dozen more Russian helicopters, including Mi-17 "Hip", Mi-26 "Halo" and Mi-35 "Hind" as well as announcing the procurement of 24 Su-30MK Interceptors.[3] These deals are reportedly valued at US$5.3 billion [4].
Venezuela has announced the purchase of 3 batteries of the TOR-M1 system, with the possible acquisition of 600 armored vehicles - possibly the BMP 3 or the Sabiex Iguana FV4.[5] Border defense systems are being purchased from Brazil, plus Steyr anti-riot trucks and expanded Tiuna purchases.
A co-operative research into UAV between Venezuela and Iran is also underway.[6]
2007-2008
Modernization
The Venezuelan government has embarked on a massive military modernization and purchases that greatly expand their defensive and offensive capabilities, including negotiations for German submarines and transport aircraft, several agreements with Russia (outlined below), transport aircraft and naval vessels from Spain, radars from China, home-made and designed armored light vehicles and rocket launchers, studies for Leopard 2 main battle tanks, amongst many others. Most if not all European military hardware have not been delivered to Venezuela due to the U.S. embargo.
2005-2006
In 2005 Venezuela signed agreements with Spain to procure 12 naval transport and reconnaissance aircraft and eight naval patrol vessels. The deal is worth $1.5-2 billion dollars to the Spanish defense industry, as well as an estimated 900 new jobs, but was cancelled due to the U.S. embargo. The cancellation does not affect the eight naval patrol vessels.
Venezuela in 2006 purchased 100,000 AK-103 assault rifles and 53 Russian helicopters[1], including 12 Mi-17 military helicopters.[2] The government of Venezuela has also announced its intention to obtain about 3 dozen more Russian helicopters, including Mi-17 "Hip", Mi-26 "Halo" and Mi-35 "Hind" as well as announcing the procurement of 24 Su-30MK Interceptors.[3] These deals are reportedly valued at US$5.3 billion [4].
Venezuela has announced the purchase of 3 batteries of the TOR-M1 system, with the possible acquisition of 600 armored vehicles - possibly the BMP 3 or the Sabiex Iguana FV4.[5] Border defense systems are being purchased from Brazil, plus Steyr anti-riot trucks and expanded Tiuna purchases.
A co-operative research into UAV between Venezuela and Iran is also underway.[6]
2007-2008
- In 2007, the Belarussian military optics industry supplied the Venezuelan army with night vision devices, and installed on, as Hugo Chavez described, "every single rifle in the Venezuelan army."[7]
- In August, 2007, Chavez announced the purchase of 5,000 Dragunov sniper rifles from the Russian Rosoboronexport, adding that Venezuela must ready itself for a "possible U.S. invasion."[8]. Venezuela is studying Antonov transport aircraft to revamp its aging fleet of transport craft, which includes IAI Aravas and Skytrucks. In June 2008, during a trip to Russia, Hugo Chavez signed a weapons deal for 10-22 Il-76 Candid heavy transports, an additional 10 Mi-28 attack helicopters, and 3 Kilo classsubmarines.[9] Additional equipment may be included later on. The deal was worth more than 2 billion dollars. There are talks between Russia and Venezuela for possible future purchases of Su-35 fighters.[10]
- In September 2008, Russia provided Venezuela with a $1 billion loan to buy Russian weapons. A Kremlin source said "The Russian side has made the decision to extend to Venezuela a $1 billion loan for a military cooperation program." ahead of a meeting between Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and his Venezuelan counterpart, Hugo Chavez, which started a two-day visit to Russia.[11] Venezuela used most of the $1 billion loan, granted by Russia, to buy air-defense systems, a Russian military analyst said. "Venezuela needs primarily Tor-M1 surface to air systems to protect the airfields where the 24 Su-30 MK2 jet fighters it bought from Russia are based," said Konstantin Makiyenko, deputy director of the Center for Strategic Analysis, a Moscow based think tank. Caracas bought Igla-S portable SAM systems, and wanted Il-78 aerial tankers and Il-76 military freight aircraft. The tankers and freight planes for the Venezuelan Air Force will cost around $300 million, Makiyenko said.[12] In addition to the air defence systems, The Venezuelan government officially purchased Il-78 aerial tankers and Il-76 military freight aircraft.[13]
- In late September, as part of a six-country tour, Chavez arrived in China to discuss investment deals. He later confirmed that Venezuela will purchase Advanced Trainers from that country.[14]
- On October 15, Russia and Venezuela finalized a deal for a large number of BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles, a senior executive at Russia's arms export monopoly said. "In addition to the small arms, light weapons and ammunition delivered earlier, a large shipment of BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles is to be delivered," said Igor Sevastyanov, deputy general director of Rosoboronexport. [15]
- On October 17, 2008, it was confirmed that Venezuela and Russia were in talks to purchase the T-90 Russian tank, along with Multiple-Rocket Launchers. "We could be talking about 100 to 500 tanks. Right now it's impossible to know ... because strategic research studies are still underway (and) we're still negotiating," Venezuelan Strategic Operations Command chief General Jesus Gonzalez.[16][17]
