Abu Dhabi: Russia and the UAE will work together to develop light combat aircraft in the coming years, chief executive officer of Rostec corporation told reporters in Abu Dhabi yesterday.
“We have signed an inter-governmental agreement with the UAE, and the two sides have agreed to work in the development of fifth generation light combat aircraft. We will try to create a modern aircraft with modern avionics and it is going to be a brand new aircraft,” said Sergey Chemezov while addressing media on the sidelines of International Defence Exhibition (Idex 2017)
Work on the manufacture of the aircraft is expected to start next year with seven to eight years’ time period for full completion.
“The work involves sophisticated technology and highly complicated equipment. It almost took a decade for us to create our own fifth generation aircraft in Russia,” Chemezov added.
New facilities will be created in the UAE for the manufacture of the aircraft, he said. The total investment involved in the project is not disclosed. The company has also signed a similar agreement with India to develop a light combat aircraft.
Chemezov said the UAE has also signed an agreement to buy Sukhoi planes.
Rostec is a Russian corporation, created in 2007 to promote development, production and export of high-tech industrial products for civil and military purposes. It is comprised of over 700 organisations, which form 9 holding companies in the military-industrial complex and 6 in civilian industries, as well as 32 organisations under direct management.
On Iran, he said there are sanctions in place and it is forbidden to supply combative and offensive equipment but on the defence side they are allowed to deliver weapons to the country
“As for anti-aircraft S-300 system (surface to air missile system), we have supplied to Iran and we completed our deliveries last year. If they address us to deliver something else in defence system we will review it. The total value is around $1 billion (Dh3.67 billion) in the supply of S-300.”
Due to low oil prices, he said there has been an impact on defence budget, but the total defence orders continued to be significant.
“Because of current growth of oil prices, the budget deficit we used to have will be covered shortly.”
On competition in the international arms market, he said they are competing with the United States and other countries in Europe in sale of weapons.
“Russia is number two in the supply of weapons and the number one is the United States and we are competing with the States. For some types of weapons, we do have some European competition especially in helicopters, tanks among others.”
He also said they are in discussion with Egypt on a number of contracts, but they are not allowed to discuss details due to confidentiality agreement signed with the Egyptian government.
Speaking on the United States, he said Russia still has strong relationship with US-based companies, especially in the supply of titanium to Boeing Company.
“We are the biggest producer of titanium in the world and supply about 40 per cent of Boeing’s demand, Embraer 100 per cent and Airbus about 60 per cent. It is very difficult to find another supplier because we produce one third of total production of titanium in the world. If they decide to stop buying from us then Boeing and Airbus will be shut down.”
When asked about the delay in construction of power stations in Crimea, he said European countries have banned supply of turbines to Crimea and they are negotiating with Iran.
“We are finalising our negotiations with Iran because they manufacture similar turbines. I think we will be able to install them on power plants by the end of this year as the construction is almost complete.”
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