REVIEW: Army-2017 International Military-Technical Forum concludes in Moscow Region

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The third International Military-Technical Forum Army-2017 kicked off on Tuesday in the Alabino Military Training Grounds, the Kubinka Airfield and the Patriot Congress and Exhibition Center in the Moscow region concluded on Sunday.

The event gathered a number of officials and military experts from various countries, and featured a scientific and business program, as well as an exhibition showcasing the latest hi-tech military achievements.

INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS

During the forum, several round-table discussions took place focusing on the experience of Russian troops in Syria. The meetings have been attended by many delegations from foreign countries including China, India and the United States. In addition, a video conference from Hmeimim airbase was launched during one of the meetings.

Several discussions have been dedicated to the fight against terrorism amid growing instability in various regions worldwide.

Overall, the representatives of the Russian Defense Ministry and the country’s defense industry held over 50 bilateral meeting with foreign partners.

RUSSIAN TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTARTED

One of the key purposes of the forum was to demonstrate the latest achievements of the Russian defense industry.

A special interest among the visitors raised Russia’s new battle tank on the Armata platform, Kornet and Khrizantema antitank missile systems, Su-35 and Su-34 fighter jets as well as Su-57, the fifth-generation fighter jet with stealth technology.

Within the framework of the forum, Russian defense industry also demonstrated a new maritime search and rescue complex, dubbed Obereg, newest Russian demining set OVR-3Sh, the Pantsir-S air defense systems and the S-400 Triumf air defense missile systems.

DEALS SIGNED

The forum also witnessed signature of a number of contracts. In particular, Russia signed a contract on the delivery of two Pantsir-S1 air defense systems to Equatorial Guinea; two Mi-17Sh helicopters will be delivered by Russia’s state arms exporter Rosoboronexport to Burkina Faso in 2018.

Russian Defense Ministry, in turn, signed 23 contracts and three additional agreements with 17 defense industry enterprises for a total amount of more than 170 billion rubles [$2.9 billion] during the forum.

Some countries expressed interest in acquiring Russian arms in the future. Serbia’s army, for instance, is interested in Russian tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and equipment for special forces.

Nigeria is considering purchasing Russian military equipment and is particularly interested in MiG fighters, Yak-130 aircraft, artillery equipment and armored vehicles.

The Philippines intends to buy small arms from Russia before the end of 2017, with budget already set out for this purchase, and plans to discuss the details in Moscow.

Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG, meanwhile, held negotiations with a number of Asian and Latin American countries regarding supplies of newly developed Mikoyan MiG-35 fighter jets.

VISITORS

Overall, the representatives of 114 foreign countries, particularly 65 official military delegations, with 35 of them being led by high-ranking officials, including 20 delegations headed by defense ministers, took part in the forum over five days.

More than 500,000 visitors have attended Army-2017 between August 22 and 27. Over 429,500 people visited Patriot Park, while 89,900 people visited the venues in the military districts and the Northern Fleet.