Arms Export Big Business For Russia, Still on Hold for Iranian Air Defense Contract

Rosoboronexport, the monopoly exporter for Russian finished military hardware, set a new sales record—$34 bn—for 2009, despite the global economic contraction. The company was created by then–president Putin in 2001, and has seen 500% growth since that time.

Rosoboronexport’s main clients are India, Algeria, China Malaysia, Venezuela and Syria. And Isaikin, head of the company, said that Rosoboronexport has a right to supply Iran with any weapon system since there is no international arms embargo against the Islamic Republic. The company signed a contract in 2005 to supply Iran with to supply the S-300 surface–to–air missile, which “has the capability to shoot down tactical ballistic missiles in addition to cruise missiles and aircraft, at ranges of 5-150 kilometers and altitudes between 10-27,000 meters.” However, the company reports that no deliveries have yet taken place.

Read more at The Moscow Times.