Rosoboronexport brings more than 200 items of Russian weapons and military equipment intended for all services to the LAAD 2013 Defence and Security exhibition to be held in Rio de Janeiro from 9th to 12th April 2013. The company is a traditional participant in the event since 1995, but this year the exposition is planned to increase. The total area of Russia's exposition managed by the Rostec Corporation will be three times larger than that at LAAD 2011.

The Rosoboronexport stand will display air defence assets in the centre stage. As expected, specialists will be most interested in such air defence equipment as the Pantsir-S1 gun-missile system, Tor-M2E and upgraded Pechora-2M missile systems, as well as Palma ship-borne missile system. The Rosoboronexport stand will also exhibit a full-scale mockup of the Igla-S man-portable air defence missile systems with an automatic control module.

In the air systems sector, special emphasis will be made on Russian helicopter technologies which enjoy a steadily growing demand in Latin America. First come military transport helicopters of the well-known Mi-17 type, and next the Mi-35M combat assault helicopters adopted into service in Brazil and Venezuela. The Latin American market opens good prospects for the new Yak-130 combat trainer and Su-35 super-manoeuvrable fighter, the most advanced combat aircraft among others serially produced in Russia.

Latin American specialists take great interest in various types of Russian weapons and military equipment designed for land forces: in particular, in the Tigr armoured car, small arms and close combat weapons including the Kornet-family antitank missile systems and its latest version, Kornet-EM, capable of conducting fire at a range increased up to 10 km as well as engaging aerial targets.

In the naval systems sector, export prospects are favourable for Russian patrol ships and frigates of Projects 22356 and 11356, as well as diesel-electric submarines.

Latin America is one of the most promising markets for Rosoboronexport. Its share in the total foreign military sales of 2012 reached 18 percent (while in 2011 it accounted for 14 percent).

"Latin America is a strategic region to us, and this is specifically emphasised at the highest political level. In recent years we have been successful in preparing a solid base for a qualitatively new breakthrough. All prerequisites are in place for making this step forward and, what's important, Russia and countries of the continent share common interests in substantially expanding military technical cooperation. Especially important is that Russia is not only ready to deliver finished products but also to transfer full-fledged technologies, set up licence production, and implement joint projects for the development and production of new items, - noted Sergei Ladygin, head of Rosoboronexport's regional department and company's delegation to the exhibition.

Brazil is one of the most prospective Russia’s partners in the region, with whom military technical cooperation started to unroll in the middle of the 1990s.

At present the Brazilian side shows its greatest interest in such Russian air defence equipment items as the Pantsir-S1 gun-missile system and Igla-S man-portable missile system. Talks cover both delivery of the finished items and their licence production with active involvement of Brazilian companies and eventual implementation of projects for joint development and production of new air defence equipment such as, for instance, the Parana advanced air defence missile system.

The Russian-Brazilian military technical partnership also includes other promising areas of cooperation including licence production and joint development of helicopter systems, weapons and equipment for land forces, as well as state border protection.

"I expect this exhibition will help us make a major step towards all-aspect and intensive military technical cooperation with Brazil. We have been paving the way to this goal long enough, reaching by now the point when a practical breakthrough in relations is awaited. I believe it is about to come", said Sergei Ladygin.

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