History of the company
Originally, the Soviet (Russian) system of military technical cooperation with other nations started with the Chief Engineering Board, which was set up in 1953 as a unit of the Ministry for Domestic and Foreign Trade, pursuant to a resolution of the Council of Ministers of the USSR. As areas of military technical cooperation (“MTC”) were evolving, other bodies of specialized foreign trade also emerged.
In the 1990s, the system of Russia’s MTC underwent crucial changes. By the end of the decade, the country had two state-controlled intermediaries in the military trade sector, namely Rosvooruzhenie, a state-owned company and a federal state unitary enterprise (FSUE), and Promexport, also a federal state unitary enterprise (FSUE). In addition, there were a few other entities involved in MTC, in particular military-industrial enterprises. In order to enhance efficiency of their operations in the external market, establishment of the “presidential vertical” for the management of MTC by the federal government was required, which helped reinforce coordination and control over arms exports and eliminated competition among Russian entities involved in MTC.
On November 4, 2000, the President of the Russian Federation issued Decree No. 1834, to merge the two state-controlled intermediaries and establish a single state-controlled special exporter named Rosoboronexport, a federal state unitary enterprise (FSUE). Andrei Belyaninov was appointed Director General, and Sergei Chemezov his First Deputy. The latter was at the Company’s helm from 2004 to 2007. From 2007 to 2017, Anatoly Isaykin was Director General.
By July 1, 2011, pursuant to Decree No. 1577 of the President of the Russian Federation, privatization of the asset portfolio of Rosoboronexport (FSUE) had been completed, and the Company was converted into an open joint-stock-company (OJSC), keeping the functions of the only state-controlled intermediary in carrying out foreign trade operations with respect to the entire range of military goods.
According to Federal Law No. 99-FZ, dated September 1, 2014, Rostec State Corporation passed a resolution on November 10, 2015 to amend the Company’s Articles of Association so far as its corporate name was concerned. The Company was renamed into Joint-Stock Company Rosoboronexport, or JSC Rosoboronexport for short.
On January 10, 2017, in accordance with a December 26, 2016 resolution of the sole shareholder, State Corporation Rostec, Alexander Mikheev took office as Director General of JSC Rosoboronexport.
