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Defense Minister: Army 2016 Forum to foster international partnership

Sergei Shoigu said that this year the number of the forum participants had increased and the forum’s geography had expanded
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu at the opening of Army 2016 Forum  Marina Lystseva/TASS
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu at the opening of Army 2016 Forum
© Marina Lystseva/TASS

KUBINKA (Moscow region), September 6. /TASS/. More than 100 events of the Army 2016 Forum’s business program will contribute to a constructive dialogue between representatives of the defense departments and scientific-industrial complexes of the exhibition’s participants, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Tuesday.

The second International Military-Technical Forum Army 2016 opened in Kubinka outside Moscow on Tuesday, and will run until September 11.

"This large-scale event provides an excellent opportunity for direct communication between Russian and foreign developers, and manufacturers of military and dual-purpose products. The latest scientific and technological achievements are demonstrated here, they are displayed not only statically, but there is also a dynamic display of weapons and military equipment on the ground and in the air," Shoigu said at a meeting that focused on strengthening military, industrial and scientific-technical cooperation.

The minister said that this year the number of the forum participants had increased and the forum’s geography had expanded. Thus, more than 1,000 Russian enterprises and organizations are represented on the grounds of the Patriot Park in the Moscow region, more than 80 foreign countries have sent delegations to the forum, and the first national expositions have been opened by Russia’s allies in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) - Belarus, Kazakhstan and Armenia.

"Undoubtedly, such broad attendance promotes enhanced international partnership in the military sphere ... I am sure that the Army 2016 Forum will contribute to a constructive exchange of views between representatives of the defense departments and scientific-industrial complexes of the participating countries. To this end, the forum’s business program includes more than 100 official events", the defense minister said.

According to Shoigu, pavilions with a total exhibition space of 80,000 square meters, including 28 conference halls have been built for the forum. The universal outdoor grounds area for the display of weapons, military and special equipment exceeds 100,000 square meters.

The Russian defense minister also said that this time the capabilities of the military equipment and weapons will be displayed not only at the Alabino range of the Western Military District, but also in all Russia’s military districts and in the Northern Fleet.