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Anti-terror operation in Syria heightens interest in Russian arms — delegate to LIMA 2017

"The weaponry demonstrated absolute effectiveness in extra-complicated combat conditions," the chief Russian delegate to the LIMA 2017 arms show Mikhail Petukhov said
An Uran-6 military mine clearing robotic complex  Russian Defense Ministry's Press and Information Department/TASS
An Uran-6 military mine clearing robotic complex
© Russian Defense Ministry's Press and Information Department/TASS

LANGKAWI, Malaya March 21. /TASS/. Potential customers’ interest in Russian military hardware has soared in the wake of the operation in Syria, the chief Russian delegate to the LIMA 2017 arms show, Mikhail Petukhov, told the media on Tuesday.

"After Russian naval ships coped with their tasks in the course of the counter-terrorist operation in Syria, interest in Russian military hardware soared. The weaponry demonstrated absolute effectiveness in extra-complicated combat conditions," said Petukhov, the deputy CEO of Russia’s federal service for military-technical cooperation.

Some likely customers in Southeast Asian countries "displayed interest in acquiring Russian naval technologies and weapons, including missile-carrying submarines," he remarked.

According to earlier reports, the operation in Syria fueled foreign clients’ interest in such military equipment as Sukhoi-34 planes and robots of the Uran family. Russia’s Navy participated in dealing strikes against militants. Cruise missiles Kalibr were launched from surface ships, including the frigate The Admiral Grigorovich, smaller missile-carrying ships of project 21631 and submarines of project 636.3. Russia’s aircraft carrier task force spent several months off Syria’s shores. MiG-29K fighters operated from the deck of the aircraft carrier The Admiral Kuznetsov.

Russia offers its foreign clients a variety of combat ships. Models of some of them, such as Gepard-3.9 class frigates based on escort ships and missile boats of project 12421 Molniya (Lightning) are on display at the LIMA show. The Vietnamese Navy already uses two Gepard-3.9 frigates and another two may be provided soon. Vietnam produces missile boats Molniya under license.

The patrol ship of project 22160 is another title on the list of Russia’s export items. A series of six such ships is being built for Russia’s Black Sea Navy. These ships are meant for protecting territorial waters and patrolling the exclusive economic zone, preventing smuggling and piracy and conducting search and rescue operations.