LANGKAWI ISLAND (Malaysia), October 21. /TASS/. Russia considers South-East Asia as a promising market for a wide range of Russian weapons and military hardware, Deputy CEO of Russia’s Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation Mikhail Petukhov said on Tuesday.

"We’re building up cooperation with South-East Asian countries and consider their markets as promising for a wide range of domestic armaments and military hardware. There are countries in this region that are large partners of the Russian Federation in the field of military and technical cooperation," Petukhov said at the LIMA-2017 international arms exhibition where he heads the Russian delegation.

Aircraft traditionally hold the first place in the structure of Russia’s exports to the countries of the region, the Russian defense official said.

"The Russian planes Su-27/Su-30, MiG-29 enjoy demand there and we see good prospects for the Yak-130 combat training plane. Aircraft are followed by naval hardware, in particular, Project 636 submarines, Gepard escort ships, missile and patrol boats of various classes and land troops’ hardware such as antiaircraft missile systems and antitank missile complexes," the official said.

The fighter jets based on the Su-30MK aircraft offered by Russia for exports and supplied to some South-East Asian countries are generation 4++ two-seat multipurpose fighters designed to destroy aerial, ground-based and naval targets. MiG-29 multipurpose frontline fighter jets are operational in some countries of the region, including Malaysia, as well.

Yak-130 combat trainers are operational in the Air Force of Bangladesh. These planes are intended for the combat training of flight personnel and for the accomplishment of combat missions. The Yak-130 can also be effectively used as a light combat plane.

The frigate Gepard-3.9 based on the Project 11661 escort ship is operational in the Vietnamese Navy. Project 636 large diesel-electric submarines with missile armament are operational in the navies of some South-East Asian countries and are designed for destroying the enemy’s submarines, surface ships and vessels.