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Russia, France in talks over cooperation in designing 'future soldier' gear

The negotiations are underway between the Russian side and French SAGEM

© ITAR-TASS/Sergei Bobylev

PARIS, November 21. /ITAR-TASS/. - Russia and France may agree to cooperate in developing improved combat gear for the “soldier of the future” called New Generation. The program may be launched mid-2014, the chief executive of the Precision Mechanical Engineering Central Research Institute (TsNIITochMash), Dmitry Semizorov, said at the International Exhibition of global security innovation MILIPOL-2013.

“The negotiations are underway between the Russian side and French SAGEM,” Semizorov said. Whether this cooperation would be a Russian-French joint venture to manufacture improved equipment for military or “a special platform for the exchange of technical achievements of the two countries” remains unknown.

Talking about the technical standards of the French FELIN system and Russia's Ratnik system, Semizorov said they were about the same, with certain advantages on both sides.

Jointly developed military may be supplies to third countries. But the two companies may also incorporate each other’s achievements into their own systems, Semizorov said.

He added the main disparity between the systems was Russian scientists had to use foreign components. Even so, a number of Ratnik’s components surpasses foreign counterparts and have aroused the French colleagues' interest.

TsNIITochMash located in the Moscow Region’s town of Klimovsk is the chief manufacturer of the Ratnik system and Russian major developer and producer of unique weaponry for special and security services unrivaled abroad.

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