Russia signs major deals to boost Brazil's air defense, naval capability

http://www.geostrategy-direct.com/geostrategy-direct/secure/2013/04_24/ba.asp?

 

Russia signs major deals to boost Brazil's air defense, naval capability

Moscow is in the final phase of approving a whole package of defense cooperation with fellow BRICS* country Brazil, according to Russia's state-owned weapons-manufacturing giant Rosoboronexport.

The catalyst for the deal was the LAAD 2013 International Defense and Security International Exhibition, April 9-12 in Rio de Janeiro. Over 200 Russian weapons and military equipment were on display at the show.

But the initial interest in buying a large quantity of Russian weapons was expressed by Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff in a Dec. 2012 visit to Moscow. She and Russian president Vladimir Putin signed two agreements to create a joint venture that would assemble Russia's Mi-17 military helicopters in Brazil and service the fleet of the existing M035M helicopters already in the Brazilian air force.

Within a month, Brazil's Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Gen. Jose Carlos de Nardi led a military delegation to Moscow to expand the range of weapons platforms the Russians could sell or transfer to Brazil.

High on the Brazilian shopping list were the Igla [Needle] portable air defense systems, the mobile launched Parana surface-to-air missile system and the Panzer-C1 air defense systems.

Apparently, the Kremlin has sped up the approval process and a comprehensive joint defense enterprise linking Russia and Brazil will be of great significance to security priorities in both continents.

* [Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa].