Shield Africa 2021: Russia offers latest Kalashnikov rifles, VPK armour to Africa
As the 2021 edition of Shield Africa International Security and Defence Exhibition commences, a delegation of Rosoboronexport JSC (part of the Rostec State Corporation) will be attending to offer its latest defence products to African customers.
Slated to be held from Tuesday June 8 to 10 at the Police Academy in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, Sheild Africa 2021 appears to be gathering momentum as more than 80 delegation from across the world are attending.
“Rosoboronexport is successfully continuing to foster military-technical cooperation with Sub-Saharan African countries, which received a strong impetus during the Russia-Africa Forum in 2019. In 2020 and early 2021 alone, we signed contract documents worth over $1.7 billion in this region and brought the number of countries in Central, Western and Southern Africa in our order portfolio to 17,” said Alexander Mikheev, Director General of Rosoboronexport.
At the end of last year, Middle East and North African (MENA) countries accounted for over 50 % of all export supplies through Rosoboronexport.
“Today, Rosoboronexport is marketing helicopters, air defense systems, naval products, armored vehicles, equipment for law enforcement agencies, airport and critical infrastructure security equipment, small arms, including special weapons, in the region.”
During Shield Africa 2021, the Rosoboronexport delegation will hold meetings and negotiations with representatives of law enforcement agencies of the African countries, as well as make presentations of Russian-made products marketed by the company for all services of the armed forces, including police and special units.
Russia is offering to Africa a diverse array of new weapons
All-new assault rifles
Among Russian products that the company’s specialists will tell about are the BTR-80, 80A and 82A armored personnel carriers, Kalashnikov AK-100 and AK-200 series, AK-12 and AK-15 assault rifles that are most in demand in the region and the AK-19, AK-308 rifles, absolute novelties in Africa.
The all-new AK-19 assault rifle is chambered for 5.56×45 round, one of the most popular rifle rounds in the world, which is currently used by NATO countries.
Russian-made Anti-tank guided missiles
African customers will be provided with information about Russian anti-tank guided missile systems, including the Kornet-E and Kornet-EM systems, 120 and 82 mm mortars.
Rostec will exhibit a wide range of armour vehicles at Shield Africa 2021
In addition to the Rosoboronexport delegation, Russia will be represented by the Military Industrial Company (VPK), which will organize an exhibit display with the full-scale VPK-233316 Tigr special armored vehicle in the Raid configuration, VPK-39473 Strela light armored and VPK-Ural multi-purpose armored vehicles.
These vehicles will be first showcased at an exhibition on the African continent. During Shield Africa 2021, Rosoboronexport is ready to hold detailed consultations and negotiations on the supply of this equipment.
Military Africa learnt that the Tigr family of armored wheeled vehicles were in most in in demand in African countries. They were first unveiled at the Army Expo 2020 took place in Kubinka near Moscow in the last days of August.
In an interview with with Mr. Alexander Krasovitsky the Director General of Russia’s Military-Industrial Company (MIC) makers of a wide range of world-class armoured vehicles, in addition to upgrading the existing TIGR family special armored vehicles, two prototypes of the brand new family of Strela light armored vehicles were developed and assembled. One of them is built in the configuration of an amphibious protected vehicle.
The new Strela multipurpose light armored vehicle weighs just 4.7 tons; the vehicle’s armor provides the 2nd-degree ballistic protection. The light armored vehicle’s anti-blast protection shields the crew inside it upon hitting mines or explosives with a yield of up to 2 kilograms in TNT equivalent
It is equipped with a powerful diesel engine (200 hp) in conjunction with a mechanical 6-speed gearbox provides high dynamic qualities of the light armored vehicle. The Strela can develop a speed of up to 155 km/h on the road.
“We will also inform our partners that we have significantly expanded our capabilities and are actively developing the activities related to supply of Russian civilian products. Rosoboronexport, which enjoys high reputation in the government and business circles of African countries, acts as a “Single Window” and guarantor of the correctness and reliability of transactions for both Russian manufacturers and foreign customers,” Alexander Mikheev added.
In order to promote civilian products in the world market for companies unexperienced in independent foreign trade activities, Rosoboronexport has set up a special division to organize the supply of civilian products.
Among the core export product groups are vehicles, seagoing/river vessels, medical supplies, civil and service weapons, process equipment, metallurgical and chemical products.
The company has already implemented several contracts for the supply of modern fire engines, civil helicopters, and security systems to various countries around the world, and a number of pre-contract negotiations are underway. Agreements on joint promotion of civilian products in the external market have been concluded with major Russian holding companies and are in force.
