Warplanes Account for Almost Half of Russian Arms Revenues - Exporter

Sputnik News

10:52 27.03.2015(updated 12:28 27.03.2015)

According to the director of the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, delivery of aviation dominated the overall Russian exports of weapons in 2014.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The delivery of aviation dominated the overall Russian exports of weapons in 2014, the director of the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation said Friday.

"The delivery of aviation technology was 44 percent, and 12 percent for naval [overall exported weapons]," Alexander Fomin said in the Russian upper house of parliament.

On March 19, the FSMTC head said 2014 Russian weapons exports were higher than $15.5 billion. Current orders for weapons deliveries were reported at $48 billion despite sanctions imposed by the West.

The United States, the European Union and their allies imposed several rounds of restrictions to weaken Russia's economy in 2014 over Moscow's alleged interference in the Ukraine conflict. Russia has repeatedly refused the accusations.

Following the introduction of restrictions particularly targeting Russia's defense sector, Moscow initiated an import substitution program. In December 2014, a plan to eliminate Russia's dependency on foreign-made defense products was finalized.

Russia kept second place among world arms exporters in 2014 behind the United States, according to IHS, a US-based consultancy business. China, India, Venezuela and Vietnam import the major share of Russian products.

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