Russian arms sales to Middle East & North Africa

Mike E wrote:

George1 wrote:Which country? Maybe Syria??

Russian T-90MS tank completes test cycle in Arab country — manufacturer

Could be Pakistan, given that they were to test a T-90MS. Probably would have heard about it though.

Since when was Pakistan an Arab country??? I'm putting money on either Egypt or Algeria.

Yes, it is Pakistan. Mike is right, you needn't doubt that.

Egypt is knee-deep in the M1A1 and seems to be more interested in Armata; long term of course. It can't be them.

Algeria has more T-90S on order, and an immediate purchase of the MS is possible, if unlikely.

Pakistan has both expressed interest in the MS, and was originally going to test it. It makes the most sense it is them.

It isn't an Arab country, technically, but we are talking journalism here.

I believe the tests were held in Koweit.

I'm sure we'll be a client of the MS version, at least as an upgrade. Our officers have been interested in it for a while. There's a shitload of articles and pics a bout that.

Wasn't also Marocco interested in T-90MS?

Not that it would be arab country.

The Moroccans have just bought 222 refurbished Abrams, I don't see them buying T90MS, especially if we already have them.

The probability to upgrade our tanks to the MS is really high, but still, I won't be surprised if some Gulf nations by some.

Well, it was Kuwait oddly enough... 

Hopefully Pakistan tests it later, as originally planned.

Mike E wrote:Well, it was Kuwait oddly enough... 

Hopefully Pakistan tests it later, as originally planned.

Surprise, Pakistan isn't the 'Arab' country mentioned.

Surprise, it wasn't Egypt or Algeria. 

Mike E wrote:Surprise, it wasn't Egypt or Algeria. 

You should've of known better than to think Pakistan as a Arabic country.

magnumcromagnon wrote:

Mike E wrote:Surprise, it wasn't Egypt or Algeria. 

You should've of known better than to think Pakistan as a Arabic country.

Never thought they were, rather that quotes and journalists can be misunderstood. 

I suspect Kuwait will purchase ~150 to replace their M-84's, and maybe a few extra to start dropping the A2.

Well, ugh...turns out that Kuwait finishing T-90MS testing was originally announced at IDEF in February. Repeating news 6 months later would be an odd move, unless this really is a different country.

sepheronx wrote:Could be UAE.

Possibly, but they recently splashed on the Leclerc, and are going to receive upgrades on them. 

Maybe it really is Kuwait and this is just old news.

Mike E wrote:

sepheronx wrote:Could be UAE.

Possibly, but they recently splashed on the Leclerc, and are going to receive upgrades on them. 

Maybe it really is Kuwait and this is just old news.

Well I just read some where that Saudi Arabia is interested in T-90MS, but with all the past bad blood (Afghanistan, oil prices, Chechnya, Dagestan, Libya, Syria, Iraq, and Iran) I really suspect that the so called potential arm deals between the Russians and the Saudis wont amount to anything (hopefully). Hence why I stand with prediction that current news of the T-90MS is probably between either Egypt, or Algeria, who've both shown interest in the past.

*I'm about to go off on a tangent a bit*

The public presence of the GCC states in recent Russian arms shows is really their desperation to bribe the Russians away from the Iranians, in turn cause bad blood between them. In reality the potential arm deals between the GCC (with the excepetion of the UAE) and Russia is minuscule compared to the mega deals between Russia and Iran (which could reach hundreds of billions of dollars in a decade). I feel like from the current crisis in Syria, secular Arab countries such as Egypt, and Algeria are stocking up their war chest with a reliable arms partner (Russia) before a Muslim Brotherhood financed dirty war has started in their respective nations. Just a reminder, in the 90's the Muslim Brotherhood started a civil war in Algeria, in 2011 they started a civil war in Syria, and almost managed to start a civil war in Egypt back in 2013, except that Sisi brilliantly managed to pit the two main warmongering GCC states (Saudi Arabia, and Qatar) against each other, thus nullifying any traction in starting a dirty war in Egypt.

magnumcromagnon wrote:

Mike E wrote:

sepheronx wrote:Could be UAE.

Possibly, but they recently splashed on the Leclerc, and are going to receive upgrades on them. 

Maybe it really is Kuwait and this is just old news.

Well I just read some where that Saudi Arabia is interested in T-90MS, but with all the past bad blood (Afghanistan, oil prices, Chechnya, Dagestan, Libya, Syria, Iraq, and Iran) I really suspect that the so called potential arm deals between the Russians and the Saudis wont amount to anything (hopefully). Hence why I stand with prediction that current news of the T-90MS is probably between either Egypt, or Algeria, who've both shown interest in the past.

*I'm about to go off on a tangent a bit*

The public presence of the GCC states in recent Russian arms shows is really their desperation to bribe the Russians away from the Iranians, in turn cause bad blood between them. In reality the potential arm deals between the GCC (with the excepetion of the UAE) and Russia is minuscule compared to the mega deals between Russia and Iran (which could reach hundreds of billions of dollars in a decade). I feel like from the current crisis in Syria, secular Arab countries such as Egypt, and Algeria are stocking up their war chest with a reliable arms partner (Russia) before a Muslim Brotherhood financed dirty war has started in their respective nations. Just a reminder, in the 90's the Muslim Brotherhood started a civil war in Algeria, in 2011 they started a civil war in Syria, and almost managed to start a civil war in Egypt back in 2013, except that Sisi brilliantly managed to pit the two main warmongering GCC states (Saudi Arabia, and Qatar) against each other, thus nullifying any traction in starting a dirty war in Egypt.

Actually It's Algeria who got the T-90MS but it will not be transported to it,it will be MADE HERE ,200 T-90MS planed to be extended to 1500

magnumcromagnon wrote:

Mike E wrote:

sepheronx wrote:Could be UAE.

Possibly, but they recently splashed on the Leclerc, and are going to receive upgrades on them. 

Maybe it really is Kuwait and this is just old news.

Well I just read some where that Saudi Arabia is interested in T-90MS, but with all the past bad blood (Afghanistan, oil prices, Chechnya, Dagestan, Libya, Syria, Iraq, and Iran) I really suspect that the so called potential arm deals between the Russians and the Saudis wont amount to anything (hopefully). Hence why I stand with prediction that current news of the T-90MS is probably between either Egypt, or Algeria, who've both shown interest in the past.

*I'm about to go off on a tangent a bit*

The public presence of the GCC states in recent Russian arms shows is really their desperation to bribe the Russians away from the Iranians, in turn cause bad blood between them. In reality the potential arm deals between the GCC (with the excepetion of the UAE) and Russia is minuscule compared to the mega deals between Russia and Iran (which could reach hundreds of billions of dollars in a decade). I feel like from the current crisis in Syria, secular Arab countries such as Egypt, and Algeria are stocking up their war chest with a reliable arms partner (Russia) before a Muslim Brotherhood financed dirty war has started in their respective nations. Just a reminder, in the 90's the Muslim Brotherhood started a civil war in Algeria, in 2011 they started a civil war in Syria, and almost managed to start a civil war in Egypt back in 2013, except that Sisi brilliantly managed to pit the two main warmongering GCC states (Saudi Arabia, and Qatar) against each other, thus nullifying any traction in starting a dirty war in Egypt.

Russians should sell Saudis T-90MSA, turret armor removed and fitted with semtex, nice 2.7 tones of Semtex armor as a revenge for Saudi shit of Arabia terrorism.

Future Export Bestseller: Russia's Campaign in Syria Helps Promote Su-34

Foreign buyers of Russian-made military equipment will now be able to take a good look at the Sukhoi Su-34 strike fighters which have been actively engaged in the Russian-led aerial campaign targeting extremists in Syria and hailed as the best hardware Moscow can offer, military expert Igor Korotchenko told RIA Novosti.

Korotchenko named Vietnam, Algeria and Iraq as potential buyers but added that other countries, including Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, are increasingly interested in the Su-34 as well. He believes that several Su-34 squadrons could be sold in the next five years.
"Several countries in Africa, including Uganda and Nigeria, which is waging a war against Boko Haram, could buy the Su-34. Strike fighters could also strengthen Ethiopia's Air Force, which operates aging Sukhoi Su-27 fighters," Korotchenko noted.

On September 30, Russia launched a multinational aerial campaign aimed at assisting Damascus-led forces in their fight against terrorist groups, which are trying to oust President Bashar al-Assad. The operation was authorized by legitimate Syrian authorities.

As part of these counterterrorist efforts, air group, consisting of Sukhoi Su-24M attack aircraft, Sukhoi Su-34 strike fighters and Sukhoi Su-25SM jets, conducted approximately 550 sorties destroying militant terrorist command centers, ammunition depots, underground bunkers, field camps and strongholds.

Based on Sukhoi Su-27, the Su-34 is a 4++ generation jet, which can accelerate to a maximum speed of 1,200 mph and has a maximum range of 2,500 miles without refueling.

I doubt Su-34 will be exported, but Su-30SM type of Flanker will go well in export. RuAF could throw few KAB-500S bombs with Su-30SM on ISIS and they will sell them well in the market. They do their job well with air protection and as flying command post for the group sharing all informations with data link network with other planes as with UAVs and ground command posts. This is for what twin seaters are good for. Pilot is flying and the operator is doing all the rest. I doubt pilot in Su-35 could do all this job alone, flying, fighting and coordinating the group even with the help of computers. RuAF choose well to have Su-35 and PAK-FA for air defense in Russian air space, while all other jobs will be with Su-34 and Su-30SM. Maybe in the future MiG-35 will join them.

Su-34 and similiar aircrafts are a specialized aircraft that most countries do not need and can not afford and if they see a need for a similiar aircraft they will go for Su-24M.

The Su34 is on the AAF's shopping list. They want to replace the Su24mk2 with them.

sepheronx wrote:Su-34 on paper is a very cheap aircraft for Russia.  Issue is, it is very secretive aircraft.  Out of all the modern used aircrafts in Russia's inventory, Su-34 we know the least amount.  Actual performance of the N004 radar, various EW systems, the optical system, etc.  Very little info about the aircraft itself isn't a good selling point.  But what this is doing is helping Russia greatly in testing it out on the field.

Su-30SM will probably be the one that gets all the orders, and old Su-24M's that are upgraded may as well.

True. But from night attack of Su-34 on ISIS convoys of Toyotas, we could assume that Platan complex actually have FLIR camera inside. I hope RuAF will one day show night time Platan picture.

Atakor wrote:The Su34 is on the AAF's shopping list. They want to replace the Su24mk2 with them.

Algeria could simply buy more Su-30MKA to replace Su-24MK.