Russia does not need Israeli assistance to make progress in the
development of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), including military
drones, the head of a Russian UAV production company said on Thursday.
A senior Israeli defense source quoted in Flight International said
earlier that Israel may tear up much of the unprecedented military
cooperation deal it signed with Russia at the start of this month due
to anger over Moscow's decision to supply Yakhont naval missiles to
Syria.
"In the next two or three years, there will be a breakthrough in the
Russian UAV market regardless of the Israeli position on this issue,"
Vladimir Verba, the director general of the Vega company.
Verba said his company had developed a comprehensive UAV development
program until 2025, which had been approved by the majority of its
customers, including the Federal Security Service (FSB) and the
Interior Ministry.
He also said Vega had been developing strike and reconnaissance
drones for the Russian military in cooperation with Russia's United
Aircraft Corporation (UAC).
The Russian military stressed the need to provide the Armed Forces
with advanced reconnaissance systems in the wake of a brief military
conflict with Georgia in August 2008, when the effectiveness of Russian
military operations was severely hampered by the lack of reliable
intelligence.
According to various estimates, the Russian military needs up to 100
UAVs and at least 10 guidance and control systems to ensure effective
battlefield reconnaissance.
The Russian Defense Ministry has previously expressed
dissatisfaction with locally manufactured UAVs, and decided to buy them
from Israel.
According to the ministry, some 50 Russian military servicemen are
undergoing training in the use of Israeli-built UAVs and that a total
of twelve have been bought.
Russia has reportedly signed two UAV contracts with Israel. Under
the first contract, signed in April 2009, Israel delivered two Bird Eye
400 systems (worth $4 million), eight I View MK150 tactical UAVs ($37
million) and two Searcher Mk II multi-mission UAVs ($12 million).
The second contract was for the purchase of 36 UAVs, worth a total of $100 million, to be delivered later this year.
Russia and Israel have also been negotiating the establishment of a joint $300-million venture to produce UAVs.
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