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Brazil's Defesanet reports that Rusia's Rosoboronexport expects to double or triple its defense industry contracts with Venezuela, which currently amount to around $4 billion for 24 SU-30MK fighters, 50 helicopters (Mi-17, Mi-35 Pirana attack, giant Mi-26 transport), 12 Tor-M1 anti-air missile sets, and 100,000 Kalashnikov rifles. Rosoboronexport official Sergei Ladiguin has reportedly referred to additional deals in the works for ships, aircraft & helicopters, missiles, and land forces equipment.
Partly as a response to their neighbor Venezuela's buildup, and partly in response to aging equipment that is falling apart, Venezuela's larger neighbor Brazil recently moved to increase its own annual defense budget from $3.5 billion to $5 billion. Russian equipment will be strong contenders for key Brazilian contracts as well, including 4+ generation fighters, transport/attack helicopters, and naval contracts.
Russia was well known for producing and exporting fast attack missile boats during the Cold War, and recent years have seen a renewed emphasis on naval exports. Rosoboronexport has reportedly been been pushing "Mirazh" patrol craft and Murena-E hovercraft in Latin American sales campaigns, and the country also makes the new Stereguschiy Class stealth corvettes.
Additional Readings & Sources
- Council on Hemispheric Affairs (March 20/07) - The Russian Arms Merchant raps on Latin America's Door
- DID Spotlight - Venezuela Buying SU-30s, Helicopters, et. al. From Russia. Covers those deals and updates.
- DID (Nov 22/05) - F.I. Looks At Latin American Arms Market, Sees Venezuelan Buildup. Forecast International valued Venezuela's military modernization program at up to $30.7 billion through 2012, which would make the country the leading arms buyer in the region through the rest of the decade.
But, But, I thought the evil Yankee dog imperialist pigs were the ones selling weapons for the oppression of the people.
Is it just me or does it appear that the vast majority of Venezuela's arms purchases appear to be geared towards holding power over its populace, not putting up defense against a foreign invader.
Yes, most, but not all, and some are dual-use.
The SU-30MK2 fighters don't fit that mode, for instance - but their range and weapons capacity makes them fine tools for power projection against neighbours. If Chavez had wanted defensive aircraft, he could have had similar or better air-air performance from MiG-35s (MiG-29OVT thrust-vectoring) - at the price of much shorter range that would cover Venezuela but not much more.
He made his choice. Others are now making their choices.
The Russian war merchants, always working to make the world a better place - for belligerent Marxist oafs and the people who fear them, too.
Shouldn’t the world be frightened that, Russia and Venezuela are on the team. Russia had control of Estonia as recently as 1991, through their Singing Revolution (http://singingrevolution.com) they gained their independence from Russia. The leaders of these countries are flamboyant as they are radical. This duo is a dangerous one.
Bah, more expensive targets. I smile every time some tinhorn throws their money away on expensive toys. They end up being too expensive to risk the US turning them into scrap by pushing our buttons. Ironically, guys like Chavez invest in fancy jets but then end up more afraid of the US because they cant afford to lose them. Works to our advantage. Didn't they learn anything from Ghadafi? After 86 Libya put most of their AF in storage.
A despots best defense against the US is to have as few expensive high tech weapons systems as possible, because we arent going to bomb their oil wells or their cities. Basically you can be a lot more belligerent if you have nothing we can bomb or shoot down.
Tanvir, he'd be more dangerous if he was less obvious. Perhaps you caught (Bolivian President) Morales' complaints at the recent Latin American meeting, that everyone sees him as Chavez' lackey? Proper response: "Duh!" And then one notices Brazil deciding it's time to attend to defense with a 50% budget boost.
When your allies find it problematic to be associated with you, that makes it tough to expand your influence, and Morales' incredibly amusing complaint isn't the first such. Chavez is developing a rep on Latin America's LEFT as someone you don't want to be seen with. America's left likes him because he hates Republicans, and really there isn't anything else to them. But the Left in Latin America finds that Chavez plays poorly at home. Which is good.
I'm also cheered by the neighbours like Brazil who preach friendliness but reach for bigger sticks, instead of asking Uncle Sam to bail them out. Latin America has said for a long time that things would be much better if they were left to solve their own problems. I say let's try the experiment, because how else will they ever grow up?
And if the military equipment they decide they need around the continent is Russian, partly because the gear is cheap and good enough, and partly because they know there's no danger of political interference if, say, Ted Kennedy decides you're a convenient issue (what a switch, but non-interference has actually become a big Russian selling point these days), then OK. So be it.
As for Chavez, if his activities become more threatening, or he begins to cooperate more actively with, say, Iranian backed terrorists, all it takes is a precision guided bomb. He's nothing but the standard Latin American caudillo with a different line of patter for the rubes, and what he has created will blow away if he's blown away.
Until and unless we reach that point, let the locals deal with him themselves.
I can see the logic here; some people have not forgotten the Bekaa Valley Turkey Shoot of 1982. On the other hand, maybe Chavez has never heard of it. He seems to do most of his thinking with his mouth.
Which reminds me, I sure would like to buy the King of Spain a drink sometime.