The volume of military contracts concluded in 2020 between Russia and African countries amounted to more than $ 1.5 billion. Rosoboronexport's share of the local arms market has grown to a staggering 49 percent. Over the past two decades, Moscow has significantly pushed the main competitors in Africa for arms imports: Washington and Paris, writes The National Interest.
- In 2020, we signed export contracts with more than a dozen African countries worth more than one and a half billion dollars. We received an advance payment and started fulfilling orders, " Alexander Mikheev, head of Rosoboronexport, said at IDEX-2021.
Among Russia's clients are at least 21 countries of the continent, the largest buyers are Algeria and Egypt. Algeria bought a large set of heavy equipment - including more than 500 T-90SA tanks and 300 upgraded Terminator-2 tank support vehicles. In addition, Algeria's combat aviation consists almost entirely of Soviet and Russian vehicles, and over the past few years contracts have been signed for the supply of front-line Su-34 bombers and Su-35 fighters. There is no official confirmation of these transactions, said the author of the publication, Mark Episkopos.
Relations with Egypt well illustrate the rapid advance of Russian weapons in the African market. Until recently, the Egyptian army used more than a thousand American M1A1 Abrams tanks, but now Cairo has signed a contract with Moscow for the supply of up to 500 T-90MS, and the Air Force has ordered Russian Su-35 fighters. A promising client is Angola, which is looking to upgrade an aging fleet of military equipment by combining direct imports and large licensing deals.
Russian air defense systems "Pantsir" and "Tor", attack helicopters and Kalashnikov assault rifles have become bestsellers in a number of African countries. Rosoboronexport recently signed a deal to supply BK-10 assault boats to a state in the south of the continent-a move that demonstrates Moscow's desire to expand military imports, moving away from already well-developed tanks and small arms.
The success of military exports is part of Moscow's broader strategy to build a political, economic and military partnership with African states. Political instability on the continent guarantees a constant demand for military equipment of all kinds - a demand that Russia meets with an ever-expanding supply of its reliable and cost-effective weapons. There are no signs that Russia will soon give up its leading position in this market.
Anton Valagin