Russian arms export agency Rosoboronexport is advancing multiple cooperation projects with African nations valued at over 50 billion rubles (over $560 million), RIA Novosti reported on Thursday, citing Aleksandr Mikheev, the agency’s head.
“Currently, we are working on several industrial cooperation projects with African countries, focusing on the licensed production of small arms, ammunition, armored vehicles, and fast combat boats,” Mikheev revealed, speaking on the sidelines of the Egypt International Airshow.
The airshow is being held from September 3-5 at El Alamein International Airport in northern Egypt, serving as a major platform to showcase the latest advancements in the aerospace industry.
Organizers report that the event brings together participants from over 100 countries and 300 companies, including experts in space, aviation, and defense. Russia is also present, with a pavilion highlighting advanced weapon systems such as the Ka-52 scout/attack helicopter equipped with the Item 305E light guided missile, the Pantsir-S1M’s combat capabilities, and UAVs like the Orlan-10E and Orlan-30, among others.
The event was organized with support from Egypt’s Ministries of Defense and Civil Aviation.
The head of Russia’s arms export agency highlighted the growing importance of Africa and the Middle East in their business. He stated that over 50% of Rosoboronexport’s order portfolio now comes from these regions, amounting to more than $25 billion.
Mikheev also shared that over 40 African countries are actively involved in military-technical cooperation with Russia. Most of these deals involve equipment such as air defense systems, helicopters, small arms, and electronic warfare tools.
In December, Mikheev mentioned that African nations accounted for over 30% of Russia’s arms exports in 2023. A report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute noted that Russia had surpassed China as the largest arms supplier in sub-Saharan Africa, with a market share of 26% by 2022. The top buyers include Algeria, Angola, Egypt, and Sudan.
