The military of India parade in honor of the state holiday of the country – The Day of Republic.
Photo: Dmitry Azarov
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India Buys More Multiple-Launch Rockets
The first lot of Smerch reactive multi-launch rocket systems made by OAO Motovilikhinskie Plants will be dispatched to India in the coming days. Last week, Rosoboronexport and the Indian Defense Ministry signed a new option contract on deliveries of those systems for $300 million for 24 units. The total cost of the deliveries will be $750 million, making it one of Russia's largest export orders for infantry weapons.
The contract for the delivery of 38 Smerch systems was signed on December 31, 2005. Its estimated values is $450 million, including military vehicles, navigations systems, personnel training and Rosoboronexport's commission. The first lot of weapons was to be set to India in the spring of last year, but the Indians had doubts about the reliability of the rockets' engines. That issue has now been settled. The Smerch has a range of 90 km. and barrage time of 38 sec.
Delivery on the original contract with India is to be completed by next year, and by 2010 on the option contract. Besides India, Smerch systems have been supplied to Algeria (18 in 1999) and Kuwait (27 in 1996).
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Apr. 11, 2007
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