ZHUKOVSKY. Aug 18 (Interfax-AVN) - The volume of Russian weapons exports in 2005 will stay at approximately the same level as in 2004, amounting to more than $5.8 billion, with naval vessels forming the bulk of 2005 exports, the director general of state arms export organization Rosoboronexport said on Thursday.
The fact that exports in 2005 will have a smaller proportion of aircraft and a larger proportion of naval vessels than before does not mean that Russian planes and helicopters are less popular abroad, the director, Sergei Chemezov, argued.
"It's just that we are delivering a large number of ships and submarines to our customers in 2005," Chemezov told reporters at the MAKS 2005 international air show in Zhukovsky, near Moscow.