MOSCOW. April 22 (Interfax-AVN) - The Russian Conventional Systems Agency has extended the licenses of the Oboronitelnye Sistemy (Defense Systems) company for the production and repairs of air defense missile systems and their components.
"Both licenses, which were supposed to expire on April 26 this year, are extended to April 26, 2008," the company's press service told Interfax-Military News Agency.
Upgrade of Pechora air defense missile systems to the Pechora-2M level is among the company's priority projects, the press service went on. Pechora-2M has much broader combat capabilities, and its maintenance expenses amount to about 50 percent of those of the baseline variety.
Pechora-2M engages all aerodynamic attack assets and is especially effective in combating low-altitude and small-size targets. The system can also destroy ground targets. Both mobile and stationary varieties of Pechora-2M have been developed.
"The prototype of the mobile Pechora-2M asset designed in the framework of a contract between the Rosoboronexport federal state-owned unitary enterprise and a Middle Eastern country is taking tests. The contract was concluded in 2001 as a result of Russia's victory in an international competition of Pechora modernization projects that also involved companies from Poland and China. The total capacity of the Pechora modernization market is estimated at 500 pieces," the press service said.
Oboronitelnye Sistemy is the head company of the Oboronitelnye Sistemy research and production holding company that also includes the Kuntsevo design bureau, Moscow radio- technical plant, OS. Infocom company, Optiko-Elektronnye Tekhnologii. OS company, and Radiolokatsionnye Tekhnologii. OS company.
Oboronitelnye Sistemy is also the central company of the Russian-Belarussian Oboronitelnye Sistemy financial and industrial group created under a bilateral intergovernmental agreement of February 11, 2000.