MOSCOW. Jan 16 (Interfax-AVN) - Kazakh Defense Minister Mukhtar Altynbayev arrived in Moscow for an official visit on Friday, the Russian Defense Ministry's press service reported.
"In the course of the two-day visit, Altynbayev will meet with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov to discuss prospects of bilateral cooperation development in the military sphere and military-technical cooperation spheres and to exchange opinions on a series of military and political problems," the report reads.
A high-ranking official of the Russian defense industry told Interfax-Military News Agency that Kazakhstan plans to upgrade its air defense in the near future, which explains Altynbaev's interest in Russian radars and air defense assets. According to unofficial sources, Kazakhstan plans to earmark in excess of USD1bn for establishing an integrated air traffic control system and upgrading the air defense system.
The official said Altynbayev will meet with leaders of the Rosoboronexport arms trading company in Moscow. His visit envisions a display of combat vehicles, produced by the Lianozovo Electric Engineering Plant, on Saturday. The plant produces the 96L6E radar, mounted on the S-300PMU, S-300PMU1, and S- 300PMU2 Favorit air defense systems, the 1L117M three-dimensional radar, the VIP-117 radar processing and display system, the Utes-T airway surveillance radar, the Utes-A airfield radar, and other equipment.
"Taking into account that Russian arms will be procured by Kazakhstan and other Collective Security Treaty Organization members will be procured under preferential terms starting this year, we expect Altynbaev's visit to Moscow to be successful Russian defense industry enterprises to secure a big-ticket contract," the official said.