MOSCOW. Nov 22 (Interfax-AVN) - The Russian-Chilean interstate agreement on military-technical cooperation opens new vistas for Russian arms deliveries to Chile, a high-ranking source in the military technical cooperation sphere told Interfax-Military News Agency on Monday.
"For instance, as early as next year Russia may sign a contract with Chile on delivering self-propelled firing systems, part of Buk-M1-2 air defense systems," he said.
He noted that Russian experts would help Chile integrate these systems into the existing air defense system.
The source emphasized that there were eight to ten projects, being discussed which might be realized in Chile.
"First and foremost, they pertain to Russian helicopters, Igla man-portable shoulder-fired air defense systems, as well as small arms," he said.
According to him, in the course of the FIDAE 2004 air show, held at an airbase outside Santiago in March-April, Chilean experts expressed much interest in the upgraded MI-35M Hind combat helicopter, developed jointly by the Moscow Helicopter Plant and the Rostvertol Plant. As compared with the series production MI-35 Hind, the upgraded MI-35M features a great number of advantages. Its flight characteristics have considerably been improved due to a new main rotor. The new helicopter is capable of employing the whole range of existing weapons by day and night. It is also fitted with a new navigation system. Besides, as far as the cost-efficiency ratio is concerned, the MI-35 is superior to any western helicopter.
"Chile has also expressed considerable interest in conversion products of Russian aircraft manufacturers, such as passenger, search and rescue, fire-fighting, medevac, agricultural, and aerobatics fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, first and foremost, the new helicopter family, produced by the Kazan Plant, including MI-17s, MI-38s, Ansat, and Aktai," he said.