The government of Iraq has approved the large contract on delivery of Russian military equipment and weapons to the amount of $4,2 billion, Lenta.ru reports. The preliminary agreement signed in October 2012 will be extended: 40 Mi-28NE helicopters will be delivered to Iraq instead of 36 ones. At that the contract’s value will remain the same.

The contract on delivery of military equipment and weapons was signed in the network of visit of Iraqi prime-minister, Nouri al-Maliki, to Moscow. The previous agreement assumed delivery of 48 Pantsir-S1 air defense systems and 36 Mi-28NE helicopters. The parties have also agreed to conduct negotiations on delivery of MiG-29M/M2 fighters and armored vehicles to Iraq. Later the deal was frozen due to suspicions of the deal’s corruptive nature.

In late March the government of Iraq approved the defense budget for 2013 and allocated funds for purchasing the military equipment. The agreement between Russia and Iraq on delivery of more helicopters was reached in order to dispel the suspicions, Vedomosti reports. A source close to the military-industrial sector stated that the contract with Iraq will come into effect soon and its implementation will be started this year.

The agreement on delivery of Russian-produced military equipment and weapons is the largest contract in the history of post-war Iraq signed with a country other than USA or its allies. At present USA is the largest supplier of military equipment to Iraq. Iraq has already purchased US-produced weapons to the amount of over $12 billion. Russia is the second largest supplier of military equipment to Iraq.


http://www.ruaviation.com/news/2013/4/2/1609/

Will garuda interested.......