via RiaNovosti.
Russia's state arms exporter Rosoboronexport said Tuesday it had signed several contracts with the French defense firm Thales on the transfer of technology and delivery of communications equipment for Russian armored vehicles.My problem with this is that this gear will eventually wind up in the hands of our enemies. Whether its the Iranians or the Chinese, the Russians are a gateway supplier of advanced technology.
"The first contract involves transfer of technologies to Russia, which now will have the right to produce officially licensed thermal imagers at Vologda Optical and Mechanical Plant," said Igor Sevastyanov, Rosoboronexport deputy director general.
"The second contract provisionally allows Russia to bring in communications equipment for integration into Russian armored vehicles for testing," Sevastyanov said. He added that the communications equipment would be mounted on T-90 tanks and BMP-3 armored personnel carriers.
What should also give many PAK-FA fans pause is Russia even needing to procure this type of tech transfer...to even demand it in order to complete the buy of Mistral BPC's.
Are they truly capable of producing a 5th gen fighter if they can't even get communications gear into BMP-3's and T-90's?
photo from RiaNovosti.
If that's the case the Mistral sale may (I say may)be next. The Russians want all the technology and the rights to produce some of the ships.
ReplyDeleteThe French already sold laser range-finders and thermal sights to the Russians a few years back, which caused quite a uproar.
ReplyDeleteThe French like to say that the Cold War is over and the Russians need to be dealt with as just another country (...)
The Georgians, Latvians, Estonians and other former East Bloc countries just *love* that attitude - not.
Well, France wants to hit it big on the international stage so they've chosen Russia as bot ally and means to regain the status it once had.
ReplyDeleteAs for the Russians, the deal is simple: they will buy western technology even if they don't need it just because they can, because is NATO and because they want to piss the Western Allies. They simply love it. Sol, i ain't no PAK-FA fan but this affair doesn't mean that the ruskies don't heve the technology to complete it. And yes, when they'll finish, cause they will, the plane will end up in the hands of whoever has the cash and a grudge against US.
As for the French again, this is a little joke i've picked up at my friend at Resboiu: the 14th of June 1775 was one of the luckiest days for France: the US Army was born.