Russian missiles Will Keep UAE Shores Safe

Kommersant,Russia ^ | Aug. 23, 2006 | Alexandra Gritskova & Konstantin Lantratov

[sukhoi-30mki]

Russian Rockets Will Keep Emirates Shores Safe

The United Arab Emirates are in negotiations with Russia over Club-M mobile shore rockets. It is possible that a memorandum of intention will be signed during Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Abu Dabai in October. The deal is estimated to be worth $250-300 million. It became possible after Russia and the UAE settled a conflict over the delivery of Panzir S-1 ballistic missiles. Kommersant learned of the precontractual talks from a source in the military industrial complex. According to the source, Emirates representatives were shown the Bereg mobile artillery complex and Redut and Bal-E rocket systems for several years. They chose the more modern Club-M, also on the recommendation of the Russians. Under discussion is the delivery of two or three launchers, each of which can carry up to six missiles.

Club-M mobile pinpoint missiles can hit targets on land or sea at a distance of 250 km. The missile's producers, Novator, part of the Almaz-Antei concern, received permission to export it in 2005. The missile was first exhibited abroad by Rosoboronexport in India at the DEFEXPO in January.

Negotiations on creating a Russian-made defense system in the UAE have been underway since the end of the 1990s. The cost at that time was estimated at $100 million. Those plans were delayed after the UAE changed the specifications for 50 Panzir S-1 complexes that it contracted for in May 2000 for $734 million for delivery in 2003-2005 and the Tula Instrument-Making Design Bureau encountered problems while testing the new model.

The delivery schedule for the Panzirs has been moved back to 2006-2009 and the UAE stated that it would not conclude any more military technology contracts with Russia until delivery of the Panzirs began. The first unit was delivered in July.

Alexandra Gritskova, Konstantin Lantratov

[sukhoi-30mki]

Since this article is essentially a translation from Russian,it's got lots of holes!!The Panzir/Pantsyr is a short-range airdefense missile & not a ballistic missile.The Club-M referred to here is most probably a land launched variant of the Club missile systems,which arm Indian & Chinese subs & submarines.

[sukhoi-30mki]

The Pantysr S-1 The Klub/Club family