Does Money Smell?

The Russian defense establishment offers Arabs the newest weapons for special operations

The Arab state of Qatar is currently especially popular for its particular connection with the Iraqi problem and indirectly, with the international terrorism. Qatar’s television al-Jazeera almost regularly broadcasts Osama bin Laden’s threats and revelations. Moreover, Qatar Foreign Minister Hamad Bin Jassim Al Thani is categorical against the war against Iraq. He thinks the idea of Saddam Hussein overthrowing is a complete mistake; he is sure that actions of this kind require sanctions of the world community. International exhibitions of specific armament MILIPOL  are regularly held in the country. Today, the fourth exhibition, MILIPOL QATAR 2002 opened there. It is quite natural that Russia’s state arms exporter Rosoboronexport brought the newest samples of the Russian special purpose weapons to Qatar.   

According to the Russian online source, REGIONS.Ru, the Russian federal state unitary enterprise Rosoboronexport presented several Russian achievements designed for protection of objects and territories, and also arms for special operations. A Rosoboronexport spokesperson informs, special shooting and silent arms designed for special operations and for public order protection, and also hunting rifles are presented on the Russian exposition at MILIPOL QATAR 2002. Majority of the exhibits were developed at the arms concern Izhmash and in the design bureau of fine machinery in Russia. 

The Moscow State Research and Production Enterprise Bazalt has brought an anti-diversion hand grenade cup discharge DP-64, small-size anti-diversion grenade cup discharge complex DP-65 and multi-barreled missile emplacement MRG-1 to the exhibition. The equipment is designed for protection of vessels, hydraulic structures, offshore platforms and other offshore and coastal objects from any kind of underwater attacks. According to a spokesperson of the enterprise, “the equipment can strike any kind of existing armored targets and those one which may appear in the future.” Bazalt also exhibits hand antitank grenade weapons of the RPG-26 and RPG-27 type, attack grenades and new ammunition for the RPG-7 hand grenade cup discharge, which are adopted by the armies of over 40 countries of the world.

Federal enterprise Strela exhibits the Fara-1 portable radar station. Rosoboronexport representatives say that the radar station “is the world’s only which can be mounted as a heavy gun.” Fara-1 weighs 16,5 kg, it can be joined with automatic shooting arms (machine-guns or grenade cup discharges); it can be completed with night vision equipment. The station’s detection range is up to 5 kilometers. REGIONS.Ru informs, the Fara-1 radar station suits for fighting under conditions when targets cannot be seen, in the mountains for instance.

Enterprise Fraktal-SB from the Russian city of Serpukhov represents security system Gyurza designed for detection of violators. Lenta.Ru informs, Russian enterprise Eleron from Moscow exhibits a wide range of fast deployment facilities for protection of especially important objects. 

It is obvious that almost all exhibits that Rosoboronexport has brought to Qatar this year are special equipment designed for the struggle against diversion groups, however, everything can be successfully used for organization of diversions. In other words, the Russian exhibits are also good weapons for small mobile terrorist groups. All arms presented at the exhibition may serve for realization of the terrorist objectives and for their retreat as well. 

That is why it’s no wonder that the Arab world is very much interested in the Russia-produced weapons. It is very likely that Rosoboronexport will be a success in Qatar and conclude  contracts for supply of Russian weapons to some Arab countries. Unfortunately, nobody can guarantee that these very weapons won’t be tested on the Russian territory some day, no Arab clients can guarantee this.

Dmitry Slobodanuk
PRAVDA.Ru