August 07, 2014 by Rostec
 

KRET has for the first time entered the international ranking, companied by the authoritative American weekly Defense News. The company took 52^nd place among the top 100 defense companies in the world.

In compiling the rankings, international experts took into account not only brand awareness, quality, reliability, and popularity of the companies, but also a detailed investigation into their financial performance and growth dynamics over the past few years in regard to weapons production.

Between 2011 and 2013, KRET increased its total revenue by almost one and a half, from RUB 45 billion ($1.3 billion) to RUB 77.3 billion ($2.4 billion). During this time, the value of state defense orders fulfilled by KRET increased six-fold, from RUB 6.4 billion ($179 million) to RUB 40 billion ($1.1 billion). KRET was simultaneously able to optimize fully financial flows, improving transparency and the effectiveness of enterprise expenditures. By the end of 2013, KRET had earned RUB 64.2 billion ($1.8 billion) in revenue from sales of military products, a 12.3% increase from 2012. Military products made up 76% of the concern’s total revenue for 2013.

“Today, KRET is Russia’s largest developer and supplier of integrated systems of modern electronic equipment, electronic warfare systems and equipment, and civil and military avionics. Joining the group of the top 100 defense companies in the world affirms the competitiveness of Russian electronics and demonstrates the effectiveness of the model used by Rostec Corporation to integrate leading companies of the industry under the single brand of KRET,” said KRET CEO Nikolay Kolesov.

According to Kolesov, the concern is not going to rest easy and has already started updating its development strategy. New business models will fully meet the modern requirements and changes happening in the international market. The concern is placing primary emphasis on the diversification of production, strengthening the production of civil goods, integrating scientific and technical potential and attracting world-class, qualified personnel to the concern’s businesses.

KRET has operated as a single brand  and an independent member of the international aerospace and defense markets since 2014. KRET’s products can be found in more than 30 countries around the world. Innovative developments in radar stations (RLS) developed by KRET have already been installed in 70% of all Russian fighter jets and will also be used in next-generation helicopter and airplane technologies.

At the international airshow Farnborough 2014, held last July, KRET products were praised by the world’s leading experts. The Russian manufacturer introduced some of its most advanced products in avionics systems, electronic warfare systems, and friend-or-foe identification systems. KRET demonstrated that it is competent and prepared for long-term cooperation in creating new, integrated solutions for the radio-electronics industry.

01/08/2014 by Paul Fiddian - Armed Forces International's Lead Reporter

The US Army's long-serving M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles are being upgraded to be made more mobile.

To be carried out by Loc Performance Products - previously in competition with three other bidding parties - the Bradley IFV upgrades will see the vehicles gain track kits, shock absorbers, new suspension support systems and other revisions.

The work is as per the US Army's instruction and has a contract value of $161m. According to Loc Performance Products' President, Lou Burr, the contract is a real "game-changer...it's going to nearly double the size of our company."

Bradley IFV Upgrades

Burr adds, in the company's Bradley IFV upgrades press release: "This award represents a watershed moment in procurement history for the US Army. This type of contract is normally sole-sourced to the original Prime Contractor, which typically does not result in Best Value for the Army.

"Because this was a full and open competition, the Army saves taxpayers millions of dollars, and demonstrates a new model for cost-effective procurement. We look forward to restoring lost mobility to the Bradley Fighting Vehicle, and providing this superior equipment to our warfighters."

US Army M2 Bradley

The US Army's M2 Bradley fighting vehicle entered service in 1981. Armed primarily with a 25mm M242 Chain Gun, the type can be fitted with TOW anti-tank missiles and also boasts a 7.62mm M240C machine gun. Crewed by three service personnel, the Bradley IFV can accommodate six more troops, has a top speed of 41 miles per hour and a maximum range of 300 miles.

Since the M2's introduction, a host of enhanced models have followed it into service, including the current generation M2A3 whose operational history includes deployments in Iraq.

Besides the United States, Saudi Arabia is the only other Bradley IFV user but Iraq may soon take delivery of 200 M2A2 variants if discussions now in progress become a firm order.

Ultimately, the Bradley IFV will be replaced in US Army service by the Ground Combat Infantry Fighting Vehicle. Initial GCV designs have already emerged but a definitive layout is due out from DARPA - the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency - sometime next year.

August 08, 2014 by Rostec

The list of top 100 defense manufacturers as compiled by the American periodical Defense News included Russian Helicopters, United Engine Corporation, and KRET

Several subsidiaries of Rostec Corporation were included in the prestigious rating of the world’s top defense companies published by the American weekly Defense News.

The holding company Russian Helicopters took 25^th place, the United Engine Corporation came in 34^th place, and KRET ranked in the list for the first time in the list in 52^nd place.

The rankings depend not only on brand awareness, quality, reliability, and popularity of the company, but also a detailed investigation into financial performance and growth dynamics over the past few years in regard to weapons production.

For example, in 2013, the United Engine Corporation made $4.8 billion in revenue. KRET made $2.4 billion, while Russian Helicopters made $4.2 billion.

A total of eight Russian companies were included in the rankings, including Concern Almaz-Antei (12^th place), Sukhoi (46^th place), Irkut (56^th place), MiG (71^st place), and RTI (78^th place). Defense News has compiled the ranking of top 100 companies since 1991.

Rostec Corporation was founded in Russia in 2007 to promote the development, production, and export of high-tech industrial products for civilian and military purposes. Rostec has 663 subsidiaries organized into 9 defense industry holding companies and 5 civil industry holding companies. Rostec Corporation enterprises are located in 60 regions of the Russian Federation and deliver products to markets in more than 70 countries. In 2013, Rostec revenue amounted to RUB 1.04 trillion, with a net profit of RUB 40 billion.

08.08.2014 source TED Europa

Le marché a été attribué le 29 Juillet dernier au Groupement Bartin Recycling (mandataire) - Petrofer Société nouvelle (co-traitant)

Le marché a pour objet le démantèlement complet de deux navires condamnés (ex porte-hélicoptère Jeanne d'Arc et ex croiseur Colbert) depuis leur prise en charge sur leurs lieux de stationnement actuels - région brestoise (port militaire et Landévennec), jusqu'à l'élimination et la valorisation du dernier déchet ou matériau.
Il comprend notamment :
- les prestations de maîtrise d'oeuvre,
- le transport vers le(s) site(s) de démantèlement,
- les opérations de dépollution, de déconstruction, de ségrégation des déchets, d'élimination des déchets dangereux ou non recyclables et de recyclage des matériaux valorisables,
- la vente des matériaux valorisables.
Le tonnage global lège de ces deux coques est de l'ordre de 19 000 tonnes.

Valeur totale finale du marché: 11 552 200 EUR (hors TVA)

Plus d'informations

MOSCOU, 5 août - RIA Novosti

L'avionneur Sukhoï a remis aux Forces aériennes russes un nouveau lot de chasseurs polyvalents de type Su-30M2, a annoncé le service de presse du groupe.

"Dans le cadre de l'exécution de la commande militaire d'Etat pour l'année 2014, la compagnie Sukhoï  a remis aux troupes un lot de chasseurs polyvalents", a informé la source sans toutefois préciser le nombre exact d'appareils.

Testés par des pilotes militaires, "les avions ont mis le cap sur leur lieu de déploiement. Cette année, plusieurs autres appareils de ce type seront livrés aux Forces aériennes russes", indique en outre l'avionneur dans un communiqué de presse.

Conçu sur la base du chasseur Su-30, le Su-30M2 est un avion de combat à longue portée.

Il a été antérieurement annoncé que plus de 30 appareils de combat seraient livrés au district militaire de l'est.

WASHINGTON, 8 août - RIA Novosti

Le groupe américain Russian Weapon Company (RWC), distributeur exclusif des fusils du groupe russe Kalachnikov, déplore les sanctions contre la Russie qui feront baisser les ventes d'armes aux Etats-Unis.

"Nous déplorons profondément la situation actuelle, mais nous devons respecter les lois américaines", a déclaré le directeur général du groupe RWC, Thomas McCrossin.

"Les produits du consortium Kalachnikov actuellement en stock appartiennent au groupe RWC. Nous pouvons les vendre librement sans être touchés par les restrictions imposées par le département du ministère des Finances pour le contrôle des actifs étrangers. Mais il n'y aura plus de livraisons supplémentaires russes d'ici un certain temps", a-t-il ajouté.

Selon le ministère américain des Finances, seuls les produits de Kalachnikov qui appartenaient au distributeur au moment de l'adoption des sanctions en juillet peuvent être vendus aux Etats-Unis.

Le nombre de précommandes de carabines et de fusils de chasse Saïga du groupe Kalachnikov aux Etats-Unis est trois fois supérieur au volume annuel des livraisons.

Le consortium Kalachnikov, plus grand producteur russe d'armes d'infanterie, a récemment reconnu que les Etats-Unis constituaient un marché important pour ses armes civiles et que les sanctions porteraient préjudice aux clients américains.

08 August 2014 by defenceWeb

The Nigerian Air Force has taken delivery of three King Air light transport aircraft and has reportedly ordered 40 new helicopters as it continues its expansion.

The three King Air 350is were seen transiting the Canary Islands during their delivery flight on July 30. The aircraft were acquired “in line with the transformation agenda of the Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) of the Armed Forces [of the] Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan,” the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) said in a statement.

The aircraft were handed over to the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu, by Scott Plumb, the Vice President Sales, Middle East, Textron Aviation Austria, at the 209 Executive Airlift Group’s Hangar at Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport in Abuja.

Amosu stated that the acquisition of the King Airs will go a long way in boosting the airlift capacity of the NAF. “It will also go down memory lane that the entire aircraft in the NAF inventory were all reactivated under the present administration.” Amosu said that additional platforms were expected in the future.

“We are happy with the operations branch of the Service, our training is going on well and it will continue so. We need to be ready for training and retraining with a desire to appropriately sustain the system,” he added.

Regarding training, the Nigerian Air Force Institute of Technology (NAFIT) has apparently developed a light trainer aircraft called Farawa 2. NAFIT chief Air Vice Marshal Toni Adokwu this week made the revelation during a graduation ceremony at the institute, reports the Daily Trust.

“Currently, the NAF is faced with the challenge of high unserviceablility status of its primary trainer aircraft, the Air Beetle aircraft, which is equally a light trainer aircraft. Some of the problems associated with the aircraft include the high engine temperature and uncomfortable seats for instructors and student pilots. We believe the design and construction of this new trainer aircraft would address some of the challenges and ultimately address the issue of aircraft unserviceability,” Adokwu said.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian government has apparently ordered 40 helicopters for attack and transport duties from the United States and Russia. This Day said the helicopters could start arriving as early as this month and the remainder could arrive by the end of the year.

"The arrival of the weaponry before the end of the year will be a game changer as it will help to ensure successful execution of the counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations, especially against the Boko Haram terrorists,” This Day quoted a source in the Presidency as saying.

It was earlier reported that Nigeria is receiving two helicopter gunships, most likely Mi-35s. The Nigerian Budget Office this year allocated funds for six Mi-35M helicopters.

Aug 7, 2014 ASDNews Source : Austal Ltd.

On August 6, 2014, Austal USA successfully completed the launch of the future USS Montgomery (LCS 8). The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) is a fast, agile, focused-mission platform designed for operation in near-shore environments yet capable of open-ocean operation. This vessel is the second of ten 127-meter Independence-variant LCS class ships Austal has been contracted to build for the U.S. Navy as prime contractor subsequent to a $3.5 billion block buy in 2010.

Read more

A Maltese AW139 twin-engine helicopter in flight. Photo AgustaWestland - A Finmeccanica Company.

8 August 2014 army-technology.com

AgustaWestland has handed over the first AW139 medium-sized twin-engine helicopter to the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM).

The helicopter was delivered under a contract secured by the company in July 2013, and is scheduled to be primarily used in support of maritime border control missions.

A part of Malta's plan to strengthen the AFM's operational capabilities, the contract also included an option for two more aircraft, an integrated logistic support (ILS) package and training of ten pilots, including four students and 20 technicians.

The helicopter is equipped with an advanced maritime patrol and search and rescue (SAR) mission equipment package, including a high-definition forward-looking infrared (FLIR) system, search / weather radar, cabin mission console and a searchlight and satellite communication system.

Additional equipment includes a four-axis autopilot with SAR modes, naval transponder and external rescue hoist, as well as a four-bag floatation system.

Powered by two Pratt & Whitney PT6C turboshaft engines, the AW139 is a 15-seat medium-sized twin-engine helicopter, designed to conduct law enforcement / emergency medical service, executive transport, and maritime and offshore oil operations in hot and high conditions.

The helicopter can fly at a speed of 165k, and features a low acoustic signature, integrated mission avionics and a full-ice protection system to complete missions in demanding environments.

In addition to Malta, the helicopter is also operated in Italy, Spain, Estonia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, the UK and the US, among others.

The AFM placed an order for the second helicopter in April, with the delivery scheduled to take place in December.

02.07.2014 by Rostec

Les militaires recevront des senseurs individuels d’identification

En 2017 les militaires russes doivent recevoir des senseurs individuels «ami-ennemi». L’échange de signaux spéciaux permettra de distinguer les représentants de son camp sur le champ de bataille indépendamment de l’équipement, des moyens de camouflage, etc. Les experts notent que la propagation de ces systèmes au niveau de l’échelon tactique aidera à diminuer les pertes militaires.

La fabrication de systèmes d’identification pour le personnel est entrée dans le projet de création d’un cluster de recherche et de production à Kazan sous l’égide du consortium «Technologies radio-électroniques» (KRET) (КРЭТ). Le projet, après avoir reçu l’accord du vice premier ministre Dimitri Rogozine et du ministre de l’industrie et du commerce Denis Mantourov, suppose la coopération de six entreprises dont deux d’entre elles sont situées dans la capitale du Tatarstan. C’est justement là qu’il sera fabriqué l’équipement, l’étude sera réalisée dans d’autres villes.

Le consortium dépensera 10,6 milliards de roubles pour la coopération de six de ses entreprises et pour leur rééquipement jusqu’en 2017. Outre les senseurs pour l’infanterie et la nouvelle génération de systèmes «ami-ennemi» pour l’aviation et la flotte, le cluster fabriquera également des complexes de lutte radio-électronique et des systèmes de navigation de proximité pour les avions et les hélicoptères.

L’adjoint du directeur général du KRET pour la planification stratégique et la réalisation des commandes d’Etat de la défense Andreï Tiouline a parlé des plans de fabrication de nouveaux systèmes pour l’armée russe.  Selon lui, le système «ami-ennemi» pour les soldats sera réalisé sous la forme d’une application – senseur installé sur le vêtement du militaire. Il sera programmé en fonction des tâches fixées. Le Ministère de la Défense est déjà très intéressé par cette élaboration.

Le système antérieur « ami-ennemi » a été créé pour les pays du Pacte de Varsovie et il a été prévu pour l’identification des chars, des avions, des bateaux mais pas des personnes. «Maintenant les conflits ont souvent un caractère local et l’armement utilisé par les différentes parties est souvent produit dans un même pays. Les systèmes d’identification ne fonctionnent pas dans cette situation. Les militaires sont arrivés à la conclusion qu’il faut les compléter rapidement avec une application modifiée. Nous passons de la défense de l’objet à la défense de l’homme», – a dit Andreï Tiouline.

Les nouveaux senseurs peuvent entrer dans la composition de l’équipement «Ratnik» ou «Barmitsa».

On pourra distinguer un soldat «ami» d’un soldat «ennemi» avec le même équipement en regardant l'écran du dispositif spécial semblable à un téléphone mobile. Il affiche l’emplacement actuel du soldat sur une carte électronique et l’emplacement des forces amies.

Les exportateurs russes n’ont pas d’information sur la présence d’un tel système dans les troupes de l’OTAN. Les experts militaires pensent que le nombre de cas de «feu ami» dans le cadre d’opération de maintien de la paix permet de parler de son absence.

Il est prévu dans le cadre du cluster de réunir des entreprises de Kazan : le groupe de recherche et de production «Radioélectronika» V.I. Chimko et l’usine «Radiopribor». En plus, encore quatre entreprises du KRET participeront à la corporation : Institut radiotechnique de recherche scientifique de Kalouga, usine de Samara « Ecran », usine de radio Jigoulevski et groupe de production de construction d’appareils d’Oufa. Le cluster est créé comme une production d’usage mixte (civil et militaire).

«La recette totale attendue du cluster avant 2020 est de 18 milliards de roubles, un cinquième de cette somme provient de la part de l'identification. Ces systèmes apportent un how-Know pour le développement de la production civile – systèmes d’identification et de limitation d’accès pour le transport, le secteur de l’énergie. Six entreprises participent actuellement au projet mais nous voulons ouvrir au business privé un accès à l'équipement pour qu'il travaille en trois – huit et baisser le coût de revient de la production», - a noté Andreï Tiouline.

Selon le premier adjoint du président du comité pour l’industrie de la Douma d’Etat Vladimir Goutenev, il faut un strict contrôle des fuites d’information dans une entreprise où il cohabite une production militaire secrète et civile high-tech.

Brussels - 28 July, 2014 European Defence Agency
 

Defence plays a pivotal role in promoting internal and external security, maintaining peace, stability and prosperity, and protecting personal freedom and our way of life.  However, defence spending also has several macroeconomic benefits.  A recent study commissioned by the European Defence Agency (EDA) outlines the advantages of investing in the European defence industry in terms of economic benefits, employment and sustainment of research and development capabilities.
 

What is the real effect of today’s pressure on national defence budgets?  A recent Agency study sought to answer this precise question. Some of its conclusions are revealing: for example, for each €100m cut in EU defence expenditure, there is a €150m fall in EU gross domestic product (GDP), and a €40m fall in EU tax revenues. However, the consequences of such cuts extend far beyond the pure economical realm. The study, which was conducted by British consultancy firm Europe Economics, also highlighted that a similar €100m cut in defence spending would translate into the loss of about 3.000 jobs, 800 of which would be high-skilled. 

Greater impact.

In some key dimensions, the overall macroeconomic benefit of investing in the defence sector may exceed that of investing in other domains. For instance, the study confirmed that defence investments have a far great impact on highly-skilled employment and research and development, hence potentially leading to a long-term GDP growth rate. The results of the study estimated that the impact is 12 to 20 times greater than that generated by other forms of public spending.

Of equal importance is the fact that defence R&D creates a “spillover” of technologies to the civil sector.  This often significant “spillover”, means that investing in defence R&D is essential to the emergence of breakthrough technologies which has a knock on benefit in other areas eg civil aircraft market.

More generally, the study demonstrated that the macroeconomic impact of investment in the defence sector is greater at EU level than at the national level, because of the inherent “Europeanised” nature of the defence industry. 

Case studies.

The study also reviewed a number of case studies to try and quantify the micro-economic impact of several acquisition programs in the EU, like fighter aircraft. It confirms, for instance, that programmes such as Eurofighter or Rafale helped EU companies to acquire the competitiveness they enjoy today on the commercial aircraft market.  Another example is the Leopard 2 main battle tank programme which was launched in the last years of the Cold War.  It enabled the German Army to equip its cavalry regiments with a highly capable system, at a cost that was 45 per cent lower than the next best alternative. 

This was the first study which looked at the EU as a whole; previous efforts were focused only at national level.  It demonstrates tangible rationale to support investment in the European defence industry, confirming that there are considerable opportunities to increase the efficiency of European collaborative programmes and at the same time European economic prosperity.

L'équipement du fantassin Gladius équipe les soldats de l'armée de terre allemande. Crédit: Rheinmetall AG Düsseldorf

07/08/2014 Par Véronique Guillermard

Le gouvernement allemand interdit au fabricant de matériels militaires terrestres Rheinmetall d'exporter en Russie. Berlin a bloqué un contrat d'une valeur estimée à 100 millions d'euros.

Les nuages s'accumulent au dessus de Rheinmetall. Le groupe présent dans l'automobile et l'armement terrestre a revu, aujourd'hui, à la baisse ses perspectives pour 2014, en contrecoup de la décision du gouvernement allemand de bloquer son activité en Russie. Le chiffre d'affaires de l'activité défense ne devrait pas dépasser 2,3 milliards d'euros au lieu des 2,5 à 2,6 milliards attendus cette année.

En début de semaine, l'Allemagne a durci son train de sanctions contre la Russie dans le cadre de la crise ukrainienne. Sigmar Gabriel, le ministre de l'Économie allemand, a retiré à Rheinmetall sa licence d'exportation d'un centre d'entraînement et de formation militaire. Un contrat estimé à 100 millions d'euros. Un coup dur pour le fabricant de blindés, canons et autres équipements pour fantassins. D'autant que si les Européens ont décidé de ne plus exporter d'armements en Russie, cette sanction ne devait s'appliquer qu'aux nouveaux contrats. Rheinmetall a aussitôt réagi. Sa direction va explorer «toutes les possibilités juridiques» et n'exclut pas de demander au gouvernement allemand des indemnités.

Pression sur la France et les Mistral russes

En prenant une mesure rétroactive, Berlin accentue, en outre, sa pression sur la France, sommée par plusieurs pays européens, Grande-Bretagne en tête, ainsi que par les États-Unis de ne pas livrer, cet automne, le premier des deux Mistral russes commandés par Moscou en 2011, pour 1,2 milliard d'euros.

Rheinmetall voit sa stratégie d'expansion en Russie contrariée. Or, c'est un des pays que le groupe allemand ciblait pour booster ses exportations hors d'Europe, où il ambitionne de prendre 50 % de ses commandes nouvelles d'ici à 2015. «Alors que les dépenses militaires baissent en Europe et aux États-Unis, d'autres pays tels que la Russie, le Brésil et l'Asie les augmentent. Notre objectif est d'augmenter notre présence dans ces régions en croissance», expliquait la direction du groupe dans son rapport annuel 2013.

Tentative pour faire capoter l'alliance Nexter-KMW

Bloqué en Russie, Rheinmetall est aussi en mauvaise posture depuis l'annonce, le 2 juillet dernier, des fiançailles entre son homologue, Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW), et le français Nexter. Les deux groupes sont entrés en négociations exclusives afin de former le numéro un européen de l'armement terrestre d'ici à fin 2014-début 2015. Depuis plusieurs semaines, Rheinmetall se démène pour faire capoter ce futur Airbus des blindés. Il préparerait une offre sur KMW avec lequel il coopère pour la fabrication de plusieurs blindés dont les chars Puma. Jusqu'ici les négociations menées par le passé par les deux entreprises allemandes ont toujours tourné court. Et côté gouvernement français, on reste très confiant dans la capacité des deux entreprises et de leurs actionnaires - l'État français et la famille Bode-Wegmann - d'aboutir.

06 August 2014 by defenceWeb

While nearly 50 African heads of state convene in Washington DC, one of Africa’s biggest defence contractors is making a pitch to let Africa have more advanced defence and security equipment and training.

This week, at the kickoff of the first US-Africa Leaders Summit, President Obama is hearing from young people, women, civil society leaders, change agents, stakeholders, heads of state - and South Africa’s Paramount Group.

For Ivor Ichikowitz, Executive Chairman of aerospace and defence company Paramount Group, the message is simple: Give Africa a chance to defend itself. He says he is attending the summit in Washington to make the case to the Obama administration that African countries should be encouraged to build up their own intelligence services, militaries, and national police to combat the continent’s rogues, insurgents, and fanatics.

The West, according to the South African defence entrepreneur, discourages governments from creating their own security infrastructures. And that’s a problem, in the age of Boko Haram and al Shabaab, he said. “The message from the U.S. and other countries is: ‘We will give you aid if you don’t use budgets to create armies and intelligence services.’”

To illustrate this point, Ichikowitz talks about a recent conversation he had with an African head of state that is currently involved in resisting insurgencies. “I have met with the president and he told me that he has no capacity to be able to afford the solutions they require because of limitations imposed by the international community on how they use their budget,” Ichikowitz said.

According to Ichikowitz, the International Monetary Fund told the head of state that it could not use money provided by the fund for its budget for advanced military equipment. “As a result, the government involved is forced to be reliant on the charity of Western powers, they are forced to be reliant on third parties to resolve a domestic problem,” he said.

Ichikowitz acknowledged in the interview that the African continent is awash in weapons, particularly small arms. “The Cold War resulted in the introduction of millions of small arms into the continent over the years,” he said. “A lot of this equipment has fallen into the hands of thugs, of fundamentalist organizations. As a result there is a formidable threat to almost every single African democracy. Unfortunately, the West has not necessarily given African governments the capability to create sophisticated, world-class capabilities to counter these threats.”

It’s also worth noting that the United States military has long-standing partnerships with many African militaries. But those partnerships often do not allow these states to acquire advanced technologies.

This is where Paramount believes it can step in, if given the chance. It makes a full range of armoured vehicles and also produces surveillance drones with the kind of sensors that can sniff out wireless communications from a discreet geographic area. Paramount also upgrades the electronics and avionics systems for Soviet-era helicopters, many of which are still used by African militaries.

Ichikowitz stressed that his company will not do business with any country that is under a United Nations embargo, is at war with its neighbours or opposes other sovereign democratic governments. Furthermore South Africa, through the National Conventional Arms Control Committee (NCACC) has some of the most stringent arms export regulations in the world to govern every single piece of defence equipment that is exported from the country.

Ichikowitz said he believes it’s time to arm countries like Mali, Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda with the kinds of unmanned aerial vehicles, surveillance systems and weaponry that will give them an edge against the insurgencies and rogues that threaten their survival.

“Today in Africa this is about outlaws versus governments,” he said. “It’s time to trust the governments and give them the capability to defend their democracies.”

“In order to avoid the perpetuation of violence and conflict in Africa, African governments need to be allowed to create deterrence and the way to create deterrence is by encouraging and facilitating the creation of a strong domestic defence capability.”