Export of air defense systems is of great relevance for Belarus’ military industry

By Andrei Parotnikau

The growth in Belarus’ military industry exports imminently depends on the development of new products, missile defense being a high priority sphere.

Last week, a Myanmar military delegation headed by Air Defense Commander, Lieutenant General Tin Maung Win, visited Minsk. The delegation visited several Belarusian military-industrial enterprises specializing in designing, producing, repairing and modernizing air defense systems. During the meeting at the Belarusian State Committee for Industry and Industry, the parties discussed the potential cooperation in several new areas of air defense.

In December 2019, the 5^th meeting of the Joint Belarusian-Jordanian Committee on Military-Technical Cooperation was held in Jordan. The Belarusian delegation visited an air defense unit of the Jordanian Royal Army. That said, the Jordanian co-chairman of the Joint Military-Technical Cooperation Committee is also the head of the Royal Jordanian Air Defense Brigadier General Rateb Arif Al-Daadzhey.

In October 2019, the Chairman of the State Military Industrial Committee of Belarus visited the United Arab Emirates and, among other things, met with UAE Air Force & Air Defense Commander Major General Ibrahim Nasser al-Alawi.

On February 17^th – March 2^nd, 2020, Buk-MB3K, the new air defense missile system showcased at the Milex-2019 arms exhibition, will be tested in the Homiel region. It is worth reminding that on June 24^th, 2014, President Lukashenka ordered to create a domestic air defense missile system, which would be competitive with the S-300 medium-range air defense system.

The creation of a medium-range air defense missile system was a priority project for the Belarusian military-industrial complex in recent years, which was carefully monitored by the president. The successful completion of this project has become a significant step towards the improved export potential of the domestic defense industry amid the decrease in demand from Russian counterparties.