Cheliabinsk Region: Region’s Companies Took Part in the International Exhibition of Weaponry and Military Machinery in Abu-Dhabi

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A delegation of companies specializing in the defence industry of the Cheliabinsk region took part in a largest exhibition of weaponry and military machinery for land forces IDEX 2003 in Abu Dhabi. The exhibition was held March 16 through 20. The press office of the Cheliabinsk region’s governor reported to the REGNUM News Agency the delegation was headed by the region first assistant governor Viktor Timashov. Despite the complicated political situation in the Near-Eastern region, over 400 companies from all over the world participated in the exhibition. Largest exhibits were presented by the FGUP Rosoboroneksport and the South-African Republic.

According to Viktor Timashov, the united Russian pavilion offered some 500 exhibits of more than fifty companies. Special attention was paid to up-to-date inventions in the sphere of existing machinery modernization in response to contemporary achievements of the Russian and world-wide science. Cheliabinsk Tractor Building plant and Elektromashina company took part in the presentation. The companies presented their recent elaborations of tank machinery modernization. A new sample of a tank motor with 1200 horse power for the T-72 tank arouse much interest. The motor differs from its other counterparts that were also presented at the exhibition. Namely, no special alteration of the tank’s motor department is needed to mount the device. Moreover, the tank itself is one of the most popular in the world (there are about 15 thousand of them outside of Russia) and this is why the motor is of practical interest to potential customers.

The leadership of the French Verstilla company, who were also presenting different variants of motors, got interested in the Cheliabinsk plant’s exhibits and offered mutual cooperation. Specialists from Egypt, Syria, India, Yugoslavia, Pakistan, South Africa and Germany also were interested in the elaborations by the Cheliabinsk specialists. Elektromashina stock company presented a full-size sample of the BMP-3 armored car. The vehicle is supplied with an advanced system of protection, air-conditioning, automatic gear change, electronic helper for the driver and automated fire fighting system. Demonstration of its capabilities attracted attention of potential customers from the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Egypt, Iran and Cyprus. As a result, the vehicle were in the Near East for further demonstration in a country of the Persian Gulf.