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Russia may purchase domestic drones if Defense requirements satisfied
Russia may purchase domestic drones after training operators for drones produced by Israel, Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said on Monday.
Russia has bought 15 Israeli spy drones since its domestic hardware has not met Russia's requirements on speed, altitude capacity, or accuracy.
"Work is underway to train people to operate the Israeli spy drones," Serdyukov said adding that training is due to finish by the middle of summer 2010.
Russian Deputy Defense Minister Vladimir Popovkin earlier said Russia had spent about 5 billion rubles ($160.4 million) on drone development and tests that eventually failed.
"If our defense industry is able to produce such drones, we are ready to buy them," Serdyukov said, adding that the drones could be easily assembled in Russia.
Serdyukov said the defense ministry may also start the production of personnel armored cars similar to those presented by Italy's Iveco during bilateral talks in Italy last week.
The minister earlier said the defense ministry will buy military hardware based on the need for ensuring personnel security.
According to experts, Russia is lagging 20-30 years behind the West in many areas of technological progress and is attempting to close the gap by purchasing production licenses abroad.
Russian military expert Pavel Felgenhauer said the development of Russia's defense industry in the next few years will be based solely on licensed production of foreign military equipment.
"We are so far behind the West that it is cheaper to buy technology [abroad] than to invent our own," Felgenhauer said.
Russia is holding talks on the licensed production of Italian Beretta handguns, Israeli spy drones and French Mistral helicopter carriers.
MOSCOW, May 24 (RIA Novosti)
Russia may purchase domestic drones if Defense requirements satisfied | Top Russian news and analysis online | 'RIA Novosti' newswire
