Rosoboronexport State Corporation

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The Rosoboronexport State Corporation is the sole state intermediary agency for Russia's exports/imports of defense–related and dual use products, technologies and services. The corporation was set up by the Decree of the President of Russian Federation and is charged with implementation of the policy of the State in the area of military-technical cooperation between Russia and foreign countries.

The official status of Rosoboronexport secures the guaranteed support of the Russian Government in all export operations. Only the Rosoboronexport State Corporation is entitled to supply the international market, the whole range of Russian armaments officially allowed for exporting.

Rosoboronexport is ranked among the leading operators in the international arms market. The status of the state intermediary agency provides the corporation with unique opportunities in expanding and strengthening long-term mutually beneficial cooperation with foreign partners.

[edit] Facts and figures

Rosoboronexport:

Accounts for more than 90% of the Russia's annual arms sales.
Represents intellectual and production potential of Russian Defense Industrial Complex comprising of more than 1500 research institutes, design bureaus and manufacturing plants.
Has been cooperating with more than 60 countries during its 50-year history.
Has central headquarters in Moscow, representing offices in 44 foreign countries, and in 26 major industrial regions in Russia.

Basic Trade Activities

Export/import of military/dual use equipment and strategic raw materials.
Logistics and maintenance, delivery of spare parts, tools and accessories, special liquids, fuels and lubricants required for proper operation of the supplied material.
Technical assistance in construction of defense infrastructure, including arms manufacturing plants, airfields, depots, firing ranges, training centers, etc.
Delivery of material, components, and parts for licensed arms production.
Retrofits, upgrades and modernization of previously supplied weapon systems.
Training of personnel in Russia and at Customer's facilities.
Promotion of civil-purpose innovative technologies developed by the Russian defense industries.

[edit] History

The Rosoboronexport State Corporation is a legal successor of the state arms exporters, existing in the ex-USSR and present-day Russia. As a special body, the state intermediary agency in the military-technical area was firstly initiated on May 8, 1953, when the General Engineering Department within the Ministry of Internal and Foreign Trade of the USSR was created in accordance with the decision of the Soviet Government.

With the scope of military industrial complex expanding, a number of new specialized export agencies was set up. By late 1990s, there were two state intermediary companies in the country, precisely the Rosvooruzhenie State Corporation and Promexport Federal State Unitary Enterprise.

On November 4, 2000, the Rosoboronexport State Corporation was set up by Decree № 1834 of the Russian President as the sole state intermediary agency for Russia's military exports/imports.

On August 4, 2006 the Bush administration imposed sanctions on Rosoboronexport for supplying Iran in violation of the United States Iran Nonproliferation Act of 2000. Rosoboronexport is now prohibited from doing business with the United States Federal Government.^[1]