Russia and Italy are to jointly build and modernize patrol aircraft, after signing a cooperation agreement at the Farnborough Air Show in Britain.
The deal was signed by Russia’s arms export corporation Rosoboronexport and three companies from Italy’s Finmeccanica group.
The new aircraft will be developed on the basis of Russian-made aircraft, but fitted with Italian-made navigation, communications and IFF systems and weapons, including lightweight torpedoes from WASS, a Finmeccanica group company.
The deal was signed by Rosoboronexport deputy chief Alexander Mikheyev, and the heads of Finmeccanica’s Selex, Galileo, and Selex Elsag companies.
“This is an agreement on the promotion of products for third countries. Italian equipment will be installed on Russian-made patrol and special-purpose aircraft,” he said.
“It took three years to prepare the agreement. We hope that this product will be adapted to enterprises affiliated with the Rostekhnologii state corporation.”