Rocket System Tender

Russia Pulls Out of Indonesian Rocket System Tender

BMP-3
© RIA Novosti. Alexander Alpatkin

13:30 02/05/2012

MOSCOW, May 2 (RIA Novosti)

Tags: Su-27, Mi-17, Mi-35, Smerch, BTR-80, BMP-3, Rosoboronexport, Nikolai Dimidyuk, Russia

The BMP-3 amphibious tracked infantry fighting vehicle

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Russia’s arms trading company Rosoboronexport has pulled out of an Indonesian tender for the supply of multiple launch rocket systems, the company told Military Industrial Courier magazine.

The company pulled out because it had offered its Smerch rocket launcher system which “did not meet a range of technical conditions in the tender,” Rosoboronexport official Nikolai Dimidyuk said.

The Indonesian tender was released in February.

“No one wants to waste time, or lead partners into delusion,” he said. “That said, we remain of the opinion that this system fully meets the requirements of the Indonesian forces in the most important criteria, fighting effectiveness,” he said.

Rosoboronexport did not say in which criteria Smerch failed to meet Indonesian requirements.

Russia had offered a 22-ton variant of the Smerch system, but a more widely-sold variant weighs 48 tons.

Indonesia is a traditional Russian and Soviet arms customer and at present has contracts with Russia for delivery of Su-27SKM fighter aircraft, Mi-17 and Mi-35 military helicopters, and BMP-3 and BTR-80 infantry fighting vehicles.