Kazakh Defense Exhibit Features Helo, Vehicle Deals

May. 3, 2012 - 03:33PM | By ANDREW CHUTER

http://www.defensenews.com/article/20120503/DEFREG03/305030004/Kazakh-Defense-Exhibit-Features-Helo-Vehicle-Deals?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

LONDON — Helicopter and armored vehicle deals have been announced by the Kazakhstan government at the Kadex 2012 defense exhibition, which opened May 3 in Astana.

Eurocopter said the Kazakh government had ordered eight twin-engine EC145 helicopters to be assembled by the Eurocopter Kazakhstan Engineering joint venture based next door to Astana’s international airport.

Six of the helicopters will be configured for medical evacuation by the Ministry of Emergency Situations, with the remaining two operated by the Ministry of Defence for search-and-rescue missions.

Last year, the Kazakhs ordered six EC145s to kick off a framework deal that should eventually cover 45 of the multirole helicopters in various configurations.

The six rotorcraft have already been delivered.

In the second announcement of the day, Ukraine’s Kharkov Morozov agreed to a deal with Kazakhstan Engineering to jointly produce 100 BTR-4 armored personnel carriers.

The $150 million deal follows from an initial agreement on vehicle overhaul signed by the two sides at the end of 2011. Dmitry Peregudov, the general director of the Ukroboronprom export agency, said the first 10 machines would be built this year with the remainder scheduled for completion in 2013.

Iraq is the biggest customer of the eight-wheel-drive armored vehicle. The Ukraine military also operates the armored personnel carrier.

Kadex 2012 marks the second defense show run in a Central Asian nation. The inaugural exhibition was in 2010. The show, which runs through May 6, has attracted numerous defense companies. The organizers list Airbus Military, Selex Galileo, Elbit, Norinco, MBDA, Panhard, General Dynamics Land Systems, Aselan and Sukhoi among its participants.

EADS defense arm Cassidian used the show to launch a new vehicle protection jammer that the company said enhances protection on military vehicles against attack by radio-controlled improvised explosive devices.

Kazakhstan, the largest of the former Soviet republics except for Russia, possesses plentiful fossil fuel reserves and other minerals and metals, including uranium and copper. It borders Russia to the south and China to the west