Article Posted on : - Dec 18, 2009

A file photo.

MOSCOW (BNS): Russia has signed a major defence contract with Vietnam for selling submarines and aircraft.

"Vietnam has signed a contract with Russia to buy submarines and aircraft," said Nguyen Tan Dung, Prime Minister of Vietnam, as reported by the Russian news agency Ria Novosti.

According to the report, Vietnam will be buying Kilo-class Project 636 diesel-electric submarines worth more than $ 1 billion and have also ordered Svetlyak-class patrol boats and frigates.

Russia will be delivering eight Su-30MK2 aircraft to Vietnam in 2010, as earlier said by the Russian arms exporter Rosoboronexport.

The Kilo-class submarine is mainly for anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare operations. Svetlyak-class patrol boats and frigates are designed to carry out numerous naval missions

The Su-30MK2, with its improved avionics, is used as a maritime strike aircraft.