Article Posted on : - Feb 25, 2011

ABU DHABI (BNS): UAE has signed a deal with Russia to upgrade the BMP-3 amphibious infantry fighting vehicles used by its armed forces.

The deal, worth around $74-million, was awarded to Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport during the International Defence Exhibition (IDEX) in UAE’s capital Abu Dhabi.

A total of 135 Russian-made BMP-3 IFVs will be modernised under the contract, UAE Armed Forces official spokesman Major-General Obaid Al Hairi Salem Al Ketbi was quoted as saying by Ria Novosti on Thursday.

The two sides had been negotiating the deal for quite some time.

UAE had acquired the BMP-3 combat vehicles from Russian firm Kurganmashzavod. The Middle East country is the largest global operator of BMP-3 tracked IFVs, with almost 600 in its inventory.

The IFV features a low velocity 2A70 100mm rifled gun that can fire conventional HE-Frag shells to demolish buildings. The armourded vehicle can also fire long-range ATGMs through its barrel, and a 30mm auto-cannon and a medium machine gun as a single unit in the turret.

Meanwhile, UAE announced deals worth $4 billion during the five-day International Defence Exhibition which concluded on Thursday.