RUSSIA AGREES SPEED UP DEFENCE DEALS

RUSSIA AGREES TO SPEED UP DEFENCE DEALS 

Russia has agreed to quickly address some urgent defence requirements sought by India

Long pending deals for AK -203 assault rifles and Ka-226T light utility helicopters were discussed 

There is some progress on the AK-203 assault rifle deal which has been held up over pricing, another diplomatic source said

However, the deal for 200 Ka-226T utility helicopters remains stuck over the level of indigenisation

Indo-Russia Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL) is a rifle-manufacturing facility in Korwa, Amethi district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The factory manufactures the AK-203 variant of the Kalashnikov family of rifles

Factory is a joint-venture of the Ordnance Factory Board of India and Kalashnikov Concern of Russia, with Rosoboronexport holding a minority stake 

AK-203 is a modernized 200 series AK-103 variant and one of the modern derivatives of the Russian AK-Pattern series of assault rifles

AK-203 is reported as the latest and most advanced version of the most abundant firearm in the world, the AK-47 assault rifle

Kamov Ka-226 (NATO reporting name: Hoodlum) is a small, twin-engine Russian utility helicopter

Ka-226 entered service in 2002

A twin-turbine version of the successful reciprocating-engined Kamov Ka-26, (the Kamov Ka-126 is the single-turbine version) the Ka-226 was initially announced in 1990

Aircraft is fitted with trademark Kamov coaxial rotors, of advanced composite design, making the Ka-226 highly manoeuvrable and eliminating the need for a tail rotor

Ka-226T: Instead of Rolls-Royce 250C engines, this variant is fitted with the more powerful Turbomeca Arrius 2G1. Each engine provides 670 shp, increasing the service ceiling to around 7,000 m, providing improved high altitude and high temperature operation. Helicopter has new avionics with multifunctional displays, automatic control system, navigation system, radar.