VENEZUELAN AIR FORCE ANNOUNCES RUSSIAN AIRCRAFT

S E C R E T CARACAS 002319 SIPDIS NOFORN SIPDIS USSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD DEPT PASS TO AID/OTI RPORTER E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/29/2017 TAGS: MARR MCAP PGOV VE SUBJECT: VENEZUELAN AIR FORCE ANNOUNCES RUSSIAN AIRCRAFT PURCHASE / ROSOBORONEXPORT SEES A LONG RELATIONSHIP Classified By: Robert Downes, POLITICAL Counselor, for Reason 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: The Venezuelan Air Force announced on December 5 the purchase of 12 Russian cargo aircraft to upgrade their heavy lift and in-flight refueling capability. In late October 2007, Rosoboronexport announced that it planned to double or triple its defense industry contracts with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (BRV) currently estimated at USD 4 billion. A Rosoboronexport spokesman added that patrol boats, landing craft, surveillance helicopters and coastal missile batteries could be future purchases. While many of these purchases reflect needed upgrades to Venezuela's aging defense forces, some weapons systems are in excess of Venezuela's needs. ¶2. (U) Venezuelan Air Force (FAV) Col. Oswaldo Hernandez Sanchez reported that Venezuela would be buying 10 Ilyshin 76 (NATO Designation IL-76 Candid) cargo planes and two Ilyshin 78 (NATO Designation IL-78 Midas) refueling aircraft. Local media reported that some aircraft would arrive in mid-2008 and the balance in 2009. The swept wing, heavy lift jet is in the same category as the American C-141 Starlifter and requires a crew of seven. ¶3. (S/NF) DAO asseses the FAV of currently having only two operational C-130 cargo aircraft in Venezuela. The Russian Antonov-12 Cub would be the Russian equivalent to the C-130. Although President Chavez mentioned replacing his C-130 fleet with Antonovs in a September 2006 speech, no further action has been announced. The acquisition of the Il-76 represents an order of magnitude improvement in Venezuela transport capability. The IL-78 refueling variant is capable of in-flight refueling of three aircraft, such as Venezuela's new SU-30 fighters, simultaneously using the probe and drogue method. ¶4. (C) Rosoboronexport representative Sergei Ladiguin told the media in October that his company expected to double or triple their estimated USD four billion Venezuelan arms contracts in the coming years. Ladiguin envisioned contracts for ships, fighter aircraft and attack helicopters as well as Army ground systems. Although Venezuela has started contract talks with Spain for patrol boats and the UK for hovercraft, Ladiguin specifically mentioned Kamov surveillance helicopters (possibly the KA-27 Helix),Murena landing craft (Note: A hovercraft capable of landing a main battle tank, similar to the U.S. Navy LCAC. End Note) and the Mirazh short endurance patrol boat ¶5. (C) Comment: Venezuela has a relatively poor road and rail network so an airlift capability, for humanitarian crises or to move materials for government building projects would be useful. The AN-12, however, might have been a better solution for Venezuela since it is designed for short take-offs and landings from crude runways, rather than the heavy IL-76. The IL-78 is clearly intended to refuel Chavez' fighter aircraft. The patrol boats and helicopters might be a serious move to establish effective anti-narcotics patrols but might just as easily be used to muscle in on foreign fishing boats and exert territorial claims. Similarly, the Murena hovercraft is excellent for traversing floodplains to rescue victims, but several of them could also land a sizable garrison on a disputed island. While Venezuela's new airlift capabilities would be very useful to UN missions as well, Venezuela has traditionally eschewed participating in international humanitarian and peacekeeping efforts. End Comment. FRENCH