Brazil, Russia in talks on air defense system

BRASILIA, Brazil, Nov. 24 (UPI) -- Brazilian and Russian military officials have been talking medium-range air defense systems.

The Brazilian Ministry of Defense reports the talks took place in Brazil last week and were conducted by delegations led by Brig. Gershon Machado, head of Logistics at the Ministry of Defense and Gen. Sergei Babakov, commander of the anti-aircraft missile troops of the Russian Air Force.

The talks, as well as visits to Brazilian military facilities, were "to strengthening cooperation between the two countries in the air defense sector."

"Brazil and Russia have established a series of conversations over the past few years on the Brazilian armed forces' need of a medium-range air defense system, able to engage targets flying at altitudes of up to 10,000 meters (nearly 33,000 feet)," the ministry said.

"In August this year, a Brazilian delegation was in Moscow to conduct additional assessments of the Pantsir-S1 medium altitude anti-aircraft artillery system, which could be purchased by Brazil to meet this need.

By the end of this year, another delegation is expected to visit the Russian Ministry of Defense, as part of the continuation of negotiations between the two countries on the subject."