Sergei Chernezev, the head of Russian Technologies, which now directs all Russian arms exports, told the Moscow business newspaper Kommersant last week that "talks on the supply of anti-aircraft systems, modern armored cars including BMP-3 armored personnel vehicles are being held" between Russia and Venezuela. State-of-the-art Sukhoi Su-35 combat aircraft are allegedly on offer as well.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez will be in Moscow this week where talks are expected to be held on conducting joint Russian-Venezuelan naval exercises. Earlier this month Chavez hosted two Russian Tupolev Tu-160 White Swan -- NATO designation Blackjack -- variable-geometry supersonic nuclear bombers. They conducted training flights over the Caribbean Sea from Libertador air base in Venezuela.

Bulgarian firms to build new U.S. military base

In keeping with its plan to move about 60,000 American troops from Western to Central Europe, the U.S. Army has contracted 11 Bulgarian companies to build a new American/Bulgarian military base, the U.S. Embassy in Sofia has said.

The two countries had agreed more than two years ago to build a joint base in Novo Selo, which is in the northwestern tip of Bulgaria and less than a mile from the border with Romania. The new base will be less than 7 miles from Serbia, which has close ties to Russia.

The new facility will house 2,500 soldiers and will include dining, medical, administrative and storage facilities. Construction should be complete within three years. Bulgaria and the United States also plan to share two air bases and a Black Sea storage facility.

Brit MOD denies $3.66 billion budget cut claim

The British Ministry of Defense has issued a statement denying a newspaper report that it was planning a huge $3.66 billion acquisition budget cut.

The Ministry of Defense responded to the report in the left-wing British newspaper The Guardian by issuing a statement denying it was contemplating any budgetary cuts that could delay or abandon entirely any of its major acquisition projects.

"We constantly review requirements and are determined to do more to support our people here and on the front line," the statement read. "That is why we are undertaking a short examination of the equipment program to look at our planning assumptions for equipment over the next 10 years. The examination of the equipment program is focusing on two issues above all: bearing down on cost increases to equipment programs, and re-balancing the equipment program to better support the front line."

"This is not a moratorium on equipment expenditure," the release concluded.

Belgium delivers four F-16s to Jordan

The Belgian Ministry of Defense announced it has delivered the first four of the 14 secondhand F-16s that it sold to Jordan a year ago. In the $100 million sale Jordan acquired 14 Belgian jets -- 12 F-16AM and two F-16BMs -- and four Dutch F-16s that previously belonged to the Dutch air force.

The aircraft since have been modified and Jordanian pilots trained at the Belgian Kleine Brogel air base.

The Royal Jordanian Air Force already owns 33 secondhand U.S. Air Force F-16s that will be upgraded. The four Dutch jets recently bought are in addition to three F-16s bought in the past.