The Russian market is closed for Israeli UAS manufacturers

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The Israeli ministry of defense (MOD) banned all the Israeli manufactures of unmanned air systems (UAS) from offering their systems to Russia.

The decision is a result of the Russian intervention in the Ukraine and that Washington had played a major role in making it. Several years ago, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Aeronautics have signed contracts in Russia. The systems in these contracts have been supplied or are being supplied.

The ban refers to new contracts and does not apply to the existing ones. It does not affect the upgrade of the systems supplied or the sale of spares for them.

Unmanned systems conference 2014 – Israel

Israeli sources said that it should be noted that even before the new directive was made , there were limitations on the types of UAS that were cleared for export to Russia.

U.S sources said that Washington was not happy with the Russian-Israeli cooperation on UAS but did not act to undermine it. Now in light of the crisis in Ukraine it seems that Washington has changed its attitude and demanded an Israeli change in policy which is now in place.

The Israeli MOD said that it does not give statements regarding issues related to defense exports.