THE SIXTH "ARMY" MILITARY-TECHNICAL FORUM - THE RUSSIAN MAJOR PUBLIC EVENT IN THE FIELD OF MILITARY-TECHNICAL COOPERATION FOR 2020 - WILL BE HELD ON AUGUST 23-29 AT THE PATRIOT EXPOCENTRE IN MOSCOW REGION

Last year, the “ARMY-2019” Forum once again set records on its scale and attendance – more than one million people attended the event during six days in June, they examined an exposition with an area of more than 250 thousand m² with hundreds of the exhibits of military equipment and thousands of smaller exhibits. For the first time, the S-350 Vityaz and Pantsir-SM anti-aircraft systems, the airborne self-propelled artillery systems 2S42 Lotos and 2S41 Drok were presented to the public. A unique opportunity was provided to take a close look at widely known examples of Russian military equipment, such as armored vehicles of the Armata, Boomerang and Kurganets families. In addition to the representatives of the Russian military industrial complex, the forum was attended by industry companies from 14 countries: in addition to neighboring countries, it is worth noting India, Iran, France, Pakistan and China.

There will be something interesting to see this year too. More than 2,500 enterprises and companies plan to participate in the Forum. The invitations have been sent to more than one hundred countries – it is obvious that the majority of them will be represented only by delegations, but the expansion of the representation of exhibitors is also possible. In particular, a representative participation of the Turkish Republic is expected – despite the known difficulties in our relations, military-technical cooperation between Moscow and Ankara is now at its historic peak.

Among the new future demonstrations, the following have been already mentioned: the modernized armored personnel carrier BTR-82AT with enhanced armor and a new sighting system, and the Atlet armored vehicle with increased protection level based on the Tigr armored vehicle with its well-proven characteristics. The Strategic Missile Forces of the Russian Federation announced the expansion of their exposition: in addition to the Topol missile launcher, the support vehicles – for security shift on duty, missile weapon control and technical control centre – developed as part of the Technology-RV experimental design work will also be presented. The first (after the May Parade on the Red Square) demonstration of the Kurganets armored combat vehicle with a new combat module “Epokha” having a 57-mm gun is expected. It would be desirable and interesting to see a serial T-90M (the main battle tank of 188M/Proryv-3) tank, which should enter combat duty in 2020.

We should additionally note that the “ARMY-2020” Forum will be combined with the International Army Games, which will provide visitors a unique opportunity to watch interesting shows including the already world-famous Tank Biathlon. The year 2020 is the year of the 75th Anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, and although the main commemorative events will already finish by the end of August, the exhibition “Victory” will operate within the frameworks of the Forum. An important, though less spectacular event for the general public should be the Congress “Diversification of the Military Industrial Complex in the Interests of National Projects. Transformation of the Production Base”, which is planned to be attended by 4,500 participants, including the “captains of industry”, Heads of federal departments and constituent entities of the Russian Federation. The name of the Congress tells a lot about its topic – this is the implementation of a complex, but important order of the President on increasing the share of civilian products produced by enterprises of the military industrial complex.

Since 2015, when the first forum was held, the Army forum has become a major and significant event for defence industry specialists. At the Army forum, the main supply contracts in the interests of the domestic armed forces are signed, and the most important and detailed “indicators” of supplies and plans for rearmament are announced. It is especially worth noting the rich and diverse business programme. The round table meetings and conferences, which can be attended by visitors and exhibitors, are devoted to the most pressing issues on the development of the military industrial complex.

For the audience, this is a large-scale show, a unique exhibition of military equipment – both modern and historical, and this year, in addition, the spectacular military-sports events are coming up that can not be seen anywhere else in the world.