The intense battles of the Ukrainian conflict, where NATO military hardware wielded and operated by Kiev's forces ended up clashing with Russian-made gear employed by the troops quickly made one thing apparent: the Russian military equipment is not inferior to its Western counterparts.
Russian main battle tanks, attack helicopters, artillery and air defense systems, cruise missiles and drones have demonstrated considerable resilience and efficiency, showing that they can hit the enemy hard and either evade the return fire or endure whatever the enemy throws at them.
The ARMY-2023 expo, where many of these weapon systems are going to be displayed along with some of the latest additions to the country's arsenal that haven’t yet been tested in battle, will hopefully allow those whose interest about Russian weaponry has been piqued to satisfy their curiosity.
Rosoboronexport, a subsidiary of one of Russia's top defense contractors Rostec and Russia’s sole state intermediary for the sale of military equipment abroad, has shed some light on what armaments will be showcased at the ARMY-2023.
The company suggested in a press release that one of their products that is likely to attract quite a bit of attention at the expo is Kub-E loitering munition system that has already been tested in the Ukrainian conflict.
Artillery Systems
Those who were impressed by the efficiency of the Russian artillery will be able to familiarize themselves with various aspects of these deadly weapon systems.
For example, aside from artillery systems themselves, such as 2S19 Msta-S and 2S31 Vena self-propelled howitzers, the attendees will be able to peruse the artillery fire control system based on the Planshet-A command and control system and 1B75E sound-and-thermal ranging system.
The Orlan-10 and Orlan-30 UAVs, which are employed for reconnaissance and fire adjustment by Russian artillery crews, will also be on display.
Anti-Drone Defense and Electronic Warfare
The exhibits at the expo are going to include elements of what Rosoboronexport touted as a multi-layered anti-drone defense system.
Some of these elements, such as Buk-M3 Viking, Pantsir and Tor surface-to-air missile systems and 9K333 Verba MANPADs, are meant to destroy enemy UAVs directly. Others, such as RB-504-E, Argument-2 and Argument-3 electronic warfare systems, are designed to disrupt the navigation and control systems of enemy drones.
The Pole-21E and the R-330Zh electronic warfare systems will be on display in the expo's section dedicated to precision guided munition countermeasures.
Tanks and Armored Vehicles
The armored vehicles section is expected to feature the T-14 Armata main battle tank and the K-17 Boomerang wheeled infantry fighting vehicle, as well as variants of the Tigr and Spartak multirole armored vehicles.
The recently developed Z-STS Akhmat armored tactical vehicle is also expected to be displayed at the expo.
Combat Aircraft and Attack Helicopters
A number of Russia's most advanced combat aircraft, such as the Sukhoi Su-35 air superiority fighter and Su-57 multirole fighter, will be displayed during ARMY-2023.
Several models of the Kamov Ka-52 attack helicopter, which proved time and again that they can survive potentially crippling damage and still make it back to base after destroying countless Ukrainian armored vehicles, are going to make an appearance at the expo as well.
Small Arms
Last but not least, an assortment of small arms, including those designed and produced by the famous Kalashnikov Concern, are expected to be available for perusal. These weapons will be used in a live-fire exhibition in order to display their characteristics in action.
These armaments will include, but will not be limited to, various AK assault rifles such as AK-12, AK-15 and AK-19, VKS, Bespoke Gun Raptor and T-5000 sniper rifles; ShAK-12 bullpup battle rifle; AGS-30 automatic grenade launcher; and PPK-20 submachine gun.