Russia and Israel are negotiating a joint project to build an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin has said.
"We are negotiating with Israel. Our aim is to persuade them to start technological cooperation and to develop a product that will be used in both countries, and could also be sold to third countries," Rogozin told the Rossia-24 TV channel.
Russia will no longer buy ready-made weapon systems from the West but is only interested in new technology, said Rogozin, who is responsible for the country's military-industrial department.
"Technology should be attracted by localizing production on Russian territory," he said.
In May, a source in the Russian defence industry said Moscow may buy a large new consignment of unmanned aerial vehicles from Israel and 24 command and control systems worth around $50 million in the future.
The Israel Aerospace Industries previously delivered to Russia two Bird Eye-400, eight I-View Mk150 and two Searcher Mk.2 unmanned aerial vehicles, worth $53 million.
The defence ministry was also considering the possibility of purchasing from an Israeli company, Aeronautics Defense Systems, three types of UAV control systems -- eight of each -- Orbiter 2, Aerostar and Skystar, the source said.
Given that each such system can service two to three UAVs, "between 48 and 72 Israeli UAVs may be bought", the source said.