The Kharkiv Malyshev Plant is making the first shipment of armored personnel carriers to Iraq. The 26 BTR-4 have been made in fulfillment of the $550 million contract.
Plant Commercial Director Mykola Belov told reporters in Kharkiv on April 20 that the shipment, which started on April 19, would be complete on April 21. The armored personnel carriers will reach Iraq within a month.
Ukraine will supply 20 regular APCs, four command APCs and two medical APCs, he said.
The second shipment of 62 armored personnel carriers will be ready by September and supplied in a period coordinated with the client, he said.
In all, Iraq may receive about 400 BTR-4 vehicles by the end of next year, Belov said.
The Progress foreign trade company, a subsidiary of Ukrspecexport, signed the $550 million contract with Iraq in 2009. The deal may start a series of bilateral military-technical contracts.
The document provides the delivery of over 400 armored personnel carriers, among them BTR-4, and six light planes Antonov An-32 and repairs of aircraft within the next 3-3.5 years.
