FOREIGN SUPPLIERS BY TYPE OF EQUIPMENT
Armoured combat vehicle
Combat aircraft
Material
Military transport aircraft
Missiles and missile launchers
Small arms and light weapons
Warships
Armoured combat vehicles
China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO)
A May 2019 report indicates that 76 NORINCO-manufactured Type-92 armoured vehicles were acquired by the Tatmadaw. A March,
2019 report indicates that some of these armoured vehicles are being combined with NORINCO-manufactured turrets and
NORINCO-manufactured 100 mm high-pressure/low-recoil smooth-bore guns which fire tungsten-core armour-piercing fin-stabilised discarding-sabot (APFSDS) rounds.
Malyeshev Plant, Ukrspetsexport and Ukroboronprom
In March 2019, it was reported that the Ukraine state-owned Ukrspetsexport and Ukroboronprom had begun implementing an arms manufacturing deal to build a plant in Myanmar to manufacture armoured personnel carriers and self-propelled howitzers, in particular the BTR-4U wheeled 8×8 armored personnel carrier and the 2S1U self-propelled howitzer. Ukrspetsexport was reported to have confirmed an initial delivery of equipment and machinery for the plant, which should be ready to begin production by 2020.
Combat aircraft
Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC)
In November 2018, the Tatmadaw Air Force received its first six JF-17M “Thunder” combat aircraft out of a total of 16 aircraft ordered in 2015 on a $560 million USD contract.
Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL)
HAL manufactures military aircraft. In December 2018, it was announced that India would donate six HAL HJT-16 Kiran jet trainers to the Myanmar Air Force, and station a team in Myanmar to help train their pilots and ground crew. HAL is also trying to sell a weaponised version of its new training aircraft, the HTT-40 to the Myanmar Air Force.
Irkutsk Corporation, United Aircraft Corporation (UAC)
Since 2016, the Myanmar Air Force has received 12 Yakovlev Yak-130 jet trainers from the Russian Federation state-owned Irkutsk Corporation, a subsidiary of the United Aircraft Corporation. In January 2018, Myanmar and Russia agreed on the sale of six Sukhoi SU-30 multi-role fighter jets in a contract reportedly worth about USD 204 million. The fighter planes are also produced by the
state-owned Irkutsk Corporation. A military delegation led by Commander-in-Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing visited the Irkutsk Aviation Plant on 23 April 2019, during which it was reported that the Sukhoi SU-30 multi-role fighter jets are notable for their suitability for the Tatmadaw’s “counter-insurgency operations.” At a press conference following the 8th Moscow Conference on International Security in April 2019, Commander-in-Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said that Russia’s military hardware was “very useful” for his military in key locations in Myanmar.
Material
Korea Mining Development Trading Corporation (KOMID)
Named by the UN Panel of Experts established pursuant to resolution 1874 (2009) in relation to sanctions on the Democratic
People’s Republic of Korea as being linked to importing materiel for the Myanmar Directorate for Defence Industries.
Excellence Metal Casting, STE Global Trading
Named by the UN Panel of Experts established pursuant to resolution 1874 (2009) in relation to sanctions on the Democratic
People’s Republic of Korea as being linked to importing materiel for the Myanmar Directorate for Defence Industries.
Military transport aircraft
China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation (CATIC)
The Myanmar Air Defence Force will be the first foreign customer to purchase CATIC’s Y-9E transport aircraft.
Rostec
In October 2017, four of the Myanmar Air Force’s Mil Mi-24P transport helicopters were serviced by the Russian Federation
state-owned defense company Rostec. Viktor Kladov, the director for international co-operation and regional policy of the Rostec State Corporation, told journalists, “We have delivered a few aircraft to the Myanmar Air Force (MAF), and they liked it so much they want to buy more”.
Missiles and missile launchers
Bharat Dynamics Limited
Tatmadaw Navy procured 10 advanced light torpedo “Shyena” anti-submarine torpedoes, in a deal reportedly worth USD 38 million reportedly signed in March 2017.
China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC)
In May 2017, it was reported that the Tatmadaw was acquiring SY-400 short-range precision surface-to-surface ballistic missile systems, manufactured by the China state-owned China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation.
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp (CASC)
A CASC in factory in Myanmar builds and sells the CH-4 drone, which fires AR-1 missiles that can hit a distant target with a margin of error of less than 1.5 metres.
Small arms and light weapons
Armscor International
In November 2018, it was reported that the Philippine-based company, Armscor International, has sold competition handguns to the Tatmadaw Shooting Team, and was exploring how to further penetrate the Myanmar defense market, noting that “there are a number of security agencies in Myanmar that are interested in new defence products.”
TAR Ideal Concepts
In October 2016, TAR Ideal Concepts, an Israeli military and police equipment and training company, posted photographs on its website of its personnel training the Tatmadaw Special Operations Taskforce.
Warships
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Ltd.
IAI agreed to provide four Super-Dvora Mk III fast attack craft to the Myanmar Navy. Two were delivered in April 2017.
