Pro-US Defense Publication Excludes Russian Helicopters In List Of Top 100 Companies

The Russian state-run defense corporation, Rostec which is under US sanctions has lashed out at a US periodical for not including Russian Helicopters in their yearly list of top 100 defense companies.

Rostec questioned Defense News as to how the periodical drop ‘Russian helicopters’ from its yearly list when it has been on every list of major global defense companies for the previous five years.

The fact that the Russian Helicopters group is not included into the rating of the world’s major defence manufacturers compiled by the US periodical Defense News is an example of unfair competition and information manipulations aimed at diminishment of the position of one of the leading global helicopter manufacturers, said Igor Korotchenko, director of the Centre for Analysis of World Arms Trade (CAWAT) to RIA Novosti on Wednesday.

In 2017, Russian Helicopters signed contracts for the total amount of 18.2 billion rubles.

On Tuesday, Defense News published a new annual Top 100 Defense Companies list for 2016, which did not include Russian Helicopters.

“A reasonable question comes up: how could it happen that the Russian Helicopters group which had steadily been on the list of 30 major global defense companies for the previous five years and ranked number 25 in the Top 100 Defense News rating last year suddenly dropped out of it?” said Korotchenko.

The Russian Helicopters group plans to grow the order book to 500 vehicles in 2017.

The director of CAWAT recalled on this occasion that, according to the IFRS statements of the group, the 2016 revenue of Russian Helicopters from sale of military products amounted to USD 2,995 bn, the total revenue was USD 3,633 bn, and the share of military products in the total revenues was 82%. "Therefore, the Russian Helicopters group should be among the first 30 companies on the Top 100 global defense companies list, between the US company Bechtel and the British company Backbock," commented Korotchenko.

Evidently, the expert went on, the whole situation is created to save the image of western helicopter manufacturers which have recently lost several major tenders in a number of countries which preferred the products of Russian Helicopters.

According to the Defense News rating, for the third consecutive year, Almaz – Antey Corporation has been ranking 11th, the highest position among the Russian companies; last year the company earned USD 7.4 bn. The 14th position is taken by United Engine Corporation (plus two lines to the rating of last year, USD 5.6 bn military revenues). The last one among the top three Russian companies is Tactical Missiles Corporation which ranks 32nd in the global list (plus five lines to the rating of last year, USD 2.8 bn).

The leader of the rating is Lockheed Martin (the defense revenues of USD 43.4 bn, the position did not change during the year), Boeing ranks second (USD 29.5 bn, the position did not change), BAE Systems ranks third (USD 23.6 bn).

Defense News issues annual ratings of global defense companies using information from public sources, annual statements of companies and data directly provided to it by companies.​