Editorial

Mikhail Barabanov,
Editor-in-chief of Moscow Defense Brief

Moscow Defense Brief aims to provide timely and accurate analysis of the leading trends in Russian defense policy and industry, tailored to the requirements of demanding professionals in the English-speaking world.

Our publication combines the unique perspective of leading Russian experts with the knowledge and expertise of Russia's most prominent and fiercely independent arms export and defense industry watchdog: the Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies.

Since 1997, CAST has established a reputation for informed and objective analysis of the Russian defense industry through its flagship publication Eksport Vooruzheniy (Arms Exports), regular commentary published in the Russian and international press, and consultation services to government and industry.

This unbroken track record of continual, independent work gives CAST a uniquely authoritative voice in the Russian defense world. After a rather steep decline and fall in the early 1990's, Russia's defense and arms export industry has staged an impressive comeback with both domestic and foreign sales growing.

Moreover, the Russian military's own procurement budget, which was once trailing far behind the arms exports from Russia, is now soaring to levels comparable to those of foreign sales of Russian-made arms.

Yet, paradoxically, there has been to date no professional, independent, and unbiased effort to discern the trends in this strategically important industry and in Russia's military and technical policy which meets the needs of an English-language audience.

Nor have the Russian military and defense-industry policy-making elite made any coherent effort to outline what their strategy and tactics are to both domestic and foreign experts and academic communities.

Moscow Defense Brief will focus on individual sectors of the defense and arms export industry while continuing to brief you on the most important trends and developments in Russian defense policy.