NATO's naval arms group to hold session at IMDS-2011, first in history

01.04.2011 Field session of NATO's naval arms group and partner countries will be conducted at 5th International Maritime Defense Show (IMDS-2011) for the first time in the Alliance history, reported ARMS-TASS citing Alexander Koloskov, deputy director general of JSC Maritime Show which is the exhibition's initiator.

The group session implies participation of national defense authorities responsible for naval arms procurement. Apart from 28 NATO members and 22 partners, the group includes Mediterranean states plus Israel, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, and Japan, Koloskov said.

According to him, three traditional conferences will be conducted as a business and scientific component – "Navy and Shipbuilding in Contemporary Conditions", "Life Cycle Management of Shipbuilding Product. Information Support", "Shipbuilding Information Technology 2011".

At present, 330 companies including 36 foreign ones have been already registered to participate in St. Petersburg naval show; they have reserved 90% of overall display area (14,000 sq meters). Number of military-oriented companies is 68, civil ones - 60.

The exhibition comprises all areas of naval equipment – shipbuilding, powerplants, naval arms and navigational systems, naval aviation, ship basing infrastructure, new materials and technologies.