Promotional video from ‘Almaz Antey’ concern featuring the latest Air Defense Missile Systems (ADMS).: S-400, Buk-M2, Tor-M2, Shtil and associated equipment. JSC Concern VKO “Almaz-Antey” (Russian: ОАО “Концерн ВКО “Алмаз-Антей”») is a Russian state-owned company in the arms industry, a result of a merger of Antey Corporation and NPO Almaz, unifying some of the national military enterprises, in particular, the developers of anti-aircraft defence systems. The Almaz-Antey group produce air defense systems, firearms for aircraft and armored vehicles, artillery shells and surface-to-surface missiles, airspace surveillance and coordination and artillery radars.

Established in 2002 under the Presidential Decree and the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation, the Almaz-Antey Corporation united dozens of enterprises, engaged in development and production of anti-aircraft missile systems of small, medium and long ranges, and main types of radar reconnaissance and automated control systems, including factories, research and production associations, design bureaus and research institutes. Later, in 2007, the Corporation underwent enlargement, and as of today, more than sixty enterprises from eighteen regions of the country are consolidated in its structure.

The Almaz-Antey group produce air defense systems, firearms for aircraft and armored vehicles, artillery shells and surface-to-surface missiles, airspace surveillance and coordination and artillery radars. The Group also manufacture civilian products such as navigation systems, air traffic systems, civil airtraffic- and weather radars, sewage cleaning systems, ventilation valves for nuclear power plants, and plastic packaging for cosmetics and food products. The organisation is headquartered in Moscow and is the world’s 8th-largest defence contractor measured by 2017 defence revenues. In 2017, Almaz-Antey had arms sales of $9.125 billion.

In February 2015 the President of Russia signed a Decree to rename JSC Concern PVO “Almaz-Antey” to Concern VKO “Almaz-Antey”, and to increase its capitalization. ‘PVO’ means Protivo-Vozdushnaya Oborona – air defence forces, the Russian name for the Soviet Air Defence Forces branch of the Soviet and Russian military. ‘VKO’ (or BKO), the Russian Aerospace Defence Forces, was the branch of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation responsible for air and missile defence, and the operation of Russian military satellites and the Plesetsk Cosmodrome. In August 2015, the Russian Aerospace Forces was created, and includes both the Air Force, and the Aerospace Defence Forces.