Russia's scalable soft power: leveraging defense diplomacy through the transfer of S-400 triumph. Issue 4 (2nd October 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Arduino, Alessandro; Shuja, Asif
• Is Part Of: Defense and security analysis. Volume 37:Issue 4(2021)
• Page Start: 435
• Page End: 452
• Publication Date: 2021-10-02
• Subjects: Defense military diplomacy -- S-400 -- scalable soft power -- Russia-arms transfer -- Patriot -- Iron Dome; Military art and science -- Periodicals; Armed Forces -- Periodicals; Military policy -- Periodicals; National security -- Periodicals; World politics -- Periodicals; 355
• DOI: 10.1080/14751798.2021.1995963
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1475-1798

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Military hardware and technology transfer is increasingly becoming a crucial factor in international relations. This is especially so when the military hardware transfer involves sophisticated weapon's platforms that need specialised training and maintenance, resulting in a long-term relationship that strengthens the geopolitical relationship between the contracting parties. Driven by the re-emergence of great power rivalry, the S-400 Triumph air defence missile system deployment appears to be fast becoming a core component of Russia's military diplomacy. The agreed S-400 export contracts include Turkey, China and India with a long list of interested Middle Eastern countries. The transfer of S-400 well encompasses all the dimensions of the Russian defense diplomacy and could be considered as a primary example of scalable soft power, as it underlines the evolving pattern of high-technology arms transfers that is going to be constant in an increasingly complex multilateral world.