Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to include a comment by Rohde & Schwarz.
A Russian company within the state-owned Rostec corporation has signed contracts worth 720 million rubles (approximately $7.4 million) to acquire American and German equipment to expand electronic warfare (EW) production, according to reports from Militarnyi.
The Kaluga Research Radio Engineering Institute (KNIRTI), a developer of electronic warfare systems for Sukhoi combat aircraft, finalized the contracts in December 2024. The deals involve the purchase of equipment from German technology firm Rohde & Schwarz and American company Keysight, despite ongoing Western sanctions.
Founded in 1957, KNIRTI is a key developer of EW systems and is part of the Radio-Electronic Technologies Concern under the Rostec umbrella. Its systems are integrated into Russian fighter jets, including the Su-24, Su-27, Su-30, Su-33, Su-34, and Su-35, as well as the Su-57 stealth aircraft. The institute has also designed EW systems for specialized helicopters used in jamming and air defense suppression operations.
The purchase details were uncovered through a procurement database, revealing that the acquired equipment will be used to scale up production of on-board EW complexes. The contracts indicate that the majority of the equipment, valued at 620 million rubles ($6.36 million), will be supplied by Rohde & Schwarz, with manufacturing taking place in Germany, the Czech Republic, and Malaysia. The German company specializes in advanced electronic equipment and has supplied military technology to NATO members, including Germany, Norway, and Canada.
According to the contract specifications, KNIRTI seeks advanced signal analyzers, analog signal generators, vector network analyzers, power supplies, and oscilloscopes. Another 100 million rubles ($1.02 million) will be allocated for purchasing multimeters and ultra-high-frequency analyzers from Keysight, with production occurring at the company’s Malaysian facility.
KNIRTI has been under U.S. sanctions since 2019 and was added to the European Union’s sanctions list in 2024. To bypass trade restrictions, the institute is reportedly using an intermediary firm, Gradient, which signed the official contracts. This company is responsible for delivering the equipment by the end of 2025. Procurement records indicate that shipments have already begun, with Gradient supplying an SMA100B analog signal generator in late December 2024 for nearly 13 million rubles ($133,000).
Gradient, established in 2019 and owned by Moscow resident Sergey Ivanov, has played a growing role in supplying Western technology to Russian defense entities. According to reports, the firm’s first contract involved delivering a Keysight signal analyzer to a Russian military unit. While its annual revenue remained under 106 million rubles ($1.08 million) until 2022, it skyrocketed in 2023, reaching 965 million rubles ($9.91 million), a thirteenfold increase.
Despite strict sanctions imposed on Russia, the latest revelations highlight continued gaps in enforcement, allowing Russian defense firms to acquire Western technology through intermediaries. The expansion of EW capabilities is a crucial priority for the Russian military as it faces battlefield challenges, particularly against Ukrainian drone and precision-guided weapon systems. Western officials have repeatedly warned about the risks of dual-use technology transfers, which may indirectly support Russian military operations.
As deliveries continue, the procurement of this equipment raises concerns over sanctions evasion mechanisms and the effectiveness of international controls aimed at limiting Russia’s access to high-tech defense components.
Rohde & Schwarz has sent a letter to our editor team which said that:
“Once the war began, Rohde & Schwarz immediately halted shipments to Russia, even before official sanctions were imposed. Since then, Rohde & Schwarz has not exported any products to Russia and has strictly implemented all sanctions.
Rohde & Schwarz has no active business relations neither with Kaluga Radio Engineering Research Institute nor with Gradient.
Rohde & Schwarz always implements new and amended sanctions immediately in its business relations. We continually adapt our business processes so that we can identify potentially critical constellations in advance and avoid parallel imports, for instance.
Rohde & Schwarz relies on comprehensive control mechanisms. The technology company has a very strong export control system and has strengthened its organization, personnel and tools accordingly. Our export control processes have been externally audited.
For Rohde & Schwarz, strict adherence to applicable laws and regulations at all times is a given.”
