Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies

The Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies (CAST) is an independent, non-commercial, non-governmental organization, which carries out research and analysis on Russian conventional arms trade and defense trends both nationally and internationally. The main goal of CAST is to promote innovative research addressing the security challenges and implications of arms and technology trade and defense restructuring.

Overview
According to the organization's website, CAST currently employs ten researchers working on full-time basis. The Centre's researchers also collaborate on an ad hoc basis with leading Russian experts, journalists, defense specialists and civil servants working on similar issues.

Major publications
Since April 1997, CAST has been publishing a bimonthly journal on arms trade and defense industries issues, Eksport Vooruzheniy (Arms Export).

CAST also publishes Moscow Defense Brief, which 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.

Each year, the Centre publishes a well-known ranking of top 20 companies of the Russian defense industry, based on a comparison of key financial and operational indicators. The ranking is used by analysts around the world. For example Stockholm International Peace Research Institute relies on CAST data when compiling its famous annual list of the world's top 100 arms producers.

History
The organization was founded in June 1997 by graduates of Moscow State Institute of International Relations and it has close contacts with the Russian arms industry, the Rosoboronexport consortium, and senior government officials. CAST is not financed by the government, or by any companies or organisations. Instead, it gets all of its income from selling research and media products, consultation services and other projects. Its office is located in Moscow.

The current head of CAST is Ruslan Pukhov.