Russia's state-owned weapons company achieved a major jump in exports last year with $2.8 billion in sales to 49 nations, it said last week.

Rosvooruzhenie, a government corporation that handles all arms exports, said 1999 sales represented an increase of $800 million over the year before.

Russia is the world's fourth largest arms exporter after the United States, Britain and France.

Rosvooruzhenie said improved sales reflect better marketing coordination with arms manufacturers. The company had opened 14 branch offices across the country to improve coordination and plans to add two more this year, it said.

Regional offices have improved efficiency in obtaining and carrying out foreign orders and work with government agencies, officials said.