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C O N T E N T S

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Business

PUBLISHING HOUSE MOSCOW Director General Valeriy Stolnikov Deputy Director General Vladislav Prischenko Marketing Director Leonid Belyaev REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE IN SANKT-PETERBURG Commercial Director Anna Ogneva Editor-in-Chief of A4 Press Publishing Alexander Diachenko Editor-in-Chief of ARMS Andrey Yushkov Denis Kungurov Editors Ekaterina Malysheva Vladimir Rechmensky Designers Nadezhda Fadina Maria Marakulina Photographer Sergey Voronin Print manager Olesya Lazareva GRAPHIC ARTS Photo JSC Corcern ''Granit-Electron'', Mechanical Engineering Research Institute, www.army.lv, www.shipspotting.com.

Partners: Literra Translation Agency tel.: +7 (812)331 27 77; e-mail: info@li-terra.ru St.Petersburg, Russia Circulation: 5000 The magazine is registered in the Committee for Press of the Russian Federation. Certificate № 016692 as of 20.10.1997. Certificate № 77-15450 as of 19.05.2003.

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ARMS, 2012 ADDRESS P.O. Box 77, Moscow, 125057, Russia Tel.: + 7 495 459 90 72 Fax.: + 7 495 459 60 42 E-mail: market@a4press.ru Office 1V, 2/6, Moskovsky prospect, Saint Petersburg, 190031, Russia Tel.: +7 812 310-47-35 Tel./fax: +7 812 310-61-46 E-mail: spb@a4press.ru

www.interarms.ru

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Business results of Rosoboronexport in 2011

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A complex of defence assault weapons for Army tactical units

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DefExpo 2012

p. 3

12 Flashspots and shots at $100 bln Indian arms bazaar: Delhi remains to woo world's top arms importer.

T 90c accounts for a quarter of india’s tank park.

The signed contracts and tenders announced on defexpo 2012.

Bribe scandal round defexpo.

p. 12

p. 14

Weapons 14 Russian hovercraft — unique ships without rivals 24 S 300 antiaircraft missile system development 38 NIMI improves tank ammunition p. 24

Technologies 42 GkNIPAS innovative developments: ammunition against terrorists and helicopters 44 Spektr 7E hardware/ software complex. Its employment in Ground Forces and Navy combat training

BUSINESS

Business Results of Rosoboronexport in 2011 SOURCE: BRIEFING OF ROSOBORONEXPORT DIRECTOR GENERAL ANATOLY ISAYKIN, 2 FEBRUARY 2012 ■■ Rosoboronexport received and

■■

Rosoboronexport Director General Anatoly Isaykin

■■ In 2011, Rosoboronexport State

■■

■■

■■

■■

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Corporation exported Russian military products worth over 10.718 billion USD. In 2012, the company is likely to keep on demonstrating positive dynamics of growth. Good prospects for promotion in international markets are seen in connection with Sukhoi fighters, Yak-130 jet trainers, Mi helicopters, Antei-2500, Buk-M2E and Tor-M2E surface-toair missile systems, Pantsir-S antiaircraft gun-missile systems, Project 11356 frigates, Project 20382 corvettes, Project 636 submarines, Project 10412 patrol boats, upgraded T-90S tanks and BMP-3F infantry fighting vehicles.

The order portfolio maintained by Rosoboronexport is currently at 33–35 billion USD. The first place in the breakdown of Rosoboronexport’s supplies as before belongs to aviation systems (over 51%), exports to navies and air defence forces account for over 11% each, ground forces – over 21% and other armed services – 4%.

In 2011, the company pursued military-technical cooperation with 57 countries. The main importers of Russian arms were India and Venezuela.

ARMS Defence Technologies Review

■■

■■

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considered 2,377 requests from foreign customers. As a result, 474 commercial proposals were issued and 1,535 contracts were inked.

Analysing the list of military products ordered in 2011, one can see an increase in contracts for air defence systems by 28% and those for ground forces equipment – by 2%.

At the same time, the share of aviation and naval systems went down.

However, the smaller volume of contracts signed last year was a common trend for many exporters and the world market as a whole.

Ready-made products traditionally occupy a significant part of all the contracts signed, amounting to 40.4% of the total volume in 2011. Nevertheless, their share decreased as compared to the 52.3% a year before. Spare parts, accessories, units and assemblies accounted for 35.8% (17.3% in 2010). The sector showed a rise due to a large package of contracts for aircraft engines, signed with China. 2.9% of deals were connected with weapons’ improvement, and 1.3% were repairs of the previously supplied equipment.

In 2011, Rosoboronexport inked contracts with a number of countries, with which it did not have any business in 2010: Czech Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Germany, Guatemala, Laos, Mali, Singapore, Uruguay and some others.

Speaking of regional sales, the most considerable arms supplies were made to the Asia-Pacific

countries. They accounted for 43% of the weapons exports. The Middle East and North Africa got 24% and proved to be the second largest regional market for the company. 14% of all the shipments were made to Latin America. Exports to the Commonwealth of Independent States increased significantly and its share stands at 10%. Countries of Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for 7% of the arms supplies. Of all the regions, the largest number of importing countries (14) belong to Europe and North America. However, the total volume of weapons purchased by them is not significant, standing just at 2% of Rosoboronexport’s sales.

■■ In addition, speaking to the journalists Anatoly Isaikin noted that Russian defence companies were capable of making a substantial contribution to raising the share of high-tech and knowledge-intensive industries by 1.5 times, a task set by Prime Minister V. Putin. As far as exports of high-tech military products are concerned, Rosoboronexport will do its best, especially as the government is paying special attention to the country’s defence companies and has already outlined the paths of the industry’s technological modernisation and development of highly competitive economic sectors. Providing continuity of the current economic policy, Russia has good chances to double its high-tech export volume by 2020.

BUSINESS

The Metis-M1 ATGW

A complex

of defence-assault weapons for Army tactical units Text by I.Stepanichev

Antitank guided weapons (ATGWs) have been developed and produced for already half a century. They have become the most popular and wanted type of high precision weapons thanks to their usability, wide combat capabilities and relatively low cost.

Originally designed to engage tanks, today ATGWs are efficiently used to engage a wide range of other small-size targets like lightly armoured and soft-skinned vehicles, low-velocity air targets, various fortifications, manpower and elements of enemy’s infrastructure.

Changes in the nature of combat operations in the recent conflicts (higher fighting dynamics, mobility and independence of tactical formations, absence of distinct lines of combat contact, as well as increased rate of operations in urban environment and hard-to-reach areas) have made mobile and versatile ATGWs become one of the main means of army units fire support both in defensive and offensive operations. In fact, ATGWs have become multi-purpose tactical weapons.

Bearing in mind that the abovementioned tendencies in the nature of combat operations will persist in the near future, it becomes necessary for ATGWs to further expand the scope of their combat missions, to increase their range of fire all through the depth of enemy’s military formations, to enhance combat efficiency, while keeping moderate cost as the main requirement that enables their mass usage. In the tactical aspect ATGWs should provide effective fire support for land forces, both for defence and attack, enable effective fire manoeuvres along the frontline and in depth, arrange live-time fire interaction between the units of different levels with overlapping of their kill envelopes.

To meet all the above-stated requirements imposed on modern ATGWs KBP Instrument Design Bureau has formed and technically mastered an optimal complex of defence-assault weapons, which includes three types of systems: ■■ Metis-M1 medium-range portable ATGW for infantry formations; ■■ Kornet-E long-range transport-

able-portable ATGW intended for usage from mobile carriers, deployed launchers and as a part of a weapon system of various combat vehicles; ■■ Kornet-EM self-propelled multipurpose weapon system with enhanced range of fire featuring wider capabilities against air targets.

A light-weight portable weapon system at the company-battalion level enables to provide powerful fire support of the units when operating in infantry formations, especially in hard-to-reach areas and when there are no (or few) heavy vehicles, as well as in urban and built-up areas. Such

The Kornet-EM multipurpose missile system

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The Berezhok fighting compartment with the Kornet ATGM

a system should enable engagement of current and future targets by day and at night. It should have small weight and dimensions. Its design and technical solutions implemented during development should allow its series production at relatively low price. The Metis-M1 ATGW meets almost all the requirements stated above. Taking into account its relatively low price the Metis-M1 can become the most massive versatile high-precision weapon for land forces of any country.

The transportable-portable ATGWs are an essential part of modern and advanced lightly armoured vehicles as they expand significant-

The Kvartet-M ATGW

ly the frame of tasks to be accomplished by them, including ability to equally combat enemy’s tanks. The Kornet-E ATGW (vehicular version – Kvartet-M ATGW) fitted with laserbeam guidance system enjoys a complete set of features which satisfy the demands for the future-technology items of this class, namely the increased firing range, high power of the shaped-charge (ensuring engagement of modern and advanced enemy’s tanks) and the high-explosive (engagement of various softskinned and lightly-armoured targets) warheads, capability of firing on the move (when a combat vehicle is equipped with an armament stabilizer and a target autotracker), capability of salvo firing against one target. Moreover, the system can be operated from a deployable launcher when a carrier is damaged or autonomously within infantry formations.

Kornet-EM multi-purpose self-propelled missile system is designed to provide troops with fire support at an operational depth of up to 8-10 km and features enhanced (compared to Kornet-E ATGW) capabilities in terms of fire range, combat performance and engagement of aerial targets including UAVs. The system is developed as an automated combat weapon that, in addition to fire assets, comprises reconnaissance and control means ensuring full automation of combat func-

tions – targets detection, targets distribution, target designation, operation as per received target designation, missile guidance.

Thanks to the use of cutting edge but at the same time relatively lowcost technical solutions the KornetEM ATGW has a number of new features providing a drastic increase of land forces tactical units combat performance and efficiency in combat against traditional ground targets and imparting them new capabilities to fulfill missions against low-velocity aerial targets: ■■ the use of instrumental vision in combination with an automatic target tracker allows to exclude the man from the missile guiding process and actually provides fireand-forget operation. Automation of guidance process ensures high accuracy of firing at all ATGW fire ranges; ■■ availability of two launchers provides for simultaneous salvo firing against two targets that significantly increases the rate of fire and combat performance of the system providing for nearly twofold decrease of combat assets required for mission fulfillment; ■■ thanks to improvements made to ATGM design and guidance system the fire range of the ATGM is increased up to 8 km and the fire range of a missile with HE warhead – up to 10 km;

Medium-Range ATGWs Main Specifications Metis-M1 Russia

Spike-MR Israel

Javelin USA

2000 80

2500 200

2500 65

semiautomatic, wire guided

TV/TI seeker

IR seeker

Specification Fire range, m maximum minimum Guidance system Jamming immunity Armour penetration, mm Warhead Time of flight to max. range Time of preparing a shot (after laying the aiming mark on a target), s Weight, kg containerized missile launcher thermal imager

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ARMS Defence Technologies Review

satisfactory 950 beyond ERA

700

750

tandem shaped charge, thermobaric

tandem shaped charge –

tandem shaped charge –

12.0

15.6

20

1

not less than 5/18

not less than 18

13.8 9.5 6.5

13.3 8.8 4.0

15.9 6.4 a part of the launcher

BUSINESS Portable-Transportable ATGWs Main Specifications Specification

Kornet-EM

Kornet-E

Spike-ER Israel

Max. fire range, m

8000 (shaped charge WH) 10 000 (HE WH)

5500

8000

Guidance system

automatic laser beam rider

semiautomatic laser beam rider

TV/IR seeker + fiber-optic link

Containerized missile length, mm

1210

1210

1670

Containerized missile weight, kg

31(tandem shaped charge)/ 33 (HE)

29

27

tandem shaped charge, thermobaric HE

tandem shaped charge, thermobaric HE

tandem shaped charge

1100-1300

1000

1000

Time of flight for R=5km, s

20

23.4

31

Fire rate to R=5km, shots per min.

3.7

2.0

1.3

Warhead Armour penetration, tandem shaped charge WH, mm

The Kornet-E mounted on a portabletransportable launcher

■■ a combination of high-precision

automated guidance system and a missile with a fire range up to 10 km and lethal thermobaric warhead outfitted with impact and proximity fuses allows to fulfill a fundamentally new mission for ATGW – effective engagement of small-size aerial targets such as reconnaissance and attack-reconnaissance UAVs that constitute mass and important asset in enemy’s combat actions. As a result, the Kornet-EM ATGW is capable, if necessary, to fulfill a part of the short-range AD systems missions covering own battle formations from quite a wide range of air threats. This feature is not provided by any other system.

Thus, to ensure highly efficient fire support to motor rifle (motorized infantry) units up to the level of a brigade inclusively it is expedient to have the above defence/assault weapons in service with the armed forces. Its availability will ensure an effective fire support for land forces both in defence and in assault, provide effective manoeuvring of fire laterally and in depth, real-time mutual fire support of the units of different levels with overlapping their engagement areas, effective counteraction against aerial threats in case of non-availability of AD assets under command.

All the systems included into defence-assault weapon complex are reliable, easy to use, require minimum of maintenance and keep their parameters during the whole life cycle.

The systems are supplied jointly with maintenance assets, requisite parts and accessories which ensure testing of technical state and assembly repair during the whole service life of weapons. Missiles of systems do not require any functional checks. Technical support for the systems is provided during the whole operation life.

Training aids jointly delivered with systems provide training of systems operators in handling of weap-

ons, as well as ensure keeping and improving professional skills of operators.

Consequently the offered complex of systems does not only completely ensure fire support of motorized infantry subunits, but also it is self-sufficient in a technical way, requires minimum of maintenance and has a capability of self-training of the system crews.

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The Director General of Izhmah Corporation Maxim Kuzyuk acquaints members of Tanzanian delegation with company products Text by Vladimir Karnozov The seventh defense expo was held in New Delhi from 29 March till 1 April 2012 on Pragati Maidan. It has become a tradition that DefExpo is opened by Indian defense minister in presence of numerous state officials, officers of the national armed forces and those of foreign countries, and representatives of countless industrial companies that supply their products to India or want to do business there. This time round the exposition was inaugurated, on 29 March 2012, by Honorable Defense Minister Arackaparambil Kurien Antony. He was accompanied by Honorable Minister of State for Defense M.M. Pallam Raju and other Indian dignities.

Making his speech at the opening ceremony, Antony said: “The ratio of foreign to domestic industry procurement by the Armed Forces was 70:30 some years back, but it has started changing and is approaching 60:40”. This was given as a testimony of “Indigenization” progress that started to bring fruit. The minister carried on: “India’s defense expenditure in the recent past has been around 2% of Gross Domestic Product, which is consistent with our security needs, as well as our requirements in the ar8

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ARMS Defence Technologies Review

DefExpo 2012 ea. With the projected growth of the Indian economy expected at a trajectory of 8-10% for the next two decades, expenditure on defense in absolute terms is bound to increase”.

Antony further stated that: “Our defense industry is now open by up to 100% for Indian private sector participation, while Foreign Direct Investment is permissible up to 26%.

We have been periodically renewing the Defense Procurement Procedures to usher in great transparency and speed in the defense acquisition process. The introduction of Buy and Make (Indian) category in the DPP is aimed at encouraging proactive participation of the Indian industry by way of forming joint ventures with foreign manufacturers”.

The press conference of united Russian delegation was held on 30 March 2012 in the 7F pavilion, starting at 10:30 local time. The event attracted many leaders of the Russian industry, officials from the Federal Service for Military-technical cooperation, Russian Technologies state corporation and Rosoboronexport weapons vendor. The event saw a big panel of ten VIPs most of whom addressed the audience. First to speak was Nikolay Volobuev, head of the

Russian Technologies delegation. He provided immediate supervision for the whole of Russian national exposition at DefExpo 2012. After introductory speeches, the panel occupants suggested A/Q session. Sadly, none of the five show dailies being made on the side during DefExpo 2012 ran stories based on the information broadcast at the Russian press conference since the event was not attended by their staff writes. The event, however, was well features in the Russian trade media.

Russian Technologies had a stand in the Hall 12A, with expositions of France and Germany nearby. A dozen of Russian companies have united under the umbrella of the Russian Technologies. Most of them are longstanding suppliers to India. For instance, Izmash has been supplying its fire arms for decades.

This time round the company exhibited AK-101, AK-102, AK-103 and AK-104 Kalashnikov assault rifles, and the AN-94 Nikonov assault rifle. Also on display were sniper rifles of the SV98 SVD and SVDS types, the Bizon and Vityaz submachine guns (presented at an expo in India for the first time) as well as the Saiga carbines and shot-

BUSINESS guns, including the upgraded SaigaMK version of 2011. “The Indian market is a good perspective for Izhmash, as this country is world’s largest importer of defense products. We are interested in both supplying our small arms to this market and creating assembly plants followed by fullscale production. Undoubtedly, we can provide the Indian law enforcement units with required quantities if the legendary Kalashnikov brand rifles and their civilian modifications”, Maxim Kuzyuk, general manager at Izhmash, commented on this company’s exhibits.

In 2011 India was on the top of Russian weapons importers, with its share amounting to 40%. The total value of Indian orders in the Russian portfolio is estimated at US dollar 10.8 billion. However, there are some issues that hamper further growth of the Russian import into India.

The loss of the MMRCA tender in which Russia bided with MiG-35 was partly due to inflexibility of the Russian side, according to local insiders. In addition to highly bureaucratic procedures, there is another issue, that of manufacturing quality of the Russian weapons. Although Russia does address these and other issues, their continuing presence makes life of Russian exporters harder in the view of growing competition from western rivals.

Today, Russia faces fierce and growing competition from the side of the US, UK, Germany, France and Israel. These five countries are especially active in the Indian market. In many instances they demonstrate higher flexibility and more readiness to be flexible during negotiations. In particular, France agreed to supply her best fighter, the Rafale, until recently restricted to French air force and naval service only. This model came first in the MMRCA competition, beating US, Russian and AngloGerman contenders.

India has been persistent in materialization of the Defense Procurement Procedures, which focus on technology transfer as part of the weapons acquisition process. The Indian government seeks larger involvement of the strong and growing private sector, through joint ventures and lo-

cal manufacturer through technology offsets. Making speeches at DefExpo 2012, various Indian dignities called for a closer cooperation between the armed forces and the local industry in order o decrease dependence on foreign suppliers.

Of all Russian companies exhibiting on Pragati Maidan, the United Shipbuilding Corporation (Russian acronym OSK) has the best chances for increase in sales. OSK works with India on a total of ten collaborative programs in the sphere of scientific research, all in frame of governmentto-government agreements on military-technical cooperation. According to media reports, last year the corporation commenced process of joint development of a new aircraft carrier. It would feature so called “common unified platform” meeting specification of both the Russian navy and the Indian navy. The new carrier was among other systems in the Weapons Procurement Program in 2011, but for some reason the respective line was put in deletion in 2012. DCNS of France may be waiting on wings with intend to take the place, after its failure to produce a future aircraft carrier on a common platform with UK. DCNS may have a chance in India.

At DefExpo 2012 it become known that during 2012 Russia will hand over to the Indian navy four new and upgraded warships. These are the following. The head vessel of the Project 11356 (Talwar-class) Series 2 armed with BrahMos cruise missiles. A second such frigate. The Vikramaditya aircraft carrier, which is ex-Soviet Navy Admiral Gorshkov – the warship underwent refit and modernization.

An overhauled Project 877EKM diesel-electric submarine with the newly added capability of launching cruise missiles when submerged. The frigates come from the Yantar shipbuilding plant, the aircraft carrier from Sevmash Dockyards, and the submarine from Zvezdochka.

Earlier this year the Indian navy accepted the Charka (II) fast attack submarine with atomic propulsion. The vessel, formerly known as the K-152 Nerpa of Project 971, was for a short time operated by the Russian navy under that tactical number and the name. This year, under the agreement

between New Delhi and Moscow, the submarine joined the Indian navy under the name of Chakra (II).

In January 2012 Russia handed over the K-152 Nerpa fast attack submarine to the Indian navy on ten-year lease, the deal reportedly worth US$ 0.9 billion. With this, India joined the narrow club of nuclear submarine operators, with Russia, US, UK, France and China among its members. The Chakra (II) arrived off the Indian coast on 31 March 2012. Her crew comprises the best local seamen who had undergone intensive training in Russia.

Most of the syllabus was covered in St. Petersburg and specialized Russian navy facilities near that city. On arrival, the submarine hull was embellished with fresh flowers: roses and jasmines.

As part of the welcome ceremony, the submarine submerged and then resurfaced back again before eyes of those who gathered on the shore to meet her. It took the crew more than 40 days to bring the submarine from Russian into Indian waters. During this journey, the crew was through a long series of drills to improve their professional skills. Russian advisors aboard the ship helped the Indian crew as necessary.

The Indian media wrote that the Chakra (II) will soon be operating jointly with the Arihant, a first submarine with atomic propulsion developed and built locally in India. According to local sources, INS Arihant has moved to the high seas for an extended trial. This is a testimony of the fact that this national nuclear submarine program is on course and be inducted by the Indian navy in 2012. Reportedly, the Arihant relies on a 80Mwe reactor;

T-90MC

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At the KBP exercise machine

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the vessel was launched in July 2010.

The open sea trails will be carried out for more than a year in different conditions to test the endurance and performance of the home-grown submarine and her technologies. The vessel is advertized as capable of staying under water for several months.

OSK and Rosoboronexport are considering various research and development effort in close collaboration with India such as that on creation of a common unified platform for future aircraft carriers. OSK president Roman Trotsenko told this to journalists during DefExpo 2012. He emphasized that the long and productive cooperation between our nations in the naval sphere continues.

Technology transfer is something that we see as a priority, he said. Trotsenko especially mentioned manufacturing technologies that are required by the Indian partners. Russian shipbuilding industry has amassed huge experience in the given area during “many years” of warship production.

Trotsenko also mentioned the theme of the unified carrier platform as a next step in development of IndoRussian collaboration. He said this goes in line with Russia’s national interests and Indian Defense ministry procurement plans, and may facilitate the process of establishing new joint ventures between Russian and Indian companies. The draft design of the next generation carrier shall be ready by the year-end. This shall enable commencement of its construc-

ARMS Defence Technologies Review

tion in 2016-2018 in the view of completion in 2023.

On the eve of DefExpo 2012 three new ships for the Russian navy were laid. Among them there is a third hull of Project 22350 frigate, the Admiral Golovko. Also, there is a third hull of the Project 11356 frigate, the Admiral Makarov. Finally, there is a Project 20385 corvette, the Gremyashiy. In addition, metal was cut on hull parts for the Gromkyi, a seventh corvette of the Project 20380.

In the Indian context, it is interesting to notice that the head ship of the Project 11356 (also referred to as Project 11356R) in its version for the Russian navy was laid in December 2010 under the name of Admiral Grigorovich. It is being built alongside with Indian warships of the Project 11356 Series II. Second ship for the Russian navy, the Admiral Essen, was laid in July 2011; the Admiral Makarov followed in February 2012. It became known that Yantar shipbuilding plant will construct six frigates of the type for the Russian navy with first delivery due in 2014. They will carry the Caliber cruise missiles, medium range antiaircraft and antisubmarine missiles.

The case of the Project 11356R is the first one in history when a customized Indian warship provided base for a new Russian navy ship. Second such case is more recent example of Russian defense ministry placing an order for Sukhoi Su-30SM multirole fighters based on customized Indian Su-30MKI.

Russian submarine developer Rubin sees high sales potential for its new designs in the international market, said Andrei Baranov, deputy general director for external economic activities and military technical cooperation. China’s policy on building a blue-water force has been stimulating interest of neighboring nations in modern naval equipment, submarines especially. “Development of the PLA Navy has prompted Vietnam and Thailand to place orders for submarines even despite their economic troubles”, the source stated. He reminded that the Admiralty Shipyards in St. Petersburg is working on implementation of the Vietnamese order for six Project 636 diesel electric submarines. Russia intends to conduct negotiations with Thailand which gave up an earlier idea of purchasing old German Type 206 U-boats. Now Thailand looks for other solutions.

Rubin’s Amur 1650 could provide such a solution. Besides, the Russian developer offers smaller Amur 950 with twice less displacement, of about a thousand tons. This product may spark interest in small countries of the region seeking cost-effective solutions for littoral waters and coastal protection. With that said, Baranov stated India remains the primary market for Russian submarine makers.

“India is our strategic partner on the submarine theme”, he said.

In 2011 Rosoboronexport delivered its foreign customers equipment worth US dollar 10.7 billion, compared to 8.7 billion for previous year. This means a notable increase of 2 billion, while normally the rise used to be 0.5-0.7 billion.

Steady increase in Rosoboronexport volumes enables Russia to keep in the position of world’s second-largest arms exporter after US. Last year Rosoboronexport had 57 countries among its clients, with Asia-Pacific being the largest market. Its share in the company’s exports amounted to 43%. Asia-Pacific was followed

by Middle East and Northern Africa with 24%, Latin America with 14% and Southern Africa with 7%. Equipment for air force continues to be the primary export content, with 51%. Second largest is equipment for land forces, at 21%. The naval and antiaircraft equip-

BUSINESS ment each account for 11%.

Russia hopes to boost sales of naval equipment in China and India with help of the Amur 1650, a new diesel-electric submarine attributed to the fourth generation. Also on offer are the Project 11356 frigates, already in service with the Indian navy, as well as the Project 11661 Gepard-3.9, in service with the Vietnamese navy. Speaking about other interesting items, Rosoboronexport deputy general director Victor Komardin named Sukhoi and MiG fighters, Yak-130 advanced jet trainer and light strike aircraft, Mi-17 multirole, Mi-35, Mi-28 and Ka-52 fire support helicopters, Ka-31 radar picket rotorcraft. There is also the newest Ka-226 light multirole helicopter now in the final of the Indian tender for replacement of the outdated French machines.

Komardin also mentioned the T-90S main battle tank and its improved version T-90MS (which was on display at DefExpo 2012 - the only large, full-scale Russian exhibit there).

Also, the Russian industry produces other competitive armored machines such as the BMP-3M infantry fighting vehicle, BTR-80 and -80A personnel carriers. China and India operate multiply launch rocket systems of the Smerch type from Splav company headquartered in Tula. India is seeking additional quantity of those systems and is considering a lighter version with higher mobility to equip its forces operating in high grounds. Russia has been strong in antitank systems.

Among such items on offer there is a newer version of the Kornet system, which was on display at DefExpo 2012. Besides, there are Metis-M1 and Khrisantema missiles able to knock out all contemporary armored vehicles available elsewhere.

Touching on antiaircraft systems, Komardin mentioned the Antei-2500 long range SAM, as well as the BukM2E, Thor-M2E and Pantsyr S1 selfpropelled antiaircraft systems and the shoulder-launched Igla-S. In addition to India and China, Russian weapons are popular in smaller countries in the Asia-Pacific.

Vietnam has been taking Sukhoi fighters, corvettes and missile boats, and various missilery. Hanoi awaits delivery of Project 636 diesel-elec-

tric submarines. Indonesia has awarded Russian suppliers about two dozen contacts for deliveries of equipment to the air force, land forces and marines. These items include the BMP3F infantry fighting vehicles, Mil Mi-17 helicopters, Sukhoi Su-27 interceptors and Su-30 multirole fighters.

Deliveries of customized Su30MKM fighters to Malaysia were completed in 2009. Negotiations are held on a follow-on order. Right now the Royal Malaysian Air Force studies the Yak-130 advanced jet trainer.

The nation also operates Mi-17 helicopters and Igla portable antiaircraft missiles. Russia and Malaysia held discussed on the Buk systems. In addition to the primary antiaircraft function, these systems can also engage warships and radio contrast land targets. This makes them an irreplaceable tool in defense of small and medium islands.

Komardin reminded that Thailand has acquired Mi-17V-5 helicopters, Kalashnikov assault rifles and Igla antiaircraft missiles. Although, in terms numeric, deliveries have been small, the local military have produced positive reports on the worthiness of these Russian weapons. This creates foundations for negotiations on the matter of more sales of anti-aircraft systems, guns and rifles. “Militarytechnical cooperation with Thailand is important to us, since this market has been one of the most dynamic in the region�, Komardin noted.

Bangladesh is expected to increase spending on its armed forces. Rosoboronexport believes that

Russian equipment can generate more sales there. Our military technical cooperation commenced in 1972, shortly after the Indian army liberated East Pakistan with much help of then-modern Russian military equipment. During the war of liberation, the Indian armed forces made active use of MiG interceptors, Sukhoi fighter-bombers, Mil helicopters and PT76 light tanks able to float. Since that time, Bangladesh took from Russia a quantity of such weapons as BTR80 armored personnel carriers, Mi-17 helicopters, MiG-29 fighters and radars. During a recent meeting between prime-ministers of Bangladesh and Russia, it was mentioned that Bangladesh is interested in new equipment and looks at Russia as a reliable supplier of reasonably priced items. Among Russian systems on offer in Bangladesh there are the Yak130 jet trainers, Mi-35M fire support helicopters, anti-tank and other missilery.

Myanmar is another long standing customer. Recent sales include those of MiG-29 fighters and simulators for them, Mi-24 type helicopters and aircraft systems of the Pechora family. Sultan of Brunei was shown a multimedia presentation by Rosoboronexport. Later, he watched a demo flight of the Kamov Ka-52 reconnaissance and strike helicopter at one of aerodromes near Moscow.

Besides, Russia also offer assault rifles and other fire arms, Mi-35M battlefield helicopter, Yak-130 jet trainer, antitank and other systems.

Roman Trotsenko, USC-corporation head and viceadmiral Nadela Niradzhan Kumar, chief of the shipbuilding and procurement department

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BUSINESS Text by Alexander Diachenko

DELHI REMAINS TO WOO WORLD'S TOP ARMS IMPORTER

FLASHSPOTS AND SHOTS AT $100 bln INDIAN ARMS BAZAAR As long as India continues to be and domestic shipyards.

"We understand fully well that insurrounded by hostile neighbours, defence and security will always be digenization cannot happen through on top of the agenda. The message of only defence PSUs... we have taken is embarrassing but clear: with India several steps to encourage the prifailing to get its act together to build vate sector," said Shekhar Agarwal, a strong defence-industrial base un- secretary (defence production). The like China, it will continue to be the defence ministry has been pushing world's largest arms importer in the for JVs and technology transfers to foreseeable future. So, gleeful global strengthen the DIB, albeit in a haparmament giants once more lined up hazard manner, even as it continues to hard-sell their aircraft, helicopters, to restrict FDI to only 26% in the dedrones, submarines, howitzers, futur- fence production sector.

The defence ministry has been istic infantry combat vehicles, missiles, assault rifles and carbines at India's bi- pushing for JVs and technology transfers to strengthen the DIB, albeit in a ennial arms jamboree.

There came 232 companies from haphazard manner, even as it continthe US, Russia, France, Israel, the UK ues to restrict FDI to only 26% in the and Germany, and 60 official delega- defence production sector.

Foreign vendors who bag arms tions for the four-day "DefExpo-2012' from March 29 to April 1, 2012 in New deals over $60 mln, of course, have Delhi. Over 335 Indian exhibitors, in- to plough back at least 30% of the cluding major ones like Tatas, Punj contract value into India as "offsets" Lloyd, L&T and Mahindra, also pre- in the defence industrial, civil aerosentd there to explore tie-ups and space, homeland security and trainjoint ventures with foreign compa- ing sectors, - says The Tims of India. nies as well as DRDO, defence PSUs The gigantic $20 billion MMRCA (me-

dium multi-role combat aircraft) project to acquire 126 fighters, in fact, has a 50% offset clause. Offset contracts worth over $10 billion are set to materialize over the next two to three years, say officials.

But India, with its fledgling DIB, still remains far away from reversing the current trend of being forced to import 70% of its military hardware and software. This also leaves it vulnerable to supply lines being choked in times of conflict.

Just earlier this month, Swedish think-tank SIPRI dubbed India the world's largest arms importer, accounting as it did for 10% of global arms imports in the 2007-2011 timeframe to display China. With an aggressive DIB, often propelled by "reverse engineering", China is becoming a major arms exporter to countries like Pakistan.

But if India inked arms deals worth $50 billion mainly with foreign vendors in the decade after the 1999 Kargil conflict, it will spend well over double that amount in the current decade.

The Army has pointed at huge operational gaps in fields ranging from artillery, aviation, air defence and night-fighting to ATGMs (antitank guided missiles), PGMs (precision guided munitions) and specialized tank and rifle ammunition.

According to sources from the Indian Defence ministery, after taking it up with defence minister AK Antony, the force now wants to brief the PM since it will need around $8,2 billion to make up just its existing "critical hollowness" in ammunition and equipment.

T-90C ACCOUNTS FOR A QUARTER OF INDIA’S TANK PARK The next stage has been marked by the installation of the commander panoramic sight on Russia's new ÌÂÒ T-90MC. JSC PELENG has significant experience of working with FCS for the Soviet- and Russian-design armored vehicles. That is why earlier tested commander multi-channel panoramic sight was in short terms integrated into FCS of T-90MC and in combination with the targets tracking automatic device ensured perfect 12

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searching and firing capabilities for the tank commander.

The commander panoramic sight offered by JSC PELENG is an upto- date optical electronic complex which ensures day-and-night observation with stabilized in Technical characteristics: ■■ Double plane independent stabilization of line-of-sight ■■ TV channel ■■ Thermal channel on the basis of

cooled thermal camera of the third generation ■■ Laser range-finder - wavelength 1,57 micrometer (eyesafe) ■■ Integrated adjustment system The new version of the T-90C tank is among the more 150 models of Russian military hardware on display at the 7th DEFEXPO defense exhibition in New Delhi. The T-90C brand accounts for a quarter of India's tank park.

BUSINESS

THE SIGNED CONTRACTS AND TENDERS ANNOUNCED ON DEFEXPO 2012 AIRCRAFT: - French major Dassault Rafale Aviation bagged $20 billion MMRCA project to acquire 126 fighters. They said the contract will be signed only in the next fiscal. According to the Request for Proposal (RFP), the winner of the contract will have to supply 18 of the 126 aircraft to the IAF in 36 months from its facilities and the remaining would be produced at HAL facilities in Bangalore.

Six companies including American F-16 and F-18, Russian MiG 35, Swedish Saab Gripen along with Eurofighter and Dassault Rafale were in the race in the beginning.

But in April last year, the Defence Ministry evicted the American, Russian and Sweden offerings and shortlisted Dassault and Eurofighter for the final phase.

- Over $1.5 billion contract for six new mid-air refueling aircraft in final stage between Airbus Military's A330 MRTT and Ilyushin IL-78MK tankers.

The IL-78MK (convertible) refueling tanker was developed based on

the IL-78M aircraft. The IL-78MK is designed for the in-flight refueling of up to three aircraft of various types. The aircraft can be refueled in the air by day or night in the appropriate conditions of visibility. On the ground the airplane is capable of refueling of up on course to induct over 600 helicopto four airplanes simultaneously.

- Acquisition of 75 Swiss Pilatus PC-7 ters, ranging from heavy-lift and attrainer aircraft for over $600 mln took tack to maritime multi-role and light a final nod. India has already select- utility ones, the majority from foreign ed the Swiss-made Pilatus PC-7 as the companies, for over $4 billion in the basic trainer it wants to buy from a coming decade.

SUBMARINES: multi-vendor tendering process. The Global tender for over $10 billion IAF awaits an approval from the cabinet committee on security to place `Project-75 India' to construct six adthe orders with Pilatus for 75 of the vanced diesel-electric stealth submarines, armed with both land-attack misPC-7 basic trainers.

- Three major follow-on deals with sile capabilities and air-independent propulsion (AIP), to be issued soon.

US companies in pipeline: ARTILLERY: Six more C-130J Super Hercules Over $4 billion 155mm artillery tactical airlift planes (over $1.2 billion), four P-8I long-range maritime pa- modernization programme to acquire 1,580 towed guns, 814 mounttrol aircraft (over $1 billion) and six C-17 Globemaster-III strategic ed gun systems, 180 self-propelled wheeled guns, 100 self-propelled airlift aircraft (over $2.4 billion). tracked guns and 145 air-mobile ulHELICOPTERS: Army, Navy, IAF and Coast Guard tra-light howitzers.

Swiss Pilatus PC-7

BRIBE SCANDAL ROUND DEFEXPO Defence minister AK Antony had sanctioned prosecution of Ravi Rishi, the London-based PIO who is an accused in the case of alleged irregularities in the purchase of Tatra trucks, a little over four weeks before the Army chief, General VK Singh, went public with his allegation that he had been offered a bribe of $2.8 Million for clearing "a tranche of 600 substandard vehicles".

General Singh, who leveled this allegation in an interview to a leading national daily on March 24, also pointed out that 7,000 of those substandard vehicles were already in use in the Army and had been sold over the years at exorbitant prices.

The bribery charge triggered an uproar in Parliament, forcing Antony to order a CBI probe into it. After conducting an inquiry on his own, the defence production secretary, it is learnt,

reported to Antony that a case could indeed be made out against Ravi Rishi who, contrary to initial media reports, was not an NRI, but a person of Indian origin (PIO) settled in London.

The case was subsequently referred to CBI, which registered a preliminary enquiry into the allegations.

As it was aware of the contours of the case, the probe agency swung into action after it came to know that Rishi was planning to undertake a trip to India to participate in Defexpo India 2012, the country's biggest-ever land, naval and homeland security systems exhibition, which was inaugurated by Antony on March 29.

CBI registered an FIR into the case on March 20 and, two days later, it issued a lookout notice to prevent Rishi from leaving the country. He has already been grilled by the investigating agency at least six times since then.

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WEAPONS

RUSSIAN HOVERCRAFT — UNIQUE SHIPS WITHOUT RIVALS ilitary air-cushioned landing ships (craft) are the most unique variation of the amphibious landing ships. They are based on small- to mid-displacement multi-purpose hovercraft and sometimes known as ‘over the beach’ craft. Technically, hovercraft is a craft capable of traveling over surfaces by means of a specially created cushion of slow moving, high-pressure air which is ejected against the surface below and contained within a so-called ‘skirt’. Due to a cushion of air, hovercraft or air-cushion landing ship is capable to travel equally well over land, ice, and water. Ships of this type provide military planners

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with the opportunity to conduct amphibious operations in a wider range of regions of the World, and allow troops and material to access more than 70% of the World's coastline, comparing with only 15% of that coastline available for amphibious operations with conventional, nonair-cushion landing ships and craft.

ZUBR CLASS The whole set of development programmes, research projects and various design works on the ships using a layer of compressed air for support carried out in the Soviet Union since 1934 resulted in creation of the World’s famous and largest air-cushion landing ship. The pro-

totype of the ship, named Project 12322 Zubr (‘Aurochs’ or ‘Bizon’) by the Soviet Navy or Pomornik by the NATO reporting system, was finished in 1985 and underwent twoyear comprehensive trials. The series construction of the class, named by the customer as ‘maly desantny korabl na vozdushnoy podushke’ (small air-cushion landing ship) was started in 1986 at the Almaz Shipyard (Sudostroitelnoye Obyedineniye Almaz), St. Petersburg, and Yuzhnaya Tochka (‘Southern Point’) Shipyard, Feodosiya, currently named Morye Shipyard of Ukraine.

The design has an unmistakable profile that is characterized by a narrow superstructure located

WEAPONS

on the centerline amidships; a short, tapered mast topped by the gun fire control radar; and three large ring shrouds, housing the four-bladed air propellers, mounted side-by-side on the fantail. The square-shaped pontoon structure of the Zubr’s hull provides a rugged, stable and seaworthy design. It is the main loadcarrying part of the craft’s hull.

The pontoon is made of pressed aluminium-magnesium alloy panels of 3mm and 4mm thick. The pontoon’s superstructure is divided by two longitudinal bulkheads into three functional sections. The middle section accommodates the compartment for main battle tanks or armoured combat vehicles to be landed with taxi tracks and loading/unloading ramps. The two outer sections house the main and auxiliary power plants of the craft, four troop compartments (140 marines), crew living cabins, as well as life support and NBC protection systems.

The space occupied by the vehicles can be alternatively equipped with detachable benches and other accessories to accommodate an additional 360 troops. Ventilation, air-conditioning and heating systems are installed in the marines compartments and in the crew living cabins. These areas are also fitted with thermal and sound insulation coatings and vibration isolation structures.

The ship is fitted with light armour plating (Amg-62T alloy) to provide a degree of protection to the crew and the troops against ammunition and blast fragments. Central command post and MS-227 launchers compartments are strengthened with Amg-62T alloy armour too.

There is no way for the ship to be blown up with contact sea mines.

Zubr is also protected from influence mines with the horizontal winding to compensate for the ship’s and the transported materiel’s magnetic fields. Zubr-class ships have small bow and stern ramps for fast landing of troops and combat materiel. The design of tank ramps ensures protection of the skin against damage by tank tracks.

Considering the use of the aluminium-magnesium alloy as a main structure material and a bulk of electric equipment and armament, a par-

ticular attention is given to fire protection and fire-fighting systems.

The latter includes distributed remote fire detection/warning system, fire main system, artillery mount firesprinkling system, fire volume chemical system, foam fire-fighting system and portable fire-fighting means.

Zubr-class air-cushion landing ships are equipped with main machinery which includes three ZoryaMashproekt designed and built GGTA M35-1 gas turbine engines (10,000 hp output each), two GGTA M35-2 superchargers to power lift fans (10,000 hp output each), four NO-10 axial turbochargers (air blowers or lift fans) and three AV-98 air propellers. Three high-temperature gas turbine engines are mounted on pylons and provide the power to drive the air-cushion blowers and the air propellers. They are equipped with exhaust thrust diverters to enhance mobility.

The lift-fan superchargers drive four blowers to maintain skirt pressure and are mounted near the stern in the wing compartments and exhaust through the stern. To form an air cushion, four NO-10 air blowers are used. Each of them includes an axial impeller of 2.5 meters in diameter, adjustable guide vanes, a flow straightener, supports with

ZUBR CLASS Type

air-cushioned landing ship

Class

Zubr (Project 12322), NATO — Pomornik

Displacement

340 tons (light), 480 tons (standard), 550 tons (full load) length, hull — 56.2; length, on air cushion — 57.3; beam, hull — 22.3; beam, on air cushion — 25.6; max hull height — 21.9; draught (max) — 1.6; air cushion height — 2.7 five Type NK-12MV gas turbines — two for lift and three for propulsion three four-bladed variable pitch propellers

Dimensions, m

Main machinery

Propellers Power, main power plant, hp 50,000 (36,765) (kW) Power, electric 400 power system, kW max with 50% fuel capacity and 130t cargo loaded — Speed, knots 60; max with air temperature more than +25 degrees Centigrade –40 Range, nautical at 55 knots, 131-ton load — 300; at 55 knots, 115-ton miles load — 400; at 55 knots, light — 1,000 Complement 27 officers and enlisted Endurance

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WEAPONS

an independent lubrication system and elastic couplings to engage with a reduction gear of the transmission. The blowers ensure high efficiency over the wide range of cargo weights. The four-bladed, reversible, variable-pitch air propellers, 5.5 m in diameter, generate air thrust providing the Zubr air-cushion landing ship with a maximum speed of about 60 knots. The entering edges of the blades are protected against erosion. The propellers are

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mounted into the ring shrouds of 6m in diameter made of polymeric materials and given Zubr its distinctive appearance.

Electric power is supplied by four GTG-100 gas turbo-generators (100kW output each), arranged in two electric power plants.

The plants generate 220 V/400 Hz current. To energize users requiring currents of other characteristics and to start up engines, there are static converters, rectifiers, and storage

batteries. During anchorage the craft can be supplied with electric power from the shore (up to 100 kW).

The ship’s movement and systems operation are managed by Flora-32 automated remote control system. The control is performed from the main command post, the central control post and remote control consoles. The main control console (with an aircraft-type wheel, control handles and buttons) allows an operator to easily control aerodynamic vanes, jet vanes, propeller blade pitch; perform craft liftoff and landing, emergency braking and automatic course stabilization, as well as monitoring of motion parameters (heel, trim, course, speed and drift). The central control post ensures controlling the main and auxiliary power plants, the electric power system, as well as craft’s systems and monitoring their parameters.

The fuel capacity (56 tons) ensures the ship’s voyage to the range up

WEAPONS to 1,000 nm in case no cargo loaded. At-sea replenishment capability is also provided.

Basic Zubr-class air-cushion landing ships, owened by the Russian and Ukrainian Navies are armed with the following wepoans systems: ■■ 140.3-mm Ogon multiple rocket launching / flame-throwing system with two 22-barrelled MS-227 retractable stabilized launchers (–10/+65 deg. In elevation and –160/+160 deg. In azimuth; 66 rockets per each launcher) and DVU-3 fire control range-finder/ sight system. In a stowed position launchers, which were specially designed for the Zubr class, are under the deck and pop out only to fire rockets. The rockets are ripple-fired at 0.2-second intervals and have a range from 4.5 to 10 km; ■■ four Igla-1M (or Stinger in the Hellenic navy) MANPADS launchers (up to 32 SAMs);

■■ two six-barrelled 30-mm AK-630M

automatic Gatling guns (3,000 rounds per mount) with fire control, provided by MR-123-01 radar (basic variant for Russian Navy ships), or Laska radar system with Rakurs-IK optronic device, or MR-123-02Ts radar; ■■ Zubr class is also capable of laying minefields, takin up to 80 mines in lieu of vehicle cargo, and has a set of removable equipment for such purpose.

In an air cushion mode Zubr can operate and use its armament at a wave height up to 2 m and a speed of wind of any direction up to 12 m/sec.

Russian and export-oriented ships of the class could be equipped with a wide range of electronic equipment and EW systems: MR-244-3 surface search and MR-123-01 (Vympel AME, NATO — Bass Tilt; except of the first ship of class) gun fire control radars; GKU-2 gyro- and KM-60-M2 magnetic compasses; RDL-3-AP100 Doppler drift log; radionavigation system and NAVSAT receivers; Rumb radio direction finder; RS-1 radionavigation system; Baza central gyro stabilization system; VNTs-452 day and night vision drift sight; Zvyozdochka-12322 ECCM equipment; Buran-6 automated communications system and R-159 and R-855UM portable radios, as well as Quad Look E/O device and TV-camera, mounted just below the pilothouse.

Zubr-class air-cushion landing ship is the largest military hovercraft in the world, featuring the full displacement of up to 550 tons and length on air cushion of 57.3 metres and compaering with 56.4-metres length and 310-tons displacement of the World's largest civil hovercraft of BHC SR.N4 Mk.III class.

The ship has a troops accommodation of three 50t MBTs, or eight BMP2 IFVs or ten BTR-70 APCs with 140 marines totaling up to 115 tons, or 500 fully equipped marines with 360 of them in the cargo compartment, or 140 fully equipped marines and 130 tons of cargo. The full displacement ship is capable of negotiating up to 5-degree gradients on nonequipped shores and 1.6m-high vertical walls. It remains seaworthy in up to 4 Sea State sailing at 30–40 knots on air cushion. Zubr is easy in control with maneuverability enough to pass through narrow waters and to go inland. In a displacement mode it can sail and maneuver at a wave height up to 3.5 m and a wind speed up to 20 m/sec. It is also worth to mention, that Zubr won a bronze medal at the 44th Brussels Eureka 1995 Salon of Innovations.

ZUBR FOR EXPORT Greece signed two agreements to buy four Zubr class craft: the 101-million USD deal with the Russian Rosvooruzhenie (now 2(63).2012

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WEAPONS

Rosoboronexport) State Corporation on January 24, 2000 for two craft (one new and one used from the Russian Navy) and the 97-million USD deal with the Ukrainian Ukrspetsexport State Corporation in January 2000 for another two ships. Russian part of the deal was given to the Almaz Shipyard, while the Ukrainian part ws submitted to the Feodosiyabased Morye Production Association, which has been a long-time manufacturer of high-speed craft and passenger ships, including sush militarypurpose hovercraft as Project 12322 Zubr, Project 12061 Murena, Project 1206T Kasatka, Project 1206 Kalmar and Project 1209 Omar.

Two ships — L180 Kafellinia (Shipyard number 104, launched

by Almaz in 1993 and served with the Russian Navy since 1994 under Hull number 717, with official handover of the ship from the Hellenic

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Navy and the rise of Greek flag taking place on January 22, 2001 with Commanding Officer Commander X. Zisimopoylos) and L183 Zakynthos (SY number 107, laid down by Almaz in August 2000 and launched in May 2001; embarked to Greece in September 2001, the integration in the Hellenic Navy as well as the rise of the national flag was conducted on October 5, 2001 with Commanding Officer Commander M. Tsenempis) — were delivered by the Almaz Shipbuilding Company in the autumn of 2001, the third ship, L181 Ithaca, was supplied by Ukraine (launched by Morye in 1992, the official handover by the Hellenic Navy and the rise of Greek flag took place on March 2, 2001 with Commanding Officer Commander G. Tatakos).

However, the second Ukrainian craft was rejected by the Hellenic Navy because of its hull de-

fects, and on November 14, 2002 the Hellenic Ministry of Defence and the Rosoboronexport State Corporation signed an agreement worth 180 million USD for building of two additional Zubr class craft at the Almaz Shipyard, one of them in option mode, delivering of spare parts, auxiliary equipment and training aides for crews and technicians and for shore support installations construction in Greece. The price for one craft was reported around 63.9 millions USD. Each of the new craft should be fitted with VolvoPenta diesel-generators instead of Ukrainian Energiya GTG-100K gas turbo-generators, as well as feature the new navigational radar, which required redesigning her mast, and IR imagery display system.

The third Almaz-built ship, L182 Kerkyra, was laid down on January 24, 2003, and early 2004 saw the assembly of her systems and equipment completed. On March 17, representatives of the customer and manufacturer signed the dockside trials acceptance certificate.

The ship was launched on July 24 the same year with a floating dock and St. Petersburg’s Mayor Valentina Matviyenko became the ship’s godmother. The ship arrived in Greece on December 22, 2004 and the integration in the Hellenic Navy and the rise of the flag was conducted on January 4, 2005 with Commanding Officer Commander H. Koyplakis.

WEAPONS All the Zubr-class ships, designated by the Hellenic Navy as the Kefallinia-class air-cushion landing craft, were placed under the Amphibious Forces Command of the Hellenic Navy. They are greatly appreciated by Greek seamen, they put them out to sea regularly during combat training. According to the NATO specialists, each Zubr can carry eight M-113 armored personnel carriers or three LEOPARD 1A5 main battle tanks or up to 140 troops and 130 tons of cargo.

On August 7, 2009, Kiev-based correspondent of The Earth Times Online Newspaper, registered in the UK, told, that China's Navy is to purchase four Zubr-class hovercraft in a 315-million-dollar deal. The Feodosia-based Morye Shipbuilding Plant will construct two Zubr-class craft, and a second pair of ships will be built in China under the supervision of Ukrainian technicians. According to the online newspaper, the Ukrainian government publication listing state contracts confirmed the order without giving its value, while officials at the Morye Shipyard in Feodosia declined comment. The Chinese Navy currently lacks heavy capacity hovercraft of the Zubr type. The most modern Chinese naval hovercraft in operation today, the Jingsah II class craft, has a maximum capacity of 70 troops.

Thus, the Zubr hovercraft's capacity to deliver substantial combat forces by water at speeds doubling con-

ventional landing ships would, once in Chinese inventory, complicate defence planning for South China Sea nations.

It is worth to mention, that China in 2006 was in talks with the both Almaz design bureau and shipyard on the purchase of six Zubr hovercraft, ended without result. But management of the Ukraine's Morye Shipyard, one of production site of Zubr-class hovercraft, began talks with Chinese naval representatives in 2008. However, official information for the deal is not available by the time of finishing the article.

MURENA AND CHILIM CRAFT The other two Almaz-designed air-cushion landing craft currently marketing abroad are Project 12061/12061E Murena/Murena-E or ‘Moray’ (NATO reporting name — Tsaplya) and Project 20910 Chilim multipurpose vessels.

The first one was based on the basis of the Soviet-era Project 1206 Kalmar (‘Squid’; NATO reporting name — Lebed) air-cushion landing craft, designed under the leadership of L.V. Ozimov in 1968–70 and built by the Yuzhnaya Tochka Shipyard in Feodosiya (14 craft plus

MURENA-E CLASS Type

Main machinery

air-cushioned landing craft Murena/Murena-E (Project 12061/12061E), NATO — Tsaplya 80 (light); 104 (standard); 150 (full with 24-ton payload) length on air cushion — 31.3; beam on air cushion — 14.8; skirt height — 1.5; hull height above waterline (at rest) — 15.2 two MT-70M main gas-turbine sets

Power, main power plant, hp (kW)

20,000 (14,700)

Class Displacement, tons

Dimensions, m

Electric system

two Volvo Penta diesel-generators

Power, electric system, kW

6.4

Propulsors Full speed at calm sea and full displacement Range at 50-knot speed with 24-ton payload Endurance

two AV-96 air propellers

1–3 days

Crew

12 men

55 knots 200 nautical miles

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WEAPONS three Project 1206T Kasatka air-cushion minesweepers) and Primorskiy Zavod Shipyard in Leningrad (five craft). Kalmars were intended for the Ivan Rogov class landing dock ships, one craft was sold to Vietnam in 1980s.

Murena is designed to take landing assault units and combat materiel from equipped/non-equipped shores, large-displacement landing ships and transports and land them onto non-equipped shores or in shallow littoral waters, as well as to patrol littoral and naval base/port water areas. She features improved structural and seakeeping qualities thanks to the use of advanced anticorrosive alloys, extruded profiles and panels, as well as a powerful propulsion plant. The craft is fitted with integrated steering and equipment control system. Steering control is accomplished with hydraulically-driven jet and aerodynamic rudders on commands of an aircraft-type control column in the pilot house. Murena aircushion landing craft can carry two infantry combat vehicles, or two armoured personnel carriers, or three light armoured vehicles, or two amphibious tanks, or one medium battle tank, or 130 fully equipped troops.

While sailing on cushion the ship can be operated and its weapons em-

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ployed at wave height of up to 1.5 m and wind velocity of up to 12 m/sec.

Murena’s welded hull is a watertight pontoon with a mounted superstructure with the conning bridge (pilot) house atop it. It is made of corrosion-resistant Type 1561 aluminummagnesium alloy with broad application of extruded panels. The pontoon is divided by the transverse and longitudinal bulkheads in several watertight compartments. The compartment for accommodating vehicles, marines and cargo is in the middle part. The bow ramp is 5.5 m long and 5.0 m wide. The cargo deck has about 130 sq. m useful space. In addition to a bow ramp Murena is fitted with a housing device to load more

cargo on the landing deck during reloading it from large landing ships or transports. To facilitate the vehicles, troops and cargo loading/unloading the craft is equipped with a hydraulically powered bow ramp and a ramp-hatch cover. A 12-person crew is accommodated in a comfortable four-bunks cabin and eightbunks living compartment with ventilation, air-conditioning and heating systems.

Main propulsion plant of the craft consists of two main gas-turbine sets incorporating one MT-70R (or MT-70M) gas-turbine engine with 10,000-hp (7,360 kW) output, one gearbox, as well as one BT-56K (or BT-56) axial lift fan and one AV-96

CHILIM CLASS Type

air-cushioned patrol (landing) craft

Class

Chilim (Project 20910)

Displacement, full load

9.5 tons

Max length on air cushion

12.0 metres

Max beam on air cushion

5.9 metres

Height overall on air cushion

4.34 metres maximum — 43; full speed at nominal Speed, knots (sustained) power — 38 Range at 38 knots with full load 162 nautical miles Ferry range

not less than 350 nautical miles

Endurance

1 day

Complement

two men (plus six border guards)

WEAPONS

variable-pitch airscrew propeller on either side. The main gas-turbine engine includes high- and low-pressure compressors and a combined power turbine. Placed side-by-side AV-96 four-bladed propellers have 3.5 m in diameter and wrapped up in ring-type nozzles. Two B-56K axial flow fans are 2.2 m in diameter and positioned on the craft’s sides near the bridge housing. Modified main gas-turbine engines, produced by Ukrainian Zorya-Mashproekt company, is capable to operate at the ambient air temperature of up to 40 deg. Centigrade and in water areas with 35 pro mile salinity. A flexible air-cushion skirt runs over the external edges of the hull. The detachable, rubberized cloth flexible skirts are cylindrical in section. Two AV-96 type airscrew propellers placed into ring-type nozzles in the stern part of the craft.

Murena has a more moderate armament, which consists of: ■■ eight Igla MANPADS; ■■ two six-barrelled 30-mm/54-cal.

AK-306 Gatling remotely-controlled light gun mounts, mounted on platforms at the bow abaft the bridge housing and equipped with SP-521 Rakurs (NATO — Kolonka II) ringsight directors (500 rounds per mount); ■■ two 12.7-mm Utyos-M machine guns (Project 12061 only); ■■ two 40-mm BP-30 Plamya (‘flame’) automatic grenade launchers with

ammunition load of up to 1,200 grenades (Project 12061 only).

Murena features improved structural and seakeeping qualities thanks to the use of advanced anticorrosive alloys, extruded profiles and panels, as well as a powerful propulsion plant. The craft’s propulsion plant ensures operation on unprepared beaches, snowy, marshy areas or ice fields, tundra or sandstone regions, as well as water ways of various types. The craft is also capable of negotiating up to 0.8-high obstacles and ascend 6-degrees slopes ashore.

While sailing on cushion the ship can be operated and its weapons employed at wave height of up to 1.5 m and wind velocity of up to 12 m/sec.

Murena has cargo capacity up to 42 tons: three light armored vehicles, or two IFVs, or two APCs, or one MBT, or 130 fully equipped marines.

Pelikan (Project 1206T Kasatka) mine warfare variant was also built in three units series, but two craft probably are non-operational and one modernized as fire support ship with 2x22 Grad-M rocket launchers and two more BP-30 grenade launchers.

The Murena-class air-cushion craft was put into series production at the Ussuri Shipyard, Khabarovsk (Russia) and Yuzhnaya Tochka Shipyard, Feodosiya (Ukraine). Eight craft were built in total and in 1994 were transferred from the Russian Navy to the Coast Guard Force of the Russian Border

Guard Service (now under the control of the Federal Security Bureau).

However they were stricken from service in 2001 (replaced by the Chilimclass craft, economic reasons were cited for their somewhat premature departure from active service.

Murena-E secured one significant export order on August 5, 2002, when South Korea ordered three craft for 100 million USD as part payment of the Russian debt. On April 27, 2005, Khabarovsk Yard laid the keel for the third Murena-E destined for South Korea to complete delivery in 2007. During the Euronaval-2010 naval exhibition held in Paris last year, Dmitry Litinsky from the Almaz CMDB stated that the contract for three Murena-E craft is under negotiation with one of the Persian Gulf country (probably Kuweit).

The second serially-constructed Russian military-designed hovercraft is the Project 20910 Chilim air-cushion patrol boat, which is designed to guard maritime state borders in littoral zones at a range of up to 25 miles off its home base all year round. Chilim is capable of successfully accomplishing the following tasks: high-speed patrolling of littoral waters; detection, interception, and inspection of trespassing ships; landing/evacuation of border guard detachments on/from remote areas; search and rescue of distressed ships.

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WEAPONS three additional craft were built in Yaroslavl in 1997-99. Chilim was introduced into the service with to the Coast Guard Force of the Russian Border Guard Service (now under the control of the Federal Security Bureau). According to the official sources, four Chilims were in service in 2004.

rapids, sandy and swampy coasts, sludge and floating ice during ice motion and freeze-up, snow-covered ice and ground. The boat can be shipped by air and other transportation means due to its modular design. She is powered by two Deutz BF 8L513 air-cooled diesels with maximum power output of 320 hp and propulsive-lifting system. The latter incorporates two transmissions, six centrifugal superchargers, and two variable-pitch air propellers featuring enhanced reliability in all operational modes. Electric power is supplied by two 1.5kW mounted genera-

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tors and four storage batteries.

The craft is armed with one 7.62mm Kalashnikov machine gun, one RPG-7 grenade launcher and one Igla MANPADS, and features the Gals navigation radar, satellite communications system, DS-83 magnetic horizon compass and KM 69-M2 magnetic compass. The craft is capable of carrying six Border Guards with their weapons and equipment.

Series construction of the craft was organized at the Jaroslavski Shipyard in Jaroslavl, Russia. The first craft was laid down on February 24, 1998 and entered service in early 2001, while

CONCLUSION Future of the Russian military hovercraft is not so bright as of the Project 11356 guided-missile corvette or Molniya-family missile craft. The option for the fourth Zubr-class ship, ordered by Greece, is very hard to be fulfilled. The same situation we can found in ‘the Chinese case’. So the only chance for the Russian military hovercraft builders at the World’s naval market should be associated with MurenaE-class craft, which has potential customers in East Asia and Persian Gulf region, and Chilim-class multipurpose craft.

Vladimir Shcherbakov

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NIMI IMPROVES TANK AMMUNITION

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he Russian Munitions stand at Russia's exposition displays, among other various types of ammunition, a 125 mm tank ammunition suit and munitions for the BMP-3 IFV developed by the Federal State Unitary Enterprise “Mechanical Engineering Research Institute” (NIMI). As Sergey Rusakov, Enterprise Director-General, said to Arms “the choice of products on display is determined by their prospective promotion to the Middle East countries operating a large fleet of Soviet — and Russian-built tanks and now very anxious to acquire Russian armor”.

According to him, the prospecSergey Rusakov, tive customers will soon be offered Federal State an upgraded tank ammunition load Unitary Enterprise developed by NIMI, “In terms of reli“Mechanical ability, effectiveness and lethality our Engineering ammunition compares to the world's Research Institute” best counterparts. This is attained 38

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WEAPONS thanks to very rigorous Russian standards operative in the area of artillery rounds development and due to developers' rich expertise,” S. Rusakov noted.

He said that NIMI is developing a new generation of tank ammunition both tor standard and upgraded tanks. Close to completion is development of new rounds with cargo projectiles for field artillery.

A new generation of 100 and 130mm rounds is being developed for naval artillery.

Sergey Rusakov pointed out that recently NIMI has been working intensely on a program of a comprehensive restoration of in- service standard ammunitions. “We have been doing such work for the Russian army over the last few years. Talks are underway with various customers for modernization of ammunition”, he said.

In the 79 years of its existence NIMI has developed more than 1.000 models of ammunition, many of which still serve with scores of armies across the world. Twelve licenses have been sold to foreign countries for 9 types of ammunition developed by the Institute.

The rounds developed by NIMI feature the highest reliability.

Today NIMI is the principal supplier of production ammunition in Russia The main types now in production are sub-caliber armor piercing rounds, multi-role shaped-

charge rounds, high explosive fragmentation rounds, including extended range models with base-bleed units, anti-aircraft and anti-ASM rounds, cargo rounds, communications-jammer rounds, special purpose rounds for illumination and smoke laying, and civil use rounds for protection against hail.

Today NIMI offers the following to foreign customers: ■■ delivery of modern rounds for 125 mm tank and anti-tank guns, for BMP IFV 100mm guns, for 122, 130 and 152mm field artillery, and for 76, 100 and 130mm naval artillery systems; ■■ transfer of licenses for production of rounds;

■■ technical

aid in organizing the production and operation of rounds; ■■ modernization of rounds, and NIMI-developed products for use m an expanded temperature range; ■■ co-development of rounds to meet customer requirements, including 155mm caliber rounds; ■■ development of new types of weapons, such as intellectual engineering ammunition with cargo warheads; ■■ the Institute's technology and services in comprehensive restoration of ammunition with expired shelf life (inspection of stocks, study on ammunitions' conditions, selection of repair method, rounds upgrade, organization of repair facilities, replacement of rounds' individual components, extension of rounds' guaranteed shelf life and operational life).

As exports go, NIMI Institute plans to work on: ■■ a new generation of rounds for the main fleet of in-service tanks; ■■ cluster rounds for field standard 152mm caliber artillery systems; ■■ high-precision rounds for standard 152mm field artillery systems; ■■ a new generation of rounds for naval artillery systems.

FGUP NIMI E-mail: nimi@iplink.ru Tel.: + 7 (495) 452-11-71 Fax: + 7 (495) 452-14-06 2(63).2012

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TECHNOLOGIES GSH-7VT ATTACK ROUND WITH FOLLOW-THROUGH DESTRUCTIVE ELEMENT TO RPG-7V2 GRENADE LAUNCHER There is no need to represent the RPG-7 grenade launcher produced by Russian State Research and Production Enterprise «Bazalt» as it is used worldwide. However due to its new round the functional area for this armament was expanded because of radically new technology in warhead composition.

Hereby we are talking about Explosively Formed Projectile Charges.

So the new round was developed for the old and well-known RPG-7 and in fact its ballistic characteristics have been fully remained in order to provide the same aiming procedure as for standard rounds excluding any additional calibration.

The general operational procedure for this «smart» round as follows. When the tandem-type warhead meets obThe Federal Governmental Enterprise «State Governmental stacle the following EFP Charge exploScientific-Testing Area of Aircraft Systems» (FKP GkNIPAS) is a well- sion forms the EFP warhead from speknown in Russia and abroad unique scientific test and manufactur- cial shape metal protection and pering complex. It was established by Stalin`s order at the beginning of forates the obstacle making the hole the Great Patriotic War and by now it is one of the leading scientific for grenade follow-through damagetest ranges designed for ground testing and development of dif- causing element. Afterwards it follows ferent airspace and aviation equipment systems. On this ground into the space behind the obstacle or located 60 kilometers from Moscow many aircraft and helicopter inside the shelter and exploding with emergency escape systems started their life as well as the range is time-delay at the same time destroying the sheltered enemy personnel or used for aircraft armament tests. any other targets.

The high explosive grenade could Oleg Pronin Director of FKP «GkNIPAS». be replaced by neuro-paralytic, flash or any other ones. It is very effective in antiterrorist operations, especially t is important to say that ciplines. During the last decades the when it is tasked to release the hosthe range capabilities are staff performed a number of indepen- tages at the same time killing the ternot limited only by tests. dent researches and developments rorists. This round is able to perfoIt has also its own experi- which made it possible to develop rate the metal obstacles with 0.6 mm mental design office with new kinds of ammunition. The use of thickness at an angle of 15 degrees, professional staff experienced in ae- Explosively Formed Projectiles (EFP) in bricklaying obstacles with up to 0.5 ro and hydrodynamics, thermodynam- warheads is the distinctive feature of m thickness or concrete obstacles with 35 cm thickness. ics, elasticity, plasticity and other dis- these developments.

GKNIPAS INNOVATIVE DEVELOPMENTS: AMMUNITION AGAINST TERRORISTS AND HELICOPTERS

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TECHNOLOGIES Multifunctional attack round «surprise» - the antihelicopter mine. The acoustic system of this equipment can acquire a target at a distance of some hundreds of meters due to helicopter rotor blades noise detection because each model of vehicle has its own noise Warhead Arrangement Scheme frequency. At this moment all operational components are to be activated Combat Delayed Action Detonator Destructive Detonating Safety Device EFP Charge including the microwave sensor. When Element Primer Piezogenerator helicopter enters the microwave sensor detection area then the mine explosion follows. The warhead of mine is designed as a block of Explosively Formed Projectile Charges. At the moment of mine explosion the EFP warhead is forming and moving to its target at a speed of 2 km per second and capable to affect the vital parts of helicopter.

This equipment can be used: Grenade Follow-Through into ■ to protect the civil and military instalMeeting with Obstancle EFP Charge Detonation Obstancle Perforation the Space behind Obsrancle lations from attacks of helicopters; ■ to protect the seaside areas if helicopter-landed assault is possible; ■ to block the helicopter landing sites (HLS), enemy airfields and areas for alternate and dispersal airfields; ■ to prevent the helicopter mine clearing activity simultaneously Moreover this ammunition can be ANTIHELICOPTER MINE – THE with antitank mines; used separately. It is required to use «SMART» AMMUNITION the magnet or any other device in orAnother innovative development ■ to influence psychologically on helider to fix the round on its obstacle. is antihelicopter equipment – the copter pilot in order to force him to If the distance fuse will be used the ground-mounted engineering ammufly at high altitude where the antiairsame results will be reached as well as nition designed to destroy the enemy craft systems operate effectively. when grenade launcher used. air targets. It is widely known that porAt present time according to table antiaircraft missile systems are Russian national regulations the adver- very effective against low-flying air tartising passport and export view pass- gets in tactical combat operations as it port have been obtained. It allows to provides 0.7-0.8 defeating ratio if the provide the delivery of this round to flying objects altitude is higher than foreign countries within the frame of 100 m. Being aware of it the pilots can military-technical cooperation. hide behind the terrain features or perform their flights at nap-of-the-earth altitude in order to provide the effective maneuver at the area of portable antiaircraft missile systems operation.

In such a situation the low-flying helicopter can be affected by another General View of the Round

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Vladislav Lyapin, SPA RusBITech General Director

Spektr-7E hardware/software complex. Its employment in Ground Forces and Navy combat training he requirements for the qualification of command and control components, combat crews and individual officers and soldiers are being constantly enhanced. At the present stage of military science development, the efficient management of armed forces and weapons systems is becoming increasingly complicated. The reason is that advanced technologies make the present-day battle a fast and large-sale process taking place on land, at sea and in air and space. It has become impossi-

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ble even to imagine all combinations of possible military actions in detail.

For the command and control component to get the required knowledge and experience, a training environment simulating real combat conditions should be created. In peace time, however, it is impossible to build up realistic combat conditions. The military equipment and simulators that are available now allow working only on a limited range of tasks in standard conditions without any deviations.

That is why, all CPX and tactical exercises are significantly simplified

and, consequently, the respective commanders and combat crews cannot learn how to control their troops and forces efficiently and fight well on a future battlefield.

Up-to-date experience of other countries proves that training military commanders and personnel should employ computer-aided techniques. The export-oriented SPEKTR7E hardware/software complex designed by Research and Production Association (RPA) RusBITech is a very good solution to this problem.

The SPEKTR-7E complex is designed for automated combat plan-

TECHNOLOGIES Picture 1. Main components of Spektr-7E software

ning in different types of battles, training military commanders of various levels as well as combat crews and military equipment operators.

The main SPEKTR-7E’s feature is its ability to generate and display the model of the combat environment (the so-called ‘virtual battlespace’) in all spheres of battle (on land, at sea and in air and space) at the tactical, theater and strategic levels.

The training environment in the Spektr-7E is generated by dedicated software, particularly the simulation system, computing modules and universal interface (pic.1).

The simulation system provides for creating and further displaying 2D/3D models of any training or realistic combat environment covering all spheres of battle (on land, at sea and in air and space). Thus, the simulation system forms the virtual

battlespace and builds the models of warfare (pic.2). In order to build up the virtual battlefield, the complex has a simulation model database of military equipment, armed units, infrastructure objects and other field facilities. The basic data it contains is used to form terrain models and the scenery of the combat area. Digital maps of various data formats are the base for combat area models. The list of models

Picture 2. Forms of situation visualization (virtual battlespace) in Spektr-7E

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TECHNOLOGIES Picture 3. Multilevel system of training command and control components and troops basing on Spektr-7E

of military equipment, units, infrastructure facilities and digital map formats should be agreed on with the customer in each case. The level of detail in the models can vary.

There can be analytical models for expert evaluation, analytical models for situation assessment and thinking out the warfare operational concept as well as models designed for building the virtual training environment and evaluating results of close-to-real battles.

The combat environment and calculation/modeling results can be displayed with various levels of detail, too.

The computing modules of the hardware/software complex comprise software providing: ■ the organization and carrying out training of military authorities; ■ solving calculation tasks staff officers are facing when preparing and carrying out military operations; ■ controlling and assessing actions of military personnel being trained.

The integrated universal interface systems allow for connecting the complex to various simulators and creating joint virtual battlespace for command and control component, combat crews and individuals fulfilling training tasks in a joint tactical environment.

The complex can build a multilayered training system and a joint virtual environment that allows simultaneously implementing the following missions: 46

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itary hardware with fire training simulators; ■ individual training of military personnel and combat crews on simulators.

The Spektr-7E hardware/software complex allows preparing and conducting one- and two-sided command post exercises, war games and trainings. Pic.4 shows the common procedure of command and control component training. The training control staff develops and inputs the basic data (measurements) about the combat situation, composition, state and location of military training groups and forces, and infrastructure facilities of the both sides. Then it employs modeling

Picture 4. General procedure of training military authorities using Spektr-7E

■ training command and control components of all levels; ■ training military personnel and combat crews as part of military units on simulators and real mil-

methods to check the reality and usefulness of the CONOPS of the command post exercise, war game or training.

The trainees get their own auto-

Picture 5. Examples of calculating relative strengths, operational densities, combat and informational fields of the enemies for situation assessment

TECHNOLOGIES Picture 6. Joint activity of simulators with Spektr-7E’s modeling system in training crews and dismounted personnel

mated working stations (part of the software/hardware complex) and use its software to elaborate the documents needed to organize the work of their control bodies. Basing on the calculation of the data required (correlation and density of forces, target engagement probabilities, combat and information fields of the both sides, etc.), they study and estimate the situation (pic.5), forecast enemy movements, work out solutions and plans and assign tasks for their troops.

After that, the pre-planned actions are played by means of modeling. During this process, the trainees can specify and correct their decisions according to the existing situation. The complex registers all main actions of the trainees and results of modeling their decisions and plans.

Modeling results would reveal the efficiency of the actions taken and, thus, the level of the trainees’ qualification.

The Spektr-7E trains military staff and combat crews by building a tactical environment (virtual battlefield) that can appear in a present-day and even a future war. The simulators supporting the IEEE 1516 standard (HLA interface) are interfaced with a modeling system. A trainee conceives the virtual training environment and uses the simulator as a real-life weapons system in the given situation (pic.6).

During group training exercises, trainee units including individuals or 48

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combat crews operating simulators of one or different types can observe their neighbours and jointly solve any tasks both against a virtual enemy and in a two-sided battle against a similar trainee unit.

In case trainee units are employing real military equipment with fire training simulators and engagement control systems, the Spektr-7E provides monitoring of their activities (pic.7).

This monitoring is carried out through gathering, registering and displaying data about the location and state of combat crews and oth-

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er military staff. It allows observing actions of each person, crew and the whole unit as well as analyzing the covered distance, speed, shots and their results, expenditure of ammunition and total efficiency of combat task fulfillment. The analysis helps determine the mistakes in the work of crews and individuals, while the results of modeling allow finding alternative and more efficient actions.

The main advantage of the Spektr-7E hardware/software complex is its ability to create a closeto-real combat environment for training military authorities, crews and individual soldiers and employ detailed modeling methods to check the efficiency of their decisions, plans and actions using training systems, fire training simulators and target engagement control systems. This training complex is intended to give military commanders and other staff knowledge and experience which can be obtained only in real-life combat operations.

V.Lyapin, RPA NPO RusBITech General Director, Ph.D in Technical Sciences, active member of the Academy of Military Sciences.

Picture 7. Monitoring the battle using fire training and target engagement simulators