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FENCE OF THE AIR DEFENSE: INCREASED DEMAND FOR AIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS IN RUSSIA AND ABROAD ENCOURAGES DEVELOPMENT OF PRODUCTION FACILITIES
by Vadim Solovyev, Said Aminov
DEFENSE and SECURITY
March 12, 2008 Wednesday
Russia
RUSSIAN MANUFACTURERS OF AIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS OFFER A BROAD RANGE OF
PRODUCTS TO DOMESTIC ARMY AND TO FOREIGN BUYERS; Wars and military
conflicts of the last decades have shown that dominating positions
among the attack weapons belong to aviation missile armament. Hence,
there is an objective need for reliable defense from the air. There
both absolutely new systems and systems being in service for many
years among the means for this defense.
Wars and military conflicts of the last decades have shown that
dominating positions among the attack weapons belong to aviation
missile armament. Hence, there is an objective need for reliable
defense from the air. There both absolutely new systems and systems
being in service for many years among the means for this defense.
Triumph
To the public air defense missile system of the next generation,
the S-400 Triumph was demonstrated at the Moscow aerospace show
MAKS-2007. Visitors could examine launchers 5P85TE2 (with prime-mover
BAZ-64022) with four missiles in transport and launch containers,
multifunctional radar 92N2E (on MZKT-7930 chassis) and combat control
post 55K6E (on Ural-532301 chassis). Only all-altitude radar 96L6E
and detection radar 91N6E were absent.
The main characteristics of the system were quite visible at MAKS.
The target detection range amounts to 600 kilometers, the radius of
airborne targets destruction is from 5 to 60 kilometers. From these
figures it is possible to draw the conclusion that the first battalion
put on combat duty evidently does not have the so-called "long arm,"
a missile with a range of up to 400 kilometers.
The appearance of Triumph in public started attracting foreign
buyers. It was reported that in the framework of the announced
international tender for the purchase of long-range air defense missile
systems, the air force of Turkey was considering a possibility of
acquisition of S-400. It also became known that Russia was negotiating
with the United Arab Emirates on creation of a national air defense
system with use of elements of Triumph.
Aiming at the fifth generation
In February of 2007, the military industrial commission discussed
issues related to development of the future unified air defense and
antimissile defense system of the fifth generation. During MAKS-2007,
General Director of air defense corporation Almaz-Antei, Vladislav
Menshchikov, announced that construction of two assembling plants
was starting. These plants would produce the fundamentally new
armament model.
This was an interesting fact because defense enterprises with the
use of modern technologies were laid down for the first time in the
post-Soviet era.
In December of 2007, Air Force Commander Colonel General Alexander
Zelin stated that the air defense and antimissile defense system of
the fifth generation would be able to parry attacks from outer space.
Tor-M2E
Another novelty, the wheeled version of the combat vehicle of air
defense missile system Tor-M2E - 9A331MK - was demonstrated at
MAKS-2007 for the first time. The novelties dealt not only with the
chassis developed in cooperation by specialists of Almaz-Antei and
Belarusian Minsk prime mover plant but also with the electronics of
the combat vehicle. Now the system has four channels and can attack
four targets simultaneously. According to this parameter, Tor-M2E
has no equals in the world in its class. According to representatives
of Almaz-Antei, NIIEMI and Kupol plant, the wheeled and the tracked
versions of the system are undergoing tests now and beginning of
their supply to foreign customers is expected after 2009 (the "E"
index means that this modification is created in the interests of
foreign partners).
Simultaneously, designers are developing a deeper modernization of Tor
for the Ground Forces of Russia under Tor-M2 designation. In December
of 2007, Colonel General Nikolai Frolov, commander of the field air
defense, reported that tests of Tor-M2 would be accomplished in 2008
and its supply to one of the air defense regiments would begin in 2009.
Buk-M2
Reincarnation of army air defense missile system Buk-M2 happened
in 2007.
For the deeply modernized system, the design bureau of the Dolgoprudny
research and production enterprise designed new missile 9M317. The
envelope of the system was broadened to 42 kilometers in range and
to 25 kilometers in altitude. Designers improved maneuverability of
the missile for attacking of targets maneuvering with overload to 12
g (against 8 for targets of Buk). Provisions are made for use of a
digital computer in the new self-homing warhead 9E420. Use of a phased
array in the radar enabled the self-propelled mount to attack four
targets simultaneously and the system in general to process 24 targets.
At MAKS-2007 Almaz-Antei and Ulyanovsk mechanical plant presented
self-propelled mount 9A317E of the export version of Buk-M2E officially
for the first time too. The press reported that a contract with Syria
came into effect at the end of August of 2007.
In Russian Armed Forces, Buk-M2 will replace Buk-M1-2 already in 2008,
reports Colonel General Frolov, commander of the field defense.
It was decided to start the rearmament from battalions of the field
air defense. However, a little earlier Frolov stated that already in
2009 the troops would start receiving absolutely new version of Buk -
Buk-M3 - being a unified field air defense system of the army level.
New technologies and developments are used during its design. It is
expected that Buk-M3 will be able to kill air targets flying at a speed
of up to 3,000 meters per second at distances of 2.5-70 kilometers
and altitudes of 0.015-35 kilometers. A battalion of Buk-M3 will have
36 target channels.
Pantsir
The presentation of air defense missile and gun system Pantsir-S1
took place at MAKS-2007 for the first time. The design bureau of
instrument building (KBP) and its subsidiary Shcheglovsky Val already
prepared assembling lines and started series production of components
for Pantsir.
KBP plans to supply the new system to Russian Armed Forces, as well
as to United Arab Emirates, Syria and Algeria. The overall value of
the export contracts amounts to $2.6 billion.
It was planned that the first four Pantsir-S1 systems of the 50
systems ordered would be supplied to United Arab Emirates in December
of 2007. These systems differ from the systems demonstrated at MAKS
because KamAZ-6350 chassis is replaced with German chassis MAN with
wheel arrangement 8x8 and the system uses Western components (made
by Sagem and Thales).
For the foreign customer
Russian air defense systems are demanded by foreign partners in
military technological cooperation with Russia. The portfolio of orders
for these systems amounts to $5.2 billion and taking into account
the contracts that are already signed but have not come into effect
yet it amounts to $5.6 billion. Sergei Chemezov, General Director of
Rosoboronexport, remarked, "By 2012 we will fulfill a number of the
already signed large contracts including contracts on supply of the
most modern Russian air defense system Favorite."
Quite recently, Defense Minister of Iran, Mostafa Mohammad Najar,
reported that Russia would supply air defense missile systems S-300
to Iran in the framework of a contract signed earlier. According
to available information, the matter was about five battalions of
S-300PMU1 worth $800 million. However, at first the Russian Federal
Service for Military Technological Cooperation denied the fact of
sale of S-300 to Iran and afterwards the Foreign Ministry of Iran
confirmed that it did not negotiate on purchase of S-300 from Russia.
In January of 2007, top-ranking representatives of Rosoboronexport
reported about the fulfillment of a contract on supply of short-range
air defense missile systems Tor-M1 to Iran. In February of 2007,
these systems were used in large-scale exercises and "killed all air
targets successfully." Iranian servicemen study in the training center
of the field air defense in Orenburg and in the military academy of
the field air defense Smolensk to use Tor-M1.
In 2007, it turned out that Buk-M1 had a broad geography of
distribution. Besides Finland Buk-M1 has been in service in Cyprus
for a sufficiently long time. In Egypt Russian specialists are
modernizing the air defense missile systems Kub supplied by the
Soviet Union. After accomplishment of the modernization Kub will
receive elements of Buk-M1-2, namely missiles and radars. The most
advanced modification - Buk-M2E - will be supplied to Syria in a few
years. Experts presume that the system has good sales prospects not
only in the Middle East but also in Southeast Asia and Latin America.
Russia signed a contract with Egypt on supply of air defense
self-propelled systems ZSU-23-4-M4 Shilka-Strelets. This is a
modernized version of famous Shilka armed with launch modules Strelets
with air defense missiles Igla-S. Shilka-Strelets has passed all tests
and can kill airplanes, helicopters and cruise missiles at distances
of up to 6 kilometers and altitudes of 3.5 kilometers.
The model of Shilka-Strelets created for tests was moved from the
training range to the military academy of field defense in Smolensk
for the training of Egyptian servicemen.
After a short break information appeared about new contracts of
Defensive Systems corporation on supply of modernized systems S-125-2M
Pechora-2M. According to Deputy General Director of Defensive Systems
Korotaev, the company started supplying Pechora-2M to armed forces
of the CIS. The system has been supplied to Tajikistan and Uzbekistan
and Armenia is negotiating on its purchase.
In 2007, research and production association Almaz (now the main
system design bureau of air defense corporation Almaz-Antei named
after Academician A. Raspletin) continued work on development of a
multifunctional radar station for South Korea. The radar station will
be a part of the future middle-range Korean air defense missile system
KM-SAM. South Korean military are currently testing the prototype
radar in various climatic conditions made as close to the combat ones
as possible. According to specialists, the contract reflects a special
kind of military technological cooperation when not a finished product
is supplied to a foreign customer but only research and development
is done for this customer.
Air defense corporation Almaz-Antei
The corporation unites more than 50 manufacturers and design
organizations occupied with development and production of air defense
and antimissile defense armament and military hardware. In 2006,
sales of the corporation exceeded 62 billion rubles. Domestic purchase
in the framework of the state defense order and civil projects (for
instance, modernization of the national air traffic management system)
accounted for more than 40% of the revenue.
With regard to the military products, Almaz-Antei also offers anti-ship
missile systems (design bureau Novator is developer of anti-ship cruise
missiles Club actively promoted in China, India and other countries;
Altair - developer of control system for anti-ship cruise missiles
Moskit-E for destroyers of project 956E etc).
by Vadim Solovyev, Said Aminov
DEFENSE and SECURITY
March 12, 2008 Wednesday
Russia
RUSSIAN MANUFACTURERS OF AIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS OFFER A BROAD RANGE OF
PRODUCTS TO DOMESTIC ARMY AND TO FOREIGN BUYERS; Wars and military
conflicts of the last decades have shown that dominating positions
among the attack weapons belong to aviation missile armament. Hence,
there is an objective need for reliable defense from the air. There
both absolutely new systems and systems being in service for many
years among the means for this defense.
Wars and military conflicts of the last decades have shown that
dominating positions among the attack weapons belong to aviation
missile armament. Hence, there is an objective need for reliable
defense from the air. There both absolutely new systems and systems
being in service for many years among the means for this defense.
Triumph
To the public air defense missile system of the next generation,
the S-400 Triumph was demonstrated at the Moscow aerospace show
MAKS-2007. Visitors could examine launchers 5P85TE2 (with prime-mover
BAZ-64022) with four missiles in transport and launch containers,
multifunctional radar 92N2E (on MZKT-7930 chassis) and combat control
post 55K6E (on Ural-532301 chassis). Only all-altitude radar 96L6E
and detection radar 91N6E were absent.
The main characteristics of the system were quite visible at MAKS.
The target detection range amounts to 600 kilometers, the radius of
airborne targets destruction is from 5 to 60 kilometers. From these
figures it is possible to draw the conclusion that the first battalion
put on combat duty evidently does not have the so-called "long arm,"
a missile with a range of up to 400 kilometers.
The appearance of Triumph in public started attracting foreign
buyers. It was reported that in the framework of the announced
international tender for the purchase of long-range air defense missile
systems, the air force of Turkey was considering a possibility of
acquisition of S-400. It also became known that Russia was negotiating
with the United Arab Emirates on creation of a national air defense
system with use of elements of Triumph.
Aiming at the fifth generation
In February of 2007, the military industrial commission discussed
issues related to development of the future unified air defense and
antimissile defense system of the fifth generation. During MAKS-2007,
General Director of air defense corporation Almaz-Antei, Vladislav
Menshchikov, announced that construction of two assembling plants
was starting. These plants would produce the fundamentally new
armament model.
This was an interesting fact because defense enterprises with the
use of modern technologies were laid down for the first time in the
post-Soviet era.
In December of 2007, Air Force Commander Colonel General Alexander
Zelin stated that the air defense and antimissile defense system of
the fifth generation would be able to parry attacks from outer space.
Tor-M2E
Another novelty, the wheeled version of the combat vehicle of air
defense missile system Tor-M2E - 9A331MK - was demonstrated at
MAKS-2007 for the first time. The novelties dealt not only with the
chassis developed in cooperation by specialists of Almaz-Antei and
Belarusian Minsk prime mover plant but also with the electronics of
the combat vehicle. Now the system has four channels and can attack
four targets simultaneously. According to this parameter, Tor-M2E
has no equals in the world in its class. According to representatives
of Almaz-Antei, NIIEMI and Kupol plant, the wheeled and the tracked
versions of the system are undergoing tests now and beginning of
their supply to foreign customers is expected after 2009 (the "E"
index means that this modification is created in the interests of
foreign partners).
Simultaneously, designers are developing a deeper modernization of Tor
for the Ground Forces of Russia under Tor-M2 designation. In December
of 2007, Colonel General Nikolai Frolov, commander of the field air
defense, reported that tests of Tor-M2 would be accomplished in 2008
and its supply to one of the air defense regiments would begin in 2009.
Buk-M2
Reincarnation of army air defense missile system Buk-M2 happened
in 2007.
For the deeply modernized system, the design bureau of the Dolgoprudny
research and production enterprise designed new missile 9M317. The
envelope of the system was broadened to 42 kilometers in range and
to 25 kilometers in altitude. Designers improved maneuverability of
the missile for attacking of targets maneuvering with overload to 12
g (against 8 for targets of Buk). Provisions are made for use of a
digital computer in the new self-homing warhead 9E420. Use of a phased
array in the radar enabled the self-propelled mount to attack four
targets simultaneously and the system in general to process 24 targets.
At MAKS-2007 Almaz-Antei and Ulyanovsk mechanical plant presented
self-propelled mount 9A317E of the export version of Buk-M2E officially
for the first time too. The press reported that a contract with Syria
came into effect at the end of August of 2007.
In Russian Armed Forces, Buk-M2 will replace Buk-M1-2 already in 2008,
reports Colonel General Frolov, commander of the field defense.
It was decided to start the rearmament from battalions of the field
air defense. However, a little earlier Frolov stated that already in
2009 the troops would start receiving absolutely new version of Buk -
Buk-M3 - being a unified field air defense system of the army level.
New technologies and developments are used during its design. It is
expected that Buk-M3 will be able to kill air targets flying at a speed
of up to 3,000 meters per second at distances of 2.5-70 kilometers
and altitudes of 0.015-35 kilometers. A battalion of Buk-M3 will have
36 target channels.
Pantsir
The presentation of air defense missile and gun system Pantsir-S1
took place at MAKS-2007 for the first time. The design bureau of
instrument building (KBP) and its subsidiary Shcheglovsky Val already
prepared assembling lines and started series production of components
for Pantsir.
KBP plans to supply the new system to Russian Armed Forces, as well
as to United Arab Emirates, Syria and Algeria. The overall value of
the export contracts amounts to $2.6 billion.
It was planned that the first four Pantsir-S1 systems of the 50
systems ordered would be supplied to United Arab Emirates in December
of 2007. These systems differ from the systems demonstrated at MAKS
because KamAZ-6350 chassis is replaced with German chassis MAN with
wheel arrangement 8x8 and the system uses Western components (made
by Sagem and Thales).
For the foreign customer
Russian air defense systems are demanded by foreign partners in
military technological cooperation with Russia. The portfolio of orders
for these systems amounts to $5.2 billion and taking into account
the contracts that are already signed but have not come into effect
yet it amounts to $5.6 billion. Sergei Chemezov, General Director of
Rosoboronexport, remarked, "By 2012 we will fulfill a number of the
already signed large contracts including contracts on supply of the
most modern Russian air defense system Favorite."
Quite recently, Defense Minister of Iran, Mostafa Mohammad Najar,
reported that Russia would supply air defense missile systems S-300
to Iran in the framework of a contract signed earlier. According
to available information, the matter was about five battalions of
S-300PMU1 worth $800 million. However, at first the Russian Federal
Service for Military Technological Cooperation denied the fact of
sale of S-300 to Iran and afterwards the Foreign Ministry of Iran
confirmed that it did not negotiate on purchase of S-300 from Russia.
In January of 2007, top-ranking representatives of Rosoboronexport
reported about the fulfillment of a contract on supply of short-range
air defense missile systems Tor-M1 to Iran. In February of 2007,
these systems were used in large-scale exercises and "killed all air
targets successfully." Iranian servicemen study in the training center
of the field air defense in Orenburg and in the military academy of
the field air defense Smolensk to use Tor-M1.
In 2007, it turned out that Buk-M1 had a broad geography of
distribution. Besides Finland Buk-M1 has been in service in Cyprus
for a sufficiently long time. In Egypt Russian specialists are
modernizing the air defense missile systems Kub supplied by the
Soviet Union. After accomplishment of the modernization Kub will
receive elements of Buk-M1-2, namely missiles and radars. The most
advanced modification - Buk-M2E - will be supplied to Syria in a few
years. Experts presume that the system has good sales prospects not
only in the Middle East but also in Southeast Asia and Latin America.
Russia signed a contract with Egypt on supply of air defense
self-propelled systems ZSU-23-4-M4 Shilka-Strelets. This is a
modernized version of famous Shilka armed with launch modules Strelets
with air defense missiles Igla-S. Shilka-Strelets has passed all tests
and can kill airplanes, helicopters and cruise missiles at distances
of up to 6 kilometers and altitudes of 3.5 kilometers.
The model of Shilka-Strelets created for tests was moved from the
training range to the military academy of field defense in Smolensk
for the training of Egyptian servicemen.
After a short break information appeared about new contracts of
Defensive Systems corporation on supply of modernized systems S-125-2M
Pechora-2M. According to Deputy General Director of Defensive Systems
Korotaev, the company started supplying Pechora-2M to armed forces
of the CIS. The system has been supplied to Tajikistan and Uzbekistan
and Armenia is negotiating on its purchase.
In 2007, research and production association Almaz (now the main
system design bureau of air defense corporation Almaz-Antei named
after Academician A. Raspletin) continued work on development of a
multifunctional radar station for South Korea. The radar station will
be a part of the future middle-range Korean air defense missile system
KM-SAM. South Korean military are currently testing the prototype
radar in various climatic conditions made as close to the combat ones
as possible. According to specialists, the contract reflects a special
kind of military technological cooperation when not a finished product
is supplied to a foreign customer but only research and development
is done for this customer.
Air defense corporation Almaz-Antei
The corporation unites more than 50 manufacturers and design
organizations occupied with development and production of air defense
and antimissile defense armament and military hardware. In 2006,
sales of the corporation exceeded 62 billion rubles. Domestic purchase
in the framework of the state defense order and civil projects (for
instance, modernization of the national air traffic management system)
accounted for more than 40% of the revenue.
With regard to the military products, Almaz-Antei also offers anti-ship
missile systems (design bureau Novator is developer of anti-ship cruise
missiles Club actively promoted in China, India and other countries;
Altair - developer of control system for anti-ship cruise missiles
Moskit-E for destroyers of project 956E etc).