Military Aviation Industry: News

In 2022, UEC will create a service center for engine repair

Dmitry Vinogradov, Managing Director of 218 ARZ, said that UEC-Service by 2025 will annually provide factory overhaul of about 600-700 aircraft and industrial engines

SAINT PETERSBURG, December 8. / TASS /. The United Service Center "UEC-Service" will be created in 2022 within the framework of the United Engine Corporation of Rostec (UEC) on the basis of JSC "218 Aviation Repair Plant" in Gatchina. The managing director of "218 ARZ" Dmitry Vinogradov told reporters about it.

“We plan to join the Aramil ARP, located in the Sverdlovsk region, to the 218 ARZ as a branch in 2022. At this point, the reorganization of the enterprise will be completed, and UEC-Service will be formed,” he said.

As Vinogradov explained, as a result of the creation of a separate service center for engine repair, such key tasks will be completed as the completion of the reorganization of aircraft repair plants included in the UEC, mastering the repair of new engines, the number of which will exceed 20 types, and an increase in the number of remanufactured parts (from 15 thousand to 15 thousand). up to 60 thousand).

"This will allow us to meet the needs of the Ministry of Defense, the state aviation of the Russian Federation, commercial customers, as well as the growing needs of Gazprom and other enterprises of the country's fuel and energy complex <...>" UEC-Service "by 2025 will increase its revenue from manufactured products by 2 , 5 times ", - said the managing director of the enterprise.

https://tass.ru/armiya-i-opk/13140841

The appearance of a promising combat helicopter will be approved within a year and a half

Currently, the requirements for a promising aircraft are being discussed at the level of technical specialists of the Ministry of Defense and Industry

MOSCOW, January 5. /tass/. Industry and the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation are currently finalizing the discussion of requirements for a promising combat helicopter, and in the next year and a half the appearance of a new generation rotorcraft will be determined. This was reported to TASS by a source in the military-industrial complex.

"We are currently discussing and finalizing the requirements for a promising combat helicopter. There is a dialog going on. In the next one and a half to two years, the discussion of a promising vehicle with the military department will be completed, " the source said.

According to him, currently there are discussions on the requirements for a promising aircraft at the level of technical specialists of the Ministry of Defense and Industry. The next stage is a discussion within the military-industrial commission.

TASS has no official confirmation of this information.

Earlier in an interview with TASS, Andrey Boginsky, General Director of the Russian Helicopters holding company of the Rostec State Corporation, said that the main principles that will distinguish a promising attack helicopter from current-generation vehicles will be optional piloting, connection to a common information field and unification of aviation weapons.

https://tass.ru/armiya-i-opk/13354485

Unification of UAC, RAC MiG and Sukhoi

According to PJSC United Aircraft Corporation, the shareholders of the United Aircraft Corporation (PJSC UAC of Rostec State Corporation) approved the merger of two subsidiary aircraft manufacturing companies, JSC Sukhoi Company and JSC RAC MiG, to PJSC UAC. The majority of shareholders voted for the reorganization of UAC in the form of joining Sukhoi and MiG to it during an extraordinary meeting of shareholders of the company held on January 17, 2022. The issue of reorganization was submitted to shareholders for consideration by the Board of Directors of UAC in November 2021. Sergey Mamontov / RIA Novosti

The centralization of the management of the Sukhoi and MiG companies was started earlier: the functions of the sole executive body (SEO) of MiG were in Sukhoi, and the functions of the sole executive body of Sukhoi were in PJSC UAC. After going through a series of procedures within a few months, these three companies will become one organization. As a result, UAC will become not only a corporate center, but also an operating company that directly manages production and design offices, implements aviation programs and develops advanced equipment. Thus, the planned transition from a 3-tier to a 2-tier corporate governance structure in a corporation has been launched. At the same time, the strong and world-famous Sukhoi and MiG brands will remain, and authoritative design schools will continue to develop.

The merger with Sukhoi and MiG is part of the ongoing corporate transformation of UAC, which was approved by the Rostec State Corporation. The changes are designed to reduce the number of management levels, simplify the corporate structure, eliminate duplicating administrative functions, and reduce general business costs. At the same time, it is planned to develop corporate-wide competence and service centers, expand cooperation between production sites for more efficient implementation of aircraft building programs. Along with other measures, this should ensure an increase in the financial stability and investment attractiveness of UAC as a whole.

Consolidation and centralization of management is also taking place in other areas of UAC activity. Thus, in November 2021, the accession to the Voronezh aircraft plant VASO, the Ulyanovsk enterprise Aviastar-SP and the Moscow region EMZ named after A.I. Myasishchev. The powers of the CEO in relation to PJSC "Il" itself were transferred to PJSC "UAC". UAC also has such powers in relation to the center of the strategic aviation division of Tupolev PJSC, which includes, in addition to the design bureau of the same name in Moscow, the Kazan Aviation Plant named after. S.P. Gorbunov.

https://bmpd.livejournal.com/4471409.html

Interview with the new General Director of Russian Helicopters JSC Nikolai Kolesov

Tatarstan business resource "BUSINESS Online" under the heading "Nikolai Kolesov:" I do KHP for a couple of hours every day. The situation is really difficult." The new CEO of Russian Helicopters on big plans and workers receiving up to 100 thousand , published an interview with the new CEO of JSC Russian Helicopters Nikolai Kolesov.

“I accepted the offer to head Russian Helicopters, because I believe that my knowledge and experience will help the holding meet the growing domestic demand for modern equipment, as well as strengthen its position in the global market,” said Nikolai Kolesov in a brief exclusive interview with BUSINESS Online . Also, the new CEO of BP told what kind of specialists the industry lacks and how much he is willing to pay them, explained whether he would lobby for the interests of his native Kazan aviation industry, explained why he slowed down new construction at Kazan Helicopter Plant, and was indignant at the slowness of work on Ansat.


Wheels and helicopters

To this day, Nikolai Kolesov, a businessman from the military-industrial complex closely associated with Tatarstan, has not publicly commented on his high-profile appointment (held on December 1, 2021) as the CEO of Russian Helicopters (BP) and has not made statements about his plans for a high position. Nevertheless, the industry public is aware that, having arrived shortly after his appointment at the Kazan Helicopter Plant (KVZ), he made a kind of keynote speech in a narrow circle. Main theses: salary increase for employees; return to the directors of full power in enterprises; a professional reference point is the team of Alexander Lavrentiev, who led the Kazan Helicopter Plant in 1984–2007.

It is clear what made Kolesov leave the “quiet” position of the general director of the Radioelectronic Technologies Concern (KRET). The post of head of one of the key defense industrial holdings is a very serious career peak. Here, several factors came together, such as stagnation in the helicopter industry, the planned rotation of the heads of holdings, etc. At the same time, Kolesov himself went into the helicopter industry for more than one year, at least from 2016, he even managed to create a competitor for the helicopter holding in one of the main lines of his activities - he made his own version of the Ansat helicopter at the KRET-controlled Kazan company Rychag. And, importantly, Kolesov himself formed a market for him - he pushed through the idea of ​​​​creating a national air ambulance service (NSSA) in the government of the Russian Federation as a single federal operator of air ambulance services. Potentially, this is more than one hundred helicopters, as well as the organization of ground infrastructure and, in general, the entire system for providing air medical care. As a result, Rostec ordered Kazan Helicopter Plant to make this machine along with a helicopter developed by the factory design bureau.

It should also be noted that, having taken power in BP, Kolesov put an end to the dominance of the Ulan-Ude aircraft plant in the helicopter industry.

Around 2025, helicopter demand is expected to pick up again. But until then, we still have to live. Today, in the Russian segment of the industry, we do not see a development strategy; instead, a set of disparate programs. There is a delay in projects, the degradation of design and workforce, the growth of bureaucratization. Kolesov must solve all these questions. There is an opinion that, first of all, he will be engaged in restoring order at the Kazan Helicopter Plant. And, of course, there is also a compatriot aspect: Kolesov is from Kazan, owns a number of enterprises here, for example, Elecon, KOMZ, Kazan Electrotechnical Plant (from where the head of BP invited the new general director of Kazan Helicopter Plant Vladimir Ginsburg).

In recent years, Kazan Helicopter Plant has seen systemic failures in management, resulting in problems with orders, supplies, and personnel. In 2019, the Kazan plant delivered only 27 helicopters - a historical minimum for the enterprise (the maximum in the recent history of Kazan Helicopter Plant was in 2014 - 107 helicopters). In 2020 - 39. In 2021, I planned to report about 72, but it turned out to be no more than 60. Among the main tasks of Kolesov at Kazan Helicopters are to solve the problem of the enterprise's gigantic debt - more than 30 billion rubles; increase the margin (for example, judging by the reporting, the plant has to sacrifice the markup for Ansat); to bring to mind new modifications of the Ansat, Mi-8, to get rid of childhood illnesses of the Mi-38; to staff the enterprise with personnel; provide download. There is only one positive moment so far: none of the Russian helicopter factories has such a diverse model range - at the same time light,


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“Now you write this, and intermediaries will immediately fuss around the plant like ants”

- Nikolai Aleksandrovich, why did you risk changing KRET to Russian Helicopters, the demand from which the country's leadership has the highest?

- Personnel decisions of this kind are made by the leadership of Rostec. I agreed to lead Russian Helicopters because I believe that my knowledge and experience in production and commercial matters will help the holding meet the growing domestic demand for modern equipment, as well as strengthen its position in the global market.

— How would you assess the situation at Kazan Helicopter Plant? What causes the most concern?

- No worries - a lot of questions. First of all, according to Ansat. The process of its modernization was greatly delayed.

Yesterday I saw Ansat-M in the final assembly shop. But, if we are making a unified new generation machine, everything must be included in it - a glass cockpit, air conditioning, additional tanks, and anti-icing. There is no glass cabin yet, so I gave the order: this year, work on a unified machine should be completed so that it meets all the requirements of consumers. Well, how can a new helicopter be released without air conditioning ?!

In the near future, the experimental design bureau of KVZ will become a branch of the national helicopter center and will receive additional competencies in the Mi-8/17 and Mi-38 - we need to help in their modernization, and not just endlessly deal with Ansat.

— Why did the once super-profitable Kazan Helicopter Plant fall into decay?

— The plant boomed under Lavrentiev and in 2014-2015, during a very large export order, and when it came down… Of course, some internal factors played, but you shouldn’t overdramatize the situation. Look at the world market for helicopters - in recent years it has fallen by 30-40 percent. This is an absolutely normal situation associated with the rearmament cycle in a number of countries, changes in oil prices and a decrease in demand for helicopter transportation. In 2010-2011, Airbus produced 500 helicopters a year, today - 250, Leonardo also sank by 50 percent, but no one talks about decline, because everyone understands perfectly well that the market develops in a spiral: after a period of growth, there always comes a recession and vice versa. Today the need has gone up.

- There is an opinion that the export of the Mi-17 fell because the price of the helicopter was raised. Do you agree with this point of view?

- Not. Sometimes we sell cars only 1.15 times higher than the price of the state defense order. But we do not remove the blame from ourselves. For example, they did not pay due attention to after-sales service. 6,883 of our helicopters fly abroad, but there is simply no service. Now, in a month, we have done what has been asking for a long time - we have opened a regional warehouse for Africa and Southeast Asia. Let's move on to the world standard: spare parts should be delivered a maximum of a day. If the devices begin to fly, there will be a need for them. So you bought a car, it broke down and is worth it. Take the second time the same? No.

— Before your appointment to Russian Helicopters, there were announcements about the construction of a new final assembly shop at Kazan Helicopters. There is an opinion that the workshop is not needed - the current one is enough.

- I went to this shop yesterday especially. We need to make the right management decision. In the first place - production and providing people with wages. With the rest, you can wait 2-3 years. Yes, I instructed to prepare a project, but to say today that we will run to build a shop...

What is better - a shop or buy equipment worth 8 billion? Of course, the equipment. I found money. State. Now you write this - and mediators will immediately fuss around the plant, like ants. I declare: we will not give this order to anyone, it will be carried out by a large group with the participation of special bodies, so that we see transparency and timeliness.

Be that as it may, a new final assembly shop is needed. It's not even that the current one is old (built in 1953): the construction of a new building will make it possible to implement a modern production system for Ansat, Mi-8/17 and Mi-38. It will be an in-line production method on three main lines. The product moves through the assembly areas, and on each of them the corresponding assembly operations are performed. It's productivity and quality. And today we have a guard assembly method, when the helicopter is assembled at the same site with a change of assembly teams depending on the operation being performed. The new production chain includes the ability to quickly restructure production - for example, in the event of a large number of orders for the Ansat helicopter and a decrease in those for the Mi-8/17.

- It is known about the large debts of Kazan Helicopter Plant - more than 30 billion. There was talk of a possible partial write-off. Is this issue being resolved?

— In 2019, a plan for the financial recovery of Kazan Helicopter Plant was approved, which involves refinancing loans through concessional loans, the sale of non-core assets, as well as measures to optimize receivables. All these measures have reduced the volume of problem debt to 13.5 billion rubles. However, the plant will never give them away. This is a black hole. My task is to close it as quickly as possible.

“Well, how is it possible to produce a new helicopter without air conditioning ?!”

- Recently, in the messages about the Kazan Helicopter Plant, phrases about updating the model range have slipped through. What helicopters are we talking about?

— This is also the development of Ansat. For example, the next step is new blades that will increase the maximum takeoff weight. We continue to work on children's diseases Mi-38. The plan is to install new digital flight and navigation equipment on the Mi-17.

- This is all clear, but it is new cars that are of interest ...

- I will not reveal the secret yet.

- Recently, Kazan Helicopter Plant presented the Mi-8MTV-5M developed on its own initiative. Is there a future for this topic?

- Certainly. We are ready to bring combat helicopters of the VKS to this level, and to supply new ones - we are working on including the Mi-8MTV-5M in the program for equipping the Aerospace Forces. We also offer it for export.

- Being in Kazan last summer, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that Kazan Helicopter Plant has the prospect of mass orders from the military. Are such orders desirable for the plant or not? The low profitability of contracts with the Ministry of Defense is known.

- The state defense order is not discussed at all. For all structures of Rostec, this has always been, is and will be a top priority. Yes, pricing under the State Defense Order is regulated, but it still ensures that contracts break even, so we are interested in long-term orders from the Ministry of Defense and other law enforcement agencies - this is a uniform loading of the plant. Today, the state armament program - 2033 is being worked out, and the need for Kazan vehicles is great there.

- Does the Mi-38 have the prospect of commercial, including export sales?

- Undoubtedly. A very promising car. Today we have firm contracts for 25 helicopters until 2024, including for foreign operators.

- Mi-171A3 - a competitor to the Mi-38?

- This is a completely different car - for the north, the Arctic. Given the purpose of creation, it cannot be called a direct competitor to the Mi-38.

- At what stage is the creation of the Russian engine for Ansat? Are you sure they will make it?

- UEC-Klimov, which, like us, is part of Rostec, is developing the VK-650V engine for the Ka-226. To install it on the Ansat, minor changes in the layout will be required, and we are working with the UEC on the possibility of creating such a modification. I have no doubt that this is a challenging task.

“KVZ economy is getting quite good”

— How many helicopters does Kazan Helicopter Plant plan to hand over to customers in 2022?

- It is planned to transfer 111 helicopters for 10 customers: 58 Mi-8/17, 41 Ansat and 12 Mi-38. Most of it will go to the domestic market. With access to such a number of helicopters, the economy of the Kazan Helicopter Plant becomes quite good - you must admit, there is a difference with 2021: there were only 55 helicopters!

- So they will say that before Belykh was dragging everything to Ulan-Ude, and now Kolesov - to Kazan ...

- The plan for the entire holding is 311 helicopters. Arseniev - 20, Kumertau - 10, Rostov - 60. They always worked within these limits. For Kazan and Ulan-Ude, historically common numbers are also 111 and 110. Therefore, there can be no such reflections. I'm all right.

- For Ansat, this is the first time such a large annual plan. Will they pull the plant down, because they say that Kazan Helicopter Plant sells these helicopters almost at cost?

- For the commercial market, including for export, Ansats are sold at prices that ensure not only the coverage of all costs for their production, but also a sufficient net profit. Under state programs for the development of air ambulance, we deliver at the lowest prices, but they still provide marginal profitability, which makes it possible to cover direct production costs and part of the overhead costs of the enterprise.

— Is the Kazan plant capable of producing 111 helicopters?

— I have been studying Kazan for almost two months, for a couple of hours every day. The situation is really difficult, the plant is far from its peak form.

Under Alexander Lavrentiev (headed Kazan Helicopter Plant in 1984-2007 - ed. note), there was a production schedule, when there is absolute clarity and understanding of who and what provides: materials, components, orders. But it has been gone for many years. We must return. There should not be situations when they start manufacturing fuselages and suddenly get up due to the lack of certain components. Now we are restoring everything.

We look at all the changes. Today they tell me: “Let's restore the foundry, which was liquidated,” and as a result we found ourselves in a bad situation when we order castings from the side and it turns out 3-4 times more expensive. It's workers' money!

“I have always had an even, good relationship with Rustam Nurgalievich, today I said:“ No help is needed yet ”

- Are there enough workers? They say that you have begun to return specialists who left the Kazan Helicopter Plant. How many agree to return?

- The new volume of loading of the enterprise, of course, will require an increase in the number of personnel.

We need 303 more basic production workers. Since January 10, 46 people have been recruited, 74 more are at different stages of employment, plus 135 are undergoing training, in February-March they will receive ranks and start working. By the way, the salary during study is up to 35 thousand rubles.

Of course, qualified personnel are required, and today 15 such workers have returned. We asked them to come to their own factory. They explained that the download would be stable. Helicopters were sold three years ahead - 111, 120, 125 aircraft. We are fully provided with work.

- So you don't need high-ranking pushers anymore? For example, the president of Tatarstan regularly attached several helicopters…

— I have always had even, good relations with Rustam Nurgalievich, today I said: “No help is needed yet.” And so he went forward - he reduced the land tax for Kazan Helicopter Plant: from 105 million to 25 million rubles. This is real partnership.

— What is the most demanded working specialty in the helicopter industry?

— Riveter. In 2021, 364 people left for the Kazan Aviation Plant. But here we went one more way - we buy five riveting machines. Yes, they cost 250 million rubles each and will arrive only in September, but I mean that we will definitely resolve this issue.

- Did you return any of the leading employees?

- For example, Nikolai Gordeev. Once he was the head of the machining production, today he is the first deputy director.

- Were there other candidates for the post of director of Kazan Helicopter Plant, besides Ginsburg?

— Today, it is very difficult to find a plant manager. We considered three candidates and, I am sure, made the right choice.

Vladimir Ginsburg is a production worker to the marrow of his bones, a very strong leader. Most importantly, we put a leader. He must help me assemble a strong team so that the plant will work as it should.

- You promised to raise salaries at Kazan Helicopter Plant ...

- We increased the cost of a standard hour: for "wreckers" - by 30 percent, for the rest of the main production workers and auxiliary workers of the production unit - by 20 percent. People will receive a new salary in February. Now qualified workers can earn up to 100 thousand rubles at Kazan Helicopter Plant - good money at the regional level. Non-residents are provided with compensation for renting housing - 10 thousand rubles for the first 6 months ... On December 25, the last car should fly to the consumer, and for this we will pay everyone an additional average monthly salary: people must understand that we will do everything so that they can build helicopters. Although, of course, we will be interested not only in salary, but also in serious tasks, the possibility of intellectual and career development.

https://bmpd.livejournal.com/4485684.html

Stupid machine translator always translates 'vehicles' as 'cars'.

How the current situation is not crushing Russian industry but taking it to another level:

Russian Helicopters plans to double its production program in 2022

19.05.2022 11:58:23
Moscow. 19 May. Russian Helicopters plans to double its production program in 2022, the company's first deputy General Director Ravil Khakimov said.
"Taking into account the new circumstances that have arisen (in connection with anti - Russian sanctions), we are not only not reducing the production program and the modernization program - our production program for 2022 is significantly higher, more than twice as much as in 2021. That is, there is a need for helicopters, " Khakimov said during the HeliRussia-2022 helicopter exhibition.
According to him, in 2021 the holding company delivered more than 130 helicopters. About 75% of civilian vessels were delivered to the domestic market.
Russian Helicopters is a holding company that unites factories, design bureaus, and companies engaged in the production and maintenance of components. Controlled by Rostec State Corporation.

https://www.militarynews.ru/story.asp?rid=1&nid=574941&lang=RU

Head of KTRV Obnosov: swarm of our missiles can exchange information and redistribute targets

One of the world's largest military-industrial corporations, Tactical Missile Armament (TTRV), specializes in the development, production and modernization of missiles for aircraft, ship and ground systems, marine underwater weapons, as well as rocket and space technology. Its products are in high demand and are successfully used by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, including during the military special operation in Ukraine. Boris Obnosov, General Director of the KTRV Hero of Russia, told TASS in an interview about what missiles and torpedoes the Russian army has today, what capabilities they have, as well as what aviation weapons are being developed and will soon enter service.

- Boris Viktorovich, it is known that KTRV is working on the creation of small-sized ammunition for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). What is the current stage of this work? Have the tests been completed?

— KTPB has been working for several years on small-sized guided weapons designed to arm not only UAVs, but also front-line aviation complexes.

An example is the X-MD-E short-range self-guided guided missile, which is currently under development at the technical design stage, and we expect that we will complete it in the very near future. During the OKP, several prototypes of experimental samples were made and successful test launches from UAVs were carried out.

At the Army-2022 forum, one of the samples weighing 110 kg was presented, which makes it possible to place it not only under a helicopter and an airplane, but also under a drone. Our task is to use the same principle: "let go-forget". Today, there are developers who make even smaller products. Niche KTRV so far — 50-100 kg.

- The corporation creates high-precision intelligent weapons. What capabilities do our cruise missiles have today?

— Any guided missile is intelligent compared to an unguided one. We can talk about the level of intelligence, which significantly increases with each generation of guided missiles.
A radio-controlled first-generation aircraft rocket had the intelligence of a human making decisions every second in a difficult situation and often simultaneously controlling a carrier aircraft.

A second-generation guided missile aimed at the spot of a laser illuminator requires external intellectual support during the organization of target illumination. Having seen a laser spot in the GOS field of view, the rocket independently generates the necessary control commands until it hits the target.

Currently, KTPB is developing third-generation guided missiles, which, before launching, just need to indicate in the flight task the coordinates or area of the target, signs of the target or terrain in the target area.

Independent search and target detection is a characteristic feature of third-generation guided missiles. These are the X-38MLE, X-38MTE, X-59MK2, and X-35UE missiles. The next step is to use guided missile guidance systems with artificial intelligence elements that can make rational decisions in a complex target environment.

If our rocket, we will not give specific figures, flies for several thousand km and falls into a circle with a radius of 10 m, then it is clear that it has all the very high-tech means of both the onboard control system and the final guidance. I'm not even talking about everything else — the engine, aerodynamics. This is the intellectual nature of the missile — to hit the target at a given distance.

Any of our products, which were also presented at the Army-2022 exhibition, are intellectual. Whether it's a guided aerial bomb, an air — to — air missile, an air — to-surface missile, or an air-to-ship missile. They know how to organize and protect against weapons of destruction. They learned how to avoid obstacles that meet on the way, that is, the rocket can go around the mountain, hide behind the folds of the terrain, make "eights" and return to the target. This is the challenge.

Of course, there is no limit to perfection here, it is a continuous process. In many cases, such a task has already been solved: a swarm of missiles is released, they exchange information among themselves, redistribute the targets that need to be hit. This is already aerobatics! And in this direction, like our competitors, we are working.

— Can we say that over the past ten years we have made a certain breakthrough compared to what was before? Figuratively speaking, 15 years ago there were "smart rockets"?

— Those rockets that were at the end of the last century were also considered the height of design thought. They were smart, too. For your time! But the means of protection were also different. Everything is learned by comparison.

Why develop in the missile theme, if the products easily overcome the air defense system and the means of protection that are available around the target? And since both are being improved, we are not standing still. Therefore, the KTRV works very closely with the Almaz-Antey concern of East Kazakhstan region, which is engaged in providing protection against high-precision missiles. And this interaction leads to mutual enrichment.

— What are the main trends in the development of rocket technology today? You mentioned earlier about modular structures.

- Undoubtedly, modularity is evident in many of our product designs. And the world's first modular rocket X-25M was created at the parent company KTPB in the 80s of the last century.
The main ideas of modularity are actively used in KTPB in the design of multi-purpose tactical and operational-tactical missiles. In accordance with this concept, the rocket is divided into functionally separate modules, made in the form of separate compartments. A set of modules that are common to all variants is the basic module. Separate variants of the modular family are formed by adding so-called plug-in modules to the base module.

In the last decade, the development of two variants of the X-38ME modular family — X-38MLE and X-38MTE-was completed. A rocket of this type consists of five modules. Three make up the base module, and two compartments — the GOS and the warhead — are replaceable.

The previously mentioned X-MD-E rocket is also modular. When replacing the propulsion module with an additional warhead module, we get a guided aerial bomb.

The second direction of development is miniaturization. Rockets with smaller dimensions and weight parameters can be placed more on an air or sea carrier, and at the same time one rocket solves the same tasks as its predecessor, which is five times more in weight. This is a major breakthrough in this area, which was made possible by progress in all areas of rocket science.

We are also working on increasing the range, which requires the development of new engines that are more efficient, with lower fuel consumption, and improved aerodynamics.

— It is known that one of the main requirements for the design of a fifth — generation aircraft is the placement of aircraft weapons in the internal weapon compartments. To what extent do Kh-38ME multi-purpose missiles meet the requirements?

- They fully meet the requirements, can be placed both inside the fuselage and on the external suspension. The placement of an X-38ME missile in the armament compartment of a fifth-generation aircraft was one of the main requirements of the tactical and technical task. For the first time, we had to solve the problem of achieving the specified characteristics with strict dimensional restrictions on all three coordinates.

In addition, the ability to capture the target for tracking by the missile guidance system in flight suggests that the X-38ME missile should be at least third-generation in terms of intelligence.
Comparative assessments with foreign analogues of multi-purpose tactical air-to-surface missiles show that the X-38ME missiles are very effective.

— This year, the new generation X-69 cruise missile was presented for the first time at the Army Forum. Could you tell us more about this product? Have the tests already been carried out?

"The X-69 is a multi-purpose, low-visibility, high-precision aviation cruise missile of a new generation. This is the world's first general-purpose missile placed inside the fuselage of operational-tactical aircraft with the maximum permissible tactical and technical characteristics allowed for export.

Equipping carrier aircraft with X-69 missiles can significantly increase the efficiency of the aviation complex as a whole by maintaining the stealth of the carrier aircraft and increasing the ammunition supply.

The missile is designed to meet the highest requirements for aviation weapons in terms of accuracy, noise immunity, efficiency of combat equipment, compactness and stealth. Launch range-up to 290 km, warhead - up to 310 kg.

A rocket with a rectangular cross-section. Why? Watermelons began to be grown in some countries not round, but in the form of a parallelepiped, because it is more convenient for transportation. And in our case, this allows you to load the maximum number of products into the internal compartment. Plus, due to new materials, the effective scattering surface of the rocket is significantly smaller.

I am sure that in the future the X-69 will be one of the most ordered missiles. Naturally, it has a great export potential.

— Is there any further modernization of anti-radar missiles of the Kh-31P type? What direction of development is it supposed to take?

— In general, what are anti-radar missiles for? The modern theater of operations implies that the entire range of weapons can be used only after the suppression of the air defense system. By and large, this cannot be achieved without anti-radar missiles.

Aircraft armed with anti-radar missiles play a crucial role in ensuring the conquest of airspace over enemy territory. The Kh-31P was highly appreciated during the Georgian conflict in 2008. The rocket was equipped with three types of GOS operating in different ranges. Before the flight, it was necessary to choose a product with the desired frequency range corresponding to the range of operation of the enemy's air defense system.

In the new modification of the X-31PD rocket, we took a different path. It is equipped with a broadband head that covers the entire range of current and projected frequencies of air defense systems of a potential enemy. In appearance, the X-31P and X-31PD missiles are very similar, both titanium. But the difference between them is enormous. For the X-31PD, the maximum range is 250 km, and for the previous modification — half as much. The Kh-31PD missile has no equal in terms of its main characteristics — average speed and range.

Another KTRV product-X — 58USHKE-solves approximately the same tasks. It is placed inside the fuselage of operational-tactical aircraft. This makes it possible to significantly increase the efficiency of the aviation complex as a whole by maintaining the stealth of the carrier aircraft and increasing the ammunition supply.

The X-58USHKE rocket incorporates the best innovative solutions of the X-58 family — both design and control systems. The X-58USHKE has a body shortened to 4.2 m, folding wing and tail consoles, a wide-range passive radar homing head, a navigation and automatic control system based on a strapdown inertial system.

— What work is being done by the KTRV to modernize air —to-air missiles (short-range RVV-MD, medium-range RVV-SD and long-range RVV-BD)?

- Issues of modernization of air — to-air missiles are constantly being resolved. At the same time, we draw on the experience of local conflicts since Vietnam. First of all, such characteristics of close-range highly maneuverable air combat as transience, high values of maneuverable overloads, large angular velocities of relative movement of opponents, and others are taken into account.

Improvements in these indicators formed the basis for the development of a new line of short — range RVV-MD, medium-range RVV-SD and long-range RVV-BD air-to-air missiles.

The RVV-MD missile provides the pilot with close air combat, without imposing restrictions on the flight characteristics of the fighter, with the implementation of the "shot — forgot" principle. It provides the ability to reach high angles of attack and defeat targets maneuvering with overloads of up to 12 g. RVV-MD is capable of hitting targets at ranges of up to 40 km.

The creation of the RVV-SD medium-range missile was carried out through a deep modernization of the PBB-AE model. The RVV-SD missile has a launch range of up to 110 km (the PBB-AE missile has a launch range of up to 80 km). The use of the RVV-SD missile on the "let — forget" principle, including multi-channel firing, the ability to trajectory capture targets and re-aim the missile in flight from one target to another provides it with one of the leading positions in its class.

The new RVV — BD long-range air-to-air missile also has significantly improved performance compared to its predecessor, the R-33E. RVV-DB ensures the defeat of targets on the "let — forget" principle at ranges up to 200 km (for R-33E-120 km) at altitudes from 15 m to 25 km.

In general, we are significantly increasing the range of air — to-air missiles, their accuracy due to more sensitive heads and, of course, maneuverability and the overloads that they can withstand. For what? To use them against a maneuverable target, and not necessarily a manned one. All our products today can hit targets maneuvering with heavy overloads, significantly greater than the pilot can withstand.

- New electric torpedo ET-1E. What can you tell us about it?

— This is the first electric torpedo created in Russia. We finished testing a couple of years ago. It enters service. Good product. The advantages include high transport characteristics (speed, range), the ability to use in any area of the World Ocean, including in shallow areas and under the ice in the Arctic and Antarctic, smooth speed control, low noise, the possibility of subsequent modernization of the design and software.

— When is the first prototype of an ultra-small homing torpedo expected to appear?

— When the relevant work is completed. The development of ultra-small homing torpedoes for arming a wide range of carriers is one of the priority tasks.

— When is it planned to complete the work on creating a universal mine complex?

— Research work on the formation of the appearance of a universal mine complex has been successfully completed. According to the customer's wishes, the results obtained during the research will be used for the modernization of previously delivered complexes.

- Earlier, NPO Molniya announced the development of a reusable complex with an orbital aircraft. For what purposes is it created? Is this an initiative development or were there any negotiations with Roscosmos about the future of the project?

— I think that this is not a matter of the near future, because we got NGO Molniya in a very poor financial and economic condition. Today we are working on improving the health of the enterprise. At this stage, it will focus on creating target missiles.

In general, it is a pity that the company has been forgotten and abandoned for 25 years. I personally knew Gleb Lozino-Lozinsky and met him several times. We can say that we took NPO Molniya into the corporation out of great respect for the memory that my colleagues and I have preserved, for the very powerful developments that were once conducted there. I hope that we will slowly pull it out and take on more advanced tasks.

— In 2021, it was reported that KTRV is creating a coastal surveillance system for the coastal Arctic zone of the Russian Federation, which will help ensure the safety of the Northern Sea Route. What is the stage of this project?

-To ensure the safety of the Northern Sea Route, the Granit-Electron concern offers a multi-band radio-electronic (radar) complex with fixed antennas for operation in difficult climatic conditions. The draft terms of reference are being approved by the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Such a radio-electronic complex can operate in several of the most informative frequency bands, since it uses the technology of a single information network. This network can monitor maritime transport operations, including coordinating the actions of icebreaking vessels and icebreaking caravans, and prevent unauthorized navigation.

We also showed full-scale samples that will determine the thickness of ice, its greatest accumulation, and concentration. This work continues, and several pilot stations have been created, which have great potential for further development and solving dual-use tasks.

— The Corporation pays a lot of attention to the Arctic in terms of civilian development. For KTRV, this direction is one of the main ones?

— One of the most important ones.

Interviewed by Roman Azanov

https://tass.ru/interviews/15821455

https://aif.ru/society/posle_dlitelnogo_prostoya_zarabotal_luganskiy_aviacionnyy_remontnyy_zavod

After a long downtime, the Luhansk Aviation Repair Plant has started working
April 5

After a long downtime, an aircraft repair plant began work in Luhansk, the Izvestia newspaper reports on its Telegram channel.

“Today will probably go down in history. This is a big breakthrough both for the industry of the LPR and for Russia as a whole,” said the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the republic, Timur Samatov.

The enterprise launched a test bench for TV3-117 engines in test mode. They are installed on Mi-8 and Mi-17 helicopters.

“After joining the Russian Federation, we are starting to actively restore the industry of the LPR,” he added.

Samatov clarified that the enterprise managed to survive well, so it was decided to revive the production capacities of the region from it. According to the minister, the issue of allocating funds for the restoration of workshops, roofs, heating, boiler rooms and boiler rooms is currently being worked out.

The plant has not been in operation since 2014. It was decided to restore the enterprise after the visit of the Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation Denis Manturov. He instructed to launch the plant in a short time. It is expected that products for the aviation industry will begin to be produced this summer.