The MILEX-2019 arms exhibition, held in Minsk in May, became a showcase for the novelties of the Belarusian military-industrial complex. The exhibition was held in the capital of the Republic of Belarus for the 9th time. According to experts, this event claims to be the largest forum for the defense industry in Eastern Europe. Within the framework of the exhibition, the military-industrial complex of Belarus presented more than a hundred new products, and the volume of transactions concluded at the exhibition doubled compared to 2017, reaching $ 200 million.
MIC of the Republic of Belarus today
The military-industrial complex of Belarus today is a direct legacy of the Soviet Union. The republic has traditionally been distinguished by a high share of military production in its economy. So on the territory of the Byelorussian SSR were located about 120 organizations and enterprises of the military-industrial complex, including 15 design bureaus and research institutes. Despite a fairly large number of defense enterprises, almost all of them had one feature, because of their border location on the territory of Belarus, they did not deploy large enterprises for the production of basic weapons systems and the main types of final defense products. Almost the only exception to this rule was the Minsk Automobile Plant, which specialized in the production of heavy wheeled tractors for the installation of various types of weapons, primarily missile systems. In general, many defense enterprises of Belarus performed the role of subcontractors and specialized in the production of various subsystems and components.
In fact, this situation persists today. One of the main features of the Belarusian military-industrial complex is the production of specialized wheeled vehicles, which are in demand in the world and are used as chassis for various weapons systems. The Belarusian defense industry is actively engaged in the modernization of old Soviet military equipment, which is still widely used throughout the world. In particular, Belarusian enterprises are engaged in the modernization of Soviet anti-aircraft missile systems, increasing their combat capabilities and giving a second life. The defense industry of the Republic of Belarus, back in the Soviet years, has mastered the production of various optical devices for military purposes, sighting complexes and fire and weapons control systems, electronic equipment and software systems intended for military information systems. This specialization continues to this day. A big plus of the Belarusian military-industrial complex is that after the collapse of the USSR, the country retained all 15 design bureaus and defense research institutes located on its territory.
At the same time, Belarusian military-industrial complex enterprises are gradually bringing new samples to the market. In particular, the country can occupy its own niche in the armored wheeled vehicle market, including MRAP-protected armored vehicles. Certain successes are associated with the "Polonez" MLRS. This joint Belarusian-Chinese development is quite promising and is already in demand in the market of the CIS countries. Unmanned aircraft, including attack drones and loitering ammunition, which were demonstrated at the MILEX-2019 exhibition, may become a new direction of development for the Belarusian military-industrial complex.
Most of the Belarusian arms exports go to Russia. The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation traditionally purchase Belarusian-made wheeled tractors, while Russian defense enterprises purchase a wide range of parts, components and assemblies, which are then installed on Russian equipment. One of the most famous examples is the Sosna-U multi-channel gunner's sight, developed by specialists from the Minsk-based Peleng enterprise. This sight is installed on many samples of Russian armored vehicles.
In addition to Russia, Belarusian military products are widely exported to countries in Africa, Asia and the CIS, especially to those countries where the share of Soviet weapons is high. According to SIRPI, Vietnam, Sudan and Myanmar are major foreign buyers of Belarusian weapons. According to the official statistics of the State Committee for Military Industry, the geography of supplies of Belarusian arms and military equipment has been growing in recent years. In 2016, there were 60 buying countries, in 2017 - 69, and in 2018, 76 countries purchased Belarusian military products. At the same time, supplies often relate to high-tech weapons systems, for example, anti-aircraft missile systems and MLRS systems. In 2018, the export of arms and military equipment from Belarus, according to the State Committee for Military Industry, amounted to 1 billion 49 million US dollars. From 2011 to 2018, this figure has practically doubled, which today allows a small state from Eastern Europe to be in the TOP-20 of world arms exporters.
The military-industrial complex of Belarus connects special hopes with the development of cooperation with the countries of the post-Soviet space. Within the framework of the MILEX-2019 exhibition, plans were announced for large deliveries of military products from Belarus to Kazakhstan, including the creation of joint ventures in Kazakhstan, including those engaged in the development and production of unmanned aircraft. Another major partner of the Republic of Belarus is Azerbaijan, which in 2018 purchased military products from Minsk for the same or even more amount than from Russia. It is Azerbaijan that is the starting customer of the Polonez MLRS; in 2018, these complexes entered service with the Azerbaijani army. The most promising and ambitious programs of the Belarusian military-industrial complex include plans to develop its own missile weapons, we are talking about anti-aircraft and ballistic missiles. As part of these plans, Minsk is actively working to localize the production of rocket engines of various classes.
Wheel component of the Belarusian military-industrial complex
Wheeled vehicles of special purpose are of great importance for the military-industrial complex of Belarus. At the same time, Belarusian enterprises compete in this segment not only with manufacturers from other countries, but also with themselves. One of the ideas of the military-industrial complex and the Belarusian army is the transfer of all Soviet equipment to the wheelbase of Belarusian manufacturers, as well as the development of armored vehicles of different classes and for different purposes. It should be noted that in the niche of wheeled vehicles MZKT competes with MAZ. In particular, within the framework of the MILEX-2019 exhibition, the viewers were shown the options for transferring the Soviet MLRS "Uragan" and the SAM "Osa" to the MAZ-6317 chassis. The choice of MAZ products was associated with almost half the price of the MZKT special equipment comparable in terms of technical characteristics.
In addition to trucks and tractors, Belarus is working on the creation of modern armored wheeled vehicles. At the exhibition in Minsk, spectators and military specialists from other countries were shown three novelties of the military-industrial complex of the Republic of Belarus: a line of lightly armored vehicles ASILAK from BSVT-new technologies, a universal combat platform (UBP) from OKB TSP and a full-fledged armored vehicle of the MRAP class "Defender" developed 140th repair plant from Borisov.
The BSVT - New Technologies company presented six light armored vehicles of the Asilak line at the MILEX-2019 exhibition at once: APC-10, APC-6, ASV, Cargo, AMEV and SHTS. The cars are characterized by a modular design, which makes it easy to create cars of the required configuration for a specific customer. Common to all armored vehicles of the line is a powerful diesel engine (200 hp), transmission, frame, power front bumper and mine protection. It should be noted that this is an armored car built on the GAZ chassis. Perhaps it is a Belarusian adaptation of the Russian Buran armored car, which was first demonstrated back in 2017. The curb weight of the armored car varies from 5, 6 to 8, 5 tons, depending on the modification (cargo, landing, medical, control car, etc.).
Protective multipurpose vehicle "Defender" is a classic MRAP, the novelty is most similar to the Russian armored vehicles "Typhoon-U" bonnet configuration. According to the 140th repair plant, the "Defender" can be used to transport personnel, including special forces, and as a platform for creating vehicles for various purposes (reconnaissance armored vehicle, command post vehicle, communications vehicle, etc.). The total mass of the armored car is 19.8 tons. Capacity - 14 people, two sit in the cockpit, another 12 are placed in the troop compartment-module, landing face to face. You can leave the armored car through the rear ramp door, as well as four side doors and three hatches located in the roof of the hull. The design of the paratroopers' seats and the V-shape of the bottom prove to us that we really have MRAP in front of us, but the manufacturer does not provide any technical characteristics for mine protection.
The third novelty is a universal combat platform from NP OOO OKB TSP. The armored car was originally created as a platform for the installation of modules for various purposes and their use in combat conditions. The sample shown at the exhibition was equipped with a transport module, which can comfortably accommodate 9 soldiers with weapons. It is also possible to install a module with a set of weapons from large-caliber machine guns to anti-tank guided missiles, a command and staff module and a sanitary module. In the sanitary version, the armored car can be used to evacuate the wounded from the battlefield, as well as to provide them with first aid. The crew and troops are protected from being hit by 7, 62-mm armor-piercing bullets of the SVD rifle and mine fragments by 16-mm steel armor.
MLRS "Polonaise" and an operational-tactical missile for it
As in 2017, the great interest of the visitors of the exhibition was riveted on the "Polonez" MLRS on the MZKT-7930 chassis and a new rocket for this installation. Next to the combat vehicle, a mock-up of a new operational-tactical missile was demonstrated, which outwardly repeated the model demonstrated in Minsk two years earlier, as well as a transport and launch container for the new missile. At present, the Belarusian military-industrial complex is working on the creation of its own operational-tactical missile with a flight range of about 300 km; in this form, the missile is planned to be exported. Most likely, the starting point in the process of creating a new Belarusian missile is the Chinese M20 missile, which experts called a competitor to the Russian Iskander. It is reported that the Precision Electromechanics Plant is ready to develop a missile with a firing range of up to 500 km for the Belarusian army. According to the developers' assurances, the new missile is equipped with a 370 kg warhead and an integrated guidance system that provides a circular probable deviation of 7 meters at the maximum flight range, for comparison, for conventional Polonaise missiles, the KVO is 30 meters.
According to Belarusian experts, the operational-tactical missile under development uses foreign-made units and assemblies, but the engine is entirely Belarusian development, created by the engineers of the Precision Electromechanics Plant. So far, the rocket shown at the exhibitions is classified as a concept. Full development with production in metal will only be possible if there is interest from customers. At the same time, the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Belarus is still betting on the modernization of the already produced MLRS "Polonez" to the version "Polonez-M", which are also able to use ammunition with a maximum flight range of up to 300 km. It is known that the first tests of missiles with a similar flight range took place in Belarus back in 2017.
Belarusian air defense systems
One of the main exhibits of the MILEX-2019 exhibition was a version of the Belarusian Buk-MB3K anti-aircraft missile system. This medium-range anti-aircraft missile system is an example of a successful modernization of existing weapons systems common to the armed forces of Russia and Belarus. The Belarusian version of the modernization of the complex involves not only the transfer to the MZKT-692250 wheeled chassis, but also, which is much more valuable, the use of the new 9M318 anti-aircraft guided missile. An important feature is the fact that all the equipment of the complex was transferred to a new element base with the widespread use of modern digital technologies. The Belarusian military-industrial complex has never had any particular problems in this matter.
For the Buk-MB3K air defense system, the designers from the TSP Design Bureau also created a completely new radar with a phased antenna array, which significantly increased the reconnaissance capabilities of this air defense complex. The complex is equipped with a thermal imager, a new laser rangefinder, and an optical guidance channel, which are part of a new optoelectronic system for detecting and tracking air targets. The manufacturer emphasizes that the air defense system presented in Minsk is a completely Belarusian development.
It is worth noting that the capabilities of the well-known Buk have really grown significantly. The Belarusian modernization of the complex is able to detect targets such as the front-line fighter MiG-29 at a distance of up to 130 km (when using a thermal imaging-optical system - 40 km). SAM Buk-MB3K is able to fire simultaneously 6 air targets at a distance of up to 70 km. Self-propelled firing unit, made on the MZKT-692250 chassis, carries 4 missiles 9M318 missiles.
The 9M318 anti-aircraft guided missile is capable of hitting air targets flying at speeds up to 1350 m / s at a distance of 3 to 70 km from the installation and at an altitude of 15 meters to 25 kilometers. As noted by Belarusian journalists, the missiles use imported hardware components, Chinese rocket fuel and a Belarusian rocket engine. Practical launches of a new rocket have not yet been carried out, this is the next stage. Russian military experts believe that the missile is an upgrade or adaptation of the Russian 9M317, but with an active radar homing head. One way or another, the Belarusian military is interested in the missile, since earlier the president of the country, Alexander Lukashenko, set the task of developing a Belarusian air defense system “no worse than the S-300”. The goal is ambitious, but it allows Belarusian manufacturers to hope that the Buk-MB3K complex will have a customer at least in the person of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Belarus.
New Belarusian drones
In Minsk, the general public was shown concepts and reconnaissance drones, as well as vehicles adapted for the use of a combat load. So, at the MILEX-2019 exhibition, the 583rd aircraft repair plant presented a concept project of the Sarych loitering ammunition with a warhead mass of 3 kg, the drone can stay in the air for up to 30 minutes, and its flight speed is at least 90 km / h. Precision Electromechanics Plant presented the Rook multicopter capable of lifting up to 3.6 kg of payload and flying at speeds up to 65 km / h, maximum flight range - 18 km. The Display Design Bureau demonstrated a simple model of a multicopter with the ability to hang 1-2 RPG-26s, the flight time of these drones is limited to 25 minutes, and the control range does not exceed two kilometers. In addition, the Scientific and Production Center of Multifunctional Unmanned Systems of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus demonstrated its models of unmanned vehicles (models Busel, Yastreb and Burevestnik-MB were presented).
So far, these are rather crude samples with low flight performance that do not meet the ambitious tasks set for the Belarusian military-industrial complex, one of the goals of which is the development of a domestic strike UAV with a complex of weapons. According to Belarusian experts, the drones presented at the exhibition do not meet the requirements of the armed forces, which expect to receive at their disposal a UAV capable of hitting enemy targets with precision weapons without entering the zone of action of its military air defense (that is, at a distance of at least 20 kilometers). A way out of the situation in the short term can be either the import of finished products to Belarus, or the assembly on the territory of the republic of foreign-made shock UAVs, for example, Chinese equipment, since Minsk has very good military-technical cooperation with Beijing.
