Interfax-AVN (Military News Agency) reported that due to delays in the Almaz Antey aerospace defense concern, the delivery dates for the frigates Admiral of the Soviet Union Fleet Gorshkov and Admiral Makarov.
The Ministry of Defense, represented by Deputy Defense Minister General of the Army Yuri Ivanovich Borisov, confirmed this sad fact.
“Due to the untimely performance of the research and development work on the Redut and Calm elements by the Almaz Antey concern, the delivery dates for the ships of projects 22350“Admiral Gorshkov”and 11356“Admiral Makarov”are in jeopardy.
This statement was made by Borisov at the events of the Single Day for the Acceptance of Military Equipment, which took place on March 24 this year.
What caused this very unpleasant fact?
According to Yuri Ivanovich, "the main reasons for the late delivery were the low level of organization of their own work, delays in the supply of components, insufficient production capacity and a lack of qualified personnel."
Just yesterday we talked about the problems in the field of space technology. And now the Navy is being added to space? It really makes you think about many things at the same time.
Let's just try to get started with all the points of the Deputy Minister's statement.
Low level of organization of their own work.
Serious accusation against the management. Moreover, if the unavailability of the air defense system is the most significant reason for the entry of the ship into service. It is worth recalling that the President of Russia last year announced the dates for the delivery of the ships. November 2016. However, the cart, that is, the frigates, is still there … in the shipyards.
It is worth looking back before smoothly moving on to the guide. Into history. This is useful at times.
The Polyment-Redut anti-aircraft missile system has been developed since 1991 by the Altair Marine Research Institute of Radio Electronics. Yes, it was by this enterprise, and not by Almaz, as many media outlets write.
Altair was created back in 1933 and in fact was the only and unique research institute that worked exclusively for the needs of the Navy. It was within the walls of MNIIRE "Altair" that such famous products as "Wave", "Mosquito", "Calm", "Fort", "Blade" and less famous, but no less significant, were born. Two Orders of Lenin on the banner of the institute are the best evidence of this.
In our time, Altair was the leading domestic developer of medium and long-range air defense systems. Was.
On December 22, 2010, as a result of the merger of OJSC MNIRE Altair, OJSC NIEMI, OJSC MNIIPA and OJSC NIIRP, an interspecific head developer of air defense systems GSKB Almaz-Antey was created.
Let's go back to Polyment-Redoubt.
Since it is not worth telling how it was with funding in the 90s, or rather, how it was not, it is clear that the development was carried out at the expense of the enterprise's initiative. Hence, as it were, the long development time.
But other times have come, and, as sources say, since 2006 normal financing from the state began, and "the process has begun." In the second half of 2010, bench tests began with the planned installation date on the ship in November 2011.
And then 2010 broke out, at the end of which Altair was included in the Head Specialized Design Bureau (GSKB) of the Almaz-Antey Air Defense Concern (now PJSC NPO Almaz).
Many experts not even from among the "liberal" confidently believed that it was just a raider seizure of a strategic research institute.
What happened next was discussed on almost all Russian military websites, including ours.
And a modern classic scenario from "effective managers". Deprivation of funding, withdrawal of funds from accounts ("we will buy everything for you and bring it to your doorstep"), mass layoffs and layoffs.
Who took off in the first place? Naturally, the "old guard". Director, Deputy for Research - Chief Designer, Deputy for Production, Deputy for Operations and Security, Deputy for Finance, Accounts Department in its entirety from chief accountant to cashier.
Naturally, a "young effective" team of friends and confidants of the director of the new education Neskorodov immediately came to the vacated places.
Yes, yes, the very one who was recently thrown out with a "wolf ticket" under the article "loss of confidence."
But his "effective team" did their rotten business. She removed "non-core production assets", virtually liquidated production, and replaced middle managers.
Instead of the production shop that had existed for decades, a subsidiary company, OJSC "Pilot Production", was hastily welded together, with which they began to work under contracts.
And most importantly, the new team for some reason decided to completely abandon developments for the Navy, preferring them to work in the land direction.
As I understood, after pretty much digging through the articles on this topic, if no one bothered himself with Polyment-Redoubt, and the work was actually curtailed.
Nevertheless, "Admiral Gorshkov" from the same 2010 has already been launched and, at the very least, was being built. And "Admiral Makarov" too. And by November 2016, according to Putin's instructions, the ships were to be operational.
Apparently, at the shipyards, the closer to the control date, the more “they showed concern”. But the "defective" from "Almaz Antey" was not up to some kind of naval air defense systems, it had already become "not their subject."
But realizing that the kick from the customer (read - Putin) would follow, I had to strain myself and the air defense system for the frigates somehow finished up and sent to the ships. But for some reason they did not work as it should.
The result is sad: Neskorodov was thrown out, "Polyment-Redut" does not work, frigates have not been commissioned. But it's not November 2016, it's like April 2017 is on the way …
And, what is most unpleasant, there is virtually no one to bring the air defense system on frigates. "Defective managers" of Neskorodov successfully dealt with those cadres who could have done something. This year will be 7 years since the "Altair" ceased to exist. Who will establish the air defense system, who will modernize them - the question …
Led, in short.
What's most troubling is that everything is done like a blueprint. The scenario is the same for Moscow, Voronezh and Omsk.
Recently, I was sorting through the bones of what is happening today at KBKhA, one of the pillars of space engineering. And here is an absolutely similar case.
Everything is the same: the arrival of a new leadership, who is unambiguously aware of production issues, is less than a locksmith from this production, but - "effective".
How does Neskorodov differ from Kamyshev (KBKhA)? Yes, nothing.
Kamyshev, an awesome specialist in the production of space engines, spent his entire career going through banks and structures of dubious properties (the biography says “and others”), and headed Rostelecom.
Neskorodov graduated from the Moscow Physicotechnical Institute in 1990 with a degree in engineer-physicist, for three years he worked as an engineer at the Central Institute of Aviation Motors. P. I. Baranov, then moved to Tveruniversalbank, and from there to Almaz Antey.
"Effective" twins, don't you think? We find. And the worst thing about this is that those who promote these miscarriages of the banking sector to such responsible posts find themselves.
Neskorodov was removed from office by the board of directors of the enterprise "for systematic failure to fulfill the instructions of the management of the concern, omission in work and loss of confidence."
Now let's think about how this will help the frigates? Yes, nothing.
Our fleet does not intend to abandon the Poliment-Redut air defense system, not because, by the way, there are no other options, but because the idea and implementation were from knowledgeable and understanding people. "Polyment-Redut" - the system is excellent, so that they do not write there, especially "based on test results."
The tests were carried out by interested people, but who prepared the air defense system for them and how competent these workers were is still a question. Personally, I strongly doubt these specialists. Most likely, those who, for some reason, remained in the state and were at least a little, but in the know, were sent "to waste".
After all, specialists in offshore development have long ceased to be needed at Almaz Antey; back in 2014, Neskorodov said that “the development of land-based air defense systems will become the main focus of the concern”.
There is, of course, an effective sense in this. It is much easier to sell in bundles for full-weight S-300 and S-400 dollars to everyone, than to bother with frigates of some sort …
I do not envy the new general director of Almaz, Gennady Bendersky. The man did not just fall into the fire, but in full. I am glad, however, that before Almaz Antey, Bendersky was not in a bank, but was in charge of the Lianozovo Electromechanical Plant (LEMZ). I didn’t use loans, but an enterprise that produces, among other things, a radar station. Not air defense systems, but nearby.
And Gennady Ivanovich began his career in 1982, guess where? Not at the bank? You guessed it! At the same LEMZ, as a process engineer. And so he worked at this enterprise, until, obviously, he was not pressed. Unchanged until the appointment at Almaz Antey. Not an "effective manager", an engineer.
A good appointment, no doubt about it. But will it bear fruit, given that the delivery date of the ships has been postponed only to July of this year, and it will be necessary to act in conditions of more than just time pressure?
Still, as it was stated at the official level, it rests on the lack of qualified personnel, squandered and fired by the previous director. And Altair's own “personnel forge” was also destroyed.
It remains only to wish Gennady Ivanovich success in solving this most difficult task, health and strong nerves. And curse the "defective managers" of Neskorodov's team.
The situation is possibly fixable. You can, if desired, restore the "Altai" frames bit by bit. Even necessary. But here is a question for the top leadership of our military-industrial complex and specifically for the curator Mr. Rogozin.
After all, in fact, it is they who are responsible for failures in the implementation of the state defense order. And for the appointment of "effective managers" in the management of key enterprises in the military-industrial complex.
And forgive me, but loud statements and dismissal of the guilty will not dramatically improve the situation. Yes, the situation will not get worse from this, of course, this is a plus. But if we want to see a real revival of our military-industrial complex, then competent specialists, engineers, and not former bank employees must be in key positions.
One gets the impression that Mr. Deputy Prime Minister Rogozin simply does not understand this. And we need to act today to please tomorrow more effectively, if, of course, we all want it tomorrow.
