Today, the supply of new weapons systems and military equipment to the troops is a controversial and controversial issue, when the Ministry of Defense declares that there are no problems and all work is proceeding according to previously agreed plans and programs, somewhat different information comes from the troops themselves. Lieutenant General Vladimir Shamanov, commander of the Airborne Forces, made a number of important reports on the prospects for further development, as well as the technical re-equipment of the "winged infantry" headed by him. From the information sounded, it can be concluded that with the supply of new modern technology, things are not at all as good as reported by representatives of the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Several weeks ago V. Shamanov said that he was afraid of a possible failure by Kurganmashzavod of the state defense order for 2011. We are talking about 10 BMD-4M and 10 improved, developed on the basis of the BMD-4M. Their release was also in jeopardy. According to the commander of the Airborne Forces, the company avoids providing any guarantees that it will manufacture the ordered armored vehicles. Moreover, the main reason for the failure, as in many other cases, is the lack of funding for the project. Meanwhile, Vladimir Shamanov noted: “Today there are no guarantees that if all the money is transferred, then our important order will be fulfilled. We plan that the family of new armored vehicles in service with the Airborne Forces will include the BMD-4M, the Shell armored personnel carrier, and the improved Sprut self-propelled airborne artillery gun. But now these plans may not be realized."
He noted that the BMD-4M was created by Kurganmashzavod in close cooperation with the 3rd Central Research Institute of the Ministry of Defense of Russia. Nevertheless, the commander of the Airborne Forces drew attention to the fact that at the moment the timing of deliveries to the military units of the BMD-4M is not known. “At the moment, the products that are offered to us have not passed the full cycle of checks in accordance with the requirements that were previously approved by the General Staff,” V. Shamanov said. The commander also said that in the coming days, a check would be carried out to check for "armor penetration" and "detonation" of the factory model BMD-4M.
BMD-4M is a caterpillar-mounted airborne combat amphibious vehicle, which can be parachuted and landed at a specified point, both with and without personnel inside. Provides the conduct of maneuverable defensive and offensive actions in an autonomous mode and in interaction with other types of weapons.
In the bow of the combat vehicle there is a compartment for the driver-mechanic, then there is a tower with seats for the commander and gunner and built-in main armament. A compartment for three paratroopers is located behind the turret; a stern hatch is intended for dismounting them. The engine compartment is located in the stern. The combat vehicle is equipped with a six-cylinder, four-stroke diesel engine with built-in gas turbine supercharging 2В06-2, which makes it possible to achieve a power of 450 hp. Hydromechanical transmission. For movement on the water surface with a roughness indicator of up to 3 points, the BMD-4M is equipped with two special hydro-jet water-jet propellers.
BMD-4M weighing 13.6 tons, with a cruising range of up to 500 kilometers and fuel of 450 liters, can move along an equipped road (water) at a speed of up to 70 (10) km / h.
The armament of the BMD-4M consists of a 100-mm 2A70 gun, a single block of a 30-mm 2A42 automatic cannon and a 7.62-mm PKTM machine gun paired with it. The ammunition load of the BMD-4M includes: 4 pcs. - guided missiles of the "Arkan" type ("Competition"), 34 pcs. - 100-mm charges, 350 ammunition - 30 mm, 2000 rounds - 7, 62-mm, 6 pcs. - 81 mm smoke grenades ZD6 (ZD6M).
The BMD-4M, according to experts, has no analogues abroad, and the new fighting compartment, in comparison with the BMD-3, is at least 2.5 times, and for some individual characteristics is an order of magnitude higher in firepower and allows paratrooper units to solve tasks without fire support of tanks and artillery, not only in the offensive, but also during defensive operations.
The paratroopers are waiting for the arrival of the new ACU 2C25 "Sprut". In the early 90s of the last century, specialists of Volgograd Tractor Plant JSC, taking as a basis the extended base of the BMD-3 combat vehicle, created a new 2S25 anti-tank self-propelled gun. The artillery unit for the CAU 2C25 was developed by the specialists of the Yekaterinburg Artillery Plant No. 9. Although initially the specified self-propelled gun was intended purely for the airborne troops, now it is successfully used by the Marine Corps in order to provide fire and anti-tank support during special amphibious operations. In the bow of the hull of the combat vehicle there is a compartment for the driver-mechanic, behind it is the fighting compartment with a turret, the engine compartment is located in the stern. The commander's combined sight is stabilized in two different planes and is combined with a built-in laser sight for precise targeting of 125-mm projectiles using a laser beam.
Like other lightly armored combat vehicles, the SPRUT 2S25 self-propelled gun is floating and has two built-in water jet propellers for movement on the water surface, which allow a maximum speed of 10 km / h. The vehicle has good seaworthiness, which allows the crew to fire in waves of 3 points.
On the Day of the Airborne Forces, a very interesting message appeared. Deputy Director of the Research Institute of Parachute Engineering Yu. Nazarenko announced the conduct of field tests of a new parachute, named "Listik", the development of which was ordered by the defense department to provide airborne troops. It is noteworthy that the research institute is developing a new parachute purely at its own expense, since the financing of the program was completely stopped by the Russian Ministry of Defense. According to Yuri Nazarenko, the disruption of funding is primarily due to the desire of the Russian military to purchase foreign-made parachute systems. “Our parachutes have been created for our aircraft, there is a certain relationship. Any foreign landing parachute will not be suitable for use on our aircraft. Proceeding from this, if we buy foreign parachutes, it will be necessary to buy foreign aircraft as well,”noted Y. Nazarenko.
Field trials of the Listik are already in full swing. “In 2010, we conducted various tests with dummies, and this summer, tests are carried out with the involvement of real parachutists,” Nazarenko said. Yu. Nazarenko did not disclose details about the design of the Listik parachute canopy and the materials used in it. The new parachute system consists of a backpack with main and reserve parachutes and a chest container for ammunition and other equipment. "Leaf" is designed for weight up to 165 kg. and allows directional descent upwind and upwind, to perform turns during the descent.
In mid-July of this year, at a meeting dedicated to the implementation of the state defense order for 2011, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said that the Russian Ministry of Defense should buy military equipment and weapons abroad if domestic manufacturers do not have the opportunity to offer cheap and at the same time quality alternative.“You can't buy junk today,” the president said. Apparently, the Russian military department regarded this statement as a call to active action.
It is difficult to judge how domestic parachute systems are "junk". Meanwhile, in 2009 it became known that the Russian Ministry of Defense had purchased an impressive batch of parachutes unsuitable for combat operation. The total purchase price was 280 million rubles. According to Sergei Fridinsky, the chief military prosecutor, the money was received by a Moscow enterprise that manufactured parachutes using old parts. As a result of the check carried out by prosecutorial investigators, it turned out that such parachutes pose a danger to life.
Interestingly, the paratroopers themselves were surprised to learn the results of the prosecutor's investigation. So, Major General V. Borisov, Deputy. commander of the Airborne Forces for airborne practical training, said that the paratroopers subordinate to him never had any complaints about the quality of the purchased domestic parachutes. According to him, the investigation did conduct a thorough check, “but there were no specialists. An employee of the prosecutor's office came and only on the basis of a cursory visual inspection of three of the 44 systems presented wrote that they were made from old parts. Borisov also added that later the paratroopers carried out an independent check of the available parachutes and were satisfied with their quality.
Now it is almost impossible to say with utmost precision who is right and who is not, but there is one fact that is quite difficult to dispute. While there is an internal struggle for which weapon is better - domestic or foreign, the Airborne Forces are left without new weapons systems, such as BMD-4M, ACS 2S25 and the Listik parachute. The loud call to the paratroopers, proclaimed on the day of the Airborne Forces by President Dmitry Medvedev, began to look ambiguous: "Actively master modern, high-tech weapons and equipment." When these weapons will appear in the army, the president did not specify.
