In early September, the Russia Arms Expo (RAE) International Exhibition of Arms, Military Equipment and Ammunition was held for the 10th time at the training ground in the vicinity of Nizhny Tagil. According to the results of the event, the participants of the event recognized that it is one of the five best world arms exhibitions. 400 exhibitors displayed their achievements in pavilions on an area of 2,970 sq. m, and another 9478 sq. m was occupied by an exposition in an open space.
BY RIGHT IN THE WORLD LEADERS
At a press conference devoted to summing up the results of RAE-2015, the representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Yekaterinburg Alexander Kharlamov, Deputy Minister of Industry and Science of the Sverdlovsk Region Igor Zelenkin, State Secretary - Deputy General Director of Uralvagonzavod Corporation Alexey Zharich answered the journalists' questions. The organizers noted that an unprecedented number of foreign delegations took part in the exhibition - 65. Among the guests were 13 defense ministers, chiefs of general staffs and commanders of ground forces. 800 journalists were accredited to cover RAE-2015, including 100 foreign ones.
“RAE-2015 was held at the highest level and once again confirmed that it is included in the TOP of the largest land salons in the world,” stressed Alexey Zharich. “I would especially like to thank the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, as well as the administration of the Sverdlovsk Region and Nizhny Tagil for the help in organizing the organization.”
Alexander Kharlamov noted the positive dynamics of visits by foreign delegations to the Nizhny Tagil exhibition. She worked almost around the clock, many delegations studied weapons at night, as "aimed at the practical results of their work, and this is one of the features of the exhibition." He also confirmed that the central office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs made a decision to create a temporary consular post at Koltsovo airport, which is aimed at ensuring the normal passage of the border and visiting the Ural Federal District (Ural Federal District) by foreign citizens participating in the next exhibition, which will be held in 2017.
HIGH GUESTS, SATURATED DISCUSSIONS
The main component of RAE-2015 was a rich business program dedicated to key issues in the development of the military-industrial complex, the situation on the arms market, import substitution, the development of new types of weapons and many others. Particular attention was paid to the role of the military-industrial complex in the new paradigm of sanctions measures. Over the two days of the business program, RAE hosted 19 event formats, including round tables, seminars, discussions and plenary sessions.
“The events that were held at the exhibition - the military-industrial conference, the meeting of the interdepartmental commission of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the round table, which was attended by the heads of the State Duma and the Federation Council committees on defense and security, are important for all enterprises of the defense industry, - noted Igor Zelenkin. "This is a platform from which it was possible to convey the problems existing at the enterprises, and we understand that these problems were heard."
According to the chairman of the State Duma Committee on Security and Anti-Corruption Irina Yarovaya, “achievements in the defense industry allow us now to abstract ourselves from external aggression and build a successful development strategy in difficult conditions. Economy is an important characteristic of a high-quality defense industry complex. I will note that the only correct decision was made - an investment of 23 trillion rubles. in the development of the defense industry of Russia. Therefore, now the high-quality Russian military-industrial complex is in the position of the global security of Russia."
As part of the RAE-2015 business program, the II Military-Industrial Conference was held on the topic "New law on state defense orders: interdepartmental control system, targeted use of funds and banking support." As noted at the forum, on behalf of President Vladimir Putin, all measures are being taken to form a sales market for domestic products. “By the presidential decree, we have taken a course towards gradual import substitution. As you know, its main goal is the creation of constructional domestic products on a modern technological base. The main work is planned to be completed by 2018,”said Dmitry Rogozin, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, at the opening of the military-industrial conference.
For the second time, within the framework of the RAE, a meeting of the Interstate Commission on Military-Economic Cooperation within the framework of the (ICFEC) CSTO was held. It was attended by representatives of Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan. For the first time, the CSTO ICFEC meeting was held under the leadership of Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin. “At the meeting, we made a decision on an interstate economic mission. We also examined a whole set of documents related to military-economic cooperation between our countries. Our organization is now reformatted. Its members in their countries are responsible for the military-industrial complex. This will allow you to quickly resolve all issues. The work that was carried out by the commission at RAE-2015 will give a very serious impetus to the creation of further working groups,”said Nikolai Bordyuzha, CSTO Secretary General.
On September 10 the exhibition was visited by the first persons of Russia. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in the company of Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, Plenipotentiary Representative of the President in the Urals Federal District Igor Kholmanskikh and Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation Denis Manturov examined military products of Russian and foreign manufacturers. The head of the Russian government also met with designers and developers of weapons and military equipment.
Having got acquainted with the promising developments presented at RAE-2015, Dmitry Medvedev highly appreciated the potential of the X International Exhibition of Arms and Military Equipment. “Such exhibitions are the largest and most successful platforms for demonstrating the latest achievements of modern Russian weapons, and are of great interest,” the Prime Minister noted. - This year the exhibition has already broken the record for the number of participants. Delegations from more than 60 countries of the world are present here, which is almost a third of the number of states on our planet. More than 160 of our largest companies, international companies from a number of countries, such as Turkey, Republic of Korea, France, Jordan, United Arab Emirates and others are represented. Such a representative corps of foreign companies cannot but rejoice, this is an indicator of the interest shown both in our exhibition and in our samples of weapons. I would like to highlight a number of technological sites. I am confident that their participation in the work of the Russian defense-industrial complex will strengthen its scientific and informational component."
The prime minister noted the uniqueness of the test site, which allows demonstrating the firing and operational quality of military equipment. According to him, the multi-format nature of the exhibition, which "combines a business and information program, provides professionals with access to everything that our country can offer to ensure the defense capability of its borders and, of course, partner countries." Dmitry Medvedev thanked the organizers of the exhibition, the residents of Nizhny Tagil and everyone involved in this event for the warm welcome.
The running capabilities of the tanks produced at UVZ continue to delight everyone who sees this technique in action.
EXHIBITION AS A UNIQUE SHOW
During a visit to the exposition, the general director of this structure, Oleg Sienko, told Dmitry Medvedev about the prospects for the products of JSC Scientific and Production Corporation Uralvagonzavod. The prime minister saw the upgraded BTR-80, the Terminator and Terminator 2 tank support combat vehicles (BMPT), the Msta-S self-propelled artillery unit (ACS) and other products. The prime minister paid special attention to the latest developments of Uralvagonzavod: two armored vehicles on the Armata platform T-14 and T-15, as well as a self-propelled artillery installation "Coalition-SV". During the demonstration, Dmitry Medvedev was able to evaluate the technique in action.
The show was divided into two parts: a combat one, in which units, including aviation, performed the task of conditionally destroying a terrorist group, and a mobile one, during which the qualities of individual units were demonstrated. "For 45 minutes, an imitation of a real combat operation takes place at the training ground: first, equipment designed to defend the borders demonstrates its capabilities, and then counter-countermeasures are deployed to drive out the enemy," said Aleksey Zharich, deputy general director of Uralvagonzavod.
The polygon in Nizhny Tagil compares favorably with similar sites in that it is perfectly visible from one point. The relief of the area allows you to see everything that happens in the smallest detail, even with the naked eye. Despite the fact that the targets at which the fire was fired were at a very significant distance from the audience, there was no feeling that the fire was being fired somewhere invisible.
In addition, the demo program could be seen online. “For the broadcast of the show, there were agreements with the Mail.ru company and the Odnoklassniki social network. The broadcast was also conducted on the Russia Today TC platform. The events of RAE-2015 could be watched simultaneously by 40-50 million viewers,”said Anatoly Kitsura, CEO of Business Dialogue LLC.
In the demonstration program, more than 9 thousand ammunition was used, more than 500 targets were destroyed. Every day 500 people and 62 samples of ground and air equipment were involved in the show.
In the second part of the program, I was impressed by the technique itself and the virtuoso management of it. Experienced drivers forced their cars to overcome obstacles with amazing accuracy and ease, and the driver-mechanic of the T-90S tank, perhaps, would have been the envy of rally athletes.
It should be noted that the actions at the training ground were preceded by the broadcast of a game video clip with the participation of Russian actors. And in early November, Uralvagonzavod plans to hold a private screening of the Mayhem film with elements of the RAE-2015 demonstration in one of the central Moscow cinemas.
The latest version of the tank support combat vehicle
THE FUTURE OF RUSSIAN ARMOR
As for the exposition of Uralvagonzavod, the greatest interest from the Russian visitors was aroused by the armored vehicles of the new generation. These are the T-14 main battle tank (which is also called the Armata), the T-15 heavy infantry fighting vehicle (BMP) and the Coalition-SV self-propelled gun, made on the Armata heavy tracked platform. The latter is still using the chassis of the main T-90A tank to move, but later it will most likely be transferred to the same "Armata".
In fact, the presentation of this technique took place at the May 9 parade in Moscow, but then it could only be seen at a great distance. Only now she was shown up close to everyone. However, it is not yet in action - during the entire exhibition, military equipment stood at the site of "Uralvagonzavod". The Ministry of Defense decided that the time had not yet come to demonstrate the fighting qualities of the latest developments.
In the T-14 tank, several advanced ideas of domestic military-industrial thought are implemented at once. One of them is a separate line-up: the crew of the combat vehicle is located in an isolated armored capsule, the presence of people in the fighting compartment is not provided. The control of the tank is fully automated and carried out remotely: to select the direction of movement and track targets, video cameras are used that provide a high-resolution picture to monitors located in the armored capsule. This makes the control of the T-14 something like a computer game. The tank's gun is a 125-millimeter smooth-bore cannon with a rate of fire of 10-12 rounds per minute, capable of hitting a target at a distance of 7 km. To this can be added the most powerful engine among all Russian tank analogues and new armor protection systems.
The BMP T-15 will give the Russian ground forces a completely new quality. It is no secret that light armored vehicles used in the troops for transporting infantry are very vulnerable on the battlefield and do not protect personnel reliably enough. The T-15 combines powerful armor and the most modern active protection systems, which will significantly reduce combat losses. As in other newest developments of "Uralvagonzavod", the combat compartment of the T-15 is uninhabited. The BMP is armed with a 30-mm automatic cannon, a 7, 62-mm machine gun and two twin launchers of the Kornet anti-tank missile system.
The development of the self-propelled artillery system "Coalition-SV" has put Russian self-propelled artillery at a level unattainable for world competitors - in terms of its tactical and technical characteristics, it has no analogues in the world among existing and promising combat vehicles. Of the trinity of Uralvagonzavod's latest developments that attracted the most attention at the exhibition, the T-14, T-15, the "Coalition-SV" itself and the self-propelled guns are the most striking in their size. However, in terms of weight and dimensions, it compares favorably with world analogues.
The 48-ton self-propelled gun is equipped with a 152-mm howitzer (barrel length is almost eight meters), the special design of the loading mechanisms of which allows for a record rate of fire - 16 rounds per minute at a distance of up to 70 km. The process of loading ammunition is automated, thanks to which the self-propelled guns are able to enter a combat position in the shortest possible time. The combat kit "Coalition-SV" includes shells of various types, including those with the correction of the flight trajectory through GLONASS. The crew is located in the front of the hull in an armored capsule, control of the fighting compartment is automated. A turret is installed on the self-propelled turret, the tasks of which include target detection using a laser rangefinder. And to destroy the enemy's manpower, a 12, 7-mm machine gun is located on the turret, the ammunition of which includes 200 rounds.
NOT "ARMATA" ONE
The novelties presented by Uralvagonzavod at RAE-2015 are not limited to this. Thus, the deeply modernized BTR-80 aroused considerable interest of visitors. The combat vehicle has additional armor, which increases its protection against anti-tank and small arms. For example, to combat cumulative grenades, lattice screens were placed along the perimeter of the armored personnel carrier's body. In addition, a new combat module with a large-caliber machine gun, controlled remotely, was installed on the BTR-80. At the same time, the new module can be mounted on the armored personnel carrier body without additional alterations. The peculiarity of the modernization is that it can be carried out in relation to the combat vehicles of the previous series. Considering how many of them are in service with many countries of the world, the development has a great export potential.
The hit of the previous RAE exhibition, which took place two years ago, was the modernized T-90S tank (an export version of the T-90 tank). Now he did not participate in demonstration performances, but was installed in the pavilion. However, interest in it remains at an extremely high level.
Another novelty of UVZ, presented to the public, is the DT-3PM armored transporter. Its purpose is to transport personnel and military equipment. It can be carried out on a new development in any road and climatic conditions, in particular, at low temperatures, the absence of exploration and preliminary equipment of routes. It is planned that the vehicle will be used in the Arctic zone, and not only in the Armed Forces - it can be used to transport goods intended for deposits, as well as to supply polar settlements. This machine will certainly become a significant help in the implementation of Russia's course towards active development of the Arctic.
The transporter is made according to a two-link scheme and is a tractor with a diesel engine with a capacity of 240 horsepower and a towed section of the cargo compartment. The first link has five seats, the second - 12. The all-terrain vehicle can reach speeds of up to 50 km per hour on land and up to 6 km per hour on water.
An unusual development of Uralvagonzavod is a special fire engine. It was based on the T-72 tank. This obsolete model is now being phased out. So that the equipment does not go to waste, the tower is removed from it, and on the basis of the chassis they create a unique vehicle designed to extinguish a fire and conduct rescue operations. The original vehicle can be used at arsenals and storage bases for missile and artillery weapons.
VISUAL HISTORY OF TANK BUILDING
Uralvagonzavod presented at the exhibition not only the latest developments in the field of armored vehicles, but also rich material related to the history of the industry. In particular, from the very beginning of the RAE's work, the "Heroes of Tankprom" exposition was opened. The guests of honor were Alexey Nosov, General Director of Uraltransmash, Vladimir Vlasov, First Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Sverdlovsk Region, and Lyubov Ryzhkova, First Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Archives of the Chelyabinsk Region.
The exhibition demonstrates models of tanks and self-propelled artillery installations, which made the glory of domestic armored vehicles. Among the exhibits are such classics as self-propelled guns SU-100, SU-85M, ISU-122, tanks T-34-85, KV-85, IS-3, used during the Great Patriotic War.
In addition, the exhibition features about 100 photographs and personal belongings of Soviet designers and workers of tank-building enterprises. Many documents have been classified for a long time, and it became possible to get acquainted with them only at the beginning of this century. Among them, for example, is the decree of the Chelyabinsk Regional Committee during the Great Patriotic War on the compulsory sending of students in grades 8-9 to a tank plant.
The exhibits were selected at the Uralvagonzavod exhibition complex, the museums of the corporation's enterprises - ChTZ-Uraltrak, Uraltransmash, Uralmash, Omsktransmash and Plant No. 9, as well as the Russian State Archive of Economics and the United Archive Chelyabinsk region. The exhibition will expand, and by the end of the decade it is planned to create a museum of Russian tank building on its basis.
Another significant cultural event was the presentation of the book "Sverdlovsk Dryers", dedicated to the history of self-propelled guns produced in the Urals during the Great Patriotic War - the distant predecessors of modern models demonstrated at RAE-2015. The authors of the work are the historian of the domestic tank industry, scientific editor of Uralvagonzavod Sergey Ustyantsev and the head of the department of the special design bureau (SKB) Transmash-special equipment of JSC Uraltransmash Alexey Bobkov. In addition to them, Alexey Nosov, General Director of Uraltransmash JSC, and Valery Kukis, Chief Designer of SKB Transmash-special equipment, took part in the presentation.
The book, which became the first work in the series "Fighting Vehicles of Uraltransmash", tells, in particular, about the creation of a self-propelled artillery unit based on the T-34 medium tank. The authors did not go into the description of the technical characteristics of the ACS - this information is widely available, and the book is not a reference. Its task was to show how Soviet production capabilities influenced the development of technology. The book is intended for young people who come to work in the tank industry. As part of the series, it is planned to release three more books about the production of armored vehicles and the people who were involved in it. In general, the cycle will be completed by the fall of 2017, when the 200th anniversary of Uraltransmash and the 75th anniversary of SKB Transmash-special equipment will be celebrated.
LOWER TAGIL ATTRACTS TOURISTS
In addition to demonstrating its developments and holding cultural events during RAE-2015, Uralvagonzavod signed two important agreements. One of them is the creation of a military-patriotic cluster in Nizhny Tagil. The document was signed by the general director of the corporation Oleg Sienko, the head of the Federal Agency for Tourism Oleg Safonov, the general director of the Nizhny Tagil Institute of Metal Testing Nikolai Smirnov, the mayor of Nizhny Tagil Sergey Nosov and the executive director of the National Tourism Union Valery Kaigorodov.
The agreement is about the development of military-patriotic tourism in Nizhny Tagil. The city's potential in this area has not been realized, said Oleg Safonov. And Oleg Sienko expressed confidence in the success of this direction.
Within the framework of the cluster, it is planned to develop tourist facilities in Nizhny Tagil, in particular, museums of local industrial enterprises. It is possible that tourists will be shown the production itself, will be given the opportunity to drive on military equipment and even shoot. The federal target program has already allocated 70 million rubles for this project. Funding will continue next year. At the same time, it is planned that private investors will attract three times more funds than from the budget.
In addition, Uralvagonzavod Corporation and Rostelecom signed a memorandum of strategic partnership and joint activities. The document signed by Uralvagonzavod executive director Vladimir Roshchupkin and director of the Ural macroregional branch of PJSC Rostelecom Anton Kolpakov is aimed at strengthening cooperation since 2009. Then a start was made for a large telecommunications project of two corporations: Rostelecom began to create a corporate data transmission network, having connected 18 enterprises of Uralvagonzavod to it in six years. The industrial Internet, collection and processing of technological and other data, transfer of international best practices and technologies in the field of industrial automation were mentioned as areas for the development of partnerships.
RAE-2017 READY FOR THE YEAR
Thanks to the unique technological and infrastructural capabilities, RAE-2015 showed the full range of combat and operational characteristics of domestic products. 62 samples of ground and air equipment took part in the demonstration program: T-90S and T-72 tanks of various modifications, Msta-S self-propelled guns, Terminator BMPT, BMP-3, BMD-4M, self-propelled anti-aircraft gun Shilka-M4 "And" Tunguska M1 ", aircraft SU-24M and Su-27, helicopters MI-8 of various modifications, etc.
The jubilee exhibition was appreciated by international experts. For example, Christopher Foss, an expert in the field of armored vehicles and weapons of the ground forces, columnist for Jane's Defense Weekly, emphasized the Russian tendency in the development and creation of fundamentally new military vehicles: Boomerang, Kurganets, Armata - this is a revolution in tank design! It will be interesting to watch the development of these platforms. Of course, now Russia is under pressure from sanctions, but I believe that there is every opportunity here to develop military equipment on its own, within the Russian Federation. RAE proves it!"
Meanwhile, preparations have already begun for the next exhibition in 2017. The corresponding decree was signed by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. RAE-2017 will run from September 6-9. The organizers clarified that they are ready for a twofold increase in full-scale samples and exhibition stands - the area allows it. It has already been decided that on the first or second day of the exhibition there will be a night demonstration program for official delegations and accredited media. Working at night will help to maximize the capabilities of optics and technology itself. In addition, special forces will be involved as much as possible to participate in the demonstration, the possibility of showing more modern aviation models, as well as the use of robotic systems, will be considered.
