After publications about the defense enterprises of Omsk and Kurgan, it was the turn of another plant. More precisely, its component. We are talking about JSC "Design Bureau of Khimavtomatiki" (JSC KBKhA) - a Russian enterprise of the rocket and space industry that produces engines for launch vehicles "Proton-K", "Proton-M", "Soyuz-2-1b", "Angara" … And also for a number of ICBMs still in service with the RF Armed Forces.
In general, KBKhA consists of two parts, or, as they are called by the employees of the enterprise, "sites". The main site is the plant itself. And there is also a test complex (IC), which is located at a distance from the main production for obvious reasons. And here we will talk about the test site.
What is a test facility? It's a whole system, a plant within a plant, if you like. The engine arrives at IK disassembled. In parts. And each node goes through its own tests. Hydraulic, dynamic, climatic and others in accordance with the regulations. Next, the engine is assembled and then fired. Half of the city usually knows about these tests, it is heard.
After firing tests, the engine is washed (with alcohol!) From the remains of heptyl and other pleasures, thermovacuum drying is performed and sent back to the main site for final assembly and fine-tuning. And only then to the customer.
I have described all this in order to emphasize the importance of the IC. Testing is one of the most demanding procedures. And on the test complex itself, not everything is smooth and beautiful.
Before the initial starting point (September 2015), about 2,000 people worked at the IK. It was from September 2015 that the chain of events began to occur, which causes concern. It all started after another unsuccessful launch of the Proton. The head of the enterprise, Vladimir Sergeevich Rachuk, who had been in charge of the plant since 1993 and, in the opinion of KBKhA veterans, actually saved the plant in the 90s, was dismissed.
And, according to the program of personnel rejuvenation announced by Dmitry Rogozin, Aleksey Vasilyevich Kamyshev was appointed to the position of KBKhA director, a man really young for such a position, and, as is customary today, an "effective manager".
It is surprising that Aleksey Vasilyevich's career went as far from production as possible. Judge for yourself.
From 1997 to 2000 worked as a specialist in the securities department, a specialist in work with shares, a specialist in attracting clients, head of the active-passive operations department, and then deputy manager of the Voronezh branch of Uralvneshtorgbank OJSC.
In 2000-2002, he held a number of key positions in the financial management of large regional enterprises in the Voronezh region. What positions, at what enterprises? There is no publicly available data.
In 2002, he was appointed First Deputy Director of Voronezhsvyazinform, a branch of CenterTelecom OJSC. Then he held the positions of the first deputy director of the Voronezh branch of CenterTelecom OJSC and the deputy director of the Voronezh branch of CenterTelecom OJSC for economics and finance.
In March 2009, Alexey Kamyshev was appointed Deputy General Director - Financial Director of CenterTelecom OJSC. And in 2011 - the director.
And in October 2015, Mr. Kamyshev became the executive director of KBKhA. Whether it is worth congratulating the team on this is not yet clear. On the one hand, a director at an enterprise of this kind is more of a financier and business executive.
There is also some positive news. In the same October, Viktor Dmitrievich Gorokhov, a leading specialist, "man-liquid-propellant engine", father of RD-0124 and the largest specialist in rocket engines in the world, was appointed to the post of general designer of the KBKhA. The plant can and should be congratulated on this appointment.
But there is a real concern: will anyone be able to implement Gorokhov's developments and projects?
Next year, KBKhA really runs the risk of being left without a test facility. More precisely, the complex will remain in place for now, but the specialists …
In a conversation with several employees of different departments of the IC, I learned that over the past year the average salary at the plant was 30 thousand rubles. In 2015 - 21 thousand. I think there is no need to explain what the "average salary" is. It is difficult to say which figure is in the director's statement, this is, you understand, a secret, but I can say for the engineer of the IC. I saw the printouts. From 15 to 18 thousand. And this, I note, is an engineer. It's just that the worker who connects the hoses gets even less. But I spoke with the engineers, so I will leave the hard workers aside.
An engineer who tests the components of the launch vehicle and makes an opinion on their suitability for 18 thousand. Do we want the Protons not to fall?
The point here is not even that people have no conscience and desire to do their job. And there is a conscience, and there is a desire. But you also have to live. I understand why each of my interlocutors had a second job. One in a shopping center, almost in his specialty (he got a job well, as his colleagues said), the second "bombed" in a private taxi in his car, the third … the third carries prostitutes at night. And he gets 3 times more than at the factory. And he really thinks that it is necessary (while the children are studying in universities) in an amicable way to make this shameful, but profitable way of earning money the main one.
But after the night shift, each of them returns to their workplace. Still returning.
"There used to be bonuses for the successful implementation of the plan. 0, 8 from the salary. Now that's it, there are no bonuses, and they said that there will be no money. Until recently, overwork was saved. The point is this: we can sensibly test one node in a day. There are situations when you need two. It's unrealistic on a working day, we still work according to the regulations. So, we have to stay late. Or go out on weekends. Now they said that everything is with processing. And how will you order to live?"
"Effective managers" in management have come up with a masterpiece way to save money. Two shifts. As in the old days, when the plant worked like that. If a person leaves in shifts, then we are not talking about any additional payment for processing. But the question arises, where to get specialists for one more shift?
An original solution was found, but bordering on idiocy. In departments in which at a particular moment there are no tests (this happens regularly), people are asked to either take leave without pay, or … go to another department. Temporarily. There, to undergo training from specialists in order to ensure the execution of tests for the time of the "blockage at work".
"Here I am working for 15. Semyonich comes to me, and stands, looks at how I work, but for his 18. I worked, left. And he, on the second shift, seems to start doing my work. And in the morning I come, and I start to check everything again, because he has the same hydraulics as a fireman out of me. Do I need this? They seem to have saved money and didn’t kick the man out. But I myself will run away from this madhouse sooner or later. when I test a knot from beginning to end, I then put my signature for the fact that I tested it. And he will not sign for me. And I am for him. Madhouse, in short, and nonsense …"
But most importantly, if my interlocutor really spits and goes to the side, what's next? And then there will be fire tests in Semyonich's department. And Semyonitch will go to test the engine. Who will then test the hydraulics on any of the shifts?
I won't even stutter about the quality of tests with such a substitution. For such a rotation, even for the very idea, one must whip and exile to the East. Concrete worker.
The new management vows to raise the average salary at the plant up to 31 thousand rubles. Due to layoffs. Of course, it will not be the assistants to the deputy directors for finance who will be fired. Although each deputy director has 2-3 assistants. “Effective managers” cannot be reduced in any way. They are the mind and heart of the plant.
But who they will manage in six months is completely incomprehensible.
They are going to fire repairmen, builders, maintenance workers. Those who, for a penny salary, keep buildings built in the late 50s in working order. Indeed, why keep them? The glass in the roof of the workshop will fly out so that it does not drip on the head, the workers will not fall apart, they will tighten themselves with plastic. And the pipes will weld. And the taps will change. And the snow will be cleaned. They are workers, so let them work.
And the trials … well, they are also paid for the trials …
Suppliers, of course, will also be removed. Why are they? You can order everything you need, we will bring you. God forbid, the IR will spend an extra penny without approval. And the fact that you can carry God knows how many applications filed - nothing. Is it okay that over the past 3 years not one of the bench instruments ordered to replace the failed bench devices has been brought? Nothing. They work, after all. And with the instruments and the fool can.
On one of the pages of the KBKhA official website there is such information
(https://www.kbkha.ru/?p=131).
The Reconstruction and Repair Department is currently implementing a project for the reconstruction and technical re-equipment of the bench-test and production base and pilot production within the framework of the "Federal Space Program of Russia for 2006-2015"
This project provides for:
- reconstruction of existing buildings and structures at the ZRD site;
- technical re-equipment of existing production facilities at the sites of air defense engines and IC;
construction of new buildings and structures at the ZRD and IK sites.
Carrying out work on the reconstruction and technical re-equipment of the bench-test and production base and pilot production will allow:
- to raise the level of automation and mechanization of production;
- to increase labor productivity, quality and reliability of products;
- to shorten the production cycle and reduce the cost of production.
Here is a list of what has not been done in terms of the IC. NOT reconstructed, NOT rearmed, NOT upgraded. Nothing has been done.
KBKhA is a respected (still) enterprise in the city. With history. Glorious history. "East", "Sunrise", "Energy". But what will happen if the great experts, driven to the extreme, leave? Who will eventually assemble the rocket engines and who will test them? You can't lure young people anymore. What young specialist would go for such a salary? Actually, they are, but not for long. To have something to push off from. And few. For an amount greater than 15-18 thousand, you can safely work with less responsibility than in KBKhA.
"I called a small factory here … They need a power engineer. They asked where you work? At KBKhA … What time is it? So much … 40 thousand will suit you? I think …"
He's still thinking. What can I say here?
We have many beautiful words about the revival of the military-industrial complex. On increasing attention, on creating decent conditions. But, unfortunately, very often words do not carry deeds.
Satellites continue to go out of orbit, and we regret that. The launch vehicles do not fulfill their functions. We are indignant about this. The government takes steps, fires some and appoints others. "Effective managers". Young, and perhaps quite understanding in management.
They would also understand how an RD test engineer can work for his salary. How can he live on her. But from the height of their salaries - hardly.
And "Protons" will fall further, most likely.
