VympelI want to see an S-300V replacement for the Russian Army. Absent that, they should commence procurement of the S-300VM / ‘Antey-2500’.
Incidentally, the Buk-M3 was supposed to appear this year, according to reports from 2007. Wonder if we’ll see it.
Vympelhttp://www.lenta.ru/news/2009/09/24/fighters/
MiG-29Ks for the Admiral Kuznetsov, thanks very much.
VympelAdmiral Nakhimov not to be upgraded after all?
DATELINE: MOSCOW Sept 4
Before upgrading any weapons the cost of the upgrade and its results should be clearly understood, Russian Deputy Defense Minister for armaments Vladimir Popovkin said.
“We are going into upgrading as into a dark forest,” Popovkin said at hearings organized by the Public Chamber together with the Union of Russian Machine-Building on Friday.
Asked about the prospects of financing the repairs and upgrade of the heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser Admiral Nakhimov, Popovkin said that the price of the work exceeds $1 billion.
“We will have to provide a billion now and when we start the upgrade we will have to spend one and a half billion more. A new [ship] costs two and a half billion but it will also have double the service life,” he added.
Therefore before making such decisions “everything must be properly calculated,” he said.
Unofficial sources say that the repairs and upgrade of the cruiser were supposed to end at Sevmashpredpriyatiye in 2011 but even now it is clear that the deadline will be shifted.
Source: Interfax.
A new ship may have double the service life but no Russian shipyard is building an equal to the mighty Admiral Nakhimov.
Unless they plan on building another like her. Which I highly doubt.
The Fazotron-NIIR corporation is creating a new Kopyo-A radar station to be installed in Kamov Ka-27 and Ka-28 helicopters.
“This year we are planning to complete preliminary and final tests on the Kopyo-A helicopter radar and to receive the “O” status (prototype),” Anatoly Kanashchenkov, first deputy general director and general design engineer at Fazotron-NIIR, told Interfax-AVN.
The Kopyo-A radar tests will be completed next year, he said.
The Kopyo-A radar tests are carried out as part of the modernization of the deck helicopters Ka-27 and Ka-28, Kanashchenkov said. “If the radar tests go according to schedule, in 2011 we may expect an order for a trial batch of modernized helicopters,” he said.
The airborne Kopyo-A radar can provide area monitoring during maritime border patrolling in good and adverse weather conditions within a circular zone from zero to 360 degrees with a range of up to 250 kilometers.
Apart from its key functions, the radar can make high-definition maps of ground surface, identify and accompany up to ten sub-water objects, search and find aerial targets, solve navigation problems, and use guided weapons, such as X35 missiles.
Kop’yo-A radars for Ka-27s. Nice. Equipping Ka-27s with X-35 AShMs should significantly increase their combat capability.
VympelThere’s no question from any credible circles that it was Georgia that bears the responsibility for the August War. That’s just an uncontroversial fact, at this point. They started it, the Russians finished it. Sucks to be them.
VympelErrr, Austin, those are made up. I should know, I’m a mod of that forum. 🙂
VympelGiven that Russia is now purchasing Israeli UAVs, I suspect Israel will find it contrary to their interests to arm Georgia with any so-called ‘defensive’ weaponry. If the Tie-Chomping-Thomas-Jefferson-Of-Tbilisi starts another ill-advised military adventure, it’ll be a major embarassment for Russian troops to be killed by same, and even more so when they’re inevitably captured in the resulting rout and promptly taken apart.
The only option Georgia has in relation to weaponry is purchase of Soviet-era arms from pre-existing stocks in Ukraine, as they have been doing. They’re pretty much the only country that will sell. And that may stop too, given the political situation there.
Russia just captured all their Ukranian-purchased Soviet arms anyway, so they’re really screwed.
VympelThe location of the second remained unclear. One senior official said the second submarine traveled south in recent days toward Cuba, while another senior official with access to reports on the surveillance mission said it had sailed away in a northerly direction.
and
“We’ve known where they were, and we’re not concerned about our ability to track the subs,” the official added. “We’re concerned just because they are there.”
Bit of a peculiar contrast 🙂
How many ‘Akula II’ SSNs do they have, I believe it’s two?
What’s the proper project number for the Akula II, is it 971A, 971M, or 971U?
VympelArrrgg … just found that link in the German FlugzeugForum (), which states, that the Russian government ended founding of the Yak-130 programme !!! 😮
http://de.rian.ru/business/20090725/122464152.html
How on earth will the Russian AF instroduce the PAK-FA, without a new modern trainer ???????
Deino
I think you’re over-reacting. Here’s the same news:-
Russian Federation Defense Ministry Doesn’t Have the Money to Build Yak-130 Airplanes
The Russian military leadership is not paying for work on the construction of Yak-130 combat training airplanes and the engines for them on time, the head of the Motor Sich (Zaporozh’e) company, Vyacheslav Boguslaev, reported Saturday to journalists.
“Today we have accumulated 22 AI-222-25 engine kits in the warehouses for Yak-130 airplanes. Nearly a dozen more at at the Salyut plant (in Moscow), where these engines are being assembled. The problem is that the Russian defense ministry doesn’t have any money and they are not paying for the engines being delivered,” Boguslaev said.
According to him, the Russian Federation defense ministry as adopted a decision in connection with the delay of the construction program for new Yak-130 combat training airplanes to speed up overhaul of old L-39 training airplanes which were built in series during the days of the USSR in Czechoslovakia.
In addition, in Boguslaev’s opinion, there are no alternatives to the Yak-130 airplane as a combat trainer. “It is very much in demand in the world,” Boguslaev said.
Source: 26.07.09, Moskovskiy Komsomolets
It’s a delay in the construction program in favor of L-39 upgrade, not the termination of the entire Yak-130 procurement for the RuAF. It’s not like the PAK FA is going to be arriving anytime soon, anyway. It probably won’t even enter service until 2015.
Anyway, Mi-38 news:-
Kazan’ Helicopter Plant Working on All Mi-38 Helicopters of Developmental Batch
OAO Kazan’ Helicopter Plant (KVZ Kazan’) is working on all three Mi-38 helicopters of the developmental batch, a source at the defense industrial complex has reported to AviaPort.
He recalled that the Mi-38 helicopters are supposed to be equipped with Pratt & Whitney of Canada ((in English)) engines and the first developmental OP-1 passed it test stage with such engines. However, ((Pratt)) & Whitney has practically ceased work on the Mi-38 program since last year.
Earlier OAO Klimov had been working on the creation of a more powerful engine, the TV-117V, but in recent years this work has gone practically unfinanced. Nonetheless, at the present time the TV7-117V has been adopted as the basic engine for the Mi-38 and the developmental batch of helicopters will be equipped with them. It is planned to deliver the first two TV7-117V at the end of 2010 – start of 2011 and to deliver engines for two more Mi-38 over the next several quarters, the agency source said.
At the present time, KVZ is revising the OP-1 helicopter (the Pratt & Whitney engines are in Canada) to a standard configuration, mainly with aircraft equipment. What can be debugged is being debugged on the OP-2 – new hydraulics system, electricity and IBKO-38 aircraft equipment from the Transas company. OP-3 is at the aggregate assembly stage – a fuselage section must be attached and assembly work performed. The first two TV7-117V will be installed either on the OP-2 or, most likely, on the OP-3, the source added.
The Mi-38 program is thought of as the largest international program, but practice has demonstrated the enormous risk of such programs for Russia, the source thinks.
Source: 27.07.09, AviaPort.RU, Correspondent: Dmitriy Kozlov
VympelIt is worth noting that the PAK-FA is suppose to be a Strike Fighter somewhat along the lines of the F-35. Not a purely Air Superiority type like the F-15C or F-22A.
No, the PAK FA’s primary requirement is air combat, that’s been said from the beginning. The F-35’s primary priority is strike. They’re completely different programs – the PAK FA will have a secondary ground attack capability, just like the F-22A.
The article about the F-35 doesn’t really answer the criticisms of the F-35’s configuration (i.e. criticisms in relation to air superiority suitability). That is just a matter of immutable aeronautics law (wing loading, wing design, weight, thrust, etc).
VympelThe main problem of the Russians is, will they stick to a design to counter the older F-22 or the newer F-35.
The F-35 is a pathetic fighter compared to the F-22, its no effort to “counter” such a pedestrian performer. There’s a reason it’s the Joint Strike Fighter. It’s no Air Dominance fighter. It’s stealth is worse, it can’t even super cruise, it cant carry many AAMs, the list goes on. Simply because its newer doesn’t enter into it.
VympelWhats the Sarov?
VympelWell, we shall see. What we see deployed now in the Russian forces has more to do with history and budget than anything else (to put it positive).
No, the Ground Forces air defense tiers are strictly defined, in the levels that I indicated. What the air defense units of the Air Force (i.e. S-300P/S-400 units) equip themselves with to defend their batteries is their business, but it would be impossible for Pantsir-S1 to supplant Tor in the Ground Forces. That’s kind of the reason why the Ground Forces are getting Tor-M2 in the first place. Pantsir-S1 couldn’t engage four targets simultaneously. It doesn’t have the fire control, because that’s not its job, just like its not Tunguska’s job before it.
I just say that a system with a gun is more useful for ground troops
That’s what Tunguska is for. And tracked Pantsir-S1 if it ever replaces it (as opposed to a hypothetical Tunguska-M2, for example). Remember that Tor and Tunguska came into service at the same time, in separate tiers. All the systems I listed above have their own responsibility in terms of range/ envelope/ targets.
as they have a wider spectrum of threats, many of them within short range, whereas a unit to defend point targets like a S-300/400 C2 truck or radar truck will mostly have to deal with stand-off weapons.
The guns are just as useful for defending point targets. When the cruise missile or HARM gets close it’ll still need killing. It’s a truck mounted Kashtan on steroids, when all is said and done.
VympelThe parallel existance of Tor and Pantsir has to do with industry policy. Tor is Almaz-Antey, Pantsir is KBP. A little competition doesn’t hurt. As to deployments, I think both goes with both, but the characteristics point Tor more towards being a CIWS for high-value targets.
Tor and Pantsir aren’t direct competitors. A gun-missile and a pure missile system could never be that. Tor, Tunguska-M1 and Pantsir-S1 all exist on seperate air defence tiers. Tor is intended to defend ground forces, just like Tunguska was.
VympelI think it’s the other way around isn’t it?
Tor to protect the S-300/400, while the Pantsyr is to supplement/replace the Tunguska.
No. Wheeled Pantsir-S1 to protect S-300P/S-400 is what has been mooted. As the article said above, the Ground Forces (who don’t have any S-300Ps or S-400s) are getting Tor-M2.
Even if you’re talking about the tracked Pantsir-S1 (which in my view, is likely so much more expensive than Tunguska-M1 that it won’t practically replace Tunguska any time soon) – the tracked Tor is an entirely different “tier” of Ground Forces (not PVO!) air defence, thusly:-
Igla – Company Level?
Strela-10 & Tunguska (same tier) – Regiment Level
Tor – Division Level
Buk – Army Level
S-300V – Army / Front Level
As for the photographs, the first one (left to right) is some sort of prototype of a tracked Pantsir-S1 system, but with optical only engagement systems. The second is the first version of the Pantsir-S1 module/ turret on a tracked chassis, which was abandoned in favour of the current configuration we’ve seen, and the last photo is both the tracked and wheeled version of the same obsolete configuration.
The cheaper version on the BMP-3 chassis at the bottom hasn’t been seen for a long time, I’m not sure if it’s offered anymore.
VympelTor-M2E should be the new wheeled variant of the system. Provides a bit better mobility in some areas. Same basic capability as the tracked Tor-M1 though.
It’s got more capability than the Tor-M1 – where Tor-M1 can engage 2 targets simultaneously, Tor-M2 can engage four. Tor-M2E can be on either a tracked or wheeled chassis, we already know the Russians intend to get Tor-M2s of their own in 2009 (along with the new Buk-M3 systems). It’s got a variety of other fire control improvements as well, apart from the obvious new radar.
As for mobility improvement – errr – the Tor-M1 by virtue of its tracked chassis is more mobile, by definition. That’s the whole point Russian army air defence systems are all tracked, or became tracked (i.e. wheeled Strela-1 replaced by tracked Strela-10, wheeled Osa-AK replaced by tracked Tor).
MOSCOW, December 25 (RIA Novosti) – Supplies to the Russian Ground Forces of Tor-M2 low to medium-altitude, short-range surface-to-air missile systems (SA-15 Gauntlet) will start in 2009, a high-ranking military official said on Tuesday.
“Tests of the systems will be completed in 2008, and in 2009 the systems will be adopted by one of the air defense missile regiments,” Col. Gen. Nikolai Frolov, chief of the Russian Armed Forces’ air defense, said.
Frolov said a new Pantsyr combined surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery weapon system (NATO reporting name SA-22) could be adopted by the Ground Forces after modernization work.
“We have worked out additional technical specifications that are being considered, and if approved, the system could be adopted by the Ground Forces,” he said.
Frolov said the modernization of Russian air defense systems that began last year would be completed by 2009.
AFAIK, Pantsir-S1 is going to defend S-300P/PM/S-400 systems, but Tor-M2 will stay with the Ground Forces. Whether the wheeled variant is gotten to complement the Pantsir-S1s, I don’t know.
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