Moscow. August 15th. INTERFAX - Alexey Rakhmanov, General Director of United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), in an interview with Interfax columnist Pavel Koryashkin, told about the corporation's plans at the Army military technical forum, the repair of the only Russian aircraft carrier, fifth-generation submarines and the decision of the Ministry of Defense to stop at one frigate project.
- Alexey Lvovich, what new will USC show at the Army? What are your expectations from the forum?
- The Army Forum is not just an exhibition, it is a forum, a meeting place, a place to exchange views on a wide range of issues. USC perceives the "Army" as a platform where new concepts and ideas can be presented. I hope they will be supported by the Navy, systematic work will be carried out on them, their financing will be provided.
Traditionally, we show at the forum both our initiative developments and what has already been funded as part of the development work (R&D). So, at the "Army-2022" we will show remote-controlled devices. We are working more and more actively on the topic of underwater robots. Rubin, one of our leading design bureaus, created a pilot production last year, which now has the opportunity not only to create prototypes and prototypes, but also to test them at the site in Kronstadt.
In addition, there will be a lot of interesting things on the topic of "diversification" in our exposition. In addition to the project of the cruise ship PV300, which is already in operation ("Mustai Karim", from 2020 – IF), we will show the project of a high-speed passenger hydrofoil vessel NSS150B, the construction of which has begun at the Rybinsk "Pennant".
- How many ships, vessels and submarines will USC hand over to the military this year?
- This year it is planned to transfer 11 ships to the fleet - eight new and three after repair. We have already handed over to the Russian Navy a new minesweeper (we will hand over another one after repair) and a diesel submarine.
Recently, the flag was raised on the ship you know (on July 8, USC handed over to the Russian Navy a special-purpose nuclear submarine Belgorod - IF), two more submarines on Sevmash are in the final stages of testing (The Pacific Fleet reported that it would receive this year the strategic nuclear submarine "Prince Oleg" and the multipurpose "Novosibirsk" - IF). We hope that they will also join the Navy this year.
- In your office, cameras show several shipyards in real time. Here is the dock with the Admiral Kuznetsov being repaired. Is it true that the transfer of the aircraft carrier to the fleet has been postponed to 2024?
- Dock repairs will be carried out within the existing schedule. All this time, work has not stopped on the ship, active preparations are underway for the installation of cable products, the installation of a large number of upgraded equipment. We have to give the ship to the military in the first quarter of 2024.
As a result of the defect, a significant part of the equipment required replacement or repair in the factory. These are objective difficulties, and there were subjective ones. In addition, decisions have been made on the ship, which I cannot comment on, but I note that after the repair, the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov will serve for at least 25 years.
- Admiral Kuznetsov will receive new boilers, new flight and communication systems, new weapons...
- There's a lot of new stuff there.
- In principle, is USC ready to build such large warships?
- of course. The modernization of the "Northern Shipyard" is in full swing. As soon as the installation of the boathouse is completed, it will be the tallest industrial building in St. Petersburg - height 75, width 125 and length 250 meters. This is more than enough to build virtually any large-tonnage vessel. And even if a decision is made to build a new aircraft carrier, the lion's share of the work can be done at the Northern Shipyard.
- In May 2021, the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy Nikolai Evmenov announced that the Baltic Fleet will receive new diesel submarines. After all, now there is already an understanding of which submarines are we talking about – 636.3 or 677?
- I can't comment on it. I will only say that we have worked out projects – 677 and adapted 636, which we learned to build at the Admiralty Shipyards in large series.
We are ready to fulfill the orders of the Ministry of Defense.
By the way, I am glad that one of the submarines of project 677 will finally finish the main part of the tests, and the frequency of construction and delivery of such products will already be clear to us.
It is likely that the Navy will say which it would prefer - 636.3 or 677, and for which fleet. Both submarines turned out to be good, and we are confident in their effectiveness.
- Now USC is fulfilling a contract for a series of diesel submarines of Project 636.3 for the Pacific Fleet. Are there any plans to continue the construction of these submarines?
- These submarines were designed at the end of the last century. Taking into account a number of upgrades - and there are quite a lot of them - we get an effective weapon that is definitely better than the old diesel-electric submarines that are currently in service.
With rhythmic financing, we can promise the construction of two such diesel submarines per year. And then - it is already the decision of the fleet, which submarines are needed by type, for which fleets and, accordingly, at what speed construction should go. Now we are building one such boat a year, but this is not our flaw, but the planned pace of construction within the existing order.
- Can the 636.3 submarine project be upgraded to carry more Kalibr cruise missiles?
- We have at least six versions that we offer for modernization. And the one that offers an increase in armament power is also being considered by us.
- Last December, you said that USC would make a technical project of the nuclear destroyer Leader, that the wishes of the Ministry of Defense are clear. At what stage is the technical project?
- I wouldn't get attached to a specific project right now. One thing I can say is that the Ministry of Defense has decided that the frigate-class ships of the far sea zone should be based on one project. Now the technical project is being worked out. As soon as it is approved, we will announce what kind of project it will be, its qualifications, and so on.
The logic and strategy of the Ministry of Defense for the development of the Navy is clear to us. Our task is to design and offer all kinds of options. The task of the customer is to choose and bet on certain projects.
- Does this mean that the nuclear destroyer project was abandoned?
- No, until the decision is made, I would not reject any options.
- According to the military, the frigates of project 22350, in particular, Admiral Gorshkov, have performed well.
- yes. The development of this project is one of the options.
"Admiral Gorshkov" can become, relatively speaking, a "donor" of this platform of ships of the far sea zone from the point of view of the optimality of its size, seaworthiness without restrictions and its geometric dimensions, the probability of some kind of correction in case there will need to place a larger number of shock and defensive weapons.
- You said that probably one basic frigate project will be selected. Are there any plans to equip it with a large number of Kalibr missiles?
- We are counting on it
- Does this mean that the military will choose the upgraded 22350M project as the base?
- Most likely, yes. But since the issue is still within the competence of the Ministry of Defense, I can only assume here.
- The Ministry of Defense reported on successful tests from the Admiral Gorshkov frigate of the Zircon hypersonic missile. On the Day of the Navy, the Russian president said that the supply of "Zircons" to the Armed Forces will begin in the coming months. When can the serial equipping of surface ships with these missiles begin?
- We are following in the wake of the customer's wishes.
The fact that the tests went well gives us confidence that we are finally going in the right sequence: first the weapon is tested, and then the carrier adapts to it.
We are very glad that we have found a common understanding with the Ministry of Defense. As soon as they place an order, these missiles will be installed on the corresponding ships, on the launchers. So everything is going according to plan here.
- Is the creation of fifth–generation submarines - strategic and multi-purpose – not stalling?
- There is always a temptation to complain that our design bureaus are working slowly, and the military is slow to make decisions. But fifth–generation submarines are actually a serious challenge. Due to the tasks that the customer has set for us, a number of technical solutions must be radically revised.
We don't want to run into a long-term construction. By and large, we build for a long time only when unprocessed technical solutions get to our head vessels as so-called hidden OKRov. Wherever it is a question of creating new weapons, and not serial samples, the increase in time is caused by the need to refine or refine either weapons systems or ship control systems. By doing this on shore, we save a huge amount of time when the product goes on combat duty.
We have made our conclusions together with the fleet. To date, fundamental technical solutions are being worked out, each of which entails additional tests, the creation of additional prototypes, and their testing. As soon as these works are completed, we will be able to assemble what will be called a fifth-generation submarine from a complex of technical solutions.
In general, the work is on schedule. I hope that in the near future we will be able to finally agree with the Ministry of Defense on a pragmatic final work schedule for fifth-generation submarines.
- Are you satisfied with the way Sevmash fulfills the contracts for Ash Trees and Boreas?
- In general, yes. Last year we handed over three nuclear submarines.
Three nuclear submarines a year have not been surrendered by one plant for a very, very long time, since 1991. This suggests that the plant has increased the necessary production capacity, was able to cope with the training of the necessary personnel and did everything to ensure that the products were of high quality and worked reliably.
Of course, I would very much like us to hand over not three, but four nuclear submarines last year. But there were objective reasons why we had to conduct additional series of tests.
- In 2020, Deputy Defense Minister Alexei Krivoruchko said that Sevmash's capacities were fully loaded with orders until 2027. And then what will happen?
- "Ash" and "Borey" have already been modernized, upgraded submarines of the "Ash-M" and "Borey-A" projects have already been put into service. If you are interested in whether there will be a modernization of the next order or we will immediately switch to the fifth generation, then we are deciding on this issue with the military. They decide what will be more effective, including the pace of rearmament of the Navy.
- Have you completed the relocation of the main USC office to St. Petersburg?
- Yes, successfully completed. Here we live and work for two cities, on trains and planes. Of course, all those who are directly involved in production management are in St. Petersburg. Of course, it's more convenient for them. They are very close to the factories, to the technical and tactical decisions made there.
The strategic office is still as it was, and remains in Moscow. Simply because the government, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and all the federal ministries with which we have to work - they are all here.
- You said that it would take about 1.5 billion rubles to move the main office to St. Petersburg. Did you meet this amount?
- Plus or minus yes. Of course, there are some nuances related to the budget adjustment, because during the period of repair, design work, something became cheaper, something became more expensive, but in general, we managed to predict the costs of moving fairly accurately. We closely monitored both the budget and the fundamental technical and design decisions that influenced the execution of the work.
- The West is tightening sanctions, how much is it noticeable for USC?
- In terms of military shipbuilding, we practically do not feel sanctions. The small "tails" that we have left are closed or are being closed by alternative supply channels. The work of our partners and contractors is to remove dependence on foreign components completely.
In military shipbuilding, the level of necessary localization significantly exceeds 95%. The remaining less than 5% is an electronic component base, some small products. If these 5% are suddenly blocked, we have the competence to create such components, assemblies and aggregates. They relate more to the convenience of being on board and do not affect the combat properties of the ships that we are building. But in the end, the Navy orders our equipment, and we, as they say, take the visor.
- What is the current ratio of USC military and civilian products?
- The ratio has been relatively stable for the last eight years, although it is changing in favor of the citizen. About four-fifths are military shipbuilding. Everything else is a citizen. We are steadily moving towards increasing the share of civilian products, adding about 1-2% per year.
In solving the problem of increasing the share of civilian products, a huge role is played by the program for the construction of an icebreaking fleet for the development of the Northern Sea Route, the program for the construction of civilian cruise passenger liners and fishing vessels. In general, USC enterprises now have an abundance of all types of civilian products aimed at both government customers and private buyers.
We are ready for a more dramatic increase in the share of civilian products, knowing full well that eventually there will be a certain lull in the production of military equipment. But while the current geopolitical situation shows that we will not have such a respite, the state defense order will remain at least at the current level.
