Innovation — in the service of the Fatherland

The introduction of innovative developments is the main factor in ensuring the accelerated development of weapons systems of the Russian Army.

Source: redstar.ru

Modern conditions dictate new requirements for increasing the pace of technical equipment of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation with advanced weapons, military and special equipment.

Pavel Popov, Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, General of the Army, tells Krasnaya Zvezda about how this activity is carried out today and what results it has allowed to achieve in the past year.– Pavel Anatolyevich, no one doubts that the leading driving force of the country's development, and above all strengthening of its defense potential, is the introduction of the latest scientific and technological achievements in the field of creating new and improving existing types of weapons, military and special equipment.

How is the ideology in the field of innovation formed in our military department, who acts as its conductor at the enterprises of the military-industrial complex and directly in the troops? What are the results of work in this direction in 2022?

– The ideology of creation, development and introduction of innovations in the interests of increasing the defense capability of the state is formed by time and existing realities.

Naturally, the situation is continuously monitored, innovative solutions are being searched and selected, the capabilities of Russian defense industry enterprises to create and refine them are being evaluated, taking into account the real needs of troops (forces) and military authorities.

In the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, these issues are handled by the Main Department of Innovative Development (GUIR of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation), designed to organize innovative development activities in the field of defense, support scientific, technical and innovative programs and projects in the established field of activity, as well as create conditions for their implementation.

The organizational core of the entire system of innovation activities is the Commission of the Ministry of Defense on innovative projects and technologies, the coordination of which is carried out by the GUIR of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. In simple terms, the commission is a mechanism that allows for the search, selection and implementation of innovations carried out by enterprises of the domestic defense industry on an initiative basis. That is, the basis of the commission's work is the selection and implementation of projects of initiative developers to create promising weapons, military and special equipment outside the framework of the state defense order in the shortest possible time.

Currently, 330 initiative works are being carried out by the decision of the commission. At the same time, only since the beginning of 2022, 96 initiative developments have been considered, 54 of which were approved for implementation, and 52 were taken for maintenance. 120 initiative works have been completed with a positive result and have already been implemented. Some of them are successfully used, including in the conditions of a special military operation.

For example, out of these 120 completed initiative works

7 have already been implemented in the interests of the Main Command of the Aerospace Forces, 14 - the Main Command of the Navy, 5 – the Command of the Airborne Troops and 94 - in the interests of other military authorities.

Source: redstar.ru

– How did the special military operation affect the activities of the Defense Ministry Commission on innovative projects and technologies?

– In the conditions of a special military operation, an even greater acceleration was required in matters of decision-making on the expediency of innovative developments and the implementation of their results.

To solve this problem, a mechanism for accelerated selection and implementation of promising initiative developments and technologies was found in the system of organization of innovative activities of the Russian Ministry of Defense. It includes the selection of developments at the request of military authorities, their approbation as part of regular military-technical experiments in conditions close to real ones, the refinement of products with the involvement of the scientific and technological base of the Military innovative Technopolis ERA, as well as their subsequent introduction into the practice of the troops, including in the zone of its own.

Conducting complex military-technical experiments made it possible to compare innovative samples and technologies presented by various organizations in equal conditions and select the best of them.

Thus, in 2022, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation conducted 10 military-technical experiments, 14 experimental military operations and 2 state tests as part of the work of the Commission on innovative projects and technologies. In the course of their implementation, over 100 samples of weapons, military and special equipment (military technical equipment) were involved, represented by more than 60 domestic organizations and enterprises working for defense. Among them are 7 marine and 30 ground–based robotic complexes, 54 unmanned aerial vehicles, 8 types of small arms, 3 samples of communications equipment, one medical equipment and one fire extinguishing device.

The practice of conducting military-technical experiments allowed for a number of developments to significantly reduce the implementation time from one year to three months (a reduction of four times), and for some samples by 12 times (up to one month).

– You mentioned the Military Innovative Technopolis ERA, created in accordance with the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation in 2018. What is its role in the creation of innovative scientific projects and their implementation in the form of weapons, military and special equipment? What are the practical results of the ERA?

– Since its creation, Technopolis ERA has become the main platform of the Russian Ministry of Defense for testing and preparing proposals for the implementation of innovative projects and breakthrough technologies in the defense sector. The use of the technopolis infrastructure, including the scientific and production complex, allows the military authorities to significantly reduce the time for the introduction of innovative projects and technologies.

For example, in May of this year, the Main Directorate of Innovative Development, together with the Main Command of the Navy, conducted a comprehensive military-technical experiment within the boundaries of the technopolis water area to assess the possibilities of using hydroacoustic stations and robotic complexes in building an underwater lighting system to protect the deployed maneuverable base. In total, six prototypes were presented, developed on an initiative basis, including a fast-deployable zonal sonar station. Based on the results of the experiment, it was decided to conduct its experimental military operation in the zone of a special military operation. Taking into account the high efficiency shown by the sonar station during experimental military operation, an agreement was reached with the manufacturer on the production of ten products for equipping units and units of the Navy.

More examples: in October of this year, a military-technical experiment was conducted at the combined arms training ground of the Western Military District in the interests of the Airborne Command to assess the functionality of the complex with a tethered unmanned aerial vehicle. During the experiment, its declared characteristics were confirmed and the production of 50 complexes of unmanned aerial vehicles was organized for pilot operation in the area of the SVO. The production of UAV complexes and their subsequent modernization is planned to be carried out on the basis of technopolis ERA.

In October 2022, in the city of Akhtubinsk, the Main Directorate, together with the Main Command of the Aerospace Forces, conducted a military-technical experiment to test the basic algorithms of the first domestic matrix infrared homing head for equipping short—range air-to-air guided missiles. According to the results of the experiment, its effectiveness has been proven and measures have already been planned to use the results of this initiative development in the modernization of existing missiles and the creation of promising means of destruction.

Together with the Main Command of the Navy, the Main Directorate of Deep-Sea Research on the basis of the Research Institute of Rescue and Underwater Technologies of the Naval Research Center "Naval Academy", a military-technical experiment was conducted to test the possibility of using a hardware complex to perform underwater mechanized welding and cutting of metal structures at depths up to 60 meters in the interests of fulfilling the tasks of the Navy.

According to the results of the experiment, it was found that equipping military units and organizations of the Navy with such hardware complexes will ensure timely and high-quality performance of underwater technical and ship-lifting works and other special tasks, including during a special military operation. Currently, the issue of their purchase is being considered.

To increase the combat capabilities of troops (forces) 16 developments have already been introduced into the armament system of the Armed Forces, including eight samples of strike and reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicles and a fast-deployable sonar station, which is used to protect the water areas of the naval bases in the interests of the Black Sea Fleet.

More than 200 units of unmanned aerial vehicles of various types and 90 universal trailer devices for attaching ammunition to UAVs have been manufactured on the basis of the Military innovative Technopolis ERA. All products were transferred to the military units of the Airborne Troops participating in a special military operation.

The above examples confirm the effectiveness of the technopolis ERA and the practical feasibility of military-technical experiments as a mechanism to accelerate the selection of initiative developments.

– Pavel Anatolyevich, which military authorities are leading today in the application of innovations in practice?

– The most active among the military administration bodies that carried out the selection of initiative developments are the Main Command of the Navy, the Office of the Chief of the Engineering Troops of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the Main Rocket and Artillery Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the Main Armored Vehicle Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the Department of the Service of Troops and Security of the Military Service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. The leader in the work on the implementation of the results of initiative developments in 2022 was the command of the Airborne Troops.

– As you know, for the sustainable and effective functioning of any system, including the innovation system, an appropriate regulatory framework is necessary. What is being done in this direction?

– The Main Department of Innovative Development of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation is working on the development of new and improvement of existing regulatory documents regulating the activities of the Commission on innovative projects and technologies. This is an important work that makes it possible to simplify procedures and shorten the time for making decisions on the feasibility of carrying out initiative work.

A striking example in this regard is the Instruction to the military authorities to consider proposals received from organizations of the Russian Federation within the framework of initiative work, approved by the order of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation in 2022.

The instruction will allow you to increase the volume, reduce the time for consideration of initiative works. It includes provisions for determining the procedure for using the results of intellectual activity, depending on the type of initiative work and the expected result.

– In recent years, the congress and exhibition activities of the military department have developed significantly, including the International Military-Technical Forums "Army", which have gained great authority in the international arena. How do you assess the effectiveness of such measures and their importance for strengthening the defense capability of our country?

– The Main Department of Innovative Development of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation and the commission of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation on innovative projects and technologies supervised by it are the locomotives in this area of activity.

Military administration bodies and organizations of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have conducted more than 150 events this year aimed at finding promising developments for use in the interests of the activities of the troops.

Thus, within the framework of the specialized thematic exhibition "Innovation Day of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation", 37 events were held in 44 higher educational institutions and research organizations of the Ministry of Defense of Russia, during which more than 350 innovative developments were presented. Of these, 74 were selected by the military authorities for further implementation and use.

In addition, the experts of the Ministry of Defense studied the novelties of advanced technologies and developments presented at 27 defense and specialized exhibitions held by federal executive authorities, executive authorities of the subjects of the Russian Federation and organizations.

The largest congress and exhibition event in 2022 was the International Military-Technical Forum "Army", which was attended by official military delegations of 85 foreign countries, of which 31 were high-level. The total number of representatives of foreign military departments exceeded 700 people, which significantly exceeds the figures of previous years.

Within the framework of the forum, 160 bilateral meetings were held with foreign partners, including 51 through the Ministry of Defense of Russia and the Federal Customs Service of Russia, as well as 109 through Rosoboronexport JSC. During the forum, the Russian Ministry of Defense concluded 36 state contracts with enterprises of the military-industrial complex for a total amount of more than 525 billion rubles.

In the GUIR of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, together with other military management bodies, work is carried out annually on the selection and expert evaluation of promising developments and technologies presented at forums in the interests of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

So, in 2022, 277 specialists of military administration bodies, research organizations and military educational institutions of the Ministry of Defense of Russia were involved in the expert assessment, which selected 89 promising samples. 29 of them are completed samples, 27 are experimental, 22 are experimental samples and mockups. Eleven developments are presented in the form of technology demonstrators.

According to the selected samples, tests were organized for compliance of the declared characteristics with the requirements of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation with the subsequent development of decisions on their acceptance into service (supply, operation) of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Work has also been organized to review selected innovative developments at the Commission of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation on innovative projects and technologies for inclusion in the List of projects implemented by organizations on an initiative basis in the interests of the Ministry of Defense.

– The field of artificial intelligence actively sounds in the context of the development and creation of advanced weapons in the interests of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. What was significant about this year in this regard?

– Within the framework of the Army-2022 forum, the second congress "Strategic Leadership and Artificial Intelligence Technologies" was held. For the first time, the event reached the international level with the participation of representatives of delegations from four countries. The Congress proved to be a unique platform at the federal level, accessible for mass visits by specialists from different fields and directions. The main purpose of the congress was to unite efforts in the field of development and implementation of domestic artificial intelligence technologies and the safety of their application. The topics of the events covered the issues of the formation of socio-humanitarian foundations of state policy in the field of artificial intelligence, the creation of hardware and software using AI, the achievements of the national scientific school in this direction, as well as finding ways to solve scientific and technical problems of creating military artificial intelligence technologies.

Within the framework of the congress, for the first time, a series of major events was held with the participation of federal officials, representatives of the scientific community (97 doctors and 415 candidates of sciences), the military-industrial complex and business, dedicated to the humanitarian and socio-cultural aspects of the development and application of AI technologies, issues of personnel training in the system of the national scientific school, taking into account the scientific and technological potential in this area.

Separately, a block of issues related to the features of hardware and software for solving problems with the use of artificial intelligence, as well as scientific and technical problems of the development and application of military AI technologies were considered.

The level of organization, the quality of the events and the results of the congress were highly appreciated by the leadership of the departmental and federal levels. The next congress on artificial intelligence is scheduled for 2023.

– Tell us what awaits us in the coming year in terms of the development of innovative activities in the defense sector?

– In order to further improve the efficiency of work on the accelerated introduction of initiative developments into the armament system of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the main directions for 2023 are determined to increase the number of initiative works in accordance with the needs of the Armed Forces in the conditions of a special military operation and the formation of new mechanisms for the selection and implementation of innovative developments that take into account the requirements of the real situation as much as possible.

Work will continue to expand cooperation with federal executive authorities and organizations for holding exhibition events, organized by the Ministry of Defense of Russia. The next International Military-Technical Forum "Army" is scheduled to be held in August 2023, work on its preparation is already underway.

As practice has shown, the timely introduction of innovative developments in modern conditions makes it possible to increase the efficiency and adaptability of the Russian Army's weapons system to current and future threats to the country's military security.

– Thanks for the conversation.Oleg the TERRIBLE, "Red Star".

Photo from the archive of the GUIR of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation