The launch of serial production of Kinzhal missile systems, the present and future of unmanned technologies, accelerated import substitution in the aviation industry – this and not only was told by Vladimir Artyakov, First Deputy General Director of Rostec, in an interview with the Rossiya 24 channel.
– First of all, tell us how Rostec is fulfilling the state defense order in the conditions of a special military operation?
– To date, we are fulfilling the state defense order to our main customer, the Ministry of Defense, in full, even in some positions ahead of schedule, not only in terms of timing, but also in quantity. First of all, I must say about the armored vehicles that are used today there, on the contact line, artillery systems. These are MLRS, howitzer guns. In some positions, we have doubled the number of combat aircraft that we produce. These are such aircraft as the Su-30, Su-34, Su-35. They are very effective on the contact line and greatly help to carry out a special military operation.
It should be noted that 80% of the equipment that is participating in the SVO today is Rostec products. We are ready, ready to continue to increase volumes. Everything will depend on what the Ministry of Defense will order for us. We have largely carried out a serious modernization of our production facilities, trained specialists. People work selflessly, in three shifts, managers are always at their workplaces. Our main task is precisely the mobilization of labor collectives.
– I want to ask you in a little more detail about some types of weapons. During a special military operation, the Dagger complex shows high efficiency, although Kiev and Washington recently announced that the alleged Dagger was intercepted by the Patriot complex. What's really going on? Is it still impossible to intercept the Dagger? What data do you have?
– Of course, it is impossible to intercept the Dagger. But today there is a propaganda war going on against us, and this is one of the elements of propaganda work on the part of our opponent. The fact is that the Dagger system contains technologies that cannot be overcome today in terms of stopping the movement of this rocket to its destination. And the confirmation that the American Patriot air defense system was overtaken and destroyed by the "Dagger". Here, Kiev's propaganda absolutely does not tolerate any criticism, shows some funny blanks. He says that it is supposedly a "Dagger". No, absolutely not.
Today we are mass-producing the Dagger. If earlier we produced it to a certain extent in order to further modernize it and finish R&D, today we have entered a solid "series", and what the Ministry of Defense asks us to do, we do qualitatively and on time in the quantity and volume that they need.
– That is, our opponent here, Western colleagues, if I may say so... are just lying?
- Yes. Today, even theoretically, no one can offer such weapons as the Dagger system from the main foreign suppliers of weapons. We've come a long way, a few steps ahead. And, of course, no country has the opportunity to counteract such weapons as the "Dagger" today. That is, they can't break it, they can't knock it down, they can't track it. Today they simply do not have a system that could prevent such a missile from hitting.
– Ukraine, we understand, receives Western weapons. Everything has already been spent there, partially or completely. Because of this Western military equipment, what types of Russian weapons are we currently working on? Can you share it?
– First of all, of course, these are anti-drone systems. ZRPC "Pantsir" has shown itself very effectively. Of course, what we use today on the front line, we are more or less refining taking into account the needs of the Armed Forces. If we see any shortcomings in a particular weapon system somewhere, we will compensate for this with new solutions. I can say that our designers, our technicians and so on periodically go to the front line to observe how our systems work.
– Drones are really getting some incredible distribution now. So far, these are isolated attacks, but many military experts believe that the next stage is attacks by a swarm of drones. Are we ready for such a development?
– This is the nearest prospect. It won't happen quickly, but we are ready for it. The "Shell", which just detects and neutralizes drones, has shown itself very effectively, we are improving it further. Electronic warfare systems also work very effectively. For every action of the enemy, we prepare our own counteraction. In close cooperation with the Ministry of Defense, with those specialists who use these systems, we are improving our interaction mechanisms and our equipment.
– How do you assess the anti-drone technology market in general? Is the current demand the closure of momentary needs? Will it remain at this level? Perhaps, in the future, anti-drone technologies will become mandatory for the protection of objects?
– I think they will be mandatory, because unmanned aerial vehicles are used very actively. We see this, and our opponents will not stop there. Of course, we must be ready for this. In response to their challenges, we are improving the systems for suppressing drones and destroying them. As a matter of fact, this is not only our country's market, but also a foreign one, because our drone suppression systems have shown themselves effectively. And we can already see that many customers want to get our systems to protect their facilities. This is, for example, the oil and gas sector.
– Are these Russian customers or foreign ones?
– Including foreign ones. Let's recall the events in Saudi Arabia, when a large oil refinery there was attacked by drones.
– And if we touch on the topic of civilian unmanned technologies, your UAV BAS-200 for the first time flew with a maximum take-off weight of 200 kg. Tell us about this work. How is it going?
– We believe that this is a very effective tool for providing hard-to-reach settlements of our country. First of all, it can be used for the delivery of necessary products, mail, medical equipment. Where it is impossible to get by water or by land vehicles at some time periods, we believe this drone is very promising for us. He showed himself well in the trials, he has a great future.
– It is known that the beginning of a special military operation and subsequent sanctions also had a negative impact on the aircraft industry. For example, this happened with the Ansat helicopter, which previously supplied Canadian engines. What's next? How is this work progressing? What will happen to this project?
– The country needs such a helicopter. He has already proven himself on the positive side. We use it not only as a helicopter for transporting passengers, but also as an ambulance helicopter. And today, according to the import substitution program, we are making our own VK-650V engine, which will be used there. It's not fast – a year or two at most, and we'll finish everything.
– About the same problem with engines for large helicopters, such as the Mi-26. Is it true that a new engine for a giant helicopter can be created on the basis of PD-8?
– Yes, the PD-8 gas generator system will be used on this engine. We have already made a big start in this direction. The Mi-26 is a unique helicopter. There are practically no analogues in the world. It is in demand not only by the Ministry of Defense, but also in the national economy, since the load capacity is serious. It will be necessary to transfer both equipment and construction materials to places where it is impossible to do it by other means of transport.
In the near future – we need two or three years - we will bring the PD–8 to put it on the Mi-26. But I want to note separately that the engine power will be 15% higher. Technology does not stand still. We don't just have to repeat something, we have to do it more efficiently and more powerfully than it was before.
– That is, there would be no happiness, but misfortune helped?
- Yes. Today it is exactly like that. It's a challenge. We accept this challenge and believe that we are working effectively.
– Is the PD-8 the same for the Sukhoi Superjet aircraft? What is going on with this program in general? How soon will we see planes with this engine in the air?
– The Sukhoi Superjet used to be operated with engines of joint production of Russia and France – this is the SaM146. It was produced at the Saturn plant. Now we are creating our own engine, as you correctly said, PD-8. Today it passes all the tests, and next year we will put it on the "Dry Superjet" in series. We will produce a series of aircraft with fully import-substituted components, with our engine. This will be the 24th year.
– That is, everything will be imported there? Everything that was used imported?
– Everything that was imported. Initially, a large number of foreign components were used in the Sukhoi Superjet. A serious import substitution program has been developed with the support of the Ministry of Industry and Trade. It is effective, and we are reaching very serious indicators.
For the MS-21, its own engine, the PD-14, has already been tested. According to MS-21, it was supposed to enter the "series" in the 25th year, but we shifted a year earlier and will enter the "series" already in 2024. Next year we will release the first six cars to Aeroflot, which will work entirely on our components. Excluding any foreign equipment that was supposed to be used there earlier.
– In addition to the Superjet and MS-21, which you have already mentioned, there are also cars of the last generation. Tu-214. How are the work on increasing their production in Kazan progressing?
– You know, my personal attitude to this car is very positive. An undeservedly forgotten car, perfectly worked out in quality. Now she is remembered because of what happened. And I think that the Tu-214 has very great prospects. The car, once again, is very reliable, proven. We are releasing it so far in a small series, single copies. Today we are increasing production. We will enter the "series" at a minimum – this is 10 cars a year, then up to 20 cars a year. I think our consumers – both airlines and passengers – will be satisfied.
There is a lot of work. We are building a completely new production, using new technologies and training people, first of all. That is, those people who will assemble these cars.
– I want to ask you about another very important and interesting project. Rostec has started serial deliveries of a high-power gas turbine GTD-110M. The first unit has already been manufactured for the Udarnaya thermal power plant in the Krasnodar Territory in order to reduce the energy deficit there. When is it planned to put this equipment into operation?
– The Udarnaya thermal power plant in the Krasnodar Territory will be put into operation at the end of this year.
Of course, GTD-110 is a very popular product in the energy market today, since it is a complete import substitution. The main suppliers from Europe have left our market. We believe that we will occupy the niche of retired manufacturers with this machine. There are already completed orders. Today we are developing our own production. We need to build a new plant to produce these machines in the volumes that the market requires. Now we are launching a "Shock". Let's see how the machine will work in the "series", as they say, "on the ground", and we will increase production.
– Rostec operates under sanctions. Share how it affected the work of the Corporation? How have the financial indicators changed?
– According to the results of the 22nd year, the revenue of Rostec companies is more than 2 trillion, 44.5% is civilian products, despite the growth of the state defense order. Our financial indicators are growing, while expenses are also growing – to attract new highly qualified specialists, to re-equip old production facilities. Today, many enterprises that work for the state defense order have been re-equipped to a large extent in a very short time. Now these are modern production facilities. Large reserves have been made for a serious amount through the Ministry of Defense. If it is necessary to increase the capacities and volumes ordered by the Ministry of Defense, we are ready for this.
