The leader of the domestic optical industry, Shvabe Holding (part of Rostec), is presenting for the first time at the Army—2023 international military—technical forum an all-day reconnaissance device, sighting complexes for armored vehicles and a new ambulance. How the holding's enterprises will improve drones to counter electronic warfare, how armored ambulances are created for field conditions and what prospects there are for laser training complexes for shooters — Vadim Kalyugin, General Director of Shvabe, told TASS about all this in an interview on the sidelines of the forum.
— Vadim Stanislavovich, what developments is the holding presenting at the forum?
— We will bring more than 70 exhibits to the forum — these are already well-known solutions on the market, as well as novelties. For example, an optoelectronic complex for the protection of extended borders from the Astron Optical and Mechanical Design Bureau (OKB) will be presented. He is able to detect, recognize and identify various objects — cars, drones, people and other targets, and at any time of the day.
Another exhibit is a dose rate meter, which is designed to protect against radiation threats. It was created in collaboration of the Krasnogorsk plant named after S.A. Zverev and the company "Polytech-M". The device is suitable for measuring X-ray and gamma radiation, the flux density of alpha and beta particles.
— There are many developments in the field of security in the Shvabe portfolio. What is presented on the forum?
— This year we will present a panoramic commander's observation device and a rangefinder sight for armored vehicles developed by the Vologda Optical and Mechanical Plant. This also includes products from the Krasnogorsk Plant named after S.A. Zverev: the commander's panoramic sight, designed, among other things, for a course survey of the battlefield, detection and recognition of camouflaged objects, as well as a thermal imaging channel for viewing the terrain, detecting and recognizing targets on the ground, on water and in the air.
We will also show an unmanned helicopter-type aircraft, which was developed at the Astron Design Bureau for reconnaissance and target designation, as well as a model of a thermal imaging sight for the Kornet-E anti-tank missile system, created by specialists of the NGO State Institute of Applied Optics.
By tradition, a line of civilian sights will also be presented. The best optical, prismatic and collimator models will be included here.
— In addition to the sights, what else does the civil exposition of the holding include?
— This year we are focusing, among other things, on medical developments. For example, we will bring the only multifunctional inhalation anesthesia device MAIA-01 of the Ural Optical and Mechanical Plant named after E.S. Yalamov. The device supports all known anesthetics, including xenon, the use of which does not give side effects.
For the first time we will show a new ambulance. It will be placed on a street exhibition.
You can use the car in two versions — as an ambulance of the B / C class or an evacuation vehicle.
— Once we touched on the topic of ambulances, tell us about the advantages of an armored car. Is the holding developing this direction? Perhaps there are new models in the line?
— Today in the line of Shvabe special vehicles there are models adapted to the tasks of doctors who work in special conditions. For example, the "Shvabe" 4x4 KUB — it is suitable for off-road driving and is designed to transport and assist the wounded and injured in the field. This car has an armored body and internal elements: a motor shield, a fuel tank and a battery. Moreover, Br3 ballistic steel is used. The interior of the car is isolated from the driver's cab and equipped with furniture made of polymer materials that can withstand shock loads up to 10g.
In addition to ambulances, we are working on the creation of protected on-board vehicles that may be interesting and useful to law enforcement agencies.
— Earlier it was reported that the specialists of the Astron design bureau plan to modernize the UAV-400T drone, increasing the flight range. At what stage are the modernization works at today?
— Currently, the drone has been put into serial production, and is also being upgraded in parallel. In addition to working to increase the range of the device, the developers are trying to make it more resistant to electronic warfare.
— What new sights are currently being developed by Shvabe? Will the forum participants see any of this?
— Shvabe includes several major Russian manufacturers of sighting optics, so their line is really wide: optical, collimator, prismatic and thermal imaging models. Developers are constantly working on their modernization, as well as releasing new products.
At the "Army" we will show popular models that have recently entered the market — prismatic sights of small multiplicity PP1 and PP3 of the Novosibirsk Instrument-making Plant. Their modular design allows the shooter to independently change the seat and set sights on different types of weapons.
At the stand, it will be possible to get acquainted with other Novosibirsk sights of variable multiplicity — PO104 and PO156, which have a wide viewing angle and provide shooting at short and medium distances. There will also be 3-12x50 and 3-10x40, developed at our factory in Krasnogorsk for high-precision shooting in the first focal plane, and other models that have proven themselves in the circles of hunters and athletes.
— It was reported about the development of a "Shvabe" laser simulator for sports shooting. When is it planned to transfer the first batch of products? Do the military show interest in creating such a complex for the training of shooters? Any other law enforcement agencies?
— Laser simulator for practicing targeted shooting skills — a new type of civilian products of the holding. Within the framework of the import substitution program, it was created by specialists of the Vologda Optical and Mechanical Plant by order of the Federation of Modern Pentathlon of Russia (FSPR). It is the FSPR that the first batch of 100 units will be transferred in the near future. The products have been tested by the federation for several months and, I must say, have received good feedback from the management, coaching staff, athletes.
In the future, we plan to produce simulators for sports schools, shooting ranges and educational centers where shooting training is conducted. The planned production volume is 1,000 units per year, with the possibility of expansion depending on demand.