Arsenal-2023: what weapons did the Russian army receive in the past year

Arms supplies to Russian troops have tripled compared to the previous year, purchases of equipment in high demand as part of a special military operation have increased 7 times, and the production of artillery ammunition has increased more than 17 times. Such statements were made by Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday during a speech at the board of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. What kind of equipment did the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation receive and how did the capacity of the domestic military-industrial complex increase — in the TASS material

The Nuclear Triad

During his speech, the Head of state noted that the role of the Russian nuclear shield has increased significantly. The nuclear triad (strategic missile weapons deployed on land complexes, aircraft carriers and submarines), according to the President of Russia, provides a strategic balance throughout the world.

The Supreme Commander-in-Chief said that 15 launchers of the Avangard and Yars complexes will be on combat duty in the strategic missile Forces by the end of the year. Also, according to him, the aviation component has been replenished with four Tu-160M strategic missile carriers.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced during an expanded meeting of the board of the military department that the Russian Navy has accepted the Borey-A nuclear submarine "Emperor Alexander III" project, equipped with 16 Bulava ballistic missiles.

In the spring, the commander-in-chief of the Navy, Admiral Nikolai Evmenov, said in an interview with the Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper that Russian shipbuilders have been building strategic nuclear submarine missile carriers since the times of the Soviet Union and every year the Russian Navy receives one ship of this class.

Ground forces

Vladimir Putin said that this year the enterprises of the domestic military-industrial complex (MIC) have increased the volume of deliveries of armored vehicles three times, automotive — 4.5 times. The number of major weapons purchased has increased 2.7 times, and the most in demand — 7 times.

T-72B3M tanks.
Source: Press Service of the Central Military District/ TASS

According to Shoigu, enterprises of the domestic military-industrial complex (MIC) have quadrupled their capacities, while switching to a round-the-clock production mode. The head of the Russian military department said that in 2023, the Ground Forces received over 1.5 thousand new and modernized tanks, as well as more than 2.5 thousand armored combat vehicles of various types. Thus, deliveries of the main battle tanks T-90M "Breakthrough" and upgraded T-72B3M are continuing . Armored vehicles are transferred to the military department with additional protection. The experience of the special operation was taken into account during the modernization of the 2S25M self-propelled anti-tank gun, which completed state tests in the first half of 2022. Additional protection kits for it, as well as the BT-3F armored personnel carrier, were shown at the Army 2023 forum.

Rostec State Corporation's High-Precision Complexes Holding continued to supply the troops with upgraded BMP-2M infantry fighting vehicles. Kurganmashzavod, which is part of the High-Precision Complexes, has overhauled the BMP-2 with the installation of the Berezhok module on it, which significantly increases the combat capabilities of the machine. In particular, the Kornet anti-tank missile system, which is part of it, is capable of hitting heavily armored vehicles at a distance of up to 8 km.

This summer https://tass.ru/armiya-i-opk/18095507начались supplies of special protective material "Cape" produced by JSC "Research Institute of Steel" (part of the Kalashnikov concern). The fabric reduces the visibility of armored vehicles in a wide range of wavelengths — in particular, radar and thermal.

"Today, the Cape is becoming an obligatory element of the acquisition of Russian armored vehicles sent to combat zones," the concern's press service reported.

In the spring, a TASS source in the law enforcement agencies reported that the newest heavy flamethrower system TOS-2 "Tosochka" was used in the zone of its defense, adding that the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation are checking many novelties of Russian gunsmiths in combat conditions. The TOS-2 differs from its famous tracked predecessors of the TOS-1 series by a highly mobile wheeled chassis, automation of combat operations and a significantly increased firing range — up to 18 km.

Artillery systems continue to be upgraded. In October, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation received the first batch of the latest 152 mm self-propelled artillery (ACS) "Malva".

152 mm self-propelled artillery gun "Malva" at the International military-technical Forum "Army-2023".
Source: Photo: IZVESTIA/Dmitry Korotaev

"The cannon that is installed there allows you to fire up to eight rounds per minute. That is, eight shells have gone, and the ACS has changed its location. <...> The wheeled chassis allows you to change position quickly, unlike tracked ones, and thus you can conduct disturbing fire on enemy positions while remaining invulnerable," Alexey Leonkov, editor of Arsenal of the Fatherland, told TASS.

In addition, in October, the promising self-propelled gun "Coalition-SV" successfully completed state tests. A TASS source close to the military department said that the latest self-propelled gun is already being used in the zone of its own for counter-battery warfare. In addition, its mass production has begun.

The production of precision-guided munitions is increasing. Thus, it is expected that the production of guided artillery shells "Krasnopol-M2", which are widely used in special operations, will increase by 25 times next year.

Aerospace forces

The Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) have received several batches of combat aircraft and helicopters of the latest generation this year.

One of the fifth batch of new Su-35S fighters transferred to the Russian Aerospace Forces in November 2023, built by the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aviation Plant named after Yuri Gagarin (KnAAZ) PJSC United Aircraft Corporation. The side numbers are retouched.
A source: PJSC United Aircraft Corporation

For example, in June, July, October and November, it became known that batches of multi-purpose supermaneuverable Su-35S fighters with a controlled thrust vector were sent to the VKS. Military pilots also received the latest multifunctional Su-30SM2 fighters. They are used in a special military operation to intercept enemy aircraft, cover the actions of army aviation, strikes on radar stations and other ground targets.

During the year, the Russian Aerospace Forces received batches of Su-34 front-line bombers, the last of which was transferred in November. Back in May, the universal machine began using aerial bombs with UMPC kits installed on them, which turn inexpensive free-falling ammunition into high-precision weapons capable of hitting targets with specified coordinates at a range of tens of kilometers.

Given the high demand for the aircraft in the military, Shoigu, during a visit to the Novosibirsk Aircraft Factory named after V.P. Chkalov, instructed the company's management to increase the pace of production of a unique combat vehicle.

At the beginning of the year, a TASS source in the defense industry reported that the Arsenyevsky Aviation Plant handed over to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation a batch of 10 modernized Ka-52M attack and reconnaissance helicopters. Army aviation helicopters successfully hit enemy armored vehicles in the special operation zone, including Western "gifts" to Kiev, with guided missiles.

Unmanned aerial vehicles

The special military operation confirmed the increasing role of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in combat operations. According to the statement of the Minister of Defense made at a meeting of the board of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation in November, the volume of UAV deliveries this year increased 16 times compared to the beginning of the previous year. In yesterday's speech, Shoigu noted the role of volunteer organizations in the production of drones.

An earlier "Lancet".
Source: ZALA

Due to the effectiveness during its operation, the Russian Lancet attack drone manufactured by ZALA Aero (part of the Kalashnikov Concern) has become widely known all over the world. The kamikaze drone destroys armored vehicles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, including Western-style tanks, radar stations, barrel and rocket artillery systems and even moving boats. At the same time, the Lancet's capabilities are constantly increasing during modernization. For example, the Business Insider publication shared the opinion that the updated UAVs received a new warhead, which is not afraid of protective nets.

"Russia is confidently winning the drone war, and not from the phantom Ukrainian regime, but from the collective West — that's where all the technologies and strategies of confrontation and war against Russia are being created," said Viktor Bondarev, head of the Federation Council Committee on Defense and Security.

The Navy

Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy Nikolai Evmenov, in an interview with reporters, noted that 2023 was a busy year for the fleet.

Earlier, Yevmenov said that the ships, as well as coastal missile systems that are supplied to the Navy, are equipped with the latest hypersonic Zircon missiles, modern Kalibr, Onyx, and Uran cruise missiles.

Victor Bodrov