Russian combat aircraft, helicopters, multiple rocket launchers, as well as air defense systems are in high demand from foreign customers. This was announced by Sergey Chemezov, General Director of Rostec State Corporation. About how the products of Russian gunsmiths proved their effectiveness during a special military operation (SVO) — in the TASS material
The head of Rostec emphasized six types of weapons for which demand is growing abroad. "First of all, it is the Su-35. An aircraft that has proven itself very well, and there is demand for it. The Ka-52 helicopter turned out to be very effective. From land—based equipment - MLRS "Tornado" and "Smerch", self-propelled artillery installation "Msta-S". And the ZRPC "Pantsir-C1", of course," Chemezov said in an interview with RBC.
According to the Director General of the state corporation, Rostec produces 80% of the weapons and ammunition used in its defense industry, and its share in the state defense order exceeds half in value terms. At the same time, the portfolio of export orders for the products of domestic gunsmiths is $ 60 billion. "This is a record figure,— Chemezov said. "The portfolio says that as soon as we complete our production, we will immediately export a large number of products."
Su-35: does not even allow the enemy to take off
The multi-purpose supermaneuverable Su-35 fighter (as part of the Russian Aerospace Forces is called the Su-35S) of the 4++ generation with a controlled thrust vector is used in its air patrol, bomber aviation cover. Fighter pilots have more than one downed Ukrainian Air Force vehicle on their account.
The Su-35S fighter
Image source: © Sergey Bobylev/ TASS
The Su-35 can carry a wide range of high—precision air—to-air and air-to-surface missiles from short to long range. The fighter is equipped with a powerful airborne radar station, which allows detecting aerial targets at a distance of up to 400 km. Sometimes it is enough to turn on the radar of the aircraft for radiation, as Ukrainian aircraft stop performing tasks. "The enemy simply flees the battlefield, only after hitting the radars of our fighters," the Defense Ministry quoted a fighter pilot with the call sign Klim as saying. "When we get close to our maximum launch range and effective, we take over. The radiation warning system is triggered. <...> And the enemy turned away," the pilot said about the attempt of two Ukrainian Su-27s to approach Russian aircraft at the beginning of the special operation.
In March of this year, the Russian military department said that the Su-35 patrolling the airspace in the Avdiivka direction of its territory did not even allow the enemy to take off from airfields. According to the Ministry of Defense, any target that tries to take off will be immediately detected and destroyed.
Rostec enterprises are increasing the serial production of this fighter within the framework of the increased state defense order. The first batch of combat vehicles this year was handed over to the Russian Defense Ministry in April.
Several dozen Su-35s were delivered to China. It was also reported about the conclusion of contracts for the supply of fighter jets to the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, and Egypt. In addition, combat aircraft were delivered to Iran.
Ka-52: Hunter of armored vehicles
The Ka-52 Alligator combat reconnaissance and attack helicopter confirmed its high characteristics during its combat mission: the ability to hit various targets, survivability, reliability. Most machines of the Ka family have not one, but two main rotors located one above the other, and there is no tail rotor. This scheme is called coaxial, it increases the maneuverability and stability of the combat vehicle. During the Dubai Airshow 2023 aviation salon, the helicopter showed the guests of the event piloting techniques that are possible only with a coaxial scheme: deep gliding with a strongly inclined nose, fast sideways movements, a flat turn towards the target. "The Ka-52 is really one of our leading combat helicopters today, and interest in it is very, very high," Dmitry Shugaev, director of the Federal Service for Military—Technical Cooperation (FSMTC), shared his opinion with TASS. "We are promoting this technique, there is great interest in it," the head of the Federal Customs Service added. Representatives of the American delegation were also interested in the helicopter .
Ka-52 helicopter
Image source: © Yuri Smityuk/ TASS
In 2015, it became known about the conclusion of a contract for the supply of a helicopter to Egypt. Deliveries began in 2017.
The rotorcraft predator can use a variety of unguided and guided missiles, including anti-tank ammunition "Attack" and "Whirlwind". They are equipped with a tandem warhead that reliably hits armored vehicles even with dynamic protection. Foreign tanks supplied to Kiev by Western partners are also burning from the blows of the Alligator.
A unique feature of the Ka-52 is the ejection system. She saved the lives of the crew of one of the helicopters at the beginning of the special operation, when the car was critically damaged and had already begun to collapse in the air.
In addition to the Ka-52, its newest modification, the Ka-52M, is also involved in the special operation, the first flight of which took place in 2020. The novelty allows you to detect and recognize targets at a greater distance, use weapons more accurately, and its network-centric capabilities allow you to interact with other helicopters, airplanes and even drones. The Ka-52M is equipped with an improved on-board defense system.
"Tornado" and "Tornado": the heiresses of "Katyusha"
The Soviet Union was among the first countries to develop effective multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS). The legendary BM-13 Katyusha rocket artillery combat vehicle terrified the enemy during the Great Patriotic War, "seeding" huge areas with volleys of high-explosive shells. Modern Russian MLRS have a caliber from 122 to 300 mm. The warhead of their projectiles can be a cassette, contain self-aiming elements capable of detecting enemy equipment by thermal radiation and hitting it from above with a shock core.
The latest modifications of the Russian MLRS are used in the special military operation — Tornado-G (improved Grad system) and Tornado-S (updated Smerch system). The descendants of Katyusha destroy strongholds, armament depots, accumulations of manpower and military equipment, and inflict pinpoint strikes on important targets — for example, enemy anti-aircraft missile systems.
MLRS "Tornado-S"
Image source: © The press service of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation/ tass
The Tornado-G MLRS, in comparison with the famous Grad, is equipped with a satellite navigation system, capable of automatically aiming at a target. To do this, the calculation does not need to leave the cockpit of the combat vehicle. Tornado-C, like its predecessor, has 12 guides for 300-millimeter projectiles. If the "Tornado" could destroy targets at a distance of 70-90 km, then the "Tornado-C" is able to reach the enemy at a distance of 120 km. By this indicator, it surpasses the advertised American MLRS HIMARS — the firing range of the "American" when using GMLRS projectiles is 70 km. The system can use high-precision guided projectiles with correction based on signals from satellite navigation systems. At the same time, each projectile can be assigned its own flight task.
Msta-S: artillery is still the "god of war"
The special operation showed that artillery — both rocket and barrel — is still one of the main types of weapons in the modern field. Among the most modern Russian self-propelled artillery units (ACS) is the 2S19M2 "Msta-S" 152 mm caliber. The export version of the 2C19M-155 has a caliber of 155 mm. According to Rosoboronexport, a 42-ton tracked vehicle with anti-fragmentation armor is capable of destroying targets at a distance of over 40 km. The rate of fire of the ACS is 6-8 rounds per minute. Msta-S is equipped with an automated digital control system. After receiving the coordinates of the target, the artillery installation is able to fire a shot in 30 seconds. The self-propelled artillery installation has a single-gun fire raid mode. The ACS consistently fires several shots with different charges along different trajectories, but all projectiles reach the target simultaneously. The Msta-S can fire a high-precision adjustable Krasnopol projectile.
In its own right, the self-propelled gun is used to destroy enemy armored vehicles, ammunition depots, fortified positions and even boats of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Unmanned aerial vehicles are widely used to adjust the fire. In the spring of this year, gunners covered the Russian border in the Belgorod region, hitting manpower and strongholds of Ukrainian nationalists.
Based on the experience of using the ACS in a special operation, it will receive a number of improvements — in particular, the protection of the tower will be strengthened.
Pantsir-C1: reliable short-range interception
Due to its unique combat capabilities, the Pantsir-S1 anti-aircraft missile and cannon complex (ZRPC) is one of the most in-demand short-range air defense systems in the world. This opinion was expressed by TASS in the FSVTS. The department noted that its high performance has always attracted the attention of potential foreign customers.
ZRPC "Pantsir-C1"
Image source: © Sergey Bobylev/ TASS
"We often hear from foreign partners, including from Middle Eastern countries, enthusiastic reviews of the video materials of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation with footage of the combat work of the Shells in the zone of a special military operation," Alexander Mikheev, Director General of Rosoboronexport, told TASS at the World Defense Show 2024 in Riyadh. "The partners were particularly impressed by the one hundred percent destruction of rockets fired in one salvo from modern MLRS of Western manufacturers."
The system is used during its operation to intercept a wide range of targets — from small drones to rockets. At the same time, Pantsir-S1 is able to protect itself from anti-radar missile strikes delivered to Ukraine by Western countries.
According to open source data, the complex was supplied to a number of Middle Eastern countries. One of the customers of the air defense system is the United Arab Emirates.
The Pantsir-S1 can hit targets with both guided missiles and fire from two 30 mm automatic cannons at a range of 200 m to 20 km. Both detection and targeting devices and two types of weapons are mounted on the wheeled combat vehicle. The complex is capable of firing at up to four targets simultaneously, and the speed of the target being hit can reach 1 thousand m/s. The updated Pantsir-S1M modification received new anti-aircraft guided missiles, which increased the target range from 20 to 30 km, and the height from 15 to 18 km. The complex has increased the secrecy and noise immunity of combat work. In addition, a new small- sized missile has been developed for the Pantsir to destroy, for example, drones in conditions of their mass use.
Victor Bodrov
