TSAMTO, June 27th. On June 26, Russian President Vladimir Putin held a meeting on the development of shipbuilding to ensure the defense and security of the state.
Below is a transcript of Vladimir Putin's opening speech at the meeting, as presented by the Kremlin's press service.
Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, dear colleagues!
Today we will discuss the development of domestic shipbuilding. I propose to consider the progress of the implementation of the state defense order in this area, as well as the long-term, systemic tasks facing our fleet and the shipbuilding industry.
As you know, the Fundamentals of State Policy in the field of naval activities until 2030 set clear guidelines, namely, to comprehensively develop the Russian Navy, including ship, aviation and coastal components, basing infrastructure, strengthen its position in strategically important areas of the World Ocean, and qualitatively increase combat potential.
A lot has been done in this area in recent years: our fleet is replenished with new ships, equipped with modern types of weapons, repairs and deep modernization of equipment are underway.
What is the dynamic we have here? In 2022, domestic shipbuilders handed over 24 new ships and vessels to the Ministry of Defense, 33 in 2023, and more than 40 are planned to be transferred in 2024.
What is important here? We all understand the increasing degree of geopolitical tension in the modern world, we hear regular threats against Russia from the ruling circles of a number of countries and even see concrete actions to implement such threats. Naturally, we must take this as seriously as possible, calculate all possible risks and plan an adequate response, strengthen our Armed Forces and Navy.
Thus, in order to increase the combat stability of the fleet forces, special attention should be paid to the early introduction of remote threat detection systems, including from unmanned vehicles. I am referring not only to the control of airspace by air defense means, but also to the improvement of surface and underwater surveillance systems to combat the enemy's marine robotic complexes.
It is necessary to protect our fleet from possible attacks already on the distant approaches to naval bases and areas of operation of our ships, to develop the fleet's reconnaissance aircraft, to increase the forces and means of conducting electronic reconnaissance and electronic warfare.
We also need to assess the condition and needs of naval aviation, coastal missile and artillery troops. Today we will discuss the tasks of retrofitting ships with additional firepower, including manual and automatic machine gun modules, calculations of unmanned aerial vehicles.
Such systems, taking into account real combat experience, are already offered by our enterprises, not only by large corporations, but also by small, private developers and manufacturers.
I propose today to compare plans in the field of shipbuilding once again, to clarify the key principles of work of customers and all participants in the construction and equipping of ships.
What I would like to focus on before we move on to the agenda.
Shipbuilding is a complex, high–tech industry. She operates with plans for ten, twenty or more years. When forming a state order, we need exactly such a planning horizon – at least until the middle of the century, which will not only calculate and ensure the serial production of current types of ships, but also guarantee the transition to the next generation of naval equipment, a higher technical and tactical level.
These are the tasks that our army and navy are currently facing. And we must focus our financial and organizational resources on them, and concentrate our scientific potential.
I would like to note here that in the development of new ship projects, it is necessary to carry out experimental design work on equipment, instruments, element base and weapon systems in advance, and within the framework of interdepartmental integrated targeted programs. This will significantly reduce the design and construction time of the lead ships. I think that reducing the scale will lead to a significant reduction in cost.
Digitalization of design, translation of design and technological documentation into electronic form, of course, using secure data transmission systems between design bureaus and shipyards, should also work to solve this problem. And between all the participants in this complex process.
Further. The order for warships should correspond to the optimal loading of shipyards, and the volume and rhythm of state financing should take into account the specifics of cooperation in shipbuilding, the duration of the production cycle, as well as investments by enterprises in expanding production, updating it based on modern technologies and, of course, in personnel training.
I would like to note that we are talking not only about the direct executors of the state order, but also about their suppliers and related companies in a large number of industries – these are metallurgists, machine and instrument makers, creators of weapons, communication systems, navigation, software, new materials and so on. The preservation of cooperation is an essential component of the overall work.
Today, many manufacturers of components – steam turbine installations, electrical products and radioelectronic equipment, diesel engines and aggregates – are loaded "to full capacity". In order to avoid a shortage of supplies, postponement of ship delivery dates, enterprises will have to be forcibly modernized, and production volumes of equipment and components will increase.
A number of measures have been taken in this regard, and instructions have been given. Today we will discuss how they are implemented and what additional solutions are needed here.
At the same time, I would like to note separately: the most important task for the long-term development of shipbuilding is the influx of qualified personnel into design bureaus, shipyards and factories, and throughout the country. It is necessary to create really attractive, competitive working conditions in shipbuilding, including decent, high salaries for workers, engineers, technical personnel, and managers.
It is important to improve skills, retrain employees and, of course, launch social programs to support specialists and their families. This is a common task for the state, industry enterprises, and our education system.
Now shipbuilders and enterprises of the corporation are objectively increasing their investments in strengthening human resources, in attracting and training specialists. And it is very important that these funds are taken into account in the price of contracts. I look forward to hearing substantive suggestions on this matter.
In general, I propose today to analyze approaches to pricing in the shipbuilding industry, based both on the current situation in the industry and on the promising tasks that it has to solve.
At the same time, I would like to emphasize once again: the strict fulfillment of contractual conditions, the implementation of investment programs of our shipbuilders and, of course, the economic efficiency and profitability of their work are of fundamental importance here.
As for wages, the inspection of the prosecutor's office shows that the level is quite modest so far.
Let's start our meeting with the question of how the Ministry of Defense sees the long-term Concept of the development of the Navy. Actually, this is the base, the basis from which we will have to make up both short-term and long-term plans, set specific tasks for enterprises, design bureaus and our science.
Of course, the Concept I mentioned should be based on an understanding, integrated solutions for the combat use of the Navy. Based on this, it is necessary to build a long-term Concept, which I have just mentioned.
Let's get started. The floor is given to the Commander–in-Chief of the Navy, Alexander Alekseevich Moiseev.
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