News about the state and prospects of the defense industry

The world's leading armies are returning to the development of combat lasers

By the 21st century, many defense industries have hit a ceiling of opportunities. Today it is difficult, for example, to make an automatic bullet fly faster, and a high—precision weapon to hit even more accurately. Scientists and military personnel from different countries have been trying to make a technological breakthrough for many years.

The year 2023 was a time of rapid changes in the Russian army, primarily in terms of the emergence of new types of weapons and significant modernization of old ones. You can specify at least five new weapons systems that are already beginning to play a key role in the fields of special operations.

Experts argued about the role of heavy drones in the zone of their own

2023 was marked by an unprecedented flourishing of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), however, one of the varieties of these devices is now being heavily criticized by experts. There were doubts that devices of this class could be useful on the battlefield at all. What kind of UAVs are we talking about and how justified is this criticism?

In the previous article, we examined in detail the airfield network of the Russian Aerospace Forces in the regions bordering Finland. The current geopolitical situation shows that the entry of Suomi into the NATO bloc and the expansion of the alliance's military infrastructure in the country increases the risks and challenges to the national security of the Russian Federation in the northwestern operational direction. Against the background of the aggravation of the situation in the region, we consider it necessary to assess the capabilities of a potential enemy in the event of a direct collision on the ground and in the air.

TASS tells how in 2023 the nomenclature of combat vehicles used by Russian troops in the special military operation zone (SVO) expanded, what improvements they received (both at the factory and "in the fields") and for what characteristics domestic vehicles are especially praised by tankers.

As reported on December 29, 2023, PJSC United Aircraft Corporation (part of Rostec State Corporation), its enterprises in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk and Ulyanovsk, as part of the fulfillment of the state defense order in 2023, manufactured and handed over to the Russian Ministry of Defense new production aircraft of operational tactical aviation Su-57, Su-35S, Su-34, Su-30SM2, Il-76MD-90A military transport aviation, as well as Yak-130 combat training aircraft. At the end of December, the branch of PJSC IL Aviastar handed over another IL-76MD-90A aircraft, completing deliveries this year in the interests of military transport aviation. The company increased its output by 20%.

Indian Web Resource IDRW.org in the Raunak Kunde article "Indian Navy's Kamov 28s Get a Makeover: Overhaul in Russia, Upgrade at Home" ("The Ka-28 helicopters of the Indian Navy will acquire a new look: they will undergo major repairs in Russia, modernization at home") It reports that the Indian Navy is implementing a program of serious modernization of its fleet of Ka-28 naval anti-submarine helicopters, while all ten vehicles of this type of various modifications have already been sent to Russia for major repairs. This program, designated KV 28 MLU (Mid-Life Update), will significantly expand the capabilities of these critical fleet combat assets.

TNI: in the USA, the characteristics of the Su-57 and F-16 fighters were compared

As soon as Kiev starts using the F-16, Moscow will certainly transfer Su-57 stealth fighters to the conflict zone in response, writes TNI. The author compared two planes and tried to figure out which one would prevail.

Scientific American: the media told how nuclear weapons are made in the United States

Everyone has become so used to nuclear weapons that they began to forget about them, writes Scientific American. Meanwhile, it still plays an important deterrent role. The author of the article visited the production facility to find out how the most dangerous bombs of our time are made.

Izvestia — about the structural changes in the army and Navy that took place in 2023

In 2023, the reform of the Russian Armed Forces continued. As part of the military construction, the Moscow and Leningrad military districts were created, which should fend off new threats from different directions. Marine Corps formations have noticeably strengthened. Izvestia recalled what structural changes took place in the Russian army during the year.

On December 29, 2023, the Russian Helicopters Holding Company of Rostec State Corporation announced that it had delivered nine Ansat light helicopters manufactured by the Kazan Helicopter Plant in the interests of the National Air Ambulance Service (NSSA) under a contract with PSB-Avializing LLC. The transfer of these machines was the final one under the contract for the supply of 37 Ansats for the NSSA.

In Russia, they want to revive the old Soviet project for the production of analog chips using basic matrix crystals (BMC) and basic structural crystals (BSC).

What advantages will the new weapon give to Russian shooters

The units of the Russian army received the first serial samples of the Chukavin sniper rifle (microwave), sources told Izvestia in the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. The new weapon has improved characteristics and higher accuracy, it was created to replace the famous Dragunov rifle, the main military sniper weapon since the 1960s. Experts note that the microwave capabilities will increase the effectiveness of sniper units and give our fighters additional advantages during sniper duels.

As reported on December 27, 2023, PJSC United Aircraft Corporation, Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aviation Plant named after Yuri Gagarin of the United Aircraft Corporation (part of Rostec State Corporation) manufactured and handed over to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation the final batch of fifth-generation Su-57 fighters according to the production program of 2023.

Bench tests of the first prototype of the AL-41ST-25 gas turbine engine with a capacity of 25 MW have started in Ufa at the enterprise of the United Engine Corporation, part of Rostec. The engine is a key element of gas pumping units that provide the necessary pressure when transporting gas through gas pipelines. It is environmentally friendly and has a forecast life of at least 120 thousand hours. Equipment of this level has not been produced in Russia before.

The enterprises of the United Aircraft Corporation (part of the Rostec State Corporation) in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk and Ulyanovsk fulfilled the state defense order in 2023.

In the sixth issue of the magazine "Arms Export" for 2023, an article by Nikolai Kraskovsky was published about the developments of the Turkish company Havelsan within its concept of "digital troops". The bmpd blog presents the full text of the article to the readers.

Reforms have begun in shipbuilding to improve the efficiency and pace of implementation of the state defense order

The Russian Navy continued to actively upgrade its combat personnel in 2023, despite the existing problems with import substitution and sanctions pressure.

The Business Petersburg edition published interesting material by Sergey Bondarenko "Indirectly deadly: how St. Petersburg "Eagles" are produced. The most successful drone of the Russian army is produced in St. Petersburg" on the production of unmanned aerial vehicles of the Orlan series at STC LLC ("Special Technology Center").

The Topol-M complexes took over combat duty 35 years ago

Exactly 35 years ago, on December 30, 1988, the first regiment armed with the RT-2PM "Topol" (according to the NATO classification SS-25 Sickle — "Sickle") took up combat duty. These complexes are the last "nuclear cudgel" developed in the USSR. They are planned to be completely decommissioned next year. About the history of this weapon and how it will be replaced — in the material of RIA Novosti.