On September 19, Russia celebrates Gunsmith's Day. This professional holiday unites all workers of the Russian military-industrial complex, which is, not without reason, considered one of the most powerful in the world. His enterprises are scattered throughout the country. But the status of capitals of the defense industry deservedly and indisputably belongs to two Russian cities - Tula and Izhevsk.
United Engine Corporation
Photo:rostec.ru
Place in the ranking: 38 Weapons sales, 2014: $2,600 million United Engine Corporation JSC is an integrated structure that produces engines for military and civil aviation, space programs, gas turbine units of various capacities for the production of electrical and thermal energy, gas pumping and ship engines gas turbine units. United Engine Corporation is a subsidiary of the United Industrial Corporation Oboronprom, part of the state corporation Rostec. United Engine Corporation JSC develops, produces and provides after-sales service for a wide range of gas turbine engines. The corporation's activities are currently concentrated in the following key business areas: engines for military aviation, engines for ground applications, helicopter engines, engines for civil aviation, rocket engines, short-life gas turbine engines, marine gas turbine engines.
"Almaz-Antey"
Place in the ranking: 11 Weapons sales, 2014: $8,840 million JSC Concern VKO Almaz-Antey is a Russian concern that unites enterprises that develop and produce weapons. The enterprises gathered into the concern develop, produce and modernize anti-aircraft missile and radar equipment and its components (the main area of activity of the concern is air defense). In addition, the concern’s tasks include the implementation, maintenance of operation, repair and disposal for federal government needs and foreign customers of systems, complexes and air defense systems and non-strategic missile defense systems.
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United Instrument-Making Corporation
Photo:rostec.ru
Place in the ranking: 24 Weapons sales, 2014: $3,640 million United Instrument-Making Corporation is a Russian state corporation, created in March 2014 as part of the Rostec State Corporation as a specialized management company, under the auspices of which scientific and production are united structures of the radio-electronic industry of Russia. Today, the defense industry controls more than 60 enterprises and scientific organizations in the radio-electronic industry. Among the main projects that the defense industry is conducting today is the creation of 6th generation army communications and modern on-board communications systems for aviation, in particular, for the T50 fighter. Creation of modern radar systems for reconnaissance and monitoring for various purposes, including radar systems for A-50U and A-100 aircraft. Development and implementation of new technologies in the production of communication systems and equipment, telecommunications equipment, and computer equipment. One of the most significant projects of the defense industry is the organization of mass production of high-density electronics of a new generation - compact 3D microsystems.
Tula: the birthplace of the “sovereign’s self-made business” and a hero city
Tula, one of the defensive cities of the southern border of Russia, became the weapons capital after the border moved south - by the middle of the 17th century. Several factors combined favorably here: the presence of materials in the form of deposits of brown iron ore and Tula forests, the intersection of trade routes and the proximity of Moscow.
“The sovereign’s self-made business” was founded in Tula by Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich, who ordered blacksmiths to be settled here. And about a hundred years later, in 1712, Peter I ordered the construction of factories here to increase the production of weapons. This is how craft production becomes factory production.
The first metalworking factories in Tula were built by the Dutch. But already from the end of the 17th century, the Demidov family and other famous arms-making families took control of the arms business. The centralization of weapons production at that time was relative - most Tula craftsmen, although they worked for the state, preferred to work in their workshops.
The contribution of Tula gunsmiths to the victory of 1812 was great. The masters not only supplied more than half a million guns to the army, but also joined the militia themselves, reaching Paris with their troops. The decline in military orders after the war largely contributed to the flourishing of new types of production that glorified Tula - samovar and harmonious.
During the First World War, Tula gunsmiths produced up to half a million rifles, about a hundred thousand revolvers and up to ten thousand machine guns a year. During the Civil War, the city was the center of armament of the Red Army.
In 1935, the Central Design Bureau of Small Arms, the future instrument design bureau, which today is part of the Rostec High-Precision Complexes holding, was separated from the Tula arms factories. Before the start of the Great Patriotic War, the design bureau developed and put into service many types of automatic weapons: the TT pistol, SVT-38, SVT-40 and AVT-40 rifles, the ShKAS rapid-firing aviation machine gun, the UB universal aviation machine gun and others.
The Tula defensive operation of 1941 played a crucial role in stabilizing the front on the southern approaches to Moscow. For forty-five days, Tula was almost completely surrounded by enemies, but the city’s defenders were able to repel two large-scale German attacks and defend the city. The Nazis' plans to capture the capital from the south were defeated. In 1976, for the massive heroism and courage of the city’s defenders, including many gunsmiths, Tula was awarded the title of hero city.
In the post-war period, the Instrument Design Bureau developed weapons for advanced aviation. At this time, such weapons as the PM and APS pistols, the A-12.7 aircraft machine gun, the AM-23 aircraft gun, the 2A7 and 2A14 anti-aircraft guns, and the ZU-23 anti-aircraft gun were created. A total of 11 different types of guns were developed.
In the 1960s, Tula designers developed the theme of rocketry. The development of the main elements of anti-tank missile systems, and later high-precision, science-intensive weapons systems in the interests of various branches of the military, was prepared and launched. The successful delivery of the Fagot ATGM, which was put into service in 1970, was actually the new birth of the KBP. Since the late 1970s, the Tula Design Bureau has become a pioneer in the work on guided artillery shells. The calling card of the modern KBP named after. A.G. Shipunov are the Pantsir-S1 air defense missile system, Bakhcha combat modules, the Krasnopol-M guided weapons complex, the Kornet-EM missile system and many other developments.
Monument to the outstanding KBP designer Arkady Shipunov. Photo: Alexander Utkin
Today, the Tula region is distinguished by a high concentration of enterprises of the military-industrial complex. Tula gunsmiths develop and produce complexes of high-precision and guided weapons, multiple launch rocket systems, automatic cannons and anti-aircraft missile and gun systems, small arms and ammunition, electronic reconnaissance equipment, automated control systems for air defense forces, and special chemical products.
United Shipbuilding Corporation
Photo: oaoosk.ru
Place in the ranking: 15 Weapons sales, 2014: $5,980 million The United Shipbuilding Corporation accounts for 80% of all shipbuilding projects in Russia. USC unites the best shipbuilding, ship repair enterprises and design bureaus. In military shipbuilding - meeting the needs of the Russian Navy, designing and building a fleet of the 21st century. A significant share of USC military products is exported. In civil shipbuilding - drilling and production platforms, offshore equipment, specialized ice-class vessels for the development of the Arctic, vessels for working on inland waterways. USC design bureaus have extensive experience in innovative developments in the field of shipbuilding and the production of marine equipment. We offer our customers dozens of unique innovative projects that have no analogues in the world, and hundreds of vessels that have already been tested in a series of projects.
Izhevsk: from flintlock rifles to Kalashnikovs
The history of Izhevsk arms making is inextricably linked with the history of Izhevsk itself. The city developed from a village built for workers of the Izhevsk ironworks in 1760. In 1807, it was decided to use the plant’s base for the production of weapons, the need for which had increased due to a possible war with Napoleon. The emergence of a new plant gave impetus to the development of the city. Foreign specialists were actively involved in the new enterprise, and there were never any problems with raw materials in the Urals.
United Aircraft Corporation
Photo: uacrussia.ru
Place in the ranking: 14 Arms sales, 2014: $6,110 million PJSC United Aircraft Corporation is a Russian public joint-stock company that unites the largest aircraft manufacturing enterprises in Russia. Today, UAC includes about 30 enterprises and is one of the largest players in the global aircraft manufacturing market. Companies included in the structure of the Corporation have the rights to such world-famous brands as “Su”, “MiG”, “Il”, “Tu”, “Yak”, “Beriev”, as well as new ones - SSJ, MS-21. The Corporation's priority areas of activity are development, production, testing and operational support, warranty and service maintenance of civil and military aviation equipment. The scope of work of UAC companies includes the modernization, repair and disposal of aircraft, personnel training and advanced training of flight personnel. Today, the largest share in the production structure is occupied by military products, both for the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation and for foreign customers. Moreover, since 2013, the main share of military equipment supplies has been supplied to the domestic market.
"RTI Systems"
Place in the ranking: 91 Weapons sales, 2014: $840 million JSC Concern RTI Systems is a Russian engineering company. Carries out scientific, technical and production activities in such industries as radio engineering and rocketry, integrated communication and security systems, and drive technology. It was created in 2000 by the Sistema financial corporation on the basis of two leading Russian radio engineering institutes - RTI and NIIDAR - with the goal of “building a business out of the institute.” The company's headquarters is located in Moscow. The concern's enterprises produce radio engineering products, aerospace and ground control and communication systems, engines, low-voltage equipment, etc. Areas of activity include the creation of information means for missile and space defense, the organization of technical operation of missile attack warning systems, space control, missile defense, mechatronics. Among the products manufactured by the concern's companies are unmanned aerial vehicles: "Kaira", "Avius-1", "Vakhir", "Forpost", based on the Diamond DA42 aircraft, radio-photonic radars in the terahertz range, etc.
"Uralvagonzavod"
Place in the ranking: 61 Weapons sales, 2014: $1,450 million JSC Research and Production Corporation Uralvagonzavod named after F.E. Dzerzhinsky is a Russian corporation engaged in the development and production of military equipment, road-building machines, and railway cars. The corporation includes research institutes, design bureaus and manufacturing enterprises. The parent company is located in Nizhny Tagil, Sverdlovsk region. Today, one of the largest research and production complexes in Russia includes metallurgical, car assembly, mechanical assembly, mechanical repair, tool and other production facilities, allowing for a closed production cycle. Four design bureaus, including the head one in the freight car building industry, and two institutes enable the corporation to master modern technologies, successfully develop and introduce into mass production new models of transport and special equipment. The general partners of Uralvagonzavod are the largest domestic transportation companies, as well as the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation and OJSC Rosobornexport.
