Interview with Dmitry Posadov: "Recently, there has been a bias towards military orders"
Dmitry Alexandrovich, the International Naval Salon begins soon. Vympel will take part in the exhibition for the first time. What will show on the stand?
At MVMS-2017, we will demonstrate the models of hydrographic vessels of the 19910 and 19920 projects, the special-purpose Rook boat and degaussing vessels are our main positions.
International Naval Salon
In the form of booklets, we will show the sea transport of the 20360М project armaments and the 22870 tug and rescue ship being built in Rybinsk and Astrakhan respectively, the Ilya Muromets icebreaker for the Navy, the 1388 link boat and the 1388NZT torpedo boat.
Let's talk about the strategic plans, goals and objectives of the design office. How do you see the future?
Usually, the loading of our design bureau on 50% is ensured by the state defense order and on 50% - the work on civilian vessels. However, since there have been no civilian orders lately, there has been a bias towards military courts: in the two previous years, the state defense order amounted to 90% of the load, and "citizen" - only 10%.
Now you need to go back to the download, which I said - 50 / 50. I think this will be the case in 2017, since we have signed a number of not only military but also civil agreements since the beginning of the year.
Who have you signed an agreement with?
In April, we signed a contract with the Amur Shipbuilding Plant for the development of project documentation for a road-rail passenger ferry for the Sakhalin Shipping Company. There will build two units. They will replace the old ferry project 1709, which is now being decommissioned. Our design bureau designed them at one time, and they were built at the Yantar plant in Kaliningrad.
This is the first contract. Here we will complete the entire design cycle - from the technical project to the technical support of the construction of the vessel in the factory.
In addition, last month we signed a contract for the development of working design documentation for the construction of the port icebreaker of the Aker Arc124 project with the Vyborg Shipyard. The vessel will be built in the interests of Yamal LNG, the majority of which is owned by Novatek. The operator of the icebreaker will be Atomflot.
Diesel-electric icebreaker "Ilya Muromets" (project 21180)
The design of the icebreaker is not ours, it was created by Aker Arctic, we are preparing only part of the design and construction documentation. At first, the Finns attracted the Baltsudoproekt design bureau, but due to heavy workload, our colleagues partially handed over this work to us: we took four of the five construction districts. Separately, I note that we cooperate under a direct contract with the Vyborg Shipyard, and not as a counterpart through the Baltsudoproekt.
In addition, we have begun to develop a technical project for the small-capacity icebreaker 21180М for the needs of the Navy. This is the development of the icebreaker Ilya Muromets of the 21180 project, which is being built at the Admiralty Shipyards. The fleet needed an icebreaker with a smaller draft than that of the project’s lead ship.
Vympel is now engaged in drawing up its own contract for the development of documentation. The icebreaker of the 21180M project will be built by the shipbuilding company Almaz. Here again we carry out the whole cycle of works, starting from the preparation of a technical project and ending with maintenance during construction.
Finally, in the process of registration is an agreement on the creation of project documentation sea tugs 705BM. The Astrakhan branch of the Zvezdochka shipyard will build the ships. We started to develop before the execution of the contract. This is not the first such case: we are trying to load free capacity, focusing on the upcoming work on any project on warranty letters of plants.
In early June of this year, the Baltsudoproject presented a layout of its own version of the 21180M icebreaker. Do I understand correctly that projects compete with each other?
Not certainly in that way. Earlier, the Baltsudoproekt, within the framework of the federal target program for the development of civilian marine equipment, proposed its own draft of a small-sitting icebreaker under the number 22740. However, it is not related to the small-set icebreaker for the Navy.
We, as I have already said, have begun to develop the technical design of the 21180M icebreaker, we are coordinating the documentation with the shipbuilding company Almaz. The contract for the preparation of project documentation is being agreed in our military mission.
The Defense Ministry showed interest in the Baltsudoproekt model. However, as far as I know, their project does not quite fit the technological capacities of Almaz: their water area imposes restrictions on the length, width and draft of the vessel.
The model of the 21180М icebreaker from the TsKB Baltsudoproekt
"Almaz" considered several possible options for the construction of the vessel on the tactical-technical task assigned by the navy. As a result, "Diamond" has chosen ours, since it is he who possesses suitable characteristics.
By the way, at the stage of developing preliminary documentation, we thought that construction would be entrusted to the Admiralty Shipyards. But later it turned out that the small-set ice-breaker would give it back to Almaz, and the Admiralty Shipyards would take over the patrol icebreaker of the 23350 project.
Tell us how things are with orders for current contractual obligations?
We have a number of contracts for the development of documentation for military and civilian products. Eight shipyards build eight ships and vessels of our projects. Almost at every shipyard we carry out technical support.
Sea transport weapons project 23060M built at the Vympel plant in Rybinsk. There is also the construction of a small hydrographic vessel of the 19910 project "Nikolay Skosyrev". It can be called the head one, since we made a lot of changes (the lead ship of the 19910 Vaigach project in 2008 was built by the Rybinsk Nobel Brothers Shipyard - ed.).
Parallel to this, the October Revolution Shipbuilding Plant in Blagoveshchensk is building a second ship of the project called Alexander Rogotsky.
In Rybinsk, a series of special purpose boats of the 21980 "Grachata" project is also being built. The ships are also doing at the Eastern Shipyard and the Gorky Zelenodolsk Plant.
"Admiralty shipyards" are completing the already mentioned "Ilya of Murom". By and large, the icebreaker is ready and the plant will begin to test it. Delivery of the vessel to the customer is scheduled for this year.
At Sokol Shipyard, located in the Nizhny Novgorod Region, a launch boat of the 1388NZ project is being built. According to the plan, the Navy will receive it next year. I don’t know yet if the series will continue, but I believe that the vessel was very successful. Two torpedo boats 1388НЗТ are also built there. As I recall, they will be given to the fleet in 2019 and in 2020, respectively.
According to our project, a diesel-electric icebreaker of the 22600 project "Viktor Chernomyrdin" is under construction at the Baltiysky Plant. Here we are the authors of the project documentation, in addition, together with the Petrobalt design bureau, we are preparing working design documentation. About half of the work we carry out, the second half - Petrobalt.
Certain problems arise during the construction, as the ship is head and rather complicated: the icebreaker had to be redesigned twice. He began designing the Iceberg design bureau, however, during the implementation, problems with the load of the vessel’s masses and, accordingly, with the ice-passing potential were found. At some stage, the customer decided that he needed to correct the project, after which we were hooked up to redesign the vessel.
And finally, at Dalzavod, the tanker of the 00211 project is being completed. It is small, dwt xnumx tons. The ship is almost ready, there is hope that this year it will be handed over to the customer, Rosneft. In parallel, the second tanker is being completed, according to the plan its construction will be completed next year.
Let's talk about industry-wide issues. The USC Vice-President for Technical Development, Dmitry Kolodyazhny, recently announced the corporation’s intention to switch to the sale of contracts for the life cycle of ships. How will this affect the work of the KB, on the interaction with counterparties? Perhaps some Vimpel technological solutions for life cycle management are already being implemented?
Yes, solutions are already being applied on the 19910 project hydrographic vessels under construction. We were assigned to prepare interactive operational documentation for this project. This experience will be very useful to us on subsequent orders.
We also have experience of cooperation with one of the Russian foremost teams, which creates interactive documentation - with the "C Project" company. They are our partners on several projects and prepare life cycle documentation for them.
Tell us how technical re-equipment goes in KB? What are the use of digital design systems?
For the shipbuilding industry, they are not new at all and not an innovation. Vympel acquired the first computer-aided design system (CAD - Ed.) For the development of three-dimensional models and technological documentation back in the 1990-s. The world has long enjoyed such systems, and we also had to move in this direction.
The first computer-aided design system that Vimpel acquired was the Swedish Tribon, later purchased by Aveva. Aveva develops its own direction of software under the brand Aveva Marine, which we also now successfully use.
Some time ago we decided to upgrade as part of the development of three-dimensional models and purchased another CAD system. This is Nupas Cadmatic. Unfortunately, it is not as widespread in our country as Aveva Marine or Tribon. However, realizing that we may have customers using Cadmatic, we decided to purchase this CAD as well.
I am not talking now about other software products that are used by the design bureau - there are quite a lot of them. We also have our own software, which we created exclusively to automate our own work. We are now bringing one of our programs to mind, it is intended to prepare drawings for the installation of electrical equipment and cable laying. It was written by the specialists of our specialized electrical circuit department together with the computer-aided design systems department.
Aveva Marine Software
In the same department of electrical equipment there is the software of the company EPLAN for the preparation of working documentation for the production of panel equipment. There are many such examples. Each department uses specialized software to develop its own documentation.
How does Vympel deal with the test pool? What tests are conducted in it?
In the hydrodynamic pool, we test models of almost all of our projects, since the pool is the most reliable way to check the ship’s walk-through and flow. We conduct tests both on quiet water and in different modes of excitement. Having determined the water resistance to the movement of the vessel, we obtain data for choosing the power of the power plant. In addition, we are testing pitching.
Unfortunately, we do not have our own ice pool, but its construction is included in the plans of the design bureau. So far we have been using the pools of our partners and counterparties. In particular, we conducted tests in the basins of the Krylov State Research Center and the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute. But we experienced "Viktor Chernomyrdin" in Finland, in the Aker Arctic basin.
The use of composite housings is becoming increasingly relevant. Is it possible to use composite materials in Vympel projects?
No, in the near future this will not happen: in those projects with which Vimpel is engaged and will be engaged in the near future, composite materials are not needed. This is a very promising technology, its use on low-magnetic minesweepers is justified. However, we do not need to use composites. At least for now. If the need arises - we are ready to develop projects with composites, why not?
What policy adheres to the CB in the issue of import substitution?
The import substitution policy has been determined by the state to us - there is a decree restricting the use of imported equipment. In the presence of Russian equipment, suitable for the given characteristics, we, of course, use only it.
However, the operation of Russian products is not always possible. The priority remains the final parameters of the ship or vessel itself, and not the use of any specific equipment.
If the Russian industry cannot offer equipment that will provide the necessary characteristics, we use imported, or at least localized.
The icebreaker "Ilya Muromets" is equipped with Steerpop's steering wheels. Why did you prefer Finnish products to domestic counterparts, say, produced by NPO Vint, a branch of Zvezdochka?
As far as I know, besides "Vint" another Russian manufacturer of such equipment just does not exist now. When we designed the vessel, tests of the Vint equipment were not completed at the Krylov Center. Thus, we did not have the opportunity to choose the Russian equivalent.
Why Steerpop? For Ilya Muromets, high-class ice-steering columns were required, and few in the world produce them. We decided that Steerpop is the best option in terms of competence and experience, and so far we have not regretted our choice.
Last August, the Chinese Henan engine collapsed on the running trials of a special boat "Rook" in the Rybinsk reservoir. After this stories The Department of Federal Antimonopoly Service in St. Petersburg fined Marine Propulsion Systems for supplying low-quality products to 750 thousand rubles. Perhaps you as a designer will suggest ways to avoid such situations in the future?
Recommendations probably will not give out any. But I will tell you how the story developed with the engines for "Grachat". The approved technical project for these boats provided for completely different diesel engines - German MTU. They built all the boats of the project 21980 to 2015 year. After the introduction of sanctions, MTU refused to supply their engines, so I had to look for an alternative supplier. We stopped at the company "Marine propulsion systems."
PDRK "Rook"
Why on them? First, the company offered those characteristics that made it possible to avoid large-scale redesign of the boat. Secondly, they voiced an acceptable delivery time and equipment cost. Well and, perhaps, the main factor from the point of view of the design bureau is the presence of its own production site in St. Petersburg.
As far as I know, Marine Propulsion Systems is working towards localizing and producing these diesel engines in the Russian Federation. But the choice of the European supplier could again lead to the situation with MTU.
In early April of this year, one of the boats of the project, Yunarmeets Crimea, after entering the Black Sea, became part of the Mediterranean group of the Navy. Was the possibility of long sea crossings taken into account at the design stage? Will the failure in such circumstances, the warranty case?
From the point of view of the legislation, construction plants are in any case liable and guaranteed for five years from the date of delivery of the boat to the customer.
As for the transition, I see no problems here. According to its class of the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping, the Grachat can make long-distance crossings, unless they should not move more than 100 miles from the port of refuge and go out into the open ocean.
As you have already said, small hydrographic vessels and boats are being built under the Vimpel project. Do you plan on the initiative to develop a hydrographic vessel of a larger displacement, say, as Donuzlav?
It’s not even an initiative, it’s an interest from the Department of Navigation and Oceanography of the Ministry of Defense. The Navy has the intention to build for itself a large ship of a given destination. We are working on developments in the project together with the core department and hope that later we will be attracted to the preparation of project documentation for the construction of the vessel. Now it is difficult to say exactly when it will be - everyone will show the possibilities of the state budget. But the plans of the Navy is such a vessel.
Hydrographic vessel "Donuzlav", project 862 / II
Is there anything known about the floating workshops of new projects?
Requests for design have not yet been received, but the plans of the Ministry of Defense include the construction of ships of such designation. By the nature of our activity, we constantly maintain contact with ordering departments and scientific research institutes that write tactical and technical tasks.
Something for them, we have already turned out, something even presented - then everything depends on money. In case they decide to build a floating workshop, we will connect to the issue immediately.
Under the Soviet Union, Vympel designed landing craft of the 1176 project. Are there any developments of new boats? For example, for a universal amphibious assault ship that can enter the state armaments program up to 2025.
Of course, there are developments, and in two versions. One of them is based on the 1176 project, a low-speed version. And there is a high-speed option - for the dock-camera of the landing ship. It was created on the basis of a double-hulled ship - a catamaran. Images are drawn, specifications are defined. We are ready to offer our project directly to the Ministry of Defense, and to the developers of a promising ship - Nevsky PKB.
Universal landing ship export UDC-E "Surf"
They know that we can become an OCD collaborator on the design of boats. In turn, the determining factor for us is dimensions. When certainty appears on them, we will be able to bring the characteristics of our project under the dock camera.
What can you say about the global tendency to design auxiliary fleet vessels with the most multifunctional ones?
I support this idea, however, within reasonable limits. Our projects of icebreakers or tugboats are also multifunctional. An icebreaker, for example, is also used as a supply vessel, since it provides for a cargo hold and a container transportation platform, it is used as a rescue and fire fighting vessel, as a tugboat. In addition, the “Ilya Muromets” also provides hydrographic equipment. Of course, not in such a volume as on specialized courts, but for the performance of some tasks it is enough.
The 22870 emergency rescue ship is also multifunctional. This is a classic tugboat, while capable of dealing with fires and oil spills.
The Navy wants to build a training multi-sailing sailboat to train cadets at naval schools and display a flag. Are there any chances for Vympel to become its designer? And who can become a competitor?
I think yes, there are chances. We have been cooperating with the customer for this vessel for six months already. Who can become a competitor? Yes, anyone. The same "Baltsudoproject", the same "Diamond". I think they are also very interested.
It must be said that there may be a lot of people willing, but the design bureau that the ship will design must have a large and experienced design staff. On the site of our customer small teams, I would, frankly, be afraid to hire.
The task is quite complicated, given the fact that no one in our country has ever designed them. Those ships, which are now used to train students, created in Poland. Therefore, competence in this issue among Russian designers is not enough.
Regional media have reported a conflict between Rosshelf and Vimpel. There are rumors about a possible bankruptcy of CB. How did this situation end?
All disputes are resolved in court, the issue is settled.
The issue of personnel policy "Vympel". What is the situation with young specialists in KB? Is cooperation with universities established, are there special training programs for young people?
In this regard, we can say we are lucky. There are two institutes in Nizhny Novgorod that provide us with sufficient personnel. These are the Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University with the department of shipbuilding and ship designing and the Volga State University of Water Transport.
But cadres, after all, do not come with the degree of qualification that I would like to see. Therefore, we signed an agreement with the Volga University to establish a department in our enterprise. There, teachers will be engaged in raising the level of training of our specialists, and our design staff will train students.
The same interaction is planned with the Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University, the only one, the agreement has not yet been executed. At the same time, representatives of KB read lectures there. In particular, our Director General speaks at the shipbuilding department, I’m doing this, the head of the electrical equipment department, too.
And how do you motivate students to work in KB?
The best motivation for them is wages. And we have it quite high.
And finally. What are Vympel's environmental projects?
The last thing we did was a project to modernize a sanitary boat of a Polish construction project CK620 to an ecological boat. We carried out development work, we were in direct contact with the Ministry of Defense, and we interacted with counterparties involved. In the gland, the modernization was carried out by the Murmansk Marine Navy Ship Repair Plant.
The main purpose of the boat is to take water samples and analyze the content of various chemical elements. In other words, monitoring.
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