Belarus gives a second life to the old Soviet technology
According to the results of 2018, the Republic of Belarus exported various weapons worth over one billion dollars. This allows a small country to confidently hold a place in the top twenty of the largest exporters of various weapons systems and military equipment in the world. The main markets for the Belarusian weaponsIn addition to Russia, there are countries of the former USSR, as well as countries in Africa and Asia, that is, those countries that inherited a huge amount of military equipment from the Soviet Union, which does not become newer from year to year.
In the 2017 year, Belarus also managed to overcome the one-billion-dollar mark of arms exports. At the same time, the main problem of the military-industrial complex of this country is that it is focused primarily on Russia. For example, in the 2018, the year of military products from Belarus to Russia was delivered to 600 million dollars. According to Roman Golovchenko, who holds the post of chairman of the State Military-Industrial Committee of the Republic, the main task facing the Belarusian military industrial complex is to diversify supplies. In conditions when the main peak of orders from the Russian Federation is already coming to an end (the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have gone a serious way of modernization and purchases of various weapons for the ground forces will gradually decrease), it is necessary to look for new markets. Third world countries, including those in Africa and Asia, which in their time became owners of solid arsenals of Soviet-made equipment, can become such markets for the military industrial complex of Belarus. These markets should perform for the Belarusian military-industrial complex the role of a kind of airbag. At the same time, Belarus has very good prospects in the niche for the modernization of old Soviet armaments.
The structure and characteristics of the modern Belarusian military-industrial complex are determined by the heritage of the Soviet Union, where it came from. By the time of the collapse of the USSR, there were about 120 enterprises and organizations of the military-industrial complex, including 15 research institutes and design bureaus, on the territory of the modern Republic of Belarus. At the same time, unlike the neighboring Ukraine, there were almost no enterprises in Belarus that would be engaged in the production of military products of final destination, with the exception of this rule being only military vehicles, especially multi-axle vehicles. This situation was explained by the close proximity of the republic and military-industrial complex enterprises to potential adversaries - the European countries that are members of the NATO bloc. The development and deployment of military-industrial complex enterprises on the territory of Belarus was explained by the peculiarities of strategic planning.
Naturally, even after the collapse of the Soviet Union, this state of affairs was preserved in full. The only difference is that the military-industrial complex of the republic played a very important role in the supply of various components for military equipment of other enterprises of the defense industry of the Soviet Union, and now for the Russian Federation. The simplest example is the multi-channel gunner’s sight “Sosna-U”, which in particular is installed on the Russian main combat Tanks T-72B3 and other armored vehicles. The developer of this sight is a Belarusian company OJSC Peleng. At the present stage of its development, the defense industry of the Republic of Belarus continues to specialize mainly in the creation and production of a variety of military optics, electronic equipment, weapon control systems and software systems for military information systems.
This specialization largely determines the niche of the Belarusian military-industrial complex on the modern world market for weapons and military equipment. Minsk is ready and able to modernize numerous Soviet military equipment, which has been supplied to a huge number of countries around the world. For such a modernization, Belarus today has all the possibilities. A strong base for the production of radioelectronic equipment and computing systems makes it possible to successfully modernize Soviet air defense systems. Moreover, after the collapse of the USSR, new private enterprises of the military industrial complex appeared in the country, to which, in particular, the Tetrahedron belonged. Multidisciplinary research and production private unitary enterprise "Tetrahedr" specializes primarily in the creation and production of promising electronic weapons systems, the development of hardware and software, which are widely used in control systems of radio-electronic and radar systems, which allows this Minsk enterprise to successfully modernize zenith - Soviet-made rocket complexes.
One of the buyers of the modernized Soviet technology was the Angolan army, which is ready to implement a major contract aimed at modernizing the air defense system. It should be noted that the mere modernization of the obsolete Soviet-made air defense systems, according to experts, will bring Minsk hundreds of millions of dollars in the next few years. So the deal with only Angola, which has a sufficiently large armed forces (especially by the standards of Africa), is about 200 million dollars. According to the Belarusian and Angolan media, the main contractor will be the Tetrahedr research and production enterprise located in Minsk.
According to the Belarusian publication naviny.by, it is the Tetrahedron that will be engaged in the modernization of the Angolan air defense systems. Also, the state enterprise JSC ALEVKURP, which is also engaged in the deep modernization of Soviet-made air defense systems, including the Kub system (export designation “Kvadrat”), may also be connected to the works. According to the annual compilation of The military balance 2018, which is prepared by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), the Angolan army can remain near 37 short-range air defense systems, including 12 C-125 Goa and 3 ZRK "Cube" (SA-25 Gainful). 6 XENUMXK15 Osa (SA-9 Gecko) installations are in service with the air defense system, as well as 33K8 Strela 10 (SA-9 Gopher) 35 complexes, which, being mobile anti-aircraft complexes, are capable of covering the Angolan anti-aircraft units, which are capable of covering units of the Angolan dry-field units.
It is expected that the subject of the transaction will be the modernization of short-range anti-aircraft missile systems Osa and Pechora C-125. At the same time, some experts believe that the modernization may also affect the Angolan “Kvadrat” air defense system. Earlier, Belarusian enterprises had already upgraded the Kvadrat air defense system to the level of the Kvadrat-M air defense system for the Myanmar armed forces. What can the enterprises of the Belarusian military-industrial complex offer to Angola?
SAM 9K33 "Wasp-1T"
The old Soviet air defense complex “Osa”, after modernization by the Belarusian company “Tetrahedr”, received the designation 9K33-1Т “Osa-1T”. This mobile autonomous air defense system is intended primarily to cover ground forces units as well as various military and industrial facilities from air attacks. The complex after modernization can be used to combat all modern and promising means of air attack of a potential enemy, including those flying at ultra-low altitudes and having a low effective reflecting area - from 0,02 to m2 and more. The transfer of old Soviet weapons to the modern Belarusian military-industrial complex is ensured by the fact that in the 9K33-1T Osa-1T version almost 80 percent of the entire air defense system of the air defense system is transferred to the modern element base, which increases the reliability of the air defense system, while increasing its automation and noise immunity complex. At the same time, the Osa-1T combat vehicle has at its disposal a new optical-electronic system with a laser range finder and a heat finder.
In the event that this mobile complex, which can be based on the new MZKT-692230 off-road chassis with the 6х6 wheel formula, includes the T382 anti-aircraft missile, the complex is designated the T38 “Stilet”. This rocket significantly expands the combat capabilities of the complex (the height of the targets hit is up to 10 km, the range is 20 km, the maximum target speed is up to 900 m / s). In the version of the modernization 9K33-1T "Osa-1T" the range of destruction of air targets is limited to 12,5 km, height - 8 km, and the maximum speed of the targeted targets should not exceed 700 m / s.
ZRK C-125-2TM Pechora-2TM
The Belarusian version of the modernization of the Soviet S-125 air defense system received the designation S-125-2TM "Pechora-2TM" air defense system. This modernization actually brings the complex into the category of medium-range air defense systems. According to the developer company, this complex is able to deal not only with modern, but also with promising means of air attack, including small ones. drones, even under difficult interference conditions. The declared noise immunity ensures the effective operation of the complex even when the enemy interferes with a power of 2700 W / MHz. The modernized air defense system is able to deal with small and low-flying targets, including when setting up all types of radio interference. According to the Tetrahedron website, the complex is able to detect air targets with an effective reflective area of only 0,02 square meters. In this case, the probability of hitting the target with one launched missile is estimated at 0,85.
Due to the use of modern optical-electronic system in the C-125-2ТM "Pechora-2ТМ" complex, as well as new methods of targeting anti-aircraft missiles to the target and new principles of radar signal processing, Belarusian developers managed to create a complex that can serve in the XXI century , meeting all the basic requirements for air defense systems today. For operational reliability, combat effectiveness and noise immunity, the complex can compete with some modern models. At the same time, the operational life span of the air defense system is extended by 15 years, and all modernization work can be performed directly on the territory of the client country, which is one of the competitive advantages. According to the company Tetrahedron, the range of destruction of aerial targets was increased to 35,4 km (that is, almost double compared to the Soviet complex), and the maximum height of the targets hit increased to 25 km (an increase of 7 km). At the same time, the anti-aircraft missile of the Pechora-2TM complex was able to effectively hit air targets flying at speeds up to 900 m / s (against 700 m / s from the Soviet counterpart).
SAM "Square-MA"
The Belarusian modernization of the old Soviet short-range air defense system “Kub” (Kvadrat) implies almost complete replacement of the entire filling of the complex with modern digital equipment and a new component base with minimal use of old blocks and components of the complex. As noted by ALEVKURP, in fact, in the course of modernization work, only the mechanical parts of the drive systems, the original parts of the antenna speaker housing, the antenna-waveguide systems and the terminal blocks of the transmitters remain from the old Kvadrat. At the same time, the Belarusian manufacturer replaces all radar processing and control equipment. The modernization affects the system of reconnaissance and target designation of the complex, the guidance station, the modernization of the launcher itself with the transition from the crawler to the wheeled chassis of Belarusian production - MZKT-692230 with the 6X6 wheel formula, while the transport-charging vehicle and the self-propelled installation of reconnaissance and targeting are also being upgraded. The official website of the unitary enterprise JSC ALEVKURP does not provide any tactical and technical characteristics of the modernized Kvadrat-MA complex.
Information sources:
https://naviny.by
https://sputnik.by
http://eurasia.expert
http://tetraedr.com
https://alevkurp.by
Open source materials
In the 2017 year, Belarus also managed to overcome the one-billion-dollar mark of arms exports. At the same time, the main problem of the military-industrial complex of this country is that it is focused primarily on Russia. For example, in the 2018, the year of military products from Belarus to Russia was delivered to 600 million dollars. According to Roman Golovchenko, who holds the post of chairman of the State Military-Industrial Committee of the Republic, the main task facing the Belarusian military industrial complex is to diversify supplies. In conditions when the main peak of orders from the Russian Federation is already coming to an end (the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have gone a serious way of modernization and purchases of various weapons for the ground forces will gradually decrease), it is necessary to look for new markets. Third world countries, including those in Africa and Asia, which in their time became owners of solid arsenals of Soviet-made equipment, can become such markets for the military industrial complex of Belarus. These markets should perform for the Belarusian military-industrial complex the role of a kind of airbag. At the same time, Belarus has very good prospects in the niche for the modernization of old Soviet armaments.
The structure and characteristics of the modern Belarusian military-industrial complex are determined by the heritage of the Soviet Union, where it came from. By the time of the collapse of the USSR, there were about 120 enterprises and organizations of the military-industrial complex, including 15 research institutes and design bureaus, on the territory of the modern Republic of Belarus. At the same time, unlike the neighboring Ukraine, there were almost no enterprises in Belarus that would be engaged in the production of military products of final destination, with the exception of this rule being only military vehicles, especially multi-axle vehicles. This situation was explained by the close proximity of the republic and military-industrial complex enterprises to potential adversaries - the European countries that are members of the NATO bloc. The development and deployment of military-industrial complex enterprises on the territory of Belarus was explained by the peculiarities of strategic planning.
Acceptance tests of the next medium-range air defense system С-125-2ТМ
Naturally, even after the collapse of the Soviet Union, this state of affairs was preserved in full. The only difference is that the military-industrial complex of the republic played a very important role in the supply of various components for military equipment of other enterprises of the defense industry of the Soviet Union, and now for the Russian Federation. The simplest example is the multi-channel gunner’s sight “Sosna-U”, which in particular is installed on the Russian main combat Tanks T-72B3 and other armored vehicles. The developer of this sight is a Belarusian company OJSC Peleng. At the present stage of its development, the defense industry of the Republic of Belarus continues to specialize mainly in the creation and production of a variety of military optics, electronic equipment, weapon control systems and software systems for military information systems.
This specialization largely determines the niche of the Belarusian military-industrial complex on the modern world market for weapons and military equipment. Minsk is ready and able to modernize numerous Soviet military equipment, which has been supplied to a huge number of countries around the world. For such a modernization, Belarus today has all the possibilities. A strong base for the production of radioelectronic equipment and computing systems makes it possible to successfully modernize Soviet air defense systems. Moreover, after the collapse of the USSR, new private enterprises of the military industrial complex appeared in the country, to which, in particular, the Tetrahedron belonged. Multidisciplinary research and production private unitary enterprise "Tetrahedr" specializes primarily in the creation and production of promising electronic weapons systems, the development of hardware and software, which are widely used in control systems of radio-electronic and radar systems, which allows this Minsk enterprise to successfully modernize zenith - Soviet-made rocket complexes.
One of the buyers of the modernized Soviet technology was the Angolan army, which is ready to implement a major contract aimed at modernizing the air defense system. It should be noted that the mere modernization of the obsolete Soviet-made air defense systems, according to experts, will bring Minsk hundreds of millions of dollars in the next few years. So the deal with only Angola, which has a sufficiently large armed forces (especially by the standards of Africa), is about 200 million dollars. According to the Belarusian and Angolan media, the main contractor will be the Tetrahedr research and production enterprise located in Minsk.
Sighting complex "Sosna-U"
According to the Belarusian publication naviny.by, it is the Tetrahedron that will be engaged in the modernization of the Angolan air defense systems. Also, the state enterprise JSC ALEVKURP, which is also engaged in the deep modernization of Soviet-made air defense systems, including the Kub system (export designation “Kvadrat”), may also be connected to the works. According to the annual compilation of The military balance 2018, which is prepared by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), the Angolan army can remain near 37 short-range air defense systems, including 12 C-125 Goa and 3 ZRK "Cube" (SA-25 Gainful). 6 XENUMXK15 Osa (SA-9 Gecko) installations are in service with the air defense system, as well as 33K8 Strela 10 (SA-9 Gopher) 35 complexes, which, being mobile anti-aircraft complexes, are capable of covering the Angolan anti-aircraft units, which are capable of covering units of the Angolan dry-field units.
It is expected that the subject of the transaction will be the modernization of short-range anti-aircraft missile systems Osa and Pechora C-125. At the same time, some experts believe that the modernization may also affect the Angolan “Kvadrat” air defense system. Earlier, Belarusian enterprises had already upgraded the Kvadrat air defense system to the level of the Kvadrat-M air defense system for the Myanmar armed forces. What can the enterprises of the Belarusian military-industrial complex offer to Angola?
SAM 9K33 "Wasp-1T"
The old Soviet air defense complex “Osa”, after modernization by the Belarusian company “Tetrahedr”, received the designation 9K33-1Т “Osa-1T”. This mobile autonomous air defense system is intended primarily to cover ground forces units as well as various military and industrial facilities from air attacks. The complex after modernization can be used to combat all modern and promising means of air attack of a potential enemy, including those flying at ultra-low altitudes and having a low effective reflecting area - from 0,02 to m2 and more. The transfer of old Soviet weapons to the modern Belarusian military-industrial complex is ensured by the fact that in the 9K33-1T Osa-1T version almost 80 percent of the entire air defense system of the air defense system is transferred to the modern element base, which increases the reliability of the air defense system, while increasing its automation and noise immunity complex. At the same time, the Osa-1T combat vehicle has at its disposal a new optical-electronic system with a laser range finder and a heat finder.
ZRK 9K33-1Т "Wasp-1T" on different wheeled chassis
In the event that this mobile complex, which can be based on the new MZKT-692230 off-road chassis with the 6х6 wheel formula, includes the T382 anti-aircraft missile, the complex is designated the T38 “Stilet”. This rocket significantly expands the combat capabilities of the complex (the height of the targets hit is up to 10 km, the range is 20 km, the maximum target speed is up to 900 m / s). In the version of the modernization 9K33-1T "Osa-1T" the range of destruction of air targets is limited to 12,5 km, height - 8 km, and the maximum speed of the targeted targets should not exceed 700 m / s.
ZRK C-125-2TM Pechora-2TM
The Belarusian version of the modernization of the Soviet S-125 air defense system received the designation S-125-2TM "Pechora-2TM" air defense system. This modernization actually brings the complex into the category of medium-range air defense systems. According to the developer company, this complex is able to deal not only with modern, but also with promising means of air attack, including small ones. drones, even under difficult interference conditions. The declared noise immunity ensures the effective operation of the complex even when the enemy interferes with a power of 2700 W / MHz. The modernized air defense system is able to deal with small and low-flying targets, including when setting up all types of radio interference. According to the Tetrahedron website, the complex is able to detect air targets with an effective reflective area of only 0,02 square meters. In this case, the probability of hitting the target with one launched missile is estimated at 0,85.
ZRK C-125-2TM Pechora-2TM
Control center UNK-2ТМ from ZRKS-125-2ТM
Due to the use of modern optical-electronic system in the C-125-2ТM "Pechora-2ТМ" complex, as well as new methods of targeting anti-aircraft missiles to the target and new principles of radar signal processing, Belarusian developers managed to create a complex that can serve in the XXI century , meeting all the basic requirements for air defense systems today. For operational reliability, combat effectiveness and noise immunity, the complex can compete with some modern models. At the same time, the operational life span of the air defense system is extended by 15 years, and all modernization work can be performed directly on the territory of the client country, which is one of the competitive advantages. According to the company Tetrahedron, the range of destruction of aerial targets was increased to 35,4 km (that is, almost double compared to the Soviet complex), and the maximum height of the targets hit increased to 25 km (an increase of 7 km). At the same time, the anti-aircraft missile of the Pechora-2TM complex was able to effectively hit air targets flying at speeds up to 900 m / s (against 700 m / s from the Soviet counterpart).
SAM "Square-MA"
The Belarusian modernization of the old Soviet short-range air defense system “Kub” (Kvadrat) implies almost complete replacement of the entire filling of the complex with modern digital equipment and a new component base with minimal use of old blocks and components of the complex. As noted by ALEVKURP, in fact, in the course of modernization work, only the mechanical parts of the drive systems, the original parts of the antenna speaker housing, the antenna-waveguide systems and the terminal blocks of the transmitters remain from the old Kvadrat. At the same time, the Belarusian manufacturer replaces all radar processing and control equipment. The modernization affects the system of reconnaissance and target designation of the complex, the guidance station, the modernization of the launcher itself with the transition from the crawler to the wheeled chassis of Belarusian production - MZKT-692230 with the 6X6 wheel formula, while the transport-charging vehicle and the self-propelled installation of reconnaissance and targeting are also being upgraded. The official website of the unitary enterprise JSC ALEVKURP does not provide any tactical and technical characteristics of the modernized Kvadrat-MA complex.
Self-propelled launcher SAM Kvadrat-MA on the chassis MZKT-692230
Self-propelled installation of intelligence and guidance ZRK "Kvadrat-MA" on the chassis of MZKT-692230
Information sources:
https://naviny.by
https://sputnik.by
http://eurasia.expert
http://tetraedr.com
https://alevkurp.by
Open source materials
Information