Shipunova system
How to become a great designer
The outstanding Russian inventor, scientist and organizer of production, the founder of a whole direction in the creation of weapons systems, the long-term leader of the country's leading design and engineering enterprise - all this is about Arkady G. Shipunov.
From childhood he dreamed of becoming an engineer and creating weaponthat can repel any attack, will defeat evil. Having survived the Great Patriotic War, seeing the death of people who had nowhere to hide from the fascist air strikes, Shipunov realized what he would do in life - to create means of protecting women, old people, children, all the inhabitants of his native country. From the newspaper I learned that the Tula Mechanical Institute announces the recruitment of students for the specialty “Automatic weapons”. He arrived, entered the machine-building faculty of the TMI, specialty "Rifle and artillery systems and installations." Having graduated with honors from an institute in 1950, Arkady Shipunov was assigned to work at the Scientific Research Institute-61 of the Moscow Region. Here came the confession. The first serious design success is associated with the work on which he worked together with his friend Vasily Gryazev, the future legendary engineer and designer of automatic artillery and small arms. Tandem turned out more than successful. The work of the designer for both was a vocation, the main goal of life.
Vocation
For the first five years of operation, the Shipunov-Gryazev tandem developed three guns that fundamentally differed in design (which is rare) and were subsequently adopted and formed the basis of work in the field of automatic guns. Even today, one way or another, all of the Russian rifle-cannon weapons used in various branches of the armed forces have been developed in the Instrument Design Bureau. The Russian Army is armed with 19 samples of small-caliber artillery weapons, mainly 30-mm, of which 14 of them (designs by Gryazev and Shipunov) became the basis of the system of domestic small arms and cannon armament of the three combat arms: aviationNaval fleet. All infantry fighting vehicles, Shilka and Tunguska anti-aircraft installations, warships from a boat to the Peter the Great atomic cruiser, world-famous aircraft MiG-21, MiG-23, MiG-27, MiG-29, MiG- 31, Su-24, Su-25, Su-27, strategic bombers Tu-95, combat helicopters - Mi-24, Mi-28, Ka-50, Ka-52 are equipped with guns developed by the enterprise team. To equip a soldier and officer, including for special forces, automatic, manual and under-barrel grenade launchers, sniper rifles, small-sized assault rifles, submachine guns, pistols and revolvers have been created.
And this was only the beginning of a brilliant career, full of great victories, inventions and discoveries. Under the scientific and technical guidance of Arkady Georgievich Shipunov and with his direct participation, they were developed, mastered in mass production and adopted by the Russian army:
- anti-tank missile systems of the first, second and third generations. Second-generation anti-tank complexes with the automatic control system Metis, Fagot, Konkurs, which solved the task of anti-tank defense from company to regiment inclusive, are not inferior in their characteristics to foreign counterparts and are in service with many countries;
complexes of guided weapons for tanks T-55, T-62, T-72, T-80 "Bastion", "Reflex", "Svir", created on the basis of a fundamentally new missile control system for a laser beam with a barrel launch, having small dimensions and weights, low laboriousness and high noise immunity;
- self-propelled anti-aircraft gun and missile system (ZPRK) near line for the ground forces "Tunguska" and ZARK for self-defense of the ships "Kashtan". The further development of this direction led to the creation of a “Pantsir-С1” jam-resistant complex, whose combat operation is fully automated;
- Artillery guided weapons complexes "Kastet" of 100 caliber of millimeters, controlled by a laser beam, and "Krasnopol" of 152 caliber and 155 of millimeters with a semi-active homing head capable of hitting targets at distances over 20 kilometers. In 2000, the state tests of the 2 caliber Kitolov-120 complex of millimeters were successfully completed with the decision to adopt it for service with the Russian army;
- the automated rocket-gun armament complex BMP-3, recognized as the best in the world for light-weight machines, including the 100-mm gun - launcher, 30-mm automatic gun, guided anti-tank shells;
-Multi-target missile-gun complex of high-precision armament "Whirlwind" with integrated fire control system for equipping Su-25 attack aircraft and combat helicopters Ka-50, Ka-52. The noise-resistant beam control, supersonic rocket and rapid-fire gun in combination with the automatic tracking system have no analogues abroad according to their technical level and are decisive in the further development of high-precision rocket-gun armament for the period up to 2010 of the year. Currently, work is underway to modernize the complex with the possibility of placing it on sea and land carriers;
-systems of samples of gun and cannon weapons.
But all this will be later, but for now the young engineer climbs the career ladder and struggles with the first difficulties. In 1961, Arkady Shipunov became deputy chief engineer, and a little earlier he was experiencing, like all developers of military equipment, a big shock - the closure of the gun direction in 1958 – 1959 in the country. The NII-61 management suggested Shipunov to engage in rocket technology. After much thought, he agreed, but in his heart he was deeply convinced of the need to develop both directions. And he was right. Moreover, in the West, such developments have ceased.
Perseverance
In 1965, a decree was issued by the Ministry of Defense to recreate the production of cannons in the country, indicating the specific enterprises where it should be organized. This list included TsKB-14, located in Tula.
The question of the choice of the head for TsKB-14 was decided by the country's leadership in favor of Arkady Georgievich. And no wonder. He was already known as a talented designer and a good organizer. And making a bet on it, the leadership was not mistaken. He was distinguished by a special insight, high intelligence, demandingness both to himself and to those around him.
Now Shipunov, the director and general designer, was faced with tasks not only scientific, but also organizational. It was necessary to recruit staff, use a wide range of specialties. A team of like-minded people was needed, efficient and united. And in order to lead people, professional skills alone are not enough, you need authority, respect and trust. Arkady Georgievich succeeded.
In Tula, from the Research Institute-61, where Shipunov had previously worked, several people were led, headed by Vasily Petrovich Gryazev and with all the backlog that they had along cannons. At that time, the development of high-temperature samples of caliber 23 and 30 millimeters were already underway. So in the life of Shipunova again appeared guns.
For TsKB-14 it was a difficult period. How else? How to create something new in a short time? With time, Shipunov found the answer to this question: “Intensive work and perseverance.” Years are needed to create complex production facilities and laboratory facilities. To educate the team, it takes no less time. Shipunov believed that everything would work out. So it happened. The enterprise headed by him for many years became the flagship of the national defense-industrial complex, a powerful innovation center, and gained world fame and prestige. Under the leadership of Shipunov, the team of KBP (the company received this name in 1966) created more than 140 unique weapons and military equipment that surpass foreign models in scientific and technical level and efficiency, and some have no analogues.
The first system in the field of guided weapons, which was successfully completed in the PCU, was Fagot. The product was put into service and produced in significant quantities. Then "Fagot" was unified in the "Competition", "Metis" - the work for which the design bureau received the Order of the October Revolution, and Shipunov - the title of Hero of Socialist Labor. The second work, which was a success - "Tunguska". The most important thing was done: the right direction was chosen - the development of anti-aircraft complexes, and now it is successfully developing and is being implemented already in the Pantsire-С1.
The talent of the designer, researcher, organizer allowed Shipunov at the turn of 60 – 70-s to significantly expand the scope of research and development work and to provide the company with a long-term leadership position in the development of high-precision guided and gun-gun systems, rocket launchers and flame throwers . High tactical and technical characteristics, low cost and unification of circuit design solutions allowed in a short time to master the mass production and supply in MO, MVD, FSB, FPS, MOE and other security agencies of the Russian Federation. OSV-96 sniper rifles and VSK-94 sniper rifles, AGS-30 grenade launcher have proven themselves in combat use in the counter-terrorist operation in the Chechen Republic.
Courage
It should be noted that it was Arkady Georgievich Shipunov who made a significant contribution to the final stage of development, testing and adoption of the Kornet anti-tank missile system, which was later successfully mastered in serial production under contracts with foreign customers. The technical solutions incorporated into the design, including high noise immunity, the power of the warhead, in combination with the long range of the missile, will ensure its superiority over foreign models over the next 15 – 20 years. ATGM "Kornet" is part of the system of defensive-assault weapons, allowing you to comprehensively solve the problems of modern combat. The concept of the system has been developed and implemented in the models of weapons of the PCU.
The creation of such a wide range of combat systems required the colossal in terms of volume and voltage of the work of the general designer and chief of the PCU: organizational, scientific, and design. The stage of testing samples is extremely important. It is at this stage that constructive, technological, and other deficiencies manifest themselves, and sometimes there are irregular and even dangerous situations that require making quick and correct decisions, personal responsibility and courage. Moreover, the tests were carried out in hot spots. Arkady Shipunov at certain stages is personally involved in the testing processes, he finds the necessary solutions for the improvement and fine-tuning of weapons models to the specified parameters.
The high scientific and technical level of the developed products, which are based on new ideas and circuit design solutions put forward by Shipunov for the first time in domestic and world practice, the organization of their mass production in the KBP and in other factories of the industry allows them to work steadily in modern conditions and successfully compete in the global arms market, using the right of independent foreign economic activity.
Shipunov, one might say, brought the company to the world level and always paid considerable attention to working with foreign customers. His energetic efforts to promote KBP products to the international arms market in terms of entering into and organizing the execution of signed contracts became the key to highly efficient and stable work. Funds received from export deliveries were used to create an innovation reserve, conduct research and development activities, strengthen scientific and technical potential, develop the production and laboratory base of the enterprise, and solve social issues.
Actively engaged in management activities, Shipunov does not leave and science. In 1956, he defended his candidate minimum, in 1973 he received a doctoral degree. A year later, he was awarded the title of professor of the Department "Production of automatic control systems." His contribution to the development of the theory of designing and designing samples of new equipment and their elements, the dynamics and strength of machines, devices and apparatus, systems theory is significant. He is the author of 164 scientific papers, 510 inventions. Only in the last three years of life published 25 works, protected by 30 inventions. Fundamental works and developments in the most important scientific and technical areas, the organization of joint research with academic institutions and universities, the successful use of the results in the development of the enterprise predetermined the election of Arkady G. Shipunova full member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, International and Russian Engineering Academies, Russian Academy of Rocket and Artillery Sciences , honorary academician of the Academy of Natural Sciences. He succeeded in successfully combining not only scientific, but also pedagogical activity with work. He rightfully carried the title of honorary worker of higher professional education of the Russian Federation, a professor at Tula State University. He led the department "Designing automated systems." For a long time, he headed the dissertation council in his native enterprise with the right to defend doctoral and candidate degrees. Among his pupils are doctors and candidates of sciences, chief designers of directions, leading experts, famous inventors. In the educational center of the enterprise on the basis of the branches of seven departments of the university, intensive targeted training of 250 young engineers is conducted annually.
Listing all the awards of Arkady Georgievich Shipunov will take more than one page, he did for the country, for Tula, for his native enterprise, for the people working on it, very much. Paradox - the person constructing the weapon, became the great creator. But he set only one task for his weapon - the salvation and protection of people.
Arkady G. Shipunov passed away in 86 years after a serious illness. Until the very end, he continued his labor and scientific activities. He had a lot of ideas that could not be completed, but the KBP continues to develop a unique scientific and technical, innovative groundwork. At the initiative of the collective, the Instrument Engineering Design Bureau, which is now part of the High-Precision Complexes holding, was named after Arkady Georgievich Shipunov. This is not only a tribute to memory, but also a pledge of new achievements. After all, the name of an outstanding designer has become a brand, a sign of quality.
The outstanding Russian inventor, scientist and organizer of production, the founder of a whole direction in the creation of weapons systems, the long-term leader of the country's leading design and engineering enterprise - all this is about Arkady G. Shipunov.
From childhood he dreamed of becoming an engineer and creating weaponthat can repel any attack, will defeat evil. Having survived the Great Patriotic War, seeing the death of people who had nowhere to hide from the fascist air strikes, Shipunov realized what he would do in life - to create means of protecting women, old people, children, all the inhabitants of his native country. From the newspaper I learned that the Tula Mechanical Institute announces the recruitment of students for the specialty “Automatic weapons”. He arrived, entered the machine-building faculty of the TMI, specialty "Rifle and artillery systems and installations." Having graduated with honors from an institute in 1950, Arkady Shipunov was assigned to work at the Scientific Research Institute-61 of the Moscow Region. Here came the confession. The first serious design success is associated with the work on which he worked together with his friend Vasily Gryazev, the future legendary engineer and designer of automatic artillery and small arms. Tandem turned out more than successful. The work of the designer for both was a vocation, the main goal of life.
Vocation
For the first five years of operation, the Shipunov-Gryazev tandem developed three guns that fundamentally differed in design (which is rare) and were subsequently adopted and formed the basis of work in the field of automatic guns. Even today, one way or another, all of the Russian rifle-cannon weapons used in various branches of the armed forces have been developed in the Instrument Design Bureau. The Russian Army is armed with 19 samples of small-caliber artillery weapons, mainly 30-mm, of which 14 of them (designs by Gryazev and Shipunov) became the basis of the system of domestic small arms and cannon armament of the three combat arms: aviationNaval fleet. All infantry fighting vehicles, Shilka and Tunguska anti-aircraft installations, warships from a boat to the Peter the Great atomic cruiser, world-famous aircraft MiG-21, MiG-23, MiG-27, MiG-29, MiG- 31, Su-24, Su-25, Su-27, strategic bombers Tu-95, combat helicopters - Mi-24, Mi-28, Ka-50, Ka-52 are equipped with guns developed by the enterprise team. To equip a soldier and officer, including for special forces, automatic, manual and under-barrel grenade launchers, sniper rifles, small-sized assault rifles, submachine guns, pistols and revolvers have been created.
And this was only the beginning of a brilliant career, full of great victories, inventions and discoveries. Under the scientific and technical guidance of Arkady Georgievich Shipunov and with his direct participation, they were developed, mastered in mass production and adopted by the Russian army:
- anti-tank missile systems of the first, second and third generations. Second-generation anti-tank complexes with the automatic control system Metis, Fagot, Konkurs, which solved the task of anti-tank defense from company to regiment inclusive, are not inferior in their characteristics to foreign counterparts and are in service with many countries;
complexes of guided weapons for tanks T-55, T-62, T-72, T-80 "Bastion", "Reflex", "Svir", created on the basis of a fundamentally new missile control system for a laser beam with a barrel launch, having small dimensions and weights, low laboriousness and high noise immunity;
- self-propelled anti-aircraft gun and missile system (ZPRK) near line for the ground forces "Tunguska" and ZARK for self-defense of the ships "Kashtan". The further development of this direction led to the creation of a “Pantsir-С1” jam-resistant complex, whose combat operation is fully automated;
- Artillery guided weapons complexes "Kastet" of 100 caliber of millimeters, controlled by a laser beam, and "Krasnopol" of 152 caliber and 155 of millimeters with a semi-active homing head capable of hitting targets at distances over 20 kilometers. In 2000, the state tests of the 2 caliber Kitolov-120 complex of millimeters were successfully completed with the decision to adopt it for service with the Russian army;
- the automated rocket-gun armament complex BMP-3, recognized as the best in the world for light-weight machines, including the 100-mm gun - launcher, 30-mm automatic gun, guided anti-tank shells;
-Multi-target missile-gun complex of high-precision armament "Whirlwind" with integrated fire control system for equipping Su-25 attack aircraft and combat helicopters Ka-50, Ka-52. The noise-resistant beam control, supersonic rocket and rapid-fire gun in combination with the automatic tracking system have no analogues abroad according to their technical level and are decisive in the further development of high-precision rocket-gun armament for the period up to 2010 of the year. Currently, work is underway to modernize the complex with the possibility of placing it on sea and land carriers;
-systems of samples of gun and cannon weapons.
But all this will be later, but for now the young engineer climbs the career ladder and struggles with the first difficulties. In 1961, Arkady Shipunov became deputy chief engineer, and a little earlier he was experiencing, like all developers of military equipment, a big shock - the closure of the gun direction in 1958 – 1959 in the country. The NII-61 management suggested Shipunov to engage in rocket technology. After much thought, he agreed, but in his heart he was deeply convinced of the need to develop both directions. And he was right. Moreover, in the West, such developments have ceased.
Perseverance
In 1965, a decree was issued by the Ministry of Defense to recreate the production of cannons in the country, indicating the specific enterprises where it should be organized. This list included TsKB-14, located in Tula.
The question of the choice of the head for TsKB-14 was decided by the country's leadership in favor of Arkady Georgievich. And no wonder. He was already known as a talented designer and a good organizer. And making a bet on it, the leadership was not mistaken. He was distinguished by a special insight, high intelligence, demandingness both to himself and to those around him.Now Shipunov, the director and general designer, was faced with tasks not only scientific, but also organizational. It was necessary to recruit staff, use a wide range of specialties. A team of like-minded people was needed, efficient and united. And in order to lead people, professional skills alone are not enough, you need authority, respect and trust. Arkady Georgievich succeeded.
In Tula, from the Research Institute-61, where Shipunov had previously worked, several people were led, headed by Vasily Petrovich Gryazev and with all the backlog that they had along cannons. At that time, the development of high-temperature samples of caliber 23 and 30 millimeters were already underway. So in the life of Shipunova again appeared guns.
For TsKB-14 it was a difficult period. How else? How to create something new in a short time? With time, Shipunov found the answer to this question: “Intensive work and perseverance.” Years are needed to create complex production facilities and laboratory facilities. To educate the team, it takes no less time. Shipunov believed that everything would work out. So it happened. The enterprise headed by him for many years became the flagship of the national defense-industrial complex, a powerful innovation center, and gained world fame and prestige. Under the leadership of Shipunov, the team of KBP (the company received this name in 1966) created more than 140 unique weapons and military equipment that surpass foreign models in scientific and technical level and efficiency, and some have no analogues.
The first system in the field of guided weapons, which was successfully completed in the PCU, was Fagot. The product was put into service and produced in significant quantities. Then "Fagot" was unified in the "Competition", "Metis" - the work for which the design bureau received the Order of the October Revolution, and Shipunov - the title of Hero of Socialist Labor. The second work, which was a success - "Tunguska". The most important thing was done: the right direction was chosen - the development of anti-aircraft complexes, and now it is successfully developing and is being implemented already in the Pantsire-С1.
The talent of the designer, researcher, organizer allowed Shipunov at the turn of 60 – 70-s to significantly expand the scope of research and development work and to provide the company with a long-term leadership position in the development of high-precision guided and gun-gun systems, rocket launchers and flame throwers . High tactical and technical characteristics, low cost and unification of circuit design solutions allowed in a short time to master the mass production and supply in MO, MVD, FSB, FPS, MOE and other security agencies of the Russian Federation. OSV-96 sniper rifles and VSK-94 sniper rifles, AGS-30 grenade launcher have proven themselves in combat use in the counter-terrorist operation in the Chechen Republic.
Courage
It should be noted that it was Arkady Georgievich Shipunov who made a significant contribution to the final stage of development, testing and adoption of the Kornet anti-tank missile system, which was later successfully mastered in serial production under contracts with foreign customers. The technical solutions incorporated into the design, including high noise immunity, the power of the warhead, in combination with the long range of the missile, will ensure its superiority over foreign models over the next 15 – 20 years. ATGM "Kornet" is part of the system of defensive-assault weapons, allowing you to comprehensively solve the problems of modern combat. The concept of the system has been developed and implemented in the models of weapons of the PCU.
The creation of such a wide range of combat systems required the colossal in terms of volume and voltage of the work of the general designer and chief of the PCU: organizational, scientific, and design. The stage of testing samples is extremely important. It is at this stage that constructive, technological, and other deficiencies manifest themselves, and sometimes there are irregular and even dangerous situations that require making quick and correct decisions, personal responsibility and courage. Moreover, the tests were carried out in hot spots. Arkady Shipunov at certain stages is personally involved in the testing processes, he finds the necessary solutions for the improvement and fine-tuning of weapons models to the specified parameters.
The high scientific and technical level of the developed products, which are based on new ideas and circuit design solutions put forward by Shipunov for the first time in domestic and world practice, the organization of their mass production in the KBP and in other factories of the industry allows them to work steadily in modern conditions and successfully compete in the global arms market, using the right of independent foreign economic activity.
Shipunov, one might say, brought the company to the world level and always paid considerable attention to working with foreign customers. His energetic efforts to promote KBP products to the international arms market in terms of entering into and organizing the execution of signed contracts became the key to highly efficient and stable work. Funds received from export deliveries were used to create an innovation reserve, conduct research and development activities, strengthen scientific and technical potential, develop the production and laboratory base of the enterprise, and solve social issues.
Actively engaged in management activities, Shipunov does not leave and science. In 1956, he defended his candidate minimum, in 1973 he received a doctoral degree. A year later, he was awarded the title of professor of the Department "Production of automatic control systems." His contribution to the development of the theory of designing and designing samples of new equipment and their elements, the dynamics and strength of machines, devices and apparatus, systems theory is significant. He is the author of 164 scientific papers, 510 inventions. Only in the last three years of life published 25 works, protected by 30 inventions. Fundamental works and developments in the most important scientific and technical areas, the organization of joint research with academic institutions and universities, the successful use of the results in the development of the enterprise predetermined the election of Arkady G. Shipunova full member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, International and Russian Engineering Academies, Russian Academy of Rocket and Artillery Sciences , honorary academician of the Academy of Natural Sciences. He succeeded in successfully combining not only scientific, but also pedagogical activity with work. He rightfully carried the title of honorary worker of higher professional education of the Russian Federation, a professor at Tula State University. He led the department "Designing automated systems." For a long time, he headed the dissertation council in his native enterprise with the right to defend doctoral and candidate degrees. Among his pupils are doctors and candidates of sciences, chief designers of directions, leading experts, famous inventors. In the educational center of the enterprise on the basis of the branches of seven departments of the university, intensive targeted training of 250 young engineers is conducted annually.
Listing all the awards of Arkady Georgievich Shipunov will take more than one page, he did for the country, for Tula, for his native enterprise, for the people working on it, very much. Paradox - the person constructing the weapon, became the great creator. But he set only one task for his weapon - the salvation and protection of people.
Arkady G. Shipunov passed away in 86 years after a serious illness. Until the very end, he continued his labor and scientific activities. He had a lot of ideas that could not be completed, but the KBP continues to develop a unique scientific and technical, innovative groundwork. At the initiative of the collective, the Instrument Engineering Design Bureau, which is now part of the High-Precision Complexes holding, was named after Arkady Georgievich Shipunov. This is not only a tribute to memory, but also a pledge of new achievements. After all, the name of an outstanding designer has become a brand, a sign of quality.
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