August 3, 2007

Prince Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, Secretary General of the National Security Council of Saudi Arabia visited KBP Instrument Design Bureau.

The eminent guest was introduced in the KBP export defence production, and visited Shcheglovskiy Val assembly facilities.

June 15, 2007

On June, 14, 2007 the State Unitary Enterprise KBP Instrument Design Bureau, Tula, hosted the constituent assembly of the initiative group aimed at foundation of Tula local representation of All-Russian social institution named “Union of the Machine-builders of Russia”. More details...

June 1, 2007

	A.E. Serdyukov and A.L. Rybas during the demonstration
	Pantsir-S1 rocket launching

On May 24th, while returning from his official trip to the Far East, A.E. Serdyukov, the Defense Minister, paid a visit to Ashulukh firing range, where he was offered a demonstration of the Pantsir-S1 system capabilities. Initially, the demonstration had been scheduled to take place at the Kapustin Yar firing range, but the decision was changed in the last minutes. As per the Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper, the Minister prefers unexpected routes to scheduled demonstrations. That is why the vehicle, yet before the demonstration, had to make a 250 km forced march to reach another firing range.

“It was the first time when we, instead of simply preparing the equipment beforehand and accomplishing a typical AD mission, deployed at an unprepared launch position after a 250 km march”, – says the Designer/Director General of the company, – “a good result.

All AD missions were accomplished and we proved that the Pantsir-S1 system features both excellent technical characteristics and vast up-grade potential. This means, that after completion of the system’s design and putting it into serial production, we shall ensure superiority of the Russian weapons in this class for many years”.

April 25, 2007

On March, 23, 2007 the first real airdropping of the BMD-4 vehicle from the IL-76M aircraft from the altitude of 800 m took place within the framework of a stage of preliminary flight tests. The parachute-assisted strapdown system operated normally. The BMD’s leaving the aircraft, opening of the parachute system, filling of the dash-pots and landing were performed in a due course. After landing, the airborne fighting vehicle switched onto its operating road clearance and with no problems reached the place of dislocation by its own.

Recently put in service

By a Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation, dated March, 10, 2007, No.261-p the following KBP-designed specimens were put into service with the Forces of the RF Ministry of Internal Affairs:

• P-96M 9mm pistol;
• 43mm GM-94 magazine grenade launcher;
• 43mm grenade for GM-94 magazine grenade launcher;
• LPO-97 light infantry flame-thrower.
  

April 10, 2007

Business visits

In January A.L.Rybas, Designer General /Director of KBP, has visited India and Chaina. A.L. Rybas was among Russian business representatives who accompanied V.V. Putin, the President of Russia, during his official visit to India. More details...

Scientific and Technical Council

The Scientific and Technical Council (STC) of the KBP Instrument Design Bureau has been established in compliance with order No 323 of 14 September 1984. More details...

Annual All-Russian Mosin Prize Award

KBP Instrument Design Bureau is awarded with the Mosin Prize for the work as listed below:

1. Development and manufacturing of a frequency converter, 380V, 50Hz/220V, 400Hz, with rated power of 30 kW as required to supply subsystems of the 72V6-E1 combat vehicle.
2. Upgrading package of armament for the BMP IFV.
3. Mastering of series production of the LPO-97 light infantry flamethrower and the GM-94 magazine grenade launcher.
4. Development, tests and putting in service with the Ministry of Internal Affairs as well as arrangement of serial production of 30-mm round GPD-30 of improved effectiveness for the AGS-30 and AGS-17 automatic grenade launchers.
   

February 1, 2007

Since February 1, 2007 KBP site has the new address: www.kbptula.ru

January 16, 2007

On the armaments market

Unfair competition

On 5 January 2007 it became known that Washington had imposed sanctions on three companies and one national of the Russian Federation. They were accused of selling weapons to Iran, Syria and Venezuela. The U.S. government had prepared the black list as early as late December, and at the same time the decree imposing the sanctions had been signed and had come into force. The unexpectedness effect failed because of information leakage. The black list was published by The Washington Times. According to this newspaper, the sanctions will be effective with respect to seven companies from three countries: Russia, China and North Korea. But as it turned out, the list is much longer: it contains 24 organizations and natural persons from 10 countries.

The sanctioned Russian firms are Rosoboronexport, Tula-based KBP Instrument Design Bureau and Kolomna Machine-Building Design Bureau. According to The Washington Times, the penal measures are caused by the contracts worth almost $10 billion signed by Rosoboronexport with Syria for weapons delivery. U.S. officials say that Russia supplied high-technology arms, which were used during the fighting last summer between Israel and Hezbollah militants. They say about the Kornet-E and Metis anti-tank missiles. Anti-tank weapons are developed both in Tula and in Kolomna.

The Bush administration has imposed sanctions on foreign companies more than 40 times since 2001. The matter is that Iran and Syria Nonproliferation Act passed in the U.S.A. is actively used by the U.S. government to make foreign companies work in accordance with the U.S. internal law. Besides, many experts are of opinion that this Act does not correspond to the international law.

The sanctions ban the companies included into the black list from conducting business with U.S. companies for two years. The only Russian official agent for export of military products Rosoboronexport officially states that the company has never violated its international commitments. According to the Rosoboronexport press secretary Valery Kartavtsev, the company has been increasing exports of defense products from year to year. The volume of their export deliveries has doubled within the last 5 years. Rosoboronexport enters new markets, including markets in Latin America. It is probable that the imposition of sanctions on Rosoboronexport is a sort of unfair competition against this company and against Russia as a whole.

Experts say that the information about the sanctions is a continuation of the campaign to discredit Russian arms exporters. It is a kind of revenge for the contract signed with Venezuela in 2006 to supply weapons to this country. The U.S.A. seems to intensely dislike the penetration of Russian military technologies into the Latin-American market because America has always considered this region to be an area of its interests.

Formerly Russia traded only on the Indian and Chinese markets, now Russia trades with more than 50 countries including Venezuela, Algeria, Syria and others. Therefore the presented claims are politics and nothing more.

Such sanctions have been imposed on KBP Instrument Design Bureau for the fourth time and, as always, these sanctions are unjustified. KBP trades in accordance with Russian and international laws. At first the KBP leaders considered it to be their duty to explain the situation to the American side, now there is no need for it. Truth does not interest Washington. It pursues its political aims fearing to lose the economic sphere of influence. KBP designer general and director A. L. Rybas said: "Washington proves by its actions that Russian arms manufacturers including KBP are serious and real competitors of American companies on the armaments market. It is obvious for us. In other respects we do not care about the restrictions of the Department of State because KBP is not involved in any direct cooperation with American companies."