Siberians were interested in the armament of the army and the situation around Afghanistan
PHOTO: MINISTRY OF DEFENSE OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
The development of industrial enterprises and science is an integral part of strengthening our country's defense capabilities.
During a working trip to units of the Central Military District, the head of the Russian Ministry of Defense visited one of the leading airlines in the country to evaluate the possibilities of modernizing and expanding military aviation production, including the creation of serial heavy class strike drones. On the same day, Sergei Shoigu organized a meeting with scientists from the Siberian branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Akademgorodok, where he discussed the possibilities of closer cooperation between basic science and the military in order to strengthen the country's defense capabilities. The MK correspondent accompanied the minister on the way.
The air plant in Novosibirsk became the first point of the minister's working trip. This year the race celebrated its 90th anniversary. During this time, the plant gave life to more than 30,000 aircraft. The main production of people from Novosibirsk is a Su-34 bomber, which was accepted into service.
It is designed to hit ground, surface and air targets day and night in simple and difficult weather conditions. All this was confirmed in the fighting conditions in Syria. The aircraft has two crews and can carry up to eight tons of weapons at 12 external suspension points, including air-to-air and air-to-ground guided missiles, air bombs, including guided bombs, cluster bombs and unguided missiles. p>
In the light-flooded, spacious room of the final assembly workshop, where the head of the military department was waiting, work was in full swing. Along the walls, there are winged machines on both sides in various stages of readiness, next to each of the several people, everyone is busy with business. And now it's amazing, despite the active work process, it's so quiet that you involuntarily start speaking in an undertone. Only the rhythmic hum of the instruments can be heard.
“On the one hand, assembly is taking place, on the other hand, repairs are being carried out,” explains the plant employee who accompanies us.
The man on the fuselage was seriously looking at some drawings. I have noticed that many women work here.
– Women usually do careful work related to electronics, “explains the partner with a smile. – All because, in my opinion, they are more diligent.
– Colleagues, ten minutes of readiness, – the narrator's female voice interrupts. The media, as if on command, are armed with working tools: some with a camera, some with a voice recorder, and some with a notebook and pen old-fashioned.
The Minister is walking along the assembly line of bombers. Head of United Aircraft Corporation Yuri Slyusar provides explanations on the go.
Shoigu noted that the military department has been developing, managing and testing highly intelligent technologies for several years, where the latest advances in artificial intelligence have been largely introduced and applied. The capabilities of such facilities have been confirmed in Syria.
“We are mainly talking about Su-34 aircraft,” Shoigu explained. – I will say in no detail that new, modern, very effective types of weapons and reconnaissance have been mastered. On this plane, we may have achieved what we have been dreaming of for a long time – the launch of a flight mission has been reduced almost threefold. “
The Minister noted that the plant complied with the state defense order and thanked the employees of the plant.
A special topic is the assembly of prototypes of the new heavy unmanned aircraft S-70 “Okhotnik”. The jet drone is almost visible to the enemy's air defense systems and is equipped with reconnaissance equipment and aircraft weapons. On August 3, 2019, the experimental prototype made its first flight, which lasted more than 20 minutes. In the same year, the first joint 30-minute flight of Hunter with a fifth-generation Su-57 fighter was performed.
“We hope that the work will be completed by 2022,” the minister said at a meeting after inspecting the production facilities. – And we will be able to sign, as is now the custom in the armed forces, a large long-term contract for drones. This is essential for the industry to know how to build its plans for the next 10 years so that it can order and supplement materials and other types of support. “
After that, the tasks of creating new aircraft were discussed without journalists.
Novosibirsk Akademgorodok is the second item on the agenda of the Minister's visit to Novosibirsk. The “City of Scientists” is located twenty kilometers south of the center of Novosibirsk, on the right bank of the local reservoir.
A Mi-8 helicopter, cutting through the air with huge blades, will take us to Akademgorodok in just 20 minutes. By car, the journey would take much longer and the minister's program is very rich.
The hall was full in the House of Scientists, where the Minister met with scientists from the Siberian branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The conversation turned out to be interesting and lively.
Shoigu has seen the fruitful work of defense companies in difficult times for all. According to him, this allowed you to look beyond the horizon of 10-13 years in matters of rearmament of the army and allows you to feel confident.
“Seven years ago, we were thinking about life-cycle contracts,” the minister said. – In 2012, it was equal to zero, now it has reached 82%. From creation to implementation. This is a breakthrough. If we talk about what they had before, then at the dawn of the third millennium, the level of confidence in the Russian army was 27%, now it is 71.5%. The army became proud and ready to defend its country. We are one of the most modern armies … Much had to be done to make the army prestigious, so that parents would not be afraid to let their children go. “
” I see that everyone is tired of banging on the keys, I will not bore you anymore, “the minister joked. – I like to talk to everyone, I will talk to everyone, because being in the Academy of Sciences, saying “I will answer questions” does not sound very good.
The scientific director of the Institute of Laser Physics of the Siberian branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, academician Sergei Bagayev proposed to improve the interaction of scientific organizations with the military department. The scientist complained that he was forced to visit Moscow virtually every week to try to solve a number of promising problems related to the work of the institute.
“We are doing everything we can to reduce the distance for science,” the minister replied. “We run Innovation Days, starting with those who do something in the garage with the ensemble and ending with great science.”
The head of the Ministry of Defense invited scientists to the event In words, science and the latest developments are presented “in the broadest sense”.
“Trust me, I spend a lot of time talking to everyone and watching everyone.” I visit your colleagues in Sarov. Thanks to their efforts and our constant attention, we delivered such a wonderful weapon as the “Peresvet”. And today we already have it in operation. In any case, I and those who deal with science at the department handle it very carefully, “the minister assured.
At the same time, he agreed that, in general, interactions with scientific institutes should be strengthened.
In response to a question from Nikolai Pokhilenko, Vice President of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, on how to change the attitude of the Ministry of Education and Science to the work of academic industry, “he said. into the development of the military-industrial complex.
The Minister of Defense promised to support the idea of creating a National Council for Science and Education on the basis of the Siberian branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences and leading its board of directors, if such a structure is created.
“Naturally, I will approach with the utmost attention and study,” Shoigu said.
The academic who expressed the idea asked him to ask this question to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Shoigu said in response to his own views on the development of Siberia, which sometimes disagree with the general opinion. “But I have them.” And I, believe me, I defend them, even if it is not entirely my area of responsibility, “the minister remarked.
The head of the Ministry of Defense said why scientific societies were being formed in the armed forces. “Why should a university graduate (serve) as a pawn”? – the Minister put a rhetorical question.
According to him, of all the men who served in the scientific societies and military technopolis of the “era”, almost 580 people later left to work in military scientific organizations, research institutes and universities. -technical industry – military space, missile.
The Minister noted that it is possible to get into such a company through a competition that will reach 25 people on the spot. At the same time, 17 scientific societies operate as part of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
Scientists and journalists from the Novosibirsk media asked about the epidemiological situation in the army. For example, the Ministry of Defense plans to continue the fight against coronavirus infection in other regions.
The minister replied that work was continuing, new vaccines were emerging. He stressed that the ministry responded to any appeal from the regions and that military doctors were involved in the treatment of civilian patients in the 37 constituent entities of the Russian Federation. “For example, in the Moscow region, we employed 600 of our doctors and cured more than 10,000 there.” We have worked in the Far East, in the territory of Krasnoyarsk, in the north, in Tuva and Khakassia, we are ready to continue, “said Shoigu.
Region.
– I do not blame anyone, – said the minister. Many do not go for foie gras, but because they cannot be realized in their homeland. That is why we need to think about how to create the necessary conditions for young people.
According to Shoig, it makes sense to build three to five large cities in Siberia, which would become sectoral economic centers.
The last issue was the situation in Afghanistan, which worries everyone. Are we on the brink of a second war? What measures are being taken to neutralize the threats originating in Afghanistan?
“Our base in Tajikistan is relatively strong, strong and, of course, in the event of direct aggression, it will be involved in CSTO border protection,” the minister reassured. – The same goes for our base in Kyrgyzstan. Even there, such a need may arise.
– Does Russia help Tajikistan on the same level as other CSTO members? – asks one of the journalists.
“CSTO members cannot be on the same level as Russia in terms of their size and defense potential,” Shoigu explained, “and they need help in the Afghan sector because it is ultimately about Russian military security.” We certainly hope that the agreements that exist with the Taliban (recognized as a terrorist organization and banned in the Russian Federation) will be implemented. But of course, having the past and the last experience is hard to believe. This must be done so that it does not all come to our country. And here we must support all members of the CSTO in all possible ways, help them.
The Minister added that if we are talking about money, then it is not money that we should think about when solving such problems. He reminded that large Russian-Tajik-Uzbek exercises are beginning, during which tasks related to the situation in the region will be processed. The Russian army is represented there by more than a thousand soldiers, Shoigu said.
The meeting ended in an unusual way: the people of Novosibirsk asked the head of the military department to sign the book “About Yesterday” he wrote. By the way, many chapters of this book are devoted to Siberian construction projects in which Sergei Shoigu participated in his youth. The Minister granted the request.
The next day of the Minister's trip to Siberia will be dedicated to defense companies in Krasnoyarsk.