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Russian MoD holds defense hardware delivery day 2019

On April 12, Defense Minister of the Russian Federation General of the Army Sergei Shoigu held a defense hardware delivery day at the National Defense Control Center, according to the Ministry of Defense`s (MoD`s) press department and newspaper Red Star (Krasnaya Zvezda).

BMD-4M with its parachute at Army-2018 (Picture source: Army Recognition)

"[Since the beginning of the year], the military has taken the delivery of some 550 new and overhauled items of defense hardware, including fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft, Kalibr [SS-N-27 Sizzler] cruise missiles, automotive vehicles, and other platforms and pieces of materiel," said a spokesperson for the MoD.

In 2019, the Land Forces (Sukhoputniye Voyska, SV) and the Airborne Troops (Vozdushno-Desantniye Voyska, VDV) received 498 new and 42 overhauled automobiles, 20 artillery and missile systems, 187 new and 53 repaired signal systems, some 9,000 man-portable weapons and pieces of individual equipment, and more than 4,300 parachute systems.

According to the MoD, the first Tornado-S multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) has already been delivered to the troops of the Southern Military District (Yuzhny Voenniy Okrug, YuVO). The MRLS are capable of firing both existing and newly developed extended-range rockets. According to the MoD, the Tornado-S works in automated mode and features an integrated geolocation subsystem.

The 104th Guards Air Assault Regiment has taken the delivery of a battalion kit of BMD-4M airborne infantry fighting vehicles and BTR-MDM armored personnel carriers. "These platforms have increased the firepower and maneuvering performance of the unit in a substantial manner," said the MoD.

The Arzamas Machine-Building Plant (AMZ, a subsidiary of the Military Industrial Corporation, VPK) has accomplished an order for the Tigr-M 4x4 special utility vehicles for 2018-2019 ahead of schedule. Under the contract, the MoD is set to receive 175 platforms of the type, and the final batch of 22 cars is ready for delivery to the troops. Compared to the baseline vehicles, those Tigr-Ms have received a modified hull, improved brakes, and more ergonomic subsystems.

Under the State Defense Order for 2019 (Gosoboronzakaz-2019, GOZ-2019), JSC Machine-Building Company Vityaz is to deliver 35 DT-10PM two-unit tracked all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) to the military. "Twelve ATVs have already been sent to the troops of the Northern Fleet [Severniy Flot, SF]," said the MoD.

The Aerospace Forces (Vozdushno-Kosmicheskiye Sily, VKS) have received 4,358 air-launched weapons and a number of air platforms. In particular, the 2nd Mixed Aviation Regiment of the 21st Mixed Aviation Division has been rearmed with Sukhoi Su-34 (Fullback) frontline bombers. "The Irkutsk Aviation Plant named after V P Chkalov [IAZ, a subsidiary of the Corporation Irkut of the United Aircraft Corporation] has delivered 10 Su-34 to the unit," said the MoD.

The 55th Separate Helicopter Regiment has taken the delivery of six Kamov Ka-52 Alligator (Hokum-B) combat helicopters. According to the MoD, the deliveries of Mil Mi-8/17-family (Hip-H) utility rotorcraft to the aviation units are also underway.

In the first quarter of 2019, JSC Nitel has repaired and upgraded five P-18R target detection/designation radars and manufactured one Nebo-U medium-/high-altitude scanning radar. "[The military] operates more than 50 P-18R radar stations … They can detect all types of [aerial] targets and feature a high level of mobility and reliability," added the MoD.

The Nebo-U is capable of detecting unmanned aerial vehicles and ballistic aerial targets at a distance of up to 460 km. The MoD is to receive five more Nebo-U and 12 more upgraded P-18R radars this year.

Since the beginning of 2019, the VKS have received 140 medium-range air-to-air missiles; 222 more such ALWs will have been delivered to the troops by November 10.

Within the prescribed period, the Navy (Voyenno-Morskoy Flot, VMF) has taken the delivery of a battery of the Bastion (SSC-5 Stooge) coastal defense system, 48 Kalibr cruise missiles, 24 Oniks (SS-N-26 Strobile) anti-ship missiles, and 24 repaired Fizik-1 torpedoes.

In 2019, the Military-Industrial Corporation NPO Mashinostroyenia (a subsidiary of the Tactical Missiles Corporation (KTRV) will deliver three Bastion systems and 55 Oniks anti-ship missiles to the military. The company has already manufactured the first Bastion kit that will be sent to the customer ahead of schedule in May. The remaining two kits are at various stages of manufacturing. NPO Mashinostroyenia has also produced 28 Oniks missiles, of which 24 have passed through military acceptance and prepared for delivery. In April, the Black Sea Fleet (Chernomorskiy Flot, ChF) will receive eight Strobiles; a batch of 18 missiles for the Pacific Fleet (Tikhookeanskiy Flot, TOF) will also be formed.

In the first quarter of the year, the design bureau Novator (a subsidiary of Almaz-Antey) has produced 48 Kalibr cruise missiles, of which 24 have already been sent to the troops.

The 290th Missile Regiment of the Strategic Missile Forces (Raketniye Voyska Strategicheskogo Naznacheniya, RVSN) has been refitted with the Yars-S mobile intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) systems. The unit will go on combat duty this May.

JSC Votkinskiy Plant will produce 50 missiles for the Iskander-M (SS-26 Stone) tactical ballistic missile systems, 21 Yars ICBMs for mobile and silo-based launchers, and 10 Bulava submarine-launched ballistic missiles. Four Yars ICBMs for mobile launchers and 14 missile for the Iskander-M systems have already been sent to the troops.

The type tests of the updated BTR-82A armored personnel carrier have successfully been completed. Since 2019, all vehicles of the type will receive additional protection and a new fire control system with a thermal imager.