TULA, September 19 (Itar-Tass) —— Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin discussed during Wednesday’s meeting of the Defence Industry Commission problems of production of ammunition, electronic components as well as involvement of private capital in the defence industry.
“We should settle the issue of development and production of a new generation of weapons,” he said. “These things are linked inextricably."
Russia’s nearest plans are to create several universal platforms /Armata, Boomerang," Kurganets/." How can you talk about creation of modern armoured vehicles, without picking from the very beginning programs for development of munitions?” he asked the meeting participants. “Will our tank be without shells, or what? Or should we buy ammunition abroad? This is not to happen." He continued saying it is necessary to consider carefully the question of what can be done to complete creation of modern armoured vehicles and modern tactical ammunition.”
Dmitry Rogozin criticised the defence industry and a number of ministries for not doing enough to create a national electronic component base /ECB/.
"There is a number of problematic issues in ECB,” he told at a meeting of the Military-Industrial Commission /MIC/ of the Russian Government. “First, the federal executive bodies are not working actively to replace with local products the import of ECB." He drew attention to the fact that the list of imported electronic components for production of weapons and military equipment continues to expand. "It is impossible to tolerate,” Rogozin said with indignation. “We do not need to have every company invent its own bicycle. We should create modular systems to be used in the space, in aviation, and in marine engineering."
Deputy Prime Minister stressed importance of a clear understanding of truly demanded product line. In his opinion, the shorter the list is, the more opportunities will appear for quality control. "You cannot control a lot of products, if it is not connected under common logic, common commercial policy," he said.
In addition, according to Rogozin, "we lack a developed system of making producers interested in supplying small quantities of specialized ECB for weapons, military and special equipment, we do not have a mechanism of special purchases of ECB, both domestic and imported, to ensure all stages of life cycle for models of special equipment and weapons."
He noted that Russia had developed domestic technology for electronic components under three federal programs and "the main result of these programs’ implementation would be creation of 29 basic technologies for production of ECB."
The deputy prime minister did not rule out an option where Russia may have private defence industry companies.
“We are considering organisation of the commission’s working group on establishment in the Russian Federation of private defence industry companies,” Rogozin said. The working group will “prepare initiatives of private businesses in defence and security spheres, and will analyse basic trends of the international market.”
As for organisation of private defence industry companies in Russia, Rogozin said the topic would be a subject of a special discussion.
Anyway, “we shall undertake a step in this direction,” he said.