RYBINSK, April 25. /TASS/. The problem of the Russian Navy’s dependence on imported gas turbine engines has been fully resolved, CEO of Russia’s United Engine-Making Corporation Alexander Artyukhov reported to President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.
The head of the Russian state visited Saturn research and production association where he viewed the assembly and testing workshop of shipborne gas turbine engines and gave start to the tests of the domestically-made gas turbine propulsion system for the Navy.
The United Engine-Making Corporation’s chief executive, and also Saturn Managing Director Viktor Polyakov who were demonstrating one of the engines to the Russian president noted that now "the problem of dependence on Ukrainian engines" had been fully resolved in Russia.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin noted that the project "is not just the launch of new engine production but marks the beginning of a new sector, gas turbine engine-building.
"Up until now, all shipborne gas turbine engines were assembled only in Ukraine, in Nikolayev. Today is the day of the actual launch of a new sector, shipborne engine-making," the vice-premier said.
As the Russian deputy prime minister said, the new sector was created within a record short period of time - actually within two years and a half from the day a decision was made.
"These will be very diverse assemblies of various sizes, including for air cushion ships," Rogozin said.
"We have never done this before. They [the Ukrainian side] thought that they had driven us into a corner and that we would be unable to finish the construction of frigates. But we have done this," the Russian vice-premier said.