Putin Checks Readiness of Russian Nuclear Forces

Russian President Vladimir Putin oversaw Wednesday a snap check of Russia’s nuclear deterrent, aerospace defenses and strategic aviation that involved multiple test launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles, a formidable demonstration of Russia’s resurgent military power.

“The exercise involved launches of ballistic missiles, drills by air defense and missile defense units and all practice targets had been destroyed,” Kremlin press spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

The Defense Ministry has confirmed the launches of two silo-based and sea-based ballistic missiles apiece as part of the snap check drills.

The Ministry of Defense said the exercise saw the launch of two intercontinental ballistic missiles, an RS-12M Topol missile from the Plesetsk space launch pad in northwestern Russia and a RS-20V Voyevoda missile from its base in the Orenburg region in the southern Ural Mountains. It said the missiles successfully hit their practice targets on the far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula.

The Defense Ministry said in a separate statement that Russian strategic submarines – the Delta IV-class Bryansk from the Northern Fleet and the Delta III-class Svyatoy Georgy Pobedonosets from the Pacific Fleet – launched ballistic missiles while submerged in the Barents and the Okhotsk seas.

It must be noted that Russia is going to complete the fleet by new submarines. Russia’s new nuclear-powered submarine, the Alexander Nevsky, designed to carry the Bulava submarine-launched ballistic missiles, has completed sea trials, a shipbuilder said Monday.

The ministry said the drills confirmed high degree of readiness of the Russian nuclear deterrent and the efficiency of all tiers of the combat control structure.

In addition, the Russian Aerospace Defense Forces carried out live-firing exercises at the Kapustin Yar testing range in southern Russia. The exercises involved S-300 Favorit, S-400 Triumf and Pantsir-S air defense systems.

“The ADF units destroyed over 15 drones simulating aircraft and ballistic missiles flying at various altitudes and speeds in a massive strike against Russian air defenses,” the Defense Ministry said.

The drills were the latest in a series of surprise combat-readiness checks since January and follow a major shake-up at the top of the country’s military establishment, tarnished by persistent evidence of rampant corruption.

The previous snap check, in July, was the largest in the post-Soviet period and involved near 160,000 servicemen, about 1,000 tanks and armored vehicles, 130 aircraft and 70 warships from the far-eastern and central military districts.

Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, who took the post in November 2012, has said snap inspections of combat readiness will be conducted regularly and will involve all branches of the Russian Armed Forces.

Rosteс to Present More than 200 Pilot Projects at Interpolitex 2013

Rostec State Corporation will participate in the XVII International State Security Exhibition Interpolitex 2013 to be held from 22 to 25 October in Moscow. Members of the corporation will exhibit more than 200 promising developments in the field of arms and protection facilities that are now in demand in the domestic and global markets. Among them – the optical systems for unmanned aircrafts by Schwabe holding, navigation and orientation systems in the territory of the enemy from the design office Compass and unparalleled in the world rifle-amphibious by the Tula-based KBP design bureau, that performs effectively both on the ground and underwater.

Moscow Design Bureau Compass will present an ultramodern complex for terrain orientation “Soldier of the XXI century” that brings together the latest developments in the field of night vision systems and monitoring of psycho-physiological state of the personnel. The system, which includes personalized tablet PCs , navigators , communicators with the function of satellite and mobile communications GLONASS / GPS / GPRS and protection against unauthorized access from the outside, will be demonstrated at the exhibition in conjunction with combat equipment at the test site of Krasnoarmeisk, Moscow Region.

NPO High Precision Weapons for the first time in the world will the ADS assault rifle. It can fire standard-issue 5.45-mm cartridges when above the water with accuracy and effectiveness similar to that of AK-74s. When submerged and loaded with special 5.45-mm PSP ammunition, the ADS outperforms the service-issue, Soviet-designed APS underwater assault rifle in terms of accuracy and ease of handling.

The new rifle is fitted with an integral 40-mm grenade launcher and adjustable iron sights. Its carrying handle is provided with a bracket to mount various types of optical sights.

“These rifles will soon enter service with special combat units of the Russian army,” a spokesman for KBP design bureau said Tuesday.

For several decades, Soviet and later Russian combat divers and naval commando units were armed with special weapons for underwater combat. These included the SPP-1 pistol and APS underwater assault rifle, which performed poorly on the surface.

The ADS proved its effectiveness and reliability during extensive field trials by Russian naval commando units, according to a KBP design bureau official.

It will replace APS underwater weapons and, possibly, some AK-74M general issue assault rifles in service with Russian Special Forces units.

Roselektronika holding will present samples configurations of thermal sights, panoramic video surveillance system at 360 degrees with the expansion of 50 megapixels and solid-state microwave modules for advanced radar systems.

Schwabe holding will demonstrate the projects in the segment of optical systems. It is the sight PO525, characterized by extended-range grid when aiming at long range and detailed, saturated image through a unique anti-reflective coating of all lenses. Developers were able to maximize the field of view sight – up to 7.5 m at increasing 5 times, it is one of the world’s best -in-class results. The exhibition of Schwabe will also include optical sights PO1x20PM2 and PO2.8x18P2 in modernized ergonomic design and with the new sighting grid. In addition, the holding company will introduce civil optical surveillance systems СОН 730, СОН 820 and СОН-М-02 for unmanned aircrafts, which are lightweight and thus are able to detect objects at a distance of 10 kilometers.

Kalashnikov concern will demonstrate more than 50 military and civilian models of weapons and ammunition. Among them – the new Saiga-MK-107 with balanced automatics, Saiga-12S EXP-01, sniper rifles SV-98, SV- 99, and the famous semi-automatic Yarygin pistol for the high-momentum bullets 9×21 mm, the Vepr-15 carbine with flexible modular platform and improved ergonomics and upgraded machine gun RPK-203 with the 40 bullets shop.

Russian Army to Receive Innovative Gear in 2014

The Russian Defense Ministry will start mass purchases of domestically designed “future soldier” gear in 2014, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said.

“A whole number of new equipment sets leaves behind the world equivalents,” Defense Ministry ground forces spokesman Lt. Col. Nikolai Donyushkin said.

Russian defence equipment sets “Ratnik”, nicknamed “future soldier uniforms”, performed well in recent tests, paving the way for their implementation, said the senior army official. “Ratnik” (“Warrior”) comprises more than 40 components, including firearms, body armor, optic, communication and navigation devices, life support and power supply systems and even knee and elbow pads, said the commander of the Land forces colonel-general Vladimir Chirkin.

The equipment can be used by regular infantry, rocket launcher operators, machine gunners, drivers and scouts, noted Chirkin. The equipment sets are light and come in summer and winter variants, Chirkin added, without elaborating on the weight. “Ratnik” was tested during recent Caucasus-2012 command post exercise, the general said. Tests are also ongoing at Alabino testing grounds outside Moscow. The “wonderful sets” may “soon” be introduced in the military, Chirkin said. He gave no timeframe.

The battle suit comprises up-to-date small arms, effective protection kits, reconnaissance assets and communication equipment, – a total of some 10 subsystems. Emphasis has been laid on the effective protection of a soldier on the battlefield, says the editor of the “Voyenno-Promyshlenny Kuryer”, or”Military-Industrial”, newspaper, member of the Public Council of the Russian Government’s Military-Industrial Commission, Mikhail Khodarenok. He added that “Ratnik” is better in every way than its predecessor, the battle suit “Barmitsa”, and obviously superior to its French analogue FELIN, which was originally to be considered as the main prototype. “Ratnik” is by far better in protecting servicemen from enemy small arms, as well as artillery shell and mine fragments.

The multilayer hat can resist the hit of a bullet, fired from a distance of 5 meters to 10 meters. The overalls of the “Alutex” reinforced-fiber composite effectively protects against shell and grenade splinters, while the body armor vest, reinforced by ceramic and hybrid inserts, is effective against small arms, including armor-piercing weapons. “Ratnik” weighs 20 kilograms, or 6 kilos less than its French analogue FELIN, and is fit for action in all conditions any time of the day, says the military observer of the Komsomolskaya Pravda daily, Victor Baranets. According to him, the outfit also comprises a gun, Russia’s latest sub-machinegun AK-12, whose official tests are almost over.”Ratnik” also boasts a largely upgraded communications and navigation equipment, the equipment that the Russian military lacked during the Russian-Georgian military conflict in August 2008, Mikhail Khodarenok says, but the new equipment has largely settled the problem.

Russia planned to buy the limited number of FELIN infantry combat systems from France in 2011, but later opted to produce its own equipment. Development and implementation are expected to be finished by 2015, the government official said last December.

“We have practically finished work on the Ratnik gear and will start purchases of series-produced equipment for our army next year,” Shoigu told reporters on Saturday.

The Ratnik gear has been successfully tested by the Russian military but is adoption into service has been delayed due to uncertainty with the choice of small arms component, which is likely to include the new Kalashnikov AK-12 assault rifle.

Russia to Develop Aircraft Carriers

The debate about whether to build or not a Russian aircraft carrier does not stop during the entire period of existence of this class of ships. Impartial analysis shows that in the future the Navy will not be able to effectively resolve the assigned important tasks in the far sea and ocean areas, if it doesn’t include at least one aircraft carrier, possibly with a nuclear power unit, with 70-90 aircrafts on board. The optimal amount – at least two for each of the ocean fleets.

Almost all countries of the world have its unequivocal answer – those who were oriented on the land wars refused such ships, others seeking to expand the scope of its dominance in the world, built up as part of its fleets the aircraft carriers as the main military instrument of the foreign policy.

Today, judging by the press materials and statements of prominent military and political leaders, the clear opinion – whether the aircraft carriers are needed in the Russian Navy – still does not exist. In the period from 2007 to 2012 looks twice reversed.

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said that at the moment, the Russian Navy needs at least four modern ships with a full air group.

Emergency evacuation of citizens from the danger zone in the hinterland may involve a dozen and more of transport helicopters. Under adverse conditions, they are provided by the group of fighters and attack aircrafts, by four – eight crafts. In addition, we need to have service aircrafts – one or two EW and at least one AEW&C. In the absence of such cover these tasks may require greater diplomatic effort, accompanied by significant financial and political losses and maybe even great sacrifices or to be impracticable at all.

Thus, for the safe realization of Russian foreign policy in peacetime we need a sufficiently powerful aircraft carrier as part of our fleet.

One of the most important tasks of the Russian Navy will be defeating the shock aircraft carriers and missile groups of the enemy. The main areas of fighting – far sea and ocean areas far from our coast to 400-600 kilometers. From here, they will strike at targets on the territory of our country and the ships in the sea and on the bases.

It is well known that the superiority of the sea is not possible without achieving air superiority. Modern confrontation between naval groups is carried out almost exclusively in the air. Beats of anti-ship missiles and strike aircrafts are defeated by fighters and anti-aircraft firepower ships. Small groups and single surface ships are attacked by two – four cruise missiles or aircraft. In attacks on compounds of large surface ships it can be applied 30-40 and more ASM from rocket ships and submarines or up to 40-50 tactical aircrafts.

Factions of the Russian Navy are called o resolve tasks in peacetime and in wartime far beyond the reach of fighter aircrafts and land-based bombers. Is it possible to solve these problems without the support of land-based aircrafts, especially fighter and ground attack? With aircraft carriers – yes. They are not a whim of sailors, but an urgent necessity.

The analysis shows that the Russian aircraft carrier air group must be sufficiently numerous. For the full range of tasks it will need to have at least 40-60 aircrafts, capable of fighting surface and ground targets, as well as enemy aircrafts, including cruise missiles.

In addition, the complex of means of self-defense ship must provide torpedo defense protection and electronic warfare, capable of suppressing anti-ship missile seekers.

CICS and other electronic equipment as an essential requirement should be capable of solving the problems of operational management of the compound, naval and air force interacting on the depth of its application in the interests of the ship’s compound.

We must have at least two such vessels in each of the ocean fleets of Russia. Taking into account of the planned repairs and other measures to maintain the ships in combat readiness this will allow to always have at least one battle-ready aircraft carrier in every ocean’s combat theater.

Russia and Brazil to Cooperate On Future Advanced Fighter Project

A Russian delegation led by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, will visit Brazil and Peru on October 14-17 to promote sales of Russian weaponry to those countries. It includes Alexander Fomin, head of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) and Anatoly Isaikin, head of the arms exports monopoly Rosobornexport. It will offer joint development of a fifth-generation combat aircraft “of the type” of its own newest fighter to Brazilian defense officials, a member of the delegation told to the press agency.

The proposal appears to be in support of an unsolicited offer by Russia’s combat aircraft maker Sukhoi of its Su-35 fighter that has been struck off Brazil’s shortlist for its air force’s F-X 2 tender for the purchase of 36 fighter jets worth $4 billion. Russia is still hoping to sell the Su-35s or similar aircraft to Brazil outside the framework of that tender, sweetening the deal with the new proposal.

“During the talks in Brazil, we are ready to offer our partners deliveries of ready-for-sale advanced aircraft like the Su-35, but also joint development of a next-generation aircraft of the T-50 type,” the delegation source said.

The T-50 or PAK-FA, which will make up the core of Russia’s future fighter fleet, is a multirole warplane featuring “stealth” technology,” super-maneuverability, super-cruise capability, and advanced avionics including an active electronically scanned array radar, according to its designer Sukhoi.

In the summer of 2008, the officials involved said the T-50 design had been approved and prototype aircraft blueprints sent to the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association (KNAAPO) in Russia’s Far East where production will apparently be sited. KNAAPO is currently building three prototype T-50 fighters for subsequent tests, due to last five to six years, while mass production will not get underway before 2015.

Although T-50 specifications remain undisclosed, prototypes and the first production aircraft will be fitted with 117S (AL-41F1A) turbofan engines, a major upgrade of the AL-31F engine from Russian aircraft engine manufacturer NPO Saturn.

Consequently, the T-50 will be a heavy fighter with a take-off weight of more than 30 metric tons and will have the same dimensions as the well-known Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker. The Tikhomirov Instrument Engineering Research Institute which had invented the Irbis radar for the Su-35BM Flanker-E 4.5generation air-superiority/strike fighter is currently working on the T-50 radar.

It appears that the new fighter’s radar and fire-control system will be developed on the basis of the Su-35BM’s systems.

A search for foreign partners in the development and production of the fifth-generation aircraft has been caused by the desire to share a very high financial burden involved in it. The United States has opted for this road in the F-35 aircraft program.

Apart from investing in the fifth-generation fighter program, Brazil could provide Russia with state-of-the-art aviation technology. Notably, Brazilian aerospace conglomerate Embraer manufactures EMB-312 Tucano turboprop basic trainers and EMB-314 Super Tucano turboprop aircraft designed for light attack, counter-insurgency (COIN) and pilot-training missions.

Many analysts think both planes are especially adapted for low-intensity conflicts and are just as popular as fighters. Possibly, Russia will manufacture such planes using Brazilian technology.

In late April, President Vladimir Putin said the first T-50 would enter service with Russia’s armed forces in 2016.

Russia and India are already developing a derivative of T-50 for the Indian Air Force. According to executives from India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), that will build the plane, the two sides completed the preliminary design of the aircraft, tentatively dubbed FGFA, earlier this year and are now negotiating a detailed design contract.

The F-X2 tender is Brazil’s second attempt to find a replacement for its ageing Northrop F-5 and Dassault Mirage fighters. An earlier tender, F-X, was cancelled in 2005 due to lack of funding.

Shoigu to Visit Peru and Brazil to Promote Weaponry

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu will depart next week on a four-day trip to Brazil and Peru to promote the sales of Russian weaponry to these countries, the press agency reported Wednesday.

“During his visit from 14 to 15 October in Peru Sergei Shoigu will hold talks with his counterpart Pedro Kateriano and will be received by the President of the Republic of Peru, Ollanta Humala,” said Deputy Minister Antonov. From 16 to 17 October he will visit Brazil, including the Defense Command of the Air Force, as well as meetings with the Vice-President Michel Temer and Defense Minister Celso Luiz Nunes Amorim.

“During the talks, the head of the Russian Defense Ministry with its counterparts from Peru and Brazil will discuss topical issues of the international situation , the expansion of bilateral military and military- technical cooperation, as well as prospects for the preparation of the Brazilian and Peruvian soldiers in the Russian military schools,” RIA Novosti quoted the Deputy.”We expect that the first official visit of the Minister of Defense of Russia to the Republic of Peru and the Federative Republic of Brazil will open a new chapter of relations between the military authorities of the Russian Federation and the countries of Latin America in the long term,” said Antonov.

The success of Shoigu’s talks with Brazilian and Peruvian counterparts will significantly boost Russia’s chances to sell military equipment worth at least $1.7 billion, the paper said citing a source in the Russian General Staff.

The Russian delegation, led by Shoigu, will first visit Brazil to discuss the sales of Pansir-S1 and Igla missile systems, which the Brazilians believe could become a key element of air defenses during the upcoming 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil.

The Pantsir-S, produced by Russia’s KBP, is a gun-missile system combining a wheeled vehicle mounting a fire-control radar and electro-optical sensor, two 30-mm cannons and up to 12 57E6 radio-command guided short-range missiles, and is designed to take on a variety of targets flying at low altitudes.

The Igla is a Russian man-portable infrared homing surface-to-air missile.

The potential Brazilian deal is estimated at $1 billion, the Kommersant said.

In Peru, Shoigu will push the sales of 110 T-90S main battle tanks and the same number of BTR-80A armored personnel carriers in a deal worth about $700, according to the paper.

Russia left a prototype T-90S tank in Lima for trials by the Peruvian military, following its participation there in the SITDEF Peru 2013 arms exhibition in May.

Peru currently operates around 300 obsolete Soviet-made T-55 tanks, which Lima wants to replace with T-90S.

In addition, the Peruvian military has expressed interest in buying new air defense systems to replace Soviet-era Pechora (SA-3 Goa) systems, the Kommersant said.

Russian Army to Receive 20-Ton Combat Drone by 2018

The prototype of Russia’s first 20-ton combat unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) developed by Sukhoi Corporation will be unveiled in 2018, and the five-ton hammer drone developed by Sokol Plant will be created at the turn of 2015-2016, a defense industry high-ranking source said to press agency.

The 20-ton unmanned combat aerial vehicle is being developed by the Sukhoi Company, and will be based on the fifth-generation T-50 fighter, United Aircraft Corporation President Mikhail Pogosyan said during the MAKS 2013 airshow near Moscow in August.

Pogosyan added that the drone was at a “preliminary research stage” and gave no indication of a timeline for development.

“Readiness of the first sample of combat unmanned aerial vehicle weighing 20 tons prepared by Sukhoi Company is scheduled for 2018. The five-ton machine developed by Kazan-based Sokol company according to our calculations should appear at the turn of 2015 – 2016,” told a source in the defense industry to press agency. He recalled that last summer, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu demanded UAV developers to accelerate work on the subject.

The creation of combat unmanned aerial vehicles in Russia by the order the Defense Ministry is realized by the companies Transas, Sokol and Sukhoi, the leading expert in the field of unmanned aircraft, chief editor of the profile Internet portal Unmanned Aviation Denis Fedutinov reported earlier to the press agency. The St. Petersburg company Transas and Kazan Experimental Design Bureau Sokol won the tender in October 2011 for the creation of two types of unmanned aerial vehicles, weighing about a ton and five tons , respectively. In 2011, according to Fedutinov, the contract for the development of severe combat unmanned aerial vehicle with take-off weight of 20 tons was awarded to Sukhoi Company.

On September 24, Oleg Bochkarev, deputy head of the government’s Military Industrial Commission, said that the Defense Ministry’s instructions to speed up work in this area had been heard, and added that a one-ton combat drone should be ready to start tests by 2014.

Also in September, Russia’s Berkut Aero design bureau and the UAE’s Adcom Systems said they are working on a drone based on the Berkut VL superlight two-seat helicopter.

Russian Navy to Receive Pantsir Air Defense System for Arm Warships

A naval variant of the Pantsir short-range air defense system will enter service with the Russian Navy in about two years, one of the system’s developers said.

“The Defense Ministry showed great interest in the naval variant of the Pantsir. It has been decided that several destroyers and other large warships will be modernized to accommodate the system,” said Dmitry Konoplev, managing director of the KBP Instrument Design Bureau.

“I think that it will be done in the near future, in the next year or two,” Konoplev said.

The ground version of the Pantsir is a combined gun-missile air defense system featuring a wheeled vehicle mounting a fire-control radar and electro-optical sensor, two 30-mm cannons and up to a dozen 57E6 radio-command-guided short-range missiles.

The system is designed to take on a variety of targets flying at low level, including cruise missiles and aircraft, and can effectively engage targets at up to 20 kilometers.

A maneuverable track-bearing variant is currently being developed by Russia’s High Precision Weapons corporation, to be put in service with the Russian Ground Forces and Airborne Troops in the near future.

Meanwhile, the High Precision Weapons corporation has started work on the development of a next-generation Pantsir system, expected to be completed in 2017.

“I think we will see a completely new Pantsir in about three years. Its technical characteristics will be absolutely superior to those that the existing system has,” the company’s general director, Alexander Denisov, told RIA Novosti.

In recent years Russian Navy has received increased attention from the government. It will obtain 36 warships in 2013, an unprecedented number in Russia’s history, Navy Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Vice Admiral Alexander Fedotenkov said.

“During this year, 36 combat ships, fast attack crafts and support vessels will join the Russian Navy. This has never happened before,” Fedotenkov said at the International Maritime Defense Show in St. Petersburg.

Russian Navy warships are now performing missions in all areas of the World Ocean, with over 60 combat ships currently at sea, he said.

Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said in March the Russian Navy would receive 24 submarines and 54 warships of various classes by 2020.

“As a result of the implementation of the state rearmament program to 2020, the navy should receive eight nuclear-powered strategic submarines, 16 multirole submarines and 54 warships of various classes,” Shoigu said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said last year that the procurement of new warships and submarines for the Navy would be a priority over the next decade. The Russian government has allocated five trillion rubles ($166 bln) or a quarter of the entire armament procurement budget until 2020 for this purpose.

Top 5 Russian Products at Russia Arms Expo 2013

A whole range of unique Russian-manufactured vehicles was presented at the exhibition Russia Arms Expo 2013, which took place on September 25–28 in Nizhny Tagil. We present you the top five new Russian products that amazed visitors at the exhibition.

Terminator 2 tank support fighting vehicle

The BMPT-72—a new version of the tank support fighting vehicle based on the famous T-72 tank — was shown for the first time at Russia Arms Expo 2013. The vehicle has devastating firepower and is capable not only of protecting tanks from personnel armed with grenade launchers in urban warfare conditions, but also of operating independently as part of motorized infantry units.

The fully armed weight of the vehicle has been reduced from 48 tons to 44 tons, with no loss in protection level.

The Terminator 2 will be of particular interest to countries operating the old but still very reliable T-72 tank.

ATOM heavy-wheeled infantry fighting vehicle

The ATOM concept project was one of the main sensations at Russia Arms Expo 2013. The ATOM is a heavy-wheeled infantry fighting vehicle that has been created through the joint efforts of French and Russian specialists.

The four-axle, 30-ton vehicle is armed with a 57mm cannon, which enables it to destroy stationary targets or targets on move. The weapon has a 3-mile range and can fire at 140 rounds per minute.

Despite its impressive weight, the vehicle is amphibious and can carry eight fully equipped troops. It is well protected against large-caliber bullets and mines. According to the manufacturers, the level of protection can be adjusted, either to strengthen it or to reduce it.

SPM special fire-fighting robot system

The SPM is a tracked fire-fighting vehicle with a good level of armored protection. It was built from T-72 and T-80 tank components and can operate with a crew of three or as a remote-controlled robot.

Nobody in the world produces such powerful vehicles capable of fighting fires in the most extreme conditions and, moreover, by remote control. There are many different emergency situations in which precisely this kind of fire-fighting robot is in great demand. The SPM is designed to extinguish fires in the most dangerous conditions.

2S25 Sprut self-propelled anti-tank gun

2S25 Sprut can be regarded as a new generation of Russian amphibious tanks.

The Sprut can swim at a speed of 5 miles per hour and drive at 40 miles per hour on the road. The 2S25 is designed for use by airborne forces and marines and is designed for a crew of three. The 2S25 has light, bulletproof armor and a powerful 125mm cannon. The vehicle is airmobile and, when it is dropped by parachute, the safety of the crew inside it is guaranteed.

Arena-E active tank protection system

Arena-E is a system specially designed for export. Russia is the first to develop this kind of protection, which is guaranteed to destroy hollow-charge grenades and guided missiles as they approach the tank.

The new Arena-E has a completely new look: The protection system is on the sides of the turret, not on top of it, as was previously the case. Representatives of the Kolomna Engineering Design Office, where this system was developed, say that it is the best in the world today, in terms of performance.