Thread by @RALee85

Thread: Deputy Defense Minister for Armaments, Alexey Krivoruchko, gave his annual end of the year interview summarizing the year's arms deliveries. He said 2020's state defense order (GOZ) was fulfilled at 99.8%.
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In 2020 the Russian MoD received 2.7k weapons and 52.5k pieces of support equipment. This includes 147 aircraft, including the 1st UCAVs, the Orion (Inokhodets) and Forpost (Forpost-M); 7 warships; 2 submarines; >1.5k armored vehicles; >300 artillery/MLRS; and >150 AD systems. 2/

Krivoruchko mentioned the Advanced Financing Program that Putin approved this year, which is designed to reduce the delivery time for weapons and prevent cost increases. He said the program is being used for blue water ships, aviation, PGMs, and arms for general-purpose forces.3/

He said 18 surface ships and submarines are planned to be built under this program. 16 ships are currently under construction, 19 are being modernized, 6 corvettes are planned from 2021, and the total number of ships under construction will reach 41. 4/

He said that by the end of 2024, 94 aircraft and helicopters will be delivered ahead of schedule, including 22 Su-57 fighters. By the end of 2024, permanent readiness units will be equipped with 75.9% modern weapons, which is higher than previous plans. 5/

He said the priorities for 2021 are to purchase new equipment, modernize old equipment, multipurpose weapons and nuclear deterrent forces, aerospace defense systems, C4ISR, EW, UAVs, robotic strike systems, transport aircraft, PGMs and counter-PGMs, and soldier's PPE. 6/

He said long-term armaments plans will be included in GPV-2033 (covering the years from 2024-2033). Its priorities are the timely completion of state tests and the adoption of models of future advanced weapon systems. 7/

Another emphasis is completing experimental design work on Ground Forces and Air Force advanced weapons, putting them into serial production, and then ensuring production at a sufficient level to reequip the troops. Pretty clear this is a reflection of issues with GPV-2020. 8/

He said the MoD is restructuring its R&D complex to focus on completing tests on the Armata (T-14 tank, T-15 IFV, T-16 BREM), the Kurganets-25 and Bumerang APC and IFV variants (B-10, B-11, K-16, K-17), Koalitsiya-SV howitzer, and various turrets for wheeled/tracked vehicles. 9/

The Ground Forces weren't a priority during GPV-2020 and many of its new systems were heavily delayed (still waiting on our first pilot batch of the Armata), so it isn't surprising that Krivoruchko is refocusing the MoD's procurement/R&D on these systems in GPV-2027. 10/

He said that next year they planned on increasing the procurement of modern aviation equipment and long-range PGMs, the annual construction of six ships, as well as the purchase of UCAVs and other UAVs. He said they were working to increase procurement of Su-57 in GPV-2033. 11/

He said the S-500 is planned to complete tests next year and go into service (probably only certain components), and that the 2021 GOZ will procure new systems and repair existing systems at the same level. 12/

Regarding the RVSN, he said six missile divisions have been rearmed with fifth-generation missile systems (Yars) and work is ongoing for four more. At least 95% of RVSN launchers are kept at constant combat readiness. The focus is on more Avangard and Yars systems. 13/

He said Sarmat ICBM flight tests would begin in the near future, and that four Borei-A SSBN were currently under construction with another two to be laid down in 2021. A total of 14 Borei-A and Yasen-M nuclear submarines are to be built by 2027. 14/

Krivoruchko said the 1st new build Tu-160M bomber will be completed and will possibly begin flight tests in 4Q2021. He said they could have 50% more Tu-160 bombers in service by 2027, and that further Tu-160M bomber purchases are planned in GPV-2033. 15/

He said that work continues on the modernize Tu-95MSM bomber as well as on new air-launched cruise missiles and hypersonic missiles. Regarding shipbuilding priorities, he mentioned blue water surface ships and diesel submarines. 16/

In 2020, two 40k ton amphibious assault ships laid down, and the Knyaz Vladimir Borei-A, Volkov Project 636.3, Pyotr Morgunov Project 11711, Hero of the Russian Federation Aldar Tsydenzhapov Project 20380, and Gremyashchiy Project 20385 submarines and ships were commissioned. 17/

Krivoruchko said that tests of the Tsirkon hypersonic missile continue successfully and serial deliveries are expected to begin in 2022. Procurement of Oniks and Kalibr missiles continues. He said that since the end of 2019, all Peresvet laser systems have been on alert. 18/

He said they are developing laser systems to counter UAVs as well as optical systems, and that lasers are being integrated with weapons on armored vehicles to counter PGMs. He also said they are developing radio-frequency systems to destroy UAV's radio-electronics. 19/

Krivoruchko said they are continuing work on multipurpose UAVs that are capable of operating in groups or swarms in cooperation with manned aircraft as well as with ground and naval robotic systems. 20/

He noted that training with UAVs is now routine in the Russian military and that UAVs are being delivered to all formations of the Russian Army, from the tactical to strategic level. He said Russian UAVs are capable of operating in the face of adversaries' EW and AD systems. 21/

He said UAVs are used not only for recon or strike missions, but also for special tasks, such as supporting air, ground, or sea-launched PGMs (presumably, long-range cruise missiles and Iskander-M). He said UAVs' missions have expanded to EW, comms, and logistics missions. 22/

He noted that the widespread use of UAVs has increased the effectiveness of artillery, including reducing the number of rounds required to destroy targets. He also touted their ability to inform C2 about the status on the ground, sea, and air to make decisions/fire missions. 23/

He said they have attached great importance to the development of large (some are medium) UCAVs like the Altius, Orion, and Forpost, which are testing PGMs. Based on them, Russia is developing new Satcom UCAVs with new weapons that will begin flight tests in 2021. 22/

By the end of 2021, new long-range UCAVs will be delivered with new weapons and munitions used on operational-tactical aircraft (e.g. Su-24/34). Prototypes of small guided bombs and missiles are being tested and will go into production next year. 23/

https://twitter.com/RALee85/status/1298043797969002499

He said there was some controversy about whether slow, propeller engine UAVs were outdate but argued that the Orion isn't. He also said it was important to focus on import substitution for future UCAVs with Russian-made components, which complicated their development. 24/

He concluded by saying there are a # of promising directions in improving UAVs by improving their flight performance, equipping them with recon/munitions equipment so they can strike long-range targets, introducing elements of AI, and further integration with manned aircraft. 25/

To summarize, Krivoruchko emphasized UAVs, especially procuring and improving UCAVs, as well as robotics and other high-tech equipment. The nuclear triad remains a priority, we heard some of the 1st comments about GPV-2033, and procurement of Ground Forces' systems is a focus.26/

That emphasis isn't surprising, particularly regarding UAVs and robots since Krivoruchko led Kalashnikov, which controls Zala Aero and produces a variety of high-tech equipment. 27/