Thread by @JanR210

🧵
#Russian tactical radios
1/ Long story short: it is FUBAR.
But if you want some more details, enjoy. But keep in mind it is not a comprehensive 🧵. The more I read in 🇷🇺 forums, the more questions arise. I hope some readers have better knowledge than me and answer them. 👉2/

2/ who is the architect of 🇷🇺 signals troops and where is he now? His name is GenCol Khalil Arslanov (2013-2020). And his position was Chief of Main Signals Directorate of the Russian General Staff. Now accused for corruption, but his court case is classified from June 2022.

3/ The responsible the purchase of the Azart digital radios confessed that the contract (18.5 billion RUR) was artificially increased by 6.7 billion RUR.
And in reality the radios were purchased in 🇨🇳, only cosmetic touches were added in Russia. Here export & military versions.

4/ R-187P1 Azart radio problems:
(these radios debuted in Sochi in 2014)
- sets cannot be upgraded with batteries /chargers/antennas
- 1st batch: three batteries and a charger for each station
- 2nd batch: two batteries and three chargers for five stations

5/
- no spare chargers/batteries
- no repeater, stationary antenna or possibility to connect to external/car/magnetic antenna
- no vehicle versions, only portable sets
- 25 components are sanctioned, 5 cannot be bought at all

6/
- the 🇷🇺 factory “Радиотехника” cannot initiate additional production or repair.
- a u/i brigade in 2014 Central MD received 100 sets (not enough, a battalion requires at average 15-20 sets)
- there were two batches delivered, but their quality is low or lower

7/
- R-187P1 Azart is based on 1GHz processor made in 65nm technology (here the good technical news end).
Its continuous work on one battery is 6-12 hrs
So maybe other radios are better?
See R-168 Akveduk digital radios that were distributed in early 2022

8/
- blind displays were a normal occurrence
- even brand new batteries were broken
- produced in 2006-2011, guarantee for 5 years
- so batteries are makeshift repaired or re-produced by cannibalism (you make 2 good out of 5 broken) or by AliExpress replenishment

9/ It is the entire family of radios

R-168-0.1U (0.1 W) for scouts
R-168-40U (40 W) for tanks
R-168-100U/KB/KA (100 W) for HQ vehicles
R-168-5KN (5 W) for Spetsnaz/Airborne

but R-168 cannot communicate with digital R-187 Azart.

10/ And as older tanks are equipped with R-123/173 and newer with R-168 (T-72B3 or T-90) that (if want to coordinate with analogues radios) can only operate in fixed frequencies.
So both digital/analog are used. Like here 👇

11/
What is the general picture then?
The theory on the left and the reality on the right. An unhappy 🇷🇺 signals officer was careless enough to point to all deficiencies and red crossed all parts of the 🇷🇺 digital signals
that are non-existent.

12/
And this person also shared that the only 🇷🇺 battalion with both digital and analog communications was “Призрак” from LNR 2 Army Corps that commander bought components from R-169P1-01. Based on his assessment LNR units have best comms compared to DNR or 🇷🇺 Army.

13/
In the army I served there is a saying: “President May make you a general, but only comms can make you a commander”.

cc @TheStudyofWar @DefenceHQ @STRATPOINTS_EU @RALee85 @DefMon3 @MarkHertling @WarintheFuture @general_ben @OSINT88 @DefenceU

Here an example of 🇷🇺 mission without comms/radios and coordination. Result: friendly fire. 👉