Thread by @rhodusinc

How do you make a missile engine?

Long range cruise missiles play a major role in the Russian war in Ukraine. They serve as a means of nuclear blackmail, of conventional strikes and of terror against the civilian infrastructure

Let's revise what one needs to produce them

The Rostec-associated "ODK Saturn" makes engines for all the longest range cruise missiles in Russia including Kh-101, Kh-555 and the Kalibr family. This is one of the most strategically important and technologically advanced weaponry producers in Russia

Despite being a secretive military producer, Saturn produces lots of informative documentation. And much of it is available online. Consider their "Technological policy" (2017)

It has a *full list of manufacturing equipment* mentioned in their internal technical documentation

1. Various tooling (conductors, faceplates, adapters, chucks, mandrels, etc)
-🇷🇺 Satiz (including repair & customisation)
-🇩🇪 Schunk, 🇹🇷Eroglu,🇩🇪Mapal, 🇩🇪Walter, 🇩🇪Lang
-🇮🇱 Iscar
-🇸🇪 Sandvik, Seco
-🇮🇹D'Andrea

2. Special tooling (zero point clamping systems)
-🇩🇪Schunk
-🇨🇭Erowa, 🇸🇪3R System
- 🇷🇺Satiz

3. Special tooling for stamping, welding, soldering, spraying, casting
-🇷🇺Satiz (including repair & customisation)
-🇩🇰Walter Schnorrer
-🇷🇺Karat

4. Cutting instruments (endmills, etc)
-🇷🇺NIR (including sharpening & repair), 🇷🇺Satiz (including sharpening),🇷🇺Virial,🇷🇺Skif-M,🇷🇺BZS
-🇮🇱Iscar
-🇸🇪Sandvik, Seco
-🇩🇪Walter,🇩🇪Guhring,🇩🇪Botek
-🇯🇵Mitsubishi, 🇯🇵Sumitomo
-🇰🇷Korloy
-🇨🇳ZCC-CT

5. Tooling and instruments for spark-erosion processes
-🇷🇺Satiz (including repair & customisation),🇷🇺Abamet,🇷🇺SodikoM,🇷🇺Meatek

6. Tooling and instruments for electrochemical processes
-🇷🇺Satiz (including repair & customisation)

7. Grinding and abrasive tooling
-🇷🇺Satiz (including repair & customisation)
-🇩🇪Guhring

8. Grinding and abrasive tooling
-🇷🇺Vaz,🇷🇺Laz,🇷🇺Pazi,🇷🇺Kaz,🇷🇺Volgashlif Plus
-🇩🇪Pferd
-🇷🇺Satiz
-🇩🇪Rosler
-🇷🇺Remiz-99
-🇷🇺Baz
-🇺🇸3M
-🇨🇭SIA
-🇩🇪Wendt

9. Metal broaching tooling and instruments
-🇷🇺Satiz
-🇩🇪Hoffman
-🇸🇪Seco

10. Laser cutting tooling
-🇷🇺Satiz

11. Plasma spraying
-🇨🇭OERLICON METCO
-🇷🇺Satiz

12. LMD tooling
-🇷🇺IPG

13. Hydroabrasive cutting tooling
-🇷🇺Satiz

14. Gear shaping tooling
-🇷🇺Satiz (including repair & customisation)

15. Gear shaping instrument
-🇷🇺Satiz (including sharpening)
-🇺🇸Gleason

16. Specialized tooling for gear shaping and slot milling
-🇷🇺Satiz

17. Specialized instrument for gear shaping and slot milling
-🇩🇪Wendt
-🇷🇺Satiz (including restoration)
-🇷🇺Rosslavl
-🇩🇪Winterthur
-🇷🇺Vaz,🇷🇺Pazi
-🇩🇪Saazor

18. Specialized measuring instrument
-🇷🇺Satiz (including repair & customisation)

19. Standardised measuring instrument
-🇩🇪Mahr
-🇯🇵Mitutoyo
-🇨🇳 Links
-🇩🇪Silvac
-🇩🇪Hofman

20. Metalwork and assembly tooling
-🇩🇪Stahlwille,🇩🇪Gedore
-🇸🇪Вahco
-🇷🇺Satiz (including repair & customisation)
-🇷🇺Nir (including repair & customisation)

21. Tooling for turbine production and assembly
-🇷🇺Satiz (including repair & customisation)

22. Pressing dies for polymer composite materials
-🇫🇷Compose S.A.S
-🇷🇺Tupolev KNITU
-🇷🇺Satiz (including repair & customisation)

23. Specialised tooling for the polymer composite materials pressing dies
-🇨🇭Walter + Bai AG
-🇷🇺Satiz (including repair & customisation)

What do we see here?

A. 🇷🇺Russian enterprises play a major supportive "workshop" role repairing and customising the tooling. They also produce a range of ad hoc tooling for the military industry, based on the Western manufacturing equipment

They must be sanctioned

B. 🇪🇺Critical tooling supplies come from the Western Europe, especially 🇩🇪🇨🇭🇸🇪 and to a lesser degree from the developed East Asia🇯🇵🇰🇷

C.🇨🇳 The almost complete absence of Chinese tooling. There are only two Chinese brands in the list