Defense without complexes

The Accounts Chamber has checked the "effectiveness of the use of budget funds" released to financing the state defense order (GOZ). The money here is spinning - about 40-60 billion rubles annually. And the return, let's say, is not impressive. The army and navy have seen neither new equipment nor new weapons for years. Those isolated cases when the Ministry of Defense buys a really new plane, ship or tank, are perceived as something supernatural. The remake later poses for a long time in front of television and cameras, which often becomes its main purpose.

The Accounts Chamber, we will pay tribute to it, does not leave the defense-industrial complex (defense industry) with its attention. This is not the first check. However, there are no significant changes on this front. Therefore, the conclusions do not shine with the novelty: “The trend of reducing the combat potential of the armed forces and degradation of the defense industry is still preserved, the problems are aggravated by a low return of budget funds, annually sent by the state to develop, purchase and repair weapons and military equipment” (from the report of the Audinator of the SP Alexander Piskunov). Mr. Piskunov and his team dug up all absurdities in the audited area. But it makes sense to narrow the topic to one problem.

In the interests of the Ministry of Defense, 500-600 new research and development developments (R&D) are opened annually, and about 3.5 thousand are conducted in all such developments. That is, scientific and design thought beats with a key. And the state does not spare money for this "key". In 2002, 29.7 billion rubles were spent on R&D, in 2003-45.5 billion. In 2004, it is planned to surpass this figure. The paradox is that the further we are moving science, the less its fruits fall the actual armed forces of the Russian Federation. Purchases of new equipment and weapons for the Russian army in recent years are scanty.

If back in 1996, the result was given by every third financial project of R&D, then now it is good if every sixth or seventh. Everything else with swamp champing devours budget billions without any return. Yes, unsuccessful projects stop. But for some reason with a great delay. Piskunov gives as an example a fuss with the Bark problem missile system. So far, they realized that another development is more profitable, 3.5 billion rubles have disappeared from the budget in the pockets of the Barkorets. Today, the money goes to programs that, according to the deadlines established by the Government, should have ended with a real product 8-13 years ago. That is, design groups continue to give birth to something in torment that has long been morally obsolete.

The system is obviously costly, and it can be assumed that it is kept only by the efforts of persons interested in enriching under linden signs. Yes, some part of the money leaving for the state State Pedagogical University is elementary to plunder and no less elementary is eaten. However, this does not explain the stability of the system in which the huge (and growing year) share of the state defense order goes to R&D, a smaller, but quite tolerable amount - for "modernization" (in fact for banal patches of holes), and some kind of crumbs - to the purchase of new equipment and weapons (several symbolic specimens). The fact is that the money invested in R&D is embodied in a competitive military product competitive in the global market. Revenues from the sale of Russian weapons and military equipment are already approaching $ 4 billion a year. In the near future, this business promises a profit to $ 8-10 billion annually. Thus, Russia's military expenses are increasingly directed to the development of foreign weapons and less - to maintain its own army. And a new wave of privatization, which covered almost a third of the "defense industry" after the order of the government of August 15 this year, will lead to a further growth of the export component of the costs of national defense. It is obvious that businessmen will be invested in projects that promise to carry “golden eggs”, and cooperation with the Ministry of Defense does not bode such eggs.

As you know, after 2000, proven personnel from the special services took up the "defense industry" after 2000. In the boards, and the board of directors of profitable scientific and production associations, retired generals and colonels of the KGB-FSB appeared. They know their business tight. And there is no doubt - the financial schemes of the "defense industry", which now cause such horror among the auditors of the Accounts Chamber, after some time will gain logical completeness and harmony. The order here will be entrusted. Each ruble invested in R&D will work with one hundred percent dedication. But will the domestic "defense" in the currency production complex for a few will turn into a result? With an orphan extension in the form of a "candle factory" for the needs of the native army.