Machine gun instead of a harpoon

Russian companies demonstrated their counter-terrorism weapons to the world

The 15th international exhibition of security products and systems Milipol Paris 2007 ended its work in Paris . The Russian exhibition was fundamentally different from the one shown six months ago at an exhibition of life-saving equipment in the Belgian city of Kortrijk. How is the exposition formed at such specific exhibitions? What are the trends in the development of special equipment? The head of the Russian delegation at Milipol Paris 2007, Deputy General Director of the federal state unitary enterprise Rosoboronexport, Anatoly ISAIKIN, spoke about this and much more in a conversation with Vremya Novostey columnist Nikolai POROSKOV.

— In Kortrijk we demonstrated mainly security systems. In Paris they showed not only them, but also special equipment, special equipment and even special weapons. At Milipol Paris 2007, more than 100 only full-scale samples were presented, a significant number in electronic presentation. The creators of equipment that is used to arm anti-terrorist units do not go to all such exhibitions - there are simply too many of them, especially in Europe. And now such exhibitions are also held in the Asian region - in Singapore, China, in the countries of the Arab world - Jordan and Qatar. From this huge number of exhibitions, manufacturers of special equipment try to choose the most representative ones. Milipol is one of such exhibitions. This is a platform that allows you to see products in all their diversity. Here you can observe all the latest trends in the development of specific weapons and equipment.

- Sometimes it seems that the same products are shown from exhibition to exhibition.

- In fact, behind the appearance of the same product there may be completely new models that have become so after deep modernization. Special forces pose new challenges for manufacturers, so something new appears every year. The same robotic systems that were presented by the Center for Special Equipment of the FSB of Russia have been demonstrated for several years now. Previously, such a complex performed a small number of operations - it was aimed at detecting and neutralizing homemade devices. Today there are already three variants of the complex. They perform reconnaissance functions (equipped with video equipment), destroy various explosive devices, can walk through deep snow, and overcome difficult terrain in winter conditions. Western companies don't do this. On the platform of our robots, grenade launchers, machine guns, and other types of weapons can be installed - in fact, these are already strike systems.

-- Russian aircraft are known all over the world as one of the best; everyone knows the MiG-29 or Su-27. And where in the world are we today in the production of special weapons?

— There is probably no direct answer to your question. But Russia has the richest experience in conducting counter-terrorism operations. Similar operations in other regions of the world do not have such a pronounced counter-terrorism character. More often than not, these are counter-guerrilla military operations. In recent years, there have been no large-scale operations to free hostages outside Russia. This is good, but such an operation is an indicator of the ability of our special units. In the conditions of the North Caucasus, we are today conducting special operations to neutralize armed groups against the backdrop of peaceful life. It's very difficult. And since we carry out operations well, that means our special weapons are good.

— The effectiveness of our special weapons can probably be evidenced by the level of their sales abroad.

-- The number of orders from abroad is increasing every year -- 70-75 countries around the world buy special weapons from us. And the geography is expanding. Our developments even from Soviet times (for example, special cartridges) still remain unique. A special cartridge is a solution to many problems: noiselessness, range, accuracy, penetration. This is a very expensive pleasure, and not every country can afford it. The author of the special cartridge - TsNIITmash (Central Scientific Research Institute of Precision Engineering. - - Ed. ) has been working on it for decades. Competitors gasp and admire, but do not repeat it themselves, because this is not mass production.

—Where is the line between military weapons and special weapons?

-- Special weapons often have more powerful ammunition; they are usually silent, long-barreled, equipped with sights, night vision devices, and have better shooting accuracy. Although now army weapons reach the same parameters.

- The development of non-lethal weapons is now on the rise. How was it presented at Milipol Paris 2007?

- This is still more the sphere of police operations rather than counter-terrorism.

- And weapons based on new physical principles, based on nanotechnology?

- Our field is quite conservative. New developments, of course, are underway, but there is nothing supernova coming out yet. After all, even a few years ago there was little on a regular assault rifle, but today there are thermal imaging and night sights, various kinds of attachments, and laser devices. Just seven or ten years ago there were no instruments for detecting a person underground, behind a barrier, but now these weapons exist.

-- We are very proud of the world's only underwater firing machine gun, the APS. Maybe we shouldn't have made it if no one else in the world is doing it?

-- We are making APS for our submarine units. Absolutely all armies in the world have similar units. In the event of possible hostilities, a collision between combat swimmers of the opposing sides is inevitable. Their weapons are a knife and an underwater gun - a harpoon. Instead of a harpoon, we have a machine gun. These are long range, power, accuracy and multiple charges. Our swimmer has an undeniable advantage.

— What new trends in the development of special weapons did you see at the exhibition?

— I saw, for example, that our developments in personal protective equipment are much better. If we previously had problems with the equipment of special forces personnel, now they have faded into the background. Today we are a little behind leading Western companies in thermal imaging technology - in terms of quality. Of course, we buy some things. But we do not need the vast majority of the weapons that NATO countries have.

-- Many very small private companies presented their products at the stands of Milipol Paris 2007. How does Rosoboronexport find them?

“You don’t have to look for them—they find us themselves.” Before the creation of a special technical equipment service at Rosoboronexport, these small firms participated in exhibitions separately, each representing itself. But within a single exhibition it is easier to attract buyers. And contracts are also concluded through us. This excludes gray, illegal deliveries. There are no random companies here - each of them has smart, promising developments; as a rule, they employ former intelligence officers. The rest of the companies, without receiving recognition, left the stage.