Russian army to get long-range missiles for S-400 air defense systems in 2015

New missiles for S-400 Triumf air defense systems capable of destroying medium-range ballistic missiles in the near-earth space will become operational in the Russian Armed Forces this year, a source in the country’s defense and industrial sector told TASS on Thursday.

“The state trials of the new standard long-range missile for S-400 systems are planned to be completed no later than May-June, after which it will be put into service,” the source said.

“Its main distinction from the missiles currently used by our S-300 and S-400 systems is that it has a ‘clever warhead’ and improved combat characteristics, which enable it to hit medium-range ballistic missiles in the near-earth space,” the source said.

Russian Eastern Military District reconnaissance units received new PSNR-8M ground reconnaissance systems

Russian Eastern Military District reconnaissance units received new PSNR-8M ground reconnaissance systems. The system can detect a variety of objects and targets at a distance of over 32km in all weather conditions.

The PSNR-8M portable ground reconnaissance station allows to detect different objects at the distances of more than 30 km in any weather conditions through aerosol screens, in dusty and smoggy atmosphere.

Reconnaissance men of the Eastern MD motorized rifle units get familiarized with a modernized station “PSNR-8M” at firing ranges of the MD. The servicemen learn to detect and locate moving and stationary targets day and night.

Russia’s military to get 16 new Ka-52 attack helicopters in 2015

The Russian military will receive 16 new Kamov Ka-52 attack helicopters this year as part of Russia’s ongoing rearmament effort, Deputy Defense Minister Yury Borisov said Monday.

Visiting the factory where the helicopters are built, Borisov said that “beginning in April they will start being accepted into the military and delivered to the troops,” according to news agency TASS.

The Ka-52 Alligator (NATO reporting name: Hokum-A) is Russia’s newest attack helicopter, having only gone into service with the military in 2011.

The helicopters are adept at close air support for ground troops, and the navy selected them to outfit two Mistral-class helicopter carriers ordered from France in 2011. However, Paris froze delivery of the ships last year due to Russia’s alleged support of rebels in Ukraine.

Gunners of the motorized rifle brigade of the Southern Military District shot with the latest guns “Khosta” during drills

Gunners of the motorized rifle brigade of the Southern Military District performed live firing with the newest self-propelled guns “Khosta” during the drills at the site Prudboy , reported in the Southern Military District.
“Recent examples of self-propelled guns “Khosta” is a deep modernization of self-propelled artillery “Gvozdika”. Firing range of “Khosta”is twice the firing range of “Gvozdika”, the statement said.

Russia places 38,000 troops on alert for snap exercises

Russia placed its Northern Fleet and elements of its Western Military District (WMD) and Airborne Troops (VDV) on full combat readiness on 16 March in preparation for mobilisation and deployment test snap military exercises.

According to Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, the tests involve more than 38,000 troops, 3,360 military vehicles, 41 ships and 15 submarines, as well as 110 aircraft and helicopters.

Russia’s Defence Ministry said the purpose of the manoeuvres is to evaluate the military security capabilities of the Northern Fleet and combined arms formations in the Russian Arctic against conventional force attack and reconnaissance and sabotage teams.

“New threats and challenges to military security require further enhancements to combat capabilities, focused particularly our newly formed northern strategic defence grouping [the Arctic Group of Forces],” Shoigu stated at the National Defence Control Centre in Moscow.

Special Forces in Siberia got a set of observation “Ironiya”

Special Forces of the Central Military District in Siberia will receive compact multifunctional optical electronic system for monitoring “Ironiya” that is designed to receive and process information in real time, the press service of the Central Military District said Tuesday.

“Special Forces soldiers of the connection of the Central Military District stationed in Siberia, master compact multifunctional optical electronic system for monitoring “Ironiya” that came to the troops as part of the state defense order. “Ironiya” is designed to receive and process information in real time,” the press service of the Central Military District said.

Serial production of armored family “Boomerang” will begin in 2017

Serial production of armored family “Boomerang” will begin in 2017, deputy chairman of the board of the Military-Industrial Commission under the President of the Russian Federation Oleg Bochkarev said in an interview with RIA Novosti.
“Boomerang” is the average wheel unified platform, based on which a whole family of combat and support vehicles will be developed. Earlier it was reported that “Boomerang” would be presented at the Victory Parade in 2015, later it was reported that the industry would not have time to prepare samples for the parade.

A new airfield will be constructed on an island of Frantz Josef Land Archipelago

By 2017 a new airfield will be constructed at Nagurskoye military town located at Alexander Land Island of the Frantz Josef Land Archipelago, Interfax reports.

According to the website dedicated to state procurement, the project “Airfield at Alexander Land Island” will be implemented by FSUE “GU SDA of the Spetsstroy of Russia” (General Directorate for Construction of Roads and Airfields of the Federal Special Construction Agency). The cost of this project is assessed at 3,6 billion rubles.

It is planned that project documentation should be approved by a state commission by August 25^th 2015, the construction should be completed by November 28^th 2016. The acceptance of the airfield should be completed by December 9^th 2016.

It was reported earlier that a new military town should be built at Alexander Land Island by autumn 2016. The cost of this project is about 4,2 billion rubles. According to the documentation, administrative and residential building able to accommodate 150 people and having an area of 15,000 square meters, road with a length of 8,5 km, utility networks as well as fuel and lubricant warehouse will be constructed there.

Servicemen in the south of Russia ready for “Tank biathlon-2015”

More than 300 crews of tanks and infantry fighting vehicles of the motorized rifle compounds of the Southern Military District started to prepare for the All-Army competition “Tank biathlon-2015”, which will be held in March 2015, the press service of the Southern Military District said on Thursday.

According to itthe exercises will last for a month at the sites in the Volgograd region, Stavropol and Krasnodar regions, Republic of Crimea, Chechnya, Dagestan, Armenia and North Ossetia – Alania.

“Preparation of tank and infantry fighting vehicles crews includes performing of compound exercises, combat vehicle driving on rough terrain with obstacles, shooting of the whole complex of weapons, as well as the regulations for the tactical and special training”, the press service says.

Russia’s Eastern Military District to receive new Pantsyr-S1 AA missile-gun systems in 2015

Russia’s Eastern Military District to receive new PantsyrS1 AA missile-gun systems in 2015. Pantsir-S1 ( NATO reporting name SA-22 Greyhound) is a combined short to medium range surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery weapon system produced by KBP of Tula, Russia.

The system is a further development of SA-19/SA-N-11 and represents the latest air defence technology by using phased-array radars for both target acquisition and tracking.