Military

OAO JSC NPK KBM
Otkrytoe Aktsionernoe Obschestvo
Nauchno-proizvodstvennaya Korporatsiya
Konstruktorskoe Byuro Mashinostroeniya
Research and Production Corporation
Construction Bureau of Machine Building
Kolomna Machinery Design Bureau

The design bureau of mechanical engineering (KBM) from the Moscow region of Kolomna is known all over the world. This is the only developer in Russia of solid-fuel mobile tactical and operational-tactical missile systems for the Ground Forces, portable anti-aircraft missile systems. KBM is the only enterprise in the Russian Federation that creates mobile high-precision tactical missile systems (TRC) and tactical missile systems (OTRK). The missile systems "Tochka", "Tochka-U", "Oka" were put into service. In 2006, the Iskander-M missile system was deployed for secretly preparing for the deployment of missile strikes and the destruction of especially important small-scale and area targets in the operational-tactical depth of the forces of the probable enemy.

Kolomna is a missile design bureau dedicated to military projects, designing surface-to-air missile warheads, anti-tank guided missiles, and an active protective system for armored vehicles. The design bureau has also entered the commercial space market, designing geophysics rockets for use in experimental testing. The Kolomna Engineering Design Office is Russia`s leading designer of missile complexes for the ground troops, of anti-tank and portable air-defence complexes.

The Design Bureau of Machine-Building (KBM) was founded in April 1942 as a Special Design Bureau (SKB); its primary task was the development of mortars and recoilless rifles. Its specialization shifted to guided missile systems in 1956. In 1965 Sergey Nepobedimyy replaced SKB's first director, Boris Shavyrin; he remained general director until 1989, guiding KBM through its most significant achievements. SKB was renamed KBM in 1966.

The post-war period (1947 through 1956) saw the development of a system of mortars for the Soviet Army culminating in the most powerful and virtually unique piece of ordnance: the Oka 420-mm self-propelled mortar mount. Nowadays, the joint stock company «Research-and-production corporation «Konstruktorskoye byuro mashynostroyeniya» (JSC «RPC «KBM») is a major design, research and production centre engaged in development, manufacture, tests, and other activities of end-to-end creation of armament and military hardware of various types. In the field of antitank guided weapon systems (ATGW) KBM developed the first Soviet antitank guided rocket projectile Shmel (“Bumblebee”) and the most proliferated ATGW Malyutka (“Baby”) featuring a single-channel flight control system for the first time. In 1970-80-ies, KBM developed the first ever supersonic missile Shturm (“Assault”) that formed a basis for Army guided weapon systems Shturm-V (heli-borne) and Shturm-S (self-propelled). The year of 2005 marked induction of the Army all-weather ATGW Khrizantema-S (“Chrysanthemum”) boasting spectacular specifications and performances. NPO Vysokotochnye Kompleksy was established on 11 January, 2009, in accordance with the state program of reforming the Russian defence industry and following the order of Rostec CEO. At the end of 2012 the Supervisory Board of the Corporation came to a decision of integrating KB Mashinostroyeniya [KBM for short] in Perm (not to be confused with NPO Mashinostroyeniya in Moscow) into the Vysokotochnye Kompleksy holding.

JSC “RPC “KBM” is the world’s leader in the sphere of designing armaments and military equipment with the unique possibility to organize complete products development, testing and production cycle. Mainstream activities of JSC “RPC “KBM” are: - Man portable air defence missile systems, which ensure the creation of air defense systems - Tactical missile systems possessing high mobility and firing accuracy - Heavy self-propelled and helicopter systems for antitank and multi-mission weapons - Active protection systems for tanks and armored vehicles.

The first works and the first successes were mortar products. First, heavy mortars of calibers 160 and 240 millimeters. After their triumphant adoption into service - the self-propelled mortar unit "Oka". It was a monster - a tank chassis with a huge mortar mounted on it. Incredible length - about 20 meters - the muzzle had an internal diameter of 420 millimeters. The mines were stuffed with nuclear explosives and shot at a range of 40 kilometers. The "mortar period" of the design bureau ended with the creation of light recoilless guns: battalion B-10 and regimental B-11. Andranik Smbatovich Ter-Stepanyan was the developer of the design.

In the MANPADS category, KBM is the world leader and the only Russian company developing that type of weaponry used to effectively intercept low-flying fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft. Developmental work initiated back in 1960-ies produced a booming family of MANPADS: Strela-2 (“Arrow”) (the first Soviet system), Strela-2M, Strela-3, Igla-1 (“Needle”), Igla, Igla-S. KBM-developed MANPADS solved the problem of launching missiles against approaching targets, incorporated protection from flares, were capable of salvo firing. For the first time ever, KBM-developed MANPADS missiles carried a detonable propellant. Today, the Igla-S system is a MANPADS of choice and is fielded not only by the Russian armed forces but also by a great deal of foreign armies. KBM is at the leading edge of development of tactical ballistic missile systems. Since 1970-ies, the Russian armed forces has been fielding SRTBM systems Tochka (“Point”), Tochka-U and LRTBM systems Oka and Iskander. Tochka is the first ever mobile high-precision SRTBM system. Fielded in 1980, the LRTBM Oka ranked second to none in the world but was obliterated in 1987 through 1989 in compliance with the Soviet-American treaty on Elimination of intermediate and shorter range missiles. Development of LRTBM systems continued with creation of the world-famous system Iskander. KBM was the first to successfully face the fundamentally new research and technological challenge and developed an active protection system Arena capable of defeating most dangerous threats to an armoured vehicle thus improving its survivability on the battlefield. The holding company "New Programs and Concepts" that incorporates the creator of mobile anti-aircraft systems "Igla" (the Kolomna Mashinostroyeniye design office) and producer of these systems (the Degtyaryov plant in Kovrov).

Machine-Building Design Bureau products include: Igla, Igla-1, Dzhigit, Strelets-2M, and Strela-10MZ anti-aircraft and portable anti-aircraft missile systems; Malyutka-2, Shturm, Ataka, and Khrizantema antitank missile systems; Tochka-U and Iskander-E missile systems; and Arena-E tank protection complexes. Kolomna engineers designed the Malyutka-2 anti-tank guided missile, the warhead of the hand-held Strela-3 tactical surface-to-air missile, and the "Arena" armored vehicle active protection system, which is designed to destroy anti-tank guided missiles, anti-tank rockets and rocket-propelled grenades before they can strike the target vehicle.

Work continues on increasing the combat and operational characteristics of the Iskander-M complex. In February 2012, the state tests of the complex with new types of missiles and a new control system were completed. Serial production and complex delivery of the Iskander-M complex under a long-term contract is being conducted, while in the serial production of the NPK KBM acts as the parent organization. According to the agreement with the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation in 2013, NPK KBM supplied two sets of the Iskander-M complex to the troops to equip the missile brigades.

Iskander-M is the most effective weapon in its class, far ahead of the best foreign counterparts. The complex will significantly enhance the capabilities of the Russian Missile Forces and artillery. It is intended to become the basis of the missile formations of the Ground Forces and one of the most important elements of the system of ensuring the state security of Russia.

In the class of portable anti-aircraft missile systems (MANPADS), the Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering is the only developer in the country that created the entire range of domestic MANPADS. The following complexes were put into service: Strela-2, Strela-2M, Strela-3, Igla-1, and Igla. In 2002, a new generation of MANPADS was introduced - the Igla-S, which ensures highly effective damage not only to aircraft and helicopters, but also cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles. All work on the creation of MANPADS "Igla-S" was carried out without attracting budgetary funds.

At the same time, due to its own resources, the enterprise developed a set of equipment and start-up modules "Strelets" to ensure the shooting of MANPADS missiles from air, sea and land-based carriers. Currently, the kit is used as part of the self-defense module "Gibka" on the ship "Astrakhan" and as part of the guided weapon system of the Mi-28N helicopter.

In the class of anti-tank missile systems (ATGM), KBM was the first in the USSR to be their creator. For the armament of our army in various years, the following complexes were commissioned: Shmel, Malyutka and Malyutka-P, the Sturm-V helicopter complex and the Sturm-S self-propelled vehicle with the supersonic missile, one for the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation Sturm ", and then - since 1996 - more powerful missile" Attack ", which has several modifications depending on the type of combat equipment.

Kolomna has designed the "Sfera" (Sphere), a single stage, solid propellant, geophysical rocket system designated for use as an upper atmosphere, near-space experiment platform. "Sfera" utilizes guidance systems cannibalized from destroyed SS-23 ballistic missiles, and can launch payloads of up to 230 kg to altitudes of 330 km.