Goscomvoyenprom Holds First Session of Arms Designers' Council

On 20 May Goscomvoyenprom held the first meeting (round table) with the members of the Council of Arms Designers (CAD). The meeting was presided over by Igor Bykov, deputy head of Goscomvoyenprom dual-hatted as the chairman of CAD. The panel discussion involved Deputy Chairman of the Presidium of the Belarusian National Academy of Sciences (BAS) Sergei Kilin, heads of certain Goscomvoyenprom departments and general and chief designers of the organisations, supervised by Goscomvoyenprom, Ministry of Energy and BAS.

In the opening speech, CAD's chairman Igor Bykov underlined the need to form and promote a capable system, which would facilitate development and mass production of cutting-edge products and stressed that we had all the necessary prerequisites for that.

According to Bykov, three years ago Goscomvoyenprom worked out a strategic path of development to be followed by Belarusian defence industry in long and mid-terms (10 and 5 years).

Implementing this strategy, Goscomvoyenprom's development programme for 2011–2015 was elaborated. Quite importantly, it was made in line with the Belarusian Armed Forces Development Concept.

Having analysed the demand of the domestic and foreign markets in contemporary armaments, Goscomvoyenprom stipulated five comprehensive projects, which should form the core of defence industry's development, as well as the work on promising weapon systems for the Belarusian Armed Forces and for export.

Igor Bykov also dwelled on the sources and mechanisms of funding promising projects from the national budget (by participating in state sci-tech programmes), the special fund of advanced developments (to be established in the near future), as well as deductions from the profits of arms exporters.

Addressing the attendees, Bykov mentioned that the 2016–2020 State Armament Programme is to be drafted by the end of the year, and CAD members must be closely involved in the process.

In addition, Bykov proposed to hold thematic arms seminars together with potential customers at least every three months.

In the course of the round table, the designers came with a number of motions on some advanced arms development projects, which could be included in Goscomvoyenprom's Development Plan till 2020, as well as on organising applied research in new areas of arms development and making top-notch solutions for the Belarusian Armed Forces.

CAD’s establishment was supported by most arms designers. The council is to become a public platform for holding discussions and elaborating development strategies and guidelines.

CAD was set up as a consultative body, which aims are to work out and pursue a common technical policy in the development of military and special equipment, join efforts of authorised defence companies in order to facilitate the development of cutting-edge products and their constant improvement, as well as raise the effectiveness and efficiency of the projects.

In addition, CAD will provide organisational and methodical guidance of R&D projects, submitting relevant proposals for considerations by Goscomvoyenprom’s Scientific-Technical Council.

The participants of the meeting came out for resuming the development of brand new weapons, based on new physical principles.

They also mentioned the need to cooperate more closely with BAS and adjust the work of certain academic institutions.