Plant in Moscow Oblast that suffered from explosion participated in development of next generation bomber

Ukrainska Pravda
·3 min read

The Zagorsk Optical-Mechanical Plant in Moscow Oblast, where an explosion occurred on 9 August, participated in the development of a next-generation stealth bomber.

Source: Russian media outlet Agentstvo

Quote: "As evidenced by the public procurement website, the company not only continues to supply optics to Russian security forces, but since 2019 has been involved in the development of the Russian strategic bomber-missile carrier of the new generation, Poslannik (Messenger)."

Details: State contracts of the plant ceased to be published almost immediately after the start of a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, i.e. in March 2022, but previously concluded contracts are still available. Among them is "the implementation of an integral part of the development work on the topic of the cipher: Poslannik-1OEP/L". The term of the contract is 2027, and the cost of work amounts to RUB 69 million [approx. US$710,424 - ed.].

It is reported that the ordering party is the Ekran Scientific Research Institute based in Samara, which is engaged, in particular, in the development of equipment for military aviation. The main executor of the project is the Tupolev Company, while the governmental contractor is the Ministry of Defence of Russia.

The contract states that military missions of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation No. 1205 (Sergiev Posad) and No. 684 (Samara), which are responsible for quality control and product acceptance for the department, have to monitor the work.

For reference: Poslannik is a long-range bomber, the development of which  has been led by Tupolev since 2009 on the order of Russia’s Defence Ministry. The aircraft is designed according to the "flying wing" scheme, and technologies and materials that reduce visibility (stealth technology) will be widely used in its design.

It is reported that the bomber will be able to carry existing and prospective strategic cruise missiles, precision bombs, hypersonic weapons and will be equipped with the latest means of communication and electronic warfare.

Russian state-owned media claimed that it would be able to overcome the advanced lines of NATO air defence unnoticed.

In 2019, Alexei Krivoruchko, Deputy Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation, stated that Poslannik would enter service by 2027. And it will be able to replace the entire line of long-range military aircraft (Tu-22, Tu-95 and Tu-160) thanks to a large arsenal of high-precision weapons, in particular hypersonic missiles.

The media outlet writes that under two other existing state contracts, the Zagorsk Optical-Mechanical Plant supplies the National Guard of Russia with binoculars and dosimeters.

Agentstvo emphasises that the information from the public procurement website refutes the statement of Governor of Moscow Oblat Andrei Vorobyov, who claimed that it is mainly pyrotechnics that are produced on the territory of the plant, while it had nothing to do with optics and mechanics for a long time.

Background:

  • On 9 August, an explosion occurred on the premises of the Zagorsk Optical-Mechanical Plant in the suburbs of Sergiev Posad. A strong blast wave knocked out windows in nearby buildings. As a result of the explosion, 43 people were injured, four buildings were completely destroyed, and another 20 were damaged.

  • Local authorities said that the detonation site was a pyrotechnic warehouse in a room rented by the Piro-Ross company.

  • However, Sergei Chankaev, the director of the company, denied this information, saying that the explosion did not occur in a pyrotechnic warehouse but in a neighbouring warehouse where metal pipes were stored and there were no combustible materials.

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