Talk:Kvant

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UKRAINIAN DESIGN BUREAU OFFERS NEW AIR DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY TO RUSSIA.

The Ukrainian design bureau Kvant has developed a unique system, called Kashtan, capable of leading laser-guided bombs and missiles away from their targets, the bureau's director, Leonid Lysytsya, has said in a newspaper interview. He added that Kvant was holding talks to sell the technology to Russia and produce the system there. He also noted that Kvant had not prepared air defence systems for the recent air defence exercises in Crimea, when a Russian airliner was shot down over the Black Sea, because the Defence Ministry had not paid them for previous contracts. The following is the text of an interview with Lysytsya by Valentyn Badrak, published by Ukrainian newspaper 2000 on 7 December:

The Kvant design bureau is as old as NATO and there were legends about the speed of its creation. In the Soviet Union 5,500 of its employees were the main designers and producers of targeting systems for missiles, radars of various classes and optical-electronic systems.

It was recalled after 11 September 2001 [terrorist attacks on the USA] that Ukraine has its own means to counter high-precision weapons. By the way, the national air defence can cover only 60 per cent of the most important installations. The Kvant director, Leonid Lysytsya, talks about the Ukrainian antidote to terrorism in an interview with our newspaper.

[Badrak] Mr Lysytsya, what is the mysterious weapon that has been developed in your bureau and why have we not heard about such technology before?

[Lysytsya] In the Soviet Union Kvant was a top secret institution: we did not even have a sign on our door. When our staff went abroad they were registered as personnel of the Leninska Kuznya plant in Kiev or Tayfun plant in Kaluga, Russia.

Until 1997 the design bureau had not exported anything because of the secret nature of its military products. Thanks to the efforts of the then minister for machine-building, the military-industrial complex and recycling, Valeriy Malyev [now director-general of the Ukrspetseksport state weapons exporter], the Ukrainian president issued a resolution on Kvant's first export contract.

Interest in our products is natural: acts of terrorism in the USA show that any country is vulnerable to, or even unprotected against international terrorism. Nobody can guarantee today that weapons of mass destruction or cruise missiles will not fall into criminal hands.

Thus, covering particularly important installations with air defence could prove unreliable. We have designed a system against high-precision weapons, Kashtan-3 [Chestnut-3].

If deployed near an important installation, a nuclear power plant for instance, the system is capable of not only detecting a laser beam of a targeting system, but also of producing a more powerful false laser spot leading a missile or a bomb away from the target. It is impossible to see such a spot with the naked eye, but the electronics can do it.

[Badrak] How many high-precision missiles or bombs can Kashtan-3 handle simultaneously?

[Lysytsya] About 20-30. In addition, the pilot firing guided missiles will think that it is a malfunction in his targeting system. Thus, Kashtan-3 is also very hard to detect.

[Badrak] There were no sufficient funds spent on research. How did you manage to complete the development?

[Lysytsya] As regards the current financing of research, it is true. For instance, Kvant developed a stabilizing system for the T-84 tank gun under a state order. But it never got the money for the job. Sometimes it seems that it would be easier to do without state orders: some of them are not paid for two or three years. However, when Kvant did the same job for T-80UD tanks, which were supplied to Pakistan, we were paid on time. That is why we are interested in cooperation speeding up the conclusion of foreign contracts.

Speaking about Kashtan-3, I have to say that it was not designed today. Over 50m roubles were spent on the research at Kvant in the Soviet Union (as a hard currency, roubles beat dollars at that time) and additional 35m roubles were spent on design and tests only.

Since Ukrainian independence Kvant has only added a final touch: held three final tests, during which 24 high-precision bombs were dropped on the ground and in the sea. All of them were diverted far enough from the targets.

By the way, the tests were held at the Chauda training ground [in Crimea] in 1999. An early version of the system against high-precision weapons was introduced in the Soviet navy to protect aircraft carriers.

[Badrak] How far can Kashtan-3 divert a high-precision missile?

[Lysytsya] Theoretically speaking, to any distance. The main aim is to neutralize weapons with laser-guided warheads. If the system is deployed near a power plant or a government building it will be enough to lead a missile or a bomb 250-300 metres away. Of course, the system's electronics take into account angles at which missiles can be fired. In addition, Kashtan-3 can operate both automatically and manually.

[Badrak] What is the system's length of service?

[Lysytsya] It is up to 15 years. As a rule, we provide a two-year warranty service.

[Badrak] You mentioned missiles and bombs with laser-guided warheads. What about other high-precision weapons?

[Lysytsya] High-precision weapons with laser-guided warheads are the most efficient ones. Television and infra-red warheads depend on external factors. For instance, if a city on fire is being bombed a missile can deviate from its course and hit the biggest fire. Dense clouds also affect targeting. Laser-guided warheads hit their targets in all circumstances. That is why we were given the task of finding a way of countering laser-guided weapons.

After 11 September 2001 many countries will start developing systems to counter high-precision weapons. But Ukraine is ready today to offer an adequate answer to modern threats.

[Badrak] Do you mean to say that Kashtan-3 does not have analogues?

[Lysytsya] No, it does not. France tried to cooperate with us quite a while ago. Unfortunately, there were no constructive proposals. We know that France's SAGEM and Britain's Marconi companies have started developing such equipment. But they have not produced any results yet. So, Kashtan is the only one.

[Badrak] Are the products produced by Kvant selling well? What can you say about exports in technology and design spheres in general?

[Lysytsya] Production in general has considerably increased. Half of it is going abroad now. We supplied equipment upgrading air defence systems to China and South Korea this year. The fact that China announced its intention to place additional orders speaks for itself.

[Badrak] Is Kvant selling technology too?

[Lysytsya] We supplied China with equipment, manuals and technology.

[Badrak] What about supplies to the Ukrainian armed forces? Or does it not need such systems?

[Lysytsya] On the contrary, the National Security and Defence Council defined research in this sphere as a priority. The first stage [of the research] has been completed even despite the lack of financing. But the prospects are quite vague. That is why we have to be more export-oriented.

[Badrak] What about Russia? Does our strategic partner intend to carry out research in this sphere?

[Lysytsya] They have the intention. We are holding talks with Russia on carrying out some research for them. I think we will reach an agreement. This would be beneficial for both sides from the financial point of view.

[Badrak] Don't you think that Russia, which has decided to considerably increase financing for purchasing weapons and technology, will quickly start producing Kashtans and export them?

[Lysytsya] We do not rule out such a scenario. If the talks result in an agreement in principle, we will start working together in January 2002 and a Russian Kashtan could appear in 18 months.

[Badrak] Is Kvant doing anything else for the army apart from Kashtan?

[Lysytsya] We are working on a new coastal radar, Bereh [Coast], capable of detecting not only a small boat but even a saboteur with a scuba gear. The Bober [Beaver] radar system has similar features and is designed for guarding particularly important installations. With its help an operator can detect a saboteur and establish if he is armed. Unfortunately, the state financing for the research on these radar leaves much to be desired.

[Badrak] You mentioned that Kvant participated in the exercises on Cape Chauda [Crimea] in 1999. Why were there no Kvant representatives at the Opuk training ground this autumn [when a Ukrainian S-200 missile hit a Russian airliner over the Black Sea]?

[Lysytsya] In 1999 we prepared 54 air defence complexes for launches. The Defence Ministry has not paid us. That is why Kvant did not take part in the last exercises. The Defence Ministry saved about 200,000 hryvnyas [37,700 dollars]. We do not know who prepared the systems for launches and how it was done.

[Badrak] What would you, a developer of sophisticated military equipment, say about the state of the Ukrainian armed forces?

[Lysytsya] Honestly? If the attitude towards its weapons and equipment is not reconsidered, the armed forces will only have Kalashnikov assault rifles in several years. The worst thing is that Ukraine will lose its own scientific school and technological policy. I would not like this gloomy forecast to come true.

Source: 2000, Kiev, in Russian 7 Dec 01, p 19. BBC Worldwide Monitoring/ (c) BBC 2001.