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This Wednesday, a meeting of the Collegium of State Military Industrial Committee of the Republic of Belarus took place in Minsk. The event was held behind closed doors, yet the press was granted an opportunity to attend a small showcase of Goscomvoyenprom’s latest products.

Steel-clad Sentinel

Design Bureau “Display” has created a sentinel that feels neither fatigue nor fear. It’s a remotely controlled robotized platform armed with a 5.45-mm AKS (AKM) assault rifle. Its aiming capabilities are enhanced with a camera that transfers imaging to the control panel.

A company representative assured that per customer’s request the robot can be equipped with infrared illumination, allowing for its operation at night time.

The Belarusian sentinel is quite light, weighing just 16 kg. It has a wireless control panel, which means the operator can be located anywhere within a 500 m radius from the platform. Target acquisition is performed smoothly with no snaps, thus increasing fire accuracy. The sentinel can operate at temperatures as low as -40ºC.

The robot can be used in a variety of ways. It can help ensure safety of a protected object, draw fire, impede enemy’s advance, be a part of an ambush, block probable paths of enemy’s retreat.

“Polonez” with Belarusian Missile

Belarusian MLRS “Polonez” is being continuously upgraded, it’s scheduled for trials this year. According to the developers, the new “Polonez-M” has seen increase in both range and precision of fire. Last year the system proved its ability to engage targets within a 299-km range.

It’s worth reminding that MLRS “Polonez” is designed to engage manpower, both sheltered and located in the open, as well as armored and unarmored vehicles and artillery. The “Polonez” system has eight square pods for missiles.

A large chunk of information about the system remains classified. It’s known, however, that “Polonez” uses 301-mm missiles with length exceeding 7 m. The stabilizers’ span is 0.62 m.

The missile’s deviation from the aiming point at max range is no more than 30 m. When put together with the system’s other advantages, this kind of accuracy ensures solution of numerous combat tasks usually assigned to operation-tactical missile systems and bomber aircraft.

“Buk”, Belarusian Style

The Belarusian Armed Forces require a reliable mid-range air defense system able to provide protection of columns on the march. “Buk-MB” can be interfaced with any types of modern automated control systems and digital radars.

When paired with autonomous 3D phased-array solid-state “Radar-50”, “Buk-MB” can engage airborne targets equipped with stealth technology.

Application of new technical solutions has led to a 30% increase in “Buk-MB” target detection range, as well as enhancement of its ability to suppress active and passive jamming.

These systems are scheduled to be adopted by the Belarusian Armed Forces in the near future.

Air-to-Air Missiles with Belarusian Accent

Belarusian company “Belspetsvneshtechnika” has performed an upgrade of R-60 and R-73 missiles. The air-to-air missiles are used by all Soviet and Russian fighter aircraft. Belarusian specialists have developed an upgrade program that significantly extends service life of the ammo and enhances its combat capabilities.

Belarusian R-60BM and R-73BM missiles can be launched not only from aircraft, but also from ground-based systems, which makes them a versatile means of air defense. By the way, using air-to-air missiles with ground-based air defense systems is a standard procedure. For instance, this is exactly how Israeli Spyder SR system operates.

The missiles have also received a new autopilot control unit with modern algorithms of missile homing, new proximity laser fuse that ensures reliable detonation of warhead in pre-determined area, new engine and other upgrades.

American Rifle for Soviet Ammo

The showcase also featured a lot of firearms, though press members received a firm “no comment” reply when they inquired for details about them. Among the exhibits, AR-15 assault rifle stood out. It uses a 7.62×39 Soviet/Russian cartridge considered third most powerful cartridge for assault rifles in the world.

The rifle is equipped with telescoping stock, Picatinny rail that allows for mounting of various aiming devices, convenient grip and magazine vaguely resembling that of an AK assault rifle.

The rifle also boasts side gas removal system that discharges gas through a cross-hole in the barrel with short piston stroke. This design is highly reliable and less sensitive to the quality of the ammunition as compared to the Stoner system in a classic AR-15. This solution makes a lot of sense considering the rifle uses 7.62×39 cartridges.

Weight of the rifle is 4.56 kg, barrel length – 406 mm, total length – 985 mm. The magazine is standard, it holds 30 cartridges. With optical sight mounted, the stated range of aimed fire is 1000 m. 

MLRS Polonez equipped with Belarusian rocket is to be tested in the first half of 2018 according to the official statement by the state secretary of the Security Council Mr. Stanislav Zas reported by BELTA. 

Mr. Stanislav Zas highlighted that Belarus achieved significant progress and now has its own Multiple Launch Rocket System called “Polonez”. “This is a Belarusian system entirely, while the rocket is not ours partially. We now face the task of making it a completely Belarusian-made rocket. We have done a lot in this regard, including our efforts in previous year. The present step is to test the system equipped with Belarusian rocket. I hope that we will carry out the tests in the first half of this year and I hope that it will be a success", said the state secretary of the Security Council.

Mr. Stanislav Zas as well mentioned the upgrade of Buk Air Defence Missile System as one of the priorities. "Modern systems are in demand all over the world, but the missile used in such systems is still the old one, though upgraded and modified. The present task is to create a Belarusian-made missile. Then it will be quite a different system with different performances", he stated.

Today, Mr. Stanislav Zas took part in a panel of the State Military Industrial Committee to discuss the results of 2017 and the plans for 2018. According to the state secretary, the work of the companies and enterprises of the State Military Industrial Committee can be rated as successful for the past year. "Positive economic results, increasing overall production, increasing profit of the companies, increasing export. Besides, the number of countries that are buying our products has increased from 60 to 69 during the previous year. I am very glad to say that less and less countries are operating as agents, as we are trading with the whole world directly. We are heartened with the success in the development of aircraft vehicles. We have done a lot in the field of UAVs and now the top priority for this year is creating combat UAVs. I think that during current year this task will be fully resolved", concluded Mr. Stanislav Zas.

On 18 December 2017, representatives of the Belarusian and UK defence ministries met in London to discuss the development of bilateral military cooperation.

As a result of the talks, the parties signed a Joint Statement on Cooperation between the Belarusian and UK defence ministries and the Military Cooperation Plan between the Belarusian and UK defence ministries for 2018.

The Belarusian military delegation held meetings at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The parties discussed bilateral cooperation in the training of peacekeeping contingents under the aegis of the United Nations.

A meeting of Goscomvoyenprom Collegium will be held in Minsk on 28 December at the Committee’s headquarters under the guidance of Goscomvoyenprom Chairman Oleg Dvigalev.

In accordance with the agenda of the meeting, new edition of Defense Sector and Goscomvoyenprom Development Program Until 2020 will be proposed for approval.

Also, issues of labor safety and reasons for workplace injuries at Goscomvoyenprom enterprises are scheduled to be discussed at the Collegium.

Goscomvoyenprom Deputy Chairmen, heads of central office departments, directors of companies within the Committee’s system, chief engineers and persons in charge of labor safety will take part in the meeting.

Representatives of the Belarusian and Ukrainian armies will discuss bilateral cooperation in the area of arms control.

Representatives of the Belarusian and Ukrainian armies will meet in Kiev on 15-16 November to discuss the fulfillment of the Belarusian-Ukrainian intergovernmental agreement on additional trust and security measures. There are plans to review the fulfillment of the agreement in 2017 and agree on next year's events concerning bilateral cooperation in arms control.