FROM PISTOLS TO MISSILES

Independent Military Review. August 24-30, 2001. By Sergei Grigoriev

The Publishing House "Arms and Technologies", continuing a series of publications about modern equipment for Russian Armed Forces, has issued a next volume dedicated to rocket and artillery armament of ground forces. The book contains 13 sections: "Missile Systems", "Antitank Armament", "Ground Artillery", "Control Systems", "Small Arms and Grenade Launchers", "Antiaircraft Missile Systems and Air Defense Systems", and some others.

The editorial board of the volume is headed by the Chief of the Armament Directorate of Armed Forces, the Deputy Defense Minister of the Russian Federation Aleksei Moskovsky. The information contained in the book should be considered as official and trustworthy because initial data for it were prepared by the Ministry of Defense in a cooperation with defense enterprises.

The publication continues traditions of the seven-volume catalogue "Russia's Arms" on a new level (for example, the bilingual presentation). But, compared to the catalogue, a step forward has been made. The number of models described and the amount of technical details have been increased; the specifications are selected more carefully and are more informative. The subject being considered takes little bit more than 100 pages in the seven-volume edition, while in the new edition it takes about 700 pages. Despite of its numerous merits, the spirit of advertisement hovered over the previous edition; the new one is an encyclopedia oriented towards professional activities.

For many weapon models it is the first time when they were described. In particular, they include the operative-tactical missile system "Iskander-E"; antiaircraft systems "Ural" and "Sosna"; the self-propelled antitank gun 2S25; control, technical support and training facilities. The section dedicated to firearms is unique due to its coverage. The appearance of articles about modernization programs for existing weapon and equipment models became a good innovation. The Encyclopedia includes descriptions of those artillery system types, which have been designed many years ago, but did not enter service, and nevertheless are still unique from technical point of view. These include, for example, the 420-mm mortar and the 406-mm cannon designed in '50s for tactical nuclear weapon delivery.

Appearance of the section "Industrial Enterprises", presenting 40 companies designing and manufacturing rocket and artillery armament, became an unquestionable step forward. There were appeared articles analyzing existing technology of weapons maintenance during the service. I would recommend to the book authors that the cross-reference system, allowing to find which enterprise manufactures which equipment, should be reasoned out better.

The presence of analytical articles has improved the publication significantly. Two of those, providing information about ways of Land Force weapons evolution, have been prepared by the Chief of the Main Rocket and Artillery Directorate of the Defense Ministry Nikolai Svertilov, his deputy Nikolai Baranov, and the Chief of the 3rd Central Scientific Research Institute of the Defense Ministry Victor Khromov. The third one, connecting the future of technical evolution with problems of industrial policy, has been written by the Vice Prime Minister Ilya Klebanov.

According to Nikolai Spassky, the Editor-in-Chief of the Publishing House "Arms and Technologies", the main buyers of the Encyclopedia are among largest weapon manufacturing companies, governmental and military institutions in our country and abroad. The demand for the edition among certain persons, especially in the USA, becomes greater. It should be satisfied due to the collaboration with one of the largest American agencies distributing information products. The leading information agencies Reuters and CNN have responded upon appearance of the new volume of the Encyclopedia.

At the same time Nikolai Spassky believes that the Encyclopedia is significant for Russia: it creates a base for balanced and reasoned decisions made by power branches those do not have professional knowledge of military-technical problems. It is difficult to argue against the Editor-in-Chief's opinion - it is really lack of information in our country, allowing to organize complete civil control over military development. Mainly it is due to the obsolete approach to secrecy. The new volume, which authors, according to our information, were in trouble trying to convince authorities to publish a number of certain articles, establishes standards of information openness in the sphere of rocket and artillery armament.

The index of equipment types simplifies navigation in the volume. It should be noted the high polygraphic quality of the book printed in Moscow.

The Publishing House "Arms and Technologies" continues to work on new volumes of the Encyclopedia. 14 volumes are planned. Two of them (the volume being reviewed and the volume "Strategic Nuclear Forces") have been issued by the present time. The volume "Naval Weapons" will appear in the nearest future. There are being prepared books dedicated to armored vehicles, military optics, and space missile systems.