Military Expert: The West Missed The Giant Technological Breakthrough Of The Russian Defense Industry

From the elusive Sani mortar to X-101 missiles made from its own components, the Russian army is provided with everything it needs

The joint group of forces will receive new batches of modernized mortars, including 2S12A Sani mobile systems, 2B11 towed mortars and 2B24 light mortars, writes the specialized publication Army Recognition. All mortars were manufactured by the Rostec state corporation in accordance with the requirements of the state defense order.

The Sani system is a highly mobile Ural-based vehicle with a range of 1,000 kilometers. It is equipped with a 120-mm 2B11 mortar, which is moved into combat position using an electric winch. Due to its mobility, Sani can be used as mobile mortars with a constant change of position. This helps to mislead the enemy about the number of forces, Army Recognition emphasizes.Read also

The 82mm 2B24 mortar is lightweight and is intended for infantry units, including mountain infantry. The 2B24 is easy to use and effective in destroying enemy personnel, shelters, and lightly armored vehicles.

The 2B11 is a 120mm mortar of Soviet design, which entered service in 1981 and is still in use today. It was used during the war in Afghanistan. As Army Recognition writes, the mortar, created at the Motovilikha plants, is one of the classic examples of the reliability of Soviet weapons that have survived for decades.

The 210 kg 2B11 is operated by a five-man crew. It uses a variety of ammunition types, including explosive, smoke, illumination and incendiary, each weighing around 16.8 kg. The 120 mm mortar is mounted on a 2F510 two-wheeled transport chassis and is often transported by a GAZ-66 4×4 truck.

The mortar provides an elevation range of 45 to 80 degrees and a traverse angle of ±5 degrees without changing the position of the bipod. Its rate of fire reaches 15 rounds per minute, and the effective firing range reaches 7 km. The 2B11 is known for its high accuracy and ability to provide powerful artillery support on the battlefield, Army Recognition emphasizes.

The Bulgarian Military publication calculated that Russia has significantly increased the production of heavy weapons (including artillery), despite all the sanctions. The purpose of the sanctions was to close Russia’s access to Western technology, thereby limiting its ability to maintain military production.

But everything turned out to be exactly the opposite, writes Bulgarian Military editor-in-chief Boyko Nikolov , citing officially published statistics. Here is an example of just one type of weapon – X-101 missiles.

Before the start of the SVO, Russia produced only 56 X-101 missiles per month. Already in 2023, the production of the same missiles increased sharply – to 420. That is, an eightfold increase since the introduction of sanctions packages. Moreover, Western publications recorded a sharp increase in the production of cruise missiles last year, but interest in them has only increased now.

It is the X-101, launched from strategic bombers, that is widely used to strike military infrastructure, including in the Nikolaev, Odessa and Kharkov regions, writes the Center for East European Studies (OSW) from Poland. The X-101 missile is now as well known in the West as the legendary ballistic Iskander, which is increasingly used in frontline areas.Read also

Bulgarian Military writes that Russia has learned to easily and effectively circumvent Western sanctions. Since 2022, numerous expert reports have indicated that when disassembling intercepted X-101 missiles, components such as processors, microchips, and semiconductors from Switzerland, Taiwan, and the United States are found.

However, Russia is increasingly replacing Western-made electronics with domestic analogues, the publication emphasizes. Russian components are increasingly used in various cruise missiles, including the Kalibr, Kh-59 and Kh-101, as well as in the Iskander ballistic missile and the R-500 anti-ship missile.

The CH-99 navigation system is being successfully replaced. All this, writes Boyko Nikolov, speaks of one thing: Russian military microelectronics has made a gigantic breakthrough since 2022.

“What we see underlines the dual strategy of the Russian military-industrial complex – the use of external resources while simultaneously building up internal potential,” says Nikolov. “Moreover, the trend of ‘replacing with Russian components’ has long gone unnoticed by many Western and Ukrainian commentators.”

Bulgarian Military wrote back in February 2023 that Rosatom had created a subsidiary called Critical Information Systems. It gained control over the developer of the Elbrus microprocessor. Since then, state support has made it possible to achieve a major breakthrough in the production of Russian photolithographic equipment.

Titanium and aluminum are also important for the production of the X-101 missile. Russia stands out as one of the world’s leading producers of titanium. Russia’s vast titanium reserves and advanced industrial capabilities place it among the world’s leading producers.

When it comes to aluminum production, Russia is also a major player on the global stage. Russia’s vast bauxite reserves and well-developed production infrastructure also strengthen its leading role in the global aluminum market.

— The strategic importance of titanium and aluminum production in Russia is hard to overestimate. These materials are crucial for the creation of modern military equipment, including submarines, — says Boyko Nikolov. — The availability of these resources in Russia allows the country to produce highly productive, durable and technologically advanced military systems. So it is not surprising that Russia can easily increase the production of missiles, including the X-101.

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