DATELINE: KALININGRAD Aug 23

Rear Admiral Sergei Farkov will soon become the new commander of the Russian Baltic Fleet, a source at the Baltic Fleet staff told Interfax-AVN on Monday.

“An ordinance appointing Rear Admiral Farkov as the Baltic Fleet Commander is ready. The appointment will take place as soon as current Baltic Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Viktor Chirkov is put in charge of the Pacific Fleet,” he said.

Farkov has been the head of the Baltic Fleet staff since November 2009.

Source: Interfax-AVN

DATELINE: KAZAN Aug 23

The Zelenodolsk Gorky Shipyard will dispatch the second Gepard 3.9 class frigate of Project 11661 to the Vietnamese Navy on Monday evening, the shipyard said.

The first vessel was dispatched in July 2010, and the second vessel was launched in March.

Rosoboronexport signed the contract to build two Gepard 3.9 class frigates for Vietnam in Hanoi on December 22, 2006. The shipyard started to fulfill the contract in July 2007. The contract said that the first ship must be ready within 31 months and the second one within 37 months.

The cost of the contract is unknown.

The Gepard 3.9 class frigate searches for and destroys maritime and aerial targets, performs convoying and reconnaissance missions and protects national economic zones.

Source: Interfax-AVN

DATELINE: MOSCOW Aug 23

The delivery of Russian firearms and ammunition to Afghanistan will start after Kabul files the request, a military diplomat told Interfax-AVN in Moscow on Monday.

“A political decision to donate firearms and ammunition to the Afghan Interior Ministry has been made, and the work is about to start,” he said.

In fact, Moscow is resuming direct deliveries of Russian armaments and ammunition to Kabul. The deliveries were suspended in 2005 as Moscow did not wish to duplicate U.S. supplies, he said.

The firearms and ammunition will be supplied from Russian Defense Ministry depots, the diplomat said.

He did not specify the amount of the upcoming deliveries.

Russia rendered over $220 million worth of military and technical aid to Afghanistan between 2002 and 2005, including airfield equipment and the anti-aircraft missile system that currently protects the Kabul Airport. “The Afghan army also received four military cargo aircraft, and eight helicopters were repaired,” the diplomat said.

Earlier reports said that Russia had supplied Afghanistan with communication and control systems, over 100 trucks, dozens of cross-country vehicles, as well as parts, repair workshop equipment, manuals and other property. In addition, Russia helped repair and modernize armaments and military hardware belonging to the Afghan army.

Russian Defense Ministry schools trained over 300 Afghan servicemen for free.

Source: Interfax-AVN

DATELINE: MOSCOW Aug 23

Vice Admiral Viktor Chirkov who currently commands the Russian Baltic Fleet is set to be appointed as the new commander of the Pacific Fleet, a Russian Defense Ministry source told Interfax-AVN on Monday.

“A submission has been prepared appointing Vice Admiral Chirkov as the Pacific Fleet commander. The appointment itself is expected within two or three weeks,” the source said.

His replacement as Baltic Fleet commander is “currently being discussed,” the source said.

The Defense Ministry has not yet confirmed this report.

The current Pacific Fleet commander, Admiral Konstantin Sidenko, was earlier appointed to head the operative strategic command Vostok in the Russian Far East.

Source: Interfax-AVN

DATELINE: BAIKONUR Aug 24

Five more Proton-M heavy-class carrier rockets will be launched from Baikonur in the third and fourth quarters of 2010, a source in Baikonur told Interfax.

“One launch will be carried out each in September, October and December, and two in November. Three launches will be under a commercial program and two under a Russian civilian program. But more Protons may be launched with Russian military satellites,” the source said.

Launches of Proton-M carrier rockets with DM-2 and DM-03 upper stages have been set for September 2 and November 30, which will put six GLONASS-M satellites into space, each rocket will carry three satellites, for the Russian global navigation satellite system.

On October 14, a Proton-M rocket with a Briz-M upper stage will carry a six-tonne satellite, the XM-5, for the American Sirius XM Radio satellite communication operator. The satellite was made by Space Systems/Loral on a LS-1300S base and has a service life of 15 years.

On November 25, the same rocket upper stage tandem will carry the telecommunications satellite KA-SAT for the international satellite operator Eutelsat to a geo-transfer orbit. The satellite is being developed and made by EADS Astrium on the basis of a Eurostar-3000 base.

It weighs 5.8 tonnes and has a service life is 15 years.

The launch of the SkyTerra 1 communications satellite (formerly known as MSV-1) for the American-Canadian operator with the same name has been tentatively set for December 28. A Proton-M with a Briz-M upper stage will lift the 5.4 tonne satellite with a service life of 15 years to a geo-transfer orbit.

Source: Interfax-AVN

DATELINE: YEKATERINBURG Aug 24

The personnel departments of the Volga-Urals Military District are currently shaping the control structures of the Joint Strategic Command (the Central Military District) to be headquartered in Yekaterinburg.

“Attestation commissions are selecting officers who will receive appointments,” Volga-Urals Military District spokesman Lt. Col. Igor Gorbul told Interfax-AVN.

“The most professional, responsible and disciplined officers will be selected,” he said.

The Central Military District is being formed as a merger of the Volga-Urals Military District and units of the Siberian Military District.

“The Joint Strategic Command’s acting commander Lt. Gen. Vladimir Chirkin said that all officers of the Siberian Military District who comply with the requirements and want to continue their services will receive appointments,” Gorbul said.

Additionally, several dozen officers will be required to form the Central Military District’s services, he said.

Source: Interfax-AVN

DATELINE: CHITA Aug 24

A combined arms army is being formed in Chita on the basis of the Siberian Military District (SibVO), SibVO spokesman Lt. Col. Igor Muginov told Interfax-AVN.

“Maj. Gen. Alexander Romanchuk will be the army’s acting commander,” he said.

The army’s control structures and headquarters are being formed alongside formations and units subordinated to the army. The army will be comprised of brigades and military units, deployed in the Transbaikal Territory.

The control bodies of the Siberian Military District will be disbanded by December 1 2010, sources in the district headquarters told Interfax-AVN. The new army will be subordinated to Joint Strategic Command Vostok, being established on the basis of the Far East Military District.

The brigades and military units deployed in Siberia and currently subordinated to the Siberia Military District will be switched to Joint Strategic Command Center (based in Yekaterinburg), the headquarters said.

Alexander Romanchuk was born on April 15, 1959, in Luhansk. He graduated from the Baku higher combined arms command school in 1980, from the Armor and Tank Troops Academy in 1989 and the General Staff Military Academy in 2008. He worked his way up from a tank platoon commander to commander of a tank division. He has served in the Trans-Baikal and Siberian military districts for many years. He was appointed head of the staff and first deputy commander of the army located in Novosibirsk in July 2009.

Source: Interfax-AVN

DATELINE: MOSCOW Aug 25

Russia plans to hand over the nuclear submarine the Nerpa to the Indian Navy under a lease contract before the end of the year, a source in the Russian Pacific Fleet told Interfax-AVN.

“The submarine the Nerpa is now being tested in the Sea of Japan as part of the transfer arrangements. The trials will be completed by the end of autumn. The submarine with an Indian crew on board is expected to head to one of India’s naval bases in December,” the source said.

Both Russian and Indian sailors are currently working aboard the submarine, he said.

“The Indian crew is being trained to handle the vessel,” he said.

Source: Interfax-AVN

DATELINE: MOSCOW Aug 26

Russia’s defense industry increased production by almost 12% in January-June 2010, the Industry and Trade Ministry said in a report received by Interfax-AVN on Tuesday.

“Plants manufacturing conventional armaments, ammunition, chemical warfare agents, radio-electronic items, and missiles increased the output of civilian products,” the ministry said.

Meanwhile, civilian output of aircraft and shipbuilding plants decreased, the ministry said.

Aircraft builders decreased output by 5.8%, the ministry said. In all, Russia built 63 helicopters, including 35 for foreign clients (two Mil Mi-17, 25 Mil Mi-17-V5, six Mil Mi-171 and two Kamov Ka-32) and 28 for domestic clients (five Mil Mi-171, 21 Mil Mi-8AMT, one Mil Mi-8AMT1 and one Kamov Ka-226). Two Antonov An-148 light passenger jetliners were produced.

The output of aircraft engines rose by 68.6%, while the production of parts for missile engines and propulsion units of space rockets and spacecraft increased by 30%, and the production of parts for aircraft engines increased by 15.2%.

Civilian output of ammunition and specialized chemical plants grew by 12.1% as compared with January-June 2009, the ministry said.

Source: Interfax-AVN

DATELINE: MINSK Aug 26

The Belarusian Air Force/Air Defense has opened a drone center.

“The center will prepare for the use of drones in the interests of the armed forces, research drone tactics, and train personnel to operate drones,” the Belarusian Defense Ministry told Interfax.

The center is located at the Osovtsy (Beryoza) airfield.

Meanwhile, optimization of the Belarusian armed forces continues.

The 206th assault air base has been transformed into the 116th Radom guard assault air base and the 206th pilot training center has been formed.

“The 206th pilot training center formed from the training air wing will improve the quality of training for Air Force and Air Defense personnel and cadets of the Belarusian Military Academy,” the ministry said.

Source: Interfax-AVN