Spearheading R & D on electronic warfare

by the agency of the early 1960s, armies of the advanced states make knowned high rates of conversion to qualitatively novel weapon systems. Their combat characteristics were based upon numerous electronic facilities (EF) of different designation. In a reaction, this geographical division also modernized the existing EW equipment and discloseed its new models. But the general organization of investigations belong toed with military scientific validation of priorities in unfolding and the required specifications and performance characteristics (SPC) was at that time a bottleneck in R & D upon EW equipment. In that period the military technical puzzles involved in EW were tackled by dint of dozens of independent divisions at research establishments step quickly by the services and the MOD on the other hand there was no unified coordination upon the part of the Armed Forces leadership. In this connection, the USSR Defense Ministry came up with the initiative to put up a single center, and thus the CPSU Central Committee and the USSR Council of Ministers endorsed the enjoin on July 21, 1959, entitled "On the Creation of a Research Testing Center of MOD" (21st RTC MOD) A directive issued by means of the Chief of General Staff upon April 19, 1960, laid down December 25 1960 as the deadline, before which the Center was to be formed, and that day later became the date of its inauguration. The glorious history of the research establishment which I publicly head began on that memorable day, and its evolution passed [i]or[/i] part of to the other a number of stages.

Stage single (1961-1970)

What started the Center upon its way was a peculiar triune task oriented to securing a qualitative leap forward in theory and practice of electronic warfare. The first task, for example, was about forecasting the disentanglement of the potential adversary's electronic weapons and validating upon that basis the current and long-term aims of investigations, R & D production and combat use of EW assets. The next to the first task was about coordinating scientific investigations into matters related to electronic warfare that were pursu by the agency of research establishments of the MOD research institutes of the Ministry of Defense Industries (MODI) and universities. Its aim was to spe up the unfolding of efficient assets and rules of EW. The uniqueness of the third task was in that it was necessary to display the research, production and testing infrastructure capable of a replete cycle of R & D upon EW equipment, starting from the inception of an idea to the manufacture of an experimental model

Maj. Gen A.G. Yershov an experienced EW specialist, was the man who headed the Center's effort to deal with this triune task. Within a brief timeframe he managed to prepare the loam for both its manning with personnel and the start of scientific investigations.

Maj. Gen V.I. Kuznetsov was appointed to head the 21 RTC MOD in 1963 He held the piece of work for more than 20 years and during that time the Center came into its have and developed successfully as the MOD's principal research establishment specializing in matters of electronic warfare.

The fist stage laid the firm foundation of a a whole methodology to investigate the military riddles of EW. It also created a unique laboratory and testing-range measuring infrastructure. The main scientific achievements in that period where the above three tasks are interested are as follows: creation of scientific underpinnings for investigations into EW problems; exhibition of theoretical methods to evaluate the impact of jamming upon the potential adversary's electronic systems; creation of theoretical foundations for identifying real targets among decoys; exhibition of the concept and principles of ECM technique directed against radar, radio communications and optical electronic equipment; exhibition of methods for evaluating combat efficiency of EW equipment and for military economic validation of EW weapon system; unravelling of unified methodologies for measuring target characteristics, which the pair MOD and MODI could use.

The arises obtained made it possible to form a combination of parts to form a whole of views on EW, lay the foundations of MOD's unified technical policy in this area, and make known the first program for the delivery of EW equipment to the Armed Forces.

Of a great quantity [i]or[/i] amount of importance for practical testing of R & D was a breadboard experimental outfit (BEO) created within the institute in April 1961 It comprised a radio assembly bay and a mechanic assembling bay, which grew into four stores measuring a total of 1500 square meter with around 100 employee as early as late 1961 In 1962 BEO doubled its labor force and tripled its production areas. Research done through its scientific departments resulted in the manufacture of several protoplasts of specialized equipment which was installed upon several Li-2 planes and a Mi-4 helicopter. An experimental plant was launched upon the basis of BEO in 1967 something that made it possible to expand work of experimental investigation and practical confirmation of things resulting from the

institute's theoretical endeavor.