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Vympel Interstate Joint-Stock Corporation (MAK)

Mezgosudarstvennaya aktsionernaya korporatsiya "Vympel"

Contact information

Address: 125319 Moscow, 4th Street of 8 Marta, 3
Tel: (095) 152-9495, 152-9595, 152-2734
Fax: (095) 152-9334
Teletype: 112396 Activity: development of early warning and space monitoring systems
Status: Joint stock corporation, with participation of Ukraine and Belarus
Subordination: --
Former Subordination: Ministry of Radio Industry of USSR
Alternative and former names: Vympel Central Science and Production Association (TsNPO)

Background

Vympel was established in 1962 as a subdivision of KB-1 (now Almaz TsKB). In 1970 it was reorganized into the Central Science and Production Association (TsNPO). After break-up of the USSR in 1992 Vympel was transformed into the Inter-state Joint-Stock Corporation. (The trilateral agreement was signed by the Governments of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus on January 15, 1992. Documents about establishment of the Corporation were signed in Moscow on May 19, 1992 by Russia and Belarus. Ukraine signed them later [5,6])

The most recent President of the Corporation Nikolay V. Mikhailov headed Vympel since 1987. (Before that he was the Director of NII of Radio-Instrument Building - NIIRP in 1979-1987). In September of 1997 Mikhailov was appointed the First Deputy Minister of Defense.

Main Activity

Vympel MAK is responsible for development and perfection of systems for [ground-based] space monitoring and missile attack warning. It performs R&D in support of development of system as a whole as well as of separate means. Main directions of activity include [1]:
  • theoretical and experimental research of near-Earth outer space;
  • proving of main directions of development of space monitoring system;
  • theoretical research and experimental perfection of designs;
  • development of ground- and sea-based objects and software for space monitoring system; experimental perfection of means (by NIIs) and production of equipment (by Plants).
The company specialises in
  • super-large radiotechnical information systems;
  • mulifunctional radio ranging (from decameter to millimeter bands);
  • radioelectrinic devices and equipment;
  • special materials and technologies

Projects participated

No specifics of the projects, developed by Vympel are available. Its products include
  • ballistic missile early warning systems; outer space monitoring systems and radars;
  • anti-ballistic missile systems;
  • over-the-horizon radars.
In a framework of conversion Vympel joined several projects to develop space communications systems projects (Globis, Nord, Pamir), with responsibility for ground-based equipment. [2]

Organizational Structure

Vympel MAK includes
  • the Center for System Studies;
  • systems design bureaus;
  • four Science and Research Institutes (NIIs) with their experimental productions
    • the Scientific Research Institute of Radio-Instrument Building (NIIRP);
    • the Radiotechnical Institute [named after A.L.Mints];
    • the Scientific Research Institute of Long-Range Radio Communications (NIIDAR) in Moscow,
    • the Specialized Scientific Center [is it that, which counted as forth?] Piramida Production Enterprize (GPTP), St-Peterburg;
    • Luch State Design Bureau, Gomel (Belarus);
    • Design Bureau of Systems Design, Gomel (Belarus).
    • two plants, located outside of Russia
    • the Gomel Radio Plant in Gomel (Belarus) and
    • Production Assn. "Dnepropetrovsk Machine-Building Plant" (Ukraine).
  • Vympel also has special subsidiaries for impleementation of conversion projects:
    • Vympel-Communications Joint Stock Co.;
    • Sokol Scientific and technical Firm;
    • Modul' Scentific and Technical Center; etc.

Test Facilities / Production Capabilities

Vympel possesses antenna testing ranges; anechoic chambers; special stands for experiments with high-power radio emissions in various bands; computer centers for perfection of codes for complex systems.

Economic Status

The initial charter capital of the company was 3.22 billion rubles in the prices of 1990 (comparable to billions USD). Later the capital was adjusted and according to [3], equalled to 10 billions rubles, with an annual turnout of dosens of billions.

Employment: In 1992 Vympel employed about 18,300 (in the four institutes and centers) [2]; or 60000-65000 (presumably, including production facilities) [1?]. Vympel's employees include over 60 doctors of sciences and 800 candidates of sciences, as well as several Academicians and corresponding members of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Membership / Shareholding

Distrubution of ownership between memeber states envisions 60% share for Russia, 34% for Ukraine and 5% for Belarus. Russian share was originally held by Russian Committee on State Property; Ukrainian - by Ukrainian State Property Fund; Belorussian - by Committee for Control of State Property of the Belarus Council of Ministers. In Russia 38% were reserved in the federal property (in January 1996 that reservation was extended for 3 more years [4])

Production Cooperation

All principal contractors, involved in systems development appear to be directly incorporated into the Vympel Corp. The few main contractors, which were not explicitly listed in the "Structure" section are:
  • Kirov Instrument-building Plant *);

International Cooperation

Vympel establsihed Euronet joint venture with Plexis International Corp. and Fabiella Groupe International, Inc. for development and production of cellular phone communications systems and components, as well as for providing communications services studies possibilities for joint works with American and French companies. [1]

Conversion / Diversification

Civil products, developed by Vympel include: radar systems for area survellaince, security control, air traffic control; food processing equipment; refrigerators and industrial refrigeration equipment; microwave equipment, including microwave ovens; various consumer electronic products, including tape recorders, digital telephone systems, satellite and cable television systems. Under development is medical equipment, such as automated electronic cardio-diagnosis; laser therapy equipment. systems for ecological monitoring and purification equipment;

References

1. Press-release by Vympel MAK
2. Russian Defense Business Directory - U.S.Department of Commerce. 4 p.114
3. Moscow Business World - Catalog Vol.2, 1993? p.17
4. Decree of the Government #32, 16 Jan 1996.
5. Izvestia #116 19 May 1992 p.2
6. Izvestia #118 21 May 1992 p.2
  • Swoop Down and Buy -- But Not To Privatize, for Example, the Kantemirovskiy Division?, Fedor Yemchenko, TRUD, 4/18/1995 -- The collective of the Radio Instrument Building Scientific Research Institute (NIIRP) has been struggling with apologists of privatizing in the Russian way for over a year now.
  • A Blow to the Head: How a Principal Institute, the Creator of Russia's World-Famous Antiballistic Missile System, Collapsed, Anna Politkovskaya, Obshchaya Gazeta, 3/5/1998

    Note: *) [1] lists these companies as "contractors" along with all others , which were listed above as divisions of Vympel Corp. It is possible, therefore, that the former companies also belong to Vympel, same as the latters.




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