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COULD RUSSIA END UP WITHOUT AMMUNITION?

RIA Novosti

MOSCOW, February 11. (RIA Novosti)-The world's largest arms fair, IDEX-2005, is to open on February 2 in the United Arab Emirates. The Russian exposition will, as usual, be interesting, but the munitions industry will not be the leader it once was, Rossiiskaya Gazeta informs its readers.

Nikolai Gorokhov, the president of the Development of the Munitions Industry and Specialized Chemistry branch at the Academy of Economic Recovery Problems says the munitions industry, as well as gunpowder production and specialized chemistry, are on the brink of disaster. He believes Russia will be unable to produce gunpowder and ammunition unless drastic measures are implemented. Many sectoral factories have already closed and another 20 enterprises may go bankrupt.

High hopes had been pinned on privatization, but they were not justified.

Why has Russia failed to convert its munitions factories and specialized-chemistry enterprises to civilian production? Sectoral specifics were not taken into account. Due to their unique design, factory buildings and other related structures used to produce explosives cannot be used for civilian purposes. Moreover, their highly specialized equipment does not recoup diversification expenses. Sectoral enterprises can no longer master production processes, so they are in no position to make certain warhead types. The munitions industry has lost its most active and promising engineers and workers between 30 and 40. And, finally, specialists training in colleges and universities do not want to join the sector.

The state of sectoral science is also a sad story. Ammunition samples have not been renewed for 15 years, while Russian R&D projects lag behind other countries by 20-25 years. We may even lose valuable forms and records because they are not stored correctly.

There is only one way to ensure the gunpowder industry's stabilization and development. Its enterprises must be converted into state-run factories, and scienceand production associations set up on their premises.