Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/661228
dozen of 9K35 strela-10m3 (SA-13 Gopher) highly mo- bile, visually aimed, optical/infrared-guided, low-altitude, short-range surface-to-air missile system.. Since 2013, the VDV are receiving 9K333 verba (Russian: Верба, "Pussy Willow") MANPADS. In 2013 was signed a contract on supplying during the subsequent two years four Verba divisional sets for the AA regiments airborne divisions – more than hundred 9p521 launchers plus command and control systems and logistic equipment. According to the available data up to the end of the 2015 all ordered sets were received. A significantly more difficult problem which the VDV command should to solve is a several years de- lay in a development and a production of the vehicle para- chute airdrop systems, which according to the declarations should allow for secure drop 50% of the armored vehicles. The works on the new airdop systems were frozen at the stage of the trials in 2011. Now, only prototype models are shown and their availability for serial production is declared . In 2013 VDV were lacking pbs-950u parachute airdrop system (Bakhcha-U-PDS) for the bmd-4m (PBS-950 version is intended for the BMD-3) and pbs-925 (Sprut-PBS) for the 2s25 sprut-sd tank, the pbs-960 for the KamAZ trucks and Parashoot for 18 tons loads, but also for the older vehi- cle types – like pRsm-916 universal airborne systems for the bmd-2 and the pRsm-925 for the btR-d apCs and the 2s9 mortars. Reconnaissance and electronic warfare systems of VDV were significantly reinforced. A process of rearming of the ECW units was began in 2011. First of the Rb-531b Infauna SIGINT and jamming systems on the K1sz1 carriers (based on BTR-80 APC) were delivered, the mKtK-1a Judoist eCm vehicle on the KamaZ-4350 truck and МKTK REI PP systems on the wpK-233114 tigr-m ar- mored vehicle. The rearming of the VDV with the new ECN systems is foreseen to be finished in 2020. In total over the period 2011-2015 airborne forces Infauna systems, at least seven Liejer-2 systems and one Judoist. In cases of the UAV, in 2011-2015 the airborne forces received at least several dozens of eleron-3w and Zala-421-08 unmanned vehi- cles. The first are included into the Gamajun systems, and the latter – the mK-bla-01 system based on the Tigr-M ve- hicle. According to available sources, the armament of the reconnaissance and special forces units was modernized in 20–30%., the division-level command and communication units received at least two Andromeda-D tactical command systems in last two years. Already in 2011, it was provided anounced that commands of all tactical units of the VDV were equipped with a large number of the GLONASS sys- tems navigation units. ANALYSIS