The secrets of the Ministry of Defense remain unsolved, and the ARMY 2017 festival provided more questions than answers. For example, the equipment of the future for Russian soldiers has caused controversy.
Her appearance is still unknown, but some highly respected media outlets hastened to present to their readers the designers’ fantasy as new version suit.
This is how inexperienced journalists misled thousands of people
“When developing the third generation, we allowed ourselves to dream a little and developed a conceptual model”, - speaks chief designer on the life support system of TsNIITOCHMASH equipment Oleg Faustov. This is all I want contact the authors of posts about "Ratnik-3" : Be honest and correct your mistakes. There is no need to mislead people.
Well, now about the appearance of the soldier of the future.
On this moment The Russian army is actively using "Ratnik-1", the appearance of "Ratnik-2" is more or less clear, and that's all. The exhibit presented at the forum is nothing more than a conceptual model that designers are trying to create. A look for the Ratnik-4 generation, or rather even 5. According to the developers, “on appearance You don’t even have to look at it, the main thing is that this model presents the functionality that it will have.”
At the ARMY-2017 forum, I talked with Andrei Mikhailovich Sokolov, an employee of the combat equipment department of TsNIITochmash. According to him, "Ratnik-4+" will have sensors for a life support system and monitoring the functional state of a serviceman. This system will allow you to monitor the condition of a soldier in the event of injury or failure, as well as provide information to the commander about whether the soldier will be able to cope with the task. In the event that a soldier is wounded, the built-in first aid kit will independently administer the necessary drug to him and inform the commander about the change in condition.
The helmet will be completely sealed and will replace the soldier’s usual gas mask, and will also contain life support sensors and elements of the target control and engagement system. All necessary data will be displayed on the information screen. All of the above features except Troop Status and Helmet Armor are still in development.
So sensational Russian exoskeleton, According to the developers, it will have to work for at least 48 hours in several modes:
- passive mode - redistributes the load from the soldier to the equipment mechanism, which will allow the soldier to save the necessary strength and energy;
- automatic mode with connected batteries - increases the speed and strength of the fighter. It will also allow you to carry heavy loads, run long distances and perform giant jumps over obstacles. All this will become available to the fighter when he turns on the automatic mode, when he manages to solve main problem exoskeleton - energy supply.
The area of armor protection will be increased by introducing sectional plates made of metal-ceramics (the material of the model is rubber). The anti-fragmentation aramid suit with a special color, already used in previous versions of the Ratnik, will allow combat in the city.
The suit collar is developed in 2 types: anti-fragmentation and bulletproof.
The boots will remain from the good old Faraday company, the same ones that are already supplied with the Ratnik-1 equipment and are capable of going through 200,000 cycles, although they will undergo a number of changes. It is planned to integrate mine detection sensors into anti-fragmentation shoes with information displayed on glasses. And also to build in additional power systems, with the help of which, when using the passive mode of the exoskeleton, the energy of the suit could be returned to the battery that powers the sight, glasses and other equipment sensors.
And I want to emphasize once again that the presented version is this is just a promising image of a soldier of the future, and not a specific model of the third "Warrior". Individual elements equipment POSSIBLY will be implemented by 2025 in the form of a soldier, but most of what is presented are developments, ideas, tasks and assumptions that I WOULD LIKE to implement.
COMBAT EQUIPMENT OF THE SOLDIERS OF THE FUTURE “RATNIK-3″
COMBAT UNIFORMS OF THE SOLDIERS OF THE FUTURE “RATNIK-3″
The Russian Foundation for Advanced Research /FPI/ together with TsNIITOCHMASH are working on an improved version of the “soldier of the future” equipment - “Warrior-2”. The work is planned to be completed by 2025-2030, the fund’s general director Andrei Grigoriev told reporters.
“We are interacting with TsNIITOCHMASH, the lead developer of this product. Together with them, we are now forming a project with the working title “Ratnik-2,” which should replace the current “Warrior,” said Grigoriev.
According to him, the project can be implemented in 15-20 years. “This means that what we are launching now will go through all stages life cycle in order to adopt (it) into service in 15 years. That is, three to four years is the foundation’s project, followed by research and development work, and launching mass production. So we will wait for “Ratnik-2” by 2025-2030,” said the head of the fund. TASS
What will the soldier of the future look like wearing “Ratnik” equipment? Combat equipment"Ratnik" is adapted for operations in the most different conditions and protects up to 90% of the fighter’s body.
Modern “Ratnik” combat equipment will be able to compete on equal terms with similar types of equipment of “soldiers of the future” and can protect up to 90% of a fighter’s body. It has a modular design and is adapted to operate in a wide variety of conditions. Depending on the configuration, “Ratnik” weighs from 24 to 30 kg.
What is “Ratnik” combat equipment?
"Ratnik" - Russian combat equipment, developed by the Central Scientific Research Institute of Precision Engineering (TsNIITochmash), combines modern small arms and effective protection kits.
The development of new generation equipment began in Russia in the 2000s. General designer equipment - Vladimir Nikolaevich Lepin.
The main goal of the development is to increase the efficiency of soldiers performing assigned combat missions while reducing the number of losses among unit personnel.
The first samples of the "Ratnik" were presented at the MAKS-2011 air show. Experimental military operation was carried out during the Caucasus-2012 exercises on the basis of the 27th separate motorized rifle brigade. The first samples of new combat equipment arrived in the Russian ground troops in January 2015.
In 2015, development of an even more advanced set of equipment will begin, which will replace the “Ratnik” in 2017. It has already received the code name “Ratnik-3”.
Equipment "Warrior". Test of a body armor and helmet set
What is included in the Ratnik equipment?
The Ratnik kit includes about 50 different elements, including small arms, aiming systems, protection systems, electronic communications, navigation and target designation. The modular principle of equipment allows you to attach removable elements, which are equipped depending on the task assigned to the soldiers.
Combat equipment includes more than 10 subsystems, including:
1. Intelligence, control and communications complex “Strelets” and “Strelets-M”.
2. Protective kit “Permyachka” and “Permyachka-M”.
3. “Ratnik” military combat equipment (protective glasses, body armor with ceramic plates, anti-fragmentation overalls, shields for knee and elbow joints, etc.).
4. Life support system.
5. Surveillance system (thermal imaging sight, night vision device).
6. Weapon system (Kalashnikov AK-12 assault rifle, grenades, magazines with cartridges, etc.).
7. Special multi-layer helmet of the 1st protection class with ceramic armor plates.
8. Additional equipment.
9. Elements of protection against non-lethal weapons (sound, tear gas, thermal, etc.).
10. Elements of protection against poisonous weapons.
11. Water purification filters.
12. Autonomous heat sources.
13. Energy supply kits.
14. Medical control system.
15. First aid kit.
16. Microwave irradiation detector.
What analogues of equipment exist in other countries?
Outfits of the “soldier of the future”:
In the USA - Land Warrior (includes: a computer, a helmet-mounted display (HMD), a GPS navigator, a radio station, a power supply, a sniper location system and a weapons control system. The soldier can monitor the battlefield thanks to video and infrared cameras mounted on automatic rifle, the image of which is displayed on the display). Weighs up to 50 kg;
In Germany - IdZ (includes: G36 assault rifle manufactured by Heckler and Koch, weapon-mounted laser system, command, control and communications computer information system, eye and ear protection subsystem; nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, night vision system, navigation communication system that determines the location of soldiers, minefields and other danger zones). Weighs up to 43 kg;
In the UK - FIST (includes a laser rangefinder, a map system, target locators, uniforms, a protective helmet equipped with built-in information systems, an advanced weapons system and personal armor). Weighs up to 35 kg;
In Spain - COMFUT (includes a laptop computer that will display a map of the area, the tactical situation, targets and potential dangers. Soldiers can exchange information about the situation with each other in real time. An infrared camera mounted on the soldier's weapon with a sight will transmit image on the soldier's helmet display, making it easier to aim at night. The equipment also includes body armor with a built-in backpack, communications, power supply and control system). Weighs up to 30 kg;
In Switzerland - IMESS (has a modular principle, sights with video image transmission to helmet-mounted displays, a voice warning system for approaching potentially dangerous points on the ground, a communication and information exchange system, optical systems, including a day/night sight). Weighs up to 20 kg;
In France - FELIN (FELIN equipment includes weapons, ammunition, body armor, a protective helmet with two displays and a microphone, communications and data exchange equipment, a laptop computer, a GPS receiver, batteries, as well as a daily allowance of food and water). FELIN weighs up to 35 kg.
Efficient FELIN simulation
The new Russian set of equipment for military personnel will be able to protect against any type of individual small arms, which is in service with various armies of the world. ITAR-TASS reported this in an exclusive interview at the Eurosatory-2014 arms salon. CEO Central Research Institute of Precision Engineering (TSNIITOCHMASH) Dmitry Semizorov.
Military tests of "Ratnik"
Military tests of "Ratnik"
“The 2nd generation equipment, on the basis of which the “Ratnik” kit was developed, provides protection for servicemen corresponding to class 6a according to the domestic GOST,” said D. Semizorov. “This means that today there are no small arms that could penetrate it. In addition, we were able to increase the area of anti-fragmentation protection to 80% of the area of the entire set.”
According to Semizorov, the weight of the kit is relatively small and does not exceed 24 kg. “This is a unique indicator that foreign analogues cannot achieve,” noted the general director. Special attention D. Semizorov devoted protective helmet included in the kit. “Weighing only one kilogram, it maintains high performance characteristics that foreign analogues do not have,” the general director informed.
The set of modernized equipment for the 2nd generation soldier is modular and can be easily adapted to the needs of various military specialties. “In addition to motorized rifle units, it will be able to be used by both airborne troops and marine infantry,” said D. Semizorov.
The General Director noted that by the end of this year, preparations for mass production of the new kit will be completed. “As we expect, its first deliveries will be organized by the end of 2014,” added the General Director of TsNIITOCHMASH.
According to him, in the near future a decision will be made on organizing supplies and issues of cooperation with other enterprises will be resolved. At the Eurosatori 2014 salon, a special presentation of the new Russian military personnel kit will be held for potential foreign buyers.
Technical information
“Ratnik” is a complex of combat equipment for a serviceman, consisting of systems for destruction, protection, control, life and energy support. The first pre-production Ratnik kits began to arrive in the Russian Armed Forces in 2014, and in May last year, Russian troops received mass-produced equipment.
The complex is an expanded set of uniforms, supplemented with elements and accessories designed to protect the soldier and increase his combat effectiveness. The kit includes a body armor of 5–6 protection class, a protective helmet, transport vests for ammunition and accessories, special shoes, knee pads, elbow pads, backpack, cape, sleeping bag and other elements. In addition, the equipment includes the serviceman’s personal weapons (cold steel and firearms), as well as a set of compact technical devices reconnaissance, communications and navigation, optical, infrared and laser devices, video devices, friend-or-foe identification system and much more. The equipment has several versions for various military specialties.
The new equipment was developed by the Central Research Institute of Precision Engineering (JSC TsNIITOCHMASH), and more than fifty enterprises and organizations took part in its creation. The program to create new equipment has become one of the most large-scale modernization projects of the Russian army.
The photo collection contains photographs of equipment supplied to ground units of the Russian Armed Forces.
Infographics about “Ratnik” combat equipment
aif.ru
Russian soldiers in "Ratnik" equipment
Defense.ru
The AK-12 assault rifle is the main weapon of Ratnik. The A-545 assault rifle, developed at the plant named after. Dyagtereva. Now the new machines are undergoing comparative tests
Defense.ru
Unlike its predecessors, the AK-12 is equipped with a telescopic stock and an ergonomic pistol grip.
Defense.ru
Automatic A-545 (AEK-971) – the main competitor of the AK-12
lenta.ru
Universal helmet for all branches and types of troops
Defense.ru
The design of the helmet allows for the attachment of additional devices
popmech.ru
The body armor weighs 7.5 kg and “resists” a direct hit from SVD rifles bullet with an armor-piercing core from ten meters. Its assault version provides protection for the shoulders and groin area
Defense.ru
Universal pouch with MOLLE fastening system
Defense.ru
Anti-fragmentation safety glasses
Defense.ru
Transport modular vest. This option is designed for marksmen and has pockets for under-barrel and hand grenades
Defense.ru
Patrol backpack with a volume of 40 l
Defense.ru
Knee-elbow joint protection kit
Defense.ru
Double-sided demi-season camouflage kit in spring and autumn colors
Defense.ru
Shelter. Can be used as a tent, awning or stretcher for transporting the wounded
Defense.ru
Individual filter for water purification. Resource – 15 l
Defense.ru
Helmet light with several operating modes
Defense.ru
Shooting headphones with active noise reduction system
Defense.ru
Wrist watch with self-winding function. They exist in two versions: for “regular” units and for marines. They are distinguished by their water resistance: “regular” ones “hold” a depth of up to 20 m, the version for Marine Corps– up to 100 m
Defense.ru
Multifunctional knife. It contains saws for wood and metal, a screwdriver, pliers and an awl
Defense.ru
Another version of a multifunctional folding knife, which can be included in the “Ratnik” combat equipment
vpk.name
The control systems of the Ratnik equipment include the Strelets reconnaissance, control and communications complex
Defense.ru
Energy supply systems (batteries, wires, etc.) are distributed across various elements equipment
Defense.ru
Commander's personal tablet computer designed to solve problems of control and orientation of the tactical level of the command staff
vitalykuzmin.net