Roustam Minnikhanov: “Radioelektronika faces a very ambitious task”

The Kazan-based Federal Research and Development Centre for Radio Electronic Systems named after V.I. Shimko has been given a new chief. The Tatarstan Prime Minister Roustam Minnikhanov and JSC Radio Electronic Technologies Concern head Nikolai Kolesov have presented the team the new director, Vladimir Konnov.

Since 1955 and until today, the institution’s main area of research and development has been building active request and response radar systems, including recognition systems. In the Soviet era, the institution was the head company designing identification friend or foe systems.

The company is presently part of the Radio Electronic Technologies concern, that is part of the Rostekhnologii state corporation. The company’s previous head, Valery Ivantsov, the centre’s head from 2004, has taken a position with Radio Electronic Technologies, while the new director, based on Rostekhnologii’s head Sergei Chemezov instruction, has been appointed Vladimir Konnov.

V. Konnov was born in1951 in Grodno, in 1974 graduated from Kazan Aviation Institute. For the past 18 years, Vladimir Konnov has directed the Kazan research and development institution Mifotex.

The Radio Electronic Technologies chief Nikolai Kolesov outlined the tasks the company faced. “Rostekhnologii and our concern, Radio Electronic Technologies, have set up a pool of companies engaged in friend or foe identification systems, a total of 16 companies, including not only institutes but serial production companies as well. The Kazan Research and Development Institute for Radio Electronics named after Shimko has been set the head company,” said Kolesov.

He went on to say the centre faced the task to regain Tatarstan’s leadership in the field of radar systems development. “In January 2008, Almaz Antei was set as Russia’s main designer and producer of radar systems. Over the half year of joint efforts, we have been able to de facto regain the lost leadership in the field,” said Kolesov. “Now we need to resolve legal issues.”

“As of today, substantial funding is allocated within federal target programmes. A total of 34 billion roubles is intended to be allotted within the federal target programmes. We should manage the funds in a way to enhance the area, making it compliant with the most advanced level,” emphasised Nikolai Kolesov. “We need a more aggressive policy, to make sure radar identification systems remain in Kazan. The more so, most of the serial production plants are located inside Tatarstan. They are the Almetievsk-based Radiopribor and the Kazan-based Radiopribor and Sviayaga. Our main task now is to give a workload to capacity to the serial plants.”

“You designs have a niche for, they are called for in both the civil aviation branch and are needed by the Defence Ministry,” Nikolai Kolesov told the team. “You have all preconditions for success but you need to work diligently. In the next few years, we would like to see your strength and results of your work.”

Roustam Minnikhanov emphasised the Tatarstan authorities intended to continue support of the research centre. “We will support the company as before,” pledged the Premier. “I and Nikolai Kolesov are personally responsible for the project. I hope apart from support from the republic, the institute will be given assistance from the federal centre as well.”

“We set very ambitious tasks, to solve which, we all need to work very hard,” Roustam Minnikhanov concluded.