The prime minister walked through the stores and spoke to company employees. Photo: Dmitry Astakhov/POOL/TASS
On Thursday, Mikhail Mishustin flew to Samara. The prime minister visited UEC-Kuznetsov, which develops, manufactures and repairs gas turbines and rocket engines. For 65 years, this company has been the only manufacturer of RD-107 and RD-108 liquid propellant rocket motors for Soyuz-type launch vehicles and provides 100% of domestic manned space launches and up to 80% of commercial ones. .
The prime minister walked through the stores and spoke to company employees. These days it is very hot in Samara, and it was also very stifling in the factory shops. Mishustin immediately drew attention to this.
– Hot? – clarified Mishustin with the workers of the plant.
– Yeah.
– Now the management will listen and buy new air conditioners, right? – the head of the Cabinet of Ministers addressed the governor of Samara Dmitry Azarov and the heads of the enterprise.
In response, the prime minister was told that the air conditioners were working.
– It does not work! Mishustin pointed out. – We will write an order for you.
Now the plant is undergoing a large-scale production modernization program. The volume of investments is more than 40 billion rubles. 15 reconstruction and technical re-equipment projects have already been carried out.
The prime minister was told that UEC-Kuznetsov’s products are of particular importance in maintaining the combat readiness of long-range aviation of the Russian Aerospace Forces. The company produced and maintains NK-12 engines for Tu-95MS long-range bombers, Tu-142 long-range anti-submarine aircraft, and An-22 Antey military transport aircraft, as well as NK-25 engines for Tu-22M3 and NK-32 bombers for Tu-160 strategic bombers. Oleg Bocharov, deputy head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, told reporters that the combat power of Tu-95 strategic bombers will double this year.
Also, last year, UEC-Kuznetsov became the main developer of the largest engine for domestic heavy helicopters PD-8V.
– Gas turbine engine construction, not just aviation, is one of the most complex high-tech industries in existence. Russia is a country that has its own powers in this area. And this is a very big achievement. In total, probably, you can count five countries that have the competencies and can produce these types of facilities themselves,” Mishustin noted during an inspection of the workshops.
The prime minister said the government will continue to support research and development. According to him, customers need to understand that in Russia “you can find a solution that will save you from all foreign analogues.”
Mishustin drew attention to the fact that the company has a lot of young employees.
– I want to make an appeal to the youth. Guys, come to domestic high-tech companies, design engines, rockets, new planes, cars. Heavy engineering, transport engineering, is being developed. We have things to do in the field. Everything will work out for us,” the prime minister said.
Mishustin also visited the Progress Rocket and Space Center. The company occupies a leading position in the development and production of medium-class launch vehicles, both among Russian and foreign companies. Since the early 1960s, the company has been developing and manufacturing spacecraft for various purposes: Zenit, Yantar, Resurs-F, Bion, Foton, Resurs-DK1, Resurs-P and others. One of the latest developments at the RCC “Progress” was the creation of a small spacecraft for remote sensing of the Earth “Aist-2D”.
The prime minister was told that the first launch of the Soyuz-5 launch vehicle, which is being developed by the Progress Rocket and Space Center, is scheduled for December 2025.
Company employees turned to Mishustin with a request to include their center in the list of defense industry enterprises with preferential housing. Mishustin promised to give instructions.
– Starting next year, we will provide rental housing for a large number of companies in the backbone of our defense industry. And I am sure that your company must enter there, – said Mishustin.
