FT: Russian Developers Of Oreshnik Missile Use Western Equipment

• 27.12.2024, 12:45

The results of the investigation have been published.

The Russian ballistic missile Oreshnik was manufactured at enterprises using Western equipment.

The Financial Times writes about this.

Two leading Russian weapons technology institutes — the Moscow Institute of Thermal Engineering (MIT) and the Sozvezdie concern — have posted advertisements looking for employees familiar with metalworking systems from German and Japanese companies.

As the publication investigated, in MIT's vacancies for 2024, it is noted that the company uses systems from the Japanese Fanuc and the German Siemens and Heidenhain. All three companies produce control systems for numerically controlled machines (CNC).

Suzirya also uses similar equipment: in its job ad, the company required potential employees to know the CNC systems of these companies.

Another company involved in the production of Oreshnik, Titan-Barikady, published a photo showing a worker standing in front of a device with the Fanuc logo.

It is noted that even the company Stan, which is trying to develop Russian production of CNC machine tools, indicates in its ads that it uses Heidenhain equipment.

Russia has long relied on foreign machine tools, despite attempts to create domestic alternatives. While the Kremlin has bought large volumes of high-precision metalworking equipment from China, the controls to operate it are still purchased in the West.

While export controls have slowed the flow of these goods to Russia, according to the FT, since the beginning of 2024, the country has received at least $3 million worth of supplies, including Heidenhain components, in particular to military manufacturers.