VOLGOGRAD. Oct 20 (Interfax-AVN) - Barrikady, a Volgograd- based arms producer, will produce four export-oriented Shtil SAMs in 2004, Yuri Valov, Barrikady CEO, told Interfax-Military News Agency Monday.
"The emphasis will be on civilian products ordered by the Railway Ministry and construction organizations. This allows us to look forward to 2004. In addition, we will make four export Shtil systems, which makes us feel even more confident," he said in comment on the production schedule for 2004.
He said that 2003 had been hard times for Barrikady because of shortage of artillery state defense order items but the problems of the firm had been solved by 90 percent since then.
He said that the revenues were RUB400m (USD13.3m) and expected inflow amounted to another RUB300m-350m (USD10m-11.6m). He added that the average salary had risen by 30 percent to RUB4,200 (USD140) per month.
Since the production program scheduled for two first quarters of 2004 requires more labor, Barrikady will hire 1,000 to 1,500 more people, he said.
Valov said that Barrikady being part of Artilleriyskiye Sistemy Corporation, the plant would seek to become the basic producer of artillery barrels of all calibers.
Barrikady is a major Russian producer of artillery systems including the Msta-S towed 152.4-mm howitzer, the 2A44 guns for the Pion and Malka self-propelled guns, 152.4-mm guns for the Akatsiya self-propelled gun, and the 2A46 and 2A46M 125-mm guns for the T-72 and T-80 MBTs.
The plant is also a co-producer of the tactical Luna, Tochka, Tochka-U, and Oka missile systems, as well as the Shtil deck-based SAMs.