MOSCOW. Aug 26 (Interfax-AVN) - The state-owned Bazalt scientific and production enterprise will develop new-generation ammo in 1.5 years, the enterprise's director general Vladimir Korenkov told a news conference at the Interfax main office Thursday.
"We are planning to use the pause in serial orders and develop a totally new generation of ammunitions. In a year or a year and a half we will demonstrate the new ammo at arms expositions," he said at the conference on the Interpolitex-2004 and IDELF-2004 exhibitions to be held in Moscow and Krasnoarmeisk September 7-10.
According to Korenkov, Bazalt's new ammo will be advantageous to foreign similarities.
He also said that Bazalt would exhibit the latest of its products at IDELF-2004 in Krasnoarmeisk. For instance, it will show aerial bombs designed to localize large fires. "We will explode a conversion munition designed to suppress fires. The spectators will see with their eyes how effective it is," he said.
Moreover, according to him, a whole new generation of ammo with thermobaric warheads will be displayed, and shaped-charge munitions too.
"We will demonstrate a set of training assets for firing. It will allow significant cuts of expenses. The system is in demand in the world," Korenkov said.
For the 65-year history of Bazalt, a total of about 700 types of ammo have been developed, which are now in service in over 40 countries. Eleven countries have Bazalt's licenses for production of over 60 types of ammunition.
Bazalt specializes in the development of unguided aerial bombs, antitank rockets, mines and artillery rounds.