Sniper rifles have never been of the the Russian military’s strongest points. For decades, “snipers” had to make do with the SVD, a weapon that is not really a sniper rifle, but more of a weapon that increases the range of the troops, similar to the M-14. Over the years, many designs have been developed, but the army is still stuck with the SVD, while the Special Forces (who have more options as to what they can use) usually use foreign sniper rifles.

Based in Moscow, Orsis is one of the best private manufacturing factories of rifles in Russia. The owners of the company are world-class shooters, so it is not too farfetched to say that great things can be expected from this company. In 2011, Orsis began producing precision rifles based on the same bolt action, including the T-5000. The T-5000 is based on an action with dual locking lugs in the front. The stock of the rifle is made of glass bedded aluminum, the barrel is made of the highest grade stainless steel, and the muzzles are threaded to accept various muzzle brakes. The pressure of the trigger is fully adjustable, and the safety is located at the rear. Orsis T-5000 rifles accept 5 and 10 round magazines. The shoulder stock folds to increase the compactness of the rifle, and the T-5000 comes equipped with a picatinny rail to accept various accessories such as scopes, lasers, and flashlights.

The T-5000 is everything that a sniper rifle ought to be. It packs a heavy barrel, is customizable, and is made of the highest quality material. A few samples of this rifle have been presented to the Russian government, and it is currently undergoing testing. The standard T-5000 comes equipped with the DH 5-20×56, a revolutionary new Russian scope, and a muzzle brake built by Orsis, which they claim reduces the recoil by up to 50%. The rifle is apparently intended for counter-terrorist troops.

Specifications:
Caliber: .308 Win/ .338 Lapua
Barrel length: 610 mm
Weight: 12.3 lb/12.8 lb
Price: $5500/$6150 (without scopes)

Photos taken from here and here.

The center of pilot training in Torzhok has received new Ka-52, Mi-28, and Mi-35 (Mi-24VM) attack helicopters, among the most unique combat choppers in the world. In fact, the pilots have to constantly get re-trained as the helicopters get updated with new technology, such as the ability to see in the dark, fire new state-of-the-art weaponry, and making tight maneuvers. This Mi-35 has not had a single flight yet, it is fresh out of the factory. From the gunship’s cockpit, it seems like the whole world is in  your hands. 4 new Mi-35 gunships were issued to the center of pilot training in Torzhok near the end of last year. These helicopters are equipped with thermal vision systems, and can identify targets at ranges of up to 4 km. Thanks to a unique satellite navigation system, the gunship will never get lost, even in low visibility conditions.

“Hello”. The pilot speaks to the Ka-52 as if it was his best friend, even clapping it on the shoulder (wing) prior to take-off. The pilot can find the chopper’s screws without even looking, stating that the condition of the helicopter depends on him, just as the his depends on the helicopter. To get thoroughly acquainted with the helicopters, the pilots go through 4 month courses, where everyday they partake in tests which include lifting off in the helicopters around 2-3 meters above ground and doing simple maneuvers, then proceeding to fly rounds, and then commencing live-firing exercises. Evgeni can speak about the Ka-52, also known as the Alligator, for hours; he’s been with the helicopter for half a year. The Alligator is capable of reaching a vertical speed of up to 30 meters/sec, meaning he can reach the top of a 10-story building in just one second. The Ka-52 can engage tanks and other helicopters in all weather conditions.

Flying so close side by side that you can see inside the other pilot’s cockpit is something that even veteran pilots must re-learn. “The maneuverability and combat capabilities are on a new level, this is an excellent helicopter,” stated one of the pilots. Now all Mi-28′s entering service with the Russian military will be painted in dark grey. In the night sky, these “night hunters” are hard to spot, although these helicopters will have no problem spotting you, thanks to their laser range-finders. During the interview with the pilot, he admitted that he missed flying in his old Mi-24, which he piloted for 26 years. However, pilots must fly to combat in only the latest helicopters.

This camo appears to be the official new paint scheme for Sukhoi fighters. Other aircraft with this camo include the Su-27SM3 and Su-30M2.

Photos taken from russianplanes.

Neither the speed, nor the size of the target matter to the Triumf. The S-400 can hit a target the size of a volley ball, even if it is enhanced with stealth technology, is flying faster than the speed of sound, and is flying anywhere from 10 meters to 30 km above ground. Of course, the S-400 is not built for the destruction of innocent volleyballs. This system is built to destroy aircraft and ballistic missiles, including Tomahawk cruise missiles, the same ones that the Americans bombarded Iraq with during the desert wars. As for the Patriot, the closest counterpart to the S-400, it is not even on the same level. Even several versions of the older S-300 are considered superior in certain aspects. The S-400 is also cheaper than its American counterpart.

The military is currently undergoing a re-armament program that is designed to fill “holes” in Russia’s military by the year 2020 that formed after the breakup of the Soviet Union. The S-400 will be given considerable priority. The designers of the S-400 assure that a counter-measure for their system will not be available for a long time. These two new divisions will be fielded on the outskirts of Moscow, joining the two regiments that are already fielded there. The next S-400 systems that will be built will be sent to the far east.

Recently, the MOD organized a press tour of the Baltic Fleet. It should be noted that these trips for journalists and bloggers to tour military units are held fairly regularly, but the opportunity to go on combat ship is a rarity. The Destroyer “Bespokoiny” is based in the harbor of the Baltic, the westernmost city of Russia. Until 1946, the town was called Pillau, and the military base was used by the German submarine fleet. Currently, the Baltiisk is the main base of the Baltic Fleet.

The project 956 Bespokoiny is a  third-generation destroyer. The first of the ships in this series, the “Sovremenny”, first entered service in 1981, and the second ship was launched in 1992. A total of 22 ships were laid down, but now only 9 serve in the Russian Navy, out of which, 4 are currently in reserve or being repaired. The Bespokoiny was built in 1992, was last at sea three years ago, and is currently reserve, awaiting repairs and modernization.

And yet, this is a battle-ready ship with its whole crew ready for action, so if the situation requires it, it will come out of reserve immediately. After it is modernized, its crew of conscripts will be replaced by professional contractors. The ship is decorated by three large stars, but not for sinking enemy ships, as is often mistakenly thought. These stars are awards for the Navy Commander. Over the years, the ship has had many guests, having been visited by Presidents, Admirals, and Ministers, all who’s presence was recorded in a special log. Also present are autographs from Prince Philip of Great Britain. Amongst the souvenirs and jewels, there is even a cat that calmly sleeps.

Specifications:

Length: 156.5 meters
Width: 17 meters
Endurance: 30 days
Max speed: 33.4 knots (62 km/hr)
Crew: 358
Displacement: 7,940 tons
Engine: two GTZA-649 50,000 hp steam turbines
Armament: Uragan (naval version of the SA-17 BUK) medium range surface-to-air missile system, two dual AK-130 130 mm fully automatic main guns (one of the most powerful gun systems in the world), four AK-630M Gatling guns, quad launchers for P-270 Moskit anti-ship cruise missiles, 533 mm torpedo tubes, ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) rocket launchers, and a Ka-27 ASW helicopter.

More photos here.

Police and FSB special forces troops performed counter-terrorism exercises, in which they had to storm a school and rescue hostages, while passerby’s had to find alternative routes to get to their destinations. The planning took hours, while the initial storming of the building took just minutes.

More photos here.

The project 1239, also known as the Bora, is a hovercraft/missile corvette that is one of the only hovercrafts designed to attack ships, rather than carry cargo. The Bora has a displacement of 1000 tons, making it the largest military hovercraft in the world. With a cruising speed of 102 km/hr, the Bora can attack larger ships and get away before the enemy can return fire. The Bora can operate in rough weather conditions of up to sea state 5, and has an endurance of  10 days. It is manned by a crew of 68 men.

The project 1239 has an impressive armament comprising of the AK-176M 76.2 mm main gun with a maximum firing rate of 120 RPM, 9K33M Osa-MA short-range air defense missile system with 20 available missiles, two AK-630 30 mm Gatling guns with a firing rate of 6000 RPM, 16 9K38 Igla MANPADS (Man Portable Air Defense Systems), two quad launchers for 3M-80E Moskit anti-ship cruise missiles, two 14.5 mm machine guns, and a DP-64 grenade launcher.The AK-756M main gun can also be replaced by the slower but harder hitting AK-100 100 mm naval gun.

Still no news on whether this truck will be accepted into Russian military service or not. There is a rumor, however, that MOD has purchased 6 of these vehicles for testing. Stay tuned..

Carefully, yet quickly, the black “Strizh” (which means Swift in Russian) is brought out from its “nest”. The pistol was designed and assembled by a private company, yet the Strizh is a bird capable of flying very high when it comes to military sales. He may sound brash, but professional shooter Andrei Kirisenko states that the black Strizh is Russia’s answer to the legendary Glock 17, a favorite of special forces worldwide.

Here they are side by side, the Russian to the left, the Austrian to the right. They even look slightly similar, but internally, they are quite different. For example, take a look at how the slide works. On the Glock, the barrel rises when the slide is pulled back, while on the Strizh, the barrel maintains its position, resulting in very low recoil. Also, the Strizh is held in high regard over its safety, which consists of 3 safety mechanisms to prevent accidental firing. The caliber is 9 mm, or for those who understand, 9 x 19 mm Luger. The magazine holds 17 bullets, and the reloading process happens to be quite interesting. While regular pistols have a single mag release button, this pistol has two on either side.

You can see here how it works, the pistol is picked up and the button is pressed, while the second hand immediately slides in the magazine. How is such a fast and easy reload accomplished? Because the space for the magazine is wider. The Strizh can accept scopes, lasers, and flashlights. It can also accept magazines that hold 30 rounds, as well as a longer barrel which will turn it into a machine pistol. Of course, in trained hands the pistol doesn’t even need all that. Andrei Kirisenko continuously calls the pistol unique, probably due to the fact that throughout the pistol’s construction, the team that was working on the pistol received advise from Special Forces officers. When the first prototype was finished, those same officers left 124 complaints, and the pistol was redesigned. The second prototype of the Strizh received 10 complains, and was redesigned again.

So here we have the Strizh 3, which is also going to be modernized, but has already caught a lot of attention. This pistol does everything that a good pistol should, but whether it will sell well on the market remains to be seen. For now, the pistol is advertised by a demo clip, which shows how the Strizh works. The pistol’s designers hope that this weapon won’t end up like so many others before it: rejected and forgotten. *Pistol is fired at a target next to a man’s head* The designer states that he will put his head on the line to prove the efficiency of the weapon that he created.

PS: This looks very similar to the Strike, which was also built based on advice from special forces officers.