Founded on the instructions of Peter the Great on October 15, 1711, the St. Petersburg Arsenal plant is an integral part of the military history of the state. For more than three centuries, the company has been famous for its advanced high-tech production of the latest weapons systems for the army and navy, which have high technical data with a high degree of reliability in operation. Continuing the traditions of the Petrovsky gunners, the Arsenals produce the latest, unparalleled weapons models. Significant achievements of the team in space exploration.
Historical chronicle
1711 year. By decree of Tsar Peter I, the construction of the Cannon Foundry, the foundation of the future Arsenal plant in St. Petersburg, has begun. His tasks included the manufacture of ship and field guns, the release of ammunition, gunpowder. A little later, the “Petrovsky” metallurgists took up artistic casting, having done a lot to decorate the young Russian capital.
The following centuries, the best guns of Russia were poured in his workshops. Here, the domestic artillery design center was established, where the latest technologies, ideas, and bold projects were developed and implemented.
New era
With the fall of the tsarist regime, the importance of the enterprise not only did not fall, but also increased significantly. For example, the first Soviet guns with rifled barrels were created on it. Significant changes occurred in 1937. Two design bureaus were established at the Arsenal plant in St. Petersburg: the artillery bureau under the leadership of Lev Izrailevich Gorlitsky and the mortar under the leadership of Boris Ivanovich Shavyrin, who were part of the technical department of the plant (manager Roman Anisimovich Turkov). In 1940, the State Union Plant No. 7 was named after M.V. Frunze. The company has created a design bureau headed by Nikolai Petrovich Antonov.
In the Great Patriotic War, despite the blockade, the factory workers created the best (according to experts) domestic anti-tank gun model BS-3. Let out here and "Katyusha". Among the products were machine guns, mortars, protective shells.
Post-war development
In 1949, on the basis of the Arsenal plant (St. Petersburg), the Central Design Bureau No. 7 was formed, which was responsible for the design work on marine automatic anti-aircraft artillery and guns for fortified areas. The chief designer of TsKB-7 was appointed Nikolai Petrovich Antonov.
In 1953, State Union Plant No. 7 named after M.V. Frunze was transferred to the Ministry of Defense of the USSR. Petr Aleksandrovich Tyurin was appointed the head of TsKB-7. After 10 years, the enterprise was transferred to the Ministry of General Engineering.
In 1969, four independent areas were identified in the structure of the plant:
- rocket (chief designer - P. A. Tyurin);
- space (chief designer - V.F. Kalabin);
- artillery (chief designer - E. I. Malishevsky);
- general industrial (chief designer - S. E. Krivosheev).
Responsible for the development and implementation of new technology appointed A.I. Arefiev.
Since the beginning of the 70s, Arsenal has mastered the production of completely new products for itself - spacecraft (SC) for various purposes. These were tracking satellites, surpassing all Western counterparts in performance. From the 80s, the Cobalt spacecraft was launched.
In the 90s, the Arsenal Engineering Plant in St. Petersburg was incorporated. Despite the transition to market rails, the company remains one of the locomotives of the defense industry.
Space exploration
In 1964, the Arsenal plant was instructed to manufacture several types of devices for landing lunar modules on an Earth satellite, including manned vehicles. A number of projects have been implemented, including the landing of several moon rovers. Thus, the Arsenal plant in St. Petersburg began to produce aerospace equipment in addition to developing artillery systems.
By 1969, part of the enterprise’s capacities was reoriented to the needs of the space industry, production was reconstructed, and unique equipment and machines were installed. For several decades, spacecraft have been developed here, the characteristics and purpose of which are hidden under the heading of secrecy. They are intended for military use, reconnaissance, communications, research, geodesy. Arsenal has repeatedly participated in international projects in cooperation with foreign partners. Workers, engineers and designers are working in this sector, which we can confidently call innovators and scientists with a capital letter.
Products
Arsenal is involved in the design and production of many types of weapons, apparatuses, and industrial equipment. The pride of the plant are:
- Shipborne automatic artillery and missile launchers: SM-21-ZIF, AK-725, AK-726, AK-100, AK-130, ZIF-75, ZIF-101, PK-16, ZIF-121, ZIF-122.
- Solid propellant rocket engines, ballistic missiles, combat missile systems: RT-15, RT-2P, R-31.
- Space technology, spacecraft and space complexes: KA US-A with Buk nuclear power plant, KS US-PU, KA US-PU with Konus-A nuclear power plant, US-AM spacecraft with Buk-3 nuclear power plant, KA Plasma-A "with Topaz nuclear power plant.
Today, the company is looking to the future with confidence. A number of important projects are hidden behind the heading of secrecy, but publicly available information is enough to appreciate the merits of a highly professional team. The address of the Arsenal plant in St. Petersburg: 195009, St. Petersburg, ul. Komsomol, K. 1-3.