Ukrainian scientist pinpoints worthwhile directions of development of military technologies

By Svetlana Sytina
The Ukrainian Times

Good news is that Ukraine has the scientific and technical potential that allows it to be one of the world’s top ten manufacturers of military equipment. This potential brings Ukraine $1 billion in annual public revenues.

However, this country has much greater capabilities in the above sphere, according to Vladimir Maslov, head of a department at the Institute of Semiconductor Physics. For instance, during this year’s exhibitions the Kiev-based enterprise Luch showcased its high-precision missiles that are better and cheaper than the latest NATO comparable models. And the Skif missile system rivals the touted U.S. Javelin and France’s Milan ER. Developing its military equipment, Ukraine may well join the ranks of the world’s top five manufacturers.

After analyzing materials published in open sources, Dr. Maslov pinpointed the most worthwhile directions of the development of modern military equipment and arms. Today it is necessary to elaborate new principles of the creation of defensive systems for armored vehicles, capable of protecting them from destruction by high-energy weapons, because an increase in the speed of missiles to a supersonic level makes protection of the vehicles by existent systems impracticable. There is a need to turn around active protection or apply new principles whereby to improve defensive systems.

Dr. Maslov thinks special attention should be also paid to an increase in the level of protection of electronic equipment from the influence of powerful electronic pulses, as well as to the shock resistance of optoelectronic observation systems. To this end, it is expedient to use the new methods of strengthening and joint of parts, which have been evolved at the Institute of Semiconductor Physics. In addition, the pressing directions of the development of military equipment include the miniaturization of devices, wide use of solid-state semiconductor sensors as well as new materials and nanotechnologies designed to disguise equipment in infrared radiation and radio waves.