Russia expands drone, aircraft and missile factories

Journalists of the Schemes project (Radio Liberty) came to this conclusion after analysing satellite images showing the development of a number of military and dual-use enterprises, as well as the appearance of new hangars and workshops.

At the aircraft factory in Kazan, the Russians produce and maintain strategic bombers, which they then use to fire on Ukraine.

According to aviation expert Anatoly Khrapchinskiy, we are talking about strategic aircraft of the nuclear triad: Tu-16, Tu-22 and Tu-160.

That is, the plant's capacity now allows for deep modernisation and repair of Tu-22M3 and Tu-160 remnants," he said.

In 2023, the Russians erected a new large hangar on the territory of the Kazan Aircraft Plant. The new hangar is 300 metres long and more than 180 metres wide. According to military experts that Schemes spoke to, strategic bombers can also be repaired and modernised in this workshop.

TheRussian state aircraft plant, which is increasing its capacity to produce aircraft, is located in Irkutsk. Its profile is Su-30 fighters of all modifications, which are one of the most popular aircraft types in the air forces of the Russian army. According to the international publication The Military Balance, which publishes annual reports on the number of military equipment in different countries, the Russian Federation has more than 120 Su-30 aircraft.

Analysing Maxar and Planet Labs satellite images, the journalists noticed that back in the period from 2019 to 2021, an extension with access to the airfield appeared on the territory of the company not far from the main facilities, and already this year the construction of another, similar facility is being completed. Most likely, the second building will also be connected to the runway.

According to aviation expert Anatoly Khrapchinskiy, such premises can be used for repair of small civil aircraft like Sukhoi Superjet and fighters like Su-30.

Such a building is like a hangar already exclusively for routine maintenance and small repairs. And such premises can be used for any aircraft it is able to accommodate, both Su-30 and civil aircraft, which are also serviced by this plant," Khrapchinsky said.

TheUral Civil AviationPlant is located in Yekaterinburg.

Although the name itself says that the plant deals specifically with civil aviation, in fact this enterprise, in particular, repairs engines and gearboxes that can also be used in military helicopters such as Mi-2, Mi-8, Mi-24 and Ka-52. All these helicopters are actively used by the Russian army in the war against Ukraine," the authors wrote.

It is noted that starting from the end of 2021 on the territory of the plant began to build a new large workshop. Already this year it was completed. The length of the structure reaches 145 metres, width - 75.

There are also such plants of the military-industrial complex, the appearance of which the Russian authorities openly report on.

For example, in October this year, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu took part in the commissioning ceremony of the building of the future missile factory of the Almaz-Antey concern, in the Rudnevo industrial park of the Technopolis Moscow special economic zone. "During the event, Shoigu said that the enterprise will produce air defence systems," the Scheme article said.

According to Mikhail Zhirokhov, such an active development of military factories across Russia is due to the fact that the Russian leadership is not going to stop the war in the coming years, spending hundreds of billions of rubles on the development of its own military-industrial complex.

According to British Intelligence, the Russian budget for 2024 provides for a 68% increase in defence spending compared to the budget for 2023.