In Soviet-era days, the Research and Development Institute of Sonar Technology KNIIGP, Kyiv, was the USSR's leading institution to develop sonar systems for integration onto surface ships and helicopters, as well as stationary sonars and sea-floating buoys for special applications. The institute once supplied sonar systems for destroyers, cruisers and coast guard boats. It was due to the KNIIGP-developed sonar that the Russian ship Admiral Chabanenko fixed the submarine Kursk that drowned in the Barents Sea waters in August 2001. KNIIGP director Yuri Shamarin is speaking in an interview with Defense Express about the projects that unique research-and- pro-duction corporation is working on now: Shamarin: Founded in 1956 for the development of counter-submarine technologies, nowadays KNIIGP is Ukraine's leading entity to develop and manufacture sonar and acoustic equipment. Currently we are working on a general-purpose sonar called Bosphor. This sonar is fit to operate on ships in a variety of categories -both medium-size and small. Whereas the previous version of the technology fit in 200 to 250 square meters of the ship deck, the latest version, using innovative materials and parts and assemblies, only occupies 10 square meters. We have created and offered such a system to the Turkish Ministry of Defense, having won a contract competition held by the government of Turkey. But because of financial crisis in that country the equipment has never been purchased by the Turkish military. Instead, the Bosphor generated much interest on the part of Pakistan. That country has held a competition for a deal to develop three frigates. The win has been awarded to China, who does not have the potential to manufacture sonar technology on its own. So the Chinese recommended that Pakistan contract with us to acquire sonar systems for the frigates to be built in China. In June or July we are going to receive a Pakistani military team to demonstrate them the sonar as such and its cap ... Читать далее