LOCATION:
Address: ulitsa Ilyicha 7, Korolev, Moscow Oblast, 141070 Russia
Telephone: (095) 519-20-02, (095) 519-22-03, (095) 519-42-02
Fax: (095) 519-42-02
["Federalnoye gosudarstvennoye unitarnoye predpriyatiye 'Gosudarstvennyy nauchno-proizvoditelnyy tsentr Zvezda-Strela'," City of Korolev Web Site, http://www.korolev.ru/cp1251/strela.html.] {Entered 4/23/2002 MJ}
SUBORDINATION: Russian Aerospace Agency (Rosaviakosmos)
ADMINISTRATION:
General Director: Sergey Yakovlev
General Designer: Yuriy Novikov
Deputy General Designer: Dmitriy Ivanov
[Sergey Yakovlev, Dmitriy Ivanov, Yuriy Novikov, "Zvezda-Strela State Research & Production Center," Military Parade online edition, http://www.milparade.com/1997/19/86-88.htm.] {Entered 4/23/2002 MJ}
Chief Technologist: Viktor Bannikov 
[Aleksandr Grek, "Tsar-klyushka," Fairway online edition, http://www.golf.ru/, 23 February 2000.] {Entered 4/23/2002 MJ}
BACKGROUND:
GNPTs Zvezda-Strela traces its history back to 1942, when the Peoples' Commissariat of the Aviation Industry established Factory No. 455 (which later became the Kaliningrad Machine-Building Plant, and eventually Strela Machine-Building Plant) to produce aircraft armament, such as gun turrets and bomb racks.[1] In 1956 a design bureau, which later became OKB Zvezda, was created on the premises of the Kaliningrad Machine-Building Plant. The first mission of the new bureau was the creation of a guided air-to-ground missile system on the basis of the RS-1-U [NATO designation AA-1 'Alkali'] radar beam-riding air-to-air missile. The resulting radio command-guided missile was designated Kh-23 [AS-7 'Kerry'] and was accepted into Soviet Air Force service in the 1960s. The design bureau continued to perfect the system; these efforts led to the Kh-25 [AS-10 'Karen'] family of short-range air-launched tactical missiles featuring different guidance systems.[2] In 1983 the design bureau began work on the Kh-35 Uran, a lightweight (by Soviet standards) anti-ship missile available in ship-launched [SS-N-25 'Switchblade'] and air-launched [AS-20 'Kayak'] variants.[3,4] (For additional information on these missiles please see the Overview of Missiles Exported by Russia.) Probably the most technologically impressive missile created by Zvezda was the Kh-31 [NATO designation AS-17 'Krypton'] ramjet-powered short-range air-launched cruise missile, available in anti-radar (Kh-31A) and anti-ship (Kh-31P) variants. Weighing 600kg, the Kh-31 is capable of maximum speed in excess of Mach 2, and carrying a 90kg warhead to 50km (Kh-31A) or 100km (Kh-31P). It is in service with the Russian Air Force, where it arms tactical fighters.[4] Overall, the design bureau has created over 30 types and sub-types of air-launched tactical guided missiles.[5]
 
In the late 1980s Zvezda became a separate design bureau, but in the mid-1990s it was re-amalgamated with Strela Machine-Building Plant as GNPTs Zvezda-Strela.[6] Zvezda-Strela may be further reorganized as part of plans to reform the Russian defense industry. In July 2001 Vladimir Putin signed an edict creating the Aviatsionnoye Vooruzheniye corporation, which will include Zvezda-Strela and four other companies (MKB Soyuz, MKB Iskra, PKB Detal, and Avtomatika plant) that have collaborated with Zvezda-Strela for over 20 years in designing and producing air-launched missiles and their components.[7]
Sources:
[1] Sergey Yakovlev, Dmitriy Ivanov, Yuriy Novikov, "Zvezda-Strela State Research & Production Center," Military Parade online edition, http://www.milparade.com/1997/19/86-88.htm.
[2] Nikolay Soyko, Nikolay Yakubovich, "Russkiye molnii pod indeksom Kh," Tekhnika Molodezhi, February 1993; in Aviation.ru Web Site, http://www.aviation.ru/Missiles/tm93-02/index.html.
[3] Aleksandr Shirokorad, "Raketa Kh-35," Istoriya aviatsionnogo vooruzheniya Web Site, http://commi.narod.ru/txt/shirad/328.htm.
[4] Yuriy Zuyenko, Sergey Korostelev, Boyevyye samolety Rossii (Moscow: Elakos, 1994)  pp. 154-155.
[5] "Federalnoye gosudarstvennoye unitarnoye predpriyatiye 'Gosudarstvennyy nauchno-proizvoditelnyy tsentr Zvezda-Strela'," City of Korolev Web Site, http://www.korolev.ru/cp1251/strela.html.
[6] N.N. Soyko, S.M. Vinogradov, "Pervym delom - samolety," Kaliningradskaya pravda, 13 March 2001; in Podmoskovye nastoyashcheye Web Site, http://www.mosoblpress.ru/kalin/
show.shtml?d_id=142&type=article.
[7] "Zavershayetsya formirovaniye korporatsii 'Takticheskoye Vooruzheniye'," Agentstvo voyennykh novostey, 20 June 2001; in East View Universal Database of Russian Military & Security Periodicals, http://online.eastview.com/. {Entered 4/23/2002 MJ}
ACTIVITIES:
Zvezda-Strela has full research, development and production capabilities, including series production. It is working on new types of air-launched missiles evolved from its earlier designs.[1] Zvezda-Strela is one of the corporations authorized to conduct independent export activities,[2] and collaborates with the Russian state arms export company Rosoboroneksport in promoting its products on the international arms market.[3] Its most successful export products are the Kh-35 and Kh-31A/P missiles. The largest foreign customer for Kh-35 missiles is India, which armed several classes of corvettes, frigates, and destroyers with them, and is also considering purchasing the air-launched variant.[4] In early 2001 China was negotiating with Russia for the purchase of the air-launched Kh-35 variant for the Sukhoi Su-30MKK fighters used by China's naval aviation. China also uses the Kh-31P anti-radar missile and has developed a domestic copy of it designated KR-1.[5] Vietnam purchased 32-48 Kh-35 missiles, of which the first 16 were delivered in 1999, for $70 million. Terms of the contract included a 15-year warranty.[6] Kh-35 customers also include Algeria, which purchased the surface-launched variant for use on missile patrol boats.[7]
 
Apart from such "traditional" customers, Zvezda-Strela also had some dealings with the US government. In the mid-to-late 1990s Zvezda-Strela took part in an abortive cooperative venture with McDonnell-Douglas (later Boeing) to produce a supersonic cruise missile target for the US Navy. After an attempt to procure 3M80 Moskit [SS-N-21 "Sunburn"] missiles from NPO Raduga failed due to Russian insistence that missiles could be sold only as part of a deal also involving Sovremennyy-class destroyers, attention turned to Zvezda-Strela's Kh-31 missile which, although much smaller than the Moskit, could replicate the Moskit's speed and low trajectory.[8] The Russian Ministry of Defense (MOD) export control commission permitted Zvezda-Strela to participate in the US Navy competition, and in 1997 the Kh-31 variant MA-31 was declared the winner of the competition, in which four Kh-31 missiles were test-fired at the Point Mugu Naval Air Station in California. The Russian missile's victory led to some criticism of the deal on the grounds that the US government was subsidizing the Russian defense industry. Additional complications were caused by the US desire to extend the range of the missile, which required additional development work.[9] In spite of these complications, the first batch of four missiles that was used up in the testing was followed by a second batch of nine, and Boeing wanted to sign a third, longer-term contract to procure MA-31s in October 1998. Under that contract Boeing would purchase 20-50 missiles a year for five years. Final conversion work, which included installing telemetry and other specialized apparatus, would be done at the Boeing facility in St. Louis.[10] Zvezda-Strela's general director claimed that it could deliver up to 65 Kh-31 missiles per year, if required.[11] The long-term contract never materialized, however. In November 1998 the MOD blocked the deal, after Boeing and Zvezda-Strela reportedly reached a preliminary agreement on supplying 20-30 missiles per year over 10 years, and in spite of the fact that the Kh-31 belonged to "list no. 1," which included military equipment authorized for export, approved by a presidential edict. According to the official MOD position, the military was not against continuing the contract if Boeing were willing to procure a large quantity of missiles, no fewer than 100, in a single batch. The first two small batches, according to the MOD, were not blocked so that Rosvooruzheniye, which was an intermediary in this deal, would not be forced to pay a penalty for breaking the contract.[12] The Zvezda-Strela leadership opposed the MOD decision to cancel the contract. According to Sergey Yakovlev, since 13 missiles have already been sold, the US government had a sufficient amount of missiles to study and copy their technology. Selling additional batches of missiles would not have made the danger of technology leakage greater. Moreover, the Kh-31A is also used by China, and the MOD had no objections to that sale. Finally, Zvezda-Strela argued that missiles supplied to the US did not have the guidance mechanism or warhead, and had a differently shaped nosecone, with different aerodynamic properties, further reducing the danger of technology leakage. Zvezda-Strela also complained that the Russian military has not financed the enterprise, and that it has already faced the danger of bankruptcy twice. It has been forced to finance the development of new missile types out of its own resources.[8] Moreover, the contract specified that Boeing was forbidden from perfecting or copying the missiles, or using them for any other purposes than as target missiles.[13]
 
Apart from missiles, Zvezda-Strela produces medical equipment, automotive equipment aimed at reducing emissions, and environment-friendly construction materials.[1] Other defense conversion attempts undertaken at Zvezda-Strela included an attempt to produce and market Kalinka ironing machines, which proved a failure. After that failure, seven Zvezda-Strela engineers, including General Director Sergey Yakovlev, founded Metal-Park, an enterprise producing metal products, mainly for export. After a failed attempt to market titanium prosthetics and yacht fittings, Metal-Park turned to producing titanium golf clubs, which proved an international success.[14]
Sources:
[1] "Federalnoye gosudarstvennoye unitarnoye predpriyatiye 'Gosudarstvennyy nauchno-proizvoditelnyy tsentr Zvezda-Strela," City of Korolev Web Site, http://www.korolev.ru/cp1251/strela.html.
[2] "Spisok predpriyatiy VPK imeyushchikh prava samostoyatelnogo eksporta proizvodimoy imi produktsii," The Center for Arms Control, Energy and Environmental Studies Web Site, http://www.armscontrol.ru/.
[3] "Zavershayetsya formirovaniya korporatsii 'Takticheskoye Vooruzheniye'," Agentstvo voyennykh novostey, 20 June 2001; in East View Universal Database of Military & Security Periodicals, http://online.eastview.com/.
[4] "India to Acquire 50 more Russian missiles," The Daily Star online edition, http://www.dailystarnews.com/, 5 July 1998.
[5] Yihong Zhang, "China to acquire anti-ship missiles," Jane's Defence Weekly, 28 February 2001; in Lexis Nexis Academic Universe, http://www.lexis-nexis.com.
[6] "Voyenno-tekhnicheskoye sotrudnichestvo Rossii i Vetnama," Nomos-Bank Web Site, http://www.nomos.rgc.ru/, 18 July 2001.
[7] "Postavki Alzhiru raket Kh-35 nachnutsya v sleduyushchim godu," AviaPort.Ru Web Site, http://www.aviaport.ru/, 24 November 1998.
[8] Dmitriy Safonov, "SShA uchatsya sbivat russkiye rakety na russkikh mishenyakh," Kommersant-daily, 24 July 1998; in East View Universal Database of Central Russian Newspapers, http://online.eastview.com/.
[9] Aleksandr Babakin, "Okhota za 'Yakhontom'," Rossiyskaya gazeta, 23 December 1998; in East View Universal Database of Central  Russian Newspapers, http://online.eastview.com/.
[10] N. Novichkov, "'Boing' priobretayet novuyu partiyu rossiyskikh raket," Suvorovskiy natisk, 12 November 1998; in East View Universal Database of Russian Defense & Security Periodicals, http://online.eastview.com/.
[11] "'Zvezda-Strela' stanet partnerom Boeing," Vremya-MN, 16 July 1998; in East View Universal Database of Central Russian Newspapers, http://online.eastview.com/.
[12] Mikhail Kukushkin, "Rossiyskiye rakety ne prodayutsya v roznitsu," Vremya-MN, 30 November 1998; in East View Universal Database of Central Russian Newspapers, http://online.eastview.com/.
[13] "Minoborony ne khochet prodavat misheni amerikantsam" Kommersant-daily, 25 November 1998; in East View Universal Database of Central Russian Newspapers, http://online.eastview.com/.
[14] Aleksandr Grek, "Tsar-klyushka," Fairway online edition, http://www.golf.ru/23 February 2000. {Entered 4/23/2002 MJ}

Page last updated 19 July 2002
For more recent developments, see the Delivery Vehicle Facility Developments file.

Comments or questions? Contact Cristina Chuen at MIIS CNS: Cristina.ChuenATmiis.edu

This material is produced independently for NTI by the Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of and has not been independently verified by NTI or its directors, officers, employees, agents. Copyright © 2003 by MIIS.

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