FSE "Nizhny Tagil Institute of Metal Testing"
- FSE “Nizhny Tagil Institute of Metal Testing” tests artillery armament, ammunition and its component parts:
- land and navy artillery of medium and large caliber;
- ammunition for air-gunnery;
- air bombs;
- unguided rocket missiles;
- ammunition for volley fire jet systems;
- close combat facilities.
- Basic types of tests and defined parameters:
- solidity and functioning of cases;
- ammunition resistance;
- completeness of explosion;
- grouping of shots on locality and on a shield;
- action reliability;
- explosive devises functioning parameters: resetting bounds, abrasion area, sensitivity diagram, abrasion time and self-destruction;
- temporary parameters of ammunition functioning;
- splintering;
- fugacity;
- intra-ballistic characteristics: pressure, initial velocity;
- extra-ballistic characteristics: form-factor, individual function of aerodynamic resistance;
- safety in administrative use and on application; tests by telemetry equipment;
- tests of plates, armored cases elements on shell- and bullet-proof resistance;
- small arms tests.
The history of the testing ground
On October 1, 1939 the gunshot sounded in the suburbs of Nizhny Tagil meant the beginning of fighting activity of Ural artillery testing ground. The testing ground was established in short terms according to the Soviet Government Decree in order to test the quality of ammunition manufactured by Ural and Siberian defense plants. The testing ground importance rose sharply at the period of Great Patriotic War. The products of 182 plants were tested and the ammunition assemblage was carried out.
In post-war period testing ground activity was oriented on further ammunition improvement, cooperation with leading design and scientific institutions in the field of new high-performance armament systems.
In early 60-s the testing ground entered the new qualitative level of its development. It has gained a status of scientific-research organization which was aimed to find the scientific method of ammunition testing and to get a wide spectrum of data about devices performance under the fighting conditions. New perspective lines have appeared in the scientific and technical activity : air tests and special – purpose, testing ground equipment manufacture. For these purposes flight-testing base (1959) and the Special Design Bureau of measuring equipment (1972) were established.
Testing Ground today
The Institute of Testing of Metals celebrated its 65th anniversary in 2004. It is a unique scientific- production and testing complex, specializing in testing of newly developed, upgraded and repetition-produced items of ammunition, armament and military equipment. The testing ground base allows to take ballistic tests of all kinds of repetition-produced and experimental items of artillery and air ammunition, rocket volley fire systems and close combat facilities.
The Institute has a flight-testing base completed with aircrafts and helicopters such as SU – 17, SU – 25, MIG – 29, MI – 8, MI – 24. On this base the testing flights, checking the aviation destruction facilities and component parts effectiveness and reliability, during a period of the research and a repetition work are being held.
During 32 years of Special Design Bureau of measuring equipment existence, more than 96 different highly competitive with their overseas analogues measuring devices were created , put into production and applied on the testing ground.
The Institute services about 90 enterprises of Russian defense industry and the Commonwealth of Independent States. Over the period of 63 years 4711582 experiments were carried out (shooting, blowing up, drops). 3590810 shot sets are collected for the Ministry of Defense purposes.
The total aircrafts run is 24779,5 hours.
The testing ground has 1,5x 50 km battle field with firing positions and landing areas at different distances, facilities of intra-ballistic measuring and measuring out of the trajectory.
The Institute resources allow to demonstrate running characteristics and combat use of a great number of armament, military equipment and ammunition.
Due to advanced measuring base a good self-descriptiveness and validity are insured when the tests are carried out. The Institute has a great experience of military equipment demonstration on the international level.
Today along with ammunition testing NTIMT performs different civil produce: polygraphic products, different electronic everyday equipment and industrial purpose items, communication equipment, transportation of cargoes by automobile and aircraft means as well.
The authority of the branch, the region, the city and adjoining enterprises has appreciated the institute staff performance. Many workers of the Institute have State rewards and medals of VDNH, 7 workers are rewarded with State prize.
11 Ph.D. theses and 1 doctoral thesis were defended on the base of NTIMT materials of work.
FSE "NTIMT" is a unique enterprise
- Testing complex is the most equipped in ammunition manufacture branch;
- A battle field 1,5 x 50 is the largest in this branch service;
- The enterprise has a number of the only one of its kind testing facilities;
- The Special Design Bureau of measuring equipment has performed the scientific technological output, that is unique all over Russia: piezoelectric sensors and crushers for high pressure measuring of gunpowder gases, shockproof ammunition on board radio telemetry, Doppler testing ground radar;
- The Special Design Bureau of measuring equipment is the only organization in Russia which works professionally in the field of creating testing ground measuring systems for ammunition tests;
- Testing ground is situated in the center of region where the great number of armament and ammunition enterprises are located;
There is the best State Armament and Military Equipment Demonstration and Exhibition Center in the world on the territory of the Institute.