To talk today in general terms about the increasing role of communication is like discussing how much air or water is needed. It is clear to anyone that modern life cannot be imagined without means of communication. It will just stop. We are also interested in traffic, and accordingly, questions: What is currently being done to develop and improve communication and control systems, and what are the prospects for this most important life-supporting component for the Armed Forces?

Our interlocutor is the Chief of Communications of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation-Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Colonel-General Yuri Mikhailovich ZALOGIN.

Yuri Mikhailovich Zalogin was born in 1944 in Novosibirsk. In 1965, he graduated from the Kemerovo Military School of Communications. During his service, he continued his studies at the Military Academy of Communications (1977) and at the Military Academy of the General Staff (1991). He held command positions from platoon commander to head of the Department - Deputy Chief of Communications of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. By decree of the President of the Russian Federation in 1997, he was appointed Chief of Communications of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. The service's geography includes the Far Eastern Federal District, SibVO, GSVG, and LenVO.

He was awarded the Orders of the Red Star and "For Military Merit". He is married and has two daughters.

"Comrade Colonel-General! Changes in the structures subordinate to you began long before the practical start of the general reform of the Armed Forces. In particular, as far as we know, a public communication system (territorial communication system of the Armed Forces - TSS) has been created for several years. What are its main differences from the current one? What will the TSS implementation bring?

- Until recently, the communications system of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation was a structure whose potential capabilities were not always used effectively enough. Almost no economic factor was taken into account. Take, for example, the fact that in one information direction, in order to ensure the work of each management body, their own or, as they say now, exclusive channels were rented, and satellite and radio communication lines duplicated each other were organized. It is clear that this led to an unjustified expenditure of forces and resources in the communications forces as a whole. For this reason, in the early 90-ies, it was decided to create a public communication system-a territorial communication system of the Armed Forces. Its structure, in short, looks like this. All management bodies allocate part of their existing communication system resource to form the basis of the TSS. Then there is a purposeful and controlled use of this resource in the general interests. At the same time, the possibility of more systematic integrated development and improvement, concentration of forces and means, and increasing the effectiveness of their use increases. Thus, we get an optimized structure of the system and communication forces of the Armed Forces.

I would like to emphasize that the territorial communications system of the Armed Forces, as a public communication system, is being created jointly by the General Staff, branches of the Armed Forces, branches of the armed Forces, special and other troops, and interested ministries and departments under a single plan of the General Staff in close coordination with the general program for the development of the communications industry in Russia.

- Yuri Mikhailovich, in addition to the generally recognized areas of transformation in the Armed Forces, the Department of the Chief of Communications of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation has also developed its own principle - "efficiency, cost, feasibility". Please tell us about its practical implementation.

- In my opinion, the deployment of the Granit-V mobile radio communication system in the interests of the Ministry of Defense deserves attention. It is significant that it uses equipment and software of domestic development. This allows you to exercise full control over the network and eliminates the possibility of access to it "from the outside", violation of the system software. In addition, there is no subscription fee for using radiotelephones. A free schedule is provided. There is no call time limit.

The deployment of Granit-V does not require serious investment in capital construction, as we use existing facilities, communication channels, and the PBX of the Ministry of Defense. In addition, the implemented system allows you to use speech masks.

Currently, more than 650 subscribers of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation have a stable connection in the city of Moscow and a 30-kilometer zone outside the Moscow Ring Road, and mobile radio networks are being created in the interests of formations of the Armed Forces and military districts (fleets). All this will allow you to abandon the services of third-party operators of mobile radio networks, which means that you can significantly save money.

- What are the main stages of reforming the signal forces? What is their content and time frame?

- Specifically, we can talk about long-term development until 2001. In this period of time, we set ourselves the task of ensuring that the operational and technical characteristics of the system, structure, number and deployment of communications troops are as consistent as possible with the command and control system and the structure of the Armed Forces, both in peacetime and in wartime, in conditions of limited resources.

The main measures for reforming the communications system and troops are expected to be carried out in two stages.

Currently, the first stage is being completed, the systems and signal forces have already been reorganized, taking into account the creation of a four-type structure of the Armed Forces, and measures are being taken to reform the signal forces of central subordination.

At the second stage (until 2001), it is planned to complete the transition to the optimal field set of signal troops corresponding to the tasks and structure of the Armed Forces.

- During the Soviet era, about two dozen ministries and departments were engaged in communication systems on the territory of the country. Apparently, this led to duplication, disunity of efforts, and inefficient use of communications. What has changed since then?

- And who told you that a large number of ministries and departments involved in the operation and development of various communication systems is a disadvantage? On the contrary, this is not a disadvantage, but rather a production necessity. Just as it is impossible to give advice for all occasions, so it is impossible to create a communication system that meets all public needs. Another thing is that the operation and development of various systems in the country and in the world should be somehow interconnected. Then there will be no duplication or disunity of efforts, and the efficiency of using communications will significantly increase.

The Russian telecommunications complex, which includes the country's interconnected communications network (VSS) and dedicated communication networks, which include commercial and departmental networks (including those of law enforcement ministries and departments), is being developed in accordance with the general Communications industry development program. Mutual coordination of different systems is also carried out within the framework of the implementation of relevant agreements between ministries and departments.

In the Armed Forces, a lot of work is being done to cooperate with other ministries and departments, especially with the FAPSI, in the development of the communication system and automation of management. In the interests of optimizing the state defense order, ensuring the joint use of the resource of telecommunications systems and information interaction between law enforcement agencies and departments, an Interdepartmental Commission has been established, as a result of which the conditions for the most rational use of funds for maintaining, developing and improving communication systems and control automation should be implemented.

Currently, Russia is systematically entering the Global Information Infrastructure, the main components of which in the XXI century should be powerful digital transport communication networks that unite the countries of the world community, and distributed access networks that provide information and services to users. Therefore, there is a problem of mutual coordination of the development of domestic and foreign communication networks. An important role in this process was played by the International congress "Telecommunications in the aspect of National Security. Prospects for the development of information and telecommunications infrastructure", which was attended by representatives of the Department of the Chief of Communications of the Armed Forces.

- Comrade Colonel-General, do you think that the structural structure of the signal forces is optimal today?

- The structure of the communications system and troops should correspond to the structure and tasks of the control system of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Since in the course of military reform, the structure of the Armed Forces and, accordingly, the management system are changing, the tasks of managing troops (forces) are being clarified, and measures to reform them are also being taken in the signal forces at full speed. I've talked about them before.

- The previous question was asked by me with a long-range view. The fact is that when you meet and talk with participants of the military operations in Chechnya, you come to the conclusion: the management and organization of the communication system during the Chechen campaign, especially at its initial stage, had significant flaws. I understand that this may be a subjective assessment. Nevertheless, Yuri Mikhailovich, I would like to hear your comment on this issue.

- You will probably agree with me that it is impossible to judge a rather large-scale operation by individual evaluation statements. Of course, I can't say that there were no failures at all. There were, of course, omissions. But everything must be approached objectively. I will say this: the signalmen worked well in Chechnya. There were no complaints about us from the leadership of the Ministry of Defense. Another thing is that, to our misfortune, we have a weak technical base at the battalion and regimental levels. Second-and third-generation communications equipment is in service. And this can not, of course, but affect if the enemy is opposed, using the most modern equipment and weapons of Western production. The problem would not be so acute if we had the necessary financial resources in the proper amount. We have advanced developments of the fifth generation, which are not at all inferior to foreign analogues, and in some ways surpass them. The industry is ready for their mass production. It all comes down to one thing - no money. Nevertheless, the process of updating and replacing communications equipment and systems is proceeding slowly.

- Does the Chief of Communications of the Armed Forces have a large "household"? What effect is expected from the implementation of measures to optimize the structure and number of signal troops?

- The communication system of the Russian Armed Forces includes communication systems of the General Staff and other government bodies. Therefore, the duties of the Chief of Communications of the Armed Forces include direct leadership of the central communications forces (ensuring control in the interests of the General Staff of the Armed Forces and the Supreme Command) and operational management of all other components of the communications system, regardless of their subordination.

The Chief of Communications of the Armed Forces directly reports to a large number of fixed nodes, connections, units and communication institutions. Among them are also universities: the Military University of Communications in St. Petersburg with three branches in Ryazan, Ulyanovsk and Kemerovo, and the Military Institute of Communications in Novocherkassk.

To date, the main measures have been taken to reform our structures, and the process of their further optimization is underway. The main effect of implementing measures to reform the communications system and troops will be to ensure sustainable management of the Armed Forces both during the transformation itself and after the formation of a new structure of the Armed Forces. In addition, a groundwork is being formed for creating a qualitatively new look of the communication and control automation system after 2005.

- Yuri Mikhailovich, in the age of computerization, our soldier will never part with telephone coils. While the American soldier already has a portable display. After all, we have advanced theoretical developments, as you have already mentioned. With optimal funding, how long will it take to equip the army with modern means of communication?

- In the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and in other armies of economically developed countries, wired communication will remain one of the main types of communication for a long time to come. Of course, at the same time, technical means of transmitting and processing information are being improved. So, in particular, now fiber-optic cable is widely used.

I must admit that our troops have very little modern communications equipment. The main part of it belongs to the third generation, i.e. we are talking about the development and production of the 70s.

The Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation and the Chief of the General Staff have been keeping the issue of equipping the troops, especially the tactical command line, with modern means of communication under constant strict control for several years.

Today's needs are for each soldier to have personal means of communication, information processing, and navigation. We already use cellular and pager radio communications, small-sized individual radio stations with guaranteed secrecy, masking of speech and data transmission, and high noise immunity. Domestic navigation tools are not inferior to foreign ones in terms of their main characteristics and are also already used in the military. Much is being done to introduce the most modern means of computer technology and data transmission to the troops. Now it has become a reality in the grassroots level of management.

For a long time now, we have refused to spray new equipment on all the Armed Forces and are moving towards re - equipping individual units and formations, first of all-permanent readiness. This gives the greatest effect. We hope that the process will be more intensive with improving the financial support of the Armed Forces.

- Not so long ago, electronic and print media reported on the possible acquisition of the Ministry of Defense of its own TV channel. Judging by the fact that this issue is no longer discussed, the problem has gone "into the shadows"...

"No, no, don't make pessimistic conclusions. The question still remains open. The Ministry of Defense does not hide its desire to get an opportunity for a deep and objective display of the army reality, those acute problems, and not far-fetched ones that a person in uniform has to deal with. So far, the situation looks like this. Under the current conditions, a broadcasting license can be obtained, or rather purchased, essentially on a commercial basis. That is, let's say there are free frequencies, there are those who want to broadcast on them. A contest is being held for them. The winner is the one who has the largest bag of money on his back. It may be somewhat exaggerated, but there is no fundamental discrepancy with the real situation here. Still, it is hoped that the Government will find an opportunity to meet the Ministry of Defense halfway. Much is likely to become clear in the near future.

- 1999 is a special year for signalmen - the anniversary. His starting point was probably the results of combat training in 1998. Did they bring satisfaction? What was not achieved as planned? What are the main landmarks in the year of the 80th anniversary of the signal forces?

- The system of communication and automation of the Armed Forces ' management in 1998 was generally stable and reliable, and the management of troops and negotiations between the leadership of the Ministry of Defense were provided with proper quality and in a timely manner.

In the signal forces of central subordination, the main attention was focused on the preparation of formations and units of constant readiness, their ability to solve suddenly emerging tasks.

At the same time, the results of combat training of formations and communication units are seriously affected by poor supply of material and technical means, especially fuel and lubricants and power sources. Due to the lack of sufficient fuel, tactical and special exercises and exercises are usually held in the territories or near military camps. There is no possibility of conducting exercises with communication troops with the construction of long-distance communication lines. The field training of units and units, as well as the marching training of drivers, is decreasing. Officers, for objective reasons, lose practical skills in organizing, and personnel-in providing communication over long distances.

We plan to focus the main efforts of combat training in the 1999 academic year on improving the level of field training of formations, units, communications units and individual training of military personnel, and to achieve full interchangeability on the scale of a communication node (line) element. Fully master the new equipment entering service. Focus on the creative application of the acquired knowledge, mastery of equipment and weapons, skillful management of units and units, professional training and education of personnel. In general, we will try not to lose face in the dirt, not to lose the glorious traditions.

This year, the signal corps celebrates its 80th anniversary. During this time, they have come a long way in combat, ensuring the management of the Armed Forces in peacetime and wartime, and made a worthy contribution to the victory of our weapons on the fields of the Great Patriotic War. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all veterans, soldiers-signalmen for understanding the importance of the tasks assigned to them and their high-quality performance, despite the very difficult socio-economic situation. I am sure that thanks to hard work, we will reach new heights in combat training and service, military work for the benefit of our Motherland.

The conversation was conducted by Colonel Vladimir SHISHKIN.

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