Two To Tango...

... or, two can play the game. Sanctioning Russia is akin to shooting oneself in the foot. And this is precisely what EU did. Note, the most important part of the modern jet engine are blades, not just fan blades, however important, or cold part blades (compressor), but the blades of the hot part of the engine, that is turbine.

Those are state of the art pieces of very advanced metallurgy. So, when Airbus and Boeing refused to service their aircraft flying in Russia, including engine manufacturers' maintenance  by such corporations as RR, GE or CFM, those nasty Russians did this:

НОВОСИБИРСК, 3 декабря. /ТАСС/. Специалисты Института теоретической и прикладной механики (ИТПМ) СО РАН в Новосибирске разработали технологию восстановления лопаток для двигателей самолетов Airbus и Boeing. Ее начнут применять на Бердском электромеханическом заводе (БЭМЗ) до конца 2024 года, рассказал ТАСС научный руководитель института академик Василий Фомин. По его словам, для решения этой задачи авиакомпания S7 менее, чем за год построила два завода и получила соответствующие разрешения. Между тем председатель СО РАН Валентин Пармон уточнял, что для этого был приобретен БЭМЗ, расположенный под Новосибирском. "Нашу технологию мы должны отдать [БЭМЗу]. <...> Я думаю, что он приступит к [ее использованию] в конце следующего года, если не в середине. <...> Мы уже разобрались, какой материал используется, уже подобрали близкий к этому материалу наш, и российский материал уже напыляем" - сказал Фомин в беседе с ТАСС, отметив, что опытные образцы уже готовы. Технология позволяет восстанавливать обгоревшие и потрескавшиеся лопатки для двигателей самолетов Airbus и Boeing. Это необходимо, так как из-за санкционного давления их обслуживание из-за рубежа затруднено. По словам Фомина, производство лопаток для двигателей в России не предназначено для этих воздушных судов, поэтому было необходимо уделить внимание их восстановлению.

Translation: NOVOSIBIRSK, December 3. /TASS/. Specialists from the Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (ITPM) SB RAS in Novosibirsk have developed a technology for restoring blades for Airbus and Boeing aircraft engines. It will begin to be used at the Berdsk Electromechanical Plant (BEMZ) before the end of 2024, the scientific director of the institute, academician Vasily Fomin, told TASS. According to him, to solve this problem, S7 airline built two factories in less than a year and received the appropriate permits. Meanwhile, Chairman of the SB RAS Valentin Parmon clarified that for this purpose the BEMZ, located near Novosibirsk, was acquired. “We must give our technology to [BEMZ]. <...> I think that he will start [using it] at the end of next year, if not in the middle. <...> We have already figured out what material is being used, already We have selected our material that is close to this, and we are already spraying Russian material,” Fomin said in an interview with TASS, noting that prototypes are already ready. The technology makes it possible to restore burnt and cracked blades for Airbus and Boeing aircraft engines. This is necessary because sanctions pressure makes it difficult to service them from abroad. According to Fomin, the production of engine blades in Russia is not intended for these aircraft, so it was necessary to pay attention to their restoration.

These guys, evidently, forgot who they were sanctioning. A simple logical, causality hint: nation which built half of the International Space Station, serially produces state-of-the-art PD-14 turbofans and flies Su-57s undoubtedly has the expertise and industrial capability to not only maintain critical parts (Tier One Flight Critical level) of foreign aircraft, but if need be reverse-engineer them, not that Russia needs to do that with MC-21 already flying. It is always the same shit with the West--US sabotages composites from MC-21 wing, Russia built a whole new composite industry. 

So, if Russia is evil in Western eyes, then she is extremely good at it.

Microchips.

It is important to continue to laugh even if sometimes it is through tears. 

Here, the mystery of Russian washing machines is finally solved. 

 

Know then, that legendary Vyatka uses Leopard II microchips. This is how Russian economy survives. Now Russian washing machines' industry waits for microchips from Abrams tanks.

Larry From Moscow.

With Judge. I will be talking about these WaPo pieces tomorrow. 

 

A Very Timely...

 ... news about Russia's lithography of 7-28 nm. The prototype has been already created and is working. 

And this:

There are some very important clarifications about this whole 7-28 nm thingy, which even I with my limited knowledge of topology and tech behind it know--above 60% of global microchip usage is still within 65-360 nm range. As article states: 

Добавим, что сегодня большинство микроэлектронных компонентов, которые используются в автомобильной, космической и промышленной сферах находится в пределах технологических норм 65-360 нм. Такие компоненты Россия в состоянии изготавливать самостоятельно, и часть из них у нас уже делают. Но есть и более миниатюрные техпроцессы, по которым, например, делают микропроцессоры (7-28 нм) для мобильных устройств и компьютеров, которые являются настолько ценными ноу-хау, что ими никто не будет делиться даже в отсутствии санкций.

Translation: Let us add that today most microelectronic components that are used in the automotive, space and industrial sectors are within the technological standards of 65-360 nm. Russia is able to produce such components on its own, and some of them are already being made here. But there are also more miniature technical processes, which, for example, are used to make microprocessors (7-28 nm) for mobile devices and computers, which are such valuable know-how that no one will share them even in the absence of sanctions.

And here is the key info which even I knew for years:

1. Russia has this tech and increasingly satisfies her needs, especially in military field, with critical electronics;

2. Russians are not planning to fight for global market, not yet anyway, it is all about what Russia needs in both 65-350 and 7-28 nm ranges. 

For export-oriented and, thus, vulnerable economies this whole notion that Russia cares about her own market first and foremost comes as a surprise. It is one of the reasons for economically illiterate people perceiving Russia as a "gas-station". Some of them still cannot wrap their brains around the fact of Russia outproducing NATO in every single respect of the hi-tech weaponry and machines of dual usage (for military and civilian), which is easily understood once one looks at Russia's production of energy, steel, iron and aluminum. As I am on record--the way Russia built from the scratch her composite industry is also a good indicator. Russia is the world's only near autarky.

Sure, Sure;))

Hm, what do ya know. No shit. 

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. — America’s defense industry is struggling to achieve the kind of speed and responsiveness to stay ahead in a high-tech arms race with competitors such as China, an unreleased draft of a new Pentagon report on the defense industry warns. The first ever National Defense Industrial Strategy, which is set to be released in the coming weeks by Pentagon acquisition chief William LaPlante, is meant to be a comprehensive look at what the Pentagon needs in order to tap into the expertise of small tech firms, while funding and supporting traditional companies to move faster to develop new tech.

Useless, same shit has been drafted 5 years ago. Remember this?

Guess what? Things got even worse since then. But, it doesn't prevent them from declaring:

The document, dated Nov. 27, adds that “just as significantly, the traditional defense contractors in the [defense industrial base] would be challenged to respond to modern conflict at the velocity, scale, and flexibility necessary to meet the dynamic requirements of a major modern conflict.” It notes that America builds the best weapons in the world, but it can’t produce them quickly enough. “This mismatch presents a growing strategic risk as the United States confronts the imperatives of supporting active combat operations … while deterring the larger and more technically advanced pacing threat looming in the Indo-Pacific,” the study says. Speaking at the Reagan National Defense Forum, LaPlante said the strategy will be executed as a “partnership” with industry. For businesses to expand production capacity, they need DOD to be clear about its future purchasing needs for them to invest in new factories and R&D.

I know, I know, this is not a joke, it is a psyop designed to kill as many people in Russia's General Staff and SMO Command Corps from Homeric laughter, or disable them with hernias after they read this. I wonder when Abrams tanks (you know, those "best tanks in the world") will face off with Russians and their armor and VKS. About DoD "plans", with Mr. Austin and his stake in Raytheon, do not expect serious plans, they don't know how it works either in Raytheon or in Pentagon.

It Never Was About Facelift.

Although it came with the territory. Imagine this: take New York, Boston, Chicago, Seattle, SF and throw in places like Cleveland, Columbus, Portland and a few dozens of smaller ones and a few hundreds of large size towns and then literally destroy and deface in each of them at least half of the city, including wiping out industries and infrastructure. Well, in many listed above places this is what already happened. Look at Detroit or New Orleans, with large portions of Chicago. And then give the White House and governors of states where those places are a task and tell them that you have 10-12 years to turn those places into modern, clean, safe and aesthetically pleasing cities, while also solving completely the issues of homeless and putting other social ills under control. We all know, this is not going to happen. 

Putin and his administration inherited a ruin of a country. They knew they had to rebuild practically anew and way better than it was before. Way-way-way better. I posted many similar videos before, this time it is about Kazan--unofficial third capital of Russia and capital of Tatarstan.    

Do not forget, Kazan is a million+ city with enormous industrial plant, including Kazan aircraft plant. Helicopter plant, electronics, oil processing and chemistry plant and the list goes on, and on, and on. But you, of course, all know this plant because of this (it shows in the video for a couple of seconds--monument to Tu-22M). 

And because of that.  

And because of this too. 

Putin industrialization will be standing next to Stalin's industrialization in its scope and scale. In a bizarre twist it was simpler for Stalin because he was building everything from the clean slate and he also hasn't been constrained by humanistic limitations--that was the time, and Stalin was the Man for the job--Stalin created a miracle which defeated Nazism and propelled Russia into space. Putin had to literally wrest most of the country from the hands of criminal groups and their fronts by means of re-nationalizing Russia's strategic assets. Moreover, he did what even Stalin couldn't do in reversing nationalities policies of Bolsheviks, not completely anyway. Putin did--he removed Middle Asian and Caucasus former republics of USSR from Russia's balance and made them facing a reality of independent, from Russia's investments, development. Needless to say, most failed miserably.

Those who have been driving Russians from their newly independent countries back to Russia, today they gather in millions around border checkpoints and immigration services in Russia ready to do any job, the dirtiest ones and low pay. Even this low pay in Russia allows them to support their families at home. Not all of those people are bad, but Russia is tightening controls and will not allow diasporas from all those OTHER "stans" and Caucasus to form and exert the influence. And here is the thing, Tatarstan is a shining example of what people can achieve when working together--it is Kazan and Tatarstan with their wealth, stability and safety who provide not just a shining example but also reproach to those who thought that they can really develop without Russia into something worthy of note. Too late now and if they ever will see any kind of serious integration, they will get mostly service functions away from the strategic industrial engine of Russia. Meanwhile, enjoy the transformation of Kazan. 

Larry Travels;)

Now you all know where;)) 

Normally I try to post a piece everyday. My apologies for missing Saturday. I was on a plane all day and unable to provide my pithy analysis. The good news? I’m at an event with luminaries like Pepe Escobar and Alastair Crooke (just to mention a few). As delightful as these men are on podcasts, they are even better in person.

Here is a hint:

Moscow in winter is gorgeous (well, not only in winter), but it becomes a Christmas and New Year wonderland and snow just adds the ornament.