JSC Konstruktorskoe Buro Priborostroeniya is one of the main enterprises in the field of Russian defense industry, based in Tula. It is engaged in designing high-precision weapon systems for the Army, the VMF and the VKS, as well as anti-air defense systems, high-rate-of-fire cannons and small arms, in addition to civilian products. Its full name goes as "Joint-Stock Company Instrument Design Bureau named after Academic A. G. Shipunov". Its shareholders include High Precision Systems, part of the State Corporation Rostec. The designing of high-precision weaponry is the priority of the KBP. The enterprise designs air-to-ground, ground-to-air and ground-to-ground weaponry. In addition to these, KBP also develops modern autocannons and grenade launchers. It also manufactures automatic, hand-held and under-slung grenade launchers, sniper rifles, submachine guns, pistols and revolvers for the law enforcement agencies.
History
KBP was founded on 1 October, 1927 as an organization at Tula Weapons Factory, engaging in designing small arms. The first major success the organization made was in the Red Armory, where its Tokarev pistol was adopted into use in February 1931. During the Great Patriotic War large successes were made by aviation machineguns such as ShVAK, ShKAS, Berezin UB as well as VYa and Berezin B-20 aviation cannons. Over 80% of the domestic aircraft of the Soviet Air Force were equipped with weapons from the Tula designers.
Post-war years
Activities of the company was restored under the supervision of engineer-gunsmith Igor Dimitriev during the post-war years. KBP designed the PM, APS pistols, the AM-23 cannon, the 23-mm anti-aircraft cannon 2A7 for the Shilka system, the ZU-23 AAA alongside its dual 2A14 cannons in the 1940s and the 1950s. The enterprise began designing guided weapons and high-precision missiles in the 1960s. Works were under the leadership of Arkadiy Shipunov, who was the general designer from 1962 until 2006. The Kornet-E AT missile, the Krasnopol M-2 guided-missile system, the Tunguska and the Pantsir-S1 anti-aircraft cannon-missile systems, in addition to the Kashtan CIWS were designed in this period.
Post-Soviet years
KBP was heavily struck by the drastic reduction in state defence order and the financing of military R&D after 1991. Russia's debt to the KBP reached 20 billion rubles in 1994. Under such conditions the bureau's survival was only possible through the means of export. KBP requested the government of Russia to provide independent military and technical cooperation with foreign countries, and was confirmed and subsequently expanded by an order of the Russian president in 2000. A total of more than 160 designs were made by the KBP up until 1 October, 2012, the 85th anniversary of the founding of the enterprise. By this time the enterprise has integrated over 6500 inventors. The company was included in the sanction list by the USA in June 2014.
