Manufacturer catalog

post-Soviet optical and artillery-instrument industry

The post-Soviet optical and artillery-instrument industry covers former Soviet design and production capacity that continued to supply, overhaul, export, and modernize sighting equipment after 1991. In this catalog it is tied to artillery optics such as the MT-12 sighting suite, where public sources identify a mix of Soviet-origin instruments and current successor-market support rather than one surviving corporate manufacturer.

3 weapons

Soviet artillery sights were made through a distributed optical-mechanical industrial base rather than a single consumer-facing brand. After the Soviet breakup, parts of that base continued under national successor enterprises, state export agencies, and consolidated holdings. Rostec describes its Russian optics sector as a full-cycle producer of optical materials, optical-electronic equipment, laser equipment, night-vision devices, rangefinders, and sights, with Shvabe as the corporation's optics holding.

For catalog use, the most visible connection is the MT-12 Rapira sighting fit: Belspetsvneshtechnika lists the OP4MU-40U optical sight for daytime direct fire, the S71-40 mechanical sight with PG-1M panoramic sight and K-1 collimator for covered-position fire, and the APN-6-40 / 1PN35 night sight for night firing. Current product pages from Opticoelectron also show PG-1M and K-1 type artillery instruments remaining in the export market for guns that use Soviet-pattern sighting equipment.

The Russian successor segment is now highly consolidated. Rostec says Shvabe encompasses several dozen manufacturing facilities and research centers in ten Russian cities, while a Rostec Shvabe release describes Novosibirsk Instrument-Building Plant as a producer of optical aiming devices. Public sanctions data also identifies Novosibirsk Instrument-Making Plant as part of Shvabe and Rostec, illustrating how legacy optical plants can sit inside modern state holding structures.

artillery optical sightspanoramic periscope sightsgunner collimatorsnight-vision sighting equipmentoptical-electronic defense systems

Notable Systems

MT-12 sighting suite, Day, indirect-fire, and night sighting equipment set for the MT-12 anti-tank gun, Support Equipment

MT-12 sighting suite

Day, indirect-fire, and night sighting equipment set for the MT-12 anti-tank gun

The suite groups the OP4MU-40U direct-fire sight, S71-40 mechanical sight, PG-1M panoramic sight, K-1 collimator, and APN-6-40 / 1PN35 night sight listed for the MT-12 Rapira.

Sources: Belspetsvneshtechnika MT-12 Rapira
PG-1M panoramic periscope sight, Panoramic periscope sight for artillery laying, Support Equipment

PG-1M panoramic periscope sight

Panoramic periscope sight for artillery laying

A Soviet-pattern artillery panoramic sight used for laying guns in direct fire and from covered positions, including in the MT-12 sighting chain.

Sources: Opticoelectron PG-1M, Belspetsvneshtechnika MT-12 Rapira
Gunner Collimator K-1, Artillery gunner collimator for sight laying, Support Equipment

Gunner Collimator K-1

Artillery gunner collimator for sight laying

A gunner collimator used with PG-1M-type sights when natural aiming points are unavailable or visibility is limited.

Sources: Opticoelectron K-1, Belspetsvneshtechnika MT-12 Rapira

Manufacturer History

  1. Novosibirsk optical production base established

    RS Trade House's Novosibirsk Instrument-Making Plant profile says the optical plant was finally built in Novosibirsk in 1941 after earlier wartime relocations.

    Sources: RS Trade House NPZ profile

  2. Russian optics assets consolidated under Shvabe precursor

    Rostec's Shvabe release says the holding was founded in 2008 as Optical Systems and Technologies and later renamed Shvabe, bringing major Russian optoelectronic enterprises into a state-owned holding.

    Sources: Rostec Shvabe North America release

  3. Shvabe name adopted

    Rostec states that the holding was known as Optical Systems and Technologies until November 2012, after which Shvabe became the public holding name for Russia's consolidated optics sector.

    Sources: Rostec Shvabe North America release

  4. Novosibirsk plant exports optical aiming devices

    Rostec reported a Shvabe shipment of optical aiming devices and brackets produced by Novosibirsk Instrument-Building Plant for an Italian export customer.

    Sources: Rostec Italy optical sights release

Predecessors
Soviet optical-mechanical and artillery-instrument plants
Successors
Shvabe Holding for the consolidated Russian state-owned optics segmentOther post-Soviet state export and optical-equipment enterprises supporting Soviet-pattern artillery instruments
Website links
Rostec optics sectorBelspetsvneshtechnika MT-12 Rapira catalog pageOpticoelectron artillery accessories

This label describes a distributed industrial base rather than one legal entity. Public sources identify specific plants, holdings, export agencies, and product pages at different points in the Soviet and post-Soviet supply chain; product-level weapon records should be used for narrower attribution when a source names the exact manufacturer.

Manufacturer Sources

  • Rostec optics sectorPublisher: Rostec | Note: Supports Rostec's description of optical materials, optical-electronic and laser equipment, sights, night-vision devices, rangefinders, and Shvabe's role in the Russian optics sector. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • Rostec Shvabe North America releasePublisher: Rostec | Note: Supports Shvabe's 2008 founding, former Optical Systems and Technologies name, Rostec ownership, and scope as a holding for Russian optoelectronic enterprises. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • Rostec Italy optical sights releasePublisher: Rostec | Note: Supports Novosibirsk Instrument-Building Plant production of optical aiming devices and brackets inside the Shvabe holding. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • RS Trade House NPZ profilePublisher: RS Trade House | Note: Supports Novosibirsk Instrument-Making Plant's optical-device focus, history from early optical workshops, 1941 Novosibirsk establishment, and Shvabe/Rostec affiliation. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • Belspetsvneshtechnika MT-12 RapiraPublisher: Belspetsvneshtechnika | Note: Supports the MT-12 sighting equipment list: OP4MU-40U, S71-40 with PG-1M and K-1, and APN-6-40 / 1PN35. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • Opticoelectron PG-1MPublisher: Opticoelectron | Note: Supports PG-1M role, artillery aiming use cases, and optional use with K-1. | Accessed: 2026-07-11
  • Opticoelectron K-1Publisher: Opticoelectron | Note: Supports K-1 gunner collimator role, use with PG-1M and MUM sights, and low-visibility illumination. | Accessed: 2026-07-11

Produced weapons

Category

Support Equipment

Transport, logistics, recovery, command, engineering, and other enabling equipment.

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Gunner Collimator K-1, Artillery gunner collimator for sight laying, Support Equipment2014 Russia-Ukraine WarGunner Collimator K-1Artillery gunner collimator for sight layingBuilt in: Soviet Union / post-Soviet statesThe Gunner Collimator K-1 is an artillery laying accessory used as an artificial aiming reference when normal aiming points are absent, obscured, or unlit. Current product literature ties it to PG-1M and MUM sights, Belspetsvneshtechnika lists it in the MT-12 covered-position sighting arrangement, and Defense Express identified a K-1 in Ukrainian 47th Artillery Brigade photos of a 2S22 Bohdana during the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War.
MT-12 sighting suite, Day, indirect-fire, and night sighting equipment set for the MT-12 anti-tank gun, Support EquipmentMT-12 sighting suiteDay, indirect-fire, and night sighting equipment set for the MT-12 anti-tank gunBuilt in: Soviet Union / post-Soviet statesThe MT-12 sighting suite is the standard aiming-equipment set documented for Rapira guns: an OP4MU-40U day optic for direct fire, an S71-40 mechanical sight with PG-1M panoramic sight and K-1 collimator for covered-position fire, and an APN-6-40 / 1PN35 night sight, with the later MT-12R replacing the conventional night/indirect chain with the 1A31 Ruta radar fire-control path.
PG-1M panoramic periscope sight, Panoramic periscope sight for artillery laying, Support EquipmentPG-1M panoramic periscope sightPanoramic periscope sight for artillery layingBuilt in: Soviet Union / post-Soviet statesThe PG-1M panoramic periscope sight is an artillery aiming instrument used to lay guns in horizontal and vertical planes during direct fire and from covered positions. Product literature describes coarse and precise laying scales, reticle illumination, and optional K-1 collimator use, while system references place PG-1M in sighting fits for weapons such as the MT-12 Rapira, 2S7 Pion, D-30, 2A65 Msta-B, 2S5 Giatsint-S, and BM-21 Grad.