At 86, Pavel Kamnev, a pivotal figure in Russia’s missile program and scientific director of the Almaz-Antey concern, has passed away
The news arrived through RIA Novosti, citing the appropriate press service. The message confirmed the death of Pavel Kamnev, the scientific director of Almaz-Antey VKO, a Hero of Labor of the Russian Federation. The cause of death was not disclosed publicly.
Almaz-Antey described Kamnev as a central pillar of the domestic military-industrial complex. He played a crucial role in the development of numerous missile systems and led scientific and technical efforts for the creation and modernization of a wide array of weapon systems across the Land Forces, Navy, and Air Force. The group noted that Kamnev contributed to the export of weapons for the nation’s anti-missile and air defense architectures.
Kamnev assumed the role of scientific director at Almaz-Antey in April 2017. The position had been vacant for over a year after the passing of the prior scientific director, Academician Anatoly Savin, in March 2016.
Before reaching that pinnacle, Kamnev led the Novator experimental design bureau. He served as director and general designer of the bureau, which is part of the Almaz-Antey structure. While at Novator, he participated in the development of the Caliber long-range cruise missiles, a program that significantly influenced strategic capabilities.
Kamnev stood out in the Soviet and Russian rocket science community as a renowned designer, earning the title Doctor of Technical Sciences and becoming a Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences. He held a Hero of Labor award and passed through the Moscow Aviation Institute, graduating with honors in 1961 after being born in 1937 in Makhachkala. His early education set the stage for a career that would shape modern missile design.
His professional journey began with a position as a calculation engineer at the MI Kalinin Machine-Building Plant in Sverdlovsk, followed by a move in 1964 to Novator, the design bureau that would anchor the core of his career. Over the years, Kamnev progressed from engineer to team leader, then head of the design bureau, and eventually vice president of the design department and deputy chief designer. In 1991, he was named the first deputy chief designer at the enterprise, and in 1996 he became the general manager and chief designer of the independent design bureau.
Within Novator, Kamnev authored more than 20 inventions that found practical use in various administrative and clerical workflows. He also co-authored over 300 technical and scientific reports, including draft designs, research papers, and test documentation, reflecting a prolific output that informed both policy and practice in defense projects.
Across his career, Kamnev received a suite of honors, including the Order of Honor in 1981 and the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, IV degree in 2007. He was named a Hero of Labor of the Russian Federation in 2016 and won the State Prize of the Russian Federation twice, in 1997 and 2006. He spent the bulk of his life in Yekaterinburg, where his work and influence extended well beyond his immediate roles, shaping regional and national defense research culture.