Kharkov Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau
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| state enterprise | |
| Industry | arms industry |
| Founded | 1927 |
| Headquarters | Kharkiv, Ukraine |
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Key people
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Mikhail Koshkin, Alexander Morozov, notable chief designers |
| Owner | Ukrainian Defense Industry (company) |
| Website | http://www.morozov.com.ua/ |
Kharkiv Morozov Machine Building Design Bureau (Ukrainian: Харківське Конструкторське Бюро з Машинобудування ім. О.О. Морозова, or ХКБМ, KhKBM), often simply called Morozov Design Bureau or abbreviated KMDB, is a state-owned company in Kharkiv, Ukraine, which designs armoured vehicles, including the T-80UD and T-84 main battle tanks, as well as military prime movers. It was responsible for many important Soviet AFVs, including the BT tank series and the T-34, T-54, and T-64 tanks. It is closely associated with the Malyshev Factory.
KMDB started as the Tank Design Team of the Kharkiv Locomotive Factory Komintern (KhPZ, now Malyshev Factory) in 1927, in Kharkiv, Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, and was responsible for the T-12 and T-24 light tanks. In the 1930s, the design team was designated as the independent T2K Tank Design Bureau, and began work on the BT tank series. In 1936 the plant was re-designated "Plant No. 183", and the design bureau "KB-190". The plant also produced small quantities of multi-turreted T-35 tanks, and had a separate design bureau (KB-35) to assist in their development.
In 1937, a separate design bureau was established to build a replacement for the BT tank series, under the supervision of Mikhail Koshkin. Koshkin pushed the boundaries of the specification given to him, and further development led to the T-34, the most-produced and one of the best tanks of World War II. Series production began in June 1940 in Kharkiv, and later in the Stalingrad Tractor Plant and Sormovo Shipbuilding Plant. In the same year, Koshkin died and Alexander Morozov was appointed Chief Designer of the T-34 Main Design Bureau (GKB T-34), a post he would hold for the remaining thirty-six years of his life.
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