OKB

OKB () is a transliteration of the Russian initials for "" (), which translates to "Experimental Design Bureau". It could also mean ("Special Design Bureau" in English). During the Soviet era, OKBs were closed institutions working on design and prototyping of advanced technology, usually for military applications. The corresponding English-language term for such a bureau's activity is "R&D" or "research and development".

For security, each bureau was officially identified only by a number, but semi-official use often referenced the name of each establishment's lead designer. For example, OKB-51, led by Pavel Sukhoi, eventually became known as simply "Sukhoi". Successful and famous bureaus often retained these names after the departure of their founding designer.

After the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, many OKBs became Scientific Production Associations (s). There were some attempts to merge them in the 1990s, and widespread amalgamations took place in 2001–2006 to form "national champion" corporations (such as Almaz-Antey to consolidate surface-to-air missile development).

OKBs in aerospace industry

KB-1 – NPO Almaz, Vitaly Shabanov OKB-1 – Korolev today RSC Energia OKB-1 – Dr. Brunolf Baade disbanded by 1953 OKB-2 – early name of MKB Raduga (OKB-155-2) OKB-3 – Bratukhin OKB-4 – Matus Bisnovat's Design Bureau (different from NPO Molniya) OKB-8 – Novator (long-range SAMs) OKB-19 – Shvetsov, Soloviev. Now: "Perm MKB" OKB-20 – Klimov, Omsk-Motors OKB-21 – Alexeyev OKB-23 – Myasishchev (also OKB-482) OKB-24 – Mikulin OKB-26 – Klimov OKB-39 – Ilyushin OKB-45 – Klimov OKB-47 – Yakovlev originally, transferred to OKB-49 – Beriev OKB-51 – Sukhoi OKB-52 – Chelomei OKB-86 – Bartini OKB-115 – Yakovlev OKB-117 – Klimov, Izotov OKB-120 – Zhdanov (surname) OKB-124 – N/A (cooling systems for Tu-121) OKB-134 – Vympel OKB-140 – N/A (first hydro-alcohol starter-generators for Tu-121) OKB-153 – Antonov OKB-154 – Kosberg, previously OKB-296 OKB-155 – Mikoyan (formerly Mikoyan-Gurevich) OKB-155-2 – (sometimes designated as OKB-2-155) OKB-155 spin-off in Dubna. Gurevich, Berezniak, Isaev... Now MKB Raduga. OKB-156 – Tupolev OKB-165 – Lyulka OKB-207 – Borovkov and Florov (Borovkov-Florov D, Borovkov-Florov I-207) OKB-240 – Yermolaev OKB-246 – OKBM (naval nuclear propulsion) OKB-256 – Tsybin OKB-276 – Kuznetsov OKB-296 – renamed to OKB-154 in 1946 KB Khimavtomatika OKB-300 – Tumansky OKB-301 – Lavochkin OKB-329 – Mil SKB-385 – Makeev OKG-456 – Glushko OKB-458 – Chetverikov OKB-478 – Ivchenko OKB-575 – Kovrov OKB-586 – Yangel OKB-692 – JSC "Khartron" (formerly KB electropriborostroeniya, then NPO "Electropribor") OKB-794 – Leninets OKB-938 – Kamov

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