FSUE "SRPE "Bazalt" is one if the oldest defense enterprises in Russia. The group of engineers constituted the basis of the creative team of the enterprise. The design and development of the first items of ammunition got under way in March, 1930. In 1938 by Decree of the Defense Committee of the Council of the Peoples Commissars the State Union Design Bureau No 47 (SUDB-47) was founded.
The Design Bureau was originally organized for design and development of aircraft bombs but due to creative efforts of several generations of top-class specialists it developed into a central cognizant multi-profile research enterprise which is the sole organization in Russia which creates ammunition for Air Force, Land Forces and Navy in accordance with the assigned directions:

- aircraft bombs to be used from army, front-line, long-range and antisubmarine aviation aircraft (1938);
- mortal rounds comprising projectiles of various purposes to be fired from standard mortars of all calibers (1940);
- anti-tank grenade launcher systems (1958);
- offensive and defensive hand grenades (1958);
- anti-saboteur marine grenade launchers (1969);
- rounds for self-propelled and towed artillery systems operating in the mode of mortar-gun (1975).

By the beginning of the Great Patriotic War over 80 versions of aircraft bombs of different calibers and purposes, a range of 50 mm, 82 mm, 107 mm and 120 mm fragmentation, HE antipersonnel, incendiary, smoke and illuminating rounds for smoothbore mortars, as well as practice rounds of all the above-mentioned calibers were developed and introduced into service.

In the war period the Enterprise developed and upgraded 90 versions of aircraft bombs. In addition new aircraft bombs of M-43 and M-44 system were developed respectively in 1943 and 1944. Approximately 30 versions of mortar shells for 50 mm, 82 mm, 107 mm, 120 mm and 160 mm mortars were developed. Among the new developments there were land mines for military engineers and guerrilla troops, two versions of flamethrowers, special devices for guerrilla warfare in the enemy's rear.

The ammunition created by SUDB-47 in the pre-war and war periods featured high performance characteristics, design simplicity and producibility. 616 industrial enterprises were engaged in its manufacturing.

During the Great Patriotic War the industry of the country produced and delivered 48.5 million aircraft bombs weighing about 1 million tons in total, 286.6 million complete mortar rounds which made it possible to cover a maximum of front requirements which was of crucial importance in gaining a victory. Archives records on the war history bear witness to the fact that the most losses in manpower on the Soviet-German front were inflicted due to the use of mortar weapon systems.

In recognition of successful fulfilment of government assignments for new kinds of ammunition development SUDB was among the first to be awarded in April 1944 with the Order of Lenin which was of the most honorary awards of the Soviet Union. A large team of designers, technicians and workers received government prizes.

After the war alongside the works on modernization of the previously developed products and creation of new versions of ammunition (bombs and mortar shells) the Enterprise proceeded to new lines of research and development: development of warheads for air-to-air and ground-to-air missiles, anti-tank grenade launcher complexes, anti-saboteur marine grenade launchers, rounds for self-propelled and towed artillery systems operating in the "mortar-gun" mode.

High research, technical and intellectual potential of the Enterprise team made it possible to organize by a resolution of the Soviet Union Government the Research Engineering Institute (1945) and the Research Institute of Applied Hydromechanics (1969) on the basis of several subdivisions of the Enterprise (with transfer of development projects and partial redeployment of staff).

During the post-war period over 400 items of weaponry (aircraft bombs, warheads for mortar shells, projectiles and close-in weapons) were developed by the Enterprise and put into series production at 228 plants as a result of co-operative industrial activity:

- cluster bomb units loaded with different kinds of submunitions, aircraft bombs to be used from supersonic carrier aircraft, fuel-air explosive and penetrating bombs;
- antitank portable grenade launcher RPG-7 and rounds for it which are highly efficient against current and advanced tanks. This weapon system has been in service for over 40 years with the armed forces of Russia and 40 other countries;
- mortar rounds and new projectile rounds of enhanced performance for 120 mm mortar-artillery gun which incorporates unique design and does not have analogs in the world.

About 700 items of ammunition created by the Enterprise specialists were adopted by the Russian Armed Forces during the years of the organization operations. Over 500 specialists of the Enterprise were awarded with orders and medals for successful fulfilment of Government assignments for new kinds of ammunition development, over 60 specialists won Lenin and State Prizes.

According to foreign sources, the ammunition developed by FSUE "SRPE "Bazalt" is in service with the armed forces of over 40 countries of the world. Production licenses for 61 kinds of ammunition including 20 denominations of aircraft bombs, 28 denominations of close-in anti-tank grenade launcher systems, 13 denominations of mortar rounds have been transferred to 11 countries where about 20 plants for their manufacturing were built.