Conformity Assessment (Certification) as a Key Component of Quality Assurance for Defence Products

The article is devoted to the issues of determining and ensuring the quality of defence products, monitoring compliance with the established requirements, and selecting and implementing a system which is capable of solving compliance issues. Based on the fact that the word ‘quality’ is a philosophical term, and the category ‘product quality’ is a set of its properties that determine the degree of suitability for its intended use, it is determined that quality is compliance with consumer requirements or the level of consumer satisfaction. With regard to defence products, quality is equated with efficiency. The direct use of weapons, military and special equipment and gear in combat is the best test of their effectiveness (quality), namely, verification of their suitability for the intended use. In international practice, the phrase ‘tested in combat’ is a confirmation of the proven quality of weapons, military and special equipment. Before being used in combat, protective equipment must be tested (according to a specific procedure). In addition to testing specific samples of defence products, the ability of the manufacturer to produce products of appropriate quality on a regular basis should be assessed. The choice of an inspection system that can address the quality of defence products is currently relevant.