take off magazine
DESCRIPTION
Take off magazineTRANSCRIPT
Russian aircraft for India: contracts and deliveries [p.4]
Sukhoi T-50
four prototypesunder trials[p.24]
Ilyushin 476
undergoing tests[p.36]
Sukhoi
Superjet 100
arrives to new customers[p.44]
Antonov An-70
after upgrade[p.40]
ON VIKRAMADITYA[p.12]
february 2013 • Special edition for Aero India 2013
MMiiG-29KG-29K
Dear reader,
You are holding a new issue of the Take-Off magazine, a supplement
to Russian national monthly aerospace magazine VZLET. This issue has
been timed with Aero India 2013 air show to be held in the “capital city”
of India’s aviation – Bangalore.
By tradition, the aerospace show in Bangalore has been attended by
numerous Russian participants and businessmen. Small wonder, since
India has long been among the main partners of our country in the field
of arms trade, specifically, in aerospace sphere.
Russian aircraft have been delivered to India for almost half century.
Since the 1960s, the bulk of the Indian Air Force’s fighter and fighter-
bomber fleets has been made up by MiG and Sukhoi aircraft, with a large
number of the MiG-21 fighters and MiG-27M fighter-bombers were made
by India and a licence production of one of the world’s best fighters, the
Su-30MKI, here in India is now underway and growing up.
Licence production of the Russian combat aircraft is only one of the
signs of the surging cooperation between the two countries. In late
1990s Indo-Russian joint venture BrahMos Aerospace, a developer and
manufacturer of cutting-edge BrahMos supersonic cruise missile system,
launched its operations. Later on, a range of other important agreements
concerning joint aerospace programmes have been signed with the
recent contracts on co-development and co-production of the fifth-
generation Prospective Multirole Fighter (PMF) and Multirole Transport
Aircraft (MTA) by Russian companies and India’s HAL corporation
became the most important among them.
At present, Russia’s MiG Corp. is fulfilling the second contract on
delivering MiG-29K/KUB carrierborne fighters to the Indian Navy to equip
the air wing of the Vikramaditya carrier to be handed over to India later this
year. MiG Corp. is also involved in the programme of upgrading the entire
fleet of IAF MiG-29 fighters, the first delivery took place recently.
Rosoboronexport and Russian Helicopters JSC are now providing
Indian Air Force with Mil Mi-17V-5 multirole medium helicopters (two
contracts for 150 helicopters were signed in 2008 and 2012) and
participate in a tender issued by Indian Defence Ministry for light
multipurpose rotorcraft with Kamov Ka-226T.
All these and some other programmes of Russian-Indian aerospace
cooperation became the main topics of this issue. By tradition, you can find
also here a brief rundown on some other recent news and achievements
of the Russian aerospace industry over past several months.
I wish all the exhibitors and visitors of Aero India 2013 interesting
meetings, useful contacts and lucrative contracts! See you again at next
air shows!
Sincerely,
Andrey Fomin,
Editor-in-Chief,
Take-off magazine
News items for “In Brief” columns are prepared by editorial
staff based on reports of our special correspondents, press
releases of production companies as well as by using information
distributed by ITAR-TASS, ARMS-TASS, Interfax-AVN, RIA Novosti,
RBC news agencies and published at www.aviaport.ru, www.avia.ru,
www.gazeta.ru, www.cosmoworld.ru web sites
The magazine is registered by the Federal Service for supervision of
observation of legislation in the sphere of mass media and protection
of cultural heritage of the Russian Federation. Registration certificate
PI FS77-19017 dated 29 November 2004
© Aeromedia, 2013
P.O. Box 7, Moscow, 125475, RussiaTel. +7 (495) 644-17-33, 798-81-19Fax +7 (495) 644-17-33E-mail: [email protected]
February 2013
Editor-in-Chief Andrey Fomin
Deputy Editor-in-Chief Vladimir Shcherbakov
EditorYevgeny Yerokhin
Columnists Alexander VelovichArtyom Korenyako
Special correspondents Alexey Mikheyev, Victor Drushlyakov,Andrey Zinchuk, Valery Ageyev,Natalya Pechorina, Marina Lystseva,Dmitry Pichugin, Sergey Krivchikov,Sergey Popsuyevich, Piotr Butowski,Alexander Mladenov, Miroslav Gyurosi
Design and pre-press Grigory ButrinMikhail Fomin
Translation Yevgeny Ozhogin
Cover pictureOleg Perov / MiG Corp.
Publisher
Director General Andrey Fomin
Deputy Director GeneralNadezhda Kashirina
Marketing DirectorGeorge Smirnov
Business Development DirectorMikhail Fomin
Special Projects DirectorArtyom Korenyako
Items in the magazine placed on this colour background or supplied
with a note “Commercial” are published on a commercial basis.
Editorial staff does not bear responsibility for the contents of such items.
take-off february 2013 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u2 2
c o n t e n t s
CONTRACTS AND DELIVERIES
IAF ordering 42 Su-30MKI fighters more . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
India to receive 71 Mi-17 helicopters more. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Brazil becoming launch customer for Ka-62 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
First three upgraded MiG-29UPGs delivered to India . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Russian and India launching MTA co-development. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
As many as 25 Indian An-32s upgraded in Kiev . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Ka-226T to be ready for delivery this year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
MiG-29K on Vikramaditya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Phazotron’s radars: Indian aspect
Interview of Phazotron-NIIR Corporation Designer General Yuri Guskov . . . . . . 16
MILITARY AVIATION
Irkut delivers first 15 Yak-130s to RusAF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
First two Su-30SMs delivered to RusAF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
More Su-34 and Su-35S aircraft for RusAF. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
T-50
Four aircraft in flight trials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
To see first means to win
Interview of Tikhomirov-NIIP Director General Yuri Bely . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
INDUSTRY
MC-21 development on schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
PD-14: prototype engine manufacture begins. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Last Tu-154M built? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Be-200: first local production aircraft under assembly in Taganrog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Ilyushin 476 undergoing tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Upgraded An-70 in trials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
COMMERCIAL AVIATION
Angara launches An-148 commercial services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
New aircraft for presidential air detachment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Sukhoi Superjet 100 arrives to new customers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4444
February 2013
16
12
28
24
36
take-off february 2013 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u
c o n t r a c t s a n d d e l i v e r i e s | n e w s
4
On 24 December 2012, during
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s
visit to India, there was the long-
awaited signature of the contract
for delivery of 42 Su-30MKI mul-
tirole supermanoeuvrable fighter
knockdown kits to India. The aircraft
are to be licence-produced at the
manufacturing facilities of Hindustan
Aeronautics Limited (HAL). On
behalf of Russia, Rosoboronexport
Deputy Director General Alexander
Mikheyev signed the contract, with
HAL Chairman R.K. Tyagi and HAL
MiG Complex Managing Director
S. Subrahmanyan signing the con-
tract on behalf of India. According
to the Indian press, the deal’s worth
is estimated at about $1.6 billion.
The Irkut corporation will deliver the
knockdown kits to India.
Today, the Su-30MKI two-seat
supermanoeuvrable multirole fighter
fleet is the trademark of the Indian
Air Force and its most sophisticated
combat planes in service. To date,
the Russia’s Irkut corporation has
supplied IAF with 50 fly-away aircraft
of the type and India’s HAL corpora-
tion has been licence-producing the
Su-30MKI since 2004.
Irkut delivered the first 32
Su-30MKIs under the 1996 contract
to IAF during 2002–2004. Later on,
18 more fighters of the type arrived
in 2008–2009 under a “trade-in” deal
clinched in 2007 as a replacement of
18 Su-30Ks delivered in late 1990s.
The contract with India on
licence production of 140 Sukhoi
Su-30MKIs, AL-31FP thrust vec-
tor control engines and avionics,
including the Tikhomirov-NIIP Bars
phased-array radars, was signed on
28 December 2000. It became the
major deal in the Russian-Indian
cooperation, valued at $3 billion-
plus. The first HAL-assembled
Su-30MKI was accepted by IAF on
28 November 2004.
In 2007, Rosoboronexport and
Irkut, on the one hand, and the
Indian Ministry of Defence and
HAL, on the other, struck a deal
for 40 Su-30MKI knockdown kits
more, with Irkut having completed
the deliveries under the contract
during 2008–10.
HAL Chairman R.K. Tyagi said in
December 2012 that after 42 more
knockdown kits had been ordered,
HAL’s licence-produced Su-30MKI
output would total 222 aircraft, of
which 119 have already been deliv-
ered to IAF. Thus, considering the
ready-made Su-30MKIs delivered by
Irkut, IAF will have a fleet of 272
aircraft of the type in the end.
According to an official HAL
news release, the Russian-Indian
Su-30MKI licence production pro-
gramme involves 157 Indian sub-
contractors. HAL’s MiG Complex in
Nasik handles the manufacture of
Su-30MKI airframes and the final
assembly of the planes. The manu-
facture of AL-31FP engines with the
use of UMPO JSC-supplied compo-
nents is performed by HAL’s plant
in Koraput. The communication gear
and navigation systems are made
in Hyderabad, while the hydraulic,
pneumatic and fuel units in Lucknow
and cockpit MFDs and satnav sys-
tems in Korwa.
Meanwhile, the Su-30MKI pro-
gramme has not been sitting on
its hands, and the fighter being
delivered to India these days differ
from those supplied earlier in the
decade in greater capabilities of the
fire control system owing to lat-
est operating modes and enhanced
characteristics of the avionics suite.
Since the Su-30MKI production and
deliveries will have continued for at
least four to five years more while
their service life will last at least
25 years, further improvement of
the aircraft by means of even more
sophisticated avionics and weapons
comes to the fore. Such priori-
ties now include the arming of the
Indian Su-30MKI fleet with the cut-
ting-edge BrahMos-A long-range
precision-guided multirole air-to-
surface missiles that is under devel-
opment by BrahMos Russian-Indian
joint venture, which has already
delivered missile’s ship-based and
land-based versions to the Indian
Navy and Army.
In addition, the upgrade will
apply to the fighter’s avionics suite.
The current preliminary agreements
stipulate phased upgrade of the
Tikhomirov-NIIP’s Bars phased-
array radar. The first phase of the
upgrade is supposed to boost the
radar’s performance through intro-
duction of additional operating
modes as well as more-capable
computers and software. This is
to maximise the reliance on the
solutions of the existing phased-
array radar already productionised
by India under Russian license.
Phase two of the upgrade is to see
the Bars’s passive phased array
replaced with an active electronical-
ly-scanned array (AESA).
IAF ordering 42 Su-30MKI fighters more
And
rey
Fom
in
Ale
xey
Mik
heye
v
TO SEE FIRSTMEANS TO WIN
V.Tikhomirov Scientific-Research Institute of Instrument Design, JSC 3, Gagarina str., Zhukovsky, Moscow region, 140180, RussiaTel.: +7 (495) 556-23-48 Fax: +7 (495) 721-37-85E-mail: [email protected] www.niip.ru
TO SEE FIRSTTO SEE FIRSTMEANS TO WINMEANS TO WIN
take-off february 2013 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u
c o n t r a c t s a n d d e l i v e r i e s | n e w s
6
Russian helicopter-making hold-
ing company Russian Helicopters has
landed a new lucrative order for Mil
Mi-17 family helicopters from India.
On 24 December 2012, during Russian
President Vladimir Putin’s visit to New
Delhi, the contract for 71 Mi-17V-5
helicopters, of which 59 are earmarked
for the Indian Air force and remain-
ing 12 for the Ministry of the Interior
(including six for the borderguards) was
signed. The value of the deal is estimat-
ed at $1.3 billion. The machines will be
manufactured by the Kazan Helicopters,
a subsidiary of Russian Helicopters. The
delivery is slated for commencement in
2014, after the current 2008 contract
for 80 Mi-17V-5s has been fulfilled.
The deliveries under the 2008 con-
tract kicked of in autumn 2011, and the
Mi-17V-5 entered service with IAF in
a ceremony held on 17 February 2012
at Palam airbase, in New Delhi’s sub-
urbs. By then, as many as two dozen
helicopters of the type had been deliv-
ered. Another batch of Mi-17V-5s was
headed to India in December last year,
with the 2008 contract to be completed
before this year-end.
The Mi-17V-5s intended for India
are manufactured in an improved
version, with due account of extra
customer requirements. They are pow-
ered by advanced Klimov VK-2500
turboshaft engines fitted with FADEC.
The engines feature enhanced power,
which is especially important on oper-
ations in the hot climate and moun-
tainous terrain. The sophisticated
navigation and electronic display suite,
which includes four multifunction dis-
plays in the cockpit and had been
tailored to the Indian version of the
Mi-17V-5, enables the helicopter to
operate round the clock under various
weather conditions.
The Mi-8 and Mi-17 helicopters have
long been in service with IAF and a
number of other users in the coun-
try. The first Kazan Helicopters-built
Mi-8Ts appeared in India more than
three decades ago, having become very
popular in the course of both routine
operation and several armed conflicts.
In 1986, India started taking delivery of
more advanced Mi-17 helicopters pow-
ered by TV3-117MT engines. 53 aircraft
of the type were ordered at the time. In
2000, the Indian Ministry of Defence
ordered another batch of 40 modified
Mi-17-1Vs powered by TV3-117VM
high-altitude engines.
According to the Flight International
weekly, IAF had operated 150 Mi-8 and
Mi-17 helicopters by autumn 2012,
of which 36 were recently delivered
Mi-17V-5s. To date, the latter have
exceeded 50, with the number to be
brought up to 80 by year-end and then
up to almost 140 several years later,
after the new contract has been fulfilled.
Given the gradual writing-off of the
Mi-8T fleet, IAF’s total Mi-17 fleet will
be at least 200 aircraft strong.
India to receive 71 Mi-17 helicopters more
On 14 December 2012, Russian
helicopter-making holding company
Russian Helicopters, a subsidiary of
the Oboronporm company, snagged an
order for seven advanced Kamov Ka-62
multirole transport/passenger helicop-
ters for Brazilian company Atlas Taxi
Aereo to be delivered in 2015–16. The
deal also provides for seven options.
This has been the first order for Ka-62.
The contract was signed during
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff’s
visit to Russia. Under the contract, the
first two Ka-62s shall be delivered to
the Brazilian carrier in the first quarter
of 2015. Four more aircraft are to be
shipped to Brazil before year-end, with
the seventh Ka-62 to be delivered in the
first quarter of 2016.
The Ka-62 is the latest Russian heli-
copter being developed in the 6.5-tonne
takeoff weight class. It is designed for
carriage of 15 passengers or 2,000 t
of cargo (2,500 kg if the cargo is
under-slung). Its powerplant is made
up of two Turbomeca Ardiden 3G tur-
boshaft engines with a takeoff power
of 1,780 hp (1,940 hp in emergency
power rating). The developer and sup-
plier of the powertrain, including the
main and tail gearboxes, is Austrian
company Zoerkler. Russian company
Transas is developing an avionics suite
for the Ka-62 and will be its supplier.
The machine has a glass cockpit, with
the pilot seated in the right seat. Owing
to its spacious comfortable cabin, the
Ka-62 is ideal for corporate and pas-
senger services and special operations.
The flight tests of Ka-62 prototypes
are slated for beginning as soon as this
year, and by 2015, Russian Helicopters is
going to have the helicopter certificated
for operation by foreign users, including
Brazil. Under the contract awarded by
Atlas Taxi Aereo, Russian Helicopters,
in conjunction with its regional partners,
will take part in setting up an after-sales
helicopter maintenance centre in Brazil.
The Atlas Taxi Aereo company has
been operating Russian-made medium
multirole helicopters already, having
taken delivery of two Brazil-certificated
Mi-171A1s in 2011. The Mi-171A1 had
come up on top in a tender held by
Brazilian national oil producer Petrobras.
Russian helicopters are in service
with the Brazilian Air Force as well.
In 2008, Rosoboronexport JSC and
the Brazilian Defence Ministry made
a deal on the delivery of 12 Mi-35M
multirole attack helicopters. The first
six machines were delivered during
2009–10. Three more Mi-35Ms were
shipped to Brazil in August last year.
The Mi-35M has been the first Russian
combat aircraft in service with the
Brazilian Air Force.
Rus
sian
Hel
icop
ters
Rus
sian
Hel
icop
ters
Brazil becoming launch customer for Ka-62
take-off february 2013 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u
c o n t r a c t s a n d d e l i v e r i e s | n e w s
8
In December 2012, MiG Corp.
delivered to IAF the first three
upgraded MiG-29 fighters – two
single-seat MiG-29UPGs and a
MiG-29UB UPG two-seater. They
were airlifted to the customer by
an Antonov An-124 Ruslan heavy
transport.
The MiG Corp. has been imple-
menting the MiG-29UPG pro-
gramme under the contract signed
on 7 March 2008 for integrat-
ed upgrade of the whole of the
MIG-29 fleet of the Indian Air
Force. In all, 62 aircraft, including
nine MiG-29UB two-seat combat
trainers, are subject to upgrade.
They are to be given more up-
to-date avionics, with their weap-
ons suite to be beefed up with
advanced missiles. In addition,
airframe and powerplant improve-
ments will extend the fighters’
service life by far, and the aircraft
will switch to on-condition mainte-
nance. The fuel load will increase
owing to a conformal spine fuel
tank aft of the cockpit. At the same
time, the fighters will get the mid-
air refuelling capability.
Overall, the concept of upgrad-
ing the IAF MiG-29s corresponds
to that of the MiG-29SMT that has
been in service with the Russian
Air Force since 2009 and mastered
by Russian pilots. At the same time,
there will be a high degree of avion-
ics and weapons commonality with
the MiG-29K/KUB carrierborne
fighters that entered service with
the Indian Navy on 19 February
2010. At the customer’s request,
systems from various foreign
manufacturers are integrated with
the avionics suite of the upgraded
MiG-29UPG (the so-called inter-
national avionics suite). Similar
experience has been gained from
the fulfilling of the Russian-Indian
contracts for upgrade of the IAF’s
MiG-21bis to MiG-21UPG Bison
standard and for development and
manufacture of the Su-30MKI and
MiG-29K/KUB fighters. The expe-
rience has showed itself to good
advantage.
The upgraded MiG-29UPG’s fire
control system is wrapped around
the advanced Phazotron-NIIR
Zhuk-M2E slotted-array radar and
OLS-UEM IRST with the laser,
thermal-imager and TV capabili-
ties from the Precise Instrument
Systems Scientific and Production
Corporation (NPK SPP). The same
radar and IRST fit the MiG-29K/KUB.
The cockpit management system
is based on colour multifunction
liquid-crystal displays. The inter-
national segment of the avionics
suite includes a helmet-mounted
target designator from Thales, an
inertial/satellite navigation system
from Sagem, an Indian electronic
intelligence system and an Israeli
electronic countermeasures sys-
tem (the same gear equips the
MiG-29K/KUB).
In addition to the conformal
fuel cell behind the cockpit and
the mid-air refuelling boom on
the portside, visual differences
between the MiG-29UPG and
the baseline MiG-29 include the
underwing chaff/flare dispens-
ers from Bharat Electronics and
advanced antennae of the defence
aids suite under wign and in the
root of the right fin.
The basic weapons carried by
the MIG-29UPG are the same as
those carried by the MiG-29SMT
and MiG-29K/KUB. Unlike the
weapons suite of production
MiG-29s, they also include the
RVV-AE medium-range active
radar homing air-to-air missiles
and such precision-guided air-to-
surface weapons, as the Kh-29T
general-purpose TV-homing mis-
sile, Kh-31A active radar homing
antiship missile, Kh-31P passive
radar homing antiradation missile,
KAB-500Kr TV-homing bombs, etc.
The MiG-29 has been in IAF’s
inventory since 1987. Overall,
80 aircraft of the type had been
delivered from the later 1980s to
the mid-‘90s, including about 70
MiG-29 singleseaters (version B,
or MiG-29B) and 10 MiG-29UB
twinseaters.
Under the contract, the first
six IAF MIG-29s (four singleseat-
ers and two twinseaters) were
upgraded and tested in Russia,
where they arrived from India in
2008. The first MiG-29UPG made
its maiden flight after upgrade in
Zhukovski on 4 February 2010.
Upon completion of the tests, the
first two upgraded MiG-29UPGs
and a MiG-29UB UPG were
returned to the customer early
in December 2012. Three more
aircraft are slated for delivery this
spring. The remaining 56 aircraft
will be upgraded in India at the
production facilities of the IAF’s
11th Repair Base, using knock-
down kits supplied from Russia.V
icto
r D
rush
lyak
ov
First three upgraded MiG-29UPGs delivered to India
MiG
Cor
p.
take-off february 2013 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u
c o n t r a c t s a n d d e l i v e r i e s | n e w s
10
A group of 31 design engineers
with Indian corporation HAL came to
Moscow on 4 December 2012 for the
joint work under the MTA advanced
multirole transport aircraft develop-
ment programme. The co-designing
of the MTA has been under way at a
UAC – Transport Aircraft facility in
Moscow, with the core of the design
team being a group of designers with
Russian airframer Ilyushin.
The contract for the first phase of
the development of the MTA medi-
um multirole transport aircraft was
signed in New Delhi on 12 October
2012 by UAC – Transport Aircraft
(UAC-TA), Hindustan Aeronautics
Ltd. (HAL) and Russian-Indian joint
venture Multirole Transport Aircraft
Ltd. (MTAL). MTAL Director General
N.K. Agarval signed the contract on
the part of the customer, and UAC-TA
Director General Sergei Velmozhkin
and HAL Director T. Suvarna Raju on
the part of the contractor companies.
The contract officially launched
the design work under the require-
ments specifications approved by the
defence ministry of the two countries
and kicked off the financing of the
work. As is known, Russia and India
signed an intergovernmental agree-
ment on the MTA programme in 2007
and an agreement on setting up the
MTAL joint venture to develop and
produce the MTA on 9 September
2010. The parties were going to invest
$300 million into the programme each
and launch the airlifter’s production in
Russia and India, with the output to
stand at 205 aircraft at least.
According to UAC’s official website,
the MTA medium transport aircraft
will be capable of hauling up to 20 t of
cargo or 140 troops (90 paratroops in
case of an airdrop), or 80 casualties.
Its maximum takeoff weight will be
68 t, its range with a 20-t payload
will measure 2,000 km and that with
a 12-t payload – 4,700 km. Ferry
range will account for 7,300 km with
a full fuel load of 25 t. MTA’s cruising
speed is estimated at 800 km/h while
its run and roll at 1,050 m. The crew
of three (pilot, co-pilot and navigator
with the flight mechanic as an option)
will be able to operate the aircraft
from paved or unpaved airfields sit-
ting at sea level up to 3,300 m. The
powerplant is supposed to include
two new-generation PD-14M turbo-
fans with a takeoff thrust of 15,600
kgf. The cargo hold’s lateral cross
section will measure 3.45x3.4 m and
its length will be 14 m.
The MTA is expected to conduct
its maiden flight in 2017, with its
full-scale production slated for 2019.
Vas
ily K
oba
Vas
ily K
oba
Russian and India launching MTA co-development
January 2013 has seen the com-
pletion of the overhaul and upgrade
of the 25th Indian An-32 airlifter
(serial K2694) in Kiev. The air-
craft is the last one in the fifth
group of planes that had arrived to
Ukraine from India under the con-
tract made by the Indian Defence
Ministry and Ukrainian governmen-
tal arms exporter Spetstekhexport
on 15 June 2009. 105 Indian Air
Force An-32s are to be overhauled
and upgraded in all, with the first
40 of them being handled by the
Kiev-based government-owned
410th Civil Aviation Plant in con-
junction with the Antonov govern-
ment-owned company and Motor
Sich joint stock company and the
remaining 65 to be subjected to the
same overhaul and upgrade at IAF’s
aircraft repair plant in Kanpur.
The overhaul and upgrade of the
An-32s in question is to extend
their service life with IAF by 15
years at the least. The upgrade
programme approved by the parties
stipulates for fitting the An-32s with
about 25 advanced systems from
Ukrainian and foreign manufactur-
ers. The upgraded aircraft shall be
designated as An-32RE (RE stands
for ‘re-equipped’).
The first five IAF An-32s arrived
in Kiev for upgrade on 4 March
2010. The first upgraded aircraft
was rolled out in a ceremony on 27
August of the same year, and the
whole of the first five-ship batch
returned to India in May 2011.
Four months later, in September
2011, IAF received five upgraded
An-32REs more. They had been
brought to Kiev in July 2010.
The handover of the third five-air-
craft batch of upgraded An-32s took
place on 12 March 2012, and on 4
October 2012, the Ukraine delivered
the fourth batch of five upgraded
An-32RE airlifters to IAF. Thus, IAF
had had as many as 20 An-32RE air-
lifters by this year, and the number
shall increase to 25 in the near future
with the delivery of the fifth five-ship
batch overhauled and upgraded in
Kiev since May of last year.
Meanwhile, work is under way
on another portion of IAF An-32s.
Another five aircraft came in from
India in September 2012, with the
next batch slated to arrive in January.
This leaves only the last five An-32s
to be upgraded in Ukraine under the
contract, after which the remaining 65
planes will be upgraded to An-32RE
standard by the Indians themselves.
And
rey
Fom
in
As many as 25 Indian An-32s upgraded in Kiev
11 take-off february 2013w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u
c o n t r a c t s a n d d e l i v e r i e s | n e w s
The Russian Helicopters holding
company is completing the certifica-
tion tests of the upgraded Kamov
Ka-226T light multipurpose coaxial
helicopter. Production of the Allison
250-C20B-powered baseline Ka-226
version is under way at Kumertau
Aircraft Production Enterprise,
Russian Helicopters holding compa-
ny subsidiary, and Strela Production
Association in Orenburg since 2000.
The plant in Kumertau has spe-
cialised mostly in fulfilling orders
awarded by Russian uniformed
agencies, e.g. the Ministry of Interior
and Federal Security Service Aviation
Department. For instance, Russian
police special-purpose air detach-
ments have taken delivery of 12
helicopters of the type, with the 12th
aircraft brought to the Krasnodar
Region in late December 2012.
The company in Orenburg has had
orders awarded by the Gazpromavia
company and Russian Emergencies
Ministry. In addition, Strela delivered
two Ka-226s in 2008, which are
operated in the flying ambulance role
in the Orenburg Region.
In March 2012 the Russian Air
Force took delivery of KumAPE-built
Ka-226s, with five aircraft brought to
Syzran Air Force flying school (affili-
ate of the Air Force Military Training
and Scientific Centre). Next five
Ka-226s followed them last sum-
mer. In all, the Defence Ministry is
intent on receiving about 16 aircraft
of the type by year-end 2013 and
using them for training pilots for
Ka-52 combat helicopters. Longer-
term plans provide for delivery of 40
Ka-226s prior to 2020.
The future of the Ka-226 hing-
es on the production launch of
the Ka-226T version powered by
Turbomeca Arrius 2G1 engines that
features a better power-to-weight
capability and can operate at a high-
er altitude. Two Ka-226T prototypes
have been in flight trials since 2009.
In the 1st quarter of 2013, a
supplement type certificate is to be
obtained based on the outcome of
the certification tests, and then the
Ka-226T will be ready for deliv-
ery. The full-rate production of
the Ka-226T is being launched by
the Kumertau Aircraft Production
Enterprise.
Last summer, the Russian
Emergencies Ministry became the
launch customer for the Ka-226T,
having ordered two aircraft of the
type in the medevac version. In all,
the ministry is going to receive 16
Ka-226T helicopters in the com-
ing years. About 10 Ka-226TM
shipborne helicopters designed
for border guard ships may well
be fielded with the Russian Border
Guard later in the decade. The
Defence Ministry, Ministry of the
Interior and Gazpromavia have
plans to switch from the Ka-226s
they are receiving now to the
Ka-226T.
Russian Helicopters pins its
hopes on a potential lucrative
Indian order as well. The holding
company with its Ka-226T is bid-
ding on the contract for the replace-
ment to IAF’s and Army Aviation’s
obsolete Cheetah and Chetak heli-
copters with advanced light multi-
role machines. The Indian Ministry
of Defence launched the competi-
tion in 2008.
Indian Defence Minister
A.K. Antony officially stated his deci-
sion on issue a new helicopter ten-
der in April 2008, several months
after the $600 million programme
on buying and licence-producing
197 Eurocopter AS550C3 helicop-
ters for the Indian Army Aviation
had been cancelled in December
2007. Requests for proposals were
issued to Eurocopter, Bell Textron,
AgustaWestland and Kamov. A con-
siderable number of the 197 heli-
copters ordered is to be licence-
produced by HAL.
The Russian Helicopters with its
Kamov Ka-226T and Eurocopter
with its AS550C3 are on the ten-
der’s shortlist. According to a
number of experts, the Russian
offer is facing good chances to
come up on top. The Ka-226T’s
flight tests conducted in India have
highlighted the unique capabili-
ties of the helicopter, especially in
‘high and hot’ operations. The out-
come of the tender is expected to
be announced this year.
Ka-226T to be ready for delivery this year
Ale
xey
Mik
heye
v
Rus
lan
Den
isov
The Russian-Indian deal for conversion of
the Project 1143.4 Admiral Gorshkov heavy
aircraft-carrying cruiser into the Project 11430
aircraft carrier designated as Vikramaditya
was made in January 2004. At the same time,
MiG Corp. landed an order for development
of the upgraded MiG-29K multirole fighter
and MiG-29KUB combat trainer and delivery
of the first batch of 16 aircraft to the air arm of
the Indian Navy, with the aircraft to join the
Vikramaditya’s carrier air wing.
The flight tests of the MiG-29K (side number
941) and MiG-29KUB (side number 947) pro-
totypes began in 2007, with the first production
fighter taken to air in March 2008. To prove
the MiG-29K/KUB were fit for operations
from ski jump ramp and arrestor gear-equipped
carriers, MiG Corp.’s test pilots Pavel Vlasov,
Nikolay Diorditsa and Mikhail Belyayev con-
ducted in late September 2009 the first deck
landings on and takeoffs from the Russian Navy
Northern Fleet’s Admiral Kuznetsov carrier,
using a MiG-29K prototype and a production
MiG-29KUB. During 2009–11, the first batch
of 16 production-standard MiG-29K/KUBs
was delivered to the customer, with the aircraft
based at a land-based airfield in Goa state
in anticipation of the Vikramaditya’s arrival
in India. Last summer, MiG Corp. launched
production of the next MiG-29K/KUB batch
for the Indian Navy under a new order for 29
more aircraft of the type, placed in March 2010.
The ceremony of the MiG-29K/KUB’s entry
into service with the Indian Navy took place
here on 19 February 2010. Less than a month
after the solemn event, on 12 March 2010, the
29 options for more MiG-29K/KUB fighters
firmed up. MiG’s plants started manufacturing
the first aircraft under the second contract in
summer 2011.
The Severodvinsk-based Sevmash shipyard
had completed the Admiral Gorshkov cruiser’s
reconstruction into the Vikramaditya aircraft
carrier by the summer of this year. On 8 June
2012, the new carrier headed for high seas for
her running trials, during which she was to
check not only all of her onboard systems, but
also aircraft operation support equipment, e.g.
the optical landing system, arrestor gear, release
bars, etc.
First, Su-33 fighters of the Northern Fleet’s
shipborne fighter air regiment had been used for
testing flight operations from the Vikramaditya.
Defence Ministry Main Flight Test Centre test
pilot Hero of Russia Col. Oleg Mutovin per-
formed a series of landing approach simula-
tions on a Su-33 without touching the deck
to test the ship’s radio technical and optical
In December 2012, the MiG Russian Aircraft Corporation delivered another four
MiG-29K/KUB multirole carrierborne fighters to the Indian Navy, thus launching the
deliveries under the second Indian MoD contract for aircraft of the type. In 2009–11,
as many as 16 MiG-29K/KUB fighters were delivered under the 2004 contract provid-
ing for 29 options. In March 2010, the options firmed up into a firm contract, and the
delivery kicked off late last year. Thus, the air arm of the Indian Navy has operated
as many as 20 MiG-29K/KUB fighters to date, with the number to be brought to 45 by
the middle of the decade. The fighters will be part of the air groups to be deployed
on the Vikramaditya aircraft carrier being modified, upgraded and tested in Russia
and on future Indian indigenous aircraft carriers.
MiG-29KMiG-29KON VIKRAMADITYAON VIKRAMADITYA
w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u12 take-off february 2013
c o n t r a c t s a n d d e l i v e r i e s | r e p o r t
systems in early July. The carrierborne fighter
air regiment commanding officer, Col. Yevgeny
Kuznetsov, and Main Flight Test Centre test
pilot Maj. Dmitry Demenev performed several
flights around the Vikramaditya on their Su-33s,
during which the operation of her radar systems
was evaluated.
Then two MiG jets were ferried from Moscow
to Severomorsk – the production-standard
MiG-29KUB (side number 204) two-seater on
11 July and the MiG-29K (side number 941)
single-seat prototype on 21 July.
In mid-July, MiG Corp.’s Honoured Test
Pilot, Hero of Russia Nikolay Diorditsa, and
Chief of Flight Operation/MiG Corp. Flight Test
Centre Senior Test Pilot Mikhail Belyayev start-
ed practicing landing approaches on the MiG-
29KUB (side number 204) to the Vikramaditya.
On 17 July, the landing gear of their MiG touched
the deck of the carrier for the first time in a series
of touch-and-go landing approaches. Col. Oleg
Mutovin flew his single-seat MiG-29K (side
number 941) in a series of similar approaches,
albeit without touching down, too.
Early on a Saturday morning of 28 July,
preparation of the MiG-29KUB for a full-
fledged landing on the carrier kicked off at
the airfield in Severomorsk. MiG Corp.’s
chief test pilot Mikhail Belyayev got into
the front seat and Hero of Russia Nikolay
Diorditsa took the back seat. As soon as
09.18, the aircraft was on deck, with the
first deck landing having been smooth.
The MiG-29KUB’s first takeoff from the
Vikramaditya’s ski jump ramp was conducted
by Belyayev and Diorditsa at 13.20 on the
same day, followed by another deck land-
ing 40 minutes later. After that, the fighter
remained on deck, for the Vikramaditya
participated in the Navy Day naval parade in
Severomorsk on the next day.
On the holiday, as many as two fighters were
sitting on deck, one being the MiG-29KUB
(side number 204), which had landed the day
before, and the MiG-29K (side number 311),
which had been brought up from the hangar
deck (No. 311 is the prototype made in 1988,
operated as far back as on the Tbilisi in 1989–91
and now used on board the Vikramaditya as a
dimensional and weight mock-up). In addition,
two helicopter mock-ups – those of the Kamov
Ka-27 and Ka-31 – were rolled out onto deck.
Two aircraft carriers participated in the naval
parade in Severomorsk – the Northern Fleet’s
Admiral Kuznetsov took part in addition to the
Vikramaditya. She is expected to start receiving
its MiG-29K/KUB fighters this year, with the
aircraft recently ordered by the Russian Navy.
The contract made by MiG Corp. and the
Russian Defence Minister in February 2012
stipulates for delivery of 24 advanced MiGs to
the air arm of the Russian Navy during 2013–
15 including 20 MiG-29K singleseaters and
four MiG-29KUB twinseaters. The first two
Defence Ministry-ordered aircraft are planned
for production as soon as early this year. They
are to launch their official test programme in
2013 and be joined by two more later this year.
10 aircraft will be delivered annually in 2014–
15. Thus, the Kuznetsov’s air wing will have not
only the Su-33 fighters it had included since the
‘90s, but advanced multirole MiG-29K/KUBs
as well.
The Admiral Kuznetsov carrier, Russia’s only
aircraft-carrying ship, will have remained in
service with the Russian Navy until the end of
the decade at the least. “There is an upgrade
programme for her to be completed prior to
Ole
g F
ilono
k
MiG-29KON VIKRAMADITYA Viktor ANDREYEV
Photos provided by RSK MiG Corp.
Vikramaditya aircraft carrier with MiG-29KUB fighter as well as Ka-27 and Ka-31 helicopters onboard during celebrations of Russian Navy Day. Severomorsk, 29 July 2012
Mikhail Belyayev, RSK MiG’s chief test pilot (forward seat) and Hero of Russia Nikolay Diorditsa (back seat) preparing for MiG-29KUB’s first deck landingon Vikramaditya. Severomorsk, 28 July 2012
c o n t r a c t s a n d d e l i v e r i e s | r e p o r t
13 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u take-off february 2013
2020. Under the programme, the carrier is to be
furnished with advanced aircraft – MiG-29s”,
Russian Navy Commander Vice-Adm. Victor
Chirkov had said on the eve of the Navy Day in
July 2012. He added that the Navy planned con-
struction of new aircraft-carrying ships. “The
design bureaux have been tasked with designing
an advanced aircraft carrier. Money has been
disbursed to pay for the work”, Vice-Adm.
Chirkov said.
Meanwhile, the sea trials of the Vikramaditya
carried on. On 6 August, Oleg Mutovin per-
formed a landing of the MiG-29K carrying
a payload simulated by mock-ups of air-to-
air missiles. On 21 August, a high-ranking
Indian delegation, which arrived to the ship,
was demonstrated consecutive landings of both
MiGs, one carrying air-to-air missiles and the
other antiship missiles. They were followed by
Ka-27PS and Ka-31 helicopters.
During the Vikramaditya’s running tri-
als, MiG Corp.’s test pilots Andrey Shishov
and Sergey Rybnikov and Main Flight Test
Centre test pilot Dmitry Demenev per-
formed their first deck landings on their
MiG-29KUB and MiG-29K in addition to
Nikolay Diorditsa, Mikhail Belyayev and
Oleg Mutovin. During the trials, maximum
range flights were conducted off the ship in
late August to gauge the operation of the
MiG-29K’s navigation system, followed by
flights of the MiG-29KUB in the tanker
plane configuration with four drop tanks and
a detachable refuelling unit.
The first stage of the sea trials of the
Vikramaditya aircraft carrier, which had lasted
108 days, was over on 23 September 2012.
A key result produced by the tests was the
practical training of the operation of advanced
MiG-29K/KUB multirole carrierborne fighters
from the carrier.
In all, the two MiGs had logged 41 takeoffs
from and landings on the Vikramaditya over less
then two months. In addition, they had con-
ducted numerous touch-and-go landings. 70%
of the landings included snagging the second
arrestor cable (this way of landing is regarded as
the optimal one). This proves both the profes-
sionalism of Russian test pilots and efficient
operation of the aircraft and ship-based landing
support systems.
After the improvements are made by
Sevmash, the ship will put out to sea for the final
phase of the trials this spring, the ice conditions
permitting. The final phase of the carrier trials
of the MiG-29K/KUB is planned for the same
timeframe, night flights in particular. That done,
the ship will be ready for delivery and will be able
to set off for India’s shores.
Thus, Indian pilots will be able to start flying
their MiG-29K/KUBs from the Vikramaditya
cleaving the water of the Indian Ocean as soon
as this year.
MiG-29K with air-to-air missiles load and MiG-29KUBonboard Vikramaditya carrier, 3 August 2012
Participants of the trials after the first MiG-29KUB deck landing, 28 July 2012
c o n t r a c t s a n d d e l i v e r i e s | r e p o r t
w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u14 take-off february 2013
Sergey Korotkov, RSK MiG Director General, in MiG-29KUB cockpit
Mikhail Belyayev, RSK MiG’s chief test pilot (left) and Sergey Korotkov, RSK MiG Director General (right), after their landing in MiG-29KUB on Vikramaditya carrier, 12 September 2012
MiG-29KUB starts from Vikramaditya’s deck for the first time, 28 July 2012
c o n t r a c t s a n d d e l i v e r i e s | r e p o r t
15 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u take-off february 2013
Mr. Guskov, what was the beginning of today’s active cooperation between the Phazotron-NIIR corporation and its Indian customers?
MiG fighters fitted with Phazotron-
developed radars have been in IAF’s inven-
tory for more than 40 years now. First came
the MiG-21M equipped with the Sapfir-21
radar in the early ‘70s, followed in 1977
by the more sophisticated MiG-21bis sup-
plied by the Soviet Union. Numerous air-
craft of the type were licence-produced
in India, e.g. HAL’s plant in Nashik ran
the MiG-21M licence production from
1973 to 1981 and the licence production of
the MiG-21bis from 1983 to 1987, having
built about 200 and 220 aircraft respec-
tively. In addition, IAF took delivery of 45
MiG-23MF fighters fitted with Phazotron’s
Sapfir-23 radars in 1982, and 1986 saw the
commencement of the deliveries of the
fourth-generation MiG-29 fighter furnished
with the our N019 radar, with India being
the first foreign country to get the then-
advanced Soviet fighters of the type.
By the mid-‘90s, IAF had operated a
fleet of around 300 MiG-21s, mostly in
the MiG-21bis version. Despite its produc-
tion in India having been completed only
in 1987, the MiG-21, which dates back
to the ‘50s, had been unable to stand its
ground against up-to-date fighters by the
kick-off of the new millennium. At the
same time, the MiG-21 fleet could remain
in service with IAF for a long time in terms
of the airframe service life. In this con-
nection, MiG Corp. in 1993 worked out a
MiG-21bis upgrade programme providing
for fitting the fighter with the advanced
Phazotron-NIIR’s Kopyo slotted array
radar, introduction of advanced missiles
used by Russian fourth-generation fight-
ers (RVV-AE and R-73E air-to-air mis-
siles, KAB-500Kr smart bombs, etc.) and
improved navigation, communication and
other equipment. The programme dubbed
MiG-21-93 was supported by IAF com-
mand, and a contract for the upgrade of
125 IAF MiG-21bis fighters was made on
1 March 1996. By the customer’s request,
the upgraded fighter, which was designated
MiG-21bis UPG Bison in India, was fitted
with a French-made navigation system,
Israeli-built electronic warfare kit and sev-
eral Indian-produced systems in addition
to the Russian-manufactured Kopyo radar,
missiles and a number of other systems.
The first two IAF’s MiG-21bis fighters
were upgraded in Russia by the Sokol air-
craft plant in Nizhny Novgorod and deliv-
ered in December 2000 following a large-
scale test programme involving Russian and
Indian pilots. The remaining 123 fighters
were to be upgraded in India with the use of
Russian-supplied knockdown kits. The first
Nashik-upgraded MiG-21bis UPG flew on
31 August 2001. The knockdown kits for the
MiG-21bis upgrade, including Phazotron-
NIIR’s Kopyo radars, had continued until
2008 when the programme was complete.
Now, we provide maintenance support for
the Bisons and supply spares, since the
upgraded MiG-21s are to remain in service
with IAF until 2018 at the least due to the
indigenous Indian LCA (Tejas) light fighter
having slipped behind schedule.
Mind you, despite the MiG-21’s baseline
model being on the verge of turning 60 soon,
the upgrade enabled the Bison to be virtu-
ally on a par with the up-to-date fighters.
This has been proven repeatedly by exer-
cises attended by Indian MiG-21bis UPGs
and other fighters, including Western ones.
The guarantee of the Bison’s success is its
top-notch flight performance recognised by
pilots a long time ago, coupled with its tac-
tical performance supported by Phazotron-
NIIR’s Kopyo radar and advanced Russian-
made air-launched weapons.
Mention should be made that the
MiG-21bis UPG programme laid the solid
groundwork of the Russian-Indian coopera-
tion in aircraft upgrade and development.
An IAF MiG-29 upgrade programme is
under way now, with the deliveries having
started recently.
What kind of programme is it?From 1986 to 1995, IAF received 84
MiG-29 fighters from the Soviet Union.
Almost 70 of the aircraft remain in ser-
vice now. To extend their service life and
enhance their tactical performance, par-
ticularly, make them multirole and able
to use guided air-to-ground weapons, a
Russian-Indian contract on upgrade of 64
MiG-29 and MiG-29UB fighters was signed
in March 2008. The programme is based
on the expertise gained from the develop-
ment of the upgraded MiG-29SMT and
the Indian Navy-ordered MiG-29K/KUB
multirole carrierborne fighters. The fighter,
designated as MiG-29UPG, got Phazotron-
NIIR’s advanced Zhuk-ME slotted
array radar instead the obsolete N019.
PHAZOTRON’SRADARS:Indian aspectThe Phazotron-NIIR corporation is known throughout the world for its fire con-
trol radars designed for MiG fighters. The MiGs in service with the air forces of
more than 30 countries are fitted with its radars. Zhuk-ME radar variants, which
fit the advanced MiG-29SMT, MiG-29K/KUB, MiG-29M/M2 and IAF’s upgraded
MiG-29UPG fighters, are in full-rate production. Tests of the Zhuk-AE (FGA-35)
AESA radar designed for the MiG-35 and for upgrade of in-service MiG-29 ver-
sions are underway. Today, a large portion of the corporation’s orderbook is
made up of the orders for radars to fit the aircraft in service with the Indian
Air Force (IAF) and air arm of the Indian Navy. On the verge of the air show in
Bangalore, we met Phazotron-NIIR Designer General Yuri Guskov, who spoke
of the work the company is doing for its Indian customer.
Interview of Phazotron-NIIR Corporation Designer General Yuri Guskov
c o n t r a c t s a n d d e l i v e r i e s | i n t e r v i e w
w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u16 take-off february 201316
The Zhuk-ME is the same radar that fits the
MiG-29SMT and MiG-29K/KUB, but it
features even greater capabilities (FGM-229
version). The weapons suite will have a wide
range of air-to-air and air-to-surface guided
weapons, and the cockpit and avionics suite
will be updated considerably, with advanced
Russian, Western and Indian-made systems
to be integrated with the avionics suite.
The first six aircraft (four single-seaters
and two two-seaters) have been upgraded in
Russia under the contract. We have supplied
four Zhuk-ME radar sets for them. Three
aircraft (two combat ones and a combat
trainer) were shipped to the customer late
last year, following a comprehensive test
programme. Three more are to be shipped
to India this spring. The rest of the MiGs
will be upgraded in India. For this purpose,
we are getting the first batch of Phazotron-
NIIR Zhuk-ME radar sets ready for ship-
ping. The programme will continue for
three to four years more, during which time
we are to deliver about 50 radars to India.
This is a considerable part of Phazotron-
NIIR’s production programme designed for
the near future.
How does Phazotron-NIIR participate in the MiG-29K/KUB programme?
The key element of the fire control system
of the advanced MiG-29K/KUB multi-
role carrierborne fighters is our Zhuk-ME
(FGM-129) radar enabling the aircraft to
operate effectively in the air-to-air and air-
to-surface modes using numerous guided
and non-guided weapons. All of the 16 air-
craft under the first contract signed in
January 2004 have been delivered to the
Indian Navy. Recently, the deliveries have
begun under the second contract for 29
aircraft more, which was signed in 2010.
Our radars equip both single-seat and twin-
seat versions of the fighter. Thus, we are to
manufacture 45 Zhuk-ME radar sets for the
Indian carrierborne fighters.
Until the Vikramaditya aircraft carrier
arrives in India after her modernisation
in Russia, the delivered MiG-29K/KUBs
have been stationed at an air base in Goa
state and used by their Indian Navy air
and ground crews to learn the ropes. The
pilots have a high opinion of their planes.
Recently, they have started a new type of
combat training involving the firing of guid-
ed missiles on waterborne targets. Not long
before the New Year Day, a MiG-29K had
conducted the first launch of the Kh-35E
antiship active radar homing missile on a
waterborne target in an Indian naval train-
ing area. Our Zhuk-ME radar designated
the target. In spite of the deliberately dif-
ficult launch conditions (an aspect angle of
about 70 deg. and a range of over 85 km),
there was the direct impact accompanied
with the detonation of the warhead. The
results produced by the launch graphically
demonstrated the top-notch capabilities of
the aircraft and its radar and weapons.
This year, we will continue the deliveries
of our radars for the Indian carrierborne
MiGs. At the same time, we are launch-
ing the production of the radars to fit the
MiG-29K/KUBs ordered by the Russian
Navy last year. The first batch of such
aircraft is to be delivered to the Russian
Defence Ministry before year-end, with
the air group of the Admiral Kuznetsov
aircraft carrier to total 24 MiG-29K/KUBs.
All of them will be fitted with our radars.
Another Russian Defence Ministry order
we are going to fulfil in the coming years is
the improvement of the Zhuk-ME radars of
the 28 in-service MiG-29SMTs to meet the
Russian Air Force requirements. We also will
continue to deliver similar radars for the newly
built land-based MiG-29M/M2 fighters com-
monised with the MiG-29K/KUB, with the
talks on the MiG-29M/M2 with a number of
foreign customers being under way. We also
anticipate an order for the Zhuk-ME radars
to equip MiG-29SMT fighters under the
And
rey
Fom
in
Ser
gey
Kuz
nets
ov
Kopyo radar
Zhuk-ME (FGM-29) radar on MiG-29SMT fighter
c o n t r a c t s a n d d e l i v e r i e s | i n t e r v i e w
17 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u take-off february 2013
Bangladeshi contract that is being negoti-
ated now.
Does the company continue to develop an AESA radar?
It does. We are going to launch a new
phase of the programme – the flight tests of
the full-scale Zhuk-AE (FGA-35) radar on
the MiG-29. As you know, the development
of the Zhuk’s version fitted with the AESA
was launched by Phazotron-NIIR in the
mid-2000s. A demo version of the radar –
the FGA-29 with a 500-mm AESA – was
made and put through some of the bench
tests in 2006. Early in 2007, it was mounted
on the MiG-35 demonstrator (side number
154) and displayed at the Aero India 2007
air show in Bangalore. In April 2010, the
radar as part of the MiG-35D (side num-
ber 967) was involved in the flight trials
conducted by both RusAF and IAF pilots,
including live firing tests at missile ranges,
and was praised high enough.
We have developed a Zhuk-AE version
featuring an increased-diameter 688-mm
AESA – the FGA-35 – for use on produc-
tion-standard fighters. The number of the
AESA’s T-R modules has grown by almost
50% to slightly more than a thousand. The
radar’s performance will improve consider-
ably with an insignificant weight increase.
The improvement is planned to be demon-
strated during the flight tests. Based on the
outcome of the trials, RusAF will make up
its mind which version of the MiG fighters
will be bought by the Defence Ministry –
MiG-35 equipped with the AESA radar
or MiG-29M/M2 with the less expensive
Zhuk-ME slot-array radar. I am certain
that we will be able to highlight the far more
advanced capabilities of the AESA radar, for
such radars own the future.
At the same time, we have launched
the designing of a new AESA featuring
more efficient cutting-edge transmit-
receive modules that are being developed
by the NIIPP Semiconductor Instrument
Research Institute in the city of Tomsk. We
hope that an experimental example of the
advanced AESA will have been manufac-
tured and submitted for bench tests next
year. However, this work is intended for the
future. However, in the near future, we are
ready to supply the FGA-29 and FGA-35
radars with the AESA which have proven
their top-notch capabilities in flight.
We are offering such radars to our Indian
partners as well, because they can pro-
vide a hefty further increase in the com-
bat performance of their MiG-29K/KUBs.
In addition, we hope for India to recon-
sider its position on the Russia-offered
Generation 4++ MiG-35 fighter fitted with
our Zhuk-AE AESA radar.
Pha
zotr
on-N
IIRP
iotr
But
owsk
i
Zhuk-AE (FGA-29) on MiG-35 technology demonstrator, February 2007
Zhuk-AE (FGA-35) full-size AESA radar
c o n t r a c t s a n d d e l i v e r i e s | i n t e r v i e w
w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u18 take-off february 201318
take-off february 2013 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u
m i l i t a r y a v i a t i o n | n e w s
20
Irkut JSC, a subsidiary of the
United Aircraft Corporation, met
its commitments under last year’s
governmental defence procure-
ment order, having delivered the
first 15-ship Yak-130 combat
trainer batch to the Russian Air
Force. The aircraft were delivered
to the RusAF Borisoglebsk Training
Centre operating 10 Yak-130s, built
by the Sokol aircraft plant in Nizhny
Novgorod, since 2011. Once the
2005 contract for 12 Sokol-made
Yak-130s for the Russian Defence
Ministry was fulfilled in June 2011,
a decision was made that all sub-
sequent Yak-130 orders – both
domestic and export ones – would
be handled by the Irkutsk Aviation
Plant of the Irkut corporation.
In December 2011, Irkut fulfilled
its first export contract for 16
Yak-130s ordered by the Algerian
Air Force. Not long before that, on
7 December 2011, the Irkut cut its
first deal with the Russian Defence
Ministry for 55 Yak-130s intended
for RusAF during 2012–15.
The training centre’s aircrews
ferried first three Yak-130s from
Irkutsk to Borisoglebsk on 5
October 2012. Three more air-
craft followed the trio four days
later, on 9 October. Another two
three-ship Yak-130 batches went
to Borisoglebsk from the man-
ufacturing plant on 21 and 30
November respectively, followed
by last three aircraft slated for last
year’s delivery on 19 December.
The 15 brand-new Yak-130s bear-
ing side numbers 31 through 45
joined the first 10 Borisoglebsk-
based Yak-130s, bringing the total
number up to 25. The remaining 40
combat trainers under the contract
shall have been delivered within
three years, with 10 options having
been provided for.
The Yak-130’s combat train-
er version with its weapons
suite passed its official tests in
December 2009. RusAF has been
taking delivery of Yak-130 com-
bat trainers since February 2010
(first they were fielded with the
State Aircrew Training and Aircraft
Operational Evaluation Centre of
the Defence Ministry in the city of
Lipetsk). Now, Irkut is in talks with
new foreign customers, particu-
larly those from CIS countries, at
the same time with the delivery of
Yak-130s to RusAF.
One of the results produced
by the talks was the contract for
delivery of four Yak-130 combat
trainers for the Belarusian Defence
Ministry, signed in December
2012. The aircraft will be delivered
to BelAF in 2015. The Republic of
Belarus became the first CIS mem-
ber state to buy Yak-130s.
Mik
hail
Kho
khry
akov
Ser
gey
Ale
xand
rov
Irkut
Cor
p.
Irkut delivers first 15 Yak-130s to RusAF
First two Su-30SMs delivered to RusAFOn 22 November 2012, the Irkut
corporation delivered two Su-30SM
multirole supermanoeuvrable two-
seat fighters to the Russian Air
Force. The acceptance report was
signed at the Irkutsk Aviation Plant,
a subsidiary of the Irkut corporation.
The first two aircraft were built
under the March 2012 order by the
Russian Defence Ministry for 30
Su-30SMs to be delivered between
2012 and 2015. The Su-30SM is a
derivative of the Su-30MKI fight-
er that the Irkutsk Aviation Plant
has been made for export since
2000. An official Irkut news release
states the tailoring of the aircraft
to the RusAF requirements, which
had been performed by the Sukhoi
design bureau, pertained “radar,
communication and IFF systems,
ejection seat and a number of
auxiliary systems”. Modifications
had been made to the weapons
suite as well.
The first Su-30SM earmarked for
RusAF made its maiden flight in
Irkutsk on 21 September last year,
followed by the other four days later.
On 19 December 2012, the
Russian Defence Ministry placed
another contract with Irkut for 30
Su-30SM fighters more. Thus, Irkut
is to make 58 Su-30SMs more and
deliver them to RusAF in the com-
ing years.
United Engine CorporationBldg. 141, 29 Vereyskaya str., Moscow, 121357, Russia
Tel./fax: +7 (495) 232-91-63www.uk-odk.ru
take-off february 2013 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u
m i l i t a r y a v i a t i o n | n e w s
22
In December 2012, the Sukhoi
company supplied the Russian
defence Ministry with 16 brand-
new warplanes – 10 production-
standard Su-34 multirole tactical
bombers and six cutting-edge
Su-35S multirole supermanoeuvra-
ble fighters, having thus fulfilled
its part of the 2012 State Defence
Procurement Order.
The first five Su-34s (side num-
bers 11, 12, 20, 21 and 22) flew
from the manufacturer’s airfield
in Novosibirsk to Baltimore AFB
in the vicinity of Voronezh on 25
December 2012. Five more aircraft
(side numbers 23 through 27),
which the customer had received
in Novosibirsk in the run-up to
New Year Day, on 29 December,
have arrived there a month later,
on 25 January this year. Thus, the
air base in Voronezh has got as
many as 20 Su-34 tactical bomb-
ers. Sukhoi has delivered them
under the government-awarded
November 2008 contract stipulat-
ing the construction and delivery
of 32 aircraft of the type during
2010–13.
The first four Su-34s under the
contract (side numbers 06 through
09) were manufactured and deliv-
ered late in 2010. At first, they were
assigned to the Aviation Personnel
Training and Aircraft Operational
Evaluation Centre in the city of
Lipetsk and have been based in
Voronezh since December 2011.
The next batch (six aircraft with
side numbers from 01 through 05
and 10) arrived to Baltimore AFB in
December 2011.
This year, Sukhoi is going to
have its manufacturing plant in
Novosibirsk build 12 Su-34s more,
thus completing the order landed in
2008. Right after this, it will start
fulfilling the next – unprecedented –
governmental order for 92 Su-34
tactical bombers more to be deliv-
ered to RusAF from 2014 to 2020.
Not long before New Year Day,
on 28 December 2012, Defence
Ministry representatives signed
acceptance reports on advanced
Sukhoi planes at the Komsomolsk-
on-Amur Aircraft Plant as well.
The customer received six more
Su-35S supermanoeuvrable mul-
tirole single-seat fighters under
the August 2009 contract for 48
aircraft of the type.
As is known, the first two
Su-35S fighters (side numbers
are 01 and 02) under the con-
tract were made by KnAAPO (now
KnAAZ – Russian acronym for
Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft
Plant named after Yuri Gagarin, a
Sukhoi subsidiary) and delivered
to the Defence Ministry in May and
December 2011. Another two (side
numbers 03 and 04) were flight-
tested in Komsomolsk-on-Amur in
January and February 2012. The
four aircraft were ferried to the
Defence Ministry’s State Flight Test
Centre in Akhtubinsk to undergo
their official trials. The six more
aircraft delivered late last year will
join them there in the near future.
Their ferry flight to Akhtubinsk was
slated for late January. Later on,
they will be based at the Aviation
Personnel Training and Aircraft
Operational Evaluation Centre in
Lipetsk, where they will be used for
opeval and the conversion of the
flying and ground crews of RusAF
combat units to the type.
As the head of the United
Aircraft Corporation Mikhail
Pogosyan told Russian President
Vladimir Putin during his last year
visit to KnAAZ, Sukhoi will supply
RusAF with 12 Su-35S fighters
annually during 2013 and 2014
and will deliver the last 14 fighters
under the contract to the military
in 2015. By then, the Defence
Ministry is expected to place a
new, equally big long-term order
for Su-35S fighters that will have
been delivered until 2020.
More Su-34 and Su-35S aircraft for RusAF
UA
CU
AC
Suk
hoi
Nowadays JSC “558 ARP” is a technology
intensive enterprise, the only in the country
and one of few in CIS countries which provide
a wide range of services on overhaul and
upgrade of various types of aviation materiel.
The main activity of the plant is overhaul
of Su-22, Su-25, Su-27, Su-30, MiG-29,
An-2 and L-39 aircraft, Mi-8 (Mi-17)
and Mi-24 (Mi-35) helicopters. JSC “558
ARP” performs the entire cycle of repair of
airframe and all component items.
Over the last decade the plant has mastered
upgrade of Su-27 and MiG-29 aircraft and
Mi-8 helicopter. Upgraded aircraft acquire new
characteristics and combat capabilities. The
information-and-control area of the cockpit,
radar fire control system and navigation system are
being upgraded; the range of weapons widened.
Services rendered by JSC “558 ARP” are
most advanced and economically efficient.
Much attention is paid to development of
new types of weapons. Specialists of JSC
“558 ARP” have designed a carrier of aircraft
weapons – Module-A. It is an autonomous
long-range system ensuring all-weather
high-accuracy guidance of unguided aerial
bombs weighting up to 500 kg.
In the structure of Module-A high-
precision gliding weapon with GPS-guidance
integrated with 250 kg aerial bomb the plant
used its long-term experience, including
principles of optimal weight, operational
flexibility and engineering psychology.
The flight control is made by inertial
navigation computer with satellite correction
by means of differential deviation of ailerons.
Main advantages of the system:
• increase in range (up to 60 km) and
guidance accuracy to the target (3–20 km);
• increase of operational efficiency of
airborne destructions means;
• weight of combat load achieves 70% out of
launching weight (in the similar air-to-ground
missile it makes 15–20%);
• high accuracy of target destruction without
entering of carrier aircraft into the area covered
by enemy’s air defence;
• no modification of aircraft systems and
equipment or changes in onboard program
software required;
• compatible with wide range of aircraft
weapons;
• compatible with all types of combat
aircraft;
• allows correction of target position data
in flight;
• facilitation of pilot’s work by implementing
the principle “drop and forget”.
The plant was founded 70 years ago.
The traditions of high-quality production
providence have been settled and followed
during this period of time. Modern economic
tendencies conduce the development and
widening of these worth-while traditions
558 Aircraft Repair Plant JSC
Bldg. 7, 50 let VLKSM, Baranovichi, Brest
region, 225320, Republic of Belarus
Tel.: +375 (163) 42-99-54
Fax: +375 (163) 42-91-64
E-mail: [email protected]
http://www.558arp.by
558 ARP OFFERS MODULE-A558 ARP OFFERS MODULE-A
commercial
Bomb divingtrajectory Diving to target
Manoeuvringin guided mode
Weapon release
Target hitting precision: 3 to 20 m12000 m
60 km
900
0 m
900
0 m
The construction of the fourth PAK FA
flying prototype had been finished by late
autumn last year. On 10 December 2012,
the plane was rolled out to the airfield and
performed its first taxiing run. Two days later,
it taxied two times more, including a high-
speed run with nose wheel lift-off. After that,
a decision was made to conduct the first flight.
At 16.50 local time on 12 December 2012,
Sukhoi test pilot Sergei Bogdan took off in
the aircraft on its first flight and landed it
safely onto the runway 38 min later. The first
mission was accomplished, with all systems
operating normally. The test pilot checked
the plane’s stability and controllability and
evaluated the operation of the powerplant and
all systems.
Afterwards, the T-50-4 took off thrice and
was painted then. On 14 January 2013, Sergei
Bogdan gave the newly painted aircraft a check
flight that proved its being fit for the long flight
to the Moscow Region. As is known, following
several test flights in Komsomolsk-on-Amur,
the first three PAK FA prototypes would be
disassembled and airlifted to Zhukovsky by
An-124 Ruslan transports. The T-50-4 is the
first of the prototypes, which ferry flight from
the manufacturing plant in the Far East to the
Moscow Region was under its own power.
The 7,000-km-long route passed via Chita,
Kansk and Chelyabinsk. The advanced fighter
piloted by Sergei Bogdan set off for long a
road on 15 January. The first overnight stopo-
ver was in the city of Chita (Domna airfield).
On the next day, the aircraft flew to Kansk
and arrived in Zhukovsky at about 16.15 h
on 17 January in heavy snow and under the
limited visibility conditions after a stopover in
The fourth flying prototype of the PAK FA Russia’s Future Tactical Fighter – the T-50 fifth-generation fighter being developed by the
Sukhoi company – came to the airfield of the Gromov Flight research Institute in Zhukovsky, Moscow Region, on 17 January 2012.
It made its first long-range flight, having covered about 7,000 km with several stopovers across Russia from Komsomolsk-on-
Amur in the Russian Far East, where such aircraft are made by the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Plant named after Yuri Gagarin
(KnAAZ). The T-50-4 (side number 054) was flown by Honoured Test Pilot of the Russian Federation, Hero of Russia Sergei Bogdan.
Thus, as many as four flying prototypes of the T-50 are used in the trials under the PAK FA flight test programme now, with KnAAZ
completing the fifth prototype of the fighter. This year, the prototypes are to be used in the official test programme.
Andrey FOMIN
Photos by Vladimir Ivakhnenko / Sukhoi
T-50 FOUR AIRCRAFTFOUR AIRCRAFTIN FLIGHT TRIALSIN FLIGHT TRIALS
w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u24 take-off february 2013
m i l i t a r y a v i a t i o n | r e p o r t
Chelyabinsk (Shagol airfield). The PAK FA’s
characteristics allow such a long flight to be
made with fewer stopovers, but owing to the
novelty of the aircraft and possible adverse
weather that might have necessitated divert-
ing to a backup airfield that were few and far
between en route, a decision was made against
unnecessary risk. Mention should be made
that the new fighter, which had logged only
five sorties in Komsomolsk-on-Amur prior
to its ferry flight to Zhukovsky, proved itself
in the course of the long-distance flight, with
all of its systems operating like clockwork and
the pilot being quite pleased with his aircraft.
Having arrived to Sukhoi’s flight test facil-
ity in Zhukovsky, the T-50-4 will soon join
the flight test programme, under which three
prototypes have been flown here.
The third flying PAK FA prototype’s flight test
phase commenced at Sukhoi’s flight test station
in Zhukovsky in mid-June 2012. Sukhoi’s test
pilot Hero of Russia Sergei Bogdan took T-50-3
prototype for its maiden flight in Komsomolsk-
on-Amur on 22 November 2011. Following
three sorties under the factory acceptance pro-
gramme, the aircraft had been painted and
FOUR AIRCRAFTIN FLIGHT TRIALS
T-50-4, PAK FA’s fourth flying prototype, during factory tests. Komsomolsk-on-Amur, December 2012
m i l i t a r y a v i a t i o n | p r o g r a m m e
25 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u take-off february 2013
airlifted by an An-124 Ruslan heavy-lifter to
Zhukovsky on 28 December 2011.
The aircraft had been assembled and its sys-
tems had been debugged and ground-tested at
Sukhoi’s flight test facility in Zhukovsky for
five months. In particular, the aircraft was for
the first time equipped with an AESA radar
prototype developed by the Tikhomirov-NIIP
institute, and the radar’s operation as part
of the avionic suite was tested. In mid-June,
the T-50-3 was rolled out to the airfield, and
its taxiing and running tests began. Once the
bugs had been troubleshot, the plane was
cleared for a check flight, and Sergei Bogdan
took it to the sky at the Gromov Flight Test
Institute airfield on 21 June 2012. The check
flight took about an hour, and the aircraft with
its systems performed as expected.
The AESA radar continued its tests in July.
First, it was tested on the ground against an
aerial target in the form of the Su-27M (side
number 710) that had been used as a fly-
ing testbed for testing the PAK FA’s engine
in 2010. The AESA radar was turned on
and tested in several operating modes during
another test flight of the T-50-3 on 24 July.
In addition to trying the AESA radar, other
advanced avionic systems, which have not
been mounted on the earlier prototypes yet,
will be tested on this aircraft.
According to an official statement by
Sukhoi, “the early tests of the radar’s air-
to-air and air-to-surface modes onboard the
T-50-3 prototype have produced good stable
results on a par with the performance of the
best existing aircraft. Approaches to refining
these capabilities have been proven. Work has
begun to test the optical channels”.
To date, the T-50-3 has flown about 30 test
sorties, mostly to test the AESA radar and
other avionics.
The second flying prototype, the T-50-2,
has been undergoing improvements in the
run-up to high-g and flying restriction tests.
It conducted its fist flight on 3 March 2011
with Sergei Bogdan at the controls. A month
later, the T-50-2 was carried to Zhukovsky,
and it has flown in the Moscow Region
since mid-August 2011, having logged over
80 sorties.
Early in August 2012, Sukhoi started testing
the T-50-2 for in-flight refuelling. The tests
involved a Russian Air Force Ilyushin Il-78
tanker plane. Test pilot Sergei Bogdan on the
T-50-2 performed a series of approaches to
the tanker and nine hook-ups with the refuel-
ling drogue (the so-called dry refuelling) on a
single sortie, which was recorded on camera
from onboard the Su-25UB escort aircraft
furnished by the Defence Ministry’s State
Flight Test Centre.
According to a Sukhoi news release, the
T-50-2 is also used for research into stability,
controllability and strength within a wide sub-
sonic and supersonic speed bracket in various
configurations.
The first prototype is being used in the
trials too. It had spent about a year, under-
going improvements since the unveiling at
the MAKS 2011 air show in August 2011.
Ser
gey
Lyse
nko
T-50-4 approaching Gromov LII Flight Research Institute airfield in snowfall,17 January 2013
The fourth flying PAK FA getting ready for long-range ferry flight to Zhukovsky. Komsomolsk-on-Amur, 15 January 2013
m i l i t a r y a v i a t i o n | p r o g r a m m e
w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u26 take-off february 2013
The T-50-1 first flew in Komsomolsk-on-
Amur on 29 January 2010 (it has flown in
Zhukovsky since April 2010). The preparation
of the T-50-1 for extreme angle-of-attack and
supermanoeuvrability test flights had been
completed by last autumn, and its first flight
in the wake of the modification took place
in Zhukovsky on 11 September 2012. It had
performed more than 80 sorties by now.
The 100th test flight under the PAK FA
test programme was performed in November
2011, with the 200th flight took place in
January 2013. This year, the fifth aircraft is
to join the trials. T-50-5 is in assembly at
the plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. It will
be followed by the sixth example. As many
as five Sukhoi test pilots have been flying
the T-50s: in addition to Sergei Bogdan,
who performed the maiden flights on the
four prototypes being tested, they are Roman
Kondratyev, Yuri Vashchuk, Sergei Kostin and
Taras Artsebarsky.
The RusAF commander Lt.-Gen. Victor
Bondarev said in January that the PAK FA
in 2013 would start its official tests at the
Defence Ministry’s Flight Test Centre in
Akhtubinsk. The construction of the six pro-
totypes will be followed by the manufacture
of a low-rate initial production batch for
operational evaluation and then by full-rate
production. According to the media, about 60
production-standard PAK FAs are planned
for fielding during 2016–20. Obviously, the
deliveries will continue past 2020.
It looks like the programme on the joint de-
velopment and production of the Prospective
Multirole Fighter (PMF), which is also known
in India as FGFA (Fifth Generation Fighter Air-
craft), may become the major programme as
part of the Russian-Indian cooperation in the
sphere of aviation in the near future and in
a longer term. The aircraft is being co-devel-
oped by Russian and Indian specialists on the
basis of Russia’s PAK FA, with due account of
the Indian requirements.
The programme was officially launched by
the signature of the Russian-Indian intergov-
ernmental agreement on the co-development
and co-production of the future fifth-genera-
tion fighters in Moscow on 18 October 2007.
Sukhoi and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL)
were appointed prime contractors. Indian
delegations had paid numerous visits to Rus-
sia during several months since then – both
to the Sukhoi design bureau in Moscow and
the plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur where the
construction of the early T-50 prototypes had
been under way since December 2007. Suk-
hoi’s personnel had gone to India several
times to visit HAL. The key matters pertinent
to the co-development and co-production of
the advanced aircraft were agreed during the
negotiations held. The Russian-Indian next-
generation warplane programme implies both
its joint financing and the aircraft’s co-pro-
duction at Sukhoi’s and HAL’s facilities.
During then-President Dmitry Medvedev
visit to New Delhi, Rosoboronexport and HAL
made a contract for the devising of a prelimi-
nary design of the fifth-generation Prospec-
tive Multirole Fighter on 21 December 2010.
“The contract is the beginning of the practical
development of the Russian-Indian fighter”,
read Rosoboronexport’s official statement re-
leased on the occasion.
The Indian press reported at the time that
the Prospective Multirole Fighter was to be
developed by 2017, and Air Chief Marshal
Pradeep Vasant Naik, who was the chief of the
IAF Air Staff during 2009–11, said the Indian
MoD was going to order “up to 250 fifth-gen-
eration fighters”.
In turn, Sukhoi reported in February 2011:
“The PMF programme includes the designing
and development of a new-generation fighter
to feature such advanced characteristics as
low observability, supersonic cruising speed,
high manoeuvrability, a highly integrated avi-
onics suite, an expanded situational aware-
ness system, internal carriage of weapons
and the feasibility of a centralised electronic
warfare system. The fighter is being derived
from the Russian PAK FA Future Tactical
Fighter in line with Indian technical require-
ments. The programme also makes provision
for the designing and development of a two-
seat version of the aircraft and the introduc-
tion of advanced engines featuring enhanced
thrust. Provision is made for cooperative mar-
keting of the aircraft in third countries”.
In October 2011, IAF command published
more specific information about the number of
Prospective Multirole Fighters to be ordered –
a total of 214 aircraft, including 166 single-
seaters and 48 twin-seaters – and confirmed
that they intended to start taking delivery in
2017. However, a year later, in October 2012,
IAF’s Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal
Norman Anil Kumar Browne told Indian maga-
zine India Strategic in an interview that the
number of the fighters planned for procure-
ment had been reduced to 144 aircraft, with
all of them to be single-seaters. The reduc-
tion and the rejection of the two-seat version,
which had been planned before, were due
to the attempts to slash the cost of the pro-
gramme. Now, the first planes are planned for
entering service with IAF in 2020.
A little earlier, on 19 August 2012, the in-
fluential Indian newspaper The Times of India
ran a big article on the drafting of a contract
on the Russian-Indian PMF fighter develop-
ment work, with the contract expected for
signing in late 2012 or early 2013 (when this
issue went to press, the contract had not been
signed yet). The article reported that the PMF
programme had reached a crucial stage and
might turn into India’s largest defence pro-
gramme with is price tag estimated at about
$35 billion in the coming 20 years. According
to the newspaper, the value of the contract
for the PMF preliminary design signed in De-
cember 2010 and submitted to the customer
last summer is $295 million and the value of
the current development contract is estimated
at as many as $11 billion ($5.5 billion for the
Russian and Indian parties each). The news-
paper reports that the first PMF prototype
will be made in Russia and may be handed
over to HAL Ozar facility in Nasik for tests
as early as 2014. The second example is to
follow in 2017, while the third one in 2019.
The latter will likely meet all IAF requirements
and become the standard design for full-rate
production, with the production facilities sup-
posed to be launched in Nasik by 2020.
From Russian PAK FAto Russian-Indian PMF
w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u 27 take-off february 2013
m i l i t a r y a v i a t i o n | p r o g r a m m e
Mr. Bely, how are things with the develop-ment of the AESA radar for the fifth-gen-eration fighter? What are the early results produced by its flight tests?
Early last year, the third AESA radar pro-
totype was tested and tuned at Tikhomirov-
NIIP’s test rigs and handed over to the Sukhoi
company that installed it in the PAK FA’s
third flying prototype brought to Zhukovsky
from Komsomolsk-on-Amur in late 2011 for
flight tests. The radar’s flight trials began in
July 2012 following the round test cycle on
board an aircraft. Approximately 20 AESA
radar test sorties had been flown by year-end
2012, most of which had been completely
successful. The key result achieved is the
stable operation of the AESA radar in all
air-to-air and air-to-surface modes from the
outset. Having used late last year’s scheduled
improvements of the aircraft, we dismounted
the radar from it and checked it out on a
test bench of ours: its AESA’s operability
and characteristics remained unchanged, no
improvements were required, and the radar
was fit for continued flight tests that are to
resume in the nearest future.
Last year, we made the fourth AESA radar
set. It was sent to Komsomolsk-on-Amur
where it was mounted on the fourth PAK
FA flying prototype and tested on it on the
ground. The T-50-4 flew for the first time in
December 2012 and conducted a ferry flight
to Zhukovsky in mid-January. Thus, we have
got two T-50s, fitted with our radars, in the
flight trials. At present, the fifth AESA radar is
almost complete at Tikhomirov-NIIP and will
soon be shipped to Komsomolsk-on-Amur
for installation in the fifth flying prototype of
the PAK FA. Another radar set is being manu-
factured as well. It is designed for preliminary
ground tests.
Timely delivery of more AESA radar sets to
the customer is ensured through the institute
having two test rigs. One of them, the chief
designer’s rig, is being used for testing the AESA
radar prototype to enhance its operating enve-
lope as well as introduce advanced operating
modes and improved software packages. The
other one is being used for tuning more radar
sets before mounting them on follow-on aircraft.
Overall, we are satisfied with the results pro-
duced but realise full well that a lot has remains
to be done. But I would like to emphasise that
the AESA radar programme is on schedule,
with the schedule having been approved by the
customer and the produced results meeting all
expectations. Test pilots praise our radar too.
TO SEE FIRST MEANS TO WIN
Interview of Tikhomirov-NIIP Director General Yuri Bely
Last year, the Tikhomirov-NIIP research
institute launched the flight tests of
an active electronically scanned array
(AESA) radar on board the Sukhoi
PAK FA Future Tactical Aircraft. The
third flying prototype of the aircraft
has logged a number of test sorties
to test the advanced radar that has
demonstrated stable operation in all
modes. At the same time, the institute’s
personnel are participating in the
official trials of the Su-35S multirole
fighter fitted with the production-
standard Irbis passive electronically
scanned array radar, with the trials
having produced unique results. The
success in the development of the Irbis
and the AESA radar predetermined the
choice of Tikhomirov-NIIP in 2012 as
developer of the radars to fit upgraded
and future long-range bombers.
In addition, last year saw the completion
of the governmental test programmes
on the upgraded MiG-31BM interceptor
and upgraded Su-27SM(3) fighter and
the Russian Defence Ministry taking
delivery of the first Su-30SM multirole
fighters, with all of these warplanes
being equipped with improved radars
from Tikhomirov-NIIP.
Tikhomirov-NIIP radars are known well
in India. The Bars electronically scanned
array radar fits IAF’s Su-30MKI fighter
fleet of more than 150 aircraft of the
type, with the contracts signed to boost
the number to 272 over time. The radar
for the advanced Russian-Indian fifth-
generation fighter known as Perspective
Multirole Fighter (PMF) is being derived
from the AESA radar designed for the
PAK FA. In the run-up to the Aero India
2013 air show in Bangalore, the Take-
off had met Tikhomirov-NIIP Director
General Yuri Bely and asked him about
the key achievements of the company he
leads in 2012 and about the prospects of
the cooperation with India.
m i l i t a r y a v i a t i o n | i n t e r v i e w
w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u28 take-off february 201328
It is an open secret that the AESA radar we
are developing to fit the PAK FA will serve
the basis for development of the radar system
of the Russian-Indian PMF fifth-generation
fighter. Tikhomirov-NIIP has been selected
as prime contractor for the radar to fit the
PMF. The Indians are supposed to develop
and manufacture some of the subsystems
of the fighter’s radar system, with specific
subsystems being discussed now. Last year,
there was a review of the draft design of the
aircraft and, hence, our part of it – the AESA
radar. Next on the agenda is the signature of
a contract for the development work. As soon
as the contract is signed, the development of
the AESA radar system for the Perspective
Multirole Fighter will shift into high gear.
What is the state of affairs of your work on passive electronically scanned array radars? The Bars radar equipping the planes of the Su-30MKI family has become well known in the world. What is the status of the programme?
Indeed, the Bars radar designed for the
Su-30MKI fighter family has earned inter-
national recognition. Series deliveries of the
radars of the type are performed by our long-
time partner, the State Ryazan Instrument-
making Plant that also assists the Indians in
having the Bars productionised by local com-
panies. Last year, the Bars radar in the final
configuration, designed for IAF Su-30MKIs,
has passed its tests, having incorporated all
software improvements and implementation
of all operating modes under the contract.
Production-standard Bars radars assembled
both in Ryazan and in India are supplied
to the customer in this version now. Earlier
radars fitting the early-batch Su-30MKIs will
be given relevant improvements in due time.
A further IAF Su-30MKI-intended Bars
upgrade programme has been under dis-
cussion for several years now. As is known,
a decision has been made in principle a
long time ago, but the contract has not been
signed yet. Initially, the Bars is supposed to
be refined while retaining its current array,
with the improvements to include extended
range, higher resolution and the ability to
support the use of advanced weapons. Then,
the Bars’s array is to be replaced with an
AESA. Obviously, it makes sense to do it after
the AESA radar for the Perspective Multirole
Fighter is tested so that to build on the exper-
tise gained from the efforts.
Another milestone of last year was that
two sets of the Russian Bars version designed
for fitting the first two Su-30SM fighters of
the Russian Air Force were delivered to the
Irkutsk Aviation Plant (a subsidiary of the
Irkut Corp.) in May 2012. As is known, the
Russian Defence Ministry and Irkut struck
two deals for a total of 60 Su-30SM aircraft,
with the Su-30SM being a Su-30MKI deriva-
tive intended for RusAF. In November, the
first two Su-30SMs were handed over to the
Defence Ministry for participation in the
official test programme. The deliveries of
production-standard aircraft will have gone
on for several years to come.
To date, the air forces of three countries
(India, Malaysia and Algeria) have operated
over 200 Su-30MKI family fighters equipped
with Bars radars. Now, the Bars is entering
service with our Air Force as well, and the
number of the aircraft carrying radars of the
type will have totalled 400 in several years,
given the contracts concluded.
In addition, the experience gained from the
Bars development was used last year in devis-
ing the Bars-130 light radar proposal ordered
by the Irkut Corp. The Bars-130 could be
used in advanced versions of the Yak-130
combat trainer, which are being mulled over
by the Yakovlev design bureau. As is known,
production-standard Yak-130s have been
delivered to RusAF since 2010, and the export
deliveries of the type kicked off in 2011. In
parallel with ramping up the production of the
Yak-130 combat trainer that lacks a radar so
far, Irkut is pondering approaches to further
development of the plane as a light strike air-
craft, a light fighter aircraft, etc. Such versions
could use a radar that should be lightweight
and small enough, but able to perform a wide
range of tasks as part of air and ground target
seeking and acquisition, terrain mapping, etc.
What about your ‘firstborn’ among the elec-tronically scanned array radars – the Zaslon designed for the MiG-31 interceptor? Is its upgrade complete?
The official test programme of the upgrad-
ed MiG-31BM interceptor, carrying the
Zaslon electronically scanned radar improved
by Tikhomirov-NIIP and new weapons,
was completed late last year. As you know,
Tikhomirov-NIIP developed the Zaslon way
back in the ‘70s. The Zaslon became the
world’s first airborne phased-array radar. We
enjoy an undeniable priority in this respect.
The MiG-31BMs upgraded in Phase I (i.e.
furnished with the improved Zaslon radar
and an advanced cockpit display system at the
backseater’s combat station) have been fielded
with combat units. In December 2012, suc-
cessful launches of new long- and medium-
range air-to-air missiles crowned the Phase II
trials. The official tests report is to be approved
in the near future, and aircraft upgraded this
way will start fielding with line units too.
Will you dwell on the Irbis radar that is surely the summit of the passive electronically scanned radar technology?
You are right, the Irbis is second to none
in the world, indeed, as far as its test-proven
characteristics are concerned. Last year, the
fight trials involving the Su-35 fighter pro-
duced the unique aerial target acquisition
results – much more than 400 km! This is the
unrivalled achievement of the world’s aircraft
NIIP
AESA prototype
m i l i t a r y a v i a t i o n | i n t e r v i e w
29 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u take-off february 2013
radar industry. Based on the outcome of the
official tests of the Su-35S, a preliminary
report was signed last year, and the deliv-
ery of production-standard Irbis-equipped
fighters to the Russian Defence Ministry
begun. The first two production-standard
fighters were delivered late in 2011, with
eight more delivered during 2012. All of
them are fitted with production-standard
Irbis radars, which production was launched
at the State Ryazan Instrument-making
Plant with Tikhomirov-NIIP’s support. The
radar’s basic characteristics have been prov-
en by flight tests. Now, the radar has to take
tactical tests involving launches of various
weapons. As is known, the governmental
contract stipulates the construction of 48
Su-35S aircraft for RusAF throughout 2015.
The deliveries are not likely to be limited
to the number or the deadline. In addition,
export sales of the Su-35 equipped with our
Irbis-E are being looked into.
The order for deriving an electronically
scanned array radar from the Irbis as part of
the upgrade of the Tupolev Tu-22M3 and
Tu-160 long-range bomber fleets, which was
awarded to us last year, is a kind of recognition
of the top-notch performance of the Irbis. This
line of work is new to us, for we have never
developed radars for long-range bombers yet.
However, the lessons learnt from the Irbis
development makes us hopeful that we will
reach the objective. We have worked out a draft
design for Irbis versions earmarked for the
Tupolev aircraft and are preparing the paper-
work for launching the development work. If
all goes to plan, the first upgraded Tu-22M3s
and Tu-160s equipped with our radars will
commence their trials as soon as 2014.
Skipping ahead, I hope that the exper-
tise gleaned from the work on the Tupolev
bombers and our successful development of
the AESA radar for the PAK FA will guar-
antee our success in landing the order for
the development of the radar system to fit
the PAK DA Future Long-Range Aircraft.
In conclusion, which of the results pro-duced by Tikhomirov-NIIP last year seem to you the most important ones?
Overall, 2012 was rich in events as far as
our company is concerned. I would high-
light the beginning of the flight tests of
the AESA radar designed for the PAK FA
and the stable operation of the radar in the
course of the trials, in the first place. Next
goes the issuance of the preliminary report
in the wake of the official tests of the Su-35
equipped with the Irbis and the record-set-
ting characteristics of the radar. Then, there
is the successful official trials of the upgraded
MiG-31BM and Su-27SM(3) fighters fitted
with our upgraded radars. Completing the
testing of the upgraded Bars designed for the
Su-30MKI and launching the deliveries of
such radars to RusAF as part of Su-30SM
fighters. Commencing the development of
a radar for the Long-Range Aviation air-
craft. Finally, working out the proposals for
the Bars-130 lightweight small-size radar
designed to fit aircraft in the Yak-130’s class.
Thus, the scope of the work being done
by Tikhomirov-NIIP is increasing. While
we used to make radars for fighters only
(MiG-31, Su-27, Su-30 and its derivatives,
Su-35, PAK FA) as far as airborne radars
are concerned, now the number of carriers
is growing. I believe that the application of
Tikhomirov-NIIP radars will range all the
way from the lightweight Yak-130 to the
heavy Tu-160 in the near future.
We, at Tikhomirov-NIIP, continue to
adhere to the motto of our company, which is
‘To see first means to win’.
Bars phased array radar
Irbis phased array radar
NIIP
And
rey
Fom
inm i l i t a r y a v i a t i o n | i n t e r v i e w
w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u30 take-off february 2013
SU 30MKONLY THE BEST
www.irkut.com
take-off february 2013 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u
i n d u s t r y | n e w s
32
The MC-21 advanced short/medi-
um-haul airliner remains the Russia’s
United Aircraft Corporation’s and the
Irkut corporation’s priority in the civil
aviation field. Last year saw a number
of key milestones passed: prototype
components of the advanced airliner
were manufactured and submitted for
tests concurrently with the devising of
its working design documents.
For instance, the first phase of the
endurance tests of the second MC-21
composite wing box was complete
in the Central Aerohydrodynamics
Institute (TsAGI) in December 2012.
The work is under way on order by
the AeroComposit close corporation
in charge of the manufacture of the
MC-21’s ‘black’ wing and empennage
(AeroComposit’s production facilities
in Ulyanovsk has been under way
since late 2011). The tests being run
by TsAGI are supposed to prove that
any kind of damage to the wing will
not grow in size and affect flight safe-
ty. 7,000 flights had been simulated
at a test bench during the first phase
of the endurance tests, after which
examination and ultrasonic inspection
of the pre-inflicted impact damage
areas were held. Based on the whole
cycle of tests, TsAGI scientists will
perform experimental evaluation of
the characteristics and properties of
the wing box design, approve the
choice of the wing box’s structural
layout, gauge the actual strength and
survivability of structural areas and
test the standard repair and test/
inspection methods.
Now, TsAGI has four prototypes of
the wing box of the MC-21 composite
wing, made by foreign companies
Diamond and Fisher at the request of
the AeroComposit close corporation.
Their strength tests have been run in
TsAGi labs since summer 2011. The
first and third wing box prototypes
have been subjected to the rigidity,
frequency and static tests all the way
to the maximal loading and disinte-
gration. The landing gear and engine
hinge brackets have been tested too,
which has allowed the strength of the
metal/composite joints to be evalu-
ated. The composite wing box and
centre wing section have been joined
and sealed using a standard technolo-
gy for the first time. Plans provide for
the fourth wing box prototype to be
used for researching into the impact
of climatic factors on the strength of
composite components.
The MC-21’s empennage shall be
composite too. The first experimental
set of the carbon-filled plastic tail unit
expected to kick off its tests this year
is being manufactured in Ulyanovsk.
The ORPE Technologiya scientific and
production company is the supplier of
the composite elements of the experi-
mental empennage.
In addition, Aviastar plant in
Ulyanovsk manufactured the first
experimental module of the MC-21’s
fuselage tail section in December 2012.
It was shipped to Riga for long-term
endurance tests. 300,000 test cycles
will be conducted to prove the manu-
facturer’s useful life of 60,000 flights.
At the same time with performing
the design and experimental work,
the Irkut corporation signed a number
of important agreements with its key
partners and suppliers under the pro-
gramme last year. The one with the
Russian Agency for Export Credit and
Investment Insurance was a memo-
randum on MC-21 export insurance
cooperation. An agreement with the
Zodiac Aerospace Group was for the
development of the interior, avionics
and primary power supply distribu-
tion system. A five-year agreement
with Jeppesen (a division of Boeing
Flight Services) was on a service
package in support of the MC-21
aircraft development, etc.
According to Irkut’s official state-
ments, the MC-21 orderbook compris-
es 185 orders now, including options.
150 orders fall on aircraft powered by
Pratt & Whitney PW1400G engines
and 35 on those equipped with
Russian-made PD-14s (this contract
was placed by the Rostec state cor-
poration in June 2012 in support of
governmental customers). After the
change of the owner of Malaysian
company Crecom Burj, which had
ordered 50 MC-21s in 2011, the order
became optional. Now, the launch
customer is the Aeroflot (50-airliner
contract with Rostec corporation was
signed in 2011).
Irkut assures that the MC-21 pro-
gramme is on schedule. The maiden
flight of the MC-21 prototype is slated
for mid-2015 and the completion of
its certification by the IAC Aircraft
Registry and the commencement of
deliveries are planned for 2017.
MC-21 development on schedule
And
rey
Fom
in
take-off february 2013w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u 33
i n d u s t r y | n e w s
On 5 December 2012, a new
Tupolev Tu-154M (RA-85042) took
off from the Aviakor plant’s airfield
in Samara on its first flight. It is the
second of the two Tu-154M VIP air-
craft ordered by the Russian Defence
Ministry in November 2008 and,
possibly, the last Tu-154 ever made
over the 40-year-plus history of the
airliner’s production in Samara.
For a number of reasons, the
construction of the two Defence
Ministry-ordered Tu-154Ms dragged
its feet, and the first of them
(RA-85041, c/n 12A997) managed
to fly for the first time only on 9 July
2012. Its delivery was time to the
celebration of the 100th anniver-
sary of the Russian Air Force – on
8 August 2012. By the end of the
month, the aircraft was ferried to
its base – Chkalovsky AFB in the
Moscow Region.
Given a check flight in December,
the Tu-154M c/n 12A998
(RA-85042) has been delivered.
It has become the 885th Tu-154
manufactured since the launch of the
type’s production in Samara and the
303rd aircraft in the Tu-154M ver-
sion. According to Aviakor Director
General Alexei Gusev, the company
has a production backlog of four
Tu-154M airframes in various states
of completion. They can be com-
pleted, if orders for them are placed.
However, the feasibility of the
completion of their construction at
present seems to be low because
subcontractors are wrapping up the
production of a number of Tu-154
components. Due to this, RA-85042
is likely to become the last produc-
tion-standard Tu-154M crowning
the programme on the full-scale
production of the airliner in Samara
(the former city of Kuibyshev) that
has been under way since 1969.
Meanwhile, Aviakor will continue
to maintain and overhaul the in-
service Tu-154B2s and Tu-154Ms
in the coming years.
The old year’s most important event
in Russian air engine industry has been
the assembly and testing of the tech-
nology demonstrator engine in Perm
under the development programme on
the family of new-generation PD-14
turbofan engines designed for powering
the future MC-21 short/medium-haul
airliner and other advanced and upgrad-
ed passenger and transport aircraft
(particularly, provision has been made
for installation of PD-14M engines on
the future MTA medium airlifter being
co-developed by Russia and India).
The PD-14 technology demonstra-
tor development had been preceded
by the development of the design and
process flow documentation, produc-
tionising, preparation of test benches
and laboratories, conduct of numer-
ous tests, preliminary development of
each engine unit individually and core
engine assembly and tests. All of the
above had been completed on time
owing to a large-scale cooperation of
the subsidiaries of the United Engine
Corporation (UEC), accurate calculation
of the production capabilities, stringent
compliance enforcement and prompt
response to contingencies.
The assembly of the PD-14 tech-
nology demonstrator was complete
on 30 May 2012, and its first test-rig
start took place as soon as 9 June.
The open and enclosed test benches
were reconstructed and re-equipped
at the same time with the manufacture
of the engine demonstrator. The tests
were performed in compliance with
the effective standards and with the
use of the cutting-edge measuring and
recording systems allowing real-time
supervision of the tests both from the
observer booth and from test engineer
workstations.
Mention should be made that the
design of the cutting-edge PD-14 is a
radically novel one differing from the
Perm-based developer’s earlier designs
very much. This necessitated a drasti-
cally advanced, unique engine assem-
bly technology. The need to use a huge
number of sensors introduced extra
difficulties to the assembly process,
or the engine was fitted with about
2,000 special sensors. Nonetheless, the
engine demonstrator was assembled
on schedule and passed its trials. The
trials proved the operability of all of its
parts and units, including those made
using ‘critical’ technologies (hollow tita-
nium fan blades, monocrystal/interme-
tallic alloy turbine blades, compressor
blisks, etc.).
In autumn 2012, the engine passed
its tests at an outdoor acoustical test
bench using an antiturbulent air intake.
According to Aviadvigatel JSC, the test
results produced are what the designers
expected them to be.
Another phase of the PD-14 devel-
opment will be the manufacture and
tests of engine prototypes. At pres-
ent, work is in full swing in Perm and
at partner plants on making parts
and units for the prototype batch.
According to Aviadvigatel Designer
General and PD-14 programme man-
ager Alexander Inozemtsev, flight
tests of a prototype PD-14 on board
the Il-76LL flying testbed are slated
for 2014.
Last Tu-154M built?
PD-14: prototype engine manufacture begins
Val
ery
Am
otni
k
Ale
xey
Zak
haro
v
take-off february 2013 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u
i n d u s t r y | n e w s
34
The full-rate production and
sales of Be-200 amphibians are
a priority of Beriev company, and
the Be-200 programme is facing
new vistas.
As is known, the Be-200 amphib-
ian’s baseline model is designed for
suppressing forest fires by airdrop-
ping water or an extinguisher onto
flame bases. It served the basis for
the Be-200ChS derivative designed
for the Russian Emergencies Ministry
that was the launch customer for
the plane. The ministry’s air arm
has been operating six Be-200ChS
amphibians.
Four of them (c/n 101, 102, 201
and 202) were made and delivered to
the customer by the Irkutsk Aviation
Plant of the Irkut corporation. The
fifth production-standard aircraft
made in Irkutsk (c/n 203) was
delivered to the Azeri Emergencies
Ministry in April 2008.
In 2011, the Russian Emergencies
Ministry took delivery of two more
new Be-200ChS’s c/n 301 and 302
from Beriev this time around. They
were assembled and check-flown
in Irkutsk during 2010–11 and then
modified in Taganrog to meet a more
accurate requirements specification
issued by the customer.
In May 2011, the government
ordered from Beriev six more
Be-200ChS amphibians for deliv-
ery to the Russian Emergencies
Ministry in 2013–14. The assem-
bly of the first of the Beriev-built
Be-200ChS (c/n 303) is in full swing
now, and the manufacture of fuse-
lage parts of the second aircraft
(c/n 304) has begun.
In addition to the delivery
of amphibians to the Russian
Emergencies Ministry, a contract
is being in the pipeline for eight
amphibians of the Be-200 fam-
ily aircraft to the Russian Defence
Ministry. The Federal Forestry
Protection Agency’s air branch
known as Avialesookhrana may
join the ranks of the customers for
amphibians made in Taganrog too.
Beriev is working on wooing
new customers all over the world,
and an important advantage of the
Be-200ChS is that it has been cer-
tificated in Russia and the EU. The
IAC Aircraft Registry certificated the
amphibian as compliant with the
AP-25 aviation rules in 2003. In
2007, the Be-200ES-E received a
supplemental type certificate clear-
ing it for hauling 43 passengers
on medium-haul lines and for bas-
ing both at airfields and on water.
Finally, EASA issued the Be-200ES
with the European type certificate in
September 2010.
In line with Beriev’s general strat-
egy designed to promote the Be-200
amphibian on foreign markets,
efforts are being made to obtain
the clearance of the US Air Tanker
Board. The clearance of the Be-200
as compliant with the board’s stan-
dards will pave the way for the
Russian plane to the North American
forest fire-fighting market.
European fire fighters, the French
ones in the first place, have displayed
their interest in the Be-200 too.
The Be-200’s fire-fighting capa-
bilities could be in demand on the
other side of the globe, in Asia.
For instance, a Beriev delegation
and Chinese officials met at Airshow
China 2012 in Zhuhai to discuss
the use and acquisition of Be-200
planes. According to the Chinese
officials, they have been looking into
the feasibility of updating their fire-
fighter aircraft fleet and operating a
Be-200 in China in 2013 for the pur-
pose of evaluating its performance
and drawing up a plan of further
cooperation.
In addition to the amphibian’s
fire-fighting role, its potential buy-
ers – those in India and Southeast
Asian countries in the first place –
are interested in its maritime patrol
and SAR capabilities
In this field, Beriev’s coopera-
tion with Italian company SELEX
Galileo in fitting the Be-200 with its
ATOS Airborne Tactical Observation
and Surveillance System looks very
promising.
Another line of refining the
Be-200’s avionics will be the use of
advanced technologies to spot forest
fires and put them out from the air in
poor visibility conditions, including
thick smoke.
The Be-200’s cockpit can be fit-
ted with head-up displays (HUD)
and an optical monitor camera.
Above the windscreen, there may
be an infrared camera installed,
with its footage to be displayed
on the pilot’s HUD. Such a system
has been tested on the Be-200 pro-
totype (side number 21512) and,
at the customer’s request, can be
installed in both in-construction and
in-service amphibians.
Be-200: first local production aircraft under assembly in Taganrog
Ale
xey
Mik
heye
vB
erie
v
Ber
iev
The governmental resolution on the devel-
opment and productionising of the upgraded
Il-76 in the city of Ulyanovsk was issued on 20
December 2006. Since 1972, the Il-76’s pro-
duction had been produced in Uzbekistan by
the Tashkent Aircraft Production Corp. named
after Valery Chkalov (TAPC) that had built a
total of almost 900 aircraft of the type over four
decades. The transfer of the Il-76’s production
to Russia was caused by the snags hit by the
implementation of the September 2005 con-
tract for 38 Il-76MDs, including several tanker
planes, for China, with the contract having
been awarded to TAPC by Rosoboronexport. It
turned out that the financial standing of TAPC
and the financial conditions proposed would
not allow the deal to pan out. In addition, it
became obvious that in addition to future com-
mercial orders, there would be high demand
for the Il-76 on the part of Russian users as
well, the Defence Ministry in the first place.
To avoid dependence on the manufacturer
sitting in a foreign, albeit friendly, country, the
Russians weighed the pros and cons and opted
for having the Il-76 productionised in Russia,
at the Aviastar plant in Ulyanovsk.
The aircraft developed almost 40 years ago
was to be upgraded heavily and its design
documentation was to be digitized, essen-
tially worked out anew in the form of 3D
digital models. The Il-76’s basic upgrades
included the replacement of its engines with
more powerful and more efficient PS-90A-76
turbofans made in Perm (by then, the engine
had been tested on Il-76MF and Il-76MD-90
prototypes) and a heavy update of its avionics
suite, including the introduction of the ‘glass
cockpit’.
At the same time, several considerable
design and technological improvements have
been introduced too. For instance, the wing,
which retained its airfoil section and outline,
has been given a new structural layout – the
wing panel became a one-piece job using
long-measuring panels with riveted stringers,
and the number of the wing spars dropped
from three to two. This allowed a sizeable
reduction in structural weight and an increase
in terms of manufacturability.
Owing to the new wing and reinforced
undercarriage, the airlifter’s maximum take-
off weight has grown from 190 t of the
TAPC-built production-standard Il-76MD
to 210 t, while its maximum payload has
increased from 47 t to 60 t. Owing to the 12%
fuel efficiency increase of its PS-90A-76,
the aircraft have seen an increase in its
range from 4,000 km to 5,000 km with the
52-t payload. The greater thrust allowed
an improvement in its takeoff and landing
performance, with the length of the run
UNDERGOING TESTSUNDERGOING TESTSLast autumn saw the start of the flight tests of the upgraded Il-76MD-90A
(‘476’) transport aircraft prototype made by the Aviastar-SP close corporation
in Ulyanovsk – the first aircraft of the Ilyushin Il-76 family, built in Russia (until
recently, the previous Il-76 versions were made in Uzbekistan). The new airlifter’s
first flight took place in Ulyanovsk on 22 September 2012. Two weeks later, on
4 October, the aircraft was shown in flight to the authoritative governmental del-
egation led by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The demonstration flight was
followed by the signing of the contract for 39 production-standard Il-76MD-90As to
be built in Ulyanovsk for the Russian Defence Ministry, with the total value of the
deal being almost 140 billion rubles (around $4.5 billion). According to participants
in the event, this has been the most lucrative deal on aircraft acquisition for the
Russian Air Force over the post-Soviet years. The contract has become the launch
order for the Il-76MD-90A and is expected to be followed by more orders, since
Russian ministries and other governmental agencies alone will have needed at
least hundred aircraft of the type until the end of the decade.
ILYUSHINILYUSHIN476476Andrey FOMIN
Photos provided by UAC
w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u36 take-off february 2013
i n d u s t r y | p r o g r a m m e
diminishing from 1,750 m to 1,600 m. The
TA-6A auxiliary powerplant was replaced
with the more advanced TA-12A to enhance
the operating characteristics.
The Kupol-II analogue flight naviga-
tion system has been ousted by the digital
Kupol-III-76M(A), and the SAU-1T-2B
analogue automatic flight control system has
been replaced with the digital SAU-76 allow-
ing ICAO Category II landing approaches and
RNP and RVSM navigation. The traditional
‘steam-gauge’ instruments in the cockpit have
given way to the KSEIS integrated electronic
display and warning system comprising eight
colour multifunction liquid-crystal displays
(MFD). The advanced BPSN-2 satnav sys-
tem has made its way onboard the airlifter too.
The upgraded aircraft has been designated
as Il-76MD-90A and given the index 476
(for this reason, it is called Il-476 sometimes,
though the designation is unofficial). In addi-
tion to the prime developer, the Ilyushin
Aviation Complex JSC, a wide range of con-
tractors has taken part in the upgrade, e.g.
the Perm Engine Company, Kotlin-Novator
close corporation, Tekhpribor JSC, MIEA
JSC, Gidroagregat JSC, Aviaagregat JSC,
Electroprivod JSC, etc.
The Russian Ministry of Industry and
Trade ordered the construction of the first
two prototypes, and UAC – Transport
Aircraft JSC acted as prime contractor. The
order for the construction of the first exam-
ple, c/n 01-01 designed for endurance tests,
was placed with the Aviastar-SP close cor-
poration on 15 March 2007 and the one for
the manufacture of the first flying prototype
(c/n 01-02) on 30 September 2009. To make
them, Aviastar set up a separate shop on the
plant’s premises of the aggregate assembly
facility. The first two aircraft were being
assembled in Ulyanovsk as portions of the
digitised design documentation arrived from
Ilyushin. Aviastar kicked off the assembly
of the first components and compartments
under the 476 programme in 2009. To speed
up the construction of the first flying proto-
type, the empennage, wing high-lift devices
and wingtips set was ordered from TAPC that
had a virtually completed backlog. The com-
ponents ordered were brought to Ulyanovsk
in April 2011. The flying prototype’s assem-
bly had been complete by year-end 2011, and
the roll-out ceremony for the Il-76MD-90A
(c/n 01-02) took place on 15 December
2011. Two and a half months before that,
on 1 October 2011, the F2 fuselage sec-
tion, wing centre box and wing panels – a
structural component set for the endurance
prototype (c/n 01-01) – was delivered from
Ulyanovsk to Zhukovsky, Moscow Region,
for static tests in TsAGI.
Following the rollout in December last
year, the flying prototype of Aircraft 476
returned to the assembly shop to complete the
systems assembly and shop tests. The plane’s
handover to the plant’s flight test facility took
place early in July of this year, and the first
Il-76MD-90A registered as RA-78650 was
unveiled late in August during the MATF
2012 International Air Transport Forum at
Ulyanovsk-Vostochny airport.
The first engine run took place on
13 September, and a week later, the air-
craft was prepared for its flight tests after
the ground debugging of its new avionics.
Finally, on Saturday, 22 September 2012, at
about 15.30 an Ilyushin test pilot crew led by
Honoured Test Pilot, Hero of Russia Nikolai
Kuimov took the Il-76MD-90A for its maiden
flight. The crew consisted of Honoured Test
Pilot Vladimir Irinarkhov (co-pilot), Valery
Grechko (navigator), Alexei Zhuravlyov
(flight engineer) and Sergei Orlov (flight radio
operator) as well as Vladimir Lysyagin (flight
test engineer), Alexander Tsvetkov (electric
systems operator) and Alexei Mitin (cargo
compartment operator).
The new aircraft’s second flight was on
the morning of 28 September, and 4 October
saw the Il-76MD-90A’s presentation to
Russian President Vladimir Putin on a visit to
Ulyanovsk for a meeting on the governmental
acquisition of Russian-made aircraft. The
diminishing from 1 750 m to 1 600 m The
tw
A
o
p
w
p
th
(c
th
p
fa
a
Il-76MD-90A just landed after its maiden flight. Ulyanovsk,22 September 2012
37 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u take-off february 2013
i n d u s t r y | p r o g r a m m e
President was pleased with what he had seen:
Nikolai Kuimov’s crew flew the new aircraft
on a short but spectacular sortie. “I have
every reason to thank and congratulate the
Designer General and plant Director, and
the whole of the team who have worked hard
to achieve this stage of the development of a
new Russian transport aircraft. Today, we have
actually witnessed the final stage of its devel-
opment”, Vladimir Putin said. “The event we
have witnessed today is not a mere flight of the
revitalised Il-76 aircraft. Essentially, this is a
drastically new aircraft upgraded by 70%. We
have got an advanced aircraft featuring cut-
ting-edge characteristics in terms of reliabil-
ity, range, efficiency and lifting capacity. I am
certain that the aircraft will be in demand
both in this country and with our possible
partners abroad”, the President concluded.
Then there was the ceremony of signing
the launch contract for 39 Il-76MD-90A
aircraft for the Russian Defence Ministry,
attended by Vladimir Putin. After the event
was over, the President’s chief of staff Sergei
Ivanov said: “This is the largest contract
the Russian aircraft industry has ever seen”.
The deliveries under the contract will have
taken place from 2014 to 2020. The con-
tract’s value stands at 140 billion rubles (about
$4.5 billion), i.e. more than 3.5 billion rubles
(around $115 million) per aircraft. The con-
tract will not be the only one signed by the
Defence Ministry. As was reported in the
press, the Il-76MD-90A shall serve the basis
for an advanced tanker plane intended to
succeed the in-service Il-78M and for several
specialised aircraft, which development has
been assigned to Beriev company. According
to Vice-Premier Dmitry Rogozin, the 2020
State Armament Acquisition Programme pro-
vides for procurement of “more than 100”
Il-76MD-90As in several versions.
In addition, other governmental cus-
tomers are expected to place orders for the
Il-76MD-90A in the coming years. “Now, we
need to consolidate other customers, because
the aircraft features a widest range of applica-
tions”, Sergei Ivanov told the media in the
wake of the meeting in Ulyanovsk. “It can
operate in the fire-fighting, medevac, air-
borne assault and freighter roles. Therefore,
the Emergencies Ministry, Ministry of the
Interior, Federal Security Service, Office of
the President, Transport Ministry and several
other governmental agencies should form a
pool of customers within a month and work
out a line of credit stipulating a proactive use
of leasing arrangements”.
Ilyushin JSC Director General/Designer
General Victor Livanov said: “The congratu-
lation by President Vladimir Putin imposes
on us a high responsibility. We have passed
an important stage, but a lot has to be done
further down the line: we are to test and
productionise the aircraft – both the baseline
model and a whole range of its derivatives. We
are certain that the Il-76MD-90A aircraft is
facing new vistas”.
At present, Aviastar plant is manufac-
turing the first three production-standard
Il-76MD-90A airlifters. Their construction
commenced as far back as 2010 under the
contract with UAC – Transport Aircraft.
According to Aviastar-SP Director General
Sergei Dementyev, two of them are to be com-
pleted as soon as this year, with the deliveries
to begin in 2014. The company’s production
plan provides for a gradual increase in the
annual Il-76MD-90A output all the way to 18
aircraft per annum in 2018.
Meanwhile, the first flying prototype of the
Il-76MD-90A was painted late in December last
year. Once it has completed a series of ground
tests and fixes, it is to fly to Ilyushin’s flight test
facility in Zhukovsky, Moscow Region, where
its flight tests will continue. The move was
planned for late January or early February 2013.
According to Ilyushin Designer General Victor
Livanov, the first stage of the Il-76MD-90A’s offi-
cial tests, which includes 50 test sorties, is to be
completed in the third quarter of 2012. One pro-
totype will be enough for this purpose, because
the official trials of the upgraded Il-76MD-90
(RA-78854) aircraft, which were conducted with
success in 2011, will be taken in consideration.
This test aircraft made in 2005 on the basis of
the Il-76MD (c/n 81-05) built in 1991 was used
for testing the advanced powerplant consisting of
four PS-90A-76 turbofan engines as well as new
avionics now used in the Il-76MD-90As made
in Ulyanovsk.
Ilyushin 476 first flying prototype being paintedat Spektr-Avia JSC, 22 December 2012
i n d u s t r y | p r o g r a m m e
w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u38 take-off february 2013
Il-76MD-90A prototype in its second flight, 28 September 2012. Registration has been already changed from RA-78650 to 78650
The United Aircraft Corporation expects
that the new Il-76MD-90A airlifter and its
derivatives will be in demand not only in
Russia, but abroad as well. For instance, its
derivative Il-78MK-90 tanker plane was used
by Rosoboronexport JSC to bid in a tender
held by the Indian MoD that has operated
six Il-78MKI tankers built in Tashkent and
delivered in 2003–05. IAF’s advanced tanker
plane requirements are estimated at 12 air-
craft. According to the Indian media, the
first six of them will be Airbus A330MRTTs,
but no decision has been made on the other
six yet, and the Il-76MK-90 may become a
good choice.
According to official information released
by Rosoboronexport, the Il-78MK-90’s obvi-
ous advantages include its ability to be quickly
converted by its ground crew into a full-
fledged airlifter for quick redeployment and
airdrop of cargo, heavy vehicles and para-
troops. The multifunction capability of the
baseline Il-76MD-90A platform enables it to
derive fire-fighting, flying hospital, airborne
command post and AEW&C versions. The
Il-78MK-90 can refuel planes with fuel of two
types on a single sortie and distribute fuel on
the ground at a rate of 1,500 l/min to refuel
simultaneously up to four aircraft, wheeled or
armoured vehicles on the ground. Since the
Il-78MK-90 can operate from both paved and
unpaved airfields, it can use more than 80%
of the Indian runways and, for this reason,
there will be no problem with dispersing the
tanker planes throughout the airfield network,
if need be.
It is also important that unlike the
Il-76MD and Il-78MKI aircraft earlier
supplied to India, the Il-76MD-90A and
Il-78MK-90 can conduct unrestricted
international commercial flights owing to
their advanced powerplant based on effi-
cient PS-90A-76 engines and to their up-
to-date avionics suites.
Comparative data of Il-76MD-90Aand production-standard Il-76MD
Il-76MD Il-76MD-90AEngines D-30KP-2 PS-90A-76
Takeoff thrust, kgf 4 x 12,000 4 x 16,000
Maximum take-off weight, t 190 210
Maximum landing weight, t 151.5 170
Maximum payload weight, t 48 60
Range, km:
- with 60-t payload – 4,000
- with 48-t payload 3,800 5,300
- with 40-t payload 4,750 6,500
- empty 9,300 9,700
Cruising speed, km/h 750–780 780–800
Runway length required, m 2,250 2,150
Takeoff run with max
take-off weight, m 1,750 1,600
Fuel efficiency, g/tonne-km 232.4 187.1
Crew 7 6
i n d u s t r y | p r o g r a m m e
39 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u take-off february 2013
Il-76MD-90A first flying prototype (c/n 01-02)under final assembly at Aviastar plant, June 2012
Airframe assembly of the first production Il-76MD-90A, December 2012
The aircraft flown by a crew led by Antonov
test pilot Vladimir Mosin took off from
Svyatoshin airfield in Kiev and landed at Kiev-
Antonov airfield in Gostomel 32 minutes later.
According to Vladimir Mosin, the first sortie
tested the operation of the basic avionics and
test data recorders and assessed the aircraft’s
stability and controllability in the takeoff and
landing configurations. The An-70 flew two
more test flights in Gostomel on 29 and 30
September, having taken part in the Aerosvit
air show there on those days.
Antonov commenced the upgrade of the
An-70’s avionics suite and powerplant in line
with the specifications requirement approved
by the Russian and Ukrainian defence minis-
tries in August 2010. The last, 625th, flight of
the An-70 c/n 01-02 prior to the upgrade had
taken place on 28 July 2010.
The An-70 upgrade led to the replacement
of the SV-27 propfans of the D-27 engines
with more sophisticated ones, with the pitch
between the front and rear props increased by
300 mm. This resulted in noise reduction and
propfan performance improvement. In addi-
tion, a modified engine FADEC and propfan
control system was introduced as well as the
TA-12-60 auxiliary power unit was ousted by
the TA-18-200-70 one from the Aerosila sci-
entific and production company in Stupino
(Moscow region), which features an expanded
operating conditions bracket.
The avionics suite underwent heavy
upgrade owing to its transition to advanced
electronic componentry and the need of
accomplishing new missions in line with the
customer’s requirements specified more accu-
rately. In the cockpit, TV-type CRT displays
were replaced with six colour multifunction
liquid-crystal displays. The ball of the electro-
optical system designed for night landing
on unpaved airfields and round-the-clock
airdrop operations appeared under the nose
section. Antonov news release stressed: “The
mathematical models and algorithms embod-
ied in the aircraft control system and aircraft
components remained the same. This ensured
the continuity with the earlier performed
stages of the trials and guarantees the suitabil-
ity of the results produced”.
The upgraded An-70’s preliminary test pro-
gramme designed for 20 sorties was completed
with success in December 2012, and the air-
craft entered the final phase of its official trials,
which provides for 75 test sorties, according
to Antonov Designer General Dmitry Kiva’s
UPGRADED AN-70 IN TRIALSOn 21 December 2012, the fuselage of the first production-standard An-70 short
takeoff and landing airlifter (c/n 01-04) was taken out of the stocks in a ceremony at
the Antonov aircraft production plant in Kiev, attended by Ukrainian Prime Minister
Nikolai Azarov. The fuselage was then moved to the final assembly shop. It is the first
of the two production-standard An-70s ordered by the Ukrainian Defence Ministry
in 2004 and laid down by Antonov as far back as 2001. The other production An-70
c/n 01-05 is at the fuselage sections assembly stage. The set of wings to fit the two
aircraft was ordered from TAPC in Uzbekistan. The first production-standard An-70
built in Kiev may be completed in 2014. Meanwhile, the tests of an upgraded An-70
prototype (c/n 01-02, reg. UR-NTK) continue in Kiev. The plane conducted its maiden
flight on 27 September 2012 following its two-year-long upgrade.
Mikhail SUNTSOV
Vas
ily K
oba
i n d u s t r y | u p g r a d e
w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u40 take-off february 201340
statement made during the Aerosvit air show
in September 2012.
The flying and ground crews involved in
the programme had been trained at Antonov’s
Training Centre, where an An-70 flight test
stand was introduced. The stand is designed for
testing aircraft systems, particularly, the fly-by-
wire system, and checking their fail safety as
well as for preparing pilots or various situation
possible during the trials and for pilot training.
According to Dmitry Kiva, the test programme
is to be completed in May 2013.
The An-70 is planned for productionising by
a pool of Russian and Ukrainian companies.
The final assembly site for the An-70s intended
for the Russian Air Force Military Transport
Command expecting about 60 aircraft of the
type has been changed repeatedly in recent
years. Russian Premier Dmitry Medvedev
voiced the latest decision in June 2012. A new
production facility was to be built on Gorbunov
KAPO’s premises in Kazan, with the fuselage
panels supposed to be supplied by the Avistar-
SP plant in Ulyanovsk and the wings and
empennage by the Antonov plant in Kiev.
The D-27 engine co-production will be run
by Motor Sich in Zaporozhye and Salut in
Moscow, while Aerosila in Stupino will sup-
ply SV-27 propfans and TA-18-200-70 APUs.
Early production An-70s were expected to be
made in Kazan in 2015–16, with the plant pos-
sibly manufacturing up to 12 aircraft a year by
the end of the decade.
However, the reshuffle of the leaders of the
Russian Defence Ministry, which took place
in November 2012, may cause a revision of
the plans. At the late-December conference
chaired by the new Russian defence minister
General of the Army Sergei Shoigu and dedi-
cated to the acquisition of advanced aircraft for
the RusAF Military Transport Command, it
was said that a decision on the An-70 procure-
ment could be put on the back burner until the
completion of the aircraft’s test programme.
The Russian Defence Ministry will bankroll
the trials and completion of the first produc-
tion-standard aircraft in Kiev, but abstain from
allocating money for the launching of An-70
assembly in Kazan so far. A decision on series
acquisition of An-70 aircraft and, hence, on
their production in Russia is expected to be
made later this year based on the outcome of
the An-70’s official test programme and talks
with Ukraine about the intellectual property
matters pertaining to the programme.
Fuselage of the first production An-70being delivered to final assembly shop, 21 December 2012
Cockpit of the An-70 prototype after upgrade, September 2012
Upgraded An-70 prototype (c/n 01-02) during flight tests, December 2012
Vya
ches
lav
Sm
igun
ovP
iotr
But
owsk
iV
asily
Kob
a
i n d u s t r y | u p g r a d e
41 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u take-off february 2013
take-off february 2013 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u
c o m m e r c i a l a v i a t i o n | n e w s
42
In December 2012, another
Russian carrier, Irkutsk-based
Angara, started commercial
operations of its newly acquired
Antonov An-148-100E regional pas-
senger jets built by VASO plant
in Voronezh. The first scheduled
passenger services took place on
the Irkutsk–Novosibirsk–Irkutsk
and Irkutsk–Mirny–Irkutsk lines on
20 December 2012.
The ceremony of the hando-
ver of the first An-148-100E (reg.
RA-61713) to the Angara airline was
held in Irkutsk on 30 October 2012.
The aircraft was delivered under the
agreement signed by the Angara
air company, VASO plant (a UAC
subsidiary) and Ilyushin Finance Co.
leasing company on March 2012 as
part of the Regional Aircraft Fleet
Modernisation Programme pursued
with support of the Irkutsk Region
administration. The contract stipu-
lates for Angara to take delivery
of five VASO-made An-148-100Es
in 2012–13, including three before
year-end 2012 and two in 2013.
There are also five options for deliv-
ery in 2014.
Angara’s planes have 75 pas-
senger seats in the economy class
and can operate on routes up to
4,400 km long. Considering the
peculiarities of the expected oper-
ations under harsh weather and
cold climate conditions (an ambi-
ent temperature above ground of
up to -52°C) and from unpaved
airfields, VASO performed an extra
set of preparations on the planes
prior to their delivery.
The new aircraft are supposed to
expand Angara’s route network by
far both in Russia and abroad.
The first Angara-accepted
An-148-100E (RA-61713, c/n
41-10) was manufactured by VASO
last spring, with its first flight on
22 March 2012. Its non-stop flight
from Voronezh to Irkutsk, which
measured about 4,300 km and 5 h
15 min, took place on 29 October
2012 and was followed by the
handover ceremony on the next
day.
The delivery of the second
An-148-100E (RA-61711, c/n 41-07)
was on 8 November 2012. The
VASO had made the aircraft a year
before. It first flew on 4 October
2011 and was initially earmarked
for the Polyot airline. The third
An-148-100E (RA-61714, c/n
42-01), which had been first flown
in Voronezh on 11 September 2012,
was accepted by Angara on
28 November and brought to Irkutsk
on 15 December 2012. The air com-
pany had 10 crews trained last year
to operate the new type, with the
pilots given relevant ground school
and simulator training.
Scheduled flights of Angara’s
An-148s commenced from
Irkutsk to Novosibirsk and Mirny
on 20 December 2012. The ser-
vice to Bratsk was added on
24 December, followed by the
I r k u t s k – N o v o s i b i r s k – M i r n y
line on 25 December. Since
15 January 2013, the new regional
airliners have been operating from
Irkutsk to Yakutsk famous for its
cold climate and to Khabarovsk
in the Russia’s Far East since
25 January. Plans provide for the
introduction of new lines from
Novosibirsk to Yekaterinburg in
February and Chita in March as
well as from Irkutsk to Ust-Kut
in February and Vladivostok in
March, etc. This summer is to see
the launch of international ser-
vices from Irkutsk to destinations
in China, Japan and South Korea.
The fourth and fifth An-148-100Es
are planned for entering service
with Angara in summer and autumn
2013 respectively. VASO is manu-
facturing them now.
Angara has been the third Russian
carrier to operate VASO-made
An-148s. Six An-148-100Bs were
delivered to the Rossiya air company
in St. Petersburg in 2009–10, with two
An-148-100Es received by the Polyot
airline in Voronezh in summer 2011.
The Grozny Avia carrier, operating
from Chechnya, is going to take deliv-
ery of two An-148-100Es this year.
Angara launches An-148 commercial services
Mik
e S
yrits
a /
UA
C
Mik
e S
yrits
a /
UA
C
Ole
g P
ante
leye
v /
UA
C
take-off february 2013w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u 43
c o m m e r c i a l a v i a t i o n | n e w s
Operating out of Vnukovo Airport
in Moscow, the Rossiya special
air detachment of the Russian
President’s Office remains a major
customer for new Russian-made
passenger aircraft. Several Ilyushin
Il-96, Tupolev Tu-204, Tu-214 and
Antonov An-148 airliners were made
for it in 2012. Early last year, two
Tu-204-300 VIP aircraft (RA-64057,
RA-64058) started their operation,
after having been tesed in Ulyanovsk
in 2011. In spring last year, a special
Tu-214SUS (RA-64524) airborne
command post made in Kazan a year
before followed suit. Two upgrad-
ed Il-96-300 airliners (RA-96014,
RA-96017), which had been flown
by the now-defunct KrasAir carrier
(it went bust in 2008), began to fly
for the Rossiya special air detach-
ment last year.
The first of the two new Ilyushin
Il-96-300PU(M1) VIP aircraft
ordered by the Russian President’s
Office (RA-96020) was rolled out
to VASO’s flight test facility in
July 2012. The government placed
the order for these two VIP planes,
designed to carry top governmental
officials, on 26 May 2010. Late in
December 2012, it was delivered and
has been based in Vnukovo since
11 January 2013. The construction
of the second airliner of the type is
under way in Voronezh. It will have
entered service this year, after which
the presidential air detachment will
operate as many as eight aircraft of
the Il-96 family.
Another new An-148 took to the air
in Voronezh on 16 November 2012.
It was an An-148-100EA (RA-61716,
c/n 42-03), the first of the two
ordered by the Russian President’s
Office. The airliner is in VIP con-
figuration for 39 seats (two seats in
the highly comfortable ‘main pas-
senger’ cabin furnished with a sofa,
12 seats in business class and 25
in economy class). The contract for
two An-148-100EA aircraft to be
delivered to the Russian President’s
Office before December 2013 was
placed on 5 December 2011. A
modified cabin layout and a num-
ber of advanced systems necessi-
tated extra certification tests that had
been completed by the end of 2012,
and on 29 December 2012, the IAC
Aircraft Registry issued the modi-
fied An-148-100EA with Supplement
Type Certificate CT264-An-148/D09,
giving the green light to the plane’s
operation. The acceptance report
had been signed by New Year Day,
and the new An-148-100EA flew
from the factory airfield to Vnukovo
Airport in the Moscow Region on
17 January 2013. VASO is assem-
bling the second An-148-100EA
under the contract.
Another new aircraft destined
for the Rossiya special air detach-
ment flew from the Kazan Aircraft
Production Association named
after S.P. Gorbunov (KAPO) on
5 December 2012. It is a Tu-214
VIP airliner (RA-64521) ordered
by the Russian President’s Office –
the seventh Tu-214 made by KAPO
for the customer over the past
several years. It was ordered on
12 January 2011 in enhanced com-
fort configuration for 150 seats
(12 in business class and 138 in
economy class). The aircraft is
slated for delivery this year.
RA-64521 is the only new
Tu-214 KAPO built last year. Three
more Tu-214s are being assem-
bled for the Russian President’s
Office in the wake of the signature
on 31 October 2012 of a contract
for three more Tu-214SR com-
munications relay aircraft to be
delivered prior to December 2015.
These aircraft are expected to get
registration numbers RA-64526,
RA-64527 and RA-64528. After
they have been delivered, the
Rossiya special air detachment
will operate 15 aircraft of the
Tu-204/214 family, including
13 KAPO-made Tu-214 in various
versions.
New aircraft for presidential air detachment
Ale
xey
Fila
tov
Ildar
Val
eyev
Ale
xey
Boy
arin
In Aeroflot
The acceptance report for the 10th Sukhoi
Superjet 100 intended for Aeroflot was signed
in Ulyanovsk on 15 September 2012. The
airliner (c/n 95018), which conducted its
maiden flight in Komsomolsk-on-Amur on
12 July 2012, got side number RA-89010.
The aircraft was ferried from Ulyanovsk to
Sheremetyevo airport on 19 September and
kicked off commercial operations by its first
revenue flight on 21 September 2012.
In all, the Russia’s flag carrier has taken
delivery of six new SSJ100s last year out of the
30 it had ordered with four deliveries in 2011.
Next airliners of the type to be delivered to
Aeroflot will have a modified cabin interiors.
The assembly of the first of them (c/n 95025)
began last spring, but its rollout and ferry
flight to Ulyanovsk for cabin interior assembly
and airframe painting is now been scheduled
for February 2013 at the earliest. Next aircraft
for Aeroflot (c/n 95029) is now ready for
assembly.
Aeroflot’s SSJ100s fly scheduled ser-
vices to more than 20 Russian and foreign
destinations. In Russia they fly to Anapa,
Astrakhan, Kazan, Krasnodar, Nizhnekamsk,
Nizhnevartovsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Perm,
Samara, St. Petersburg, Tyumen and
Volgograd now. Several flights are being made
to Ukraine’s Dnepropetrovsk, Donetsk,
Kharkov and Odessa as well as to Belarusian
capital Minsk. European destinations include
Bucharest, Copenhagen, Krakow, Stockholm,
Vilnius and Zagreb.
As of 1 January 2013, Aeroflot’s Superjets
had logged over 8,500 flights totalling in excess
of 16,000 flight hours, of which almost 7,300
flights and 14,000-plus flight hours were flown
last year. A flight averages 2 h, and an average
The Sukhoi Superjet 100 regional jet
was the most productive programme
in Russia in 2012 in terms of new pas-
senger aircraft production. During the
year, the Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company
made 12 SSJ100-95B jets, including five
for Aeroflot, two for Yakutia airline and
five for foreign customers. Six planes,
including one flown in 2011, were deliv-
ered to Aeroflot and one to Yakutia (the
other shall be delivered in February
2013). In addition, the acceptance
report on the first SSJ100-95B intended
for Indonesian airline Sky Aviation was
signed in late 2012. Of two aircraft
built and check-flown for Mexican car-
rier Interjet, the first one was ferried to
Venetia in autumn 2012 for customisa-
tion by the Superjet International joint
venture, with the second to follow it
in early 2013. Also in February 2013,
the airliner built for Laotian carrier Lao
Central Airlines in late 2012 is to be
delivered. During 2012, the SSJ100s
type certificate was recognised by
as many as three countries – Mexico,
Indonesia and Laos, which will enable
them to launch revenue operations of
the new Russian regional jet.
SUKHOI SUPERJET 100SUKHOI SUPERJET 100ARRIVES TO NEW CUSTOMERSARRIVES TO NEW CUSTOMERS
Yur
i Kab
erni
kc o m m e r c i a l a v i a t i o n | p r o g r a m m e
w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u44 take-off february 2013
Andrey FOMIN
monthly flight hours per aircraft accounted
for about 140 h (the maximal flight hours
were logged by RA-89010 in October 2012,
when it accumulated 327 h on 158 services).
As of 1 January 2013, the biggest flight hours
had been logged by Aeroflot’s first Superjet
(RA-89001) – 2,700 h on 1,495 flights.
All of Aeroflot’s Superjet 100s have the two-
class 87-seat configuration with 12 seats in
business class and 75 in economy class.
In frosty Yakitia
Another Russian carrier to have launched
operation of its SSJ-100s in late January
2013 is the Yakutia air company that had
ordered two aircraft of the type. The first
one (c/n 95019, reg. RA-89011) made its
maiden flight in Komsomolsk-on-Amur on
13 August 2012 and headed for Ulyanovsk for
the assembly of its interior and for painting
4 days later. Its interior was assembled and
the aircraft was painted in October 2012, and
it was displayed at Airshow China 2012 in
Zhuhai in November. Its delivery and ferry
flight from Ulyanovsk to Yakutsk took place
on 18 December 2012 and its first scheduled
passenger flight on the Yakutsk-Khabarovsk
line was conducted on 23 January 2013.
Yakutia’s SSJ100 starts to operate the Yakutsk-
Novosibirsk and Yakutsk-Harbin lines in late
January or early February 2013. The com-
pany’s short-term plans provide for launching
operations from Yakutsk to Krasnoyarsk and
Blagoveshchensk also.
Ser
gey
Lyse
nko
Yur
i Ste
pano
v
Yakutia airline got its first SSJ100in December 2012
SSJ100 c/n 95021, the second jet built for Armaviain June 2012, is now going to change its customer
SSJ100 c/n 95018 became the 10th Superjet acquired by Aeroflotand launched its operations in September 2012
c o m m e r c i a l a v i a t i o n | p r o g r a m m e
45 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u take-off february 2013
The other Superjet 100 intended for Yakutia
(c/n 95020, reg. RA-89012) conducted its
maiden flight in Komsomolsk-on-Amur on
25 November 2012, then it received its cabin
interior in Ulyanovsk and in mid-December it
was painted in the Czech Republic. Its deliv-
ery is planned for early February 2013, after
which it will fly to Yakutsk and commence its
scheduled operations.
The Yakutia-operated SSJ100s have a
93-seat cabin, with eight passengers seated in
business class and 85 in economy class.
Armavia’s planes searching for new owners
Early in October 2012, following a
four-month break, Armenian air carrier
Armavia – the Superjet’s launch customer
since spring 2011 – resumed passenger
operations on its SSJ100. Having logged a
bit over 2,000 flying hours on almost 900
commercial flights since April 2011, the first
production SSJ100 (c/n 95007, EK-95015)
flew in to Sukhoi Civil Aircraft’s facility in
Zhukovsky for A-Check routine mainte-
nance in early June 2012. However, due to a
financial dispute between the manufacturer
and operator, the aircraft had sat there for a
long time, while Armavia changed its mind
as for the second Superjet built for it (c/n
95021, EK-95016), meanwhile. This plane
first flew in Komsomolsk-on-Amur on 3
June 2012 and was prepared for delivery in
the same month. In all probability, the air-
craft sitting in Zhukovsky now will get itself
a new customer.
Ultimately, the parties came to terms about
continued operation of the first SSJ100 by
Armavia, and it finally flew from Zhukovsky to
Yerevan on 2 October 2012. It has been flying
passenger services for Armavia from Yerevan’s
Zvartnots airport to Moscow’s Domodedovo
and Vnukovo, to Krasnodar, Nizhny
Novgorod, Sochi, Ufa and Yekaterinburg as
well as to Dubai, Milan and Tel Aviv.
However, the flights hadn’t lasted long –
the carrier’s financial problems caused the
termination of its Superjet operation on
22 October 2012. In all, the airliner had
logged 2,300 flight hours on 932 flights with
Armavia, and its average monthly flight time
(less the four months of sitting at the tarmac
in Zhukovsky) standing at about 166 h (the
maximum time is 240 h per month). The
average flight of the Armenian Superjet last-
ed 2.5 flight hours and its average daily flight
time accounted for 5.5 flight hours.
The airliner’s cabin layout allows for 98
seats in economy class.
Mexico: Western Hemisphere’s launch customer
On 12 September 2012 another production
Sukhoi Superjet 100 (c/n 95023) made its maid-
en flight in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, becoming
the first SSJ100 built for a Western air carrier.
The aircraft is the lead plane under the contract
placed by Mexican carrier Interjet that has
awarded 20 firm orders for the type to date. The
supplier of the Interjet aircraft is Russo-Italian
joint venture SuperJet International, which
facility in Venetia will be used for assembly
of the passenger cabin interior developed by
Italian designer bureau Pininfarina, painting of
the aircraft and training of customer’s air and
ground crews. For this reason, the unpainted
aircraft flew in to Venetia’s Marco Polo airport
Yur
i Kab
erni
k
SSJ100 c/n 95024, the second aircraft for Interjet of Mexico, in flight tests, December 2012
c o m m e r c i a l a v i a t i o n | p r o g r a m m e
w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u46 take-off february 2013
on 6 October 2012 following a small series of test
fights in Komsomolsk-on-Amur.
Mexico’s aviation authorities have issued the
type certificate for the SSJ100 in April 2012, but
the new passenger cabin for 93 economy-class
seats will necessitate additional certification,
due to which the delivery of the first of Interjet’s
SSJ100s has been slated for March 2013. The
training of Mexican air and ground crews in
Venetia is to commence soon. The Superjet’s
Full Flight Simulator (FFS) has been delivered
to SJI facility in Venetia in November 2012
(until recently, there has been only one SSJ100
FFS at SCAC’s facility in Zhukovsky; the sec-
ond one has been brought to Aeroflot’s training
centre in Sheremetyevo in July 2012).
The second Mexican SSJ100 (c/n 95024)
first flew in Komsomolsk-on-Amur on 16
December 2012 and is now gearing up for the
ferry flight to Venetia in February for customisa-
tion. The third Interjet’s SSJ100s (c/n 95028) is
being assembled, with its first flight and ferrying
to Venetia slated for March 2013.
First SSJ100 for Indonesia
20 October 2012 saw the first flight of the
Sukhoi Superjet 100 c/n 95022 – the first of
the aircraft intended for Indonesian airline Sky
Aviation that had ordered 12 airliners of the type
from Sukhoi Civil Aircraft, with the delivery to
take place between 2012 and 2015. Less than
a week later, on 26 October, the airliner with
temporary registration number 97007 came to
Ulyanovsk for the installation of its cabin inte-
rior and the subsequent painting. The work
had been complete by early December, and the
aircraft was given registration number PK-ECL
when it was being painted in the Sky Aviation
colours. The airliner was handed over to the cus-
tomer on 29 December 2012, with its departure
to Indonesia planned for January 2013.
The SuperJet International JV, which handles
aftersales support and training, gave training to
the first crews of Sky Aviation. It trained eight
Indonesian pilots and 18 flight attendants as
far back as late last year and 12 technicians in
January 2013. This enables the carrier to start
using the aircraft right after it has been received.
Now, there are two more aircraft designed for
Indonesia (c/n 95027 and c/n 95031), sitting in
the SCAC’s final assembly shop. They are to be
rolled out in March and April respectively and
delivered in May and June 2013.
The cabins of Sky Aviation’s Sukhoi Superjet
100s are designed to seat 12 passengers in business
class and 75 in economy class – a total of 87 seats.
Laos in wait of Superjet
Another Sukhoi Superjet 100 (c/n 95026)
performed its maiden flight in Komsomolsk-
on-Amur on 12 December 2012. The airliner is
the first of the three SSJ100s ordered by Laotian
carrier Lao Central Airlines. On the third day
after its first flight, on 14 December, the newly
built aircraft with temporary reg. 97008 headed
for Ulyanovsk for cabin interior installation and
livery painting. This done, it was issued with
Laotian registration number RDPL-34195. The
airliner is to be delivered in February 2013. The
Laotian air authorities recognised the SSJ100’s
type certificate in December 2012, which allows
the aircraft’s export to the country and its unre-
stricted operation by Laotian carriers. Lao
Central Airlines plans to fly its SSJ100s on both
domestic and foreign routes, particularly, to
Bangkok, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Singapore, etc.
The aircraft have been configured for 93 seats –
eight in business class and 85 in economy class.
Sukhoi Civil Aircraft is completing the sec-
ond of the Lao Central airliners (c/n 95030).
Its roll out is scheduled for March or April this
year and its delivery for May. The third Laotian
SSJ100s (c/n 95037) is having its airframe
components being made. It could be delivered
before year-end.
As of January 2013, Sukhoi Civil Aircraft
Company and SuperJet International have had
179 orders for SSJ100s, of which 13 have been
delivered already. 72 airliners have been ordered
by Russian carriers – UTair (24), Gazpromavia
(10) and Transaero (6) in addition to Aeroflot
and Yakutia. The deliveries to the former two
may kick off in 2013–2014 and to Transaero in
2015. 107 aircraft have been ordered by foreign
air carriers and leasing companies.
SC
AC
SC
AC
Indonesian carrier Sky Aviation got its first SSJ100 (c/n 95022) in late December 2012
The first Superjet built for Lao Central Airlines, c/n 95026,after painting in customer’s colours, January 2013
c o m m e r c i a l a v i a t i o n | p r o g r a m m e
47 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u take-off february 2013
Izhevsk Electromechanical Plant KUPOL,
JSC, being part of the ALMAZ-ANTEY Air
Defense Concern, unveils its new surface-
to-air missile system Tor-M2KM, which
differs from the widely known SAM systems
Tor-M2K and Tor-M2E in a modular design
of the combat and support vehicles.
SRSAM system Tor-M2KM with its
modular combat and support vehicles is
designed for air defence of vital public facilities.
It is very reliable and effective against high
maneuvering targets, guided and gliding aerial
bombs, anti-radar and cruise missiles, UAVs,
aircraft and helicopters within the SRSAM
engagement area day and night under adverse
weather and countermeasures environment.
Independent combat module (ICM) of
the SRSAM system is an autonomous missile
launcher which incorporates radar and optical
facilities, special equipment, surface-to-air
missiles, primary and backup power supply
sources and crew. A shelter with unified mount
adapters has been specially designed for the
ICM, allowing its arrangement on truck, semi-
trailer, trailer or other platforms of appropriate
load-carrying capacity.
ICMs mounted on various platforms can
significantly expand application range and
scope of missions carried out by the SRSAM
system, besides modular design results in
substantial reduction of operational costs.
Being deployed on various platforms
SRSAM system Tor-M2KM is capable of
accomplishing AD missions of Land Forces,
Air Forces and Navy, protecting vital strategic
military and civilian facilities against air attack.
Due to modular design, the ICM can be
sling-loaded beneath a Mi-26T helicopter or
its analogs.
Helicopter-transported ICM can be
deployed in very hard-to-reach places,
for example, in mountains and roofs of
buildings.
Tor-M2KM is the first system to fully meet air
defence needs of the big cities (megalopolises).
The system is fitted with up-to-date
computers and radars, making it possible to
destroy four aerial targets simultaneously.
Combat operation of the SRSAM system
Tor-M2KM is fully automated, operator only
needs to select a target to hit from the list
given by computer and then press Start button.
Surface-to-air missile is guided to the selected
target automatically, and SAM warhead
blows up in a target impact point. The missile
carries irregular shape fragmentations made of
special tungsten-nickel-iron alloy, providing
high non-ricocheting penetrating efficiency
of fragmentations. Radio fuse adaptation to
the air target type along with special missile
munitions make the system very effective
against all types of targets.
Independent combat module provides
transportation, storage and launch of four
surface-to-air missiles. Transporter/loader
module can be mounted on the automobile
chassis similar to the ICM chassis.
ICM is fitted with power supply source
ensuring its autonomous operation in any
weather conditions irrespective of the platform
the ICM is placed on. The ICM has also
a backup power source allowing ICM (if
deployed without platform) to operate from
commercial network or any mobile power plant
generating voltage of 220V 50Hz and power of
not less than 80 kW.
Maintenance tools and spare parts for the
SRSAM system are placed in the unified
shelters which can be mounted on any trucks,
semi-trailers and trailers.
The maximum weight of the loaded ICM
does not exceed 15 tons.
The combat crew is 2 men.
SRSAM system Tor-M2KM can successfully
accomplish AD missions both independently
and as part of various AD units, and be integrated
with Russian and foreign AD systems.
Over 50 years Izhevsk Electromechanical
Plant KUPOL, JSC has been manufacturing
high quality surface-to-air missile systems.
High technologies, skilled personnel and
many years’ experience in production and
modernization of the military equipment make
the company successful in the foreign and
domestic markets.
Through creation of air defense missile
systems for today’s and tomorrow’s army
KUPOL company upholds its reputation as
a Russian high-grade weapon manufacturer.
Air Defense Concern ALMAZ-ANTEY, JSC
41 Vereyskaya str., Moscow, 121471, Russia
Tel.: +7 (495) 276-29-65, fax: +7 (495) 276-29-69
E-mail: [email protected]
Izhevsk Electromechanical Plant KUPOL, JSC
3 Pesochnaya str., Izhevsk, 426033, Russia
Tel.: +7 (3412) 90-3211; fax: +7 (3412) 72-6819
E-mail: [email protected]
SRSAM SYSTEM TOR-M2KMSRSAM SYSTEM TOR-M2KMWITH ITS MODULAR COMBAT AND SUPPORT VEHICLESWITH ITS MODULAR COMBAT AND SUPPORT VEHICLES
commercial w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u48 take-off february 2013