to14

Russia’s helicopter industry: results and prospects [p.8]

june 2009 • Special edition for Paris AIr Show 2009

“VPERED” MOSCOW MACHINE-BUILDING

PLANT

HELICOPTERSERVICE COMPANY

ROSTVERTOL KUMERTAUAVIATION PLANT

R.E.T. KRONSTADTNOVOSIBIRSKAIRCRAFT REPAIR

AND OVERHAUL PLANT

MIL MOSCOW HELICOPTER PLANT

KAMOV STUPINO MACHINE-BUILDING PRODUCTION ENTERPRISE

“PROGRESS” ARSENIEV AIRCRAFT COMPANY

KAZANHELICOPTER PLANT

ULAN UDEAVIATION PLANT

adve

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OBORONPROM United Industrial Corporation OJSC

27, Stromynka str., Moscow, 107076, Russia

e-mail: [email protected]

www.oboronprom.ru

OBORONPROM group

HELICOPTERSRUSSIAN

SaM146 undergoing certification [p.26]

Russian Air Poweron display at Kubinka and over the Red square[p.40, 46]

SUKHOI SUKHOI SUPERJET 100SUPERJET 100debuts at Le Bourget debuts at Le Bourget

[p.18]

Cutting-edge avionics from Ryazan[p.34]

Dear reader,

You are holding another issue of the Take-Off magazine, the special

supplement to Russian monthly aerospace magazine Vzlet, timed to the

air show in Le Bourget. This time, the show is to take place for the 48th

time and celebrates its centenary. The event is considered the most

authoritative and prestigious display of the latest achievements of the

world’s aerospace industry, with virtually all aircraft manufacturers being

eager to participate in the show. By tradition, the Le Bourget air show

has been held in high esteem by Russian aerospace companies. It is

here that advanced Russian planes and helicopters are usually shown

abroad for the first time. This year there is another kind of jubilee of the

Le Bourget air show in this regard – 20 years since Russia has begun

displaying its combat aircraft here in 1989.

The Le Bourget air show is regarded as an excellent place to bolster

international aerospace cooperation. A graphic example of such

cooperation is the Sukhoi SuperJet 100 prospective regional airliner

programme pursued by a close-knot team of Russian, French, US and

several other foreign companies. This year Sukhoi SuperJet 100 makes

its international debut at Le Bourget and is going to become one of the

main attractions of the show. One of the two SSJ100 flying prototypes

now undergoing certification programme participates in the flight display

at Le Bourget this year. Very soon two more prototypes will join the tests

and by the end of the year the first production SuperJets are expected

to be delivered to their launch customers.

The whole Sukhoi SuperJet 100 programme and its components,

particularly Snecma/Saturn SaM146 Russo-French programme for

development of modern turbofan engine for SSJ100 are the best

examples of growing mutually beneficial international cooperation with

participation of Russian aerospace companies. That is why SuperJet

and its engines will be in the centre of attention during this show, and

therefore central topics in this issue are dedicated to them.

As usual, Take-Off offers you also a brief review of the other recent

most important events in the Russian aerospace industry, commercial

and military aviation.

I wish all the participants and visitors of this jubilee air show in Le

Bourget interesting meetings, useful contacts and lucrative contracts

and, of course, the pleasure of unforgettable demonstration flights of

planes and helicopters from all over the world.

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, 2009

P.O. Box 7, Moscow, 125475, RussiaTel. +7 (495) 644-17-33, 798-81-19Fax +7 (495) 644-17-33E-mail: [email protected]://www.take-off.ru

june 2009

Editor-in-Chief Andrey Fomin

Deputy Editor-in-Chief Vladimir Shcherbakov

EditorYevgeny Yerokhin

Columnist Alexander Velovich Special correspondents Alexey Mikheyev, Vladimir Karnozov, Victor Drushlyakov, Andrey Zinchuk, Valery Ageyev,Alina Chernoivanova, Natalya Pechorina, Marina Lystseva, Dmirty Pichugin, Sergey Krivchikov,Sergey Popsuyevich, Piotr Butowski, Alexander Mladenov, Miroslav Gyurosi

Design and pre-press Grigory Butrin

Web support Georgy Fedoseyev

Translation Yevgeny Ozhogin

Cover picture Alexey Mikheyev

Publisher

Director General Andrey Fomin

Deputy Director GeneralNadezhda Kashirina

Marketing DirectorGeorge Smirnov

Director for international projects Alexander Velovich

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 june 2009 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u2

c o n t e n t s

INDUSTRY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Russian An-148 soon to come Tu-214 may fly farther now First Ulyanovsk-built Il-76 to be

completed in 2010 Russian high-speed helicopter may fly in 2016

Russian helicopter industry

2008 performance and new targetsAccording to the early-March news release by the Russian Helicopters JSC, the helicopter industry of

Russia made 169 machines last year, having a 59% increase over 2007. Upwards of 85% falls on Mi-8

family machines (55 were made in Kazan and 59 in Ulan-Ude), with the remainder falling on the Mi-28N

and Mi-35M combat helicopters as well as Ka-32 transport machines. As usual, most of these helicopters

were exported, but the number of machines built for Russian customers has grown for the first time in

recent years. In particular, 2008 witnessed Rostvertol produce the first seven production Mi-28Ns for the

Russian Air Force and the Progress plant in Arsenyev kick-start the Ka-52 production programme, with

the Mi-8MTV-5 and Mi-171 utility helicopter production for the Russian Armed Forces and commercial

operators picking up as well.

CIVIL AVIATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Customers taking delivery of new Tu-204s Two new Il-96s delivered

Sukhoi SuperJet 100 debuts in Le BourgetA key, most interesting full-scale exhibit of the current air show in Le Bourget, probably, will be the prototype of

the advanced Sukhoi SuperJet 100 regional airliner. Displaying the SuperJet in Paris is the international debut of

the cutting-edge Russian airliner being developed in cooperation with numerous foreign major manufacturers of

aircraft, engines, avionics and other components from Italy, France, the United States, Germany and other countries.

SSJ100 prototypes are undergoing a certification tests programme planned to wrap up by the year-end when the

early production SuperJets are to be shipped to the launch customers. Overall, the developer has landed 98 firm

orders from Russian and foreign air carriers.

SaM146 undergoing certificationThe tests of the advanced SaM146 turbofan engine under co-development by Russia’s NPO Saturn and French

Snecma to fit the Sukhoi SuperJet 100 are under way. Overall, to complete the certification programme, 17 engines

have to be made, of which 10 have been made and undergoing testing, including four on board two SSJ100

prototypes. Take-off’s correspondent visited NPO Saturn and made sure that the SaM146 construction and tests are

on schedule and the company remains poised to obtain the type certificate in the fourth quarter of the year.

CONTRACTS AND DELIVERIES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 MMRCA tender: on the verge of competitive tests AL-55I kicks off flight tests on board HJT-36

India at fourth stage of Su-30MKI licence production Russian-Indian fifth generation First A-50EI

delivered to India Vietnam to receive eight more Su-30MK2s Antonov offers patrol variant of

An-74

Cutting-edge avionics made in RyazanToday, the Ryazan Instrument Plant is the Russian leader in production of avionics for up-to-date fixed-wing and

rotary-wing aircraft. A scientific and technological centre and a video computer technology scientific and design

centre have been set up by the plant to provide support to operation of its production equipment and development

of units and assemblies for use in avionics systems and ground hardware.

MILITARY AVIATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 MiG-29SMT already in service with RusAF Air Force receives Su-34s Debut of antitank air-

borne Hermes-A Su-35 to entry market in 2011 First production Yak-130 taking to the skies

Russia’s air power has been shown to presidentSuch an abundance of advanced aircraft has not been seen at Kubinka air force base in the Moscow Region for

a long time. About 20 warplanes and around 10 helicopters – both those in service with the Air Force and those

earmarked for service entry – assembled here late in March. The Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian

Armed Forces – President Dmitry Medvedev – was anticipated at the demonstration facility of the RusAF’s Aircraft

Demonstration Centre on 28 March. Virtually all types of advanced and upgraded Russian fixed-wing and rotary-wing

aircraft along with their weapons had been shown to the president at the ramp and in hangars.

Moscow, Red Square, 9 May 2009The 64th anniversary of the Victory Day was celebrated this year with a grandiose military parade in Moscow’s Red

Square and in the sky over it on 9 May. This time, 69 aircraft took part in the aviation segment of the parade – twice

as many as last year. All types of fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft in service with the Russian Air Force flew in

formation over Moscow, including the newest ones that had started entering service not long before that. Compared

with last year’s parade, the number of helicopters participating in the event grew considerably – from three to 17,

while the number of warplanes hiked from 29 to 52.

34

June 2009

26

40

8

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18

46

Russian Aircraft Corporation “MiG”Bld. 7, 1st Botkinsky proyezd, Moscow, 125284, Russia

Tel.: +7 (499) 795 8010Fax: +7 (495) 653 1447

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take-off june 2009 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u

i n d u s t r y | n e w s

4

In the final assembly shop of the

Voronezh-based VASO plant, the

manufacture of the first produc-

tion Antonov An-148-100B aircraft

(c/n 40-03) is nearing the end and

the work on the second aircraft

(c/n 40-04) is in full swing. This sum-

mer, both planes are to start their

factory tests and then be delivered to

the customer, the Rossiya airline that

is launching the replacement of its

obsolete Tupolev Tu-134 fleet.

By late April, the first Russian-built

An-148 had been fitted with the

engines, auxiliary power unit, most

of the harness, tubes and systems.

In May, the work on its hydraulic

system was finalised, avionics con-

nected, power supply tested, cabin

completed, etc. If all goes to plan,

aircraft 40-03 is to kick off its flight

tests and may be delivered in July.

The estimated date for the sec-

ond VASO-made An-148 to begin

its tests is late July. Several more

aircraft of the type are undergoing

aggregate assembling now.

In all, UAC’s production plan

provides for four An-148s to be

built by VASO this year. The output

may increase to eight units in 2010;

the plant will be able to make an

aircraft a month in 2011 and 20

planes a year starting from 2012.

So, under the recent UAC’s plan,

VASO will produce 44 An-148s in

2009–2012.

The first six production

An-148-100Bs are designed for

Rossiya airline under the firm order

(plus six options) signed with the

participation of the Ilyushin Finance

Co. (IFC). Then, there will be deliver-

ies of 10 An-148-100Es to the Polyot

airline and 10 An-148-100Bs to

Moskovia, which are to be finalised

during 2010–2013. Talks are under

way with several other customers.

All contracts on Russian-made

An-148s are implemented via IFC

leasing company.

In the future, the An-148 is to

become of VASO’s priorities, due

to which UAC is investing heavily

in the renovation of VASO’s produc-

tion facilities. Over the past year

and a half, UAC has invested in

VASO a total of 6.9 billion rubles

(around $230 million), of which

3.3 billion (about $110 million) have

fallen on the An-148 construction

programme. In 2009, the funding

of VASO’s operations and An-148

full-rate production by UAC is to

account for 7.5 billion rubles (about

$230 million). A.F.

Russian An-148 soon to comeIII

The first prototype of the advanced Ilyushin Il-112V light tactical airlifter is to be made by the VASO plant in Voronezh next year, according to Victor Livanov, Director General and Designer General, Ilyushin, and Director General, UAC – Transport Aircraft, who spoke with a Take-off correspondent. In the near future, the three-year governmental contract is to be awarded for R&D on the Il-112V, under which four prototypes of the type are to be manufactured. Two of them will undergo flight tests, the third one – static tests and the fourth one – endurance tests. The first Il-112V may fly for the first time in January or February 2011. According to Victor Livanov, the Il-112V programme has been made part of the governmental armament acquisition programme, with the Russian Defence Ministry planning to buy “more than a hundred” aircraft of the type until 2020.

III

Alexander Inozemtsev, Designer General, Aviadvigatel, and Deputy Designer General, United Engine Corporation (UEC), was appointed director and chief designer of the Family of New-Generation Engines with the 9–18 tonne thrust programme (a.k.a. PD 9–18) on 19 March. “The business concept of the programme boils down to seeking commonised design and production technology solutions to develop a baseline engine with a wide range of power and thrust, which is to respond to the fluid market situation quickly and at minimal cost. UEC’s decision to vest the development of its new-generation engine in the Aviadvigatel company in Perm is a solid appraisal of the company’s capabilities”, Inozemtsev told Take-off. The engines of the PD 9–18 family are to power the Irkut/Yakovlev MS-21 prospective short/medium-haul airliner, Ilyushin/HAL MTA prospective medium transport aircraft and other future planes.

in brief

And

rey F

om

inA

nd

rey F

om

in

address: 68, Leningradsky prospect, Moscow, 125315, Russiaphone / fax: (+7 495) 777-21-01e-mail: [email protected] www.irkut.com

MC-21 is a family of short/medium range airliners

with passenger carrying capacity of 150-210.

MC-21 is being developed by the Irkut Corporation jointly with Russia’s leading

design bureaus and foreign suppliers.

MC-21 surpasses all modern airliners featuring minimum cash operating

cost, ultimate comfort and safety and meeting highest environmental

requirements.

MAINLINE JET FOR THE 21ST CENTURY SUPPORTED BY THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT


i n d u s t r y | n e w s

6

On 4 March, the Tupolev joint

stock company received the

addendum to Type Certificate

CT196-Tu-214/D11 for the stand-

ard design of the Tu-214 aircraft,

reflecting several modifications to

the baseline design. The modifica-

tions include additional fuel cells,

extra AC power supply systems

and alteration of the layout of

the flight deck and cabin. Owing

to the introduction of extra fuel

cells below the floor of the cabin,

the Tu-214 can now flight to a

distance in excess of 10,000 km,

while earlier the production Tu-214

had a maximal range of 7,200 km

or less.

The improvements have

been implemented to Tu-214SR

(RA-64515) made last year by the

Kazan Aircraft Production Association

(KAPO) on order from the executive

office of the Russian president. The

aircraft conducted its first flight on

27 April 2008 and had completed

its certification test programme by

April 2009, which was confirmed by

the addendum to its type certificate,

issued to the developer.

According to Nazir Kireyev, an

advisor to the Tatarstan prime

minister, speaking with the media

on 16 March, the aircraft may be

handed off to the Russian presiden-

tial air detachment for service, once

the trials have been complete. “Its

flight performance is unrivalled”,

Nazir Kireyev said. “The aircraft in

the class will be able to operate out

to more than 10,000 km for the first

time”. He explained that the plane’s

unrefuelled range allowed it to fly

non-stop from Moscow to New

York or Tokyo.

Earlier this year, KAPO assem-

bled and submitted for tests

the second aircraft of the type

(RA-64516). Both Tu-214SR

aircraft were officially handed

over to the Russian presidential

air detachment on 1 June. The

assembly of two next aircraft –

Tu-214PU VIP variants (RA-64517

and RA-64520) ordered by the

presidential executive office – is

underway. A.F.

Tu-214 may fly farther now

And

rey F

om

in

At the news conference on

31 March, Aviastar-SP Director

General Mikhail Shushpanov

said the productionising of the

upgraded Ilyushin Il-76 transport

aircraft (Project 476) was in full

swing. The first aircraft designed

for static and endurance tests is to

be assembled by Aviastar-SP next

year. The first flying prototype of

the upgraded Il-76 could be com-

pleted by mid-2010 also.

The Russian-made aircraft will

differ from the production Il-76TD/

MD made by the Tashkent Aircraft

Production Corp. (TAPC) in the

redesigned wing, up-to-date avion-

ics suite and PS-90A-76 engines

already powering some of the Il-76

versions. The Il-76 production in

Ulyanovsk will rely on the paper-

less technology lock, stock and

barrel. All Project 476 technical

documentation is digitised to this

end. Therefore, the Il-76’s pro-

ductionising by Aviastar-SP does

not provide for moving the rigging

from TAPC, rather a new aircraft is

to be manufactured instead.

According to Mikhail

Shushpanov, the contract on

the first six production-standard

upgraded aircraft under the Project

476 to be made by Aviastar-SP is

slated for the signing this year. The

order may be awarded by India,

with the deliveries being bale to

commence in 2011, according to

Shushpanov. The Russian Defence

Ministry is to become a major

customer for the Aviastar-SP-built

aircraft. According to Ilyushin

Director General Victor Livanov,

about 38 aircraft are to be manu-

factured for the Russian Air Force

until 2020. A.F.

First Ulyanovsk-built Il-76

to be completed in 2010 Given the market demand, the

Russian Helicopters joint stock

company runs a research under

the future high-speed helicopter

development programme. The news

was voiced at the HeliRussia 2009

airshow held in Moscow late in

May. “For the first time, the future

high-speed helicopter programme

was outlined at HeliRussia 2008”,

Russian Helicopters Director General

Andrey Shibitov said. “The work

continues. This year, we have

determined the requirements to the

project and the issues to be tackled

in the run-up to the R&D phase. With

the sufficient governmental support,

the high-speed helicopter is to take

to the sky in seven to ten year”.

At present, two high-speed

helicopters – the Mil Mi-X1

and Kamov Ka-92 – are under

development in Russia. The former,

designed to have the single-rotor

and pusher propeller configuration,

is to have a maximum takeoff weight

of 11 t and a payload of 4 t or 22–25

passengers. Its maximum speed may

be 520 km/h, cruising speed – 475

km/h and range – up to 1,500 km.

The Kamov company’s machine,

which is to have the rigid-blade

coaxial main rotor and pusher

propeller too, will be somewhat

larger with the 16 tonne takeoff

weight, up to 30 seats, 460 km/h

maximal speed, 420 km/h cruising

speed and 1,400 km range.

Russian Helicopters is supposed

to have analysed the strengths and

weaknesses of both programmes

by late 2009 or early 2010 and

select a single future high-speed

helicopter configuration subject to

implementation under the Russian

helicopter-making programme. A.F.

Russian high-speed helicopter

may fly in 2016

According to the early-March news

release by the Russian Helicopters

JSC, the helicopter industry of Russia

made 169 machines last year, having

exceeded the target output by 3 per

cent – a 59-per cent increase over

2007. The number includes, how-

ever, 24 previously built Mil Mi-2s

overhauled in 2008, but the news

release’s authors believe that “given

the nature and amount of work done

by the Rostvertol JSC to upgrade

24 Mi-2 light helicopters as well as

the restored service life of the struc-

tural components, the machines may

well be referred to as newly-built”.

To all appearances, about two dozen

other overhauled helicopters were

included into the final report in this

manner.

On the other hand, the official stats do

not include the five prototype, prepro-

duction and production Kamov Ka-50

and Ka-52 helicopters manufactured

last year, which have not been fielded

with combat units, as well as two Mil

Mi-26T heavy-lifters delivered in early

2008. Thus, the total 2008 output of

new-built helicopters by the plants

of Russian Helicopters JSC is, actu-

ally, a tad more than 130 units, of

which upwards of 85 per cent falls on

Mi-8 family machines (55 were made

in Kazan and 59 in Ulan-Ude), with

the remainder falling on the Mi-28N

and Mi-35M combat helicopters as

well as Ka-32 transport machines. As

usual, most of these helicopters were

exported, but the number of machines

built for Russian customers has grown

for the first time in recent years. In

particular, 2008 witnessed Rostvertol

produce the first seven production

Mi-28Ns for the Russian Air Force

(RusAF) and the Progress plant in

Arsenyev kick-start the Ka-52 produc-

tion programme, with the Mi-8MTV-5

and Mi-171 utility helicopter produc-

tion for the Russian Armed Forces

and commercial operators picking up

as well.

Ale

xey M

ikheyev

Andrey FOMIN

RUSSIAN HELICOPTER INDUSTRYRUSSIAN HELICOPTER INDUSTRY2008 performance and new targets

i n d u s t r y | r e w i e w

8 take-off june 2009 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u


9 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u take-off june 2009

Combat helicopters

Last year, the Russian combat helicopter

production milestones were the completion

of the official trials of the Mil Mi-28N attack

helicopter and wrapping-up of another phase

of the official test programme of the Kamov

Ka-52. The results produced by the mile-

stones served the ground for taking the deci-

sion on launching the full-rate production of

the Mi-28N by Rostvertol and fielding the

resultant machines as well as on making a

low-rate initial production (LRIP) batch of

Ka-52 by the Progress plant in Arsenyev.

In earlier 2008, Rostvertol delivered the

first four production-standard Mi-28Ns seri-

alled 41, 42, 43 and 44 to the Army Aviation

Combat and Conversion Training Centre

(CCTC) in the town of Torzhok. Then, the

manufacturer started making the machines of

the type for combat units. The first three of

the latter helicopters (side numbers 01, 02 and

03) had been complete by the end of 2008,

but left the factory airfield as late as March

this year. The Kommersant daily reported on

21 April that Rostvertol had completed the

delivery of the whole of the first six-ship batch

of Mi-28Ns to RusAF, with the machines

to be headed for an independent helicopter

regiment of the 4th Air Force and Air Defence

Army stationed in Budyonnovsk in the North

Caucasus Military District.

By the way, it is the production Mi-28Ns

serialled 01 and 02 that has taken part in the

recent aircraft demonstration to the Russian

president at Kubinka AFB and then flew

together with the machine serialled 03 over

Red Square at the Victory Day parade on 9

May. According to the Kommersant, RusAF

has ordered 47 production Mi-28Ns that

could be fielded with the line units of the

North Caucasus Military District in a few

year. The total Russian Armed Forces require-

ment for the Mi-28N is estimated at about 300

aircraft. In addition, talks on export deliveries

of helicopters of the type are underway with

several countries. The most probable foreign

launch customers for the Mi-28NE include

Venezuela and Algeria, the Kommersant

reported.

According to Arsenyev-based Progress

company Director General Yuri Denisenko,

the plant assembled in 2008 three last produc-

tion Ka-50 single-seat helicopters out of the

remaining backlog, with one of them deliv-

ered to CCTC in Torzhok and the delivery

of the remaining two put off until 2009. In

addition, the manufacturer built the second

Ka-52 two-seat helicopter prototype serialled

062 (it made its maiden flight on 27 June

2008) and, in October, the next one with side

number 063. During 2009, plans provide for

making three LRIP Ka-52s and launching

their official joint test programme. The tri-

als are to be completed and the launching of

the full-scale production is to be given the

nod before the year-end. So far, the Russian

Defence Ministry is said to have planned to

order 12 production-standard Ka-52s (the

Red Star daily reported that on 31 December

2008, quoting RusAF commander Col-Gen.

Alexander Zelin as speaking to this effect),

while the Kommersant on 30 October 2008

wrote about a contract between Progress and

the Defence Ministry for “up to 30 Ka-52s”,

Left: a pair of Mil Mi-28N combat helicopters

from the first production batch built at Rostvertol

in 2008 for the RusAF delivery

One of the last production Kamov Ka-50

single-seat combat helicopters assembled

at Progress plant last year (seen here flying)

and the first pre-production Ka-52 built here

in the Autumn (on the ground). The second

Ka-52 prototype (side number 062) build by

Progress plant in summer 2008 is shown

flying at the right

Ale

xey M

ikh

eyev

Ale

xey M

ikheyev


w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u10 take-off june 2009

referring to Progress Director General Yuri

Denisenko as its source. In addition, the RIA

Novosti news agency reports that three foreign

countries, among them Libya, showed their

interest in acquiring the Ka-52.

According to the official statistics of Russian

Helicopters JSC, Rostvertol manufactured

20 Mi-28Ns and Mi-24s (Mi-35s) in 2008. If

seven of them are brand-new Mi-28Ns, the

remaining 13 must be the machines of the

Mi-24 family. The two last Mi-35s are known

to have been shipped to Venezuela in the

January of last year under the current contract

for 10 aircraft, with the first eight delivered in

two batches in July and December 2006). In

addition, the Arms Export magazine reports

that Rostvertol upgraded four Mi-24Vs of the

Kazakh Defence Ministry in 2008.

Last summer, many Russian news agencies

reported the then upcoming shipping of six

Mi-35Ms to Indonesia, but judging by the

lack of the fact of delivery, an error was made,

probably, and the news agencies meant the

six Mi-17V-5 utility helicopters delivered to

Indonesia in summer 2008. Just like in case

with the Mi-2, it is possible that the earli-

er-built Mi-24s (Mi-35s), which Rostvertol

was overhauling and upgrading during 2008,

were included into the overall statistics. Most

probably, the company will continue this work

in future. At the same time, the construction

of new Mi-35Ms under export contracts will

carry on in Rostov. In November last year,

the news came of a contract on 12 Mi-35M

helicopters signed with Brazil. This will be

the pioneer deal on Russian military aircraft

export to Brazil. The first Mi-35 shipment is

slated for late 2009.

Heavy-lift helicopters

The 2008 official statistics of Russian

Helicopters JSC offers no data on Mi-26T

heavylifters in production by Rostvertol.

However, the two last machines under the

2006 contract for three Mi-26Ts are known

to have been shipped to Venezuela in the

February of last year, with the first aircraft

made in February 2006 and delivered late in

December same year. Most likely, both of the

last two machines were completed in 2007.

In May last year, China assumed the own-

ership of the Mi-26TC delivered in September

2007 under a 2006 leasing deal. Inspired with

the successful employment of the Mi-26TC as

part of the disaster relief operation in Sichuan

province in the wake of the earthquake, the

Chinese authorities signed on 26 May 2008

a contract on buying the machine, and a

contract for another Mi-26TC was made on

4 November with the option for seven more

machines.

Venezuelan Army Aviation’s Mil Mi-35M. Early

last year Rostvertol delivered the final two of

ten Mi-35M helicopters ordered by Venezuela

in 2006

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The first Mi-26TC in China. Last year this

helicopter delivered by Rostvertol

in September 2007 became Chinese property

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Russian helicopter output in 2007–2008

(official data provided by Russian Helicopters JSC)*

Manufacturer Type 2007 2008

Kazan HelicoptersMi-8MTV, Mi-17V-5,

Mi-172 8355

UUAP Mi-8AMT, Mi-171 59

Rostvertol

Mi-28N –20

Mi-24, Mi-35 8

Mi-2 – 24

KumAPE Ka-27, Ka-32 11 11

Total 102 169

* The data include both brand-new production helicopters and

overhauled/upgraded ones.



At the same time, Rostvertol carries on

with overhauling previously built Mi-26s and

Mi-26Ts and developing the upgraded version

designated Mi-26T2 expected to be crewed

by two and fitted with an advanced avionics

suite.

Medium transports of Mi-8 family

According to the official statistics of

Russian Helicopters, 114 Mil Mi-8 (Mi-17,

Mi-171, Mi-172) family machines were deliv-

ered in 2008, of which 55 were made by Kazan

Helicopters and 59 by the Ulan-Ude Aviation

Plant (UUAP).

The largest order handled by Kazan

Helicopters in 2008 was the delivery of 14

Mi-17V-5s to Venezuela under a contract con-

cluded in 2006 (11 of the aircraft entered

service with the Venezuelan Army Aviation and

three with the Venezuelan Navy) as well as two

VIP-version Mi-172s for the Venezuelan presi-

dent. The initial Mi-17 delivery to Venezuela

took place in 2006 when six military Mi-17V-5s

and three civilian Mi-172s for natural disaster

and emergency relief service arrived to the

country. Another last year’s key order was

crowned by the delivery of six Mi-17V-5s to

Indonesia in July 2008 under the deal struck in

2005 with Indonesia’s Army Aviation adopt-

ed the machines for service in August 2008.

Moreover, according to the Arms Export mag-

azine, five Mi-17V-5 helicopters were delivered

to the Colombian Army Aviation in 2008.

Several helicopters were sold to the United

States, with two Mi-172s registered with FAA

in May 2008 and a Mi-17V-5 in July that

year. LLH Services, which took delivery of

five Mi-17V-5s from Kazan Helicopters in

2007–2008, was indicated as the owner.

In 2008, Kazan Helicopters delivered sev-

eral helicopters to domestic customers as well.

For instance, several new-built Mi-8MTV-5s

were received by RusAF and the air branch

of the Russian Ministry of Interior, two

Mi-8MTV-1s by the air arm of the Russian

Emergencies Ministry and two Mi-8MTV-1S

VIP machines by the Rossiya air carrier’s

presidential air detachment.

Probably, the largest export contract ful-

filled by UUAP in 2008 was the delivery of

Mi-171Sh utility choppers to the Croatian

Air Force under the 2007 contract for 10 air-

craft. The first two Mi-171Sh machines were

shipped to the customer in December 2007.

Last year, UUAP wrapped up the contract

by delivering the eight remaining helicopters

to Croatia. Mongolia became a new cus-

tomer of UUAP in 2008, with its air carrier

Mongolyn Alt taking delivery of a Mi-171S

VIP helicopter in March and its Air Force

getting a Mi-171 utility helicopter in August.

In addition, two Mi-171s were received by

the Pakistani Counternarcotics Service in

October 2008.

UUAP’s major domestic order last year

was the contract it signed with the UTair

airline. Under the contract announced on

21 February 2008, UUAP shall deliver 40

Mi-171s, with 20 of them under initial firm

order. The deliveries began in the October

of last year with four Mi-171s came to the

carrier by the year end and five more in early

2009. A similar big-ticket order is planned to

be awarded to UUAP by the Gazpromavia

carrier that expects it will have bought up

to 46 Mi-171s until 2012. Another Russian

buyer of UUAP-built helicopters is the Alrosa

company that took delivery of two Mi-171S

helicopters in March and April 2008. Some

more Ulan-Ude-built Mi-8AMT and Mi-171

helicopters were sold last year to other domes-

tic companies and organisations last year as

well.

Mil M-8MTV-5 utility helicopter from the

batch delivered by Kazan Helicopters to

Russian Air Force in 2008

Venezuelan Army Aviation’s Mi-17V-5. Delivery of 14

such machines to Venezuela became the biggest export

order of Kazan Helicopters in 2008

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The delivery to India of 80 Mi-17V-5s worth

a total of about $1.2 billion is to become the

most lucrative helicopter export deal clinched

last year. The contract was made in December

2008 and the deliveries shall be from 2010 to

2014. In addition, a huge number of Mi-17s

may be acquired by the Afghan Armed Forces

in future, according to the foreign media. For

instance, according to the Jane’s Defence

Weekly report dated 18 December 2008, nine

Mi-17V-5s are to be shipped to Afghanistan

already this year, with their Afghan fleet able

to have grown to 37 by 2013 and to 59 by 2016.

The deal will be fulfilled with the United

States as a middleman, and the participation

of other intermediaries is a possibility too.

Moreover, the RBC news agency reports that

Egypt has ordered 14 Mi-17s. The implemen-

tation of the order awarded to UUAP by the

aviation department of Iran’s Red Crescent

organisation late in 2007 has started. Of the

five Mi-171s ordered, the first two machines

have been shipped from Ulan-Ude to Iran in

February this year, with the remainder slated

for delivery this spring. Thailand is expected

to present a new market for UUAP. According

to Arms Export magazine, a contract on

three Mi-171s was awarded by the country

last year.

Coaxial medium-class helicopters

According to Russian Helicopters JSC,

the output of Kamov Ka-27/28/32 family

accounted for 11 units in 2008. The Kumertau

Aviation Production Enterprise (KumAPE)

runs production of these helicopters, but no

new-built machines of the type were delivered

to domestic users in 2008. At the same time, at

least four Ka-32A11BC transport helicopters

are known to have been built and exported.

Two of them went to South Korea in the

spring and the other two to Spanish company

HeliSurEste in the autumn. Conceivably, the

remaining seven helicopters in the official

2008 statistics were Ka-27, Ka-28 and Ka-32s

overhauled by KumAPE concurrently with

manufacturing the new aircraft.

The Kamov company is offering the

upgrade of the Ka-27 and Ka-27PS operated

by the Russian Navy. Talks also are under way

on upgrading the Ka-28 shipborne helicopters

exported to India and China in the past. If

relevant contracts are signed, these efforts

may become an important component of the

future production programmes of KumAPE

and Kamov itself. In addition, it is possible

that the Indian or some other navy could

Mongolia became a new customer for

Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant last year. This

is the first Mi-171 delivered by UUAP to

Mongolyn Alt company in 2008

UU

AP

UUAP continues production of Mi-171

helicopters for Russian customers. This

Mi-171 was delivered in 2008 to Alrosa

company

UU

AP

Top: Korea is still the biggest foreign customer

of Kamov Ka-32 coaxial transport helicopters.

This Ka-32A11BC was delivered to HeliKorea

company

Bottom: Russian paramilitary forces are now

the main customers of Kamov Ka-226 light

transports. A helicopter delivered to Russia’s

Federal Security Service air arm is shown hereK

am

ov

Ale

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buy extra Ka-31 airborne early warning heli-

copters. Such machines have been ordered

by the Russian military as well, with the

official Russian Web site for making orders

www.zakupki.gov.ru reported in November

2008 that KumAPE had come on top in the

competition for delivering two Ka-252RLD

radar picket helicopters to the Russian

Defence Ministry in 2009–2010.

The delivery of new-built Ka-32 transports

to South Korea and European and other

countries is certain to continue in the near

future.

Multipurpose transport helicopters up to 4 t

The 2008 statistics of Russian

Helicopters JSC did not include both light

multipurpose helicopters with a takeoff weight

of 3–3.5 t now in production in the country,

the Ka-226 and Ansat. At the same time,

there were several events last year, which were

important to both programmes.

The Ka-226 has been in production since

2000 by two manufacturers – Orenburg-based

Strela plant and KumAPE, the latter being

a Russian Helicopters JSC subsidiary. Strela

plant makes Allison-powered Ka-226AG for

the Gazpromavia air carrier (22 machines were

ordered initially, and a contract is to be modi-

fied for 40 units under the revised specifica-

tions in the near future) and Ka-226A for the

Russian Emergencies Ministry that ordered

five aircraft. KumAPE has been supplying

machines powered by the same powerplants

to the air arm of the Russian Federal Security

Service since 2006 and Russian Internal Affairs

Ministry since 2007. In September last year,

Strela plant delivered two new helicopters to

the Orenburg Regional Clinical Hospital for

use in the medical evacuation role in remote

districts and one machine, while in November

KumAPE handed over one Ka-226 to the

air detachment operating in support of the

police departments of St. Petersburg and the

Leningrad Region.

The recent decision by Russian Helicopters

JSC on developing the Ka-226T version fitted

by more powerful engines from French com-

Ansat-U trainer helicopter prototype. Kazan

Helicopters is to deliver six such machines

to RusAF in 2009

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pany Turbomeca could give the future of the

helicopter a new twist. Russian Helicopters

and Turbomeca clinched the deal on the

development of the modified Arrius 2G1 tur-

boshaft engine to power the Ka-226T on 22

January 2009. The Ka-226T is to compete

in the Indian Defence Ministry tender for

acquisition and licence production of 197

light multipurpose helicopters for its Army

Aviation and Air Force. KumAPE is going

to launch the Ka-226T production in 2010

or 2011.

The Ansat has been in production by

Kazan Helicopters since 2004. The first

six production aircraft were exported to

South Korea, two delivered to the air arm

of the Russian Federal Security Service,

one more to Radar-MMS company and

one in medevac version – to Kazan air car-

rier. Some more Ansats were built on order

form Laos and Kazakhstan but remaining

at the factory so far. November 2008 saw

the successful completion of the official

test programme of the Ansat-U trainer

version with the double set of controls,

which development had been ordered by

the Russian Air Force. The variant was

cleared for full-rate production and service

entry on 26 December 2008. The Russian

Defence Ministry has ordered as many as

12 Ansat-Us, of which six are to be deliv-

ered to Air Force flying schools in 2009.

Advanced programmes

We have reviewed the key Russian hel-

icopter-making programmes that were

at the production stage in 2008. At the

same time, Russian Helicopters is run-

ning several other programmes that are

in different life-cycle phases – from

R&D to productionising. In the medium

transport helicopter class, the Mil design

bureau continues to pursue the Mi-8M

deep upgrade programme and develop the

heavier Mi-38 with the 16 tonne takeoff

weight. The first Mi-38 prototype powered

by Canadian-made PW127/5 engines has

been flight-tested since December 2003,

with Kazan Helicopters completing the

second flying prototype and manufacturing

the third one. “The programme has been

dragging its feet due to the Pratt & Whitney

Canada company that had not launched

on time the work stipulated by the agree-

ment on furnishing the helicopters with

PW127T/S turboshaft engines”, Russian

Helicopters stated on 13 April. For this

reason, a decision has been taken fall back

on “plan providing for fitting the Mi-38

with Russian-made TV7-117V engines”.

Kazan Helicopters can launch the full-rate

production of the Mi-38 in 2014.

The product range of Russian Helicopters

in the class of multipurpose transport

helicopter with the 4.5–6.5 tonne take-

off weight includes the Kamov Ka-62

and Mil Mi-54 programmes. The Ka-62

transport/passenger helicopter designed

to seat 12–14 passengers or 2–2.7 tonnes

of cargo is being derived by Kamov from

the Ka-60 military prototype helicopter,

which has been in the flight trials since

1998, and its trainer variant Ka-60U that

completed its maiden flight in 2007. The

production Ka-62s that could appear after

2012 may be powered by both domes-

tic-made RD-600V engines or Turbomeca

Ardiden 3G turboshafts from France. The

first Ka-62 prototype can be built by

the Progress plant in Arsenyev in 2010.

The Mi-54 transport/passenger helicopter

designed to carry 12 passengers or 1.5–1.7

tonnes of cargo has been under develop-

ment by the Mil design bureau since the

early 1990s. The machine is expected

to be equipped with a pair of VK-800

engines. Rostvertol may launch the pro-

duction of the Mi-54 after 2012.

In the light helicopter class, the strategy

of Russian Helicopters makes provision for

resuming the production of the Mi-34 heli-

copter with the 1.45 tonnes takeoff weight,

which was suspended in 2002. The upgrad-

ed piston-engine and new gas-turbine ver-

sions are slated to be built by Progress plant

since 2011.

взлёт 5/2009 май14 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u

Late last year, the Russian Helicopters

joint stock company launched a very

topical programme dubbed Unmanned

Helicopter Systems and designed to

focus and regulate this segment of

helicopter making. Programme

Director Gennady Bebeshko, who had

headed the Unmanned Aircraft Combat

Employment Centre in Yegoryevsk,

outlined at Take-off’s request the near

prospects of Russian helicopter-type

unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).

As is known, there has been virtually

no systemic work in the field of

unmanned helicopters in Russia. Now,

the problem has come to a head: such

UAVs are in high demand with both

commercial users and the military.

There are premises for financing as

well. Several important steps have been

taken under the programme. Under the

current classification, a model range

has been devised to include four basic

unmanned helicopter classes – the

close-in, short-range, medium-range

and long-range ones.

The programme is aimed at

developing a single configuration

of aircraft and systems with heavily

commonised characteristics for the

whole of the family – the design (units,

assemblies, transport bays), system

(navigation, control) and payload

(surveillance or reconnaissance

equipment) commonality. The

commonality will be sought along

two lines – civil applications (fuel and

energy industry, pipelines) and military

applications (Air Force, Navy, Army,

Airborne Force). Then, customers

will specify the commonised models’

payload tailored for specific missions,

be it radio relay, jamming, intelligence,

surveillance and reconnaissance,

transportation, strike missions, etc.

The smallest of the Russian

helicopter-type UAVs is to be

the super-lightweight close-in

unmanned helicopter being

developed by the Russian

Helicopters’ Engineering Innovation

Centre. The UAV’s takeoff weight

will be less than 4 kg. The aircraft

will feature an unusual layout with

four constant-pitch two-blade main

rotors and cross-shaped fuselage.

Its payload will weight 0.3 kg and

range will be 5 km. The unmanned

mini-chopper will be powered by an

electric engine.

Russian Helicopters to take up UAVs

Mi-34BP

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The Mi-X1 and Ka-92 high-speed trans-

port helicopter development programmes,

which are at the research stage now,

could meet longer-term requirements.

Experimental prototypes of these machines

could be developed by approximately

2015–2016. Work is also under way on the

further modernisation of the production

Mi-28N and Ka-52 helicopters and the

development of future combat helicopters

for the Army Aviation and Navy as well as

helicopter-type unmanned aerial vehicles.

The close-in UAV will be developed

for the military only as the basis of

a drastically innovative light mobile

helicopter system. It will weigh 50–

80 kg and have a combat radius of up

to 50 km. Its 10–15 kg payload may

include a day/night optronic system.

As far as the short-range unmanned

helicopter is concerned, a new

aircraft will be developed in this

class as well, with the development

to pursue and rely upon the design

backlog accumulated under the Ka-37

programme of the Kamov company.

This line is being explored by the

Ka-135 programme on developing a

light, 300 kg UAV with the 100 km

combat radius and 50 kg payload.

The medium-range unmanned

helicopter class will be the most

populous one. In this class, the Ka-115

weighing up to 1,500 kg will be derived

from the light manned coaxial-rotor

helicopter of the same name. The

medium helicopter UAV class will

also include the Korshun coaxial-rotor

UAV derived by the Kumertau-based

Rotor design bureau from the manned

baseline model. The helicopter weighs

495 kg and has a combat radius of

up to 400 km. To date, the KumAPE

joint stock company has made an

experimental example and is launching

its trials now. In addition, a proposal

was made to use the Aktay manned

helicopter’s rotor system, powertrain

and engines for deriving an unmanned

version by Kazan Helicopters.

The long-range multirole helicopter

UAV class will comprise the Mi-34BP1,

Mi-34BP2 and Mi-34BP3 (V-34BP)

with a weight of about 1,450 kg and

a combat radius of 500 km, and

Ka-126BV weighing 3,500 kg and

having a combat radius of 1,000–

1,500 km depending on the payload

and mission at hand. This class of

unmanned helicopters will handle

firing or transporting a payload of

up to 1,000 kg. Both the Mi-34BP

and Ka-126BV are being developed

with the maximum use of units,

powerplants and powertrains of the

baseline machines, the Mi-34 and

Ka-226. The Ka-126BV is supposed

to use the detachable mission-specific

payload module with the commonised

set of electro-optical, infrared and

radio-frequency wavebands, relay hear

or cargo transport devices.

The ‘big’ unmanned helicopter

class has another concept from the

Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant, which

has been dubbed Multirole Robotic

Helicopter System (Russian acronym

MRVK). The aircraft is said to be fitted

with the rotor blade control system

similar to that of the future Mi-X1

high-speed helicopter. The MRVK’s

takeoff weight is said to be about 3 t.

So far, the baseline helicopter-type

UAV programmes are in the preliminary

design phase, and the R&D on specific

aircraft will be launched after orders

have been landed and funds obtained.

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w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u take-off june 2009 15

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Mil Mi-38 prospective transport helicopter first

flying prototype in demo flight


c i v i l a v i a t i o n | n e w s

16

On 31 March, the flight test

facility of the Ulyanovsk-based

Aviastar-SP plant hosted the cere-

mony of delivering the 50th Tupolev

Tu-204 aircraft. The Red Wings air-

line accepted its second 214-seat

Tu-204-100B airliner this year, seri-

alled RA-64050. Red Wings Deputy

Director General Victor Kononenko

was given the symbolic key to the

plane by Ilyushin Finance Co. (IFC)

head Alexander Rubtsov who, in his

turn, was presented it by Mikhail

Shushpanov, Director General of

Aviastar-SP that had built the plane.

The importance of the ceremony

was highlighted by the presence

of Russian Industry and Commerce

Minister Victor Khristenko, his

deputy Denis Manturov and UAC

President Alexey Fyodorov.

The aircraft handed off to

Red Wings became the fifth new

Tu-204-100B built for the carrier by

Aviastar-SP on order from IFC. Apart

from them, the carrier has been oper-

ating three Tu-204-100s (RA-64048,

RA-64019 and RA-64020) leased

from IFC as well. Another aircraft of

the type (RA-64017), which had been

flown by Red Wings since 2007,

was returned to the Aviastar-Tu car-

rier in March. However, Red Wings

is poised to receive another new

Tu-204-100B (RA-64048) soon – the

sixth and final aircraft under the cur-

rent contract with IFC. The airliner

first flew on 8 May. The previous

Tu-204-100B (RA-64049) was deliv-

ered to the carrier on 16 February.

Meanwhile, the parties are going

to make another contract for nine

more new Tu-204s. However, while

initial plans provided for buying

Tu-204-100Bs, two of which were

slated for the airline this autumn

and the remaining seven through-

out 2010, upgraded Tu-204SMs

are likely to be bought, with their

delivery set to start in 2011. Thus,

in several years, the airline will

operate the 18 Tu-204 aircraft

fleet – the largest fleet of the kind

among Russian and foreign users.

According to IFC Director General

Alexander Rubtsov, the advanced

narrow-body airliners of the Tu-204

family enjoy several advantages

over the Airbus and Boeing airlin-

ers popular in Russia from the

carrier economic efficiency point

of view (due to a certain slump in

passenger traffic on some of the

operations). The reason is their

leases are paid in rubles, while

their prices in ruble terms remained

virtually unchanged, having sagged

in dollar terms.

According to Mikhail

Shushpanov, this year’s target

output of Aviastar-SP provides for

delivery of at least nine Tu-204

family aircraft. In addition to the

airliners for Red Wings these

include two Tu-204C freighters for

Air Bridge Cargo (subsidiary of

the Volga-Dnepr group), Tu-204CE

(RA-64037) (CU-C1703) handed

over to Cubana Aviation in February

and ferried to Cuba in April, and

Tu-204 (RA-64010) being convert-

ed to the Tu-204-300A VIP ver-

sion for the VTB-Leasing company

on order from Tupolev JSC. The

Tu-204-300A can start its trials

in June. The first freighter for Air

Bridge Cargo (RA-64051) is slated

to commence its tests at about the

same time, too.

According to the Aviastar-SP

Director General, the com-

pany is going to roll out at

least 12 Tu-204s a year during

2010–2012, but “everything will

depend on the demand and orders

available”. This is why it is so

important to the company to pro-

ductionise the more competitive

upgraded Tu-204SM. Alexander

Rubtsov said a decision had been

taken “to optimise the Tu-204SM

test programme”, under which two

aircraft are to be used. They are to

be manufactured by Aviastar-SP

in February or March 2010. The

certification tests of the two new

Tu-204SMs are supposed to be

complete by late next year, after

which they will be delivered to

the customer, Iranian airline Iran

Airtour. According to Rubtsov, up

to 75% of Tu-204SMs will be built

for export to the Middle East and

Latin America. As far as domestic

Tu-204SM buyers are concerned,

Alexander Rubtsov mentioned the

companies that might join Rosavia

carrier. Under UAC’s updated

production plan published in late

April, the two plants are to make

a total of 58 Tu-204 and Tu-214

aircraft during 2009–2012. A.F.

Customers taking delivery of new Tu-204s

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take-off june 2009w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u 17

c i v i l a v i a t i o n | n e w s

In Voronezh on 23 April, UAC’s

subsidiaries Ilyushin Finance Co.

(IFС) and VASO plant handed off

two new Ilyushin Il-96 family aircraft

to the customers, with an Il-96-300

airliner, serialled RA-96019, accept-

ed by the Special Air Detachment of

the Russian president’s executive

office and an Il-96-400T (RA-96101)

long-haul freighter accepted by the

Voronezh-based Polyot airline.

The ceremony was attended by

Industry and Commerce Minister

Victor Khristenko, UAC President

and Chairman of the Board Alexey

Fyodorov and Voronezh Region

Governor Alexey Gordeyev. The

acceptance reports were signed

by Vitaly Zubarev, VASO Director

General, Alexander Rubtsov,

IFC Director General, Alexander

Kucherov, deputy chief engineer,

aircraft maintenance depot, Moscow

affiliate of the Rossiya airline (for

the Il-96-300), and Anatoly Karpov,

Polyot Director General (for the

Il-96-400T).

The Il-96-300 (RA-96019) deliv-

ered to Rossiya and designed to

seat 157 passengers in nine VIP,

24 business class and 124 econo-

my class seats became the fourth

aircraft of the model operated by

the presidential air detachment that

had taken delivery of two presi-

dential Il-96-300PUs (RA-96012

and RA-96016) and then a similar

Il-96-300 (RA-96018). The plane

was completed by VASO this spring,

and its factory flight tests were

wrapped up with success on 16

April. In the wake of the handover

ceremony, Il-96-300 (RA-96019)

was ferried from VASO’s airfield to

Vnukovo-2 airport near Moscow.

Ilyushin Director General and

Designer General Victor Livanov

told Take-off that he expected the

presidential executive office to order

two to four Il-96s more.

The delivery of the first Il-96-400T

(RA-96101) to the Polyot carrier

has finally crowned the protracted

handover of the new cargo version

of the airliner to the end customer

by the manufacturer and leasing

company (as is known, the first

Il-96-400Ts were earmarked for

Atlant-Soyuz at first and then for

Aeroflot-Cargo, but both operators

rejected them for a number of rea-

sons).

Polyot and IFC signed the con-

tract on leasing the three aircraft on

25 February 2009, and on 4 March

the first Il-96-400T (RA-96101)

sporting the corporate colour scheme

of the Polyot carrier and named after

Vyacheslav Salikov in honour of the

late IFC Deputy Director General and

previously the long-term Director

General of VASO, the manufacturer

of aircraft of the type, was rolled out

of the paint shop of the Spektr-Avia

company in Ulyanovsk. On the next

day, the aircraft was brought to VASO

for Polyot’s engineers to accept it.

Polyot’s acquisition of the

Il-96-400Ts has paved the way for its

launching of a new air cargo opera-

tion. Using the Il-96-400Ts will be

key to the company’s exploration of

the scheduled cargo transport mar-

ket in the north and east of Russia

and scheduled international cargo

services among Russia, China, South

Korea and CIS and EU countries.

Polyot’s first Il-96-400T is to start

hauling cargo as early as June this

year, with the carrier’s flying and

ground crews converting the new

type concurrently. In the summer, the

airline is to take delivery of the next

two Il-96-400Ts, since RA-96102 had

passed its factory tests by this May

and RA-96103 is gearing up for its

maiden flight. Thus, this summer,

Polyot is to have all three Il-96-400Ts

acquired under a firm order. In the

future, the company will be able to

exercise its three options as well.

An UAC news release reads, “The

delivery of each new Il-96 is an

important event for the Russian air-

craft industry and the country as a

whole. The production of the air-

craft of the type enables Russia to

retain its expertise in the wide-body

airliner field and remain among the

three major makers of the aircraft

in this class along with the United

States and European Union”. UAC’s

updated target output provides for

building nine wide-body long-haul

aircraft of the Il-96 family during

2009–2012. A.F.

Two new Il-96s delivered

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c i v i l a v i a t i o n | p r o j e c t


SUKHOI SUPERJET 100 DEBUTS IN LE BOURGET

A key, most interesting full-scale exhibit of the current air show in Le Bourget, probably,

will be the prototype of the advanced Sukhoi SuperJet 100 regional airliner. Displaying

the SuperJet 100 in Paris is the international debut of the cutting-edge Russian air-

liner being developed in cooperation with numerous foreign major manufacturers of

aircraft, engines, avionics and other components form Italy, France, the United States,

Germany and other countries. SSJ100 prototypes are undergoing a certification tests

programme planned to wrap up by the year-end when the early production SuperJets

are to be shipped to the launch customers. Overall, the developer has landed 98 firm

orders from Russian and foreign air carriers.

Andrey FOMIN

Ale

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ikheyev



Ale

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The most important recent event under

the programme of certification tests of the

advanced Sukhoi SuperJet 100 took place

on 1 April this year when two flying proto-

types were ferried from the factory airfield

in Komsomolsk-on-Amur to the Moscow

Region. Having completed their first long-

haul flights from the Russian Far East, they

landed at the Gromov LII Flight Research

Institute airfield in Zhukovsky where their

certification programme continued at the

Flight Test Complex of the Sukhoi Civil

Aircraft Company (SCAC) outfitted with the

full set of flight data processing gear.

The prototypes departed the Dzemgi fac-

tory airfield in Komsomolsk-on-Amur on the

morning of 30 March. On the same day, they

landed at Tolmachovo airport in Novosibirsk

where they were shown to the personnel of the

airport, air carriers and Novosibirsk Aircraft

Production Association (NAPO) deeply

involved in the airliner’s production pro-

gramme. The prototypes left for Moscow on 1

April in the morning, and about 13.00 hrs the

first of the two SuperJets (c/n 95001) showed

up in the skies over Zhukovsky where it was

met by a pair of other latest Sukhoi aircraft,

Su-35s. Having made a flypast escorted by the

fighters, the airliner touched down smoothly.

An hour later, the other SuperJet (c/n 95003)

appeared in the skies over Zhukovsky, touch-

ing down at LII airfield. The planes taxied

to SCAC’s Flight Test Complex where they

were met by the management of the company.

Sukhoi Director General Mikhail Pogosyan

told the media that the SSJ100 certification

trials had been on a rather tight schedule.

Over a rather short period, the two prototypes

had ensured excellent dynamics of the flight

test programme, having logged more than 400

flight hours on over 130 missions.

The SuperJets were flown from Komso-

molsk-on-Amur to Zhukovsky by SCAC test

pilots. Aircraft 95001 (serial 97001) was flown

by SCAC chief test pilot Alexander Yablontsev

and test pilot Nikolay Pushenko and SSJ100

c/n 95003 (serial 97003) by Leonid Chikunov

and Sergey Korostiyev. Commenting on the

flight, Alexander Yablontsev said, “The route

we have covered was, essentially, a flight of

two regional-distance ‘legs’ 3,500 km each.

It enabled us to run the first evaluation of the

aircraft’s capabilities under the conditions to

the maximum degree simulating the routine

flight of a regional passenger aircraft. Both

aircraft performed well, and their engines and

systems operated as expected. The aircraft

is easy to control and can well be flown by a

medium-skills pilot”.

Just a couple of days after getting to

Zhukovsky, both SSJ100 prototypes carried

on with flight tests under the certification

programme. In addition to the tests in the

Moscow Region, series of special flights in

other regions of the country were planned.

For instance, on 11 April, SSJ100 c/n 95001

was headed for Arkhangelsk for natural icing

tests, for which purpose it had been equipped

with special instruments to control the icing of

the air intakes, wings and empennage. Before

coming back to Zhukovsky on 27 April, the

aircraft completed five flights over the White

Sea coast in the vicinity of Arkhangelsk and

Murmansk where the probability of the icing-

conducive conditions is always high.

“The aircraft and all of its systems, includ-

ing the anti-icing one, have displayed fail-

safe performance in the ordinary and critical

modes. The aircraft has performed superbly,

and all five flights have been a success as far as

the SuperJet 100 certification is concerned”,

said Igor Vinogradov, first vice-president,

SCAC. “The tests have proven all design

characteristics and rig test results. In addition,

SCAC engineers and IAC Aircraft Registry

experts have gotten the proof of the prelimi-

nary calculation of the form and size of the

ice forming on the surface, which is necessary

for the next stage of the trials with the use of

ice simulators”.

Another milestone of the Sukhoi

SuperJet 100 certification test programme

were the early familiarisation flights of

European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)

in April, with the aircraft to be certificated

under the EASA standards early next year.

SSJ100 c/n 95001 was flown by EASA test

pilot Philippe Castaigns and SCAC test pilots

Leonid Chirkunov and Sergey Korostiyev

as well as EASA flight test engineer Fabrice

Butin. The crew made up of EASA test

pilot Francois Fabre and flight test engineer

Jean-Pierre Marre as well SCAC test pilots

Alexander Yablontsev and Vadim Shirokikh

flew SSJ100 c/n 95003.

The EU test pilots’ familiarisation flights on

board the SuperJet were part of the work being

done by the EASA certification task force

responsible for aircraft flight-testing under the

EASA certification programme. The flights

were designed to ensure initial familiarisation

with the aircraft and preliminary evaluation of

its controllability.

“The first flights precede EASA’s certifi-

cation flight campaign, and these two flights

on SuperJets were, no doubt, a huge step in

our familiarisation with the SSJ100 and the

team of the Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company”,

said Francois Fabre. “We have accomplished

all of the objectives, including flying on a

single engine”, said Fabrice Butin. “The

first impression is that the aircraft is very

comfortable and easy to control. As far as

w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u

Summer 2000. The Sukhoi Civil Aircraft company was established as a 100-per cent subsidiary of the Sukhoi company.

November 2000. Preliminary designing of the future Russian regional aircraft by Sukhoi

13 April 2001. Russian Aviation and Space Agency (Rosaviacosmos) head Yuri Koptev and Boeing President Philip

Condit signed a long-term cooperation agreement in Moscow, which provided, among other things, for co-development

of the advanced regional jet. Actually, the agreement kicked off the Russian Regional Jet (RRJ) programme.

20 June 2001. During the Le Bourget air show, Sukhoi, Ilyushin and Boeing signed a memorandum of

understanding (MoU) and a protocol on cooperation in studying the feasibility of designing, manufacturing

and selling the RRJ advanced regional aircraft family. The RRJ family was supposed to consist of three

baseline models - the RRJ-55, RRJ-75 and RRJ-95 as well as their extended-range (ER) and long-range

(LR) versions.

13 August 2001. The Aeroflot said it was willing to buy at least 30 RRJs, having signed a MoU with Sukhoi.

December 2001. A business plan for the programme was drawn up.

February 2002. Snecma and NPO Saturn set up a Russo-French joint venture to co-develop the SM146 engine that

was offered in April 2002 in the tender for a powerplant to fit the RRJ family. In addition to the SM146, which was later

re-designated as SaM146, the PW800 (a joint offer by Pratt & Whitney Canada and the Aviadvigatel company headquar-

tered in the Russian city of Perm), Rolls-Royce BR700 and General Electric CF34 competed in the tender.

9 July 2002. Rosaviacosmos announced a closed competition for developing an advanced Russian regional jet

airliner, with requests for proposals (RfP) sent to all Russian aircraft design bureaus.

30 October 2002. Technical proposals concerning the RRJ aircraft family (RRJ-60, RRJ-75 and RRJ-95) submitted

to Rosaviacosmos for the advanced Russian regional aircraft competition. In addition to the RRJ, the Tupolev Tu-414

and Myasishchev M-60-70 projects competed.

18 December 2002. The tender for a powerplant to fit the RRJ family aircraft was completed. The winner was the

SM146 engine project jointly promoted by NPO Saturn and Snecma that established the PowerJet joint venture in 2004

to that end.

19 December 2002. SCAC and Boeing signed an agreement on long-term cooperation under the RRJ programme.

Under the agreement, Boeing was to provide consulting support to its Russian partner on the basic aspects of the

programme, e.g. marketing, programme management, design, development, work with subcontractors, production,

aftersale support, etc.

12 March 2003. The RRJ programme wins the Rosaviacosmos competition for an advanced Russian regional aircraft.

The RRJ become part of the federal programme 'Russian Civil Aircraft Development in 2002-10 and through 2015'.

29 April 2003. In Paris, Sukhoi, Snecma and NPO Saturn signed a tripartite memorandum on development and

production of the SM146 engine for the RRJ aircraft family.

June 2003. The RRJ programme unveiled during the Le Bourget air show.

10 October 2003. The programme cleared the third ‘gate’, being ready for proposal to air carriers. Selection of prin-

cipal systems subcontractors was completed.

24 November 2003. The advisory council of air carriers earmarked as potential RRJ buyers took place in Moscow

for the first time.

23 January 2004. The general meeting of the 16 companies, which had won the tender for basic aircraft systems

supply, took place in Moscow.

28 April 2004. IAC’s Aircraft Registry accepted the RRJ certification request.

30 April 2004. The preliminary design stage is passed, with the Preliminary Design review issued.

14 October 2004. The first stage of the RRJ mock-up commission was completed under the AP-21 rules. IAC’s

Aircraft Registry issued a positive report on the digital mock-up.

28 October 2004. The RRJ programme cleared its fourth stage and was ready for the launch of aircraft manufac-

ture.

February 2005. The SCAC's design bureau began to hand digital models for long-life-cycle part manufacture over

to KnAAPO.

25 March 2005. Sukhoi, on the one hand, and the Sberbank, Roseximbank, VTB and VEB banks, on the other, signed

an agreement on cooperation to work out financing the RRJ development and construction.

June 2005. Full-size flight deck and passenger cabin mock-ups were unveiled at Le Bourget.

13 June 2005. Thales was selected as the avionics integrator.

16 July 2005. The programme’s review was completed.

16 August 2005. The Federal Agency for Industry awarded Sukhoi an order for development of the RRJ aircraft family.

Under the federal programme 'Russian Civil Aircraft Development in 2002–10 and through 2015', the governmental

funding for 2005–09 was set at 7.9 billion rubles (about $280 million).

17 August 2005. The first firm order for 10 RRJ-95 worth $262 million was awarded by the Financial Leasing

Company (FLC) during the MAKS 2005 air show.

18 August 2005. A MoU on joint work under the RRJ programme was signed by Sukhoi and SCAC, on the one hand,

and Finmeccanica and Alenia, on the other.

7 December 2005. An Aeroflot order was snagged. Under the order, the manufacturer is to deliver 30 airliners worth

in the neighbourhood of $820 million, starting from November 2008.

17 January 2006. The Voronezh Aircraft Production Association (VASO) joins the production segment of the pro-

gramme as a manufacturer of composite structural components.

take-off june 200920


Ale

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Ale

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SSJ100:SSJ100: milestonesm

SSJ100 first flying prototype (c/n 95001)

w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u

February 2006. KnAAPO and NAPO launched aggregate assembly of the first prototypes. In all, six prototypes were

laid down.

20 June 2006. Sukhoi and SCAC, on the one hand, and Finmeccanica and Alenia, on the other, signed an agreement

on strategic cooperation under the RRJ programme.

22 June 2006. NPO Saturn in the city of Rybinsk assembled the first full-scale SaM146 engine (No. 001), which first

test-bench run took place on 5 July 2006.

17 July 2006. The programme was rebranded, with the RRJ family aircraft started being promoted on the market

under the Sukhoi SuperJet 100 brand name. The programme was unveiled under the new name at the Farnborough

2006 air show.

December 2006. KnAAPO completed the airframe of SuperJet first protoype (95002) designed for static tests.

28 January 2007. The Polyot airline’s An-124-100 Ruslan freighter airlifted the SuperJet 100 No. 95002 prototype

from Komsomolsk-on-Amur to LII’s airfield in Zhukovsky for static tests at TsAGI.

19 June 2007. At the Le Bourget air show, Finmeccanica and its subsidiary Alenia Aeronautica, on the one hand, and

UAC and Sukhoi, on the other hand, signed a general contract on strategic partnership under the SuperJet programme.

The contract stipulated the Italians’ acquisition of 25 per cent plus one share of SCAC’s stock, conditions under which

the Italians would participate in financing the programme (at least 25 per cent of the aggregate investment), principles

for setting up the joint venture, etc.

19 June 2007. During the Le Bourget air show, Sukhoi and Italian carrier ItAli clinched a deal on the delivery of

10 SSJ100/95LR airliners worth $283 million with 10 options.

July 2007. NPO Saturn made the third SaM146 prototype engine and shipped it to LII for flight tests on board the

Il-76LL flying testbed.

22 August 2007. The establishment of Russo-Italian joint venture SuperJet International on 15 July 2007 was

announced during the MAKS 2007 air show. The venture was to be headquartered in Venetia and handle SuperJet sales

as well as aftersale support, with its stock being divided 49:51 per cent between Sukhoi and Alenia respectively.

14 September 2007. Armenian airline Armavia ordered two aircraft with two more as an option.

26 September 2007. The first SuperJet flying prototype (95001) was rolled out officially in Komsomolsk-on-Amur.

6 December 2007. In Zhukovsky, LII flew the Il-76LL testbed (76454) with the SaM146 (003/2) engine running for

the first time.

20 February 2008. SCAC’s subsidiary in Komsomolsk-on-Amur ran up the SaM146 (No. 101) engine on the wing of

SuperJet 95001 for the first time.

April 2008. Manufacture of assemblies for the first production aircraft began.

12 May 2008. SuperJet's fist flying prototype (95001) completed its first taxiing at KnAAPO’s airfield.

19 May 2008. SuperJet (95001) conducted its maiden flight in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, with pilot Alexander

Yablontsev and co-pilot Leonid Chikunov at the controls. The mission lasted for 1 h 05 min.

15 July 2008. The MoU was signed with Perm-based company Avialeasing on 40 SSJ100s for the catalogue price of

a total of more than $630 million, including 24 firm orders and 16 options.

16 July 2008. During the Farnborough air show, it was announced that the SuperJet International joint venture and

Swiss leasing company AMO had singed an agreement for five SSJ100s with a catalogue price of a total of $150 million

and another deal had been struck with an unnamed “European customer” for 20 aircraft worth in a neighbourhood of

$600 million and slated for delivery from 2011.

24 October 2008. The first SSJ100 prototype (c/n 95001, side number 97001) was officially submitted for the certi-

fication tests. The news was announced in Khabarovsk where the aircraft flew for the first time from the factory airfield

in Komsomolsk-on-Amur.

19 November 2008. SSJ100 prototype c/n 95006 designed for endurance tests was flown by an An-124 Ruslan

transport to SibNIA institute in Novosibirsk.

5 December 2008. A contract was signed on the key terms of the delivery of 15 SSJ100/95 aircraft with a catalogue

price of a total of $448 million to Indonesian airline Kartika, with the delivery starting from 2011 and with 15 options.

19 December 2008. The second phase of the SaM146 engine’s trials on board the Il-76LL flying testbed started in

Gromov LII. The second phase is designed for 150 flight hours.

24 December 2008. The second SSJ100 flying prototype (c/n 95003, serial 97003) conducted its first flight in

Komsomolsk-on-Amur, crewed by test pilots Leonid Chirkunov and Nikolay Pushenko. The flight lasted 2 h 30 min.

30 March 2009. SSJ100 c/n 95001 and 95003 departed on a Komsomolsk-on-Amur – Novosibirsk – Moscow flight.

The aircraft were shown in Novosibirsk’s Tolmachovo airport.

1 April 2009. Prototypes c/n 95001 and 95003 came for the first time to Gromov LII’s airfield in Zhukovsky (Moscow

Region) to continue their certification tests at the Flight Test Complex of the SCAC.

11 April 2009. The first SSJ100 prototype (c/n 95001) flew from Zhukovsky to Arkhangelsk for natural icing tests.

Five test missions had been flown in the vicinity of Arkhangelsk and Murmansk, after which the aircraft returned to

Zhukovsky on 27 April.

11 May 2009. During Russian Premier Vladimir Putin’s visit to Komsomolsk-on-Amur, it was announced that the gov-

ernment would support the programme with additional 6.8 billion rubles (about $210 million) and Vnesheconombank

would issue a $250 million loan to airlines buying Sukhoi SuperJet 100 airliners.

19 May 2009. For one year passed from the beginning of the SuperJet flight tests 180 missions were accomplished,

including 131 sorties by SSJ100 c/n 95001 and 49 by c/n 95003.

take-off june 2009 21


SSJ100: milestonesmilestones

SSJ100 second flying prototype (c/n 95003)



controllability is concerned, the SSJ100 is

very similar to the aircraft we are accus-

tomed to”.

Following the demonstration at the air

show in Le Bourget, the SuperJet is to pass

another important stage of the certification

trials. In July, it will fly to Armenia where

it will conduct a series of flights in moun-

tainous terrain and then to Central Asia for

high-temperature tests.

This summer, two more flying prototypes

are to join the certification trials. SSJ100

c/n 95004 will become the third flying pro-

totype. In April, it entered ground tests on

the premises of the Komsomolsk-on-Amur

affiliate of SCAC, and its maiden flight has

been scheduled for later June or early July.

After a short series of factory tests, it will be

ferried to Zhukovsky too. It will be used for

conducting part of the tests of the avionics

on the premises of Sukhoi’s Italian partner

under the SSJ programme. The fourth and

final flying prototype (c/n 95005) is to join

the certification tests in August. Now, the

prototype is in the final assembly shop of

SCAC in Komsomolsk-on-Amur where the

first production aircraft (c/n 95007) found

itself in February.

In KnAAPO’s shops, the assembly of the

airframe of the second production aircraft

(c/n 95008) is under way too. Major assem-

bly of other aircraft numbered 95009 to

95012 is going on at the same time. Under

the current plan, the first two production

Sujhoi SuperJet 100s are to be complete by

year-end so that they can be delivered to

the customer after completing the certifica-

tion tests being performed on four flying

prototypes and two ground static and endur-

ance test prototypes (c/n 95002 and 95006

respectively) and after obtaining the type

certificate from the Aircraft Registry of the

Interstate Aviation Committee. The launch

customers for the Sukhoi SuperJet 100 will

be Russia’s Aeroflot and Armenian Armavia.

The first two production SSJ100s (c/n 95007

and 95008) are to be delivered in December

this year.

Overall, the orderbook of the airliner’s

developer includes 98 firm orders (see the

table). UAC’s updated production plan pub-

lished late in April provides for making a

total of 74 production aircraft of the type

during 2009–2012, with the annual output

rate to be gradually driven up to 60–70 units

a year.

On 11 May, during Russia’s Premier

Vladimir Putin’s visit to Komsomolsk-on-

Partners in Sukhoi SuperJet 100 development and production

SCAC (Moscow; subsidiary – Komsomolsk-on-Amur)

Prime contractor. Aircraft development. Final assembly. Flight tests. Delivery

KnAAPO(Komsomolsk-on-Amur )

Manufacture and aggregate assembly of the F2, F3 and F4 fuselage sections, wing centre section, wing panels with high-lift devices and systems mating, fuselage mating

NAPO (Novosibirsk) Manufacture and aggregate assembly of the F1, F5 and F6 fuselage sections and vertical and horizontal stabilisers

VASO (Voronezh) Manufacture of composite parts (high-lift devices, elevators, access doors, hatches, etc.)

Alenia Aeronautica / Finmeccanica group Strategic partner. Marketing and aftersale support (SuperJet International joint venture)

NPO Saturn (Rybinsk, Moscow)

Risk-sharing partner. SaM146 engine development and manufacture (PowerJet joint venture)

Snecma / Safran group Risk-sharing partner. SaM146 engine development and manufacture (PowerJet joint venture)

Boeing Programme consultant. Consulting support in marketing, design, production, certification, quality assurance system, suppliers and aftersale support

Thales Development and delivery of the integrated avionics suite (production in cooperation with Aviapribor Holding in Moscow) and integrated and procedural simulators

Liebherr

Development and delivery of the fly-by-wire systems (production in cooperation with Voskhod PMZ in Pavlovo); development and delivery of the air conditioning, automatic pressure control and anti-icing systems (production in cooperation with PKO Teploobmennik in Nizhny Novgorod)

Messier Dowty Development and delivery of landing gear (production in cooperation with Aviaagregat in Samara)

Intertechnique / Zodiac Development and delivery of the fuel system (production in cooperation with Abris in St. Petersburg)

B/E Aerospace Development and delivery of the flight deck and cabin interior and oxygen system (production in cooperation with Respirator in Orekhovo-Zuyevo)

Autronics / Curtiss Wright Fire-suppressant system development and delivery

Honeywell Auxiliary power unit development and delivery

IPECO Crew seat development and delivery

Parker Hydraulic system development and delivery

Hamilton Sundstrand / UTC Power supply system development and delivery

Vibro-meter / Meggitt Engine vibration pickup development and delivery

Goodrich Landing gear wheel and brake development and delivery

Air Cruisers / Zodiac Survival gear development and delivery

ECES Lighting equipment and canopy windscreen wiper development and delivery

Orders for Sukhoi SuperJet 100

(as of 19 May 2009)

Date Customer Number Options

Price,

million

USD*

17 Aug 2005 FLC 10 – 262

7 Dec 2005 Aeroflot 30 – 820

9 Dec 2006 AirUnion** 15 15 400

19 Dec 2006 Dalavia** 6 4 170

19 Jun 2007 ItAli 10 10 283

14 Sept 2007 Armavia 2 2 55

16 July 2008 AMO 5 – 150

16 July 2008undisclosed

carrier20 – 600

Total 98 31 2,740

* list prices

** order thought to be resigned with Rosavia carrier



Amur, new governmental measures to sup-

port the Sukhoi SuperJet 100 programme

were announced. The government promised

extra 3.2 billion rubles (about $100 mil-

lion) to increase SCAC’s ownership stake

in the Russo-Italian joint venture set up

to develop and promote the SuperJet 100

on the global market and 3.6 billion rubles

(about $110 million) to provide direct sup-

port to the efforts to complete the certifica-

tion test programme and productionise the

SSJ100 under the federal Russia civil avia-

tion development programme. In addition,

during the premier’s visit to Komsomolsk-

on-Amur, Vnesheconombank announced

issuing a loan worth $250 million desig-

nated for Russian carriers buying aircraft

of the type, in the first place, Aeroflot that

had ordered 30 SSJ100 airliners. The early

Sukhoi SuperJet 100s are to be delivered in

late 2009 or 2010.

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SSJ100 (95001) during natural icing tests in

Arkhangelsk, April 2009

SSJ100 (95003) first landing at Gromov LII

airfield in Zhukovsky, 1 April 2009



SUKHOI SUKHOI SUPERJET 100SUPERJET 100

and

Su-35Su-35photo by Alexey Mikheyev





Ground tests

The SaM146 development programme is

entering the special test phase under the

general certification programme. Overall,

17 engines are needed under the certifica-

tion programme, including eight (i.e. about

26 assemblies*) for rig and flying testbed trials

and nine for the tests of SSJ100 prototypes. As

of April this year, six engines (14 assemblies)

were built for rig and flying testbed tests (five

and one respectively) and four for testing

onboard the SSJ100 prototypes.

NPO Saturn’s testing facility used for

the SaM146 certification tests includes the

open-air test rig in Poluyevo near the city of

Rybinsk and three indoor test cells, No. 26, 27

and 28. In addition, 23 types of unit certifica-

tion tests are being prepared or performed at

12 test rigs of NPO Saturn, with correspond-

ing tests being prepared in the TsIAM and

VIAM institutes.

Assembled in 2006, the very first demon-

stration example of the engine, designated as

FETT (First Engine To Test), a.k.a. SaM146

No.001, has been tested ever since. As part of

Assembly 001/3, it has completed its ice-cube

ingestion trials, which ensured the green light

for launching the testing of SSJ100 prototype

No. 95001 under natural icing conditions (the

trials took place in Arkhangelsk from 11 to 27

April 2009, with five missions flown). Late in

April, the engine will kick off its certification

tests at the rig in Poluyevo, involving ice slab

ingestion. In addition, production of units for

Assembly 001/3, which is to be used for test-

ing the fan blades and LP compressor in later

2009, is to begin as well.

The second SaM146 prototype, No.002,

is designed for several stages of the trials.

Its initial Assembly 002/1 has been tested

as the max thrust demonstrator, and initial

tests of its gas generator and software have

been completed. Assembly 002/2 has dem-

onstrated the ‘single-engine aircraft’ thrust

intended for flying on a single engine, rede-

signed fan blades have been tested and a

number of oil and fuel system tests have been

conducted. Once modified, Assembly 002/2

was temporarily mounted on the first

SSJ100 c/n 95001, during its rollout in

Komsomolsk-on-Amur in September 2007.

Then, the next assembly, 002/3, was pre-

pared for evaluation of NPO Saturn’s new

indoor test rigs. Assembly 002/4 ensured an

With the ferrying the first two Sukhoi

SuperJet 100 flying prototypes to

Zhukovsky in the Moscow Region,

another phase of the new airliner’s cer-

tification programme commenced, with

a third and fourth prototypes to join the

trials in the near future. Concurrently,

the tests of the advanced SaM146

turbofan engine under co-development

by Russia’s NPO Saturn and French

Snecma to fit the SuperJet are under

way. Overall, to complete the certifi-

cation programme, 17 engines have

to be made, of which 10 have been

made and undergoing testing, includ-

ing four on board two SSJ100 proto-

types. According to some experts, it is

the SaM146 development and delivery

delays that are among the reasons for

more prototypes slipping behind sched-

ule in joining the trials and, hence, for

the whole of the SuperJet certification

programme to drag its feet. To get a

better grasp of the situation, Take-off’s

correspondent Yevgeny Yerokhin vis-

ited NPO Saturn and made sure that

the SaM146 construction and tests are

on schedule and the company remains

poised to obtain the type certificate in

the fourth quarter of the year.

SaM146 SaM146 UNDERGOING CERTIFICATIONUNDERGOING CERTIFICATION

Yevgeny YEROKHIN

* The assembly is understood here as the engine set resultant from the overhaul, fault detection and replacement some of the units and parts for the next stage of the test programme.

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important phase of the tests in Poluyevo in

support of the plane’s maiden flight – the

cross-wind effect, flutter margin, runway

effect simulation and joint engine/thrust

reverser operation tests. Then, the engine

was overhauled, and SaM146 No.002/5 is

undergoing certification tests on TsIAM’s

climatic test bench under the icing condi-

tions, after which another assembly, 002/6,

will be made for fan blade strip certification

tests in Poluyevo.

SaM146 No.004 was mounted on the

first SSJ100 along with engine No.002/2

during the prototype’s rollout in September

2007. Then during 2007–2008, it underwent

equivalent cyclic tests in the indoor test cell

to prove its service life. The engine logged

1,010 cycles (475 hours). The examination

of the state of its parts following the trials

showed the lack of defects worth men-

tioning. In the future, the engine will be

returned to cyclic tests in the form of con-

siderably renovated Assembly 004/2.

The second engine for the equivalent

cyclic tests is SaM146 No.007/1 that has

logged 750 cycles. It is being used for cali-

brating NPO Saturn’s test rigs.

In addition to the rig test-intended engines

being developed in Russia, SaM146 No.006,

which final assembly was handled by

Snecma, is undergoing core engine certifi-

cation tests in France. An installation for

fan blade strip vacuum rig tests (actually, a

full-size SaM146 low-pressure compressor

with the core engine and low-pressure tur-

bine simulators) was sent to Snecma as well.

These tests were slated for late May 2009.

NPO Saturn is manufacturing two more

engines designed for ground testing –

SaM146 No.005 and 008. They are to be

completed in June and July 2009 respec-

tively. The former is intended for vibration

tests in the indoor test cell and the latter for

cyclic tests in maximum allowable regimes.

Onboard flying testbed

The first SaM146 to take to the skies was

engine No.003 mounted on the Il-76LL

flying testbed No. 76454. The perform-

ance of initial Assembly 003/1 was tested

on the rig in Poluyevo. The engine was

unveiled as part of the flying testbed dur-

ing the MAKS 2007 air show. Once the

engine was installed into the engine nacelle

(Assemblies 003/1 and 003/2), its basic

characteristics were tested and the whole set

of software tests was performed too. Stage I

of SaM146 No.003’s flight trials as part of

the Il-76LL, which included 27 flights, was

completed in Gromov LII Flight Research

Institute late in January 2008. A new assem-

bly, 003/11, kicked off Stage II of the test

programme in the December of last year.

Prior to that, during 2008, Assembly 003/10

completed outdoor rig tests in Poluyevo. As

of 4 April, 23 missions were flown as part of

Stage II of the flight trials to gauge the per-

formance of the engine. The trials involving

the flying testbed are to be complete in June

or July 2009.

Powering the SuperJet

At the same time with the rig and fly-

ing-testbed tests, the SaM146 has been

undergoing its flight trials onboard Sukhoi

SuperJet 100 prototypes since May 2008. The

powerplants for the flight tests are assembled

and mounted by the Sukhoi Civil Aircraft

affiliate in Komsomolsk-on-Amur where the

Aircelle company set up a jig set for simulta-

neous assembly of two powerplants. The first

flight test-intended SaM146 engines, No.102

and 103, were mounted on the first SSJ100

flying prototype c/n 95001. The second fly-

ing prototype (c/n 95003) powered by the

SaM146 No.101 and 104 engines entered the

flight trials in December last year. As of 4

April, the two aircraft logged 136 sorties (104

by aircraft No.95001 and 32 by No.95003).

In April NPO Saturn was assembling sev-

eral more engines now – SaM146 No.005/1,

008, 001/2 and 004/2 – designed for com-

pleting the engine certification test pro-

gramme as well as two next SaM146s

(No.105 and 106) for use onboard the third

flying SSJ100 c/n 95004. The manufac-

ture of engines No.107 and 108 to fit the

fourth flying prototype (c/n 95005) has

begun. Work also is under way on mak-

ing the early production-standard engines

planned for installation on production air-

craft earmarked for the launch custom-

ers – the Aeroflot and Armavia air carriers.

Parallel with the engine certification tests,

the production facilities of NPO Saturn

are being certificated. Under an agree-

ment with Sukhoi Civil Aircraft, production

facilities designed for an annual output of

150 SaM146s are being built.

In conclusion, a few numbers characteris-

ing the amount of tests completed are due.

As of 14 April this year, all SaM146 examples

designed for rig and flight tests totalled 3,060

hours, including 1,616 h on the rigs and on

TsIAM’s climatic test bench, 316 h on board

the Il-76LL flying testbed and 1,128 h on

board two Sukhoi SuperJet 100 prototypes.

And

rey F

om

in


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

28

The competition for 126 Medium

MultiRole Combat Aircraft (MMRCA)

held by the Indian Air Force (IAF) is

entering a key phase – the competi-

tive testing of the rival aircraft. The

$11 billion – the estimated value

of the aircraft to be selected by

IAF – have pitted the world’s top six

light and medium fighter makers in

a tooth-and-nail contest.

The competition was announced

officially on 28 August 2007 when

the RfPs were released to the con-

tenders. Therefore, the companies

contesting the lucrative order acted

as real competitors during the

recent Aero India 2009 air show in

Bangalore in February.

Earlier this year, the tender com-

mittee was examining the docu-

ments submitted by the six con-

tenders, with the competitive tests

slated for summer. IAF pilots will

evaluate two aircraft provided by

each of the rivals – a singleseater

and a twinseater. The trials will

take place in Bangalore as well as

Jaisalmer and Leh in mountainous

terrain conditions.

As is known, MiG Corp. has

had only one MIG-35 demonstra-

tor in the two-seat variant fitted

with the full set of equipment stipu-

lated by the tender requirements,

including the operational Zhuk-AE

AESA radar from Phazotron-NIIR.

This spring, MiG Corp. completed

the second MiG-35 demonstrator,

the singleseater, whose airframe

design is quite similar to that of the

MiG-29K/KUB carrierborne fighters

produced on order from the Indian

Navy. Nikolay Buntin, chief designer

of the MiG-35 and MiG-29K/KUB,

told a Take-off correspondent that

the second MiG-35 was slated for

its maiden flight in May or June

this year, smack on the verge of the

competitive tests in India.

Another phase – the testing of

the avionics, AESA radar, weapons,

ECM gear, etc. – is to begin in

autumn in the contenders’ home

countries. The trials will result in

the so-called short list, and the

short-listed rivals will be scruti-

nised in terms of the strengths and

deficiencies of the financial aspect

of the deal, offsets offered and,

obviously, political aspects of the

cooperation.

The winner in the tender will

supply IAF with 18 fighters, with the

remaining 108 to be licence-pro-

duced by HAL. According to IAF

commander Chief Air Marshal Fali

Homi Major, “if all goes to plan, the

first MMRCA painted in the Indian

colours will fly in about four years”,

i.e. some time in 2012. A.F.

MMRCA tender: on the verge of competitive tests

Pio

tr B

uto

wski

9 May witnessed the maiden

flight of Indian trainer HAL HJT-36

powered by the NPO Saturn AL-55I

for the first time. On the 40 min

flight from the Bangalore airfield the

aircraft climbed 3,000 m, attaining

an instrument speed of 300 km/h.

Its powerplant operated smoothly.

According to Indian test pilot Baldev

Singh, “the powerplant performed

greatly”.

The flight kicked off the cer-

tification flight test stage of the

AL-55I-powered HJT-36, after

which completion Russia, under the

contract, will provide India with the

design documentation in support of

launching the AL-55I licence pro-

duction by HAL.

The first three AL-55I engines,

which had completed the whole

of rig test cycle at the Lytkarino

Engineering Plant (a subsidiary of

NPO Saturn), were shipped to India

late in December 2008 for instal-

lation on HJT-36 advanced Indian

trainers.

By then, the AL-55I prototype had

passed the first flight test milestone

in Russia on board the MiG-AT flying

testbed (side number 823) whose

maiden flight with this engine had

taken place on 28 July 2008. In addi-

tion, the AL-55I was integrated with

the HJT-36 in Bangalore last July, its

operation as part of the powerplant

was tested and first high-speed taxi

tests were conducted.

In August 2008, the AL-55I also

passed special rig tests in TsIAM’s

heat and altitude chamber, designed

to gauge its altitude, speed and

operating characteristics. The

engine’s reliable start-up range also

was checked and the operation of

all of its systems was evaluated. In

September 2008, the AL-55I passed

its special rig trials at TsIAM’s

Research and Test Centre.

Under the contract signed with

HAL, a batch of six AL-55I proto-

types designed to fit HJT-36s is

being manufactured in Russia.

As is known, the AL-55I twin-shaft

turbofan with the 1,760 kgf thrust is

under development on order from

Indian corporation HAL under NPO

Saturn’s international contract that

came into effect on 1 August 2005.

The work on productionising the

prototype batch, certificating the

engine and ensuring its licence

production have been shared by

NPO Saturn and Ufa-based UMPO

plant on the parity basis.

As far as the HJT-36 itself is

concerned, it has been dogged

by bad luck. During the previous

Bangalore air show on 8 February

2007, the first prototype, PT-1

(S-3466), running after a dem-

onstration flight, rolled off the

runway due to a disintegration of a

wheel and sustained a rather seri-

ous damage to the airframe. The

second prototype, PT-2 (S-3474),

was damaged in a belly landing

in Bangalore on 5 February 2009,

during the preparations for this

year’s air show. The designers of

the aircraft intended to replace

IAF’s obsolete HJT-16 Kiran train-

er, took heart, nonetheless. IAF

has ordered a low-rate initial pro-

duction batch of 12 HJT-36s, with

plans providing for acquisition of

200–250 aircraft. A.F.

AL-55I kicks off flight tests on board HJT-36

29 take-off june 2009w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u


Today, the Sukhoi Su-30MKI

super-agile multirole two-seat

fighter is the joy and pride of

the Indian Air Force and its most

sophisticated warplane, which was

demonstrated at the latest air show

in Bangalore in February. To date,

the Irkut corporation has delivered

50 aircraft of the type to IAF, while

the licence production by Indian

corporation HAL, coupled with the

Russian deliveries, will enable IAF

by the mid-2010s to operate as

many as 230 aircraft like that,

most of which will have remained

in service until 2030–2040 or even

later as a factor heavily influenc-

ing the balance of power in the

region.

The contract on the handover to

India of the rights for the licence

production of the Su-30MKI, its

AL-31FP thrust-vector control-

led engine and avionics was made

on 28 December 2000, having

become the ‘biggest-ticket’ deal in

the Russian-Indian cooperation his-

tory – it is worth more than $3 bil-

lion. The first Su-30MKI licence-pro-

duced by HAL was accepted by IAF

on 28 November 2004. According

to Sukhoi, 34 aircraft were made in

India as of September 2008. HAL

has launched the fourth and the final

licence production stage providing

for manufacture of parts, units and

components by local factories out of

the materials supplied by Russia.

The Su-30MKI programme is not

sitting idle, and the fighters entering

service with IAF now are different

from the early Su-30MKIs, deliv-

ered early in the decade, in greater

capabilities of their fire control sys-

tem owing to advanced operating

modes and avionics improvements.

Since the Su-30MKI production

and delivery will have been under

way for a minimum of five years

and its service at least a quarter

of the century, a further enhance-

ment of the aircraft by means of

even more effective avionics and

advanced weaponry comes into the

foreground. One of the current pri-

orities in this field is to beef up the

weapons suite of the IAF Su-30MKIs

with the cutting-edge BrahMos-A

precision-guided long-range mul-

tirole air-to-surface missile being

developed by the Russian-Indian

joint venture. BrahMos Aerospace

joint venture has already delivered

its shipborne and shore-based vari-

ants to the Indian Navy and Army.

The air-launched BrahMos-A

entered the development several

years ago. The thrust of the modi-

fication is aimed at equipping the

weapon with a new booster and

a different nosecone, adapting the

missile to fit the carrier’s hard-

points and modifying the missile

control system’s software package

to fit the carrier’s avionics suite.

The air-launched BrahMos-A launch

weight has been reduced to 2,500 kg

with the warhead weight and maxi-

mal range remaining unchanged,

300 kg and 290 km respectively.

Initially, the Su-30MKI will be able to

carry a single BrahMos-A missile.

A preliminary agreement has

been reached for two IAF Su-30MKI

fighters to be ferried to the Sukhoi

design bureau for modification to

carry the BrahMos. A Take-off cor-

respondent was told by a BrahMos

Aerospace spokesperson that the

early BrahMos-A drop tests involv-

ing the Su-30MKI could be launched

in India in 2010.

Down the road, the adaptation

of the BrahMos-A cruise missile to

the IAF Su-30MKI fighter will allow

the weapon’s use by other IAF and

Indian Navy aircraft with minimal

modifications. It also opens bright

vistas for fitting the weapon to other

Su-30 family aircraft being exported

to several countries.

IAF expects the service entry

of the air-launched BrahMos-A

prior to 2012, BrahMos Aerospace

CEO A. Sivathanu Pillai said in the

October of last year. A.F.

Pio

tr B

uto

wski

An

dre

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om

in

India at fourth stage of Su-30MKI licence production



30

The Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter devel-

opment and licence production pro-

gramme has become a breakthrough

endeavour laying the groundwork for

the equal cooperation between Russia

and India in the field of combat air-

craft development. “From the tech-

nological point of view, the Su-30MKI

programme is unprecedented for the

defence cooperation between Russia

and India. It is bringing together the

technological capabilities of the Indian

and Russian aircraft industries start-

ing from design schools of thought to

manufacturing technologies”, Sukhoi

Director General Mikhail Pogosyan

said early in 2007. In his opinion, the

Russian participants in the Su-30MKI

programme “have gained a unique

experience in integrating the best for-

eign military aircraft solutions – the

experience that can be used under

any other cooperative Russian-Indian

programme, including, possibly, the

development of a fifth-generation

fighter. This would require enormous

financial and technological resources.

It is such an ambitious programme

that meets the interests of our stra-

tegic partnership”. Thus, the Sukhoi

Director General made it clear as far

as two years ago that Russia and

India might jointly develop and pro-

duce cutting-edge new-generation

warplanes.

In this respect, the 18 October

2007 signing of the Russian-Indian

intergovernmental agreement on joint

development and production of the

advanced 5th generation multirole

fighter was a momentous event. The

Sukhoi company and Indian corpora-

tion Hindustan Aeronautics Limited

(HAL) were earmarked as the con-

tractors. Afterwards, Indian delega-

tions have repeatedly visited both the

Sukhoi design bureau and KnAAPO,

with the latter manufacturing the first

Russian fifth-generation fighter proto-

types since December 2007. In turn,

Sukhoi personnel have paid several

visits to HAL in India. The talks have

resulted in coordination of the basic

issues of the joint development and

production of the advanced aircraft.

The Russian-Indian next-generation

combat aircraft programme stipulates

both co-financing and co-production

with the use of Sukhoi’s and HAL’s

production facilities. Such aircraft are

expected to be designed both for IAF

and for export to third countries.

Certain details of the programme

dubbed FGFA (Fifth Generation Fighter

Aircraft) in India became known at the

Aero India 2009 air show in Bangalore

in February. According to the then HAL

boss, Ashok Baveja, the parties had

harmonised and, as far as it is pos-

sible, commonised the requirements

to the future fighter, set forth by the air

forces of the two countries. It was also

reaffirmed that the programme would

be on parity basis, which could not but

raise an eyebrow or two since the pro-

totype of the Russian PAK FA is known

to have been at a rather high degree

of completion. For instance, Mikhail

Pogosyan confirmed in Bangalore

that the maiden flight of the Russian

PAK FA first flying prototype “will

take place this year”, explaining that

50% of India’s participation in the

programme would be distributed

throughout the aircraft life cycle,

i.e. while Russia has borne all the

expenses at the initial stage of the

programme, a considerable part of

the work may be given to India

further down the line. For instance,

Indian engineers will customise the

aircraft to the IAF requirements (it

is known to be a two-seater, unlike

the Russian single-seat version),

develop some export variants for

potential foreign buyers, and take

an active part in further moderni-

sation, maintenance and overhaul.

HAL pegs the FGFA’s service entry

with IAF about 2017. A.F.

Russian-Indian fifth generation

The delivery flight of the first

A-50EI airborne early warning and

control (AEW&C) aircraft from Israel

to India took place on 25 May. The

plane landed safely at the airport of

Indian city Mumbai.

Take-off has already covered the

status of the Russian-Israeli-Indian

contract on three A-50EI aircraft for

IAF, estimated at $1.1 billion. As is

known, the first A-50EI derived by

Beriev from a TAPC-built Ilyushin

Il-76TD airlifter airframe and fit-

ted with four PS-90A-76 engines

from Perm Motors completed its

maiden mission in Taganrog on

29 November 2007 and was fer-

ried to Israel on 20 January 2008

for installation of the Elta Phalcon

radar system and conduct of the

full set of improvements and tests.

The guidance and communications

equipment for the aircraft was

supplied by Russian concern Vega.

The flight trials of the first A-50EI

carrying the Israeli-made Phalcon

radar kicked off in Tel Aviv on 5

June 2008.

According to Vega’s chief Vladimir

Verba speaking at Gidroaviasalon

2008 airshow last September, the

remaining two aircraft under the

contract will be delivered to the cus-

tomer during the subsequent two

years. The second A-50EI airframe

made its maiden flight in Taganrog

on 11 January 2009 and is slated to

be transferred to Israel for Phalcon

system installation soon. Vladimir

Verba stressed that “there may be

more orders for the aircraft”. During

the Gidroaviasalon 2008 show,

Beriev, Rosoboronexport, Perm

Motors and Vega clinched a deal on

launching the establishing of the A-

50EI aftersales maintenance system

for IAF. A.F.

First A-50EI delivered to India

Beriev c

om

pa

ny

Ind

ian

in

tern

et

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32

According to a report by the

Interfax-AVN news agency on

15 May, the Vietnamese Air Force

will have taken delivery of eight

more Sukhoi Su-30MK2 mul-

tirole twin-seat fighters from the

Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft

Production Association (KnAAPO),

a subsidiary of the Sukhoi company.

According to Interfax-AVN, the con-

tract was awarded in January this

year. The delivery will kick off in

the fourth quarter of 2010 and be

completed in 2011. The advanced

aircraft will beef up Vietnam’s

fleet of four Su-30MK2s and

12 Su-27SK/UBKs, driving the total

number of Sukhoi fighters in the VAF

inventory up to 24.

As is known, KnAAPO shipped

the first four Su-30MK2s to Vietnam

in November 2004 under the con-

tract made in late 2003. The fight-

ers, which are sometimes referred

to as Su-30MK2V, were a light-

ly-modified variant of the production

Su-30MK2 delivered to the Chinese

Naval Aviation in 2004, differing in

only somewhat upgraded communi-

cations aids and improved ejection

seats (at the photo).

The first Sukhoi fighters were

procured by Vietnam in May

1995 – five Su-27SK singleseat-

ers from KnAAPO and a Su-27UBK

from the Irkutsk Aircraft Production

Association (IAPO), now the

Irkutsk Aircraft Plant of Irkut Corp.

Under the second deal clinched in

December 1996, the Vietnamese

Air Force received two Su-27SKs

from Komsomolsk-on-Amur and

four Su-27UBKs from Irkutsk during

1997–1998. All Vietnamese Sukhoi

fighters are stationed at Phan Rang

Air Force Base and operated as part

of an air regiment of the 370th Air

Division.

Apart from the Vietnamese Air

Force and Chinese Navy air arm,

the Su-30MK2 fighters are in serv-

ice with the Venezuelan Air Force

(24 aircraft were delivered during

2006–2008) and Indonesian Air

Force (three aircraft were received

in late 2008 through early 2009,

with two more Su-30MKs shipped

by KnAAPO in 2003). The PLAAF

also has operated the Su-30MKK

since 2000, with 76 aircraft deliv-

ered before 2003. In the coming

years, KnAAPO is to manufacture

Su-30M2 fighters similar to the

Su-30MK2 for the Russian Air Force

as well. A.F.

Vietnam to receive eight more Su-30MK2s

At the Aero India 2009 air

show in Bangalore this February,

Antonov company from Ukraine

unveiled the design of its advanced

An-74T-200MP multirole maritime

patrol aircraft, which is being mulled

over by Indian Defence Ministry

experts as part of the tender for six

aircraft in the class for the Indian

Navy and Coast Guard under the

MRMR (Medium Range Maritime

Reconnaissance) programme. In

addition to the An-74T-200MP,

Franco-Italian patrol aircraft

ATR72-500MP, Brazilian Embraer

P-99 (an ERJ-145 derivative) and

French Falcon 900MPA are com-

peting in the tender. A preliminary

decision on the winner in the tender

is believed to be made by the middle

of the year, with the delivery to take

place in 2012–2013.

The new version of the An-74

will be able to handle a wide range

of missions, including patrol-

ling, supporting naval ships while

countering the enemy, conducting

SAR, ELINT and SIGINT operations,

detecting maritime pollution, trans-

porting and airdropping cargo, etc.

If necessary, the An-74T-200MP

patrol aircraft can be quickly con-

verted for carrying passengers or

evacuating the sick and wounded.

It can operate safely from aus-

tere airfields, including ground

and shingle-, snow- and ice-cov-

ered airstrips, while carrying up

to 6 tonnes of cargo in the short

take-off and landing (STOL) con-

figuration.

The An-74T-200MP differs from

its older versions in several impor-

tant improvements. It embodies the

An-74 drastic modernisation concept

devised by Antonov in cooperation

with French, German and Swedish

partners. The concept provides for

the glass flight deck and latest flight,

navigation and communications

aids, with the powerplant, APU, air-

craft and engine control systems,

fuel and hydraulic systems to be

modified as well. Antonov’s foreign

partners will supply mission specific

equipment, including the surveil-

lance radar, optronic system, SIGINT

and ECM systems, etc. The weapons

suite of the patrol version comprises

a 23 mm cannon (the same GSh-23

weapon fits the An-72P patrol air-

craft in service with Russian and

Ukrainian Border Security forces)

and antiship missiles on under-wing

hardpoints. P.B.

Antonov offers patrol variant of An-74

An

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i n d u s t r y | a v i o n i c s


RPZ is widely known for its production

of the Bars phased-array radar to equip the

Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighters. The company is

finalising the productionising of the sophisti-

cated Irbis-E phased-array radar designed by

Tikhomirov-NIIP institute to fit the Su-35 war-

plane. Many of the radar’s units and assemblies

have been developed by RPZ’s scientific and

technological centre under Tikhomirov-NIIP

technical requirements, including the wideband

four-channel double frequency-conversion

VHF receiver, analogue-digital return-process-

ing unit and onboard computers. The units

and assemblies have passed the preliminary

tests, and their design documentation has been

handed off to the manufacturer division. Under

the Russian Defence Industry Development

during 2007–2010 and through 2015 govern-

mental programme, the RPZ plant is gearing up

for launching production of radars to fit future

aircraft.

RPZ’s scientific and technological centre

is developing also a radar designed for the

Mi-28N helicopter. The radar is to perform

terrain-mapping, aerial and ground target

acquisition and gather information enhanc-

ing the safety of low-altitude flight. It fea-

tures a mast-mounted antenna. The radar

has completed the operational development

tests, having proven its effectiveness.

Another key priority of RPZ is the devel-

opment and production of airborne radar

digital data-processing computers. The first

example of the SOLO digital data-processing

computer family is the SOLO-54 computer

now in production for the Su-27SM fighters.

Now, the SOLO-35.01 and SOLO-35.02 ded-

icated advanced-architecture single switched

computing environment digital comput-

ers designed to fit the Su-35 fighter and

SOLO-21 intended for the future aircraft are

being productionised as a continued devel-

opment of the computer family. RPZ has also

CUTTING-EDGE AVIONICSCUTTING-EDGE AVIONICSMADE IN RYAZAN

Today, the Ryazan Instrument Plant

(RPZ) is the Russian leader in production

of avionics for up-to-date fixed-wing

and rotary-wing aircraft. A scientific

and technological centre and a video

computer technology scientific and

design centre have been set up by the

plant to provide support to operation

of its production equipment and

development of units and assemblies

for use in avionics systems and ground

hardware.

Yevgeny YEROKHIN

Phasing radiation lines assembly for

Irbis-E radar

Irbis-E phased array assembly

i n d u s t r y | a v i o n i c s


developed an advanced onboard computer

system featuring top-notch characteristics

in terms of the composition, return dynamic

range, speed and memory capacity to fit the

radar designed for the Mi-28N helicopter.

Since 1999, RPZ has been developing

and making aircraft secondary radar gear,

e.g. airborne air traffic control (ATC) and

ICAO transponders. There are several for-

eign and Russian ATC and ICAO systems

differing in characteristics. RPZ has resolved

the problem of their integration and devel-

oped equipment capable of interacting with

all of the existing systems in question. In

particular, a transponder designed for the

Yak-130 combat trainer has been developed

and is in the final stages of flight trials now; a

version of such a transponder is planned to fit

the Tu-214. All Sukhoi SuperJet 100 airlin-

ers designed for domestic carriers will carry

ICAO transponders from RPZ. Transponder

variants have been developed to equip the

export versions of the MiG-29 and Su-35

fighters and work is underway on similar gear

for new Mil helicopters.

Another key field RPZ operates in is

development and production of new-genera-

tion avionics for combat helicopters, includ-

ing the Mi-28N and Ka-52. Such avionics

include the Okhotnik multifunctional video

imagery processing system family designed

for use as part of the Tor and GOES-451

optronic surveillance and sighting systems.

The systems process television and thermal

imagery in real time, while improving the

vision and ensuring automatic target acquisi-

tion and tracking, electronic picture stabili-

sation, etc.

To ensure precision targeting of guided

weapons, RPZ is developing laser guidance

systems for the Ataka guided missile, with

the systems featuring high countermeas-

ures immunity and a small size. A relative

coordinates measuring system developed

by RPZ is designed for gauging relative

coordinates and speeds of moving objects

in any weather, round the clock and with

high accuracy. It receives and processes

GLONASS and GPS signals and is used in

support of landing. RPZ’s integrated navi-

gation data processing system enhances the

reliability and accuracy of flight parameter

generation and integrates the data fed by

helicopter instruments and systems and the

satellite navigation system.

These helicopter systems have passed all

kinds of tests, having proved their function-

al capabilities and performance. The hel-

met-mounted display and sighting system

(HMDSS) under development by RPZ is

designed for use as part of the cockpit man-

agement system of the Ka-52 helicopter with

the subsequent adaptation to the Mi-28N.

The system is intended for displaying cur-

rent flight and navigation information and

aiming.

Relying on its wealth of production experi-

ence, the Ryazan Instrument Plant is explor-

ing new spheres of the present-day market.

New-generation avionics development is a

priority objective, whose attainment offers

steady effective development of the company

in the future.

Radar for Mi-28N helicopter

Cases and modules of the

SOLO-21 and SOLO-35.01

airborne digital computers


m i l i t a r y a v i a t i o n | n e w s

36

The Russian Defence Ministry

bought from MiG Corp. 24 advanced

MiG-29SMT multirole tactical fight-

ers previously intended for Algeria,

Russian Vice-Premier Sergey Ivanov

said on 9 February. Two days later,

MiG Corp. hosted a field session

of the Council of General and Chief

Designers and Leading Scientists

and High-Tech Industry Experts,

chaired by Russia’s Premier Vladimir

Putin, as well as a conference with

the corporation’s leaders, during

which approaches to stabilising MiG

Corp.’s financial standing were dis-

cussed. In his opening remarks, the

Premier said the corporation’s debts

resultant from a heavy loan bur-

den had totalled 44.8 billion rubles

(about $1.24 billion), but the gov-

ernment had taken steps to bring

the MiG Corp.’s situation back in

shape. According to Vladimir Putin,

the government coughed up 15 bil-

lion rubles (about $400 million)

from the federal coffers to increase

the MiG Corp. authorised capital and

awarded the corporation an order

to the tune of 17.3 billion rubles

(almost $500 million), of which

11 billion rubles (over $300 million)

were received by the company as

far back as the first quarter of 2009.

The money is to be spent on the

acquisition of advanced MIG-29SMT

fighters by the Defence Ministry.

The aircraft began to field combat

units early this year.

As is known, Russia and Algeria

in March 2006 made a contract

for 34 upgraded MiG-29 fight-

ers (28 MiG-29SMT single-seaters

and six MiG-29UBT two-seaters)

worth about $1.3 billion. The

contract was signed as part of

a major package of agreements

on arms export for Algeria. The

delivery started in December 2006

but by mid-2007 Algeria stopped

receiving the MiGs and demanded

Russia take back the 15 deliv-

ered aircraft on the grounds that

some of the parts and systems of

the fighters were allegedly ‘used’.

Although most experts agree that

the true reason for cancelling

the MiG-29SMT deal is political,

rather than technical, the fact is

the manufacturer had to take its

planes back, though the remainder

of the fighters under the contact

had been virtually complete.

Thus, all 28 singleseaters and

six twinseaters proved to be

unclaimed. However, this was

not for long: on the heels of the

Algerian refusal to accept the MiGs,

the Russian Defence Ministry stat-

ed it would buy the fighters from

the manufacturers. Even a number

of Western systems and compo-

nents on board the planes did not

pose any problem. The thing is the

newest MiG-29s in RusAF’s stable

were made very early in the 1990s,

and here comes an opportunity

for the service to lay its hands on

ready-made advanced fighters in

the multirole variant including the

sophisticated Phasotron-NIIR’s

Zhuk-ME radar, glass cockpit and

a widen range of guided weapons.

Russian military pilots had flown

the MiG-29SMT at GLITs State

Flight Tests Center during the spe-

cial flight tests and given raving

report to its performance, espe-

cially compared with the produc-

tion MiG-29s in service now.

The only issue to iron out was

to agree the price and obtain

the money from the federal

budget. This took the whole of

2008, though the decision had

been taken as far back as 2007.

Probably, the deal owed its suc-

cessful outcome, inter alia, to

the MiG-29 crash near Chita in

December 2008, which caused the

grounding of all RusAF fighters

of the type and revealed cracks

in the vertical stabilisers of the

earlier-series fighters, caused by

metal fatigue. According to RusAF

spokesman Lt.-Col. Vladimir Drik,

only about a hundred of almost

three hundred in-service MiG-29s

had been cleared by RusAF to fly

by early spring this year. In addi-

tion, the contract on the former

Algeria-bound MiG-29SMTs for

the Russian Defence Ministry

is regarded as a governmental

measure aimed at bolstering

MiG Corp. that is now in a difficult

financial situation.

As a result, the MiG-29SMTs

began to field with RusAF units,

with two aircraft given to the RusAF

Combat and Conversion Training

Centre (CCTC) in Lipetsk and 10 to

the Guards Leningradsky Fighter Air

Regiment in Kursk. In all, CCTC is to

take delivery of four MiG-29SMTs and

the Kursk-based regiment – 20. The

first MiG-29SMTs sporting their new

paintjobs were delivered to the Air

Force right from the MiG Corp. factory

in the town of Lukhovitsy, because

the Algerian deal had been scratched

off before their delivery date. The

fighters will be followed by the aircraft

returned by Algeria. They have logged

100–200 flight hours, but after a spell

in Africa, they will have to undergo

fault detection and complete pre-de-

livery preparations at the plant. Again,

these MiG-29SMTs are the first new

MiGs entering the RusAF inventory in

more than a decade and a half.

Later this year, the Sokol plant

in Nizhny Novgorod will have hand

off the former ‘Algerian’ MiG-29UB

(UBT) upgraded two-seat combat

trainers. So far, of the RusAF pilots,

the conversion to the MiG-29SMT has

been completed by the pilots with the

Lipetsk-based CCTC where the con-

version of the combat pilots from the

Kursk-based regiment is beginning.

The new MiGs are to start flying in

Kursk later this year. A.F.

MiG-29SMT already in service with RusAF

An

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37 take-off june 2009w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u


According to the Red Star daily

report on 25 February, the sign

of the actual renovation of the

Russian Air Force (RusAF) inven-

tory was the beginning of field-

ing the cutting-edge production

standard Sukhoi Su-34 multirole

tactical strike aircraft built by the

Novosibirsk Aircraft Production

Association (NAPO) named after

Valery Chkalov, being a part of

Sukhoi company. The third pro-

duction aircraft of the type, seri-

alled 03, was ferried to the RusAF

Combat and Conversion Training

Centre (CCTC) in the city of Lipetsk

on 20 December 2008.

There has been an aircraft like

that, serialled 02, fielded with

CCTC since August 2007, while the

first production Su-34 (serial 01)

and three LRIP aircraft serialled

46, 47 and 48 have been undergo-

ing the final stage of the official

trials at the Defence Ministry’s

State Flight Test Centre (GLITs) in

Akhtubinsk. The first two produc-

tion Su-34s were handed off to

RusAF in a ceremony at NAPO’s

airfield on 15 December 2006.

“It is important that the Su-34

production and fielding are under-

way under a five-year contract”,

Andrey Kokoshin, first deputy

chairman of the State Duma

Committee on Science and High

Technology and the former depu-

ty defence minister and Russian

Security Council chairman, said

in his interview with the Red Star

daily. “This is of principle to our

defence industry and for the pre-

dictability of our military technical

policy and for ensuring the stabil-

ity in the face of the financial and

economic crisis”.

According to media, the five-year

contract slated for 2009–2013 was

made by the Defence Ministry and

Sukhoi company late in December

2008. It provides for fielding more

than 30 Su-34s with combat units.

The first two aircraft are to be made

by NAPO and delivered to RusAF

this year, then the Su-34 annual

output is to pick up gradually and

reach about 10 aircraft a year by

the end of the five-year term.

As is known, in 2006, the

then Russian defence minister

Sergey Ivanov stated that the

governmental rearmament pro-

gramme designed through 2015

provided for 58 Su-34s to be

delivered to RusAF. According

to the then RusAF chief, Gen.

Vladimir Mikhailov, the service’s

total requirement for the Su-34,

designed to oust the Su-24 tactical

bomber, stands at about 200 units.

Col.-Gen. Alexander Zelin spoke

last July about the service’s inten-

tion to convert two air regiments

to the Su-34 in the coming five

years. “As far as the Su-34 is

concerned, we are planning to

sign a long-term agreement for

delivery of the two-regiment worth

of Su-34s”, Gen. Zelin said in his

interview with the Interfax-AVN

news agency on 7 July 2008. Now,

the five-year contract has come

into effect. Experts believe that the

first RusAF combat unit to receive

advanced Su-34s may be the

bomber air regiment stationed in

Voronezh and operating Su-24Ms

so far. A.F.

Air Force receives Su-34s

At the recent IDEX 2009 arms

show in Abu Dhabi (UAE) in

February, the Tula-based Instrument

Design Bureau (KBP) unveiled an

advanced air-to-surface guided mis-

sile system designated Hermes-A.

The system is designed to fit com-

bat helicopters, Kamov Ka-52 in the

first place, but can also be carried by

Mil Mi-35 and Mi-17 helicopters and

even subsonic attack aircraft, e.g.

Sukhoi Su-25TM (Su-39).

The two-stage Germes-A missile

has a booster 170 mm in calibre,

which is commonised with the first

stage of the SAM used by the

Pantsyr SAM system. The second

stage has a calibre of 130 mm

and a 28 kg blast/fragmentation

warhead. The Hermes-A’s maxi-

mum supersonic speed equals

1,000 m/s and its maximum range

accounts for 15–20 km. The mis-

sile is housed by the launch tube

3.5 m long. The sealed launch tube

needs no maintenance throughout

its service life. Two launch packs of

six or eight launch tubes each are

mounted on the carrier platform’s

hardpoints.

The missile uses midcourse

combined INS/RF-command guid-

ance and terminal semi-active laser

homing. Its gyro-stabilised control

unit comprises the day and night

TV sights and two-channel laser

rangefinder/designator, thus ensur-

ing automatic tracking of the tar-

get. According to Alexander Pavlov,

deputy Director General, missile and

artillery systems, KBP, who spoke

with a Take-off correspondent, the

Hermes-A system is at the flight test

phase, with the 10 km range already

proven. A.V.

Debut of antitank airborne Hermes-A A

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38

According to an official state-

ment by a Sukhoi spokesman in late

April two Sukhoi Su-35 advanced

Generation 4++ fighter prototypes

logged over 100 sorties by that

time. “Given the successful testing

of the existing two flying prototypes,

the Su-35 programme will remain

on schedule”, Sukhoi’s statement

reads.

The maiden flight of the first

prototype, Su-35-1 (side number

901) took place at Gromov LII’s

airfield in the town of Zhukovsky in

the Moscow Region on 19 February

2008, and just about six months

later, on 2 October, the second

flying prototype, Su-35-2 (side

number 902), took to the air at

KnAAPO’s airfield.

During the first year since the

kickoff of the Su-35’s flight tests,

the two flying prototypes had logged

87 missions by February 2009, hav-

ing proven their stability and con-

trollability characteristics and test-

ed the integrated control system,

powerplant, aircraft systems and

navigation aids. The Su-35 flight

test programme is to total 150–160

sorties until year-end.

In particular, tests of the Su-35’s

supermanoeuvrability mode are

to begin in 2009 along with the

tests of the advanced Irbis-E

phased-array radar developed

by the Tikhomirov-NIIP research

institute. The Irbis-E features the

unique target acquisition range.

The production-configuration

Irbis-E prototype set has been

mounted on the second Su-35

(side number 902) and ready

for testing. At the same time,

an experimental example of the

advanced radar has been tested on

board the Su-30MK2 flying testbed

serialled 503 since 2007, having

proven its key characteristics.

According to a Sukhoi news

release, the Su-35 test programme

“is on schedule and will meet the

earlier announced target date of

launching deliveries to Russian

and foreign customers in 2011”.

The fighter’s entry into service with

the Russian Air Force “will facili-

tate bolstering national defence

and enable Sukhoi to maintain

its competitive edge on the glo-

bal market until a fifth-generation

fighter hits the market”. RusAF

brass have said repeatedly that

two RusAF air regiments were to

convert to the Su-35 before 2015,

i.e. about 48 aircraft of the type

are to be fielded. “Export sales of

the Su-35 are slated for Southeast

Asian, African, Middle East and

South American countries”, the

news release reads. A.F.

Su-35 to entry market in 2011

19 May saw the maiden flight

of the first production Yakovlev

Yak-130 combat trainer from the

airfield of the Sokol aircraft plant

in Nizhny Novgorod. It was built

under the governmental contract

for 12 aircraft ordered by the

Russian Air Force. The combat

trainer was flown by test pilots

Roman Taskayev and Sergey Kara.

On the 32-min. flight, its stability,

controllability and takeoff/land-

ing performance were checked.

According to the pilots, all of

the Yak-130’s systems operated

smoothly.

Upon completion of the accept-

ance tests to be conducted at

Sokol’s airfield, the aircraft is to

be delivered to the customer, with

the plant to carry on with the con-

struction of the rest of the combat

trainers of the contract. Some of

them are slated for delivery this

year too.

As is known, the Yak-130 was

selected as the baseline aircraft

for basic and advanced training of

Russian Air Force pilots in April 2002,

after which Sokol was awarded the

launch contract for the first 12 pro-

duction-standard aircraft. Late last

year, three prototypes (01, 02 and

04) passed another milestone of the

official trials, dedicated to testing

the Yak-130’s basic weapons suite

(R-73 air-to-air missiles, 80 mm

rockets, 50 to 500 kg air bombs

with a total weight of 3,000 kg, and

the 23 mm automatic canon). The

Yak-130 is to complete its official test

programme this year. The aircraft is

the main component of the future

RusAF training complex also com-

prising the integral testing system,

computerised classrooms and flight

and specialised simulators.

At the same time with Sokol

making the first Yak-130s for

RusAF, the Irkutsk Aircraft Plant

of Irkut Corp. is productionising

the same aircraft under an order

from the Algerian Air Force. The

first Algeria-destined Yak-130s

are expected to be rolled out and

delivered before year-end. A.F.

First production Yak-130 taking to the skiesV

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m i l i t a r y a v i a t i o n | r e p o r t


The displays included such latest designs

as the MiG-29SMT fighter, which first batch

was delivered to RusAF in the February of

this year, its two-seat combat trainer variant

MiG-29UBT, upgraded MiG-31BM inter-

ceptor, which deliveries to RusAF began last

year, cutting-edge Su-34 fighter-bombers (two

of them had been ferried to Kubinka AFB

from Lipetsk CCTC), upgraded Su-27SM

and Su-25SM that had started fielding several

years before, improved Su-24M bomber and

Yak-130 combat trainer, which official trials

are approaching completion. Naturally, the

president was especially keen on long-range

bombers – the Tu-160, Tu-95MS and

Tu-22M3 – and their armament.

RUSSIA’S AIR POWER HAS BEEN SHOWN TO PRESIDENT

Such an abundance of advanced aircraft has not been seen at Kubinka air force

base in the Moscow Region for a long time. About 20 warplanes and around 10

helicopters – both those in service with the Air Force and those earmarked for

service entry – assembled here late in March. The Supreme Commander-in-Chief of

the Russian Armed Forces – President Dmitry Medvedev – was anticipated at the

demonstration facility of the RusAF’s Aircraft Demonstration Centre on 28 March.

The defence minister, Air Force chief and aircraft industry leaders were gearing up

to report the kickoff of the service’s conversion to advanced aircraft to the head of

state. It was Dmitry Medvedev’s first demonstration like that, unlike his predecessor,

the current Premier Vladimir Putin who is familiar with up-to-date aircraft well enough

and has even tried some of them personally (Putin used to be flown on board the

Su-25UB, Su-27UB and Tu-160). A decision was made to give a warplane ride to the

current Supreme Commander-in-Chief too. The Sukhoi Su-34 tactical fighter-bomber

serialled 03, which had been fielded with the Lipetsk-based Combat and Conversion

Training Centre (CCTC) not long before, was selected to that end. However, virtually

all types of advanced and upgraded Russian fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft along

with their weapons had been shown to the president at the ramp and in hangars first.

Vik

tor

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Andrey FOMIN

Report from Kubinka AFB


Top left: The aerobatics by a composite team made up of four Russian Knights’ Su-27s and Swifts’

MiG-29s and a pair of Su-34 fighter-bombers from Lipetsk CCTC had been honed in Kubinka in the

run-up to the president’s visit but had not been performed in front of him

Top: The latest of the Su-34 multirole tactical strike aircraft (serial 03) received by the Russian Air

Force is approaching for landing following the demonstration flight with Russian President Dmitry

Medvedev in the right seat of the cockpit

Right: The Russian Armed Forces Supreme Commander-in-Chief accompanied by leaders of the

Defence Ministry, Air Force and aircraft industry is being shown the ground displays at Kubinka

AFB

Down: The demonstration is over. The Tu-160 strategic bomber is taking off from Kubinka, heading

for its home base in Engels

Ale

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The latest acquisition of the Russian Air Force: a MiG-29SMT of the Air Force Combat and Conversion Training Centre in the city of Lipetsk. Such

aircraft have been fielded since early this year. They are RusAF’s first MiG-29-family aircraft fitted with the ‘glass’ cockpit and Phazotron-NIIR Zhuk

slotted-array radar

Anto

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The MiG-31BM interceptor fitted with its Tikhomirov-NIIP-upgraded fire

control system came to Kubinka from Savasleika AFB. The first four

aircraft like that were fielded with Lipetsk CCTC’s affiliate at Savasleika

AFB in spring 2008, and late 2008 saw the beginning of the deliveries

of MiG-31BMs, upgraded by the Sokol plant in Nizhny Novgorod, to the

combat units of the Air Force

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The Su-27SM upgraded fighter from Lipetsk CCTC

features the characteristic camouflage pattern of CCTC’s

Sukhoi planes – the cockpit canopy painted on the lower

surface of the fuselage. Last year, Su-27SMs upgraded

by KnAAPO in Komsomolsk-on-Amur were being fielded

with a second RusAF combat air regiment

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The upgraded Su-24M carrying Kh-25ML missile

mock-ups was brought to Kubinka from Lipetsk

Ale

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This is the Yak-130 combat trainer’s fourth flying prototype that entered the

trials last summer. This year, the Yak-130 is to complete its official test pro-

gramme and will be able to start fielding with RusAF units

Several seconds before the touchdown. Lipetsk

CCTC’s Su-34 side number 02 flew to Kubinka

carrying a large drop tank and hardpoint racks

to mount various weapons

Alexander Otopkov

Vik

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The upgraded MiG-29UBT two-seat combat trainer

sporting the RusAF paintjob has not been displayed

anywhere yet. The Sokol-built and Algeria-rejected

fighters will begin to field with RusAF this year


The helicopter command was on a par with

their fixed-wing brethren, having displayed

two advanced Mi-28N combat helicopters

(RusAF combat units began to take delivery

of such machines in March), the Ka-50 (the

type already had come in service) and a pair

of Ka-52 prototypes undergoing their official

trials, the upgraded Mi-24PN attack heli-

copter, latest Ansat-U trainer, production

Mi-8MTV-5 utility helicopter and Mi-26

heavylifter. There were support aircraft dis-

played as well – an Il-78M tanker plane,

A-50 airborne early warning and control

aircraft, An-22 Antaeus and An-124 Ruslan

heavylifters, etc. A separate display ground

was allocated to air defence systems. In a

word, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief

was shown virtually all types of materiel in

RusAF’s inventory and some of the examples

slated for service entry in the near future.

The latter included two newest fighters – the

MiG-35 and Su-35 – that had been con-

ceived for foreign customers. However, a

decision has been taken that the Russian

Defence Ministry, too, shall start buying

them early in the next decade.

After taking a look at the ground displays,

Dmitry Medvedev donned a g-suite and

a helmet and climbed aboard Su-34 side

number 03. The left seat in the cockpit

was occupied by Col. Yuri Gritsayenko, a

seasoned test pilot with CCTC in Lipetsk.

Start-up, warm-up, and the Su-34 is taxi-

ing to the runway of Kubinka AFB. After a

short takeoff run, the aircraft carrying the

president is airborne.

Dmitry Medvedev’s first flight aboard

a combat aircraft had lasted about half

an hour. In the meantime, he not only

experienced the g-load while the pilot was

pulling off some aerobatics, but also tried

himself in the capacity of a crewmember

of a fighter-bomber simulating a bombing

run. The president liked his first experi-

ence very much. “Fantastic feelings that are

wordless!”, said Dmitry Medvedev, sharing

his impressions with pilots and command-

ers surrounding him after he had deplaned.

“I’ve been really impressed. The aircraft is

superb, easily controllable and powerful”.

Speaking with the military, the presi-

dent opined that the Russian pilots flying

advanced aircraft should log more flight

hours and that overhaul of legacy aircraft

The newest of the 16 Engels-based Tu-160 strategic bombers, dubbed Vitaly Kopylov, was shown

in Kubinka. The aircraft was made by KAPO late in 2007 and entered the inventory in last April

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The Tu-22M3 long-range bomber, which had been ferried to Kubinka AFB from Shaikovka

AFB, was displayed with Kh-22-family missiles on its external stations and an impressive

arsenal of air bombs

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The president was shown the main armament of this Tu-95MS – long-range cruise missiles

housed by its bomb bay

44 take-off june 2009 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u


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should be replaced with acquisition of

sophisticated designs. He promised he would

facilitate the Defence Ministry’s increasing

the procurement of cutting-edge warplanes

and helicopters. “In spite of the tough

‘90s, we have preserved our technologi-

cal capabilities and people willing to serve

their nation. We have to do a lot. Certainly,

updating our aircraft fleet is important.

Already this year, we will be able to pay for

additional 24 aircraft with the money we

have saved”, the president said.

Hopefully, Dmitry Medvedev’s visit to

Kubinka will produce results and what he

told the pilots will come true. Anyway, the

familiarising the president with aviation is a

very useful thing to do. Suffice it to mention

that soon after Vladimir Putin’s flying on

board a Tu-160, the Air Force managed to

complete the years-long trials of the strate-

gic bomber and field it officially.

On the eve of the demonstration, the An-22 from Migalovo AFB had been given a new

camouflage scheme. When the president was shown the huge cargo compartment of the

Antaeus, he was told that such aircraft had been used for airlifting Russian troops to last year’s

Georgian-South Ossetian war zone

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The second Ka-52 prototype. When examining

its cockpit, Dmitry Medvedev was told by Kamov

Designer General Sergey Mikheyev that it was the

world’s only up-to-date combat helicopter equipped

with the ejection seats, which is vital when

operating in mountainous terrain

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Right: During the presidential visit, such tricolour stars were painted on the sides of the new Mi-28N helicopters. In all

probability, they were supposed to become new insignia of the Russian Air Force, with their introduction causing such

a heated debate in the military and society as a whole and then being cancelled (these Mi-28Ns were sporting the

customary red stars during the Victory Day parade on 9 May 2009).

Down: The pair of newly delivered Mi-28N combat helicopters with side numbers 01 and 02. The Rostvertol plant

launched deliveries of production machines to combat units in March of this year.



The 64th anniversary of the Victory Day

was celebrated this year with a grandiose

military parade in Moscow’s Red Square

and in the sky over it on 9 May. This time, 69

aircraft took part in the aviation segment of

the parade – twice as many as last year. All

types of fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft

in service with the Russian Air Force flew

in formation over Moscow, including the

newest ones that had started entering

service not long before that. Compared

with last year’s parade, the number of

helicopters participating in the event grew

considerably – from three to 17, while the

number of warplanes hiked from 29 to 52.

Traditionally, the flypast was opened

by three Mi-8 helicopters carrying flags

of Russia, Russian Armed Forces and

Russian Air Force. They were followed by

five helicopter formation including a Mi-26

heavylifter, two Ka-50 combat helicopters

and two latest Ka-52s, and then by three

recently fielded Mi-28Ns and six Mi-24Ps.

After the helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft

entered the sky over Moscow, including

five Su-25 attack aircraft, an An-124-100

Ruslan heavy airlifter escorted by four

Su-27 fighters, and A-50 airborne early

warning and control aircraft escorted by

four Su-27s too. The next three groups

of aircraft were led by Il-78 tanker planes.

The first of them simulated mid-air

refuelling of two Su-24M tactical bombers,

the second that of a Tu-95MS strategic

bomber escorted by four MiG-29 fighters,

and the third that of a Tu-160 strategic

missile-carrying bomber escorted by

four upgraded MiG-31BM interceptors.

The aircraft of the Long-Range Aviation

was represented also by three Tu-22M3

supersonic bombers followed by a mixed

group of 10 tactical aircraft, including a

cutting-edge Su-34 tactical bomber, three

Su-24Ms, four Su-27(SM) fighters and two

MiG-29s. The rear of the Air Force parade

formation was brought up traditionally by

a nine-fighter formation made up by five

Su-27s of the Russian Knights display

team and four MiG-29s of the Swifts display

team, all saluting the crowd in Red Square

with the fireworks of their flares.

Moscow, Moscow, Red Square, Red Square, 9 May 20099 May 2009



Two Kamov Ka-52

combat helicopters

over the Red square.

The picture was

made from board of

Mil Mi-26 heavylifter

leading a group of

five helicopters

Ale

xey M

ikheyev /

Ka

mo

v



Tupolev Tu-160 strategic bomber escorted by a

group of MiG-31 interceptors. The picture was

made from board of Ilyushin Il-78 tanker during

the Victory Day Parade repetitions in the skies of

Moscow region

Serg

ey K

rivchik

ov

Tupolev Tu-160’s in-flight refuelling imitation over

the Red square

Serg

ey K

rivchik

ov

Beriev A-50 AEW&C aircraft escorted by four

Sukhoi Su-27 fighters over the Red square

Sukhoi Su-25SM upgraded attack aircraft just

landed at Kubinka airbase after another training

flight during preparations for the Victory Day Parade

Ale

xey M

ikheyev

One of the MiG-31BM upgraded interceptors from the Tu-160’s escort participated in

the Victory Day Parade for the first time this year

Serg

ey K

rivchik

ov

Ale

xey M

ikh

eyev

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