Russian Aerospace News Digest, Part X
Venik
Venik’s Aviation
www.aeronautics.ru
http://way.to/venik
Jan 2000 – August 2001
prepared by Venik
Rybinsk Motors Theft
[18 Dec 2000] The Russian police has has completed investigation into
the theft of spare parts and components from the Russia`s largest
aircraft engine maker, Rybinsk Motors`s plant.
Investigation results proved that the spare parts stolen from the
plant in the past three years were estimated at RUR6.3m /USD255,240/.
Among the stolen spare parts was almost everything, including
turbines, bolts, and rubber gaskets. Most of them were later found at
aircraft repair enterprises.
/Moskovsky Komsomolets/
Better thrust vectoring offered for Su-31
David C Isby
[16 Dec 2000] Lyulka Saturn is offering to retrofit Russian Su-27s
with the new AL-31FP UVT engine with improved thrust vectoring
capabilities, replacing the current AL-31F engines which will then be
upgraded to AL-31FP UVT standard, writes David C Isby.
It is claimed this can be done for 15% of the cost of a new engine.
The same engine powers the 50 Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighters purchased by
India, which will also receive the improved thrust vectoring system.
The AL-31FP series was designed from the outset with thrust vectoring
capabilities. Currently it is limited to Sukhoi Su-27 series. The
upgraded thrust vectoring system, using improved swiveling axial
exhaust nozzles, was developed by the Salyut Moscow Machine-Building
Production Enterprise and the Ufa Machine-Building Production
Association.
Each nozzle can be deflected up to 32º in any direction, enhancing
performance and control throughout the flight envelope. This is an
improvement from the 15º of vertical deflection in earlier versions.
The upgraded thrust vector control system has a designed service life
of over 500 hours. This was reportedly achieved by using advanced
turbine cooling and improved materials-coating technology, allowing a
seamless join between the swivelling nozzle and the exhaust despite
the extremely high temperatures of afterburning flight. The AL-31FP
UVT will enter production in 2001.
/JANE'S DEFENCE UPGRADES - DECEMBER 16, 2000/
Helicopter Goes Down near Magadan
[15 Dec 2000] This morning an Mi-8 helicopter with 7 people abroad -
three crew members and four passengers - had an accident in the
Shkiperov bay situated 150 kilometers to the east of the city of
Madagan /Far East/. Fortunately, nobody was injured.
A source in the Far Eastern regional center of the Russian Emergencies
Ministry informed RBC that the helicopter fell on its side because of
a strong gust of wind.
Another helicopter was sent to the scene of the accident to bring
people to Magadan. At the moment, a special commission is working at
the scene to obtain more detailed information about the reasons for
the accident.
/RosBusinessConsulting/
Antonov Engine Failed Says Report
[14 Dec 2000] Engine failure was the cause of a crash which killed 57
people in Angola last month according to a preliminary report.
The Russian-built Antonov came down in a field shortly after take-off
from the Angolan capital`s airport on November 15. There were no
survivors.
It was the latest in a series of crashes involving Antonovs. Ten other
crashes in the past four years have killed at least 150 people.
Investigators found that the latest accident occurred after one of the
plane's left side engines failed, according to findings published in
state-run daily Jornal de Angola.
The report also accused the plane operator, charter company Asa
Pesada, of negligence for failing to keep accurate records of the
amount of fuel and number of passengers on board, the newspaper said.
The accident came just over two weeks after another Antonov plane
crashed in northern Angola, killing all 48 people on board. The
government also blamed engine failure for that accident, but the UNITA
rebel group claimed it had shot down the aircraft.
Following the crashes Angolan officials grounded all Antonov aircraft
and said they would tighten maintenance checks on civilian planes and
raise the qualification requirements for pilots.
/Airwise News/
Russian SS-18 Satan Missile to Orbit U.S. Satellites
[14 Dec 2000] The Russian RS-20 /SS-18 Satan according to NATO
classification/ intercontinental ballistic missile will be used for
commercial launches of several western satellites, a source in the
Kosmotras international space company told the Military News Agency.
The conversion model of the missile is used for creation of the new
missile and space system to be named Dnepr after tests and
certification. The Dnepr will also include a launching system of a
silo type. A contract on launching a series of small satellites in
November-December 2001 has already been signed, the source said.
Currently few more contracts are being prepared, he added.
The U.S. satellite to be orbited by the Dnepr next November weighs 60
kilograms.
During the start a technology of the so-called cluster launch of
several satellites will be tested. This is when small satellites are
installed on the main satellite platform. This technology is a
know-how.
/Military News Agency/
MirCorp Plans Ship
[14 Dec 2000] MirCorp, a company set up to lease time on the Mir space
station, will create a new manned space vehicle to carry paying
clients into orbit, the company said Wednesday.
The Netherlands-based company`s plans had been unclear after the
Russian government announced in November that it would discard the
Mir, which had become too expensive to keep in orbit.
A MirCorp board meeting in Moscow last week formally rejected any new
programs with the Mir and decided to retool the company to work with
other Russian space equipment.
In addition to working on a new orbiter, the company will market
existing Russian space technology and explore commercial projects on
the international space station, the company said.
/AP/
Plunging defence budget hits Russian fighter industry
EM FROST JDW Special Correspondent
Washington DC
[13 Dec 2000] As domestic sales all but disappear, the Russian defence
industrial base will have trouble supporting its two primary fighter
aircraft manufacturers - MiG and Sukhoi - over the next decade,
according to a report from the US Library of Congress.
The report, Russian Fighter Aircraft Industrial Base: Parallels with
the United States, commissioned by a US lawmaker, says the Russian
defence aerospace industry is suffering from economic problems and
lagging foreign sales.
The Russian defence procurement budget has plunged from $13.73 billion
in 1993 to $960 million in 1999. Recent Russian procurement numbers
for fixed-wing combat aircraft have collapsed from around 525 aircraft
in 1989 to around 40 aircraft in 1998.
Industry analysts have said that the Russian armed forces will only
procure about 98 Su-27 and MiG-29 fighters between 2002 and 2008.
The study says pressure from increasing competition and decreasing
demand in Russia has forced Sukhoi and MiG to focus on foreign sales
and domestic civilian aircraft.
During the 1990s the two companies were able to keep their facilities
open by successfully selling fighters abroad: 48 Su-27 aircraft to
China; 40 Su-30M and 70 MiG-29 aircraft to India; 16 MiG-29 aircraft
to Malaysia and 16 MiG-29 aircraft to Peru.
However, the report notes that former Soviet Bloc countries are now
looking to purchase or lease Western-made fighters. This may be due to
fears that if the Russian companies fail, it could become impossible
to find spare parts and engineering support for the aircraft. Another
factor is that many of these countries are seeking closer ties with
NATO.
The Russian government has supported the industry's shift to foreign
sales hoping that it could reap the rewards later. According to the
report, the Russian government decided not to procure new weapons and
equipment in order to place more money in research and development.
The reasoning behind this decision was that the investment would make
Russian fighters more competitive on the international market and the
profits would be used for next-generation fighter development and
facility modernisation.
Sukhoi and MiG are also looking to expand their operations and enter
the commercial aircraft business. The study cites Russian Federal
Aviation Service estimates that say Russia will need 652 new civilian
aircraft by the end of 2001. The companies' future in the civil
aerospace industry is uncertain because of Ilyushin and Tupolev's
established dominance in that market.
Efforts to consolidate Russia's aerospace industry have for the most
part failed during the 1990s. In 1968, the Soviet government created
research-production associations, called Naucho-Proizvodstvennoe
Obedinenie (NPO), to manage a system's development from research to
production. The Soviet bureaucracy had 97 NPOs in 1975, but this
numbered grew to about 500 by the late 1980s. The legacy of this
oversized defence industry is that there is too little hard currency
to distribute to all the producers.
/JANE'S DEFENCE WEEKLY - DECEMBER 13, 2000/
Mi-28N Havoc no Friend to Apache
[8 Dec 2000] Russia will soon begin state tests of the new generation
MI-28N Havoc combat helicopter. The new helicopter was designed and
produced by Moscow-based Mil helicopter plant. MI-28N is derivative of
the legendary Mi-28 helicopter gunship, which was launched into
producation in the early 70s. The new chopper, nicknamed ``Night
Havoc`` was equipped with the fifth generation on-board equipment,
which allow H24 all weather operations.
MI-28N is considered Russia`s response to US Apache-Longbow. Accodring
to sources in Mil plant, the Russian helicopter outperformes the U.S.
counterpart on a number of operational characteristics. The MI-28N
made its maiden flight on November 14, 1996. The RF Defence Ministry
will recommend it as the new combat helicopter for the Russian Armed
Forces.
/Moskovsky Komsomolets/
Aeroflot Planing to Close 2001 with Large Profits
[8 Dec 2000] Russian airline Aeroflot plans to close 2001 with
considerably larger profits than in 2000, the company said in a press
release.
The forecast was made at an Aeroflot board of directors meeting this
week. The board approved the airline`s business plan and budget for
2001. ``The plan and budget are completely realistic,`` the board
noted.
The next board of directors meeting is schedules for December 27.
Net profits in 2000, calculated according to international auditing
standards, are expected to reach $30 million, with pretax profit at
$40 million, compared with pretax losses of $6.1 million in 1999.
The airline had 113 airplanes as of September 1 2000, including both
those owned and leased.
/Interfax/
Government Backs Aviation With Leasing Program
[8 Dec 2000] The government Thursday pledged to do what it can to pull
the domestic aviation industry out of a tailspin by supporting a
program to lease domestic aircraft to national airlines.
``The decisions made today will allow us to revive the aviation
industry and insure that we don`t become dependent on foreign aircraft
producers,`` said Yury Koptev, head of the Russian Aviation and Space
Agency, at a briefing after a Cabinet meeting dedicated to the
industry`s plight.
Koptev said it will take another 1 1/2 months to refine the civil
aviation strategy presented to the Cabinet. Restructuring of the
industry and a pivotal leasing mechanism that will provide
cash-strapped airlines with means to modernize aging fleets will then
be formulated, he said.
He said that if the nation`s 299 airlines continue to decommission
aircraft at the current rate of 400 a year in five years only 2,200 to
2,300 aircraft will be left. By 2015 the country will need 1,430 new
planes, he added.
But with barely enough business to get by, the airlines cannot afford
to pay cash for new planes.
The airlines` last resort is to lease aircraft, but that will only
take off with the government giving guarantees on bank loans. Under
one leasing proposal the government will guarantee to pay back 85
percent of a loan if a deal fails.
Two pilot leasing projects struck last year to provide Aeroflot with
six Il-96-300s and Transaero with 10 Tu-204s have been frozen ever
since and no guarantees have been provided in the 2001 budget.
Instead, these companies have been actively leasing Boeings and
Airbuses.
However, the Finance Ministry promised Thursday that relevant
amendments will be made and state-owned bank Vneshtorgbank may provide
the funds.
Koptev said that if the leasing scheme works it will be a signal to
producers, carriers and financial institutions that the government is
firm in its support and will be an impetus for more of these types of
projects.
Alexander Rubtsov, head of Ilyushin Finance Co., which is in charge of
leasing projects for Aeroflot and Transaero, said in a telephone
interview that his company welcomed the government-s moves.
Alexander Neradko, head of the State Civil Aviation Service, said
domestic airlines plan to buy 23 new planes next year.
Koptev said the industry itself will be restructured and the number of
enterprises reduced. The state will pursue a tougher policy on
licensing airlines, edging out insolvent firms and those with small
fleets, he said.
/Moscowtimes/
Samara Airlines to Lease Planes to Hungarians
[7 Dec 2000] Russia`s Samara Airlines has agreed to lease four Tupolev
Tu-154 passenger planes to a Hungarian carrier, Itar-Tass news agency
quoted the Russian airline as saying on Monday.
Tass said Atlant-Hungary would take delivery of the first of the
planes from the Volga-based carrier on December 15 and the other three
early next year.
Under the agreement, the Hungarian carrier will cover the costs of
modernising two of the planes as well as purchase and install new
navigation equipment on them that meets European standards.
The work will be carried out by Russia`s Aviakor plant and cost about
$1.0 million.
The planes will be used on flights between Hungary and southern
Europe, northern Africa and the near east, Tass said.
/The Russia Journal/
Sukhoi Ditches U.S. Passenger Jet Project
[6 Dec 2000] Russia`s fighter-jet maker Sukhoi said Tuesday it was
pulling out of a deal with U.S.-based startup venture Alliance
Aircraft Corp. to jointly produce its first civilian passenger plane.
Sukhoi said in June that it hoped to begin joint production of the
StarLiner by 2003. Alliance`s CEO Earl Robinson told Reuters at the
time that a letter of intent for 30 aircraft had already been signed.
Sukhoi spokesman Yuri Chervakov told Reuters that months of talks on a
new family of 50-110 seat regional airliners had failed to provide
results and it had finally decided to abandon the project late last
week.
``We gave up on the project because we were not satisfied with the
conditions being offered,`` Chervakov said. ``We will not consider
returning to it.`` He gave no other details about the decision.
The programme would have added a fourth manufacturer of regional jets
to a burgeoning market dominated by Canada's Bombardier Inc., followed
by Embracer and Fairchild Dornier.
Chervakov added Sukhoi had not given up on intentions to produce a
civilian aircraft of its own. The firm is working toward beginning
production of a business jet by 2010.
/REUTERS/
Sokol to Export 11 Upgraded Aircraft MiG-21 to India
[5 Dec 2000] Aircraft factory Sokol will export 11 upgraded aircraft
MiG-21 to India.
The parties have been cooperating for dozens of years. According to
Air Attache of India, the India - Sokol contract was concluded for
10-15 years.
The Indian party is considering a possibility of modernization of
MiG-29 aircraft. An Indian delegation is expected to visit the plant
soon in order to test the upgraded aircraft.
/SKRIN/
Flankers visit Finland
"ON THE afternoon of Friday, September 1, two Sukhoi Su-30 and two
Sukhoi Su-27 fighters, led by an Ilyushin 11-76, arrived at Rissala
AB, the former home of the Finnish MiG-21s, for the first squadron
exchange between the Russian and Finnish air forces since the visit of
six MiG-29s in 1989. The formation was escorted across the border by a
pair of F-18 Hornets. Later that evening, the Finnish F-18 pilots flew
training missions alongside the Sukhois. Finnish pilots also had the
chance to fly in the back seat of the Sukhoi Su-30s.
Three of the five Russian aircraft were familiar to many observers.
The Sukhoi Su-30s are the same aircraft that visited the Royal
International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford a few years ago, while the
Ilyushin 11-76 support aircraft was used by the Russian MiG-29 air
display team, the Swifts, when it visited Finland in 1997.
Staying for the airshow held at Rissala on the Saturday evening, the
Russian formation continued on to Sweden the next day."
(source: AFM, December, 2000)
Syria Develops Scud with North Korean Help
"WITH ASSISTANCE from North Korea, Syria has been developing an
extended range Scud ballistic missile. Aiming for a range of 435 miles
(700km) - which would put Ankara, Turkey, in range - the missile
trades range for payload weight and degraded accuracy. A test firing
undertaken in September 2000 was observed to travel down-range for 373
miles (600km).
Because of the missile's smaller warhead (approximately 7728821b
[350-400kgl), and poor accuracy, it is believed that a chemical
warfare warhead (either Sarin or VX nerve gas) is being developed as
the payload.
Syria is not yet thought to have acquired the ability to produce such
a warhead for its existing Scud-C fleet or for the newer variant,
which Israeli sources are labeling Scud-D.
North Korean assistance previously helped Syria gain the capability to
manufacture complete Scud missiles, and the ability to increase the
range of existing missiles from the standard 186 miles (300km) of the
Scud-B to the 311 miles (500km) range of the Scud-C."
(source: AFM, December, 2000)
Romanian Changes
"THE PAST year has seen considerable changes take place within the
Romanian Air Force (Fortele Aeriene Romane) as it endeavors to
integrate with NATO military structures in the hope that the country
can join before 2006. A new plan has been launched, Project
Force-2005, detailing the defence budgets for the coming years.
Between 2000 and 2003 financial resources will be allocated to
restructure operational forces up to the minimum requirements to
ensure a credible defence.
After 2004 the emphasis will shift towards modernization of the
operational forces. In order to achieve the standards set by Project
Force-2005 the defence budget will rise from $710 million in 2000 to
$1190 million in the year 2007. The 1st and 2nd Air Corps were
restructured as the 1st and 2nd Air Division from May 2000. On June 18
the last three operational Romanian Air Force MiG-23s made their final
flights. The MiG-21MF squadron at this
base has successfully completed conversion to the MiG-21 Lancer-A. The
squadron operating the MiG-21R recce aircraft has been disbanded and a
unit operating the Shadow 600 UAV has taken its place. The fourth and
last base to receive the Lancer will be Cimpia Turzii (two squadrons)
which should become operational in 2001.
The Grupul 49 Aviatie Vanatoare si Bombardament (49th Fighter-Bomber
Aviation Group) at lanca faces disbandment this year. The unit has
already given up its Aero L-39s to the flying school at Boboc and now
only operates a handful of IAR-99s. Ten L-39ZAs have been sold to
Worldwide Warbirds of Phoenix, Arizona, and four are already in the
USA awaiting assembly. The aircraft were overhauled at the Aerostar
Bacau plant and shipped to the United States. The US firm is currently
negotiating to buy an undisclosed number of Romanian L-29 Delfins of
which a large number are in storage at Boboc. Recently the Romanian
MoD ordered 24 IAR-99 Soims to replace the L-29s and L-39s. The
training units at Focsani (basic training; Yak-52) and Buzau
(helicopter and transport training; IAR-316B and An-2TP) will relocate
to Boboc in the near future. The MoD is evaluating a plan to base a
squadron of MiG-21 Lancers at Boboc so all training could take place
at a single base.
Another unit facing disbandment is the Grupul 91 Aviatie Vanatoare
(91st Fighter Aviation Group) at Caracal-Deveselu. The two squadrons
based here still use unmodified MiG-21MFs.
The first IAR-330 SOCAT antitank helicopter (converted from the
standard IAR-330L) is due for delivery to the Grupul 61 Elicoptere
(61st Helicopter Group) at Titu-Boteni in October. This particular
aircraft, 103, was the third converted after prototypes 28 and 41.
The Romanian Air Force Antonov
An-24 and An-26 fleet will be retired in 2003. If funding permits, the
Romanian AF would like further deliveries of the C-130 Hercules to
replace the remaining six operational aircraft.
The Escadrile 38 Reconuastere (38th Recce Squadron) at Borcea-Fetesti
continues to operate two Harbin H-5R recce-aircraft and a single HJ-5
trainer after the loss of target towing/recce H-5R 307 on August 2.
The unit plans to fly the last mission with the H-5 in mid-2003. A
third H-5R (310), currently on major overhaul at Bacau, will return to
the squadron as soon as possible."
(source: AFM, December, 2000)
Polish SU-22s' SLEP
"ON AUGUST 30 the Polish Air & Air Defence Forces (PA&ADF)
Commander-in-Chief announced a Service Life Extension Programme for
its Su-22 Fitters.
Current arrangements will see the Fitter providing the backbone of the
PA&ADF ground attack capabilities until 2015 - without a SLEP it is
estimated that the aircraft would have to be withdrawn between 2004
and 2006. Work on 80 Su-22M-4 Fitter-Gs and 18 Su-22UM-3K Fitter-Ks
should be carried out from 2001 through to 2006.
It was also officially announced that by the end of 2000 a decision
will be taken regarding a possible extensive upgrade of the Polish
Su-22 fleet. The programme should include installation of new
avionics, communication, data distribution systems and provision for
the carriage of modern air-to-ground weapons. It is now known that the
upgrade would cover a total of 38 Polish Fitters. IAI Lahav Division
and Elbit Systems are planning to issue initial bids."
(source: AFM, December, 2000)
Polish Air Force focuses on NATO interoperability
"THE POLISH Air Force is currently extending its training programme to
enhance interoperability with its NATO allies. A number of deployments
have been undertaken over the last few months.
During June, three MiG-29As and a single two-seater MiG-29UB were
deployed to Dijon air base in France from 1 Pulk Lotnictwa
Mysliwskiego (1 PLM - I Fighter Regiment) based at Minsk Mazowiecki,
accompanied by seven aircrews and support personnel. The Polish
fighters engaged in tactical air training, with the emphasis on Mixed
Fighter Force Operations (MFFO). Several combined missions with French
Air Force Mirage 2000-5Fs and Mirage 2000Ds were conducted. The Polish
Fulcrums flew for more than 70 hours.
In mid-August, a multi-national combat search and rescue exercise,
CSAR LIVEX, took place in and around Krakow-Balice air base in
southern Poland. Combat search and rescue (CSAR) operations, which
included aircrew survival elements, were conducted. Mil Mi-8 Hip
helicopters of the Bydgoszcz-based Lotnicza Grupa
Poszukiwawczo-Ratownicza (LGPR - Search and Rescue Aerial Group) and
Mi-8s and Mi-17s from I Pulk Kawalerii Powietrznej (I Air Cavalry
Regiment) based at Leznica Wielka participated, along with troops from
the Polish Land Forces special operations units. The exercise saw a
significant involvement of personnel and equipment from 6 Special
Operation Squadron, Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC),
which is home-based at Hurlburt Field, Florida. Antonov An-26 Curl
transport aircraft of the Krakow-Balice-based 13 Pulk Lotnictwa
Transportowego (13 PLT - Air Transport Regiment), the host unit for
the exercise, provided support for the whole of CSAR LIVEX. The 13th
PLT deployed an An-26 to Orleans, France during October 9-13 as part
of a French-German-Polish Weimar Triangle co-operation agreement. It
worked alongside a German Air Force C-160D as well as the host unit's
C-160 Transalls during the exercise to enhance Humanitarian Aid and
Disaster Relief Operations capabilities."
(source: AFM, December, 2000)
Peruvian Cocaine Killer
"FOLLOWING PERU'S acquisition of 18 Su- 25s in late 1998, it has now
been confirmed that the aircraft are being used extensively by the
Fuerza Aerea del Peru (Peruvian Air Force) in the war against the
illegal drugs trade which blights this South American republic's
economic and social stability. It may not be generally known that more
than 60% of the world's coca plant cultivation is concentrated in
Peru, providing the raw material from which cocaine is produced. More
than 200,000 Peruvian peasant families, a total of around 1 million
people, are estimated to cultivate the coca plant and depend upon it
for their livelihood. The trade is worth millions of dollars to the
cultivators, but gains immeasurably in value as it passes down the
supply chain to the traffickers in the world's major cities. Transport
of the drug, from the various illegal manufacturing sites in Peru to
the locations from where it is further distributed to the end users,
is usually performed by a variety of light aircraft, often stolen for
this sole purpose. An indication of the success of using the Frogfoot
on anti-drug running patrols is that at least 25 light aircraft
transporting cocaine have been shot down, to date, by the Peruvian
Su-25s. As stated earlier, the Fuerza Aerea del Peru received ten
Su-25 and eight Su-25UB trainers in late 1998, but it was not until
the Peruvian Aviation Day celebrations on 23 July of this year at Las
Palmas Air Base, Lima-Callao,
that the aircraft was revealed publicly for the first time. The 18
aircraft form part of the Grupo Aereo 11, itself part of Ala Aerea
N6mero 1 (Air Wing No 1), which is also equipped with the Su-22M2K
Fitter-J.
Short border clashes with Ecuador in 1995 had shown dramatically that
there was no suitable ground attack aircraft in the inventory of the
Peruvian Air Force for the type of missions required in this kind of
combat. A major drawback was that the Sukhoi Su-20M Fitter-F and
Su-22M2K Fitter-J of Grupo Aereo 4 and Grupo Aereo 11 could not
deliver their bomb loads as accurately as was desired. As revealed by
Russian experience in the Afghanistan war, the Sukhois were really too
big and cumbersome and lacked maneuverability for the accurate bombing
of small troop concentrations in the particular geographical
conditions of Peru's border with its neighbor.
Sole South American Frogfoot operator
As a result of the lessons learned, the Fujimori government purchased
ten second-hand Sukhoi Su-25 and eight Su-25UB from the Republic of
Belarus. After the demise of the Soviet Union, Belarus had inherited
about 100 Frogfoot, which were allocated to the 206th Assault Aviation
Regiment at Lida. The surplus aircraft were shipped to Peru and
assembled by Russian technicians. They were assigned to the Grupo
Aereo 11, which previously operated a mix of Sukhoi Su-20M Fitter-F
and Su-22M2K Fitter-J fighter-bombers. The Peruvian Frogfoot-A wear a
rather unusual camouflage scheme consisting of two tones of very dark
green on the upper surfaces. The Su-25 also wears the Tiger insignia
of Grupo Aereo 11 painted on the tail, together with a small, yellow
three-digit tactical number. It is believed that the Frogfoot are
based at Vitor, in the district of Arequipa, some 188 miles (300km)
from the border with Chile.
With this purchase, Peru became the first Latin American country to be
equipped with the Frogfoot-A. These aircraft were built before the
downfall of the Soviet Union at GAZ-31
(Gosudarstvenny Aviatsionny Zavod/State Aircraft Factory) at Tbilisi
in Georgia for the Soviet Air Force. Consequently, they differ from
the standard export Su-25Ks in a number of details. In marked contrast
to Su-25s supplied in the mid-1980s to Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia and
Iraq, the Peruvian Frogfoot-A are equipped with two ASO-2V chaff/flare
dispensers on top of the rear engine cowling, as well as blade-shaped
antennas in front of the cockpit and under the tailplane. The blade
antennas are normally associated with the Parol (Password) D-band IFF
system, which is unlikely to have been exported to Peru. These two
features were typical of late production Soviet Air Force Su-25s that
were manufactured before the production line was closed in 1989.
The Su-25 is armed with a built-in AO-17A (GSh-30) 30mm twin-barreled
cannon with 250 rounds of ammunition. The Frogfoot can also carry a
large amount of ordnance on its eight weapons pylons. This includes
S-8, S-130, S24 and S-240 unguided rockets, up to four SPPU-22 gun
pods and general purpose bombs from 2201b (100kg) to 1,1001b (500kg).
The SPPU-22 pod contains a 260-round GSh-23 cannon, the barrels of
which can be depressed up to 40o and can be mounted to fire forwards
or backwards, a devastating weapon against soft ground targets. All of
the above-mentioned weapons were already in the inventory of the
Fuerza Orea, because they were purchased some years ago for the
Fitters. For self-defence, the Su-25 can carry two R-60MK (AA-8 Aphid)
air-to-air missiles, which are also carried by the Peruvian MiG-29s.
According to unconfirmed reports, Belarus has also supplied a number
of air-surface missiles to Peru, including the Kh25ML (AS-10 Karen)
and the Kh-29T (AS-14 Kedge). There is, however, no evidence of
delivery of SPS-141MVG Gvozdika (Carnation), or MPS-410 Omul (A salmon
native to Lake Baikal) Electronic Counter Measures (ECM) pods to Peru.
It is believed that in-country flying by the Peruvian Frogtoot pilots
began in late 1998 at Vitor, following conversion training in Russia.
The Su-25s mainly conducted flights in pairs, equipped with two
PTB-1150 1150 liter auxiliary fuel tanks. In January 1999, the Su25s
were spotted for the first time by foreign observers when the aircraft
passed over Caman6 beach during low-level familiarization flights from
their base.
It was not until early 2000, however, that President Alberto Kenyo
Fujimori unveiled the secret of the aircraft's presence in Peru,
announcing in one of his daily TV presentations that Su-25s had been
purchased for the Air Force. Then on 23 July 2000, the Celebration Day
of the Peruvian Air Force, a Su-25 (Yellow 074) and a Su-25UB (Yellow
080) were shown for the first time in public at Las Palmas Air Base,
Lima-Callao. No external weapon load was carried by the two aircraft,
although four PTB-1150 1150 liter drop tanks were carried on the wing
pylons. This additional fuel was sorely needed, because the range of a
combat-loaded Su-25 is limited to 270nm (500km). With four PTB-1150
tanks, the Frogfoot has a range of 1,052nm (1,948km). This is
sufficient for a ferry flight from the South of Peru to the capital,
Lima.
100 clandestine airstrips
The Su-25 was originally purchased by the Fujimori government as a
dedicated assault aircraft. Now, however, the Frogfoot is used as a
fighter in the anti-drugs campaign. These national efforts against
drug trafficking were also appreciated by the Clinton Administration
and this summer the United States granted US$42million anti-drugs aid
to Peru. Since the 1980s, Peru has had a major drug-trafficking
problem, concentrated in and around the Upper Huallaga Valley in the
north of the country, where local farmers manufacture coca-paste from
the leaf of the coca plant. Most of the material is smuggled into
neighboring
Colombia, where the coca paste is used as the raw material for
conversion into cocaine. Recently, the export of coca paste to
Colombia has declined and Peru itself has begun to manufacture and
export raw cocaine in steadily increasing quantities, achieving
considerably more profit from this business than from export of the
coca-paste. Most of the cocaine manufactured in Peru finds its way to
the United States or Europe.
The United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) estimates that Peru
exports cocaine to the value of more than US$ 2billion, a figure which
represents more than half of the legal exports of the country. The DEA
estimates that up to 20% of the country's economically active
population are directly dependent upon illegal drug production for
their livelihoods.
The South American drugs mafia has built more than 100 clandestine
airstrips in the Upper Huallaga Valley from which light aircraft
transport the coca paste to Columbia. The cultivation of the coca
leaf, as well as the manufacture and the export of cocaine, is an
economical factor of not-inconsiderable significance for Peru.
The Peruvian government increasingly faces the problem of narcotics
trafficking by aircraft. The sole aircraft in the inventory of the
Fuerza Aerea del Peru, capable of intercepting and stopping the
smugglers is the. Su-25. The Frogfoot is very nimble at low speed, a
feature that makes it ideal for the pursuit of small, light aircraft.
Armed with the 30mm twin-barreled cannon, or the R-60MK (AA-8 Aphid)
air-to-air missile, the Sukhoi is a deadly threat to the aircraft of
the drugs mafia. This summer, a small single-engined aircraft was shot
down by Su-25s in an area to the north-east of the capital Lima, the
latest, but probably not the last in Peru's struggle to contain a
problem which has ramifications far beyond the country's borders."
(source: AFM, December, 2000)
Another new Flanker
"WITH YET another variant revealed during October at the Sukhoi Design
Bureau's (OKB) test facility at Zhukovsky, growth of the Flanker
family continues apace. The new aircraft, designated Su-35UB, is a
twin-seat derivative of the multi-role Su-35, now primarily used by
the Russian Air Force on trials work at the State Flight Test Centre
at Akhtubinsk, but designed originally as a successor to the Su-27.
Adding significant air-ground capability to the basic air superiority
Su-27, using a variety of precision guided munitions (PGMs), the more
developed Su-35 also has an enhanced air-air arsenal (12 missiles
against the original ten) and a Fazotron N012 rearward-looking radar.
The new Su-35UB, with side number 802 and wearing a two-tone blue
camouflage scheme, retains the canard control surfaces, the tall
straight-cut fins and the lengthened radome of the single-seater,
which houses a variant of the Fazotron Zhuk (Beetle) radar. It can
also be equipped with thrust vector control, if required. The
appearance of the Su-35UB so long after initiation of the original
programme can be explained by two factors. One relates to internal
competition between the manufacturing plants at Komsomol'sk-on-Amur
and Irkutsk, with the Sukhoi Design Bureau actively supporting
development of its designs in order to increase its share of profits
on export sales. Money such as this can then be used by the OKB to
finance the development of a fifth-generation fighter, the major focus
of its future business. The other reason is that the Su-35 is one of
four contenders in the selection process to find a new deep-strike
fighter for South Korea. A trainer would be particularly useful in the
demonstration phase of this selection, but the Su-35UB could also form
the basis of a twin-seat combat variant. The potential rewards for the
winner of this important competition will certainly have persuaded
Sukhoi of the wisdom of making a demonstrator available as quickly as
possible."
(source: AFM, December, 2000)
Mi-17s for India
"IN MID-OCTOBER, Kazan Helicopter was due to ship the first batch of
the 40 Mi-17-1V helicopters ordered by India in May 1999 under a US
$170m contract.
Somewhat unusually, the helicopters will be delivered in civil form
and then, with the assistance of Promexport, converted for military
use with machine guns and air-ground weapons capability.
It is not clear why this procedure has been adopted, since a purely
military version of the Mi-17-1V already exists as the Mi-17MD. India
is already a major operator of the Mi-17 and the earlier Mi-8, but the
new variant, with improved hot-and-high performance and easier cargo
loading/offloading through a single hydraulically-operated tail ramp,
will be particularly useful in the re-supply of India's mountain
garrisons."
(source: AFM, December, 2000)
Comments: Promexport is to be merged with Rosvooruzhenie and it will
lose its arms export license. Supplying civil versions of Mi-17 and
then converting them to military models will allow the company (or
whatever remains of it after the merger) to circumvent the arms export
license problems without having to share profits. Venik
Macedonian Hip marks
"ALL FOUR Mi-17 Hip helicopters of the Macedonian Air Force (serialled
VAM-301-304) now carry the markings of 301 Transportna Helikopterska
Eskadrila (TPXE-Transport Helicopter Sqn). It is the first time in its
eight-year history that Air Force aircraft have carried any markings
other then the national insignia. They appear on the starboard side:
the VozduhopIovna Brigada (Air Brigade) emblem appears on the port
side."
(source: AFM, December, 2000)
Russian Aircraft for India
"FOLLOWING PRESIDENT Putin's visit to India, which ended on October 5,
details have emerged of Indian aviation procurement plans. Four
Tupolev Tu-22M maritime reconnaissance and strike aircraft are to be
leased after Russian objections were overcome concerning the breaking
of the Missile Technology Control Regime. The Indian Navy is
eventually to purchase the aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov from the
Russian navy, and is also due to negotiate a deal for 46 navalised
MiG-29Ks. According to some sources, the aircraft carrier could be
refitted and ready for delivery within 28 months. Indian personnel are
to be sent to Russia for training within 12 months.
The Indian Air Force is also to benefit, a deal for the technology
transfer and licensed production of up to 140 Sukhoi Su-30MKI having
been concluded. Future military procurement from Russia will be aided
following the establishment of a bilateral Inter-Governmental
Commission on Military Technical Co-operation. One outcome of this
commission could be India's early acquisition of S-300 anti-missile
missiles."
(source: AFM, December, 2000)
Bulgarian Air Force sell-off
"THE BULGARIAN Air Force (BVVS) in September sold its two Antonov
An-24RVs (serialled 040 and 030), its only Yak-40 (serialled 060) and
a single Mil Mi-8T helicopter to Heli Air - a Sofia-based civil air
operator. Both the Antonovs were used in the passenger-VIP role and
were finally grounded in mid-1999 due to expired calendar time, rather
than because of a lack of airframe hours. The Mi-8T was grounded in
late 1998 for the same reason. The Yak-40 had not been in airworthy
condition since early 1999, because of a lack of funding for spares
and the life expiry of some important systems. Both VIP Tupolev Tu134s
are still leased out to Hemus Air - another Bulgarian operator and
these will probably go the same way as the Yak-40 in the near future."
(source: AFM, December, 2000)
An-70 developments
"A MAJOR milestone was achieved by the joint Russian-Ukrainian Antonov
An-70 STOL transport when it completed manually-flown high
angle-of-attack (AoA) flight tests from the factory airfield at Kiev
recently. Stabilized, controlled flight at an airspeed of 53 knots
(98kph) and 30-deg angle-of-attack was demonstrated during the tests,
and around 300 flights were performed with asymmetric power settings
at high AoA, inducing neither stalls nor spinning. As part of the
continuing efforts to offer the An70 as a contender for the Future
Large Aircraft (FLA) requirement in Europe, the aircraft was due to be
presented at a NATO armaments directors' conference in Brussels on
October 25. Ukraine was to be represented by Piotr Balabuev, Director
General of Antonov and President of the Medium Transport Aircraft
International Consortium, whilst the Russian side was to be
represented by the Consortium's Director General, Leonid Terentyev. A
total of US$12.6m will be assigned from the Ukrainian defence budget
in 2001 for the completion of flight-testing and the establishment of
the production line at the Aviant factory in Kiev.
Initial production rate in Russia (by Aviakor at Samara) and Ukraine
in the period 2001-2006 is planned to be one aircraft per year, the
tempo increasing thereafter until 2018, when Ukraine will have
received 65 aircraft and Russia 164."
(source: AFM, December, 2000)
Russian Proton-K Rocket Carrying U.S. Satellite Blasts Off
[1 Dec 2000] A Russian ``Proton-K`` booster- rocket carrying a new
U.S. radio satellite ``SD-RADIO-3`` produced by the Loral company
blasted off from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 10:59 p.m.
Moscow time /GMT19:59/ Thursday.
The launch was carried out under the Sirius program and was performed
by a Russian Strategic Missile Forces crew, the press service of
Russian Aerospace Agency reported. This was the 14th launch of a
Proton booster rocket produced by the Khrunichev space center this
year.
The center plans another launch in December using the new Proton-M
rocket, which is equipped with the new ``Briz-M`` accelerating unit.
There is a record number of Proton launches for the center in one
year.
The launch of the SD-RADIO-3 satellite will complete the construction
of the Sirius system designed for high-quality relaying of radio
programs for U.S. motorists. Each satellite has 100 channels.
This was the third launch of the spacecraft of SD-RADIO type, the
first taking place on July 1 and the second on September 5, 2000.
The satellite weighs 3,920 kilograms, and will be placed in an
elliptical orbit with an apogee of 47,121 kilometers and a perigee of
6, 216 kilometers.
/XINHUA/
Transaero Plans Return to Long-Haul Routes
[30 Nov 2000] ``Transaero airline plans to return to the long-range
operations once it takes delivery of a leased Airbus-310, which is
scheduled to arrive at the airline in the end of this week``,
Alexander Pleshakov, Chairman of Transaero said at the news-conference
held last Tuesday at Astana. The news-conference was dedicated to the
fifth anniversary of Transaero`s scheduled service to Kazakhstan`s new
capital. According to Pleshakov, the new long-range plane will be
shortly put in service on Moscow-Astana route. It will also serve
Moscow-Frankfurt route.
As Pleshakov pointed out, Transaero`s near-term objective is to return
to the category of long-range widebody aircraft operators.
For that purpose, the airline anticipates using two leased
Airbus-310s, one of which will arrive later this week. The second
plane will be delivered to Transaero in 2001.
In addition, Pleshakov announced the opening of a new service to the
Caspain port of Aktau /formely known as Guryev/.
Tests of Su-30mki Fighter in Irkutsk
[29 Nov 2000] A new round of tests of the Russian multifunctional
Su-30MKI fighter, intended for the Indian Air Force, has begun at the
Irkutsk Aircraft-Building Society /IABS/, where the aircraft was
built. The plane`s distinctive feature is that it is fitted out with
equipment that was approved by the customer, Spokesman for the IABS
told Itar-Tass on Tuesday.
The Su-30MKI is being tested by pilots Vyacheslav Averyanov and Roman
Kondratiev from the Sukhoi Aircraft Designing Bureau. The contract
with India for forty Su-30MKI fighters was signed at Irkutsk on
November 30, 1996.
The Su-30MKI plane, which is now being tested in Irkutsk, is provided
with a complete set of board instruments, including the Russian,
French, Israeli and Indian equipment stipulated in the contract. The
flying tests will show whether the fighter`s declared performance was
achieved or not. If all the requirments are met, it will be launched
into quantity production for the Indian Air Force.
/Itar-Tass News Agency/
Boeing to Invest $5 Mln in Russia
"[27 Nov 2000] U.S. company Boeing said on Friday it has decided to
make its first $5 million investment under telecommunications projects
in Russia.
The investment will be made via the Mint Capital Ltd. venture, Boeing
said in a release.
Boeing believes the input will help Mint Capital to raise more capital
and invest in industries that meet Boeing's technological standards,
the release said, citing Boeing's vice president for Russia, Sergei
Kravchenko.
The release said Boeing is currently involved in a global search for
new technologies.
According to the release, Boeing is also involved in wide-scale
partnership with Information Business Systems, which is firmly
positioned in the Russian information technology market.
IBS has carried out six projects for Boeing Commercial Aviation
Services this year."
(source: ITAR-TASS, November 27, 2000)
Russia Sees Sales, Investment Gain from Arms Merger
"[28 Nov 2000] Russian Deputy Prime Minister Ilya Klebanov was quoted
as saying on Monday that a merger of the country's two main arms
exporters would boost weapons sales and investment in the
multi-billion-dollar sector.
President Vladimir Putin earlier this month ordered the merger of the
two main arms exporting bodies, Rosvooruzhenie and Promexport, to
create a new firm, Rosoboronexport.
''It is vital that part of the money from exports go toward developing
new weapons programs,'' weekly magazine Profil quoted Klebanov as
saying in its latest issue.
''If we do not take steps already in this direction today, then in the
future Russia will have problems. Indeed our partners need new
equipment,'' said Klebanov, who is in charge of the weapons and
aviation industries in the government.
Rosvooruzhenie has said that last year Russia exported some $3.5
billion worth of weapons and that the government expected arm sales of
around $4.0 billion this year.
Russia accounts for only five percent of world arms sales, compared to
the United States at about 50 percent.
Klebanov said reorganization in the sector would also give individual
weapons manufacturers more freedom, for example by allowing them
directly to agree contracts for servicing or supplying spare parts
without a government intermediary.
Putin has ordered that the process to obtain official approval for
such contracts should be much simpler, Klebanov noted.
He said he hoped also to see mergers in the aviation sector to give
plane-making enterprises more critical mass.
''My dream is the following: in the aviation industry there should be
one holding to unite large aviation enterprises, as is done in the
United States and united Europe,'' Klebanov said.
''In Russia we have dozens of plants spreading miserly budget finances
between themselves. That means they need to concentrate their
resources, stop duplicating production, and create products that will
stay on the market for decades,'' he added."
(source: Reuters, November 28, 2000)
Russia Sees Sales, Investment Gain from Arms Merger
[28 Nov 2000] Russian Deputy Prime Minister Ilya Klebanov was quoted
as saying on Monday that a merger of the country`s two main arms
exporters would boost weapons sales and investment in the
multi-billion-dollar sector.
President Vladimir Putin earlier this month ordered the merger of the
two main arms exporting bodies, Rosvooruzheniye and Promexport, to
create a new firm, Rosoboronexport.
``It is vital that part of the money from exports go toward developing
new weapons programs,`` weekly magazine Profil quoted Klebanov as
saying in its latest issue.
``If we do not take steps already in this direction today, then in the
future Russia will have problems. Indeed our partners need new
equipment,`` said Klebanov, who is in charge of the weapons and
aviation industries in the government.
Rosvooruzheniye has said that last year Russia exported some $3.5
billion worth of weapons and that the government expected arm sales of
around $4.0 billion this year.
Russia accounts for only five percent of world arms sales, compared to
the United States at about 50 percent.
Klebanov said reorganization in the sector would also give individual
weapons manufacturers more freedom, for example by allowing them
directly to agree contracts for servicing or supplying spare parts
without a government intermediary.
Putin has ordered that the process to obtain official approval for
such contracts should be much simpler, Klebanov noted.
He said he hoped also to see mergers in the aviation sector to give
plane-making enterprises more critical mass.
``My dream is the following: in the aviation industry there should be
one holding to unite large aviation enterprises, as is done in the
United States and united Europe,`` Klebanov said.
``In Russia we have dozens of plants spreading miserly budget finances
between themselves. That means they need to concentrate their
resources, stop duplicating production, and create products that will
stay on the market for decades,`` he added.
/REUTERS/
Chinese Air Force Looks To Russia For More Fighters, AEW Aircraft
"HONG KONG--The ongoing modernization program of the Chinese People's
Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) is resulting in ever closer ties
with Russia and with Aviation Military Production Corp. Sukhoi in
particular.
In 1991, the PLAAF signed a contract with the Komsomolsk-on-Amur
Aviation Production Organization (KNAAPO), part of Sukhoi, for 20
Su-27SK fighters and four Su-27UBK two- seaters. These aircraft were
delivered between June and November 1992. In 1995 a second contract
was signed for 16 Su-27SK and six Su-27UBKs, with deliveries completed
in 1996.
This was the overture for a far more serious contract, under which
Sukhoi gave licence production rights for up to 200 Su-27SK fighters
to the Shenyang Aircraft Industry Corp., part of China Aviation
Industry Corp. 1 (AVIC 1). This contract was signed in December 1996,
and its importance to Sukhoi can be gauged from the fact that when a
typhoon hit Fujian Province and destroyed a number of PLAAF Su-27s
they were replaced free of charge.
At the end of 1999, the PLAAF signed a contract with Sukhoi and KNAAPO
for the Sukhoi Su-30MK multi-role fighter, which had made its maiden
flight in May of that year. China is often credited with having
ordered between 45 and 60 Su-30MKs, in fact, according to Russian
sources, PLAAF has only ordered 20 aircraft. First deliveries should
commence by the last quarter of 2001. The Russian industry is expects
to sell up to 100 Su-30MKs to China over the next five years.
The Su-30MK is a considerable advance over the Su-27SK. It has an
improved radar and digital avionics amongst other enhancements.
According to Russian sources, many of these systems could be used to
upgrade the Su-27SK and they are waiting for PLAAF to generate an
operational requirement for such an upgrade program.
Another major program for Russia is the provision of an Airborne Early
Warning and Control (AEW&C) capability for PLAAF. After U.S. pressure
forced Israel to cancel the integration of the Phalcon AEW&C system by
Elta with a Beriev A-50 airframe for China, PLAAF was left with no
alternative but to look to Russia for a complete system. PLAAF are
currently in negotiations with Promexport, the sales organization of
the Russian Ministry of Defense, to purchase four complete upgraded
Beriev A-50 AEW&C systems direct from the Russian Air Force.
Russian sources added only eight of these upgraded aircraft are in
service and the four aircraft that will be supplied to PLAAF are the
only four that are operational. Deliveries could commence in 2001.
Russia is also playing a key role in the J-10 future indigenous
fighter program. There are two distinct J-10 variants, one is
indigenous, with Israeli technology and systems, and the second relies
heavily on Russian system and equipment inputs, according to Chinese
sources. The J-10 program is still along way from operational
service--hence PLAAF purchases of Sukhoi aircraft.
Russian industry is also active in a number of other PLAAF-related
programs. These include upgrade proposals for the Shenyang J-8II
fighter. In addition China is said to be funding and collaborating
with Russian missile house Vympel to develop a ramjet-powered version
of the R-77 medium-range air-to-air missile."
(source: Phillips Business Information, November 17, 2000)
Poland To Compete Lease Offers As Part of Long-Term Fighter
Acquisition
"Poland will consider competing lease offers of new fighter aircraft
as part of its long-term fighter acquisition program, setting up a
dogfight between the F-16 by Lockheed Martin [LMT] and the JAS-39
Gripen by Sweden's Saab and Britain's BAE SYSTEMS for the more than $4
billion overall requirement.
"Poland will make a decision regarding the lease through a public
tender process," Polish defense minister Bronislaw Komorowski told
Defense Daily in an interview last week. "We are fully aware that by
making a decision regarding the first step, the lease of F-16s, we
actually make a final determination regarding which new aircraft our
air force is going to fly in the future."
The Unites States is preparing to offer the lease of 16 used F-16A/Bs
at no cost per aircraft, but with "depreciation charges" due to the
United States over the span of the proposed five-year lease. The older
model F-16s are currently in storage at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., and
would require some refurbishment by Lockheed Martin. The final value
of the package would be about $250 million (Defense Daily, Nov. 6).
Poland's overall requirement is for 60 new fighter aircraft to replace
aging Soviet MiG-21s. Lockheed Martin is offering new F-16C/D Block
50+ fighters for the long-term requirement.
Komorowski visited Washington, D.C., last week to discuss the possible
lease with U.S. Defense Secretary William Cohen. The two agreed to
coordinate their processes regarding the lease.
"It's important, as we discuss this issue, that our respective
processes be open, transparent and completely synchronized," Cohen
said last week at a joint Pentagon press briefing with Komorowski.
Despite the attractiveness of the U.S. lease offer, Komorowski said
the proposal needs to be enhanced.
"If this proposal is to compete with another offer, a Swedish-British
one, it needs to be more attractive," he said. Saab and BAE have been
offering the lease of 18 Gripens to Poland since last year.
However, Komorowski said that selecting the F-16 would have the
benefit of enhancing U.S.-Polish relations. "We also see a potential
that this program can bring about a strengthening of the special bond
between Poland and the United States," he said.
Boeing [BA] and France's Dassault have also been competing for the
fighter requirement, originally offering the F/A-18 and Mirage 2000-5,
respectively. With the end of production for the standard F/A-18,
Boeing may now offer upgraded F-15s taken from storage at
Davis-Monthan, or possibly new F/A-18E/F Super Hornet strike fighters.
While Komorowski did not say that a lease offer is a necessary
requirement to compete for Poland's fighter requirement, he indicated
that bidders must accept the reality of Poland's financial situation.
"Whoever wants to send a new modern aircraft to Poland has to take the
financial reality that exists in Poland [into consideration]," he
said.
Komorowski also said that Poland's planned acquisition of 100 new
attack helicopters will have to wait until the process of
privatization of the country's defense industry is completed this
year.
"Any acquisition of attack helicopters will be a process supporting
privatization of the Polish defense industry," he said. "But this
program is not going to move anywhere forward in the next year, namely
because the privatization issue is to be addressed."
Bell Helicopter Textron [TXT], Boeing, Italy's Agusta, and Eurocopter
all submitted proposals in response to Poland's request for
information last year. Bell is offering the AH-1W Super Cobra, Boeing
the AH-64 Apache, Agusta the A129 Scorpion, and Eurocopter the Tiger
(Defense Daily, July 29, 1999).
Komorowski said that any company that takes part in the privatization
process will have an advantage in winning the attack helicopter
program.
"A company that decides to make a substantial investment into the
Polish aviation industry will have good chances to participate in the
attack helicopter program," he said.
In April, Bell signed an agreement that included the possibility of
buying Poland's PZL Swidnik helicopter manufacturer if the country
decided to acquire the Super Cobra (Defense Daily, April 12)."
(source: Defense Daily, November 13, 2000)
Agreement Reached On Transfer of F-16s To Poland
"WASHINGTON--An agreement regarding the "no-cost" transfer of 16
surplus F-16A/B fighters to Poland was reached last week, resolving
opposition from Rep. Benjamin Gilman (R- N.Y.), chairman of the House
International Relations Committee, according to government sources.
"Gilman was very happy with the final agreement," a congressional aide
said last week. He added that Gilman was never opposed to the actual
transfer of the Lockheed Martin [LMT] fighters to Poland, but took
issue with the original transfer proposal.
In late October, Gilman's office drafted a letter expressing his
opposition to a no-cost lease and that Poland should have to pay for
the aircraft just like any other U.S. ally. A Pentagon source said
last week that Gilman's office expressed its initial concerns during
the pre-notification process.
The older model F-16s are currently in storage at Davis-Monthan AFB,
Ariz., and would require some refurbishment by Lockheed Martin. The
no-cost lease comes as the result of the aircraft's significant number
of flying hours and the need for a large upgrade and support package.
Under the negotiated agreement, Poland would receive the 16 fighters
at no cost per aircraft, but would have to pay "depreciation charges"
to the United States over the span of the proposed five-year lease,
the Pentagon source said. The bulk of the final agreement was worked
out between Gilman and Frank Kramer, the assistant secretary of
defense for international security affairs.
The final value of the package is about $250 million. The lease
consists of two separate parts, the transfer of the 16 fighters and
the related upgrade and support package.
About $17 million, the Pentagon's estimated value of the planes, was
waived from the final proposal. The exact amount of the depreciation
charges was not disclosed.
The proposed lease will serve as an interim solution for Poland, which
has been seeking about 60 new fighter aircraft to replace aging
Soviet-era MiG-21s and complement upgraded MiG-29s by 2010. In the
meantime, it has been seeking 16 aircraft by 2002.
An industry analyst said that this lease would be a "real foot in the
door for Lockheed Martin" because it takes some pressure off the
Polish government to buy European fighters in the future. Pentagon
sources had called Gilman's initial opposition "short-sighted" because
it could have jeopardized new market opportunities for older F-16A/Bs
out of service.
The congressional aide said that Gilman was worried other countries
modernizing their air forces--particularly the Czech Republic,
Hungary, and Chile--would expect free surplus F-16s in the future if a
precedent was not established.
Congress was notified last Wednesday and has 15 days to approve the
transfer under Article 36B of the Arms Export Control Law. An
agreement is to be signed during the first quarter of 2001. If
approved by Congress and the Polish government, deliveries could begin
in early 2003."
(source: Defense Daily , November 10, 2000)
Embraer in Russia
"[9 Nov 2000] Brazilian jet maker Embraer said Wednesday that it
struck a cooperation agreement with a Russian research institute to
work on the development of bigger jet models capable of carrying more
than 100 passengers.
The company said in a statement the agreement allowed it to use the
research facilities of the Central Aerohydrodynamics Institute to
conduct aerodynamic and other tests on ERJ-170 and ERJ-190 regional
jetliner series, currently in development.
Embraer, which is the world's fourth-largest civil aircraft
manufacturer, said it started work at TsAGI's wind-tunnels and
laboratories in June this year and the agreement now enhances and
formalizes the existing cooperation.
An Embraer spokeswoman would not provide further details on its deal
with the institute and declined to say whether any payments were
involved."
(source: Reuters, November 9, 2000)
Siberia Airlines Makes Technical Flight on IL-86 to Barnaul
[8 Nov 2000] Siberia Airlines made on Thursday November 2, 2000 a
technical flight on its widebody IL-86 jet on Moscow-Barnaul-Moscow
route, a spokesman for Siberia Airlines told AVIA.RU today. According
to the spokesman, this flight became feasible after Barnaul`s airport
administration revamped the airfield`s apron and taxiways as well as
extended and reinforced runways last summer.
The technical flight report was submitted for review by the State
Civil Aviation Authority /SCAA/`s office in Western Siberia. Once the
report is endorsed, Barnaul may become an approved diversion airport
for IL-86 planes flying into Tomlochevo airport. This will allow
increasing IL-86-s payload by diminishing the diversion fuel required
to reach the nearest alternative airfields.
At present Siberia`s all IL-86s are using Abakan and Krasnoyarsk as
diversion airfields for their operations to Novosibirsk-based
Tolmachevo. The both cities are located at the distance of nearly 600
kilometers from Novosibirsk, against Barnaul, which is only 200
kilometers away from Tolmachevo. In addition, the approval for Barnaul
to handle IL-86 type planes will increase regularity and safety of
operations.
Pursuant to the winter schedule, Siberia operates flights on IL-86 to
Moscow, Beijing and Tiansing. According to the spokesman, Siberia
currently operates seven IL-86 planes.
In the 90s, Siberia made first flights on IL-86s to Yakutsk,
Vladivostok, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Tomsk, Seoul, Tiansing and
Helsinki.
Sukhoi Offers Joint Design of S-21 Class Planes to China
[8 Nov 2000] The Sukhoi aircraft company has proposed to China a joint
design of supersonic administrative passenger aircraft of the second
generation, class S-21. The aircraft will use technologies of
supersonic warplanes developed by the Sukhoi design bureau, Sukhoi
General Designer Mikhail Simonov told Itar-Tass in an exclusive
interview on Tuesday.
The S-21 family is made up of three aircraft types: a two- engine
aircraft for eight passengers and the flight range of 6,000
kilometers, a three-engine aircraft for 12-19 passengers and the
flight range of 8, 500 kilometers, and a four-engine plane for 24
passengers and the flight range of 9,500 kilometers. The aircraft can
take off from regular airfields and runways of 1.9 kilometers. It
takes a runway of 3.6 kilometers for a Concord to lift up. The S-21
will have a smaller takeoff and landing speed than the Concord, which
makes safe its operation on all types of runways.
It will take four hours to fly an S-21 from Beijing to Moscow, and 5.5
hours to reach San Francisco from Beijing.
/Itar-Tass News Agency/
Russia to sell Three IL-96 to China
[8 Nov 2000] Supplies of Russian military equipment, primarily
aircraft, to China reduced by nearly 67 percent this year. Russian
Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov expressed concern over this situation
during Friday`s meeting with his Chinese counterpart Zhu Rongji,
adding that ``it cannot satisfy us.``
China is planning to purchase some 800 planes in the next 15 years,
and the Russian government has been doing its best to reinforce the
country`s positions on the Chinese civil aviation market.
Unfortunately, Russia is not the only one who has the say in the
matter, and Beijing is not hurrying to fill its hangars with Russian
makes. China prefers to buy European and especially US aircraft.
Nevertheless, Russia and China have reached an agreement on supplies
of three IL-96 planes to China, Kasyanov`s deputy Ilya Klebanov told
Izvestia in Beijing. The details of the deal are not discloses,
neither are any other details of bilateral military and technical
co-operation. Klebanov said the Chinese party is extremely
dissatisfied each time reports on military co-operations appear in the
press.
/Izvestiya/
Antonov Eyes Asia
[8 Nov 2000] Ukraine`s Antonov Airlines has appointed general sales
agents in Singapore and South Korea as part of a marketing expansion
in Asia, Air Foyle Ltd. said in a statement.
Antonov Airlines is the trading name for the commercial partnership
between Antonov Design Bureau and Air Foyle.
In Singapore, Airtropolis GSA Services /S/ Pte. Ltd. is the new
general sales agent, while Seoul-based Aero Global System Ltd. has the
same role in South Korea.
Antonov`s Russian competitor, Volga-Dnepr, which also uses An-100-124s
to transport super-heavy and outsized cargoes, works in cooperation
with British HeavyLift cargo airlines.
/REUTERS/
India to Receive First Delivery of Russian Fighter Planes
[3 Nov 2000] London, 2nd November: India will receive the first batch
of ten 32 Sukhoi Su-30MKI multirole fighters from Russia late next
year, while the remaining will arrive before the end of 2003, `Jane`s
Defence Weekly` reported.
New Delhi had ordered 40 Su-30MKI fighters under a 1.3bn US dollar
contract signed with Moscow in November 1996, but only eight aircraft
have reached India till now.
Delivered in 1997, these aircaft were of the preliminary Su-30K
configuration, and were not equipped with advanced features such as
forward canards, thrust-victor control engines and advanced avionics,
the report said.
Russia`s Irkutsk Aircraft Production Association is expected to
upgrade all 18 of these Su-30KS to Su-30MKI standard after 2003
through its role as prime agent for the Indian contract.
The work could also be carried out at one of the Hindustan Aeronautics
Limited`s facilities, as the company is expected to launch licensed
production of the Su-30MKI after 2004, it said.
The Indian Ministry of Defence and Russia`s Rosvoorouzhenie State
Export Company are expected this month to conclude a contract allowing
India to produce up to 150 Su-30MKI`s, the report said quoting
diplomatic sources in Moscow.
An inter-governmental agreement covering the deal was signed during
Russian President Vladimir Putin`s official visit to India early last
month. The 20-year accord does not include re-export rights, it said.
Under a separate deal, India on October 19 received its first four of
40 MIL Mi-17-IV /Mi-8MTV-2/ transport helicopters ordered at a cost of
170m dollars earlier this year.
Russia`s Kazan Helicopter Plant is due to complete deliveries of the
remaining aircraft by late 2001, after which all 40 will undergo an
upgradation [as received] programme to include the installation of 12
Vikhr-M /AT-16/ medium-range air-to-surface missiles. The laser-
guided weapon has a maximum range of about 10 km.
/BBC/
China to Buy AWACS from Russia
[2 Nov 2000] Russian PM Kasyanov and Chinese officials will sign on
Friday the agreement on the procurement of A-50 planes. It will be the
end of the dramatic competition which has involved interests of China,
Russia, the United States, Israel, Taiwan and several other countries
for the past few years.
The story started back in June 1997, when the Beriev aviation research
and technical company, based in the southern Russian town of Taganrog,
undertook to provide its A-50 airborne warning and control system
/AWACS/ planes /which were not equipped with the Shmel radar/ to
Israel-s Elta company. This enterprise was to fit the planes with
radars and sell them to China. The value of the contract was estimated
at USD600m-1bn, of which Russia was to get USD150m.
According to some reports, China was expected to get four AWACS
planes, which are referred to as A-50I in Russia and Falcon in Israel.
However the supplies were halted as the United States exercised
enormous pressure on Israel. Washington stubbornly opposed the sale of
A-50I to Beijing. As a result, Israel gave up and started searching
for another client this year. Taiwan, India and Turkey are named among
the potential buyers.
That is why China turned directly to Russia with a proposal to buy
modernised A-50E planes, the paper claims. Their radar, designed on
the A-50 modernisation programme, roughly corresponds to that mounted
on USD E-3 AWACS planes.
/Nezavisimaya Gazeta/
48 Russians Killed in Angolan An-26 Crash
[2 Nov 2000] A Russian-made An-26 plane exploded in mid-air Tuesday
night near the Angolan town of Saurimo, killing all 48 passengers on
board, Portugal`s Luna news agency reported Wednesday.
Luna quoted a source at the Guicango company, which had chartered the
aircraft, as confirming the mishap. The plane, which was owned by the
Ancargo company, was carrying 42 passengers, all Russians, and six
crew members and was heading to the capital, Luanda, the source said.
Angolan civil aviation authorities also confirmed the crash, 450 miles
east of Luanda, and will send investigators to determine what
happened, Luna reported.
/UPI/
Aeroflot Flies to Tel Aviv, Thinks of Baghdad
[2 Nov 2000] Aeroflot has made another next step into making itself a
more effective business with implementation of winter 2000/2001
timetable in which it further sacrifices politics in the name of
economics.
The national carrier hopes to generate a profit of $32 million on
scheduled passenger flights to 125 destinations between 29 October
2000 and 24 March 2001. The most important thing about the new
timetable is that it does not have unprofitable routes /admittedly,
existence of zero-profit lines was admitted/. This is definitely a big
step-forward for the carrier, although it was not a voluntary
achievement, but a logical outcome of a number of iterations in the
form of previous timetables.
This year`s winter timetable is also unique in being compiled earlier
than ever /several weeks before announcement on 26 October/. This gave
Aeroflot charter managers more understanding of the available
resources before the key tourist exhibition, Otdykh-2000 /``Leisure
2000``/ and the ability to outdo the competing airlines in winning
orders from major tourist agencies. The charter managers seem to have
proved up to their job, having already secured orders for 520 charter
flights in this winter`s season - last winter Aeroflot made only 230
charter flights. According to Eugeny Bachurin, head of income
management department, 600-charter-flight order book mark is a goal
for this winter season.
The major goals set before the timetable-makers were to increase
profitability of the network, to provide better joints between flights
in Sheremetievo airport and to increase flight frequencies whenever
possible. Existing lines that were found as potentially unprofitable
were either closed or ``upgraded`` with placing more efficient
airplanes. Further moves were made towards a more active use of
codesharing, interline and joint ticket sales with friendly western
airlines, most notably Air France and Delta which allows Aeroflot to
sell tickets to destinations actually not flown by the airline. A
number of destinations in Africa and Latin America are now closed, and
the passengers are ``handed over`` to Air France. In turn, Aeroflot
hopes to get the French airline`s passengers flying to CIS cities and
some points in Southeast Asia.
Speaking about forming an alliance with Air France, Okulov mentioned a
working meeting on 13 October during which the sides expressed their
satisfaction with the progress achieved so far. He also claimed some
progress in talks with Delta. Okulov said that joint working groups
are in place, working on unification of standards, data processing
technologies and customer services. This work should finish in 2003,
but Okulov said that ``we are somewhat ahead of the original
schedule.``
Mastering Western standards is the key to success to Aeroflot`s goal
to become a member in the proposed alliance with the major Western
airlines. On the way to this, Aeroflot is moving towards lesser time
between arrivals and departures of the joint flights. It is said that
the typical interval in the current timetable for flight joints in
Sheremetievo is one hour now /and two hours when transfer between
Sheremetievo-1 and -2 terminals is necessary/, with 45 min intervals
being a goal for the future. Aeroflot claims joints were given a
particular attention this time, illustrating this point with saying
that rather intelligible coefficient of joints in Sheremetievo has
risen by 24%.
Construction of a new ``Aeroflot-only`` terminal in Sheremetievo is
also viewed as a necessary step towards membership in the airline
union. Okulov says that its construction is to start at the beginning
of 2001, although final choice of major contractors and financiers has
not yet been made. Another necessary step is forming a reasonably wide
and effective flight network inside Russia and CIS. Aeroflot does not
seem to be keen on opening new routes inside Russia, currently flying
to 25 destinations, rather focusing on ``warming up`` the existing
network. Okulov said the airline tries to keep its positions on
domestic routes by placing more modern airplanes in response to market
requirements, offering a better timetable and services than the
competitors. In particular, Aeroflot is placing the A310 on Moscow -
Vladivostok route, previously served by the fuel-thirsty and narrow
Il-62M. Okulov sees a need of more frequent flights to Kiev, Tbilisi,
Yerevan and other CIS destinations, but interstate agreements do not
always allow this. Whenever possible, Aeroflot is going to add
``regular charters`` on such routes. Within ``several weeks`` Aeroflot
will open flights to Tashkent on the Boeing 737, where it is likely to
face a fierce competition from Uzbekistan Airways, Transaero and
Domodedovo Airlines, with the first two carriers using A310 and Boeing
737 on this route.
Fifty-nine airplanes out of a 112-strong fleet will be employed in the
winter time table, making a total of 535 flights a week. Ten more
airplanes are said to be staying on alert in the case a replacement
aircraft is needed. Highest utilization rates are required from the
A310 and Boeing-777, at 12 hours daily per airframe. The Boeing 737,
Boeing 767 and Il-96-300 will stay in the air for 9 hours. Daily
workload on older Russian types is 8 hours for the Il62M, 6 for the
Tu-134 6 hours and 5 for the Tu-154.
Speaking of prospective destinations, Okulov named Tel Aviv and
Baghdad. The airline is happy with its regular charters to Israel,
claiming an average of 100 passengers on a Tu-154M with 12 business
and 120 economy class seats. Aeroflot says that although less Russians
now want to travel to the troubled Israel, there has been an increase
in the number of Israelis flying to Russia. ``We are set to maintain
the route despite the current political situation in Israel,`` Okulov
said, adding that since 1 November the flight frequency will double.
Meanwhile, Aeroflot intends to re-open its office in Baghdad. Flights
to Iraq will be open ``as soon as we get permission,`` Okulov said,
adding that before such a time the office will work at ``off-line``
mode.
by Vovik Karnozov
/AeroWorldNet/
Upgraded Flankers for Navy
Piotr Butowski
[1 Nov 2000] Developments for naval applications of the Sukhoi Su-30
'Flanker' were displayed at the recent Gelendzhik-2000 naval aviation
exposition. Sukhoi and its partners, the Komsomolsk-on-Amur and
Irkutsk production plants, presented (separately and not under the
aegis of AMIC Sukhoi concern) a series of proposals.
The modernised Su-30KN (no. 302) dominated the flying displays almost
each day. When first shown at MAKS'99 in Zhukovsky last year, upgrade
work was led by Russkaya Avionika but since February this year work on
the Su-30KN upgrade continues with the Irkutsk IAPO plant. (Mikhail
Korzhuyev, the founder of Russkaya Avionika is presently deputy
chairman of IAPO.)
The Su-30KN is the low-cost upgrade of the Su-30 (and Su-27UB
two-seater). The aircraft structure and most of the systems remained
unchanged. New avionics installed for its naval role include the A737
GPS receiver; a new processor to add ground mapping and movable target
indication modes to the N001 radar; colour MFI-55 liquid crystal
display (LCD) screens; and a new MVK computer in the weapon control
system for use of the new weapons.
Aircraft no.302 has been involved with weapons trials at the Russian
Air Force test centre in Akhtubinsk. Weapons integrated and fired were
R-77 (AA-12 'Adder') air-to-air missiles, TV-guided KAB-500Kr bombs
and Kh-29T (AS-14 'Kedge') and Kh-59M (AS-18 'Kazoo') missiles, plus
the Kh-31P (AS-17 'Krypton') anti-radar missile. The results have been
described as satisfactory and the aircraft came to Gelendzhik directly
from Akhtubinsk.
During its flight display, the Su-30KN carried two Kh-31A anti-ship
missiles as well as two medium-range R-77 and two short-range R-73
(AA-11 'Archer') air-to-air missiles. On the static display (and only
the first day of the exposition) the aircraft was shown with large
3M55 Onyx/Yakhont anti-ship missile.
The design work on Onyx (Yakhont is its export designation) commenced
in 1983 at NPO Mashinostroyeniya. Originally intended as a submarine
weapon, versions for surface ships and shore batteries evolved and,
finally, the airborne version.
The air-launched Onyx weighs 2,500kg (including a 200kg conventional
warhead) and is 8.3m long and about 0.65m in diameter. Flying a mixed
profile, Onyx has a 500km range but at low altitude this reduces to
200km.
Other new weapons considered for the Su-30KN include a new air-to-air
missile developed from 9M96 anti-aircraft missile of S-400 Triumph SAM
system and a heavy surface-to-air missile developed from tactical
ballistic missile of ground forces. Sukhoi intends to modify the Su-33
wings for double folding (at the roots and halfway down the wing), and
the tailplanes will also be foldable, to allow an aircraft carrier
deck and hangar to hold more Su-33s than is possible now.
The Phazotron-NIIR radar design bureau of Moscow presented its Zhuk-MS
radar (the MiG-29SMT's Zhuk-M configured for the Sukhoi). The MS model
has a slotted antenna enlarged to 980mm diameter to fit the Su-27's
nose.
Weighing 230kg, the radar has a track-while-scan capacity of up to 20
air targets, and is capable of engaging four of them simultaneously.
An airborne target with 5m2 radar cross-section can be detected from
170km distance in head-on position or from 60km in tail-on position.
Surface targets can be detected from 25km (a group of tanks in motion)
or from 300km (a destroyer class ship).
/JANE'S DEFENCE UPGRADES - NOVEMBER 01, 2000/
IAI 'favourite' in Polish Su-24 upgrade contest
Steve Rodan JDW Correspondent
Additional reporting Grzegorgz Holdanowicz JDW Correspondent
[25 Oct 2000] Israel's Ministry of Defence (MoD) has selected Israel
Aircraft Industries (IAI) to act as a potential prime contractor in a
programme to upgrade up to 98 Polish Sukhoi Su-24M4/UM3 fighters with
new fire-control radars, avionics and communications equipment.
Sources close to the deal said that IAI, which was selected ahead of a
rival bid from Israel's Elbit Systems, is to be responsible for
integrating Israeli equipment as part of the Polish project. IAI is
offering systems such as the EL/M-2032 multimode fire-control radar
developed by its Elta Electronics subsidiary. Both Israeli and Polish
sources said they expect Warsaw to formally decide on the winner of
the Sukhoi competition within the next few months, with the project
expected to begin early next year. Israel is reported to be the
favourite in the competition, which also includes bids from SAGEM of
France and the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company.
"We have already signalled to Israel that it will be granted the
Sukhoi project," a Polish defence official in Israel told Jane's
Defence Weekly. "We are waiting for the government in Warsaw to make
an official decision regarding [the programme's] budget." Polish MoD
officials said last week, however, that the selection process would be
concluded following an official tender.
IAI is believed to have submitted two separate proposals worth between
$80 million and $200 million to modernise all 98 Su-24s or just 36 of
the aircraft. Ministry sources said that Elbit would probably be
invited to supply equipment such as the aircraft's head-up display,
but added that such negotiations would not begin until after Warsaw
has confirmed both its contractor selection and guaranteed funding for
the programme.
Both Elbit and IAI already have experience in modernising Soviet-era
fighters, with the former close to completing the upgrade of 100
MiG-21s for Romania, and the latter having also modernised the same
type for an undisclosed customer.
The Polish official said NATO has approved the Su-22 upgrade project.
He said the project is vital as the government has delayed plans to
buy 60 Western fighters because of budget restraints.
/ JANE'S DEFENCE WEEKLY - OCTOBER 25, 2000/
Aeroflot in Talks on Admission to SkyTeam Alliance
[18 Oct 2000] Russia`s Aeroflot is in talks with Air France about the
possibility of admission into the international SkyTeam Alliance, a
partnership program involving several airlines, officials said
Tuesday.
Representatives of Aeroflot and Air France met in Moscow last week to
discuss cooperation in passenger and cargo transportation, ticket
booking, merging route networks, and bringing Aeroflot`s technical
maintenance, service, and frequent-flyer programs up to international
standards, Aeroflot said in a statement.
SkyTeam was created on June 22 and includes Delta Air Lines, Air
France, Aeromexico and Korean Air. The SkyTeam partners don`t have
many flights in Eastern Europe now, although the routes are to expand
with the planned admission of the Czech national airline CSA.
Russia`s civil aviation has been going through turbulent times amid
the economic troubles that followed the 1991 Soviet collapse. While
Aeroflot has fared better than many smaller air carriers, it has also
tried to cut costs and improve efficiency by forging alliances with
foreign airlines.
/AP/
Decision to Sink Space Station Mir Very Difficult to Make
[17 Oct 2000] Almost everyone agrees today that Russia cannot afford
the heavy burden of keeping the glorious but aging space station Mir
in orbit. The upsurge of political and public interest in Mir that
could have given the station several more years of life faded as soon
as specific amounts of money came into question.
In February, Mir will mark its 15th year in space. Its service life
had initially been set at 3.5 years, but was later prolonged many
times. The station remains unmanned since the 28th long-term mission
departed on June 16.
Nobody has so far ventured to assume responsibility for pronouncing
the death sentence on Mir.
Due to meet on Thursday, the board of the Russian Aerospace Agency
should decide the future of Mir and submit its proposals to the
government.
The station`s operator-the rocket and space corporation Energiya-
announced on Monday that as Mir is government property ``the decision
on its further operation should be made by the president and
government.``
Earlier, the Council of Chief Designers forced to pass at least some
kind of a resolution on Mir issued an astonishingly indistinct text,
the message of which could be interpreted as: ``Dear government, we
are getting out, the matter is for you to decide.``
The question of giving up Mir over the lack of funding was debate in
Russia in earnest for the first time in the summer of 1998. However,
the station was then in excellent condition and on the wave of public
enthusiasm it was decided to prolong the life of the pride of the
Russian space program. MirCorp was set up in the spring of 1999 to
raise funds through the commercial use of the station. However, none
of its projects has been completed so far.
MirCorp President Geoffrey Manber recently told Interfax that his
company planned to raise $117 million for the continued operation of
Mir through floating shares at exchanges in New York, Singapore and
probably in London by February 2001.
However, several space experts have told Interfax that the
decision-even if interest in company shares is great-is quite belated.
MirCorp has not yet paid for the launch of the Progress M-43 cargo
spaceship on October 17.
Officials from the Aerospace Agency have stressed that, given its
financial problems, Energiya is unable to work on two manned space
programs: Mir and the International Space Station /ISS/. The
construction and launch of a cargo spaceship takes one and a half to
two years and costs about $7 million. It costs $200-$250 million a
year to keep Mir running.
The disastrous shortage of money for Mir is forcing Russia to cut
slices from the ISS pie, prompting other parties involved in the
building of the ISS to reproach Russia for failing to meet its
commitments.
Energiya has launched one Progress and one Soyuz manned ship to Mir,
removing them from its part in the international program. The
postponement from December to February of the launch of a Russian
tanker spacecraft to the ISS is also attributed to the fact that
Energiya had to intensify its efforts to build another tanker to be
launched to Mir in January.
Russia has thus not found non-budgetary resources for funding the
operation of Mir, and the additional 1.5 billion rubles envisaged by
the 2000 budget have still not been disbursed.
The recent government resolution of October 10 is unlikely to save the
station, although it allows the channeling of up to 70% of government
revenues from the sale of R&D results to R&D programs ``of military,
special or dual purpose, including government support for the manned
operation of the Mir space station.``
``The resolution does not specify what part of the returns should be
assigned to Mir, and so nothing is assigned at all,`` spokesman for
the head of the Russian Aerospace Agency Sergei Gorbunov has said.
``The government will be able to find money only to sink the station.
And it must find these 600 million rubles because Russia is
responsible to the world for its [Mir`s] safe operation,`` Gorbunov
told Interfax in comments on the possible decision of the Thursday
board session.
Evidently on Thursday we will hear the Agency`s final decision on the
Mir`s future. However, from experience we know that another analysis
of all the pros and cons /``live`` or ``die``/ may again not lead with
a clear statement and higher instances will have to assume the
responsibility for the difficult decision.
/INTERFAX/
Mir Space Station Group Plans IPO
[13 Oct 2000] Individuals may soon have the chance to invest directly
in space, under plans for a $117m initial public offering announced
yesterday by the commercial operator of Russia`s Mir space station.
MirCorp, which has leased the 14-year-old Mir station from the Russian
government, said it was planning an IPO simultaneously in London, New
York and Singapore early next year, in a deal offering about 9 per
cent of the company's existing equity to private investors.
The move comes as the company is fighting to gain fresh working
capital in a highly uncertain and costly market, and against a
backdrop of contradictory statements about Mir`s future by Russian
officials.
Earlier this month, Ilya Klebanov, Russia`s deputy prime minister,
said Mir had outlived its scientific usefulness and a team of
government experts had recommended it be brought back to earth.
Energiya, the private Russian company that operates space rocket
launches, also said it required more finance to keep Mir in orbit.
The US has been critical of Russia`s continued support for Mir
alongside the new and much delayed jointly operated International
Space Station /ISS/, although Russian officials insist they have not
diverted funds to Mir.
An accelerated programme of launches next year to the ISS has placed
new pressure on the capacity of Energiya to supply two launch vehicles
which MirCorp had reserved for 2001 but has not yet paid for.
Energiya received a 60 per cent stake in MirCorp in exchange for
in-kind contributions to an initial launch to Mir, and a lease to the
company. MirCorp`s other investors have provided several dozens of
millions of dollars in exchange for most of the remaining shares.
Andrew Eddy, senior vice- president for business development at
MirCorp, said the company had signed contracts or memoranda so far
which should generate $50-70m for work this year and next, including
one $20m ``space tourism`` contract, with another under discussion. He
said annual operating costs were $100m-$200m.
Mr Eddy said MirCorp was still in serious discussions with three to
four industrial investors, but had found so much interest by others
less willing to place the minimum $3m required that it had decided to
launch an IPO instead.
/Financial Times/
Proton Launched Friday with GLONASS Satellites
[13 Oct 2000] A Proton rocket with three satellites, which will be
part of the global navigation system /GLONASS/ was launched from
Baikonur space center at 18:12 on Friday, the press service of the
Russian Strategic Rocket Force told Interfax.
The launch of this space transport system was carried out by Strategic
Rocket Force personnel and specialists from the force are also
controlling the transportation of the satellites to their planned
orbit.
The global transport system consists of 24 satellites, the first of
which was launched in October 1982.
According to experts, at the moment the group is currently in a
difficult situation - and satellite resources are gradually running
out. Only eight satellites are currently working in full.
There is a program for the gradual development of the GLONASS group,
according to which there will be 12 satellites functioning in 2001. In
the period until 2004 it is planned to launch GLONASS-M new generation
satellites, with life spans of up to 7-8 years /up from the current 3
years/. In the future it is planned to cross over to use so- called
low-mass third generation GLONASS-K satellites with guaranteed life
spans of 10 years.
/Interfax/
Aeroflot, Air France Negotiate Alliance
[13 Oct 2000] A working meeting of representatives of the Russian and
French leading airlines -- Aeroflot-Russian Airlines and Air France --
is in the second day in Moscow, discussing the setting up of an
international alliance of the two air companies, Tass learnt on Friday
from the Aeroflot press service.
The present stage of the talks was preceded by the conclusion of an
agreement between Aeroflot and Air France in the spring of this year
on setting up the coordination committee to form the alliance.
Aeroflot`s entering the alliance will enable it to extend its routes,
to have more convenient transshipment ports, to improve the servicing
of passengers, as well as use aviation equipment more effectively.
Besides that, the forming of the alliance will enable the Russian
airline to attract more passengers, to increase the airline`s incomes,
cutting outlays for the maintenance of airliners and for the
implementation of various technological programmes.
The alliance is expected to be formed around 2003.
/Itar-Tass/
India agrees $3 billion arms deal with Russia
RAHUL BEDI JDW Correspondent
New Delhi
[11 Oct 2000] India has finalised a series of long-pending defence
contracts with Russia worth nearly $3 billion for 140-150 Su-30
multi-role fighters, 310 T-90S main battle tanks and the former Soviet
Navy aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov.
Payments and deliveries are to be spread over five years.
Moscow also breached the nuclear blockade against New Delhi during
Russian President Vladimir Putin's four-day visit to India by
discreetly signing a memorandum of understanding on intensifying
bilateral co-operation in the peaceful use of atomic energy. Under an
agreement signed two years ago, Russia is helping India build two
civilian nuclear power plants of 1,000MW each for $2.6 billion in
southern Tamil Nadu state.
The nuclear agreement was signed along with those for military
equipment on 4 October, a day before President Vladimir Putin became
the first head of a nuclear weapon state to visit the Bhaba Atomic
Research Centre (BARC), India's flagship nuclear establishment at
Trombay. The BARC was responsible for co-ordinating India's multiple
nuclear tests in 1998. Putin endorsed India's position on signing the
nuclear Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) when he told scientists
that it was a decision determined by Delhi's strategic vision and
national interests.
India is buying 310 T-90S MBTs to counter 320 T-80UDs Pakistan
acquired from Ukraine. About 124 T-90s are being purchased outright,
with the rest assembled under licence at the Heavy Vehicles Factory at
Avadi, southern India. Officials said the final price for the T-90
deal has still not been finalised after nearly 75 price negotiation
committee meetings, but would be fixed by year-end.
Russia is reported to have demanded another $100 million for the tanks
than India is willing to pay. The first batch of T 90s is expected to
start arriving by mid-2001 for deployment in northern Punjab and
western Rajasthan.
The Indian Navy is acquiring Admiral Gorshkov for the price of its
refit, estimated at around $750 million. This will include configuring
the vessel with a 12° ski-jump to provide a
short-take-off-but-arrested-recovery (STOBAR) capability for its air
group. Officials said price negotiations for around 20 MiG-29K
fighters for the carrier and Kamov Ka-28 and Ka-31 early warning
helicopters will begin after Russia submits a project report.
India also signed a contract to locally build 140-150 Sukhoi Su-30MK
long-range multirole fighters of which it bought 40 for $1.8 billion
four years ago. Over the past three years, the Indian Air Force has
received 18 Su-30s, while the remaining 22 are to be delivered by 2002
in progressively advanced configurations. Once the latter arrive, the
earlier 18 would return to Russia to be upgraded.
The new contract covers Russian assistance to Hindustan Aeronautics
Limited (HAL) to establish repair and overhaul facilities for the
fighters.
While the Admiral Gorshkov will replace the retired carrier INS
Vikrant, Indian defence officials concede that other elements of the
package, such as the Su-30MK, are likely to initiate an arms race with
rival Pakistan.
Indian and Russian officials also agreed to form an inter-governmental
Commission on Military Technical Co-operation which is to be headed by
Indian Defence Minister George Fernandes and Russian Deputy Prime
Minister Ilya Klebanov. This is to ensure that bilateral ties are not
restricted only to military purchases but extend to Moscow investing
in India's defence industry and the joint marketing of defence
equipment.
Officials said the commission could also hasten India's acquisition of
six S-300PMU1 low- to high- altitude air-defence systems for
protection against missiles and aircraft, the BM 9A52 Smerch 300m
multiple rocket system and the possible lease of four Tu-22 (NATO
reporting name: 'Backfire') bombers.
The 12 agreements the two countries signed also included a strategic
partnership document to jointly combat the threat of Islamic
fundamentalism emanating from Afghanistan.
/Jane’s Defence Weekly/
Navigation Satellites Moved to Launch Pad
[11 Oct 2000] A Proton carrier rocket with Global Navigation System
(GLONASS) satellites on board was moved to the launch pad at
Kazakhstan`s Baikonur space center on Tuesday morning, the chief
Proton designer at the Khrunichev space center told Interfax.
The rocket, which will put three GLONASS satellites into an orbit with
an altitude of 19,000 km, is scheduled for takeoff at 6:12 p.m. Moscow
time on October 13, Vladimir Gusev said. The previous launch of
GLONASS satellites took place in December 1998.
The system is designed to include 24 satellites distributed among
three planes, with eight satellites in each. The first satellites of
the system were launched in October 1982.
/Interfax/
Sberbank to Grant USD 120 Million Loan for Aircraft Project
[9 Oct 2000] Sberbank of Russia is planning to allocate USD 120m for
Russian airlines involved in the so-called Ilyushin Finance project.
According to Industry, Science and Technology Minister Andrei
Svinarenko, it provides for the construction of seven IL-96, ten
Tu-204 and ten Tu-214 aircraft. He stressed that it would be one of
the first projects financed on the basis of a credit agreement that
had been signed by Sberbank and the Industrial Development Ministry
today.
The government will guarantee 85 percent of the credit. Finance
Minister Alexei Kudrin will discuss final parameters of this credit at
a meeting with other government officials today.
/RosBusinessConsulting/
Russian Paper Lists Reasons Why Mir Has to Be Scrapped
[9 Oct 2000] The Mir space station is ``our past`` and has been
allowed to stay in orbit this long for all the wrong reasons, Russian
newspaper `Nezavisimaya Gazeta` wrote, commenting on the decision of
the council of chief space technology designers of the Energiya
corporation to scrap it. The station sets false priorities for the
development of the national space sector and drains funds from new
space technologies, the paper noted, stressing that Russia`s future
lies in participation in the International Space Station project. The
following is the text of a report from the newspaper:
The decision regarding the necessity to cross the is regarding Mir`s
fate and to finally resolve whether the station should be destroyed at
the beginning of next year or its exploitation should continue, which
was made by the council of chief space technology designers of the
Space Rocket Corporation Energiya on 3rd October, bore a shocking
resemblance to the situation shown in the American movie entitled
``Last Tango``. In the movie, a girl sentenced to death and already
strapped to the table to receive the lethal injection was unexpectedly
told she had been pardoned. Several hours later it turned out a
mistake had been made, and the girl ended her life at the
executioner`s needle.
Since 1998, the Russian orbiting station has been regularly sentenced
to death, the sentence was vacated at the last moment only to be
pronounced binding several months later.
What is currently happening to Mir is a reflection of the drama of
Russia`s entire space sector. Let us answer one question first: What
does Mir mean for Russia?
Several months ago, pilot-cosmonaut Vladimir Kovalenok, twice the Hero
of the Soviet Union, said: The station is orbiting the earth only for
its own sake, whereas the crews onboard the station are doing nothing
but maintaining it in working order suitable for people`s existence.
In this situation any more or less significant scientific research
activities are out of the question. Why then should we spend millions
of dollars on this complex every year?
However, the point is that traditionally one of the objectives of Mir,
just as any other grandiose Soviet/Russian space project, was to
pursue the country`s political objectives, namely to be a symbol of
its technological and economic power.
Several years ago, the Russian station was assigned another similar,
although, admittedly, less important function - to emphasize a leading
role played by the Energiya corporation in the Russian space
programme. After all, it is Energiya, which designed the station and
is currently operating it. On the one hand, Mir, as the greatest
national space project still being implemented in Russia does
emphasize the corporation`s significance. At the same time, however,
in the developing situation Energiya`s corporate interests are
somewhat at variance with state interests.
First, Mir`s operation is consuming a substantial portion of Russia`s
space budget, which, in particular, has to be used to ensure
compliance with our country`s commitments arising out of the
International Space Station [ISS] project. Energiya`s leadership
claims the Russian complex is being financed by the private
corporation MirCorp, which organizes commercial flights to the
complex. However, this argument has to be specified.
Yes, MirCorp does sponsor launches to Mir, as it did with regard to
the mission to the station in April this year /commander Sergey
Zaletin, spacecraft engineer Aleksandr Kaleri/. The cost of one space
flight of this kind reaches 20m dollars. Nonetheless, the total annual
cost of the station`s operation, including its maintenance during
unmanned orbiting, reaches 250m dollars.
The second reason why Mir`s operation is beginning to damage the
interests of Russia`s space exploration is that it sets false
priorities for the development of the national space sector, in
particular, for one of its leaders - Energiya. Continuing operation of
the complex makes the corporation concentrate its efforts on
maintaining old hardware rather than creating new one. This very
philosophy hides one of the reasons for the lowered interest of
society and the government to Russia`s space exploration and hence,
its inadequate financing.
It is time we realized that Mir - regardless of all the unfading
laurels it won - is our past. An obsolete orbiting station cannot take
us into the new millennium in which a mission to Mars is acquiring
more discernible contours. On the one hand, Russia`s future lies in
participation in the ISS project, being a necessary condition for
retaining the experience of manned space flights, and on the other
hand - in the creation of absolutely new space rocket systems that can
radically galvanize the process of restoring the reputation and
prestige of the Russian state in the contemporary world.
The day before yesterday, when the decision made by the council of
chief space technology designers was publicized, MirCorp made an
official statement in which it underscored its intention to continue
to engage private investors for financing Mir`s flight after 2001.
Will the ``Last Tango`` of Mir and along with it of Russia`s space
exploration continue?
/BBC/
Preparation for Launch of Israeli Satellites Nearing Completion in
Russian Far East
[9 Oct 2000] Preparation is nearing completion in Svobodnyi launch
center in Amur region of EROS, the first Israeli satellite, in
mid-November.
A U.S. Early Bird satellite has been launched in the center, its
director Alexander Vinidiktov told Interfax on Monday. A team of
Israeli engineers has arrived in the launch center. Seven other
Israeli satellites will be launched later.
A tentative agreement has been reached with a Swedish company about
the launch of a Swedish satellite in 2001, Vinidiktov said.
/INTERFAX/
Polyet Airline Receives Ex-RusAF Ruslans
[5 Oct 2000] Polyet airline, based in Voronezh, Central Russia, took
delivery of a third ex-RusAF An-124 Ruslan heavy weight air lifter
last month. The airplane was ferried from Sesche AFB in Bryanks to
Ulianovsk-Vostochny aerodrome by military crew headed by A.Vinokurov,
commader of the Bryanks Regiment. Then the aircraft was towed to
Aviastar factory, the Ruslan manufacturer, for repair and conversion
from military to civilian /An-124-100/ variant.
In May-June this year Polyet received two ex-RusAF Ruslans, which are
currently under work at Aviastar. The airline expects to get a fourth
ex-military airframe within the next two months /currently this
airplane is being put back into an airworthy condition at Sesche AFB/.
Polyet general director Anatoly Karpov confessed that the work on
ex-RusAF aircraft might take much time, one or even two years,
reflecting the airplanes` poor condition and difference between the
Ruslan military and civil versions. To enable the airplane fly
international routes, they will be outfitted with hushkits, global
positioning systems, 8.33 kHz spacing communications radios and
accurate vertical separation equipment.
The ex-RusAF airplanes have been handed over to Polyet in accordance
with Russian Government` order 1702-r dated 1 Dec 1998. The order
instructs the MoD to hand over to Polyet four Ruslans to be used for
operations on conveyance of rocketry-space hardware and development of
Air Launch system. Air Launch is a commercial project with certain
state support. It calls for creation and fielding of a system capable
of placing light satellites into low orbits using a launch vehicle
deployed from airborne Ruslan carrier aircraft.
When flying as a carrier aircraft, the Ruslan shall deliver a launch
vehicle /in a container/ to an altitude of 10-11 km. Upon reaching the
assigned point, the airplane begin to climb so as to release the
rocket container with a specified g-load factor. After being dropped
from the aircraft, the rocket has its engines ignited after 5-10
seconds of free fall.
In that system the carrier aircraft replaces the first stage of a
ground-based launch vehicle. The latter normally makes up 60% of
launch cost and is in many cases disposable. Using aircraft in the
role of the first rocket stage reduces the overall cost of satellite
deployment operation. Net cost of placing a 3-tonne payload into orbit
would translate into a relative price of $2-3 thousand per kilo. Air
Launch plans to sell these services at an equivalent of $5-7 thousand
per kilo, depending on technical and commercial terms of a respective
contract. This compares well with $25-30 thousands per kilo for the
existing expandable rocket systems and 7-10 thousand targeted for Sea
Launch.
The Air Launch two-stage rocket booster shall be capable of placing a
3300 kg payload into low orbit with inclination of 63 degrees.
Creation of this rocket will take the major portion in the estimated
$120-130 million research-and-development effort in frame of Air
Launch project. The rocket will use well-tried components, such as the
NK-43M and 11D58M first and second stage engines respectively /those
have demonstrated reliability in actual launches and ground fire tests
in excess of 0.998/. First launch, with a dummy or non-commercial
payload, is planned for 2003.
Anatoly Karpov, who, in addition to being Polyet general director,
also acts as a chairman of Air Launch corporation, is very optimistic
about the airplane`s prospects as an element in Air Launch system. He
told AWN that as the technology progresses, new types of compact
satellites will be developed. This should create a substantial demand
in low-cost services of placing small payloads into low orbits.
Kaprov`s estimate is that by 2015 as many as 3000 small low-orbit
satellites can be manufactured. Air Launch corporation hopes to seize
a 40% of light satellite launch service market, which would require
4-5 launch operations a week.
Polyet fleet, now of six Ruslans plus one due to deliver, might be
further increased by that time to be able to handle these numbers.
Air Launch corporation had formalized agreements between its major
participants in the period of August 1999 to March 2000. The
corporation declared itself ``ready for the job`` in July this year.
Among its major members are Polyet airline, Korolyev`s Energia
Rocketry-space corporation /RKK Energia/, ANTK Antonov, TsSKB-Samara
and Pilugin`s scientific-production center, KB Khimavtomatiki design
bureau, Moscow Energy Institute, Aviastar factory, Nikolai Kuznetsov
scientific-industrial complex, KBTM /Design bureau of transport
machinery/ and Motorostroitel.
By Vovick Karnozov
/AeroWorldNet/
Deputy PM: Mir May be Sunk in Pacific Ocean
[4 Oct 2000] Chief designers a few days ago decided that Mir space
station must end its operation, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Ilya
Klebanov told the press in Delhi on Tuesday.
The Russian Aerospace Agency and he as a deputy prime minister in
charge of that industry must endorse this decision, he said.
If a final decision to this effect is made, the station will be sunk
in an absolutely safe area of the Pacific Ocean chosen when the
station was at the design stage, Klebanov said.
/INTERFAX/
Aeroflot Looks to Resume Flights to Baghdad
[2 Oct 2000] Russia`s flagship airlines Aeroflot will resume flights
to Baghdad in compliance with a bilateral intergovernmental accord
reached during six days of negotiations, an Aeroflot source has told
Interfax.
An Iraqi delegation led by Maamun Muheddin Abed Al-Naser, general
director of Iraqi Airways and head of his country`s civil aviation
department, visited Moscow for cooperation talks with Aeroflot
September 25-30 that resulted in the signing of a memorandum of intent
on September 29.
The memorandum stipulates that Aeroflot will assist Iraqi Airways in
the opening of an office in Moscow and the Iraqi airline will help
Aeroflot open one in Baghdad. These offices will work in an offline
mode.
Aeroflot will in the future help Iraqi Airways with technical
maintenance on aircraft and personnel training. The two sides will
sign an agreement concerning the mutual recognition of Interline
transportation documents sometime in the future.
/Interfax/
Aeroflot Opposes Smoking Ban, Contemplates Counter-Measures vs US
Carriers
[2 Oct 2000] Russia`s flag carrier, Aeroflot Russian Airlines embarked
on a campaign to push US authorities to lift the smoking ban
Aeroflot`s flights to/from US.
Last April, US President Bill Clinton signed the law banning smoking
on US and foreign airlines` flights with landings in US. Some sources
indicate that Russia may come up with counter-measures against US
carriers, for instance ban on duty-free trade on US aircraft flying
into Russia.
Russian Keen to Fill Gap in Indian Arms Market
[2 Oct 2000] In the past several years India, though continuing to buy
Russian weapons and materiel, started slightly re-orienting towards
the western armament, primarily towards the US arms market. Russia is
now keen to scale up co-operation with one of the world`s future
superpowers.
Russia and India signed several key contracts in the past few months.
For instance, those envisaging supplies of Russian fighters and
``flying`` tanks that were recently demonstrated to President Vladimir
Putin at the Nizhny Tagil Arms Exhibition. Sources close to the
Russian Military & Technical Complex were saying Russia would not need
those ``flying`` tanks, and the contract with India would be handy. It
becomes clear that the gap between the level of general Russian
vIndian co-operation and the co-operation in military sphere is
widening, the military co-operation being the only dynamically
developed part of the relations.
According to military analysts, India currently prefers purchasing
licenses for production of armamemnt rather than buying end product.
The Indians are not always happy with the Russian warplanes` avionics
and they usually fit the Russian planes and sometimes tanks with
western electronic devices. It was the orientation of the Indian
industry towards high technologies that caused the reduction of trade
with Russia.
/Izvestiya/
Aeroflot-Perm Join
[2 Oct 2000] Following its domestic expansion strategy, Russia`s
flagship carrier Aeroflot announced this week its plans to form a new
regional airline, Aeroflot-Perm.
An letter of intention was signed Thursday between Perm`s regional and
city administration, Aeroflot and Perm Airlines, according to
Aeroflot.
As part of the agreement, Perm administration officials will finance
the reconstruction of the runway at the local airport and the
construction of a new runway, the release said. Aeroflot will develop
the new airline`s strategy, enhance its fleet, represent its interests
abroad and train local staff.
Aeroflot opened its Moscow-Perm route in June, and has flown at 76
percent capacity, or over 6,000 passengers.
/MOSCOW TIMES/