Sukhoi SuperJet 100: type certification soon [p.4]

Mi-171M upgrade

[p.12]

MC-21 from gate to gate

[p.44]

Helicopter-type UAVs [p.14]

Mi-35M over Amazon

[p.38]

An-148 family grows up

[p.46]

New weapons for new fighters [p.30]

GENERATION GENERATION 55Russian move[p.20]

july 2010 • Special edition for Farnborough International Airshow 2010

www.irkut.com

12–15% operational cost reduction in comparison with existing analogues.

Innovative design solutions for airframe.

Optimal fuselage cross-section to increase the comfort level or to reduce the turnaround time.

Cooperation with the world leading suppliers of systems and equipment.

Matching future environmental requirements.

Expanded operational capabilities.

Aircraft family with expanded operational capabilities and a new level of economic effi ciency

Dear reader,

You are holding another issue of the Take-off magazine, an addendum

to Russian national aerospace monthly VZLET. This issue has been

timed to another Farnborough air show that has always been highly

regarded by aerospace companies from Russia and the CIS as a major

international aerospace event. It is Farnborough where Russia 22 years

ago, in 1988, unveiled its fourth-generation combat aircraft, the MiG-

29 fighters, for the very first time. Four years afterwards, in 1992, it

was Farnborough that hosted the debut of the Russian Generation 4+

fighters, the MiG-29M and Su-35. In 1996, it was Farnborough where the

Su-37 super-manoeuvrable fighter won the hearts of the public with its

unrivalled flight performance.

This time, Farnborough participants and guests will see several brand-

new aircraft from all over the world with Airbus A400M military transport,

Boeing 787 airliner and Chinese JF-17 fighters just to name a few.

Russian and Ukrainian aircraft-makers also prepared for Farnborough’s

debut their new products. Sukhoi will bring here its SuperJet 100 regional

airliner for the first time while Antonov will show its An-158 stretched

regional jet. Sukhoi’s SSJ100 featuring a bright example of growing

international cooperation between Russian aerospace industry and

leading Western companies is now at the final stages of its certification

tests, and by the year end the first production aircraft of the type are

to become operational with their launch customers. The next step of

such cooperation could be implemented in development of Irkut MC-21

prospective medium and short haul airliner which could become a

serious rival to the new versions of Boeing 737NG and Arbus A320

jets at domestic and international markets. A brand-new full-scale

mockup of the MC-21’s cockpit and passenger cabin will be among this

Farnborough main attractions.

By the way not only commercial aircraft development is in Russian

aerospace industry priority list. Earlier this year the first prototype of

the Sukhoi’s PAK FA fifth generation fighter flew for the first time. Now

it undergoes flight tests and only three to four years later the first pre-

production aircraft could be fielded for operational evaluation with the

Russian Air Force. Due to the highest priority of the programme, we

decided to make an article about Sulhoi’s new fighter the central topic

in this issue.

As usual, Take-off is offering a digest of other key events in the Russian

and CIS aerospace industry over the past several months. I hope that

the issue will help you to get a better grasp of the Russian displays in

Farnborough and be abreast of the latest developments in aerospace

industry of our country.

On behalf of Take-off’s staff, I wish Farnborough 2010’s participants

and visitors interesting meetings, useful contacts and lucrative contracts

as well as enjoying unforgettable flight demonstration of planes and

helicopters from all over the world!

Sincerely,

Andrey Fomin

Editor-in-Chief,

Take-off magazine

News items for “In Brief” columns are prepared by editorial

staff based on reports of our special correspondents, press

releases of production companies as well as by using information

distributed by ITAR-TASS, ARMS-TASS, Interfax-AVN, RIA Novosti,

RBC news agencies and published at www.aviaport.ru, www.avia.ru,

www.gazeta.ru, www.cosmoworld.ru web sites

The magazine is registered by the Federal Service for supervision of

observation of legislation in the sphere of mass media and protection

of cultural heritage of the Russian Federation. Registration certificate

PI FS77-19017 dated 29 November 2004

© Aeromedia, 2010

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

july 2010

Editor-in-Chief Andrey Fomin

Deputy Editor-in-Chief Vladimir Shcherbakov

EditorYevgeny Yerokhin

Columnist Alexander VelovichArtyom Korenyako Special correspondents Alexey Mikheyev, Victor Drushlyakov,Andrey Zinchuk, Valery Ageyev,Natalya Pechorina, Marina Lystseva,Dmitry Pichugin, Sergey Krivchikov,Sergey Popsuyevich, Piotr Butowski,Alexander Mladenov, Miroslav Gyurosi

Design and pre-press Grigory Butrin

Translation Yevgeny Ozhogin

Cover picture Alexey Mikheyev

Publisher

Director General Andrey Fomin

Deputy Director GeneralNadezhda Kashirina

Marketing DirectorGeorge Smirnov

Business Development DirectorMikhail Fomin

Items in the magazine placed on this colour background or supplied

with a note “Commercial” are published on a commercial basis.

Editorial staff does not bear responsibility for the contents of such items.

take-off july 2010 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u2

c o n t e n t s

INDUSTRY

Sukhoi SuperJet 100 gearing up for service entry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Mi-34S1: Robinson a la russe

UEC and Salut shared fifth-generation engine

Chernyshev steps up RD-33MK production

Motor Sich proposes MS-500V construction in Russia

Mi-171M. New life of venerable helicopterInterview with Alexey Samusenko, Mil Helicopter Plant Designer General. . 12

Unmanned Russian HelicoptersInterview with Gennady Bebeshko, Russian Helicopter’s

Unmanned Helicopter Systems programme manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

MILITARY AVIATION Production-standard Ka-52 undergo trials

Mi-28 fielding under way

Air Force receives Yak-130s

558 ARP is always open for business cooperation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Generation 5: Russian movePAK FA undergoing tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Advanced weapons for advanced warplanesDevelopment of a new generation of precision guided

munitions is nearing completion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

CONTRACTS AND DELIVERIES Indian pilots test MiG-35

More orders for Sukhoi fighters

Another A-50EI AWACS aircraft built for Indian Air Force

First Russian-made AW139 to be assembled in 2011

M-55 back from another expedition

TV3-117VMA-SBM1V provides record-breaking rate of climb

A world of opportunities for Rosoboronexport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Russian helicopters over AmazonMi-35M enters service with Brazilian Air Force . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

COMMERCIAL AVIATION First Tu-214PU flown

Volga-Dnepr received its third Il-76TD-90VD

One more An-140 for Yakutia

Gelenjik airport is finally open

MC-21As future of Russian commercial aviation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Addition to An-148 family An-158 trials kick off in Kiev while

new Voronezh-built An-148s enter service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

44

July 2010

14

4

30

20

46

38

UNITED INDUSTRIAL CORPORATION “OBORONPROM”27 Stromynka st., 107076 Moscow, Russia e-mail: oboronprom@oboronprom.ruwww.oboronprom.ru

Moscow

Rybinsk

Kazan Perm

SamaraUfa

Ekaterinburg

Novosibirsk

Ula-Ude

St.Petersburg

“Russian Helicopters” Company, a whole subsidiary of OBORONPROM Corporation, is the leading Russian designer and manufacturer of rotary-wing aircraft equipment

“United Engine Corporation”, a whole subsidiary of OBORONPROM Corporation,is the leading Russian industrial group producing engines for aircraft, aerospace industry, gas compression stations and power plants

adve

rtis

ing

OBORONPROM Corporation, a Russian Technologies State Corporation company, is a diversified industrial-investment group

in the engineering and high technologies sectors.The Corporation integrates more than 25 leading Russian

companies in helicopters and engines manufacturing.

Rostov-Don

Arseniev

Kumertau

The SaM146 certificate issuance ceremony

took place on 23 June. The document was

handed over to Jean-Paul Ebanga, Director

General of Russo-French joint venture

PowerJet, by Patrick Goudou, EASA’s

Executive Director. The ceremony was

attended by Snecma’s boss Philippe Petitcolin

and Saturn Managing Director Ilya Fyodorov.

“The certificate proves that the SaM146

engine is fully compliant with the EU safety

requirements. This is a result of the successful

cooperation among PowerJet, Russia’s

Interstate Aviation Committee and EASA.

We hope for the SaM146 engine to enter

commercial operation in a few months”, said

Patrick Goudou.

“We have a special honour to receive the

certificate for the SaM146 engine”, said

PowerJet chief Jean-Paul Ebanga. “It is a

landmark event in the aerospace relations

between Europe and Russia, pertaining to

EASA’s certification of an aircraft engine

co-developed and co-produced by France and

Russia for the first time ever”.

The SaM146 certification test programme,

under which a total of 14 engines were made in

2006–09, including eight for rig tests and six

to fit the SSJ100 prototypes, was completed

successfully on 26 May 2010. The SaM146’s

trials were crowned in May with fan blade

strip and medium-sized bird ingestion tests.

SaM146 prototype No. 002/06 passed the

most important and most difficult tests – the

fan blade strip – at Saturn’s open-air test

bench in Poluyevo out of Rybinsk. “The gist

of the test is simple: a fan blade – a titanium

part weighing about 2.2 kg – has the highest

energy among the engine’s parts when the fan

rotor is spinning. It is the part, which damage

maximises the probability of damaging body

parts. The fan blade strip test is designed to

prove that no fragment can escape via the

The advanced Russian regional airliner Sukhoi SuperJet 100, which development

involves major Western subcontractors, has appeared at the current Farnborough

air show for the first time. The aircraft made its foreign debut a year ago during

the Le Bourget air show in June 2009, and one of the four SSJ100 prototypes

completing the certification test programme is taking part in the flight programme

in Farnborough.

A major change to the SuperJet programme has taken place recently, when EASA

on 23 June 2010 issued a type certificate for the SaM146 engine co-developed

and co-produced by Russia’s Saturn and France’s Snecma to power aircraft of the

SSJ100 family. This gave the green light for the kick-off of the engine’s deliveries

and commercial operation. In the near future, the EASA-issued SaM146 certificate

is to be recognised by the Russian aviation authorities, which will pave the way

for air carriers in Russia and other CIS countries to launch the operation of planes

powered by such a powerplant. As far as the certification trials of the aircraft

itself, they are in the final stages, with an IAC Aircraft Registry certificate due later

this year. The certificate will enable launch customers to start taking deliveries

of production-standard airliners. Russia’s Aeroflot and Armenia’s Armavia are

expected to be the launch customers. The first three production SSJ100s are

expected to enter service at the end of the year.

SUKHOI SUPERJET 100 GEARING UP FOR SERVICE ENTRY

Andrey FOMIN

i n d u s t r y | p r o g r a m m e

w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u4 take-off july 2010

Ale

xey M

ikheyev

body of the engine if rotor parts disintegrate.

Fragments should only be able to exit via the

nozzle rearwards and partially to forwards.

The blade strip is performed at the maximum

rpm of the fan rotor, i.e. about 6,800 rpm,

by means of exploding the blade’s root”,

commented Georgy Konyukhov, Saturn

deputy Director General and chief designer

of the SaM146 programme.

The SaM146 prototype passed the test.

The results produced indicate that only

one fan blade was stripped, engine fitting

disintegration and subsequent fire was avoided

and the fuel cut-out was switched off 15 sec

after the blade strip as designed.

The SaM146 certification programme

was crowned with the medium-sized bird

ingestion test on Prototype No. 001/02, held

at the open-air test facility in Poluyevo on

26 May. The test was a success. It proved the

operability and controllability of the engine

in case of virtually simultaneous ingestion of

four birds weighing 0.7 kg.

According to PowerJet, the total hours

logged by all of the SaM146 prototypes as

of the completion of the certification trials

accounted for 7,100 h, including about

3,500 h onboard a flying test-bed and SSJ100

prototypes.

Meanwhile, the SSJ100 itself has passed

another phase of its certification tests. The

Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company (SCAC)

completed a series of experiments on

protecting the plane’s engines from runway

water ingestion. The tests took place at the

airfield of Gromov LII in late May and early

June 2010. A special pool measuring 70 m

long and up to 40 mm deep was set up on the

runway to this end. The SSJ100 c/n 95003

performed 27 runs with the use of the pool,

using all combinations of speeds all the way

to 275 km/h and engine operating modes,

including the take-off mode and maximum

thrust reversal.

The tests proved that water does not get

into the engines and auxiliary power unit

when the aircraft is moving on the wet runway

and the air data system sensors and airframe

air-intake and drainage openings operate well

when moving through the mantle of water.

In addition, the aircraft’s stability was being

gauged during its travel via the pool, and the

tests showed that the aircraft remains stable

and easily controllable by an average-skills

pilot all the way up to 275 km/h on a runway

stretch covered with a thick layer of water.

Three SSJ100 prototypes are being used

under the certification flight tests now, namely

c/n 95003, 95004 and 95005. The latter first

flew in Komsomolsk-on-Amur on 4 February

2010 and has been undergoing trials at Sukhoi

Civil Aircraft’s flight test facility in Zhukovsky

since 12 April, having been ferried to the

Moscow Region. The prototype is being used

for testing the whole of the SSJ100’s avionics

suite and fire-suppressant and neutral gas

system and, together with aircraft c/n 95004,

for testing the reliability of onboard systems.

Prototype 95004 first flew on 25 July 2009.

Late in February this year, SSJ No. 95004

passed a special series of tests in the extremely

low ambient temperature environment in

Yakutiya, after which it continued its avionics

tests, including those in the course of Category

CAT I and CAT II landings.

The second flying prototype (c/n 95003) has

flown since 24 December 2008. The very first

flying prototype of the SuperJet , c/n 95001,

performed its maiden flight on 19 May 2008

and completed its chunk of the certification

programme in late December 2009, having

logged a total of over 700 flying hours on

280 sorties. Overall, by the early June, the

four flying Sukhoi SuperJet 100 prototypes

had completed more than 700 sorties, having

logged upwards of 1,500 flying hours.

In addition to the four flying prototypes, the

certification programme includes two ground-

test prototypes. Prototype c/n 95002 has been

subjected to static tests at TsAGI since January

2007. It has passed the phase of the operating

load volume tests. Prototype c/n 95006 has

been undergoing endurance trials in SibNIA

(Novosibirsk) since November 2008. To

get a type certificate from IAC’s Aircraft

Registry, the prototype has to perform 6,000

‘lab flights’, of which about 5,000 have been

completed by this summer. When the first

phase of the tests is over, the endurance trials

of Prototype No. 95006 in Novosibirsk will

have continued until the plane’s full service

life is proven.

The completion of the SSJ100 certification

programme and issuance of its type certificate

by IAC’s Aircraft Registry are slated for this

autumn, while the EASA certification for

2011, when production-standard Sukhoi

SuperJet 100 deliveries to the launch foreign

customers may begin.

Aeroflot and Armavia are to become the

launch customers for the SSJ100 in Russia

and the CIS in late 2010. The first three

production aircraft (c/n 95007, 95008 and

95009) are to be delivered to them before

year-end. The first of the three has been

given power supply in the final assembly shop

of Sukhoi Civil Aircraft in Komsomolsk-on-

Amur in April and two were in the final stages

of assembly. The fourth production SSJ100

(c/n 95010) had its airframe and wing mated

in April, with the airframe of the fourth

airliner being fitted with systems. Overall,

14 production aircraft (c/n up to 95020) were

in different stages of assembly as of April

2010, of which five were in the SCAC’s final

assembly shop. The plan for 2010 stipulates

delivery of the first three production SSJ100s,

with as many as 20 units slated for delivery in

2011. Then, the annual output rate is to grow

up to 42 aircraft a year in 2012, up to 58 in

2013 and up to 70 in 2014. As of summer

2010, SCAC had 122 firm orders for the

Sukhoi SuperJet 100.

Ale

xey M

ikh

eyev

NP

O S

atu

rn

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5 take-off july 2010w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u

take-off july 2010 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u

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

6

A full-scale mockup of the

upgraded Mil Mi-34S1 light piston-

engine helicopter became the central

exhibit of the Russian Helicopters

company at the HeliRussia 2010

air show that took place in Moscow

in late May. Resuming full-scale

production of the helicopter is the

main effort of the holding company

in the light helicopter field.

“A lot has been accomplished

recently,” says Dmitry Rodin, Russian

Helicopters programme manager for

resuming production and improving

the Mi-34S1 multipurpose helicopter.

“We are productionising it now. A

general schedule has been approved,

all subcontractors have drawn up

their plans on particular assemblies

and units, and preparation of the

production floors has been either

completed or is being completed. The

design documentation plan has been

made into page, a cabin interior has

been chosen, and financial matters

have been adjusted and specified.”

“In addition to purely business

targets, we are pursuing an important

strategic objective of ours as part of

the Mi-34S1 production resumption –

to win a place in a global niche

of light helicopters,” believes Dmitry

Rodin. “Three to five more years of

delays, and it will be impossible for

Russia to do so.” Currently about

1,000 light helicopters are sold in the

world annually, with 80% of them

built by the Robinson company. “After

having promoted the Mi-34S1 on the

market for two to three years, it is

quite possible to attain a 15% slice

of the market in the near future,”

explains Mr. Rodin. “It would not

have made sense for us to resume

production of the Mi-34S1 without a

well-grounded plan on its significant

full-rate production, rather than piece

manufacture”.

Currently, the baseline Mi-34S1

with the simplest avionics suite costs

$500,000 to Russian customers while

its main rival, the Robinson R44, sells

in Russia for no less than $580,000.

However, according to Russian

Helicopters estimates, the Mi-34S1

will surpass the Robinson not only in

terms of price. For this purpose, the

Russian manufacturer has analyzed

the relevant demands of potential

customers, used the advanced more

capable 375-hp M9FV engine, and

is working on replacement of some

of the equipment and assemblies

with more up-to-date ones allowing

higher performance and a longer

assigned life.

All of the helicopter design

documents have been digitised.

In accordance with the time

plan for the period up to 2012,

subcontractors are actively

restarting the production of

assemblies, because the eight-year

cease in production necessitates

radical renovation of the production

facilities and equipment. The

main subcontractors under the

programme include the Arsenyev-

based Progress aircraft company

(fuselage, main and tail rotor

blades, general assembly), SMPP

company (main and tail rotor

hubs, swash plate), Reduktor-PM

company (main and tail rotor

reduction gearboxes, transmission

shafts), Voronezh Mechanical Plant

(engine). AeroTaxi Service (Russia)

and EDAG (Germany) develop

various variants of the cabin interior.

Proposals concerning instruments,

made by the Ulyanovsk Instrument

Manufacturing Design Bureau and

Tranzas Avionics company, are

under consideration. In total, the

Mi-34S1 programme provides for

three variants of cabin instruments

ranging from the simplest and

cheapest ‘steam-gauge’-type

ones to ‘glass cockpit’ one at the

customer’s choice.

Dmitry Rodin said at the exhibition

that the first flying prototype of

the Mi-34S1 was scheduled for

display at the MAKS 2011 air

show in August next year. Its serial

production is planned for late 2011

or early 2012.

The second stage of the

programme provides for building

a variant named Mi-34S2 Sapsan

powered by a turboshaft powerplant.

This is a more resource-intensive

and longer-term task to accomplish,

since it needs not only installation

of a new engine (the French-made

450–500 hp Arrius-2 has been

approved for it in the end not

long ago), but the development

and productionising of a new

reduction gearbox. A helicopter

powered by a gas-turbine engine

will enter a different market sector

with different pricing policies and

different rivals of greater number.

The Sapsan can become the first

Russian-made helicopter powered

by a gas-turbine engine in the FAR

27 class and will be able to stand

its ground against its rivals from

Robinson (R66), Eurocopter, Bell

and MD in terms of characteristics.

Mi-34S1: Robinson a la russe

Yevg

eny Y

ero

khin

Yevg

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ero

khin

take-off july 2010w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u 7

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

United Engine Corporation (UEC) is the leading Russian industrial group in production of engines

for aviation, launch vehicles,electric energy sector and gas pumping.

United Engine Corporation is a part and a subsidiary of United Industrial Corporation Oboronprom.

UEC integrated more than 80% of assetsof the Russian aviation engine-building industry.

take-off july 2010 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u

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

8

The exposition of the MMPP Salut

company at international air shows

traditionally attracts keen interest.

The Engines 2010 exhibition that

took place in Moscow in April was

not an exception. Curiosity was

roused by the decision announced

on the first day of the exhibition

concerning Salut’s Yuri Yeliseyev’s

appointment as Deputy Director

General of the United Engine Corp.

(UEC) JSC: does it mean that the

next step is integration of the Salut

company and the Federal Scientific

and Production Centre, which has

been founded on its premises, into

UEC? However, Yuri Yeliseyev not

only left open the possibility for

the situation developing this way,

but also made a special emphasis

that he did not anticipate negative

consequences either for the

companies in particular, for the

Russian engine-making industry as

a whole. “I have never had any

doubt that the fifth-generation

engine can be developed only in

close cooperation among various

Russian industrial companies,” Yuri

Yeliseyev told a Take-off magazine

correspondent.

It is apparent that the confidence

has turned to reality: agreement has

been reached that UEC and Salut

Federal Scientific And Production

Centre will co-develop the engine,

with finance shares of 55% and 45%

respectively. “We have arranged for

the money to be shared among the

participants as soon as it comes,”

said the Salut leader. However,

according to Yuri Yeliseyev, the

participants have already closed the

issue of sharing the work on some

engine components (approximately

50/50), though it remains to be seen

who will work out the philosophy

of the new engine for the PAK FA.

“There are two variants,” says Yuri

Yeliseyev, “an engine from Saturn

based on the AL-41 engine and

Salut’s offer – a brand-new engine

developed from scratch”.

After the initial decision to have the

engine developed for the PAK FA by

NPO Saturn out of competition had

been canceled, there was a tender

issued, with two stages having been

passed by now. At the first stage,

Saturn and Salut had presented

certain details of the future engine by

November 2008, and the second one,

which was completed in June 2009,

required a demonstration of complete

assemblies. “There are the findings of

the committee on Saturn’s engine,”

emphasizes Yuri Yeliseyev, “stating

that we have done the job as well as

anyone abroad would do, at the least.

The results of our job done have been

recommended for use in the designing

of the fifth-generation engine”.

However, the third stage of the

tender that was supposed to start

in the third quarter of 2009 has

never been started yet. Taking

into account the statements about

the work sharing between UEC

and Salut, the stage may well be

cancelled or performed by the

announced co-developers within

the corporation. However, Salut

has already submitted a conceptual

design of the engine pronounced by

the 30th Central Research Institute

of the Russian Defence Ministry and

Central Research Institute of Aero

Engine-building (TsIAM) as meeting

the requirements specification. “The

results indicate that we can guarantee

compliance with the requirements

specification”, says Yuri Yeliseyev.

According to Yuri Yeliseyev,

the design bureau of Salut could

make a major contribution to the

development of such elements of the

fifth-generation engine, as the low-

pressure compressor, combustion

chamber, high-pressure turbine,

all-aspect thrust vector control

nozzle that has logged 800 hours,

and control system used in the

AL-31F-M2 engine.

Meanwhile, one of the most

important fields the Salut operates

in is the improving of the engines

of the AL-31F family. According to

Yuri Yeliseyev, the purpose of the

improvement is an aspiration “to

stick it out on the market”.

At the first stage of the upgrade, the

designers succeeded in increasing

the thrust of the AL-31F-M1 variant

by 1,000 kgf to 13,500 kgf and

in extending the time between

overhauls from 500 to 1,000 hours

and the specified life from 1,500

to 2,000 hours. In December 2006,

the engine passed its official tests

and was productionised as AL-31F

Series 42. According to Salut’s

head, a regiment of upgraded

Sukhoi Su-27SM fighters has been

equipped with the engines of the

type since April 2007, and the results

of their use are positive. In the future,

Sukhoi Su-34 tactical bombers will

be equipped with AL-31F Series 42

engines, too. The tests displayed

that the use of the upgraded engine

has increased the rate of climb,

payload and service ceiling of the

aircraft by more than 1 km and

reduced its life cycle cost, which

has resulted in a 10–15% increase

in the combat effectiveness of the

aircraft. According to Yuri Yeliseyev,

the programme is being financed

perfectly under the governmental

defence procurement programme,

and the government has started

advancing money for the AL-31F

Series 42 delivery programme to

fit new Su-27SMs. Deliveries of

engines of the type to fit Su-34s are

expected to kick off in 2011.

The next version, the AL-31F-M2

with a thrust of 14,500 kgf, is being

bench-tested now (in particular,

a trust of 14,600 kgf has already

been achieved) to be followed by

the emerging AL-31F-M3 capable

of a thrust of 15,000 kgf. The most

important thing is that all of the

Salut-developed AL-31F upgrades

are interchangeable and can easily

be installed on the Su-27 family’s

aircraft with the existing air intakes.

“Thus, we can achieve two goals –

to increase the thrust-to-weight ratio

of the Su-27 family and introduce

elements of the fifth-generation

engine into production aircraft”,

says Yuri Yeliseyev. For instance,

the AL-31F-M1 version is equipped

with an improved low-pressure

compressor, the AL-31F-M2 with an

advanced combustion chamber and

a turbine, and the AL-31F-M3 with

a drastically novel three-stage low-

pressure compressor. Moreover, the

AL-31F upgrade is being paid for

by Salut out of pocket, and the

AL-31FN has found a niche for itself

on the Chinese market to equip J-10

fighters.

UEC and Salut shared fifth-generation engine

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10

A prominent position at the joint

stand of the United Engine Corporation

(UEC) during the Engines 2010 show

in Moscow in April was occupied by

the display of the Moscow-based

Chernyshev company exhibiting two

of its engines – the RD-33MK turbofan

and TV7-117SM turboprop.

The RD-33MK’s full-scale

production by Chernyshev using

the Klimov joint stock company’s

drafts has been underway since

2007. Compared to the production-

standard RD-33, the RD-33MK

has a 700-kgf increase in thrust,

which totals 9,000 kgf in full

afterburner, and a far longer

service life, while having the same

dimensions and virtually the same

weight. The engine is equipped

with a digital automatic control

system, an advanced low-pressure

compressor, an improved high-

pressure compressor, an enhanced-

cooling turbine and a sophisticated

smokeless combustor.

Chernyshev Director General

Alexander Novikov told Take-off

that the company had made and

delivered 28 RD-33MK engines by

April this year to fit the MiG-29K/

KUB fighters delivered to India under

the contract awarded in 2004. The

remaining eight engines under the

deal are slated for delivery this

year. However, a contract for 29

more MiG-29K/KUB fighters for the

Indian Navy was signed on 12 March

2010 during Russian President

Vladimir Putin’s visit to India. Hence,

Chernyshev landed an order for

about 60 RD-33MKs more.

In addition, the company is gearing

up for delivery of engines of the type

to fit the MiG-29K/KUB aircraft the

Russian Navy is going to order in the

near future, too. Alexander Novikov

estimates the volume of the contract

at 58 RD-33MKs. He said that the

Russian Defence Ministry had not

ordered new engines from Chernyshev

but there had been positive changes

recently, with the company having

delivered 12 RD-33 series 3 engines

to the Russian Air Force for use as

backups for the MiG-29SMT fighters

adopted by RusAF for service in 2009.

The first RD-33MKs are to be made

for the Russian Defence Ministry late

this year.

It is also important that the

RD-33MK is part of the powerplant

of the Gen. 4+ MiG-35 fighter

competing in the Indian Air Force

MMRCA tender for 126 medium

multirole fighters. RusAF is going

to order the MiG-35 too. In addition,

Chernyshev exports the RD-33’s low-

mounted accessory gearbox version,

the RD-93, to China to power the

FC-1 (JH-17) fighters. The first

contract for 100 RD-93 for China is

to be fulfilled this year, according to

Alexander Novikov. The Chernyshev

chief estimates the total output rate

of RD-33-family turbofans in the

coming six year at 360 units.

The Motor Sich joint stock

company, previously a manufacturing

plant, has been repeatedly trying its

hand at developing aircraft engines

of late. The company’s ambitions in

this field have been highlighted by the

emergence of the MS abbreviation

in the designations of aircraft

engines. One of the first products

from Motor Sich was the AI-450-MS

auxiliary powerplant derived from the

Ivchenko-Progress AI-450 turboshaft

engine to power the An-148 regional

airliner. The next step has been the

advanced MS-500V helicopter engine

with a takeoff power of 630 hp (710

hp in the emergency power rating

for 2.5 min at +15°C). Motor Sich is

developing the engine, building on

its experience in productionising the

AI-450. The new engine will be much

more powerful than the AI-450. For

instance, its power in cruising mode

at +35°C will be 450 hp with a specific

power consumption of 0.294 g/hp·hr

and 630 hp in continuous power

mode at +35°C with a fuel burn of

0.260 g/hp·hr. The MS-500V’s dry

weight will be 140 kg.

The MS-500V is supposed to be

used, among other things, as part

of the powerplant of the Ansat light

multipurpose helicopter from Kazan

Helicopters, which is now powered by

the Pratt&Whitney Canada turboshafts.

The Russian-made Ansat is not only

popular with foreign customers, but

acquired by Russian companies and

the military as well. The Russian Air

Force took delivery of the first six

Ansat-U trainers last year. Therefore,

Motor Sich proposes the production

of the engines to power them should

be launched in Russia. According

to Motor Sich President Vyacheslav

Boguslayev, the MS-500V production

could be launched by the Kazan Engine

Production Association (KMPO) that

has cooperated with its Zaporozhye

counterpart, Motor Sich, before.

Chernyshev steps up RD-33MK production

Motor Sich proposes MS-500V construction in Russia

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

EXPERIENCE & INNOVATION

Welcome to Hall 1, Russian Pavilion, D-17at Farnborough 2010, 19-25 July

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Late in June, the Mil Helicopter Plant

held a mock-up review of an upgraded

helicopter design given the in-house

designation Mi-171M. It is symbolical

that the actual kick-off of the programme

on the upgrade of a most popular

medium helicopter in the world took

place on the verge of an anniversary:

35 years since the maiden flight of the

Mi-8MT, later designated as Mi-17, will

be marked in August 2010. The Mi-8/17

is the world’s most widespread Russian-

built helicopter produced by two

manufacturers – the Kazan Helicopters

(Mi-8MTV-1, Mi-8MTV-5, Mi-17-1V,

Mi-17V-5, Mi-172) and Ulan-Ude Aviation

Plant (Mi-8AMT, Mi-171). We asked Mil’s

Designer General Alexey Samusenko

to shed light on the key approaches to

upgrading the machine.

The current upgrade of the truly world-famous Mi-8 helicopter family was announced as far back as last year, during the HeliRussia 2009 helicopter show. What is the status of the programme now?

Indeed, we began to devise a programme

on a heavy upgrade of the Mi-8 family’s

helicopters last year, having been given the

green light by the Russian Helicopters holding

company. We believe the time has come for a

radical improvement of the characteristics of

the helicopter. To date, the development of an

upgraded Mi-8 variant is high on the priority

list of the prime developer of Mil helicopters,

the Mil Helicopter Plant.

We stake on the baseline Mi-171, whose

upgraded version has been dubbed Mi-171M

tentatively and will be re-designated as

Mi-171A2 once it has been certificated. The

first Mi-171M prototype is to be made by the

Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant in 2011. We expect

the development work, tests and certification

of the new helicopter to be completed prior to

late 2012, with the Ulan-Ude plant to launch

its full-scale production in 2013.

Now, the engineering and performance

specification have been devised under the

upgrade programme. A mock-up review has

been held recently to consider the preliminary

design of the future machine. The programme

is planned to be phased, and virtually all of

the helicopter’s components to be upgraded

in the end.

What will be features of the upgraded helicopter?

The new helicopter will feature cutting-edge

design solutions refined on the Mi-28N and

Mi-38 helicopters. Overall, the Mi-8 upgrade

is aimed at enhancing the aircraft’s technical

and economic characteristics and expanding

its operating envelope. Over 80 innovations

are to be introduced to the machine.

As to the key upgrade approaches, the

airframe dimensions is to increase, the

rotor system is to be modernised through

introducing composite rotor blades and

modified main rotor hub. In addition, the

advanced X-shaped tail rotor is going to be

made of composites too.

The Mi-171M’s powerplant will comprise

two VK-2500 engines rated 2,400 hp at

take-off and 2,700 hp in emergency power

conditions. The TA-14 or Czech-made Safir

will serve as the auxiliary power unit. The

main reduction gearbox is slated for testing

for the ability to operate for 30 min without

lubricants and to transfer 2,400 hp from a

single engine. The air intakes will be fitted

with more efficient dust filters featuring an air

purification degree of 95%.

An advanced, more streamlined cockpit

transparency is to be introduced. The

upgrade also will cover the hydraulic and

power supply systems and other helicopter

equipment. The fuel tanks will be modified

and the fuel system capacity will increase

up to 3,400 litres, with the supply tank and

combustion units under the cabin floor to be

discarded.

The improvements will extend the maximal

range to 1,200 km and enable the helicopter

to fly at a cruising speed of 265 km/h, with its

maximal speed to be 280 km/h. The machine’s

static ceiling is to account for 4,000 m and the

service ceiling for 6,000 m. The -50/+50°C

operating temperature bracket will enable the

helicopter to operate in various climes. The

machine will be maintained on-condition,

with the service life of the basic units to grow

up to 12,000 h, time between overhauls up to

3,000 h and the helicopter’s service life up to

30 years.

Composites have been introduced to aircraft on an ever-increasing scale of late. You have mentioned that the blades of the main and tail rotors would be made of them. What is the share of composites in the new machine going to be?

Mi-171M new life of venerable helicopter

13 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u take-off july 2010

As you realise, any aircraft requires a

reasonable combination of structural weight

and structural strength to ensure its sortie

rate. The art of designer consists in optimising

these parameters. However, this cat won’t

jump unless advanced materials, sophisticated

calculation techniques and cutting-edge

design solutions are used. Time dictates its

rules.

For this very reason, priority is given to

composites during aircraft development,

and the Mil Helicopter Plant applies such

innovations on a large scale. Back to your

question. We estimate the upgraded Mi-8 to

comprise a total of 20–30% of composite

parts and units.

How will the upgrade influence the machine’s lifting capacity?

The basic weight characteristics of the

upgraded helicopter will remain the same,

namely: the normal take-off weight will

remain 11 t and the maximum take-off weight

will be 13 t with the weight of under-slung

cargo standing at 5 t. However, we have plans

to increase the payload volume of the cabin

and develop two variants of the rear section of

the cabin. One will have a clamshell doors and

the other a loading ramp. The customer will

decide which he prefers.

In addition, the cargo cabin will be able to

be converted to the passenger one, in which

case it will seat 21 passengers.

Would you tell our readers about the planned upgrade of the avionics suite? Will the upgraded helicopter differ from its predecessors radically in this respect?

I would like to stress that we are going

to fit the machine with a drastically novel

avionics suite, the so-called glass cockpit,

and introduce automatic monitoring of

the systems’ parameters, which will reduce

flight planning time and the in-flight

workload on the crew. Automated controls

and up-to-date navaids and comms will

allow a crewmember reduction from three

to two, with the Mi-171M to be flown by

two pilots. The flight mechanic will remain

as a crewmember but will no longer be part

of the aircraft control loop.

Owing to the above, the cockpit layout

will be modified as far as the controls

of the systems are concerned. The latter

will become more accessible and easier to

use. The LCDs used in the glass cockpit

offers huge opportunities for displaying any

information – graphics, video, etc. Such

displays are both reliable and have virtually

an unlimited service life and a far lighter

weight compared with electromechanical

instruments.

Overall, I would like to emphasise that the

introduction of the PKV-171 digital flight

control system and multifunction avionics

will meet the latest standards.

Are a weather radar and night vision systems going to be introduced?

Yes, we are going to fit the upgraded

helicopter with a weather radar as well as a

surveillance station and a night vision system.

Whom do you see as the launch customer for the upgraded helicopter? The Defence Ministry?

No, we work on a commercial machine

so far. However, a version of the Mi-171M

may be of interest, say, to the Russian

Emergencies Ministry and Ministry of

Interior, in which case we would fit the

machine with relevant gear.

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What is your view of the state of affairs in helicopter-type UAV development as a whole and what urgent tasks are facing the Russian Helicopters joint stock company in this sphere?

Helicopter-type UAV development is a

new line of work in the UAV field, which

has been evolving fast over the past 5 to 10

years. Vertical take-off and landing (VTOL)

systems used lag behind aeroplane-type

UAVs due to their greater complexity and

problems with automatic control system

development. Several countries have resolved

those problems and been working hard on

developing VTOL UAVs. Some US and

European programmes have produced good

results (Boeing’s YMQ-18 Hummingbird,

an unmanned variant of the Kaman K-Max

helicopter, Northrop Grumman MQ-8B Fire

Scout, Schiebel S-100 Camcopter, etc.), with

unmanned helicopter development being in

full swing in some other countries as well.

Development of an aircraft as an

unmanned system platform is easy to Russian

Helicopters in technical terms. The principal

problem is to get reliable automatic control

system and develop its operating algorithms.

It is this technical task that is high on our

priority list. It also is important to ensure

reconfiguration of the control system in case

of a failure and backing it up as well.

What is going to be done in the coming two to three years specifically?

The Russian Helicopters joint stock

company is ready to launch development of

several unmanned helicopter systems next

year, if there are relevant orders, on which we

count very much. The company has launched

a research programme of its own, dubbed

Outlining the technical characteristics of a

medium-range unmanned helicopter system.

The programme provides for development of

a prototype system ensuring the automatic

operating mode for the unmanned

helicopter under a preset programme. The

research programme is designed to hash

out the characteristics of the automatic

control system exercising automatic control

throughout the flight, including creation of a

mathematical model and control algorithms

and an operating prototype as well.

The Patrul light helicopter developed in

the city of Kumertau has been selected as

the baseline platform for the flying test-

In recent years, the Russian Helicopters

joint stock company has repeatedly

displayed at international shows various

helicopter-type unmanned aerial vehicles

ranging from light to heavy ones. Models

of the future Mi-34BP heavy unmanned

helicopter (a derivative of the Mi-34S1),

MRVK future robotised helicopter

system based on the technical solutions

embodied in the future Mi-X1 high-speed

helicopter, and several designs from the

Kamov company, including the Ka-37

and Ka-137 developed as far back as

the ‘90s were exhibited many times.

This month full-size mock-ups of the

future helicopter-type UAVs – the Ka-135

and Korshun – were unveiled during

the Unmanned Multipurpose Vehicle

Systems 2010 show held as part of

the Machinebuilding Technologies

2010 forum from 30 June to 4 July this

year. These are two of the four basic

helicopter-type UAVs that are high on

the priority list of Russian Helicopters

company. On the eve of the show,

Take-off Editor Yevgeny Yerokhin

met Gennady Bebeshko, Unmanned

Helicopter Systems programme manager

of the Russian Helicopters JSC, and

asked him to elaborate on the status of

the helicopter-type UAV development

in Russia and the plans of the Russian

Helicopters in this field.

UNMANNED RUSSIAN HELICOPTERS

Ka-117 (left) and Ka-135

Korshun

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15 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u take-off july 2010

bed designed to test the automatic control

system, ground control system and mission

payload. The Russian Helicopters holding

company pays for the work out of pocket.

The preparations are being completed,

and plans are being coordinated with the

subcontractors selected.

Unfortunately, non-military organisations

are in no rush to finance the development but

are ready to buy ready UAVs once they have

been developed.

When the efforts go into the R&D

stage, Russian Helicopters is to select

subcontractors operating in the fields of

engine, instrument, radio-technical, radar

and composites development to tackle all

aspects of the unmanned helicopter system

development.

What is the current VTOL UAV line from Russian Helicopters made of? What programmes are priorities?

The Russian Helicopters company has

limited itself to four baseline types of aircraft

intended to ensure a competitive offer on the

global market. Since the work is underway

for uniformed services in the first place and

based on analysis, nature and peculiarities of

the missions to be handled by VTOL UAVs,

the future family will comprise advanced

systems designed for recce, attack, transport,

relay and special-purpose missions.

The short-range VTOL UAV class will be

represented by the 300-kg Ka-135 unmanned

helicopter system with a range of 100 km. It

is going to be a cutting-edge coaxial-rotor

piston-engine UAV with a ski-type landing

gear.

Two aircraft are being considered for the

medium-range VTOL UAV niche. One is

the Korshun, a Patrul helicopter derivative

weighing 500 kg and having the 300 km

range and 100 kg payload. The other is

a heavier Ka-117 with a flight weight of

1,500 kg, a payload of 500 kg and a range

of 400–500 km. It will be a multirole

unmanned helicopter system capable of a

wide range of tactical missions.

The basic long-range aircraft will be

the Ka-126BV – an unmanned single-

engine derivative of the Ka-226 helicopter,

weighing 3,500 kg and operating out to

1,000 km.

All of these UAVs will be dual-purpose

and capable of as many diverse missions

as possible. There are to be three or four

detachable modular payloads. The design

modularity of the baseline VTOL UAVs

and detachable payloads, coupled with

automated pre-flight preparation gear,

minimises such important characteristics

as assembly of the UAV from the travelling

configuration to the operational one, pre-

flight preparation time and time between

flights.

What about the Mi-34BP, MRVK and other designs displayed at air shows? You also have not mentioned short-range lightweight VTOL UAVs.

We can offer various unmanned

helicopters, including those that has not

been part of the VTOL UAV family yet, those

to feature characteristics requested by the

customer. However, to reduce development

risks, costs and time, it makes sense to

develop unmanned helicopters being based

on the existing manned helicopters.

As for short-range VTOL UAVs able to

fly out to 25 km, we deem it impractical

to develop them now, because battlefield

and tactical-level recce missions can be

accomplished by aeroplane-configuration

UAVs in a more effective and cheaper

manner.

Kamov Ka-135 short-range

UAV developed in 300 kg

class which full-scale

mockup was unveiled at

UVS Tech 2010 exhibition in

late June 2010

Medium-range 500kg-class Korshun UAV

derived in Kumertau from Patrul light helicopter

also debuted in a form of full-scale mockup at

UVS Tech 2010 exhibition in late June 2010

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Production-standard machines

joined the official test programme of

the Kamov Ka-52 advanced multirole

combat helicopter this spring. The

first three of them serialled 51, 52 and

53 were built by the Progress aircraft

company in Arsenyev last year and,

following debugging and ground tests

by Kamov out of Moscow, were ferried

in March to the Russian Air Force’s

Army Aviation Combat and Conversion

Training Centre (CCTC) in Torzhok for

further tests. The machines were used

in the preparations for the Victory Day

parade, and one of them, No 53, flew

over Red Square in Moscow on 9

May 2010 along with a pre-production

Ka-52 (No. 063).

Three prototype and preproduction

machines have been involved in the

Ka-52 official test programme until

recently. The first flying prototype

(serial 061) was built by Kamov as far

back as 1996 and then has undergone

several phases of upgrade. The

second prototype Ka-52 serialled 062

was made by Progress two years ago

and flew its maiden sortie on 27 June

2008. The preproduction machine

(serial 063) took off in Arsenyev in

October 2008.

On 26 December 2008, the

Flight Test Complex of the Russian

Helicopters joint stock company in

Chkalovsky, Moscow Region, hosted

the final phase of the enlarged meeting

of the governmental committee

considering the outcome of the official

trials of the advanced Mi-28N and

Ka-52 combat aircraft and Ansat-U

trainer. The committee resolved that

the Ka-52 prototypes had passed

another stage of its official trials.

This allowed the tentative conclusion

recommending the manufacturing of

a low-rate initial production batch to

be issued.

In January last year, Progress

company Director General Yuri

Denisenko said three more Ka-52s of

the LRIP batch were being assembled

at the moment and slated for delivery

before the end of the year. “We need

to obtain a positive conclusion as to

the Ka-52’s official trials and launch

full-scale production in late 2009”,

Denisenko said then. He had said

earlier that an agreement had been

reached on delivery of a total of

approx 30 Ka-52s to the Russian

Defence Ministry.

Progress built 10 helicopters for

the Russian Defence Ministry in 2009,

according to the 1 March 2010 official

report by the Russian Helicopters

JSC on the results produced by the

Russian helicopter-making industry

in 2009. Apparently, three of them

are the above-mentioned early

production Ka-52s. In all probability,

the remaining seven machines are

the Ka-52s that were being completed

and tested in Arsenyev.

Far Eastern news agency

PrimaMedia reported in February

this year that the manufacturer’s

plan for 2010 made provision for

building seven Ka-52s, because

“the company made a commitment

to deliver about 25 Ka-52 Alligator

helicopters to the Russian Army.

The aircraft maker’s gain from

selling seven helicopters and Moskit

antiship missiles in 2010 alone is

to account for 8 billion rubles (over

$250 million)”.

The Ka-52 also features good

exportability. The RIA Novosti news

agency has quoted the Progress

plant’s Director General as saying that

three foreign countries had ordered

the Ka-52. For example, according to

the media, the acquisition of Ka-52

helicopters was high on the agenda

during Libyan Defence Minister Abu-

Baqr Younis Jaber’s visit to Russia

in late January 2010. Early deals on

exporting the Ka-52 might be clinched

before year-end.

Production-standard Ka-52 undergo trials

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A most important result produced

last year by Russian combat helicopter

makers is the kick-off of the deliveries

of production-standard Mil Mi-28N

helicopters to the Russian Defence

Ministry.

According to the defence minister’s

spokesman talking to the media

about Anatoly Serdyukov’s visit to

the Rostvertol joint stock company

late last year, the company made

and delivered 10 production-standard

Mi-28N helicopters to the Russian Air

Force in 2009. Last spring, the first six

of them entered the inventory of the

independent helicopter regiment (now

dubbed air base) in Budyonnovsk, with

four more machines following suit a

bit later (the side numbers of the ten

ranged from 01 to 10).

According to the Kommersant

daily, RusAF ordered almost 50

Mi-28Ns that could be fielded with

line units in the coming years. The

Armed Forces requirements in the

Mi-28N are estimated at 300 aircraft.

In addition, talks with a number of

foreign countries are under way.

Experts name Algeria and Venezuela

as the most probable foreign launch

customers for Mi-28NE helicopters.

By the way Mi-28NE is now taking

part in a tender for 22 combat

helicopters announced by Indian

ministry of Defence.

At the same time with

productionising the Mi-28N, a further

upgrade programme of the helicopter

has been launched in support of both

the domestic customer and potential

foreign buyers. Under the programme,

the machine will be fitted with more

effective cutting-edge avionics and

weapons.

The advanced Yakovlev Yak-130

combat trainer aircraft made its

debut at the Victory Day parade

in Moscow on 9 May 2010. The

Russian Air Force recently started

receiving the aircraft of the type.

Four Yak-130s jointly flew over Red

Square in a parade air formation

with an Il-78M aerial tanker and two

Su-24M tactical bombers.

As is known, under the launch

order of the Russian Defence Ministry

for 12 aircraft, the first production-

standard Yak-130 (side number 90)

was produced by the Sokol aircraft-

building plant in Nizhny Novgorod

last year and performed its maiden

flight on 19 May 2009. It was handed

over to the Russian Air Force in

late July, actually still undergoing a

special test program.

Before the New Year, Sokol had

assembled two more production

aircraft and almost finished the work

on the fourth one. Delivery to the

Air Force started in February. The

Yak-130 serialled 91 was the first

aircraft of the type to be handed over

to the Lipetsk-based Combat and

Conversion Training Centre (CCTC)

of the Russian Air Force. On 18

February, it was ferried to Lipetsk

and received officially there. Less

than in a month, on 13 March, the

Yak-130 (side number 92) followed

suit, as the lead production aircraft

(side number 90) did later. In April,

the plant delivered the third aircraft

with side number 93. As Sokol

Director General Alexander Karezin

told in late May, the plant was to

execute the whole of launch order on

delivery of 12 aircraft before the end

of November this year.

Along with Sokol producing the

Yak-130 for the Russian Air Force,

the Irkut corporation’s Irkutsk

Aircraft Plant continues the full-rate

production of aircraft of the type

for the Algerian Air Force. The first

Yak-130 under the Algerian contract

for 16 aircraft was built in Irkutsk

in August 2009. Irkut plans to start

deliveries to Algeria this year and

finish it next year. In addition, it

became known in February that

the Irkut corporation had landed

another export contract for six Yak-

130s for the Libyan Air Force. The

first two of them are expected to

be sent there in 2011, with the four

remaining in 2012.

Mi-28 fielding under way

Air Force receives Yak-130s

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

The 558 Aircraft Repair Plant JSC is the

powerful enterprise which provides overhaul

and modernisation of modern aviation mate-

riel adopted by Belarusian Air Force and

many foreign countries. Constant improve-

ment of quality of repair, widening range of

services enables the 558 Aircraft Repair Plant

JSC to attract all new and new partners. The

geography of enterprise cooperation covers

a large number of countries in Africa, Asia,

South America.

Basis of production program of the 558

Aircraft Repair Plant is overhaul and mod-

ernisation of Su-27, MiG-29, Su-25, Su-17

(Su-22) combat aircraft and Mi-8 (Мi-17),

Mi-24 (Мi-35) helicopters. Besides, over-

haul of An-2 civil aircraft is provided. The

important direction of work of the Plant is

modernisation of aviation materiel of the

fourth generation. The 558 Aircraft Repair

Plant JSC is the only enterprise in Belarus,

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commercialw w w . t a ke - o f f . r u 19 take-off july 2010

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

GENERATION 5 RUSSIAN MOVE PAK FA UNDERGOING TESTS

The first flying prototype of the Sukhoi PAK FA Future Tactical Aircraft performed its maiden flight in Komsomolsk-on-Amur on

29 January 2010. It is a prototype of the T-50 aircraft developed by the Sukhoi company under the Russian fifth-generation fighter

development programme. According to Russian Premier Vladimir Putin speaking at a session of the government on that day,

aircraft of the type are to be issued to the Air Force Combat and Conversion Training Centre (CCTC) in Lipetsk in 2013, with combat

units to start accepting production PAK FA fighters starting from 2015.

Russia and the United States launched their fifth-generation fighter programmes almost three decades back. The US programme

resulted in the F-22A Raptor that has been in USAF inventory since 2005. Another US-built fifth-generation fighter, the lighter

F-35 Lightning II is to enter service a couple of years from now. In Russia, MiG Corp. and Sukhoi made their experimental fifth-

generation fighter prototypes – the MFI multirole fighter (1.44) and S-37 (Su-47) swept-forward wing demonstrator respectively – in

the mid-‘90s. The programmes were discontinued due to the dire economic situation in Russia at the time and a change to the

requirements to the aircraft of the type. However, about a decade ago, Sukhoi started the development of another fifth-generation

fighter embodying all of the latest advances of the Russian aircraft industry in terms of aircraft design, material science, technology,

powerplant, avionics and weaponry. The programme came on top in the Air Force-held tender and was given the green light in

2002. Having completed all phases of the development, Sukhoi managed to make three T-50 prototypes last year and kick off the

flight tests earlier this year. The flight trials have been running at the Zhukovsky airfield in the Moscow Region since April 2010.

On 17 June, the PAK FA was unveiled in flight to the media people covering the governmental delegation led by Prime Minister

Vladimir Putin. The demonstration flight on 17 June was the 16th mission of the T-50’s flight career.

Serg

ey K

uznets

ov

w w w . t a ke - o f f . r utake-off july 201020

Andrey FOMIN

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

21 take-off july 2010

flying ones, were slated for construction.

Interestingly, Sukhoi Director General

Mikhail Pogosyan said as far back as August

2005 that the flight test programme was

to start in 2009. The developer virtually

managed to remain on schedule, with the

prototype rolling out to the airfield and

starting its taxi runs in December 2009,

which is unprecedented for the present-day

Russian aircraft industry. This was achieved

owing to the effective organising of the

whole work by the prime contractor and, of

course, almost uninterrupted financing of

the programme.

Maiden flight

Three prototypes of the advanced fighter

had been under construction at KnAAPO

by early last year. Summer 2009 saw the

completion of the static test airframe of the

so-called Prototype Zero (T50-0) and its

handover to the Sukhoi design bureau. Two

more prototypes were to be finished soon.

One, which was dubbed ‘integrated full-scale

testbed’ (T50-KNS), was intended for ground

tests of basic aircraft systems – the advanced

KSU-50 integrated flight control system,

new powerplant of two engines designated

as Item 117, and hydraulic, electrical, fuel

and other systems in the first place. Actually,

the T50-KNS had virtually the same design

and onboard systems as the subsequent flying

prototypes had. Having been fitted with the

organic powerplant, the aircraft began its

shop tests and airfield runs last autumn.

It is the plane that performed the first taxi

runs at KnAAPO’s airfield on 23 December

2009, which became the key landmark on the

way to the PAK FA’s first flight. Test pilot

Sergey Bogdan tested all onboard systems of

the T50-KNS all the way to deploying the

drogue chutes at the end of the runway, with

all operating like clockwork.

The first flying prototype, the T50-1, was

assembled soon after the T50-KNS. Ground

tests of the systems with the use of the T50-1

began last autumn too. KnAAPO’s and the

Sukhoi design bureau’s teams worked on it

virtually round the clock, with a short break

taken for a couple of day only to celebrate

the New Year Day.

The T50-1 was rolled out of the assembly

shop in January, and Sergey Bogdan used it

to make taxi runs on 21 January 2010. On

the same day, there was the first flight of the

Su-27M No 710 flying testbed at Gromov

LII’s airfield in the Moscow Region used

for testing the PAK FA’s powerplant. An

advanced Saturn 117 engine was mounted

on it instead of one of its organic AL-31Fs.

In line with the rules, the maiden flight of

the advanced aircraft powered by the new

powerplant had to be preceded by several

Russian fifth generation fighter: second try

Given the forecasted economic situation

in Russia in the early 21st century, a

decision was taken to develop the future

tactical fighter in the so-called medium

class. It was to wedge in between the

Mikoyan MiG-29 and Sukhoi Su-27 in

terms of dimensions; hence, its takeoff

weight was set at 20–22 t. It was to be able

to beat the F-35 and advanced Western

Gen. 4+ fighters, including their future

upgraded versions, and be on a par with the

F-22 at the least, while having the multirole

capability to handle most of the missions

facing a tactical fighter. A new platform

realising the so-called 3S principle (stealth,

supermanoeuvrability and supercruise)

inherent in fifth-generation planes and

cutting-edge integrated avionics and

weapons suites were to be developed.

Based on these requirements, the Defence

Ministry issued a tender in 2001 for the

development of the PAK FA aircraft, with

both traditional Russian fighter developers,

MiG Corp. and Sukhoi, competing.

Having scrutinised both proposals

and considered Sukhoi’s better financial

standing owing to its active Su-30MK-

family fighter exports, which proceeds

could be used for the fifth-generation

aircraft development along with direct

governmental financing, the Air Force

opted for its T-50 project. Thus, Sukhoi

was selected as prime contractor for the

PAK FA in April 2002 and launched the

designing of the new fighter. Alexander

Davidenko was appointed chief designer to

run the programme.

The PAK FA’s preliminary design was

completed and submitted for the customer

for approval in autumn 2004. The Air

Force approved it in December of the

same year. The next stage – the technical

design – was completed in 2006, after

which implementation engineering and

productionising preparations kicked off.

The manufacturer plant in Komsomolsk-

on-Amur was earmarked to build prototypes

and, further down the line, launch full-scale

production of the fifth-generation fighter.

A provision also was made that some of the

parts and units would be made by another

of Sukhoi’s subsidiaries, the Novosibirsk

Aircraft Production Association named

after Valery Chkalov (NAPO). Manufacture

of composite parts and panels (composites

are aplenty in the fighter’s design) was

assigned to the Technologiya company in

Obninsk, which Sukhoi had known well in

the wake of the S-37 (Su-47) programme.

Development and manufacture of systems

and bought-in components were handled

by a large number of subcontractors,

mostly the same that had been involved in

other Sukhoi programmes pertaining to the

Su-27 family (NPO Saturn and UMPO for

the powerplant, MNPK Avionika for the

flight control system, Tikhomirov-NIIP

and GRPZ for the AESA fire control radar,

UOMZ for the IRST, RPKB and Avionika

concern for the navigation suite, integrated

computer system and display systems,

Tactical Missiles Corp. for weapons

systems, etc.).

Manufacture of T-50 prototypes began

in 2007. Six prototypes, including four

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

w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u22 take-off july 2010 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u22 take-off july 2010

flight tests of a same-type engine on board

the flying testbed. On Saturday, 23 January,

Sergey Bogdan performed in Komsomolsk-

on-Amur several series of taxi runs and high-

speed runs on the first T-50, with the last of

the series wrapped up with accelerating to

the rotation speed and subsequent drogue

chute-retarded deceleration.

All was ready for the maiden flight,

but by tradition, it had to be cleared by

Gromov LII’s methodological council. The

council convened in Zhukovsky on Monday,

25 January. Having reviewed all of the

materials submitted, including the results

produced by the ground tests and early taxi

runs of the T50-KNS and T50-1, endurance

tests of the T50-0 static test prototype, bench

and flight tests of Engine 117 and other

aircraft systems (other aircraft, including

the Su-27M No 708 and S-37 Berkut, were

used as flying testbeds to gauge the systems

for the future PAK FA), the council cleared

the T-50 for flight trials.

The morning of the last Friday of January

came. The T50-1’s cockpit was occupied

by Honoured Test Pilot of Russia Sergey

Bogdan, who flight-tested another of

Sukhoi’s plane, the Su-35, two years before.

The engines were roaring, all systems were

go. A Su-27UB twinseater escort took off.

It was the historical event thousands of

employees of Sukhoi and its numerous

subcontractors had striven for, the one

everybody had anticipated.

Sergey Bogdan took the PAK FA

prototype off the runway for the first

time at 11 h 19 min on 29 January 2010

local time. The plane takes to the air

easily and quickly and heads for the

testing area without retracting its landing

area, escorted by the Su-27UB. Having

vanished from sight of hundreds of its

creators who had gathered at the airfield

to see their creature off on its maiden

flight, the prototype is to test its key

systems, retract and extend its landing

gear for the first time and pull of its early

manoeuvres. Onboard instruments register

thousands of parameters, with the escort

plane’s screw filming the new fighter and

taking its pictures. All goes to plan, and

about three quarters of hour later, the

two fighters – so closely related, yet so

different at the same time – reappear

over the factory airfield. Buzzing over the

runway, a pattern, and the T50-1’s wheels

gently touch the runway at 12 h 06 min

local time. The 47-min maiden flight

Sukhoi’s test pilot Sergey Bogdan reports

Mikhail Pogosyan after PAK FA’s maiden flight,

29 January 2010

Sukho

i

Sukhoi T50-1 during its speed taxi test,

Komsomolsk-on-Amur, 23 January 2010

Sukh

oi

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

23 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u take-off july 2010

is a success – the first flight of a fifth-

generation fighter.

“We have performed the initial assessment

of the aircraft’s controllability, operation of

the engine and key systems. The plane

retracted and extended its landing gear

smoothly. It performed well throughout the

flight and was easy and comfortable to

control”, test pilot Sergey Bogdan said after

the landing.

Gearing up for full-rate production

Congratulating the PAK FA designers on

the aircraft’s maiden flight, Russian Premier

Vladimir Putin unveiled its service entry schedule

in public. “The first batch is to be delivered to the

Armed Forces in 2013, with series acquisition to

start in 2015”, the Russian Prime Minister said.

“The low-rate initial production (LRIP) batch

should be delivered to CCTC in Lipetsk so that

pilots can start training on them in 2013”.

On 1 March, Premier Putin held a

visiting government session on the Sukhoi

company’s premises, which was dedicated

to military aircraft development. Prior

to the session, Vladimir Putin had been

shown the static prototype of the fighter

(T50-0) undergoing static tests and the

design, computer modelling and test rigs for

testing the integrated flight control system

and avionics of the fighter. In his opening

PAK FA first flying prototype in its maiden flight,

29 January 2010

Sukh

oi

Sukho

i

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

w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u24 take-off july 2010

remarks, the Prime Minister shared his

impression of what he had seen, “We have

seen the fifth-generation aircraft and been

told how the work on it progresses. I would

like yet again to congratulate the designers,

engineers, workers and pilots who jointly let

the aircraft take to the air. There have been

three test missions flown. However, over

2,000 such sorties have to be performed until

the aircraft enters full-rate production –

quite a job to do, quite a job! Still, judging

by how it has progressed and how it has

been organised, I am certain that we will go

all the way down this path on schedule. Our

armed services, the Air Force, will receive

this up-to-date unique aircraft”.

Following the conference, Sukhoi

Director General Mikhail Pogosyan told

the media that three more flying prototypes

were to join the trials to do the job on

so tight a schedule. The second flying

prototype, which is being assembled now,

shall have flown until year-end 2010 to be

followed by the third and fourth prototypes

in 2011. In all, the test programme provides

for the four flying prototypes to log upwards

of 2,000 test sorties in Komsomolsk-on-

Electro-optical sensor mockup; production aircraft probably will have here a module of integrated self-defence system detecting missile launches

Electro-optical sensor mockup; production aircraft probably will have here a module of integrated optronic sighting

system developed by UOMZ Ural Optical and Mechanical Plant named after E.S. Yalamov

Inflight refuelling probe bay doors

Sliding backward cockpit canopy

Wide-angle HUD

Pitot tube with pitch and yaw angles vanes (prototype aircraft only)

All-metal radome of the first flying prototype. Production aircraft will feature radio transparent radome housing forward-looking X-band AESA of the multifunctional integrated radar system developed by Tikhomirov NIIP

Radio transparent panel which will probably cover side-looking X-band AESA

Twin-wheel controllable nose landing gear

Supersonic variable air intake

Moving LERX

0-0 class ejection seat developed by NPP Zvezda named after G.I. Severin

Tikhomirov-NIIP AESA radar designed for PAK FA at manufacturer’s test rig

PAK FA first flying prototype general layoutDrawing by Alexey Mikheyev

NIIP

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

25 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u take-off july 2010

Amur and Zhukovsky and at the Defence

Ministry’s test ranges, where the fighter’s

tactical capabilities will be gauged.

As of 17 June, the T-50 prototype has

logged 16 flights. Since late April, it has

been tested in Zhukovsky in the Moscow

Region. The aircraft flew for the first time

there on 29 April, three months sharp after

its historic maiden flight in Komsomolsk-

on-Amur. The T50-1 prototype and the

T50-KNS integrated full-scale testbed were

airlifted to Sukhoi’s flight test facility in

Zhukovsky on 8 April by an An-124 Ruslan

military transport to continue the tests.

Prior to that, the T50-1 had flown six

missions from KnAAPO’s airfield. Following

its historic first flight on 29 January and

a subsequent brief lull needed for the

designers to analyse the data gathered and

have the aircraft painted, the plane flew

two more missions on 12 and 13 February

and then entered the scheduled debugging

phase. Sergey Bogdan conducted three

more flights on the T50-1 in Komsomolsk-

on-Amur in later March.

The acceptance test programme at the

manufacturer’s airfield was completed on

NPO Saturn 117 turbofan with take-off thrust of 15,000 kgf

All-movable stabiliser

Thrust vector control nozzle

Brake chutes bay door

Stabiliser actuator fairing

Wing slat which will probably incorporate L-band AESA

Fuselage centre section housing main fuel cells and weapon bays

Underwing fairing probably housing smaller weapon bay for short-range air-to-air missile

Main landing gear bay doors

Main landing gear with 1,050x365 mm wheel

Air cooling system inlet

All-movable tail fin

PAK FA’s cockpit interior (avionics integration testbed at Sukhoi Design Bureau)

And

rey F

om

in

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

w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u26 take-off july 2010

26 March, and preparations for ferrying

the aircraft to Zhukovsky followed then.

The prototype was airlifted by a Ruslan

transport, to which end the fighter was

partially disassembled.

Upon its arrival at Sukhoi’s flight test

facility in Zhukovsky and subsequent

assembly, the aircraft underwent another

series of ground tests and checks and then

kicked off another flight test stage late in

April. It was flown out in Zhukovsky on

29 April after it had been reassembled.

Then two more flights followed on 14 and

25 May, with the 3 June flight becoming the

10th sortie of the Russian fifth-generation

fighter.

According to Mikhail Pogosyan, all test

flights have been successful. As planned,

the in-flight testing of their onboard

systems, powerplant, flight control system,

navigation suite, stability, controllability

and manoeuvrability started.

Mikhail Pogosyan confirmed that the

flight test programme was designed for over

2,000 flights and the schedule and specific

tasks at every stage of the programme

could be adjusted jointly by the customer

and developer depending on the results

produced and actual state of completion

of the advanced equipment and weapons

intended for the future production-standard

PAK FA. In line with the worldwide rule,

early flights do not provide for testing a

number of special onboard systems and

weapons. The flight tests of the AESA

fire control radar, electro-optical sighting

systems, self-defence suite and weapons will

begin later, onboard subsequent prototypes.

“The purpose of the first two aircraft

is to test the aerodynamic, stability,

controllability and strength characteristics,

because it is wrong to test the radar until

one has made certain that the aircraft can

operate within the whole altitude and flight

speed bracket and has ensured safety”,

Mikhail Pogosyan said on 17 June, having

emphasised that the full-scale trials of all

of the onboard systems has been under way

with the use of ground test rigs, including

the T50-KNS integrated full-scale testbed

that is in Zhukovsky now.

Flying testbeds in the form of the Su-27

fighters, serialled 708 and 710, and a

Su-47 Berkut are used heavily as part of

the PAK FA tests and debugging. A new

ejection seat designed for the PAK FA is

T50-1 in demo flight, 17 June 2010

Effective brake-parachute-assisted landing after flight demonstration to Russian Premier in Zhukovsky

Serg

ey K

uzn

ets

ov

27 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u take-off july 2010

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

Test pilot Sergey Bogdan acquaints Vladimir Putin with PAK FA’s cockpit

Russian Prime-minister Vladimir Putin greets Sergey Bogdan

after demo flight, 17 June 2010

Sukho

i

Sukh

oi

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

w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u28 take-off july 2010

undergoing tests at a special rocket facility of

GKNIPAS in Faustovo (Moscow Region).

Zvezda NPP Director General and Chief

Designer Sergey Pozdnyakov said in May

that the tests of the advanced ejection seat

were to be completed before year-end. By

then, the tests of other systems developed

by Zvezda for the PAK FA (pilot’s gear,

oxygen system and life support system) are

supposed to be finished.

The testing of the AESA radar being

developed by Tikhomirov-NIIP is in full

swing. The first AESA radar prototype

unveiled during the MAKS 2009 air show

in August last year is undergoing a series of

laboratory rig tests designed to debug the

radar’s components and software.

By late last year, Tikhomirov-NIIP

had made the second AESA radar that

has completed most of its rig tests now.

A decision has been made recently to

conduct its advanced tests on board the

third example of the T-50. In addition, the

company has built the third AESA radar

that is being fine-tuned now and will be

mounted on the next PAK FA. Speeding

up the cutting-edge radar’s trials will also

speed up the debugging of both the radar

itself and the whole of the avionics suite

of the fifth-generation fighter. “The third

and fourth aircraft will be equipped with

all the systems specified by our customer”,

Mikhail Pogosyan told the media.

Once the remaining three prototypes have

been built, KnAAPO and its subcontractors

are to launch, next year, the construction of

the first low-rate initial production (LRIP)

planes that could be given to the Air Force

Combat and Conversion Training Centre

in the city of Lipetsk in 2013 to learn the

ropes on the new fighter and work out

piloting and combat recommendations.

At the same time, the official trials will

continue, with their completion expected

in 2015, according to Mikhail Pogosyan.

Then production aircraft will be cleared for

service entry with the Russian Air Force.

According to the First Deputy Defence

Minister Vladimir Popovkin, who spoke with

the media in Zhukovsky on 17 June, the

State Armament Programme for the Period

throughout 2020, which is being devised

currently, makes provision for an initial

acquisition of “more than 50 fifth-generation

fighters”. “The precise number hinges on

the price”, he said. “The State Armament

Programme is being worked out to determine,

among other things, a pricing policy”.

Vladimir Popovkin specified that the fielding

of the fighter with combat units would start in

2016, until which time a LRIP batch of “six to

ten aircraft” will have been bought.

Satisfied with what he had seen, Russian

Premier Vladimir Putin said on 17 June he was

certain that the PAK FA would be superior to

its US rival, the F-22A Raptor, in terms of

characteristics and combat capabilities and

would cost much less. Putin said that about

30 billion rubles (in the neighbourhood of

$1 billion) had been spent on the PAK FA

development programme, with as much to

be allocated soon. As is known, the overall

cost of the development and production of

187 F-22As is estimated at $62 billion, of

which the development, tests and debugging

alone claimed about $28 billion. Under the

latest FY2007–09 contract, the Raptor was

$142.6 million a pop, while the Russian

fighter is expected to be far more affordable.

According to the First Deputy Defence

Minister Vladimir Popovkin, the PAK FA

“will not differ much from our current

aircraft fleet” in terms of price.

29 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u take-off july 2010

Т-50First flying prototypeDrawing by Alexey Mikheyev

29 take-off july 2010w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u

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

w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u30 take-off july 2010

New air-to-air missiles

The latest air-to-air missiles under develop-

ment include short-, medium- and long-range

ones and are being developed by the Vympel

design bureau, a Tactical Missiles subsidiary.

The RVV-MD short-range air-to-air mis-

sile is designed for use by fighters, attack

aircraft and combat helicopters. The cutting-

edge missile, fitted with an upgraded all-aspect

two-mode heat-seeking head, features a 30%

increase in the range over the R-73E dogfight

missile it is designed to replace. The new weap-

on’s enhanced powerplant and combined aero-

gas-dynamic controls enable the RVV-MD

to use higher angles of attack than the R-73E

can, with the former’s target designation angles

ranging ±60 degrees. It also can eliminate

threats manoevring at as much as 12 g.

The highly lethal RVV-SD medium-range

missile is intended to deal with aerial threats,

e.g. hostile fighters, attack aircraft, bomb-

ers, airlifters, helicopters and cruise missiles.

Compared with the RVV-AE missile, the

RVV-SD features a big increase in maximal

range – up to 110 km. The RVV-SD kills tar-

gets jinking at up to 12 g at any time of day and

night, attacking them from any aspect in the

face of electronic countermeasures (ECM) in

the look-down mode, including the multiple-

target launch-and-leave attack capability.

Air-to-ground missiles

The design of the latest AGMs is heavily

modularised. The approach has been embod-

ied in the advanced Kh-38ME multi-purpose

missile able to mount a number of combined

guidance packages, including the inertial

guidance system and terminal precision-guid-

ance package variants wrapped around laser,

thermal-imaging and radar or satnav homing

heads. The missile can pack a formidable blast/

fragmentation or penetrator warhead, with

a cluster-type warhead being an option. The

dual-pulse solid-fuel rocket motor develops

a velocity exceeding the sonic speed by more

than twice.

Table 1 offers a comparison of the basic

characteristics of the Kh-38ME and the

widely-known previous-generation Kh-25M

AGM (the data pertaining to the Kh-38MLE

and Kh-25ML laser beam-riding missiles).

According to the table, the Kh-38MLE is

virtually four times more effective than the

Kh-25ML in terms of maximum range and

warhead weight.

ADVANCED WEAPONS ADVANCED WEAPONS FOR ADVANCED WARPLANESFOR ADVANCED WARPLANES

Development of a new generation of precision guided munitions is nearing completion

Peter STONE

Yevg

eny Y

ero

khin

Yevg

en

y Y

ero

kh

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

Late January 2010 saw the maiden flight of the Sukhoi PAK FA Future Tactical

Aircraft. In one of his interviews, Boris Obnosov, Director General of the Tactical

Missiles corporation, the key supplier of weapons for the fifth-generation

fighter, said that the development of air-launched weapons for the aircraft were

on schedule. The corporation is completing the development of 14 types of

advanced missiles and smart bombs spanning virtually the whole spectrum of

air-launched weapons. The emphasis has been placed on air-to-air and air-to-

surface guided missiles.

RVV-MD and RVV-SD AAMs

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

31 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u take-off july 2010

The Kh-59MK2 air-to-ground missile

has been developed to deal with a wide spec-

trum of stationary ground targets. It is effec-

tive against targets with the known grids,

including the targets lacking the radar, IR

and optical signatures. The missile is a fire-

and-forget weapon using the autonomous

recognition of the terrain adjacent to the

target. The Kh-59MK2’s enhanced range

accounts for 285 km and its formidable

penetrator or cluster-type warhead has been

increased up to 320 kg and 283 kg respec-

tively.

The Ovod-ME multi-purpose missile sys-

tem wrapped around the Kh-59M2E guided

missile eliminates surface targets identified

visually by the weapon systems officer on

the multifunctional display. The Kh-59M2E

missile-based Ovod-ME system has the

round-the-clock capability, including the

ability to kill targets in low visibility.

Multirole PGMs also include guided bombs.

The offer to foreign customers includes a whole

series of smart bombs furnished with satellite

navigation and laser beam-riding capabilities.

Antiradiation and antiship missiles

More advanced antiradiation and antiship mis-

siles, Kh-31PD and Kh-31AD respectively, are

being derived from the high-velocity Kh-31P/A

missiles fitted with a combined powerplant of a

ramjet sustainer and a solid-fuel booster motor.

The advanced missiles of the type are far superior

to the similar-purpose missiles of the previous

generation in terms of performance. See Table 2

for the comparison of the characteristics of the

export versions of the Kh-31-family weapons.

The new-generation Kh-31PD/AD missiles

are equipped with more accurate cutting-edge

guidance systems and feature a two-plus times

increase in range and a warhead lethality hike of

at least 15–20% over the previous models.

The evolution of subsonic sea-skimming anti-

ship missiles has embodied in the Kh-35UE

missile featuring considerable aerodynamics

and powerplant improvements and more capa-

ble guidance and control systems compared

with the previous-generation Kh-35E antiship

missile. Refer to Table 3 for a comparison of the

characteristics of the advanced Kh-35UE anti-

ship missile and its predecessor Kh-35E.

The new missile features a twofold increase

in the maximum range. Its combined guidance

system reliant on the inertial-guidance satnav

active/passive radar homing capabilities allows

the Kh-35UE a higher degree of precision and

countermeasures immunity and a wider spec-

trum of targets it can take out, including those it

can kill in the face of ECM. The target acquisi-

tion range of the advanced missile has more than

doubled, with the Kh-35UE having the same

dimensions the Kh-35E has, which makes them

interchangeable.

Developing and producing the new generation

of PGMs calls for a design and technology level

drastically different to that inherited from the

previous century. The Tactical Missiles corpora-

tion is running a purposeful gradual upgrade of

its technological capabilities to this end. At pres-

ent, the corporation is running 17 programmes

on updating and reconstructing its production

capabilities. This enabled it to launch a series

of development efforts on sophisticated PGMs.

Special attention is being paid to refining the

ground test facilities to enable them to ensure

a high degree of sophistication of development

work, thus slashing the number of flight tests.

The work is currently right on schedule.

Yevg

eny Y

ero

khin

Yevg

en

y Y

ero

kh

in

Table 1. Basic characteristics of general-purpose air-to-ground missiles

Kh-38MLE Kh-25MLMissile launch

weight, kgup to 520 299±8

Warhead weight, kg up to 250 86

Range, km

- from H=50 m

- from H=5,000 m 3–40

3–10

8–10

Launch altitude

bracket, m200–12,000 50–5,000

Guidance system

inertial + semi-

active laser beam-

riding

semi-active laser

beam-riding

Table 2. Basic characteristics of high-velocity antiship and antiradiation missiles of the Kh-31 familyKh-31AD Kh-31A Kh-31PD Kh-31PK Kh-31P

Launch weight, kg 715 610 715 605±10 600

Warhead weight, kg 110 94 110 88±2,5 87,5±2,5

Maximum range from H=15,000 m,

M=1.5, km120–160 70 180–250 up to 110 up 110

Missile maximum (average) velocity,

m/s>1,000

1,000

(600–700)>1,000

1,000

(720–750)

1,000

(600–700)

Guidance systeminertial + active

radar homing

autopilot + active

radar homing

inertial +

wideband passive

radar homing

interchangeable

passive radar

homers

interchangeable

passive radar

homers

Table 3. Basic characteristics of subsonic antiship missiles of the Kh-35 family

Kh-35UE Kh-35ELaunch weight, kg

- plane-launched missile

- helicopter-launched missile

550

650

~520

~610

Warhead weight, kg 145 145

Range bracket, km 7–260 5–130

Sea-skimming altitude, m:

- cruising leg

- terminal leg

10–15

4

10–15

~4

Velocity (Mach) 0.8–0.85 ~0.8

Max post-launch horizontal turn

angle, deg.±130 ±90

Guidance system

inertial +

satnav +

active/passive

radar homing

inertial +

active radar

homing

Homing head’s maximum target

acquisition and lock-on range, km50 >20

Kh-38ME

Kh-35UE

take-off july 2010 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u

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

32

In April, Russia hosted the final

stage of the demonstration tests

of the advanced MiG-35 aircraft

standing in the tender for 126

medium multirole fighters to be

supplied to the Indian Air Force (IAF)

under the MMRCA programme.

18 sorties had been flown from the

Zhukovsky and Akhtubinsk airfields

from 4 to 24 April, during which the

operation of the fighter’s weapons

suite, including the Zhuk-AE AESA

radar, were evaluated and the

plane’s performance with all warload

variants possible were proven. The

sorties were flown with the use of

the MiG-35D two-seater serialled 967

and derived by MiG Corp. last year

from the MiG-29KUB carrierborne

fighter prototype serialled 947. The

aircraft was flown by mixed crews

of MiG Corp. test pilots in the back

seat and IAF pilots in the front seat.

The Russian test pilots were Mikhail

Belyayev and Stanislav Gorbunov.

The demonstration tests’ final

stage culminated in the live firing at

the missile range, where an RVV-AE

medium-range active radar homing

air-to-air missile launched by the

MiG-35 hit a Dan aerial target and

KAB-500Kr TV-homing bombs

eliminated ground targets. The

Indian pilots praised the operation

of all of the systems, particularly the

AESA radar that they had tested in

various operating modes.

The MiG-35D (side number 967)

used in the demo tests carries

a demonstration example of the

Zhuk-AE radar with the AESA

measuring 500 mm in diameter

and featuring 680 transmit-receive

(T-R) modules. The Phazotron-NIIR

corporation is the radar’s developer.

The smaller AESA diameter of

the radar is due to the layout

peculiarities of the MiG-35 (serial

154) demonstrator, for which it

was manufactured in 2007 and

displayed on board the fighter at the

air show in Bangalore. Later on, the

aircraft performed several ground

and flight tests of this variant of the

Zhuk-AE radar. The tests showed its

smooth operation in various modes.

After the return of the two MiG-35s

(serials 961 and 967) from India

where they performed demo tests

from Indian airfields in October

last year, including high-and-hot

tests, the radar was mounted on the

fighter serialled 967. IAF pilots flying

the fighter in Russia in April saw

that the radar operated smoothly

in the most of its modes, including

fighter-sized target acquisition out

to 120–130 km.

Even a higher performance will

be featured by the Zhuk-AE version

with an AESA diameter of 620 mm

and 1,016 T-R modules. The radar,

which is going to be organic for

the production-standard MiG-35, is

being developed by Phazotron-NIIR.

It is to feature a range increase of

160–170 km with an insignificant

weight increase from 200–210 kg to

260–280 kg. The radar is expected

to be mounted on the MiG-35 (serial

967) and demonstrated during the

next Bangalore air show slated for

next February.

The April tests involving IAF pilots

crowned the flight evaluation of the

MiG-35 as part of the MMRCA tender.

After similar evaluation of the rest of

the contenders has been conducted,

the parties will begin to negotiate

the commercial and organisational

aspects of the deal. The “cheapest

of the options meeting the IAF

requirements” will be selected in

the end. A final decision is due in

2011. According to a number of

experts, the strongest contenders

are the Russian-made MiG-35 and

US-built F-16IN, but the United

States is known to be reluctant to

transfer some systems production

technologies, including the software

codes, to the Indians. This beefs up

the chances of the MiG-35, but a

number of pundits deem it possible

that India can decide to acquire both

types.

As is known, the MMRCA

programme provides for IAF to get

126 fighters (86 singleseaters and

40 twinseaters), of which 18 are to

be delivered by the best bidder, with

the rest to be assembled by Indian

corporation HAL. The deliveries are

to kick off within three years from

the date of clinching the deal and be

complete within four years.

Indian pilots test MiG-35

Serg

ey L

ysenko

Vic

tor

Dru

sh

lya

ko

v

33 take-off july 2010w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u

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

Russian aircraft makers landed

another contract for Su-30-family

fighters in March. The Irkut

corporation will launch the

delivery of 16 Sukhoi Su-30MKI(A)

warplanes to Algeria in 2011.

The deal stemmed from the 2006

contract, under which the Algerian

Air Force received 28 aircraft of

the type in 2007 through 2009.

Satisfied with the capabilities

and quality of the aircraft

acquired, the Algerian authorities

decided to turn 16 options into

firm orders. The contract was

made in Algeria in mid-March,

with the Rosoboronexport

government-owned corporation

appointed prime contractor. The

signature of the new contract

proved that the unfortunate

failure of the MiG-29SMT fighter

delivery to Algeria did not hamper

the bilateral military technical

cooperation. This year also will see

Irkut starting deliveries of another

of its aircraft, the Yak-130 combat

trainer, to Algeria.

Under another Sukhoi export

contract signed in February

2010, Vietnam will get 12 more

Su-30MK2 multirole two-seat

fighters in 2011–12. The planes

will be manufactured by the

Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft

Production Association (KnAAPO).

The Vietnamese Air Force has

been operating four Su-30MK2V

fighters since 2004. Last year

Russia landed another contract

for eight aircraft of the type to

be delivered in 2010–11. Thus,

VietAF will have a fleet of 24

Su-30MK2s once the current

contract is fulfilled. In addition,

the service flies 12 Su-27SK and

Su-27UBK fighters imported in

the ‘90s.

The third Beriev A-50EI AWACS

aircraft performed its maiden flight

in Taganrog on 9 June 2010. The

aircraft had been produced by the

Beriev aircraft company under the

contract on delivery of three aircraft

of the type to India.

The A-50EI airborne warning and

control system was produced under

the international contract among

Russia, India and Israel, signed early

in 2004. The system is based on the

Ilyushin Il-76TD transport aircraft

equipped by the Beriev aircraft

company with advanced PS-90A-76

engines, developed and produced

by the Perm Motors group, and

the Israeli Falcon AEW&C system

assembled by the manufacturer,

ELTA. In addition, the aircraft is

equipped with a data-link system

from Russian radio-engineering

corporation Vega.

The first Il-76TD (No. 21727),

subject to be converted to the

lead A-50EI aircraft, arrived at

Taganrog from the Tashkent-based

plant in April 2005, and two more

planes (No. 21730 and No. 21736)

followed suit in June and July 2005,

respectively. Equipping the first

aircraft with PS-90A-76 engines,

radar cowls, the in-flight refueling

system and other airframe updates

under the A-50EI project was

completed in autumn 2007. On 29

November 2007 it took off from

the airfield of the Beriev aircraft

company in Taganrog for the first

time. On 20 January 2008, it was

ferried to Israel for being equipped

with the radar system, debugged

and tested. The maiden flight of

the complete aircraft took place

in Tel-Aviv on 5 June 2008. It had

been tested in Israel up to last

spring. Then, on 25 May 2009, it

flew to India, and three days later,

on 28 May, there was an official

ceremony of including the aircraft

into the inventory of the Indian Air

Force. The ceremony took place at

Palam Air Force Base in the suburbs

of New Delhi. The aircraft received

side number KW-3551.

The second A-50EI aircraft under

the contract completed its maiden

mission in Taganrog on 11 January

2009. When the manufacturer’s tests

had been completed, it flew to Israel

on 24 June 2009 to be equipped

with the radar system. The work had

lasted for about nine months, and

then the aircraft flew to the customer

on 25 March this year and entered

service with the Indian Air Force

under side number KW-3552.

The third aircraft, which first

flew in Taganrog in June, left for

Israel this summer after having

been painted. According to the

ARMS-TASS news agency, the

aircraft can be delivered to the

Indian Ministry of Defence prior

to 2011.

The successful entrance of the

first A-50EIs into the inventory

of the Indian Air Force has

made it possible to step up the

negotiations on delivery of an

additional batch of three to six

aircraft of the type to IAF.

More orders for Sukhoi fighters

Another A-50EI AWACS aircraft built for Indian Air Force

Beriev

Fo

rcesd

z.c

om

take-off july 2010 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u

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

34

The most interesting full-scale

display at the HeliRussia 2010 air show

held at the Crocus Expo exhibition

centre in Moscow late in May was,

probably, the AgustaWestland AW139

helicopter that had flown in from Italy

on its own. Participants in the show

and the public attending the event

were very keen on the aircraft not

only due to its nice appearance and

excellent quality of manufacture and

interior layout but also the fact that

it was the model, which assembly

is to kick off in Russia soon by a

joint venture established in Panki,

Moscow Region, by the Russian

Helicopters joint stock company and

AgustaWestland.

On the first day of HeliRussia

2010, the parties signed a

requirements specif icat ion

for an assembly shop to make

AW139 helicopters in Russia.

The document was signed by

Oboronprom Director General

Andrey Reus and AgustaWestland

Executive Director Giuseppe Orsi.

The ground for the assembly shop

in Panki was broken on 22 June

2010, and the first AW139 might

have been assembled in Russia by

late 2011. Speaking at the signing

ceremony, Andrey Reus said that

cooperation between Russian

and foreign helicopter makers

would increase: “We have been

increasingly becoming partners,

rather than rivals”.

The ceremony also was attended

by Sergey Barkhatov, Director General

of the Aviaservice company that had

been the first Russian company

awarded by AgustaWestland a

contract for an AW139 to be

delivered before yearend 2010. An

Italian-made AW109 Grand helicopter

has been operated by the company

since 2008. Apparently, Aviaservice

is to take delivery of an Italian-built

AW139, because deliveries of

Russian-assembled machines of the

type will begin in a year and a half

at the earliest. The AW139 has not

obtained a Russian certificate of the

type yet. It is expected to have been

certificated by IAC’s Air Registry

this year.

The production facilities of the

Panki assembly centre are designed

to roll out up to 20 AW139s annually.

According to Andrey Reus, talks are

underway with launch customers

that prefer their names not to

be mentioned at this stage. “The

Russian helicopter market has been

growing year in, year out, and we are

certain for this reason that there will

be a niche for the AW139”, he said.

The AW139 is very popular on the

global market. Since its deliveries

commenced in 2003, AgustaWestland

has landed firm orders for more than

430 units. Thirty countries, including

major European states, as well as

the United States, Japan, Australia,

South Africa, etc., operate over 200

aircraft of the type. According to

the media, the AW139 goes at about

$21 million.

The helicopter is designed to

seat 12–15 passengers or perform

SAR, patrol, fire-suppressant and

medevac missions. The VIP version

of the aircraft is especially popular

(it is a helicopter in this variant,

which flew in to be displayed at

HeliRussia 2010). The AW139 is

powered by a pair of PT6C-67C

turboshafts each rated at 1,680 hp.

It is fitted with a five-blade main

rotor 13.8 m in diameter. Its

streamlined 13.77-m-long fuselage

is equipped with wide sliding doors.

The helicopter’s maximal take-off

weight stands at 6,400 kg (the

empty weight is about 3,600 kg),

maximal cruising speed accounts

for 306 km/h and service ceiling

equals 6,100 m. The machine

covers a distance of 1,250 km and

has an endurance of almost 6 hr

when on extra fuel tanks.

As is known, the AW139 is

very similar to Kamov Ka-62 in

terms of dimensions, with the

Russian Helicopters intent on

productionising the Ka-62 at the

aircraft factory in Arsenyev in the

coming years. A similar seating

capacity, albeit a lower take-off

weight and power, was supposed

to be featured by the Mil Mi-54,

which was under development.

However, the Russian Helicopters

JSC does not mention it as part

of its line of models at present.

Asked by reporters why Russian

Helicopters decided to promote

a foreign-built helicopter on the

domestic market, Oboronprom

Director General Andrey Reus

replied that aircraft in that class

had not been produced in Russia

yet, though there had been demand

for them. In addition, AW139s will

not be just imported as a complete

product, but assembled in Russia,

which will “create new jobs in

the high-tech production sphere in

this country”. Hopefully, along with

learning to assemble the AW139

in Panki, Russian Helicopters will

retain its own future machine in

the same class and the Ka-62 will

roll out of the Progress plant in

Arsenyev sooner or later.

First Russian-made AW139 to be assembled in 2011

Ale

xey M

ikheyev

And

rey F

om

in

And

rey F

om

in

An

dre

y F

om

in

35 take-off july 2010w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u

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

On 29 April, the Myasischev M-55

Geophysics high-altitude research

plane (side No 55204) returned to its

base in Zhukovsky following another

long expedition dedicated to studying

the upper atmosphere and conducted

in support of European Union research

organisations in the transpolar area.

From January to March this year,

the aircraft had performed a series

of sorties from an airfield at Kiruna,

Sweden, to enable researchers to

look into stratospheric clouds. Prior

to going to Sweden in the autumn

of 2009, the plane had been fitted

with dedicated scientific atmospheric

research instruments in Germany.

This expedition of the Geophysics

had been preceded by a rather

long lull in its research operations

abroad, caused by the need for

having its avionics upgraded and

the service life of its PS-30V-12

engines extended. The job was done

last year. The aircraft performed its

previous scientific mission as far

back as November through December

2005 in Australia. Until then, the

M-55 No 55204 had performed five

series of experiments in the upper

atmosphere in Finland (December

1996 through January 1997),

Seychelles (February–March 1999),

Argentina (September–October

1999) Sweden (January–March

2003) and Brazil (January–February

2005).

The use of the M-55 Geophysics

aircraft contracted by EU research

organisations is an important line of

work of the plane’s developer, the

Myasischev experimental plant, which

was transformed from a federal unitary

enterprise to a joint stock company in

late April 2010, with the government

owning 100% of its stock. Myasischev

is to become part of the Special

Aircraft Division of the United Aircraft

Corporation (UAC).

Today, Myasischev has two M-55s

(No 55203 and 55204). The latter,

which was built in 1991, is the one

contracted under foreign research

programmes. The other has seen

its airworthiness expire. In all, the

Smolensk Aircraft Plant made four

flying M-55s, of which the very first

one (No 01552), which completed

its maiden flight on 16 August 1988,

was lost to a crash in Zhukovsky in

May 1995, while another (No 55205)

crashed in Akhtubinsk in November

1998. The Smolensk Aircraft Plant has

never launched the planned full-scale

production of the aircraft of the type.

The M-55 Geophysics high-altitude

aircraft is fit for experiments at an

altitude of up to 21,500 m while carrying

up to 2,000 kg of instruments.

Probably, the head-turner among the

aircraft engine manufacturers’ stands

at the HeliRussia 2010 show was the

exposition of Ukrainian corporation

Ivchenko uniting the Motor Sich joint

stock company and Ivchenko-Progress

state-owned company. Among the six

full-scale helicopter engines ranging

from the small enough AI-450 and

MS-500V to the world’s most power-

ful AI-136T, Motor Sich Chairman of

the Board Vyacheslav Boguslayev drew

everybody’s attention to the upgraded

TV3-117VMA-SBM1V turboshaft and

for a reason. A Mi-8MTV powered by a

pair of such engines took off from the

airfield of the Konotop Aircraft Repair

Plant in the run-up to the show, on

19 May. During the trials, it climbed at

8,100 m in mere 13 min, thus setting a

new world record.

Earlier, the engine had been tested

on board a Mi-24V attack helicopter of

the Ukrainian Air Force. The machine

managed to climb to 5,000 m in 9 min,

i.e. 2.5 times faster than usual. Last

year, the TV3-117VMA-SBM1V passed

its official rig tests, which allowed

the Ukrainian Air Force to adopt it for

service and use it to replace organic

TV3-117Vs as part of the Mi-24 heli-

copters used by combat units. The

May flights in Konotop graphically

proved the expediency of mounting

the TV3-117VMA-SBM1V on Mi-8MTV

helicopters as well.

The TV3-117VMA-SBM1V turboshaft

is a derivative of the TV3-117VMA-SBM1

turboprop powering the Antonov

An-140 regional aircraft. Owing to

certain advanced technical solutions

ensuring a considerable service life

increase, the engine has a number

of considerable advantages over the

production-standard TV3-117VMA and

VK-2500.

The certification efforts included

a series of endurance rig-tests and

special tests, including those involving

TsIAM’s thermal pressure chamber.

They proved the engine’s operability at

an altitude of up to 9,000 m, within the

-60/+60°C ambient temperature brack-

et and at a speed of up to 400 km/h. The

tests also included engine start-ups at

an altitude of up to 6,000 m and

proved a power maintenance tem-

perature and altitude. The flight tests

of the engine on board the Mi-24 and

Mi-8MTV proved the design charac-

teristics and displayed a considerable

improvement in the machine’s flight

performance. Owing to the automatic

control system’s ability to be reset,

the TV3-117VMA-SBM1V’s takeoff

power is 2,000, 2,200 or 2,500 hp

depending on the type of helicopter

and can be maintained for 30 min. If

an engine fails, the other goes into an

emergency power rating of 2,800 hp

for 2.5 min. The modified engine is

fully interoperable with the organic

TV3-117V/VM/VMA versions.

Vyacheslav Boguslayev has repeat-

edly drawn the attention of Russian Air

Force command to these advantages

of the TV3-117VMA-SBM1V. However,

as is known, a decision has been taken

to launch full-rate production of the

VK-2500 engine that has a shorter

service life and a shorter endurance in

takeoff and emergency power rating

modes (2,000–2,400 hp and 2,700 hp

respectively). In the near future, the

UMPO joint stock company is to launch

production of the engine in three vari-

ants – the VK-2500-01 designed for

the Ka-52 helicopter (take-off power –

2,400 hp), VK-2500-02 to power

the Mi-35 and Mi-28N (2,200 hp)

and VK-2500-03 to fit the Mi-17-V5

(2,000 hp).

M-55 back from another expedition

TV3-117VMA-SBM1V provides record-breaking rate of climb

Serg

ey K

rivchik

ov

An

dre

y F

om

in

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

Rosoboronexport plans to present

advanced air systems at Farnborough,

one of the world's largest air shows

held since 1948 on this aerodrome.

Air systems and airborne munitions

currently account for nearly 50% of

the overall Russian defence exports.

Yet market demand for them is

continuously rising year by year

despite the harsh competition. The

Director General of Rosoboronexport

Anatoly Isaykin says that the corporate

order book is estimated to amount to

more than USD 38 billion by the end of

this June. One can distinguish among

major buyers of Russian air systems

such countries as India, Venezuela,

Algeria and Malaysia.

At present foreign customers focus

their attention on the latest Su-35 fighter

featuring the 5th generation technologies,

Yak-130 combat trainer as well as MiG-35,

MiG-29K and MiG-29M multi-role

fighters. Helicopters, such as Mi-28NE,

Ka-52, Mi-26T2, Ka-226T, Mi-17V-5

and Mi-171Sh, arouse keen interest. Each

aircraft is distinguished by a set of unique

performance characteristics providing

considerable advantages over competitors.

Special mention should be made of the

expanding geographical reach of exports.

For instance, Russia is steadily developing

cooperation with Latin American countries

thanks to a proactive marketing policy

realised by Rosoboronexport. Supplies of the

Mi-8/17 and Mi-35M helicopters to several

countries in the region are good evidence

of the progress. Helicopter designers

have made sure that these rotorcraft

inherit a wealth of experience gained by

the preceding modifications operated in

dozens of countries all over the world under

varied natural and climatic conditions. We

have succeeded in putting relations with a

number of states in the Middle East, South-

East Asia and Africa into a higher gear.

The quality of supplied arms maintenance

and the level of specialist training proficiency

are increased. Rosoboronexport implements

a flexible pricing policy with the application

of diverse payment schemes depending on

economic potentials of importers, such as

offset programmes and barter deals. The

outcome of these activities is convincing:

this year the amount of only helicopter

exports are expected to increase by 30%

compared with 2009, and will total more

than USD 500 million.

More than half of all orders for helicopter

systems fall to the Mi-8/17 type helicopters.

Last year they were delivered to more than

20 countries. It is also appropriate to

mention the US experts’ high appraisal

of these helicopters procured by the

United States for the Afghanistan's

armed forces. Brigadier General Michael

R. Boera, the U.S. Air Force general in

charge of rebuilding the Afghan air

corps, acknowledged that "it is a very

reliable and dependable aircraft".

Never stops cooperation with our long-

standing partners – India and China.

Rosoboronexport is now bidding in major

tenders invited by Delhi for the delivery of

22 combat helicopters (with the Mi-28NE),

15 heavy-lift helicopters (with the Mi-26T2)

and 197 observation and reconnaissance

helicopters (with the Ka-226T). But no

doubt all eyes are turned to the big contest

for the delivery of 126 medium multi-role

fighters in which the Russian MiG-35

equipped with the newest Zhuk-AE active

electronically scanned phased array (AESA)

radar stands good chances of success. Indians

also show interest in additional procurement

A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR ROSOBORONEXPORT

w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u36 take-off july 2010

Su-35

Vladimir SHCHERBAKOV

37

of the Su-30MKI fighters, impressed by their

advanced technical and tactical performance.

Moscow and Delhi also see global prospects

for joint research and development of new

technologies, such as, for instance, the MTA

military transport aircraft.

Even though the value of China's imports

of military aircraft from Russia for the

Chinese Air Force has declined to a certain

extent, cooperation in transferring Russian-

made aero-engines is always continuing.

As an example, in January 2009 another

contract was signed for the delivery of 122

AL-31FN turbofan engines to be installed

on the J-10 fighters. There are also contracts

being implemented for the delivery of the

Ka-28 and Ka-31 helicopters.

The latest trend in arms markets

demonstrates a growing influence of

the globalisation on military technical

cooperation. It relates primarily to joint

research and development projects.

International cooperation provides

opportunities for Russian enterprises to

satisfy to the maximum ever increasing

customer requirements as well as to

acquire new technologies and borrow the

best achievements from the world-class

manufacturers.

Rosoboronexport has established steady

relationships in the field of aircraft-building

industry with a number of well-known

companies specialised in developing and

manufacturing avionic equipment, aero-

engines and other components. Their

list includes Thales, Safran, Elettronica,

Selex Galileo and Selex Communications,

MBDA, Denel Dynamics, ATE, just

to name a few. The Su-30MKI and

Su-30MKM combat aircraft, Russia's best-

selling fighters in recent years, represent

one of striking examples of successful

cooperation. The Ka-28 helicopter which is

now being upgraded and Mi-28NE combat

helicopter planned for export are equipped

with onboard avionic systems made by

leading European companies, whereas the

Ka-226T helicopter is powered by French

Turbomeca Arrius 2G turboshaft engines.

Another example of such cooperation is the

A-50EI early warning aircraft delivered to

India after being upgraded in cooperation

with Israelis.

In general, upgrading of military

equipment, including air systems, is still

one of the most important lines of military

technical cooperation. Soviet and Russian-

made defence systems are in service with

armed forces in dozens of countries all over

the world; and it has been proven in practice

that the best results are achieved if Russian

specialists take part in their upgrading.

Rosoboronexport offers integrated

modernisation programmes tailored to meet

customer requirements, including those for

compliance with NATO standards. Such

cooperation is advantageous for ex-Warsaw

Pact member-countries, for instance.

Besides qualitatively new capabilities

gained by equipment, its upgrading provides

substantial cost savings for pilot conversion

training and allows retaining established

servicing structures.

Aviation has always been and still is a

prime-mover for the development of our

national industry, the more so that the

growing demand abroad for Russian-made

equipment favours development of modern

systems satisfying most stringent customer

requirements. Rosoboronexport therefore

aims to do good work during Farnborough

2010, which must eventually bring in new

contracts and uphold dynamic development

of the industry.

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

take-off july 2010w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u

Yak-130

Ka-52

MiG-35

w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u38 take-off july 2010

The April ceremony dedicated to the ser-

vice entry of the first three-ship Mi-35M

batch at the Porto Velho air base was attended

by Brazilian Defence Minister Nelson Jobim,

Brazilian Air Force commander Lt.-Gen.

Juniti Saito, Russian Security Council secre-

tary Nikolay Patrushev, Russian Ambassador

to Brazil Sergey Akopov, Rosoboronexport

Director General Anatoly Isaikin and

Rostvertol Director General Boris Slyusar.

Mr. Jobim said that Mi-35Ms were becom-

ing “part of the property of the Brazilian

people”. “The aircraft has bolstered our heli-

copter units”, said the defence minister who

‘christened’ the Mi-35M that was assigned

the Brazilian designation AH-2 Sabre.

The newly-bought helicopters will be sta-

tioned at the Porto Velho air base, state of

Rondonia, and operated by the resident 2nd

Poti squadron of the 8th air group of the

Brazilian Air Force. Four other squadrons

of the air group fly US-made UH-1H and

UH-60 helicopters and H-34s (Brazilian des-

ignation of the French-built AS332 Cougar)

and H-55s (AS355 Ecureuil-2 licence-

produced by Helibras as HB-355) as well.

According to the Brazilian media, the arrival

of the Russian-made Mi-35Ms furnished the

Brazilian Air Force with its first dedicat-

ed combat helicopter. It had not had such

machines until then, with attack missions

handled by H-50 Esquilos (HB-350L1), the

armed version of the French AS350 Ecureuil,

licence-produced by Helibras.

The newly-delivered helicopters feature a

whole range of capabilities Brazil aviators

could only dream of previously. For instance,

the Mi-35M handles a wide range of missions,

including attacking with smart and dumb

weapons under good and partially adverse

weather conditions. The machine is armoured

and equipped with a 23-mm two-barrel can-

non and APU-8/4-U multiple launchers

for Shturm and Ataka (9K113K) antitank

guided missiles. Its avionics suite includes

the OPS-24N day/night surveillance/target-

ing system comprising the GOES-342 gyro-

stabilised electro-optical system. The cockpit

lights of the Mi-35M are adapted for using

Russian- and Western-made night vision gog-

gles (NVG).

RUSSIAN HELICOPTERS RUSSIAN HELICOPTERS OVER AMAZONOVER AMAZONMi-35M enters service with Brazilian Air Force

The official service entry ceremony

was held for the first batch of

Russian-built Mil Mi-35M helicopters

at Brazilian air base Porto Velho on

17 April 2010. The choppers became

the first type of Russian-made combat

aircraft to enter the inventory of the

armed services of the Latin American

nation. The contract for 12 Mi-35Ms

for Brazil was made on 23 October

2008, and the Rostvertol joint stock

company soon launched the assembly

of the first Brazil-ordered machines

of the type. The first of them flew its

maiden mission in Rostov-on-Don in

August last year, and October saw

the kickoff of the flight segment of the

conversion training given to Brazilian

aircrews. The first three Mi-35Ms were

delivered on 16 December 2009.

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

w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u 39 take-off july 2010

The Mi-35M’s design features include a

X-shaped tail rotor enhancing directional

control and reducing the machine’s acous-

tic signature. In addition, the Mi-35M is

fitted with a main rotor with composite

rotor blades boasting an extended service

life and a better survivability. The power-

plant is wrapped around a pair of VK-2500

engines differing from the TV3-117Vs,

which powered the Mi-24 (Mi-35) ear-

lier, in an enhanced power of 2,400 hp

(2,700 hp in the emergency rating) and a

digital control system.

A set of improvements has led to a con-

siderable boost to the flight performance

of the aircraft. This is especially true for its

high and hot performance. Mention should

be made that the Venezuelan and Brazil

orders enabled Rostvertol to resume the

Mi-35 production suspended as far back

as 1989 when the last production-standard

Mi-24Ps and Mi-35Ps were built.

“I have stopped being worried in flight”,

says Lt. Leonardo Bezerra Salim, a pilot with

Poti Sqn, who has converted to the Mi-35M.

“This is a great leap in tactical operations,

which has been long awaited by several gen-

erations of helicopter pilots in this country”.

According to the local press, the Sabre

choppers will bolster the Brazilian Air

Force’s threat response capabilities and

facilitate the service’s presence in the east-

ern part of the Amazon delta. The area is

of strategic importance to the country. The

new aircraft are expected to be used for

air patrolling and for supporting friendly

forces countering violations in the border

area. Hence, the Brazilian Air Force has

redeployed Poti Sqn from Recife, state of

Pernambuco, to Porto Velho.

“We will protect the Amazonian region

for ourselves and the whole of the world, and

the world knows that”, said the Brazilian

defence minister. “The Poti air squadron

and its latest AH-2 Sabres will be a powerful

tool of such protection. From this day on,

we are prepared to stand to any threats”,

Mr. Jobim emphasised.

Another Mi-35M batch is due in Brazil

this summer, and the whole 12-helicopter

contract is slated for completion by 2011.

At the same time, the local media have

reported that, in addition to the Mi-35M

acquisition by the Brazilian Air Force, the

Army Aviation has displayed interest in

the machine and is going to order a few

Mi-35Ms more.

At the ceremony dedicated to the

Brazilian Air Force service entry of the

first Mi-35M helicopters at Porto Velho air

base, 17 April 2010. Brazilian Defence

Minister Nelson Jobim (in the centre),

Rosoboronexport Director General Anatoly

Isaikin and FSVTS Deputy Director

Alexander Fomin (to the right), Rostvertol

Director General Boris Slyusar (first from left)

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

Photo report by Tina SHAPOSHNIKOVA

take-off july 2010 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u

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

40

On 12 May 2010, the airfield

of the Kazan Aircraft Production

Association named after

S.P. Gorbunov (KAPO) saw the

maiden flight of a new aircraft

ordered by the Administrative Office

of the Russian President. The plane

in question is the Tupolev Tu-214PU

(RA-64517) airborne command

post. The aircraft is designed for the

top Russian leaders – the President

and Premier – to fly throughout the

country and on foreign visits and is

fitted to this end with relevant means

of comfort and communications and

control gear.

The first flight of the new aircraft

was performed by the crew made up

of test pilots A.I. Zhuravlyov (pilot)

and D.Yu. Vyazankin (co-pilot), flight

engineer E.B. Volkov, navigator

Ye.A. Kudryavtsev and leading test

engineer V.N. Filimoshkin.

The Tu-214PU has become

the third plane built by KAPO for

the Administrative Office of the

Russian President. Last year, the

Rossiya special air detachment

took delivery of two Tu-214SR relay

aircraft (RA-64515 and RA-64516).

They were ferried from Kazan to

Rossiya’s base in Vnukovo airport

(Moscow) on 1 June 2009. Overall,

the order awarded to KAPO by the

Administrative Office of the Russian

President provides for construction

of six specialised aircraft – two

Tu-214SRs, two Tu-214PUs and

Tu-214SUS airborne communications

centres. All of them are to be powered

by PS-90A engines from the Perm

Motors Group and are to feature

a range extended to 10,500 km

through installation of extra fuel cells

under the cabin floor.

The two Tu-214SRs in service with

the Rossiya special air detachment

ousted obsolete relay aircraft based

on the turboprop-powered Ilyushin

Il-18D, which supported the flights of

Air Force 1. The advanced Tu-214PUs

will be used by the national leaders

along with the existing Il-96-300PU

and Il-96-300PU(M). The first

Tu-214PU (RA-64517) is expected

to be delivered to Rossiya special air

detachment this year to be followed

by RA-64520 next year. KAPO also

is to deliver two Tu-214SUS planes

in 2011–12.

In addition to KAPO-built

aircraft, Rossiya’s aircraft fleet will

incorporate several aircraft from

other manufacturers in the coming

years. For instance, the Ulyanovsk-

based Aviastar-SP corporation

is building two Tu-204-300As

(c/n 64057 and 64058) that may be

delivered in 2011 (according to a

recent statement by UAC head Alexey

Fyodorov, the Administrative Office

of the Russian President is supposed

to issue a firm order for them late

this year or in early 2011). Aviastar

Director General Sergey Dementyev

said in May that the customer was

going to order four more aircraft

like that to be delivered in 2012–13.

In addition, in his interview with the

RBC news agency in May, UAC’s

Alexey Fyodorov said that the

Voronezh plant (VASO) would make

and deliver two Il-96-300s more to

Rossiya special air detachment and

that the Administrative Office of the

Russian President was expected to

order several An-148 planes from

VASO.

Along with building planes for

the presidential admin office, KAPO

caries on working on Tu-214-family

aircraft ordered by the Defence

Ministry. For instance, a special-

purpose aircraft (c/n 64511) has

been tested in Kazan since December

2009. It could be delivered before

year-end. In addition, the first

Tu-214-ON (RA-64519) ordered by

the Defence Ministry under the Open

Skies programme is being built. The

Tu-214 (c/n 64521) airliner, which

was earmarked for the Transaero

airline previously, is planned to be

completed in support of the military.

It is expected to be delivered to the

223rd Air Detachment to be used

along with its current Il-62Ms and

Tu-154s for airlifting officers and

generals.

First Tu-214PU flown

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Tup

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

Late in May, the Volga-Dnepr

airline started commercial operation

of a new Il-76TD-90VD (RA-76952)

transport aircraft built this year by

the Tashkent Aviation Production

Corp. named after V.P. Chkalov

(TAPC). The first commercial flight

of the new aircraft, which is the third

aircraft of this version in the aircraft

fleet of the Volga-Dnepr Group, took

place on 25 May 2010. It is the

first of the three Il-76TD-90VDs

delivered under the contract between

the Volga-Dnepr Leasing company

and United Aircraft Corporation –

Transport Aircraft company, signed

at the MAKS 2007 air show in August

2007. Under the contract, delivery of

the two remaining aircraft is planned

for 2011–12.

The Il-76TD-90VD aircraft is

equipped with PS-90A-76 engines

from the Perm Engine Company, the

Kupol-IIIМ upgraded navigation suite

from the Kotlin-Novator company

and a number of other updated

systems allowing the unrestricted

use of aircraft of this version

all over the world. As is known,

due to their excessive noisiness

and pollutant emission, Il-76TDs

powered by D-30KP2 engines have

been banned for several years now

from flying in some regions of the

world, including several European

countries and the United States.

The variant powered by PS-90A-76s

meets all current and future ICAO

requirements and has no limitations

like that. In addition, it is notable

for its improved efficiency, and

its modernised avionics allows a

reduction in navigation costs and in

the number of crewmembers down

to four.

The first flight of the new aircraft

(c/n 94-06) took place in Tashkent

on 5 March this year. All of the

hand-over tests were completed by

TAPC in late March, the aircraft was

officially handed over to the customer

on 8 April and it flew to Ulyanovsk

on 9 April for customs clearance,

relevant paperwork execution and

being painted in brand colours of the

Volga-Dnepr airline. On 21 May, the

new aircraft was included into the

Aircraft Operator Certificate and was

able to start its commercial flights.

The Volga-Dnepr group launched

an Il-76TD aircraft upgrade

programme in 2002. In July 2002, it

made an agreement with the Perm

Engine Company on the delivery

of engines for the new plane. In

2003, the Ilyushin Aviation Complex

and TAPC joined the upgrade

programme. In 2004, the Volga-

Dnepr-Leasing company was set

up to promote the programme.

The first Il-76TD-90VD (RA-76950,

c/n 93-05) aircraft was produced

by TAPC in summer 2005 and

performed its maiden flight in August

of the same year. On 12 January

2006, an aircraft noise certificate

was obtained, certifying that the

standard design of the Il-76TD-

90VD meets the requirements of

ICAO’s Chapter 4, Annex 16. In June

2006, the three-year-long work on

constructing and testing the new

version was complete, and the first

Il-76TD-90VD started its commercial

flights. The second Il-76TD-90VD

(RA-76951, c/n 93-06) was handed

over to Volga-Dnepr and came into

commercial operation in October

2007. By this summer, the Volga-

Dnepr airline has performed more

than 600 flights to 87 countries all

over the world, including Australia,

Japan and the United States, using

its two Il-76TD-90VDs.

“Obtaining the third Il-76TD-90VD

is another step in the implementation

of the Volga-Dnepr Group aircraft

fleet development strategy,

implying an increase in the aircraft

fleet of the type up to 15–20 units

by 2020”, said Andrey Pakhomov,

Director General of the Volga-Dnepr

Leasing company. “It is of prime

importance that the third aircraft is

entering service amid an increasing

restriction on the use of ‘old’ Il-76

aircraft all over the world. Delivery

of next two airliners is expected in

2011–12”.

On 11 June 2010, the Yakutia

air carrier took delivery of another

Antonov An-140 turboprop regional

airliner. In the near future, it is

going to get one more airliner of

the type, bringing the number of the

An-140s owned by the carrier up to

five. Unlike the first three airliners

delivered to the Yakutia company

under a financial leasing contract with

Financial Leasing Company (FLC)

directly from Russian manufacturing

plant Aviakor in Samara (the first one

was obtained in 2006 and two more

in 2007 and 2009 respectively),

these two An-140-100 were

bought form Ukraine. They were

produced in 2004 by the Kharkov

State Aircraft Manufacturing

Company (KSAMC) and delivered

to the Ilyich Avia air company of

the Mariupol Metallurgical Complex

in the same year. A year ago, when

the carrier ceased its operations,

both An-140-100s (UR-14007 and

UR-14008) were put up for sale. The

contract for them to be delivered

to the Yakutia air company was

signed by Yakutiya and the Sberbank

Leasing company.

In May, one of them (c/n 03-09,

operated by the Ilyich Avia

company under registration number

UR-14008) was painted in the colors

of the Yakutia company and received

Russian registration number

RA-41253. When its updating

(equipping with the terrain collision

avoidance system in particular) was

over, it arrived at the Krasnodar

division of the Yakutia company on

11 June. The other aircraft (c/n 03-07,

still in Mariupol in the colours of the

previous user and with Ukrainian

registration number UR-14007) will

follow it this summer. As Yakutia

Deputy Director General Pavel Udod

told a Take-off correspondent in

April, both aircraft are going to be

based in Krasnodar and operate the

carrier’s routes throughout the south

of Russia.

Volga-Dnepr received its third Il-76TD-90VD

One more An-140 for Yakutia

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take-off july 2010 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u

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

42

On 29 May 2010, the new Gelenjik

airport (ICAO code – URKG; IATA

code – GDZ) received an A320 – the

first regular passenger flight from

Moscow, performed by Aeroflot. The

official formal opening of Gelenjik

airport took place on 5 June, but

before that, several other domestic

air carriers had performed their

maiden flights there. On 30 May, the

first A320 of the Avianova discounter

carrier arrived from Moscow, on

1 June – an A320 of the Ural Airlines

company, on 3 June – a Yak-42 of

the Gazpromavia airline, on 5 June –

a Boeing 737-500 of the Rossiya

state transport company from

St. Petersburg. The UTair company

started Tu-134 flights from Moscow

on 12 June.

Thus, Gelenjik airport controlled

by the Basel Aero holding company

and located on the western shore of

the Gelenjik Bay of the Black Sea near

Cape Tonky has come into operation

after almost a five-year construction

period and many delays. It should be

noted that it is the first airport built

in Russia over the past 25 years.

Formerly, the popular Black Sea

resort had a small airport with the

03/21 runway measuring 1,500x40 m,

capable of receiving Antonov An-24

and Yakovlev Yak-40 regional

airliners only. It was closed down

in autumn 2004 and construction

of a new international-class airport

nearby started soon afterwards,

with the airport to be able to receive

aircraft of almost all types under any

meteorological conditions.

According to Russia’s Federal

Agency of Air Transport, the federal

investment in construction of the

airfield infrastructure over the five

years has been 5.86 billion rubles

(about $200 million). They built a

new runway (01/19) 3,100 m in

length and 45 m in width, able to

receive aircraft of almost all types,

a taxiway and the apron as well

as water sluices and land drainage

water treating facilities, the air traffic

control tower, emergency rescue

station, maintenance workshops

and electrical and lighting flight-

support facilities. Gelenjik airport

is now equipped with brand-new

lighting, radio and meteorological

equipment, including a modern

automatic radio direction-finder,

an aerodrome surveillance radar, a

separate homer station and an up-to-

date radio-beacon landing system. A

modern system of radio-technical

flight support means provides full

radar and radio-navigation data

and aircraft radio communications

required for flight operations and air

traffic control.

The first technical flight using

the new runway of Gelenjik airport

for landing and take-off took place

on 25 December 2008 and was

performed by a Yak-42 airliner of

Kuban Airlines. However, opening

the airport officially and launching

regular commercial flights took

almost a year and a half.

Take-off from and landing on

Gelenjik airport are possible in one

direction only (sea direction). The

terminal handling capacity is only

140 passengers per hour now. At

present, passengers are serviced

in a temporary terminal arranged in

the building initially designed for a

cargo terminal. It is going to handle

passengers from domestic flights

only. A new passenger terminal

is planned to enter service three

to four years at the soonest. The

construction of the terminal is to

be financed by the subsidiaries

of the Basic Element corporation

owning the Airports of the South

holding company (it runs airports

in Krasnodar, Sochi, Anapa and

Gelenjik as well as the Kuban

Airlines air company). The handling

capacity of Gelenjik airport after

coming into operation is considered

to be up to 500,000 passengers

per year (600 passengers per

hour, including 100 passengers on

international flights).

Gelenjik airport is finally open

Va

ldim

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enko

Va

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arp

enko

Va

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Kub

an

Airlin

es

According to the Biblic legend the

ancient architectures of the Tower of

Babel couldn’t complete their grand

project because they used different

languages between themselves and

didn’t understand each other.

After several thousand years in

XX century language divide could

become an insuperable obstacle

for international aviation passenger

network creation. It couldn’t be safe

to use it if English language hasn’t

been chosen as an international

language in aviation. The main

factor of safe flights is a radio

communication in English. Any

misunderstanding is at a high

price. There is a sad statistics

of aviation accidents saying that

communication failure between

pilots and air controllers became the

cause of a crash.

NITA

NEW INFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES IN AVIATION

15 A, Vzlyotnaya str., St. Petersburg, 196210, Russia

Tel.: + 7 (812) 704-18-72, fax: + 7 (812) 704-18-13

http://www.nita.ru

AIR ENGLISH education programmeswill help you to learn the real aviation English!

w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u44 take-off july 2010

The MC-21 short- and medium-haul air-

liner family comprises three baseline mod-

els – the MC-21-200, MC-21-300 and

MC-21-400 with seating capacities of 150,

181 and 212 in the single-class layout. Each

of the baseline models is to have a number

of variants differing in range. The baseline

models will have the 5,000–5,500-km range,

but provision was made for extended-range

(ER) versions and, as far as the MC-21-200

model is concerned, a long-range (LR) vari-

ant. The MC-21-200 prototype is slated for

its maiden flight in 2014, and the comple-

tion of the certification tests and kickoff of

deliveries for 2016.

The MC-21 programme, jointly pro-

moted by the Yakovlev design bureau and

Ilyushin aviation complex, won in 2003

the tender issued by the Russian authori-

ties for developing an advanced short- and

medium-haul passenger aircraft designed

to oust the Tu-154M fleet gradually and put

up stiff competition to the Boeing 737 and

A320 that have been increasingly demanded

by Russian air carriers. The financing of

the MC-21’s conceptual designing began in

2005. By then, the prime developer, Yakovlev

design bureau, joined the Irkut corporation

(the official acquisition of Yakovlev took

place in April 2004).

Two years later, Ilyushin pulled out of the

programme, having focussed on transport

aircraft development, with Irkut appointed

prime contractor for the MC-21 programme

as part of the United Aircraft Corporation

(UAC) in July 2007. Given the importance

of the MC-21 programme to the United

Aircraft Corporation, Oleg Demchenko,

president of the Irkut corporation and

Director General of the Yakovlev design

bureau, was appointed UAC vice-president

for the MC-21 programme in July 2008

and then was put in charge of UAC’s new

division, UAC – Commercial Aircraft. The

new division will develop and produce all

Russian airliners.

Having analysed the results produced

by the first stage of the programme, UAC

took a decision in August 2007 to keep on

pursuing the programme. Thus, the MC-21

passed its first gate.

Prototype and production-standard

MC-21s will be built by the Irkutsk Aircraft

Plant of Irkut Corp., while the customisation

of the airliners produced, including paint-

ing, fitting the cabins, etc., is expected to be

handled at Aviastar plant in Ulyanovsk. In

addition to prime developer Yakovlev, other

players of the aircraft industry are taking part

in designing the aircraft. For instance, Irkut’s

subsidiary Taganrog-based Beriev company

is tasked with developing the tail section

(Compartment F5), horizontal and vertical

tails, auxiliary power unit (APU) compart-

ment as well as control, air conditioning,

fire-suppressant and hydraulic systems.

Sukhoi Civil Aircraft was subcontracted

to develop the composite wing. The initial

design stage (the so-called second gate) was

passed in September 2008, after which Irkut

launched the preliminary design stage and

selection of key systems suppliers. The third

With the programme on development

of Russia’s advanced regional airliner

Sukhoi Superjet 100 nearing its

completion and the aircraft expected

to launch operations this year, aviation

specialists turned their eyes on another

latest Russian commercial aircraft

programme – the development of

the Irkut MC-21 family of short- and

medium-range airliners. According to

the developer, the family will feature a

wide spectrum of operating capabilities,

will be designed for the Russian and

global markets and able to help carriers

to achieve a radical improvement in

operating efficiency, including doing so

through slashing their direct operating

costs by 15% compared to the existing

airliners in the class. At present, the

MC-21 programme is at the stage of

detail engeneering and signing contracts

with subcontractors. The results of the

competitions held indicate that the

MC-21 is to become a graphic example of

cooperation between the Russian aircraft

industry and major Western avionics,

engine and aircraft system developers,

as the Sukhoi Superjet 100 did.

A full-scale mock-up of the MC-21’s

cockpit and passenger cabin is to be

unveiled at the current Farnborough

air show. The cabin meets the latest

comfort and safety requirements. A

number of important news pertaining

to the programme is to be announced

at Farnborough as well, including,

possibly, the announcement of the early

agreements on MC-21 deliveries to

launch customers.

take-off july 201044

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MC-21 AS FUTURE OF RUSSIAN COMMERCIAL AVIATION

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45 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u take-off july 2010

gate, providing for the approval of the pre-

liminary design was passed in the late 2009

– early 2010, and Irkut commenced front-

end engineering and began to contract the

system suppliers selected.

The first 11 winners in the tenders for sys-

tems to fit the MC-21 were named almost a

year ago, on 20 August 2009. They include

suppliers of the landing gear, APU, air condi-

tioning system, electrical system, cabin inte-

rior, hydraulic, fuel, oxygen, anti-icing, inert

gas and fire-suppressant systems. The suppli-

ers of the key systems, e.g. the powerplant,

avionics suite and integrated control system,

had been selected by the end of the year,

when Irkut announced the completion of the

relevant tenders on 10 December 2009. The

tenders for most of the MC-21 systems were

won by major US and West European manu-

facturers who had submitted their proposals in

cooperation with Russian companies.

Irkut announced the signature of the first

firm contract with an MC-21 systems sup-

plier on 2 April 2010. The deal was clinched

with Pratt&Whitney, a division of United

Technologies. It stipulates development, man-

ufacture and testing of the PW1400G geared

turbofan, in which development and pro-

duction Russia’s United Engine Corporation

could take part. PW1400G will become

the baseline powerplant for MC-21 family

intended for domestic and international mar-

kets. By the way another type of the power-

plant, PD-14 new generation turbofan family,

is under development for MC-21 airliners by

Russia’s United Engine Corporation (with

a leading role of Perm Engine Company).

These engines when ready could be used on

some versions of MC-21 airliners for domestic

and specific international customers.

The fourth gate for MC-21 programme is

planned for April 2011. Request for certifi-

cation by Russian aviation authorities was

issued by Irkut this year with the respective

request for European certification is due to

be passed to EASA in March 2012.

Current plans provides for the maiden

flight of the first MC-21 prototype in 2014

with the type certification of the baseline

model by the Russian aviation authorities

in 2015. EASA certification programme is

to be finished in 2016 when the deliveries to

launch customers could begin.

MC-21 basic design data

MC-21-200 MC-21-300 MC-21-400

Seating capacity (singe-class layout, 812 mm/32 inch pitch) 150 181 212

Powerplant thrust, tonnes 2x12.5 2х14 2х15.6

Length, m 35.9 41.5 46.7

Wingspan, m 35.9 35.9 36.8

Height, m 11.4 11.5 12.7

Maximum takeoff weight, t 67.6 76.18 87.23

Maximum cruising speed, km/h (Mach) 850 (0.8)

Maximum ceiling, m 12,000

Range with max seating capacity, km 5,000 5,000 5,500

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14 subcontractors for the MC-21 programme

By July 2010 Irkut announced that it had

selected first-tier suppliers of 14 key systems

of the MC-21. The winners of the completed

tenders were as follows:

• avionics suite – the Avionics Concern, Russia,

in cooperation with Rockwell Collins, USA, with

the Irkut Corp. as the avionics integrator;

• integrated flight control system – Aviapribor

Holding, Russia, in cooperation with Goodrich AS,

France, and Rockwell Collins, USA;

• powerplant – Pratt&Whitney (the United

Technologies Corporation division), USA; MC-21

programme will also use the prospective engines

designed by United Engine Corp., Russia;

• landing gear – the Gydromash JSC, Nizhny

Novgorod, Russia;

• APU – Hamilton Sundstrand, USA;

• integrated air conditioning system – Nauka

scientific and technical association, Moscow,

Russia, in cooperation with Hamilton Sundstrand

(the United Technologies Corporation division)

and the Hamilton Sundstrand/Nauka joint ven-

ture;

• electrical system – ECE, Zodiac Aerospace

Corporation, France, in cooperation with

Hamilton Sundstrand, USA;

• interior layout – C&D, Zodiac Aerospace,

USA;

• fuel system – Intertechnique, Zodiac

Aerospace, France

• oxygen generation system – Intertechnique,

Zodiac Aerospace, France;

• inert gas system – Intertechnique, Zodiac

Aerospace, France, in cooperation with Hamilton

Sundstrand, USA;

• fire suppressant system – Kidd Technologies

corporation (Hamilton Sundstrand), USA;

• hydraulic system – Eaton corporation, United

States, that will order over 50% of hydraulic

system parts and units from Russia manufac-

turers Voskhod, Teploobmennik, Znamya and

Tekhpribor;

• wing anti-icing system – Hamilton Sundstrand,

USA.

Vladimir SHCHERBAKOV

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

w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u46 take-off july 2010

A new 99-seat An-158 regional jet

completed by Antonov this spring

took off for its maiden flight from the

company’s Svyatoshin airfield in Kiev on

28 April 2010. The airliner is a stretched

variant of the 68–75-seat An-148-100B

regional plane in production in Russia

and Ukraine. It is designed to facilitate

the meeting of the requirements of air

carriers ordering An-148-family aircraft.

There were other important events in

the An-148 production programme in

the recent months as well. The first

production-standard An-148-100B

assembled in Kiev made its first flight

from the manufacturer’s airfield, the

Rossiya state transport company

launched operation of its third and

fourth VASO-built airliners of the type,

and VASO goes on with the next An-148s

production.

The maiden flight of the An-158 (registration

number UR-NTN) continued 01 h 45 min.

Following its landing at Kiev-Antonov airfield

in Gostomel, there was an after-action review,

during which the pilot, Test Pilot 1st Class

S.M. Troshin, co-pilot, Test Pilot 1st Class

A.V. Spasibo, and test engineer N.V. Sidorenko

informed Antonov’s Designer General Dmitry

Kiva that the mission had been a success. “We

climbed to 8,600 m. The plane was stable

and controllable at all altitudes”, said Sergey

Troshin. “The crew is satisfied with the plane’s

performance. All onboard systems performed

well. As was expected, the An-158 is very easy

to control”.

The An-158’s maiden mission was attended

by representatives of the partners under the

programme, airlines and national leaders

headed by Ukrainian President Victor

Yanukovich. Congratulating Antonov staff on

the accomplishment of another phase of the

An-158 programme, the President said: “This

is a landmark event, a cause for celebration

to all of the programme participants

developing and building the aircraft, including

34 Ukrainian companies, 120 Russian ones

and partners from 13 other countries”.

Designer General Dmitry Kiva emphasised,

“Now, we are faced with certification and

productionising of the plane. Carriers are

anticipating it already, because it benefits an

operator to use a family of aircraft – the An-148,

An-158 in this case – that feature a high degree

of commonality while differing in the seating

capacity. This means that they have a common

aircrew training, maintenance and repair

system”. The Antonov head added that the

An-158 certification test programme was to be

completed by year-end 2010, after which full-

scale production and deliveries may begin.

ADDITION TO AN-148 FAMILYAn-158 trials kick off in Kiev while new Voronezh-built An-148s enter service

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The An-158 prototype, which was previously

designated as An-148-200, was converted from

the second An-148-100 (c/n 01-02) that had

registration number UR-NTB. The conversion

began last autumn. The fuselage was stretched

by 1.7 m, which allowed an addition of 18–24

extra seats in the cabin. Now, the aircraft seats

99 passengers in the single-class configuration

(12 comfortable seats in the business class in the

2+2 layout and 74 in the economy class in the

2+3 layout with a pitch of 787 mm). At the same

time, the wing was modified, having acquired

winglets on its wingtips.

Despite an increase in its takeoff weight,

the An-158 is powered by D-436-148 engines,

the same that power the production-standard

An-148-100B. The only difference lies in the

settings of the digital engine control system

configured for higher thrust (the same FADEC

settings are planned for use on the extended-

range version, the An-148-100E).

According to the developer, the An-158

seating capacity increase and design

optimisation will allow a 9% drop in specific

fuel consumption per passenger-mile and a

12% reduction in direct operating costs.

Not long before the rollout of the

An-158, the Antonov manufacturing plant,

as the former Kiev-based Aviant plant is

known now, assembled the long-awaited

first production An-148-100B (c/n 01-09)

and submitted it for flight tests. The aircraft

uses c/n 40-01 component set (F3 fuselage

section, empennage, wing high-lift devices,

other composite parts, etc.) supplied by Russian

aircraft manufacturer VASO. The production

An-148, built in Kiev and given registration

number UR-NTC, flew its maiden mission

on 10 April. In May, it launched commercial

operations as part of the aircraft fleet of the

Aerosvit carrier that had leased it from its owner,

Ukrainian leasing company Leasingtechtrans.

The first An-148 (c/n 01-01, UR-NTA) has

been flying Aerosvit’s regular services since June

2009. Meanwhile, the Antonov manufacturing

plant is completing the second Kiev-built

An-148-100B (c/n 01-10, VASO’s component

set c/n 40-02) earmarked for delivery before

the end of this year. That the aircraft is nearing

completion is indicated by the fact that the

engines have been mounted on it. Further

production-standard An-148s are under

construction. As is known, Aerosvit is intent

on operating a total of 10 airliners of the type,

including five An-148-100Bs and five An-158

‘stretches’.

Parallel to launching the An-158 trials and

supporting the An-148-100 production by the

aircraft plants in Kiev and Voronezh, Antonov

carries on working on new versions of the baseline

model. The new variants include a version with

an enhanced comfort cabin to carry VIPs. The

version is designated as An-168 in Ukraine and

ABJ (Antonov Business Jet) in Russia. A next

step might be development and construction

of the An-148C cargo version fitted with a side

cargo door and then the An-148T-100 advanced

freighter that has recently been dubbed An-178

in Ukraine. The latter is to have a loading ramp

and a wider fuselage. Its lifting capacity is to

increase to 20 t, which will call for an advanced

higher-thrust engines. Zaporozhye-based engine

makers Ivchenko-Progress and Motor Sich are

mulling over it now.

Meanwhile, another production

An-148-100Bs made in Voronezh continue

to enter service in Russia. On 14 April, the

Rossiya state transport company received its

third airliner of the type (RA-61703, c/n 40-05),

built earlier this year in Voronezh. In the same

month it entered service and handles flights from

St. Petersburg to Moscow, Samara, Rostov-on-

Don, Ufa, Arkhangelsk and Mineralnye Vody.

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An-158’s passenger cabins

interiors

Winglets became a distinguishing feature of the An-158 stretch

The first An-158 is ready for roll-out from the Antonov’s production plant assembly hall, 20 April 2010.

The second production An-148-100B of Kiev-assembly (c/n 01-10) seen to the left

w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u48 take-off july 2010

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

The aircraft was delivered to Rossiya on

the financial leasing terms under the current

contract with the Ilyushin Finance Co. leasing

company (IFC). Six An-148-100Bs are to be

built and delivered to the customer under the

contract. The fourth aircraft under the contract

(RA-61704, c/n 40-06) was rolled out by VASO

in late April and delivered to Rossiya carrier

on 22 June. Its first commercial service from

St. Petersburg to Moscow took place five days

later, on 27 June 2010. There is a fifth plane

(RA-61705, c/n 40-07) in the final assembly

shop of VASO, with the final sixth aircraft under

the IFC-Rossiya deal being due this summer.

Next customers for VASO-built

An-148-100Bs are to be the Atlant-Soyuz

and Polyot carriers. The former has ordered

from IFC 15 An-148-100E extended-range

aircraft, 10 An-148-200s (An-158) stretches

and five An-148ABJ (An-168) business jets

to be delivered from 2010 through 2012.

The other is going to take delivery of 10

An-148-100Bs during the same period. IFC

and VASO are making efforts to launch

deliveries to these air companies before year-

end. At the same time, VASO has other

urgent An-148 orders to fulfil, e.g. a couple

of tailor-made aircraft of the type have been

ordered by the Administrative Office of the

Russian President for the Rossiya special

air detachment and several more have been

ordered by foreign customers.

According to Yuri Grudinin, head of the

Regional Aircraft Directorate of UAC, the growing

demand for aircraft of the An-148 family in

Russia, Ukraine and farther abroad will contribute

to expanding the Russian-Ukrainian cooperation

in production of airliners of the type. For this

reason, VASO is not going to cease to import

components from Ukraine while deepening the

localisation of the An-148 production in Russia

(for instance, VASO has productionised the F1

fuselage section and is productionising the F2

section). Moreover, according to our sources in

Kiev, the two companies are looking into dividing

their areas of operations, with VASO to continue

to make all An-148-100 versions and Antonov in

Kiev to specialise in the An-158 stretch (An-148-

200). The companies will supply each other with

commonised components they make, to boot.

Unified cockpit for all versions of An-148 and

An-158 family

The first production An-148-100B assembled in Kiev (c/n 01-09, UR-NTC) which maiden flight

took place on 10 April 2010 is now in service with Aerosvit airlines of Ukraine

The third Voronezh-assembled An-148-100B (c/n

40-05, RA-61703) flies on Rossiya state transport

company passenger routes since 23 April 2010

The fourth An-148-100B (c/n 40-06, RA-61704) received by Rossiya carrier from VASO plant on

22 June 2010

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