to05 by avia lduo

november 2006 â&#x20AC;˘ special edition for Airshow China 2006

SUKHOI FIGHTERS

FOR CHINA p.18

Sukhoi Su-80 in trials p.36

Russian Knights in Chinese skies p.12

Be-200's contracts and records p.16

Around Russia in 13 hrs

Russian ASMs on Global Market

p.38

p.8

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November 2006 Editor-in-Chief Andrey Fomin

Deputy Editor-in-Chief Andrey Yurgenson

Columnists Alexander Velovich Vladimir Shcherbakov

Special correspondents Alexey Mikheyev, Victor Drushlyakov, Yevgeny Yerokhin, Andrey Zinchuk, Valery Ageyev, Alina Chernoivanova, Natalya Pechorina, Sergey Popsuyevich, Piotr Butowski, Alexander Mladenov, Miroslav Gyurosi

Design and pre-press Grigory Butrin

Web support Georgy Fedoseyev

Translation Yevgeny Ozhogin

Publisher

Director General Andrey Fomin

Deputy Director General Nadezhda Kashirina

Marketing Director George Smirnov

Executive Director Yury Zheltonogin

Published with support from Russian Knights foundation

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 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. 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

Dear reader, You are holding a new special issue of the Take-Off magazine – a supplement to Russian national aerospace magazine Vzlyot. The issue has been timed with Airshow China 2006. By tradition, the event in Zhuhai has been attended by numerous Russian participants and businessmen. Small wonder, because the Russian-Chinese aerospace cooperation has been given a strong impetus over the past 15 years. As a result, China has become a top importer of Russian aircraft, first and foremost, military ones. Today, the Russian-made Sukhoi Su-27SK and Su-30MKK aircraft have been the mainstay of PLAAF’s new-generation fighter fleet. China imports Sukhoi jets, and its factories have mastered their licence production. Engine deliveries also have been high on the priority list of the Russo-Chinese aviation cooperation, with these turbofans powering both Russia-supplied and advanced indigenous Chinese fighters – J-10 and FC-1. Russian experts consult their Chinese counterparts developing new aircraft, e.g. latest Chinese trainer L-15, to power which an advanced Ukrainian-Russian turbofan engine of the AI-222 family is being offered. However, the Russian-Chinese cooperation does not limit itself to warplanes. China operates Russian-made Mil Mi-8 and Mi-17 helicopters and Ilyushin Il-76 freighters on a large scale, with early Beriev Be-103 light multipurpose amphibians and Tupolev Tu-204-120CE freighters to start arriving to Chinese buyers this year. In the future, China could begin acquisition of Ilyushin Il-96-400T long-range freighters, Sukhoi Su-80 transport/passenger regional planes and Beriev Be-200 multipurpose amphibians. The cooperation has been on the rise, with new big contracts for combat and commercial aircraft expected to be placed soon. Therefore, the Russian-Chinese aviation cooperation is central to this issue. The Russian Air Force’s Russian Knights display team on Su-27 fighters and Anatoly Kvochur’s Su-30 crew of the Flight Research Centre – both known well and liked by the China aviation enthusiasts – are to participate in Airshow China 2006. Anatoly Kvochur’s team has completed a record-breaking long-range non-stop flight exceeding 14,500 km. Both the Knights and Kvochur are covered by individual articles in this issue. As usual, you are getting news on other key events in the Russian and CIS aerospace fields over the past couple of months. I hope the materials will come in handy for you to have a better grasp of the large Russian exposition at the show and keep abreast of the latest development in Russia’s aviation and space exploration fields. I wish all participants in and guests of Airshow China 2006 to meet interesting people, establish useful contacts and snag lucrative contracts. See you at new air shows! Sincerely,

Print-run: 5600 copies

P.O. Box 7, Moscow, 125475, Russia Tel. +7 (495) 198-60-40, 798-81-19 Fax +7 (495) 198-60-40 E-mail: info@take-off.ru http://www.take-off.ru

Andrey Fomin Editor-in-chief Take-Off magazine

contents

MILITARY AVIATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 november 2006

CCTC in Lipetsk gearing for early Su-34s RusAF receives two upgraded Su-24Ms First air regiment converted to Su-27SM upgraded fighters Ka-50 production resumed for MoD Upgraded MiG-31’s trials Splav offers advanced derivatives of popular FFARs

Following Chkalov’s route Anatoly Kvochur’s crew completes unique non-stop flight

On 8 September, the Flight Research Centre’s (FRC) pilots Anatoly Kvochur and Sergey Korostiyev made an unprecedented-duration non-stop flight across Russia – from Zhukovsky to Chkalov Island in the Far East and back. The flight on a Su-30 twinseat fighter (side number 597), which included several mid-air refuellings, was dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the historical flight by Valery Chkalov on the Tupolev ANT-25 to Udd Island now named after the legendary Soviet pilot. The FRC pilots covered over 12,400 km on the round trip within 13 h 09 min, having tested FRC-developed SRNK-21DV satnav system on a real long-range mission. The system ensures self-contained mid-air refuelling without information support from ground controllers. This made up a big practical value for the flight, because the system tested may soon be fielded with the Russian Air Force (RusAF), thus boosting their ability to fly across the vast expanses of Russia. Andrey Fomin and Yevgeny Yerokhin tells about new Kvochur’s non-stop flight and its importance for Russian Air Force development

Russian Knights in Chinese skies There are many display teams throughout the world, showcasing their airmanship on aerobatic and trainer aircraft or light fighters. However, the Russian Air Force’s Russian Knights display team seems to be unique since it alone flies formation aerobatics on heavy fighters such as Sukhoi Su-27s. The total weight of the team’s six planes accounts for about 150 t, with their combined wingspan measuring over 75 m in tight formation. Having celebrated its 15th anniversary this spring, the Russian Knights have been invited to perform at Airshow China in Zhuhai and promise to put up a most breathtaking aerobatics show this year. Brief excursus to 15 years-long history of the Russian Knights and their recent achievements – in the photo report by Andrey Zhirnov

CONTRACTS AND DELIVERIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Be-200’s contracts and records First Tu-204-120CE ready for shipment to PRC Be-103s finally go to China Russian engines to power Chinese aircraft

Sukhoi fighters in China Today and tomorrow

take-off november 2006

www.take-off.ru

contents

the agenda, both Russian-made (Sukhoi and KnAAPO offered their upgrade programme dubbed Su-27SKM) and indigenous Chinese ones. It looks like that the jury is still out. In addition, not a single new delivery contract has been made since 2003: having contented themselves with a hundred Su-30MKKs and Su-30MK2s during 2000–2004, the Chinese seem to be waiting for the Su-35, a drastic upgrade of the Flanker. Now, Russia pins its hopes for resuming fighter deliveries to China on this aircraft. There is one more Sukhoi plane that could go to China in the future. It is a derivative of the Su-33 carrierborne fighter, which, according to experts, could come in handy in tailoring carrier air groups on future Chinese aircraft carriers. 15 years of Sukhoi fighters service with the PLAAF and their new derivatives prospects in China are reviewed by Andrey Fomin

INDUSTRY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Alexey Fyodorov: UAC to be registered this autumn RRJ renamed SuperJet SaM146 passes first stage of trials Albatross to get second wind? Ka-226 proves itself in mountainous terrain Mi-38 reaches record-breaking flight altitude An-148’s airlifter derivative makes its debut Su-80GP in trials

Russian air-to-surface precision-guided weapons on global market

In spite of the snags hit in the 1990s, Russian defence contractors have retained fundamental technologies and advanced weaponry’s development and production principles. Russia has always been a world leader in combat aircraft development, with its aircraft weapon makers renowned for their effective and dependable weapons at all times. The Russian arms-making school of thought rests upon the systemic approach and the ability to pinpoint the gist of the matter and embody simple but promising solutions to enable aircraft and weapons to operate in most demanding environments. It is this that makes Russian designers different from their Western colleagues who mostly focus on solving clear-cut limited problems. Therefore, many countries, especially those striving to pursue an independent national security policy, have been paying closer attention to the materiel offered by Russian companies for export. Peter Stone reviews modern air-to-surface guided missiles now offered by Russia for international arms market

Ivchenko-Progress engines of the future

CIVIL AVIATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

New Tu-214s for Russian airlines Yakutiya receives first Russian-made An-140 Tu-154M production goes on Be-103 enters service New M-101Ts for civil aviation’s flying schools Leasing as Russian commercial aircraft industry’s driving force

COSMONAUTICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

47 www.take-off.ru

Soyuz TMA-9 brings new crew and first female space tourist to ISS Clipper loses ground to upgraded Soyuz

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military aviation | in brief

6 July 2006 (right photo). It looks like the bomber, which is to be given side number 49, is to be one of the two Su-34s slated for the CCTC in Lipetsk this year. According to Gen. Mikhaylov, the Sukhoi design bureau will give the CCTC the other aircraft that, probably, will be the eighth Su-34 (side number 48) made by NAPO to RusAF’s revised specification requirements in December 2003 (pic. below). Having made six prototype and LRIP Su-34s of the type during 1993–2003, NAPO launched construction of the first production aircraft last year. Visiting NAPO on 23 March 2006, Deputy Prime Minister Sergey Ivanov, who is dual-hatted as defence minister, said that under the three-year contract, NAPO would have supplied the Air Force with 24 Su-34 bombers by 2010 to field the first air regiment on the bombers

of the type. Two aircraft have been ordered from the manufacturer for delivery this year, with construction of six and ten Su-34s to be paid for by the customer in 2007 and in 2008 respectively. The Air Force is to have received the first production bomber before year-end. “I hope the aircraft will

Piotr Butowski

Before year-end, the Air Force Combat and Conversion Training Centre (CCTC) in the city of Lipetsk is to have received the first two Sukhoi Su-34 multirole tactical bombers. Addressing 59 OSCE observers in Lipetsk, the RusAF Commander-in-Chief, Gen. Vladimir Mikhaylov, said: “One of the aircraft is due to the Lipetsk-based Centre one of these days, and the other in November.” The aircraft will be used for converting RusAF flight and ground crews and devising their combat operational techniques for combat units. As is known, the Su-34’s official trials are in the final stages, with early production aircraft of the type to start fielding with combat units soon. The first production Su-34 built by the Novosibirsk Aircraft Production Association named after Valery Chkalov (NAPO) was rolled-out on

Konstantin Ponomarev/ngs.ru

CCTC in Lipetsk gearing up for early Su-34s

be delivered to the customer on schedule late this year,” Sukhoi’s Director General Mikhail Pogosyan said at the first production bomber’s roll-out ceremony. The plane is soon to be followed by another one now under construction by NAPO. According to NAPO Director General Fyodor Zhdanov, the second production Su-34 was moved from the aggregate assembly shop to the assembly shop in late June, and the guests could see its fuselage nearby the first aircraft during the ceremony. On the next days after rolling out the first production Su-34, 7 July, Sergey Ivanov praised the ceremony and told the press that RusAF would have bought as many as 58 Su-34s by 2015. Thus, two or three RusAF bomber air regiments will have converted from the previous-generation Su-24M bombers to the advanced aircraft by the middle of next decade.

RusAF receives two upgraded Su-24Ms According to the Sukhoi design bureau’s Web site (www.sukhoi.org), the first two Su-24M2 upgraded tactical bombers were received by the Russian Air Force from NAPO in Novosibirsk in mid-August, having been upgraded by the company. On 15 August, the aircraft hopped to from NAPO’s factory airfield to RusAF’s Combat and Conversion Training Centre (CCTC) in Lipetsk for subsequent ferrying to their unit.

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According to Sukhoi’s Web site, the Su-24M’s upgrade provides for improving its targeting/navigation and fire control systems via replacing its integral computer systems, inertial navigation system and displays; introducing advanced control algorithms to unguided weapons; and beefing up its weapons suite with KAB-500Kr and KAB-1500Kr guided bombs, RBK-500U-PTAB cluster bombs

as well as Kh-31A and Kh-31P missiles. This results in a 20–30 percent increase in lethality against ground targets, an expanded operating envelopment owing to precise employment of ‘dumb’ weapons even in adverse weather, a hike in self-contained navigation precision and an improvement in performance. Sukhoi completed the official test programme of the upgrade dubbed Su-24M2 in 2005,

which enabled it to start honing the first two in-service aircraft at the production plant. Until then, similar work had been done in cooperation with the Gefest & T company. The Lipetsk-based CCTC has operated four Gefest & T-upgraded Su-24Ms. In addition, NAPO last year fulfilled its contract with the Algerian Air Force on upgrading 24 Algerian Su-24MK2 bombers to the same standard.

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military aviation | in brief

KnAAPO delivered the final six-ship batch of upgraded Su-27SM fighters to RusAF’s 23rd Fighter Air Regiment stationed at Dzemgi AFB nearby. The delivery crowned the three-year contract for the company to upgrade 24 Su-27s to Su-27SM standard. The 23rd Reg’t at Dzemgi AFB has become the first RusAF combat unit fully equipped with Su-27SM fighters. The news was voiced on 13 August by RusAF Commander-in-Chief Gen. Vladimir Mikhaylov on his visit to the city of Khabarovsk to attend the celebration of the Air Force Day and 65th anniversary of the 11th Air Army stationed in the Russian Far East. During

the air show, the ground displays included a Su-27SM upgrade (see the picture). The first five KnAAPO-upgraded Su-27SM fighters were delivered to RusAF’s Lipetsk-based CCTC on 26 December 2003, with flight and ground crews starting conversion and devising of maintenance and operational recommendations for combat air regiments. The first RusAF air regiment began to convert to the Su-27SM in December 2004, having received the first batch of seven fighters in a ceremony. The next 11 aircraft were upgraded by KnAAPO during 2005. Now, with the delivery of the six final Su-27SMs, the first

Yuri Kabernik

First air regiment converted to Su-27SM upgraded fighters

three-year contract between the company and MoD has been a success. Another contract is in the pipeline. According to Gen. Mikhaylov, the Service plans to convert another of its regiments to the Su-27SM. Another 12 fighters

has been ferried to KnAAPO for upgrade, with repairing six of them having been launched. One the funding kicks off under the new contract, the company is to start fitting the fighters with new avionics and weapons.

Ka-50 production resumed for MoD

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Following a six-year lull in production, the new machine’s test mission was timed with the 70th anniversary of Progress. The second brand-new Ka-50 is to join the trials soon, with the third machine to have following suit before year-end. Next year is to see another two machines made. The remaining four half-finished airframes are likely to be completed

to Ka-52 standard, according to Yuri Denisenko. On 26 August, Vice-Premier and Russia’s defence minister Sergey Ivanov told the media during his visit to the Russian Far East: “Under the governmental armament procurement programme, 12 Black Shark (Ka-50) helicopters are planned for procurement until 2015 in addition to the three recently completed.”

Earlier, Ivanov had mentioned who the new Kamov combat helicopters were designed for. According to the 13 July report by ARMS-TASS agency, Ivanov said: “Under the governmental armament procurement programme, 12 such combat machines are to be procured. All of them are intended for the Main Intelligence Directorate to handle special missions, including to combat terrorists.”

Andrey Zinchuk

As was reported by Take-Off, the Progress company in the town of Arsenyev started last year the demothballing of its Kamov Ka-50 helicopter production line. The Ka-50 was ordered into service by the Russian president on 25 August 1995. Progress kicked off its production as far back as in 1991. However, only nine machines were delivered, with some of them received by the Army Aviation’s Combat and Conversion Training Centre (CCTC) in Torzhok and the rest were used by Kamov for further tests to refine the design. The first batch delivered, the funding of the production programme was cut, leaving another nine helicopters incomplete at Progress. In the end, the production has been kick-started again. According to Progress Director General Yuri Denisenko, continuous financing of the programme resumed in 2006. Under the programme, three of the mothballed Ka-50s are to be completed this year. The first of the three is undergoing tests, with Kamov’s test pilot Alexander Smirnov made a maiden flight of it in Arsenyev on 18 August.

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military aviation | in brief

Upgraded MiG-31’s trials The first stage of testing the upgraded Mikoyan MiG-31BM interceptor is drawing to an end at the Chkalov State Flight Test Centre (GLITs) in Akhtubinsk. A preliminary report is due before year-end to trigger a programme on upgrading the Russian Air Force’s MiG-31 fleet. As was reported by Take-Off, the first of the interceptors was upgraded and flight-tested by the Sokol company in Nizhny Novgorod in September last year and then was given to GLITs for further trials. The second aircraft joined it soon afterwards.

At Stage I, the MiG-31 receives an improved fire control suite with an advanced computer and the latest software package, with its CRT tactical display at the navigator/ weapons control officer’s combat station ousted by a multifunction LCD. Stage II is to see a more radical change to the cockpit management system: both crewmembers are to get two multifunction LCDs each, while the fire control suite is to be modified to handle advanced and upgraded air-to-air missiles. The MiG-31’s upgrade concept was promoted by Tikhomirov-NIIP – the

prime contractor for modernising the MiG-31’s fire control suite and developer of the Zaslon, the world’s first fighter fire control system wrapped around phased-array radar. Sokol has modified MiG-31s for tests, with the company also to handle the upgrade of the rest of RusAF’s MiG-31 fleet. “The MiG-31 fighter, which embodies a whole range of unique technologies, has been the mainstay of the national air defence’s interceptor fleet,” General Vladimir Mikhaylov, chief of the Russian Air Force, told an OSCE

delegation in RusAF’s Combat and Conversion Training Centre (CCTC) in Lipetsk on 5 September. According to Gen. Mikhaylov, the MiG-31’s main strengths are an extended acquisition range for terrain-hugging threats, long-range missiles to deal with such threats and ability to operate as part of an interceptor package while tracking and engaging multiple aerial threats. “The plane’s increased ceiling and speed serve the basis for boosting its combat capabilities further,” the service chief emphasized.

Splav offers advanced derivatives of popular FFARs

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derivatives of the widespread 80 mm FFAR. Two of them – the S-8-OFP1 with a blast/fragmentation penetrator warhead and instant/ delayed-action impact fuse and the S-8-OFP2 with a blast/fragmentation warhead and instant impact fuse – weight 16.7 kg, with their warheads weighing 9.2 kg. The most interesting S-8 variant, no doubt, is the S-8KOR-1 steerable rocket designed to kill thin-skinned and armoured materiel. The weapon carries a semi-active laser homer. On the terminal leg of the trajectory, the homer feeds data on the rocket’s position relative to the target to a dedicated gas-pulse steering module that uses the explosive gas energy. The module is in front of the rocket’s centre of gravity and comprises six fixed nozzles. Such missiles can be fired both

individually and in salvo, with the target having to be painted by the laser designator. Owing to introduction of the steering module and homer, the S-8KOR1’s length increased to 1,700 mm compared with the S-8-OFP1’s 1,428 mm. It was fitted with advanced small-size folding fins. The solid-fuel motor burns a more effective fuel mixture. Still, the S-8KOR1 retains the launch weight typical of other FFARs of the family – 16.7 kg. To fit the weight and size of the baseline S-8, the steerable variant was provided with an advanced lighter body. The weapon mounts a shaped-charge warhead able to punch through about 350 mm of armour. The rocket is intended to be fired by Sukhoi Su-25 attack aircraft from standard-issue 20-tube B-8M1 pods and by Kamov Ka-50, Ka-52 and other helicopters from B-8V20A pods.

A Splav spokesman told our magazine that the S-8KOR1 rocket was “in the final stages of development” and would be offered to both the Russian Air Force and foreign customers. To date, Splav has upgraded another popular Russian FFAR, the 122 mm S-13. During the IDELF 2006 show, two latest derivatives – the S-13-OFS1 and S-13-OFS2 – were unveiled. They differ in the type of fusing. Both have a launch weight of 70 kg and a 38 kg blast/fragmentation warhead, with the explosive filling weighing 15.5 kg. The 2,780 mm S-13-OFS1 is equipped with a proximity fuse while the 2,750 mm S-13-OFS2 has an instant-action impact fuse. The rockets can be fired by most of the tactical warplanes and Army helicopters from five-tube B-13L pods.

Yevgeny Yerokhin

A series of latest derivatives of the popular 80mm S-8 folding-fin aerial rockets (FFAR) from the Tula-based Splav company proved to be the most interesting aviation novelty displayed at the IDELF 2006 International Defence Equipment for Land Forces Show in Moscow last August. A team of Tochmash’s (the former OKB-16 design bureau) engineers led by legendary aerial cannon designer A.E. Nudelman developed the early rockets of the type as far back as the 1960s. Further refinement and modification of the S-8 rocket, which became organic to the Soviet Air Force tactical warplanes and Army Aviation helicopters, were handled by the Applied Physics Institute in Novosibirsk. The institute offered a number of FFARs mounting shaped-charge/ fragmentation warheads (S-8A, S-8M, S-8KO, S-8KOM, S-8T), blast/penetrator warheads (S-8B, S-8BM), blast/fragmentation and fuel-air explosive (FAE) warheads (S-8-OF and S-8D/DM respectively) and flechette warheads (S-8AS, S-8ASM). Recently, an API team, who dealt with modernising FFARs, went to work for Splav that tasked them with carrying on their work on the rockets to explore a new field. During the IDELF 2006 arms show, Splav displayed three latest

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military aviation | report On 8 September, the Flight Research Centre’s (FRC) pilots Anatoly Kvochur and Sergey Korostiyev made an unprecedented-duration non-stop flight across Russia – from Zhukovsky to Chkalov Island in the Far East and back. The flight on a Su-30 twinseat fighter (side number 597), which included several mid-air refuellings, was dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the historical flight by Valery Chkalov on the Tupolev ANT-25 to Udd Island now named after the legendary Soviet pilot. The FRC pilots covered over 12,400 km on the round trip within 13 h 09 min., having tested FRC-developed SRNK-21DV satnav system on a real long-range mission. The system ensures self-contained mid-air refuelling without information support from ground controllers. This made up a big practical value for the flight, because the system tested may soon be fielded with the Russian Air Force (RusAF), thus boosting their ability to fly across the vast expanses of Russia.

Yevgeny YEROKHIN, Andrey FOMIN

FOLLOWING CHKALOV’S ROUTE

Vorkuta Syktyvkar Moscow (Zhukovsky) Ryazan (Dyagilevo)

Igarka 2790 km

1980 km 1480 km

Nizhny Novgorod

Chkalov island (Udd)

2870 km Neryungri Tomsk

900 km

2390 km

Kemerovo Irkutsk (Belaya)

Su-30 Il-78 Su-30 и Il-78 inflight refuelling

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military aviation | report

Anatoly Kvochur’s Crew Completes Unique Non-Stop Flight Planning In support of the mission, FRC furnished Su-30 twinseat fighter No 597 – one of the three aircraft LII Flight Research Institute test pilots led by Anatoly Kvochur had flown to impress the public at numerous Russian and foreign air shows since 1992. The three aircraft – Su-27P No 595, Su-27PD No 598 and Su-30 No 597 (the latter two capable of mid-air refuelling) – were bought by the Jupiterus insurance company from KnAAPO and the Irkutsk aircraft plant to equip Anatoly Kvochur’s team. They were stationed at LII’s airfield, and widely used by LII and FRC for flight tests as well as displays and long-range flights. For a number of reasons, Kvochur could not fly them since early 2002, unfortunately, with two of them even given a new paintjob. However, the things have fallen back into place. FRC’s President, Hero of the Russian Federation and merited test pilot Anatoly Kvochur returned to LII as its first deputy chief and Flight tests head. This summer, the Su-30 with side number 597 got its initial red-white-blue paintjob back as well. The driving force behind the long-range flight and the Su-30’s pilot was Anatoly Kvochur himself, and his colleague, test pilot 2nd class Sergey Korostiyev, was the copilot. RusAF had the 203rd Independent Guards Tanker Air Regiment allocate two Il-78 tanker planes to refuel the fighter en route. The regiment reports to the 37th Air Army (a.k.a. Long Range Aviation) and is stationed at Dyagilevo AFB vic. Ryazan. The tanker www.take-off.ru

with side number 50 piloted by LII’s merited test pilot Vladimir Biryukov had been flown to Vorkuta in advance while the second one (side number 34, pilot – 203rd Regiment’s Pavel Sharygin) was to tank the Su-30 up on the latter’s final leg of the flight, having taken off from Engels AFB. The plan devised by FRC provided the following. The Su-30 takes off from Zhukovsky and the first Il-78 tanker from Vorkuta. The aircraft rendezvous over Igarka for the first refuelling of the mission. Then, they fly together, and the Il-78 refuels the Su-30 again south of Yakutsk. This done, the Su-30 descends to 200 m and puss off two turns over Chkalov Island in the mouth of the River Amur. Soon, another refuelling takes place vic. Neryungri, after which the tanker lands at the Belaya airfield in the Irkutsk Region, with the Su-30 continuing towards Moscow. The second Il-78 takes off from Engels AFB to meet and refuel it vic. Tomsk. With its mission accomplished, the tanker returns to Dyagilevo AFB, while the Su-30 lands at Zhukovsky. The Su-30 was to cover 12,417 km on that non-stop four-refuelling mission intended to last about 15 hours. The mission had been preceded by a series of training flights proving the crew’s and fighter’s preparedness. The MVK exhibition holding company was among the sponsors of the flight, to which the Russian Air Force, Aviasalon JSC (MAKS air show’s organiser), AVIKOS-AFES insurance group and One Russia parliamentary faction made a huge support.

Merited Test Pilot Anatoly Kvochur. He was born on 16 April 1952, graduated from the Yeisk Air Force School in 1973 and served in combat units of the Air Force. He graduated from the Test Pilot School in 1978 and worked as test pilot for the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Plant during 1978–81 and for the Mikoyan design bureau during 1981–91. He has been LII’s test pilot since March 1991, getting dual-hatted as LII’s deputy chief in 1995. Anatoly Kvochur tested day/night in-flight refuelling on numerous fighters and tried aerial combat techniques on them. He played his role in testing the advanced avionics of the Su-27 and Su-30. In December 1996, he became president of the Flight Research Centre (FRC). Kvochur conducted numerous flight tests in the ergonomics and satellite navigation fields, during which he made several extra-long-range flights on the Su-27 and Su-30. He worked out the concept of the ‘glass cockpit’ for a new-generation fighter. Now, Anatoly Kvochur is first deputy Director of the Gromov LII Flight Research Institute, chief of LII’s Flight Test Centre and president of the Flight Research Centre. He holds the titles of Hero of the Russian Federation and Merited Test Pilot of the Soviet Union.

Test pilot 2nd class Sergey Korostiyev. He was born on 9 January 1972, graduated from Kachinsk Air Force School in 1994, served as a pilot with RusAF’s Borisglebsk Aircraft Training Centre during 1994-95, graduated from the Zhukovsky Air Force Engineering Academy in 1998 and served as a instructor pilot with RusAF’s Lipetsk Combat and Conversion Training Centre (CCTC) during 1998–99. He started flight-testing planes for LII in 1999, graduating from the Test Pilot School in 2000. Sergey Korostiyev participated in a series of flight test programmes run by LII and in several non-stop long-range flights on the Su-30 and was decorated with the Order of Valour.

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military aviation | report

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Yevgeny Yerokhin

Flight

Anatoly Kvochur reports RusAF Commander-in-Chief Gen. Mikhaylov on successful fulfilling his long-range non-stop mission

The Su-30 just landed after 13hrs-long 12,400 km-range non-stop flight

FRC

In spite of rigorous training, the night of 8 September was no small beer to the organisers of the flight and the crew. Due to foul weather along virtually the whole of the route, Kvochur and Korostiyev’s departure was delayed almost by three hours – they left LII’s airfield at 02.36 hours. The flight’s phases had to be somewhat adjusted due to the weather and need for enhancing flight safety by means of greater number of backup airfields. As a result, five in-flight refuellings instead of four had to be performed. The first refuelling took place approximately mid-way between Novy Urengoy and Igarka, with the Il-78 (side number 50) showing up for the rendezvous from Vorkuta. Two more refuellings were performed on the leg to the Chkalov Island, with the fourth one taking place about 900 km down the road not far from Neryungri. The last time the Su-30 tanked up in the vicinity of Tomsk from the Il-78 (side number 34) that came from Dyagilevo AFB. The length of the route totalled 12,417 km. the Su-30 remained airborne for 13 hours 09 min continuously. Having completed a lap of honour over LII’s airfield, Anatoly Kvochur landed smoothly at 15.45. There were no technical or organisational problems during the mission. “The plane and its avionics operated uniquely,” Kvochur told reporters after the landing. The flight took place at an altitude ranging from 13,000 m to 16,800 m at 900–1,100 km/h. The fighter flew at a supersonic speed of Mach 1.35 on the terminal leg of the flight. The cruising speed throughout the flight averaged 955 km/ h. The first Il-78 had covered about 5,000 km until landing at Belaya air base. The second one covered a bit more than 5,700 km. The 8 September flight along Chkalov’s route proved to be the longest one in terms of both range and duration of the non-stop long-range missions completed by FRC’s pilots. Anatoly Kvochur and navigator Gennady Ireykin flew the Su-30’s 11.5-hour first long-range mission from Zhukovsky to the North Pole and back on 6 June 1992. During 1993–2001, Kvochur completed a series of long-range flights on the Su-27PD No 598 to participate in air shows in the UAE, Australia, Indonesia, China and Malaysia. Of them, special mention should be made of the following routes: Zhukovsky – Tashkent – Singapore – Melbourne – Darwin and back (March 1995), Zhukovsky – Sharjah – Colombo – Jakarta (June 1996), Zhukovsky – Zhuhai (October 1996 and November 1998, non-stop, 9 hrs 42 min and 8 hrs 58 min. respectively) and Zhukovsky – Langkawi (October 2001, non-stop, 10 hrs 42 min). During similar hops on Su-30 No 597 and Su-30KN No 302 to Zhuhai (China), Langkawi

SRNK-21DV satnav system installed in the Kvochur’s Su-30 No 597

(Malaysia) and Dubai (UAE) in 1996-2001, Anatoly Kvochur was accompanied by pilots Vladimir Loginovsky, Alexander Garnayev and Alexander Pavlov. In addition, Kvochur in 1999 flew Su-27PD No 598 from Zhukovsky to the North Pole and back within 11 hrs 31 min and then accompanied 37th Air Army aircraft from Tiksi to the North Pole and then returned to Zhukovsky within 9 hrs 30 min during a command-post exercise (CPX). Prior to the latest mission to the Chkalov Island, Kvochur and Korostiyev had flown Su-30 No 597 from Zhukovsky to Zhangjiajie (PRC) in March 2006 to perform during the Eagle of Victory 2006 air show. The flight took more than 10 hours. Until this September, Kvochur and his colleagues had logged 36 long-range flights of 4 to 10 hours each and four flights exceeding 10 hours on Su-27s and Su-30s.

Practical importance The Chkalov Island mission had a specific practical purpose as well. It proved the ability of an up-to-date warplane to make long-range non-stop flights across the country with routine mid-air refuellings, which is very important for the Air Force’s operations. Search for and

Glass cockpit of the Su-30 No 597

approach to the tanker planes was handled virtually in a self-contained manner, using only radio comms and visual signals between the fighter’s and tankers’ crews without resorting to ground-based support aids. This was achieved by fitting the Su-30 with the SRNK-21DV modified precision satnav system. The Il-78 tankers involved in the operation carried the same gear. Data on the tankers’ position relative to twhe fighter were shown on the multifunction displays and HUD in the Su-30’s cockpit. The SRNK-21DV’s operating range accounted for 700–800 km. “We have tested the system that enabled the Su-30 fighter’s crew to pinpoint the tanker plane travelling 600 km away. Moreover, after refuelling, the system enabled the crew to see the tanker out at 800 km after the aircraft went their own ways,” Russian Air Force commander Gen. Vladimir Mikhaylov commented on the SRNK-21DV’s capabilities during the news conference in the wake of the arrival of Kvochur’s crew. The SRNK-21DV was being developed by FRC during 1995–2000 on order by RusAF, reaching a high degree of readiness. Anatoly Kvochur was testing it during the above flights to the North Pole in July and September 1999. www.take-off.ru

Alexey Viktorov

military aviation | report

Alexey Viktorov

Su-30 refuelled five times during its record-breaking mission (top). Two Ilyushin Il-78 tankers were used for this purpose (bottom)

Zinchenko stressed that the SRNK-21DV could evolve into an automatic mid-air refuelling system with a precise optical aiming capability but this requires numerous flight tests and improvements. Welcoming Anatoly Kvochur’s crew, Gen. Mikhaylov said that there would be a report based on the mission’s results. The report would include the Air Force’s recommendations on in-flight refuelling with the use of the satnav system. Having

praised the excellent skills and cohesion of the Su-30’s and Il-78s’ crews as well as the aircraft’s high reliability, the service chief underlined that the navigation system tested on that mission was to be fitted to all types of RusAF’s combat and transport aircraft. As if to bolster Gen. Mikhaylov, the Air Force used the SRNK-21DV-equipped Il-78 tankers in a CPX in late September and early October this year.

Yevgeny Yerokhin

Over the past years, FRC have refined their system. “The Su-30 carried an improved SRNK-21DV version featuring better algorithms,” SRNK lead engineer Artyom Zinchenko said once Kvochur had returned, “We were ahead of the Americans in this field and would have made the system fully automatic a long time ago like the Americans did, if we had had no problem of financing the programme.”

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military aviation | report

RUSSIAN KNIGHTS IN CHINESE SKIES There are many display teams throughout the world, showcasing their airmanship on aerobatic and trainer aircraft or light fighters. However, the Russian Air Force’s Russian Knights display team seems to be unique since it alone flies formation aerobatics on heavy fighters such as Sukhoi Su-27s. The total weight of the team’s six planes accounts for about 150 t, with their combined wingspan measuring over 75 m in tight formation. Having celebrated its 15th anniversary this spring, the Russian Knights have been invited to perform at Airshow China in Zhuhai and promise to put up a most breathtaking aerobatics show this year.

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The Russian Knights aerobatics team was activated on the base of the Russian Air Force’s (RusAF) 1st Sqn, 234th Composite Air Reg’t in the Moscow Military District on 5 April 1991. The mainstay of the team was the best military pilots operating from Kubinka AFB and boasting top-notch aerobatics on the Su-27 fighter. Since 1992, the Knights have been an organic unit of RusAF’s 237th Aircraft Demonstration Centre named after Air Marshal Ivan Kozhedub. Kubinka AFB started receiving Su-27 fighters in May 1989, having gotten as many as 16 such aircraft by late 1990. A dozen Su-27 singleseaters fielded with the 1st Sqn, 234th Reg’t got side numbers from 01

to 12 while two twinseat combat trainers were numbered 18 and 19. A fit later, three more Su-27UB twinseaters were delivered and given side numbers 20, 21 and 22. The first two twinseaters were modified to mount special navaids to enable the team to conduct long-range flights for performing abroad. The Su-27UBs with side numbers 18 and 19 were equipped with the Kvitok long-range radio-navigation systems and other dedicated flight navigation avionics. Lt.-Col. Vladimir Bazhenov assumed command of the 1st Sqn in August 1990. The display team trained on Su-27s under his leadership. In early 1991, the first six-man team included leader Col. Vladimir Basov, www.take-off.ru

military aviation | report

Photo report by Andrey ZHIRNOV

left wingman Lt.-Col. Alexander Dyatlov, right wingman Maj. Sergey Ganichev, line astern Lt.-Col. Vladimir Bukin, outer left wingman Lt.-Col. Vladimir Bazhenov and right outer wingman Maj. Alexander Lichkun. Solo aerobatics were performed by Lt.-Col. Vladimir Bazhenov. The Russian Knights’ first foreign performance took place in the UK in September 1991. Two months later, the Knights set off for long a road again to fly during the LIMA ’91 air show on the Malaysian island of Langkawi. It was their first such a long flight. Suffice it to say that they had to make five stopovers en route – in Novosibirsk, Irkutsk, Beijing, Chansha and Guangzhou. This was the Knights’ first visit to China. They kept on coming there repeatedly afterwards. Today, the Russian Knights have dozens of performances at foreign air shows throughout the world under their belts as well as hundreds of displays across Russia. Spectators in the Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, France, Luxembourg, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, the UAE, the United States, etc. applauded them. www.take-off.ru

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military aviation | report

The team’s aircraft have been sporting a new bright peculiar paintjob since 1996 applied to nine fighters (Su-27s No 05, 08, 10, 15 and 16 and Su-27UBs No 18, 20, 24 and 25) during 1996–98. At the same time, the personnel on the team changed as well. Led by Alexander Lichkun, the Knights (Ivan Kirsanov, Igor Tkachenko, Vladimir Klimov and Vladimir Kovalsky) began to perform in a five-ship formation in 1998. In November the same year, the team made their debut at Airshow China ’98 in Zhuhai. Their programme included flights in the five-ship formation and solo flights by Igor Tkachenko and was crowned with aerobatics in the diamond formation. Two

take-off november 2006

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military aviation | report years later, the Knights came to China six men strong, with formation aerobatics flown during Airshow China 2000 by Alexander Lichkun, Igor Tkachenko, Vladimir Klimov, Ivan Kirsanov, Dmitry Khachkovsky and Victor Ashmyansky. A new composition of the diamond formation prepared for flight in autumn 2002 – Col. Igor Tkachenko (new leader), Lt.-Col. Dmitry Khachkovsky, Lt.-Col. Igor Shpak and Lt.-Col. Oleg Ryapolov. Not long before, display teams Russian Knights on their Su-27s and Swifts on their MiG-29s had started joint training as part of a composite team. The first formation flight of four Su-27s and four MiG-29s took place on 24 September 2002. Later on, the formation expanded to ten aircraft. The Russian Knights’ ‘diamond’ was joined by six Swifts spotting a new paintjob and flown by leader Col. Nikolay Dyatel, Gennady Avramenko, Lt.-Col. Mikhail Loginov, Victor Selyutin, Vadim Shmigelsky and Igor Sokolov who were known to the Chinese public for their performance at Airshow China 2004. The Knights and Swifts were honoured with a flypast over Moscow during the

Andrey Alexeyev (Su-27), first line astern Igor Shpak (Su-27), outer left wingman Gennady Avramenko (MiG-29), outer right wingman Victor Selyutin (MiG-29) and second line astern Oleg Ryapolov (Su-27). It was the first time that so large a team of Kubinka AFB’s five Su-27s and four MiG-29s mastered virtually the whole set of aerobatics A great success of the Russian Knights was their victory of FAI’s 23rd World Cup in jet aerobatics in Al-Ain (UAE) on 11–15 January 2006. The international jury marked their performance with 9,495 points, thus giving the team first place. The three Su-27 singleseaters and two Su-27UB twinseaters were flown in Al-Ain by Guards Col. Igor Tkachenko (Merited Military Pilot of Russia, sniper pilot, the Knight’s leader, chief of the 237th Aircraft Demo Centre), Guards lieutenant-colonels Igor Shpak (CO of the team, sniper pilot) and Oleg Ryapolov (sniper pilot) and Guards lieutenant-colonels Oleg Yerofeyev, Andrey Alexeyev, Victor Melnik and Alexey Kotomkin (all four – pilots 1st class). The recent air show in Al-Ain is the second one the Kubinka-based aerobatics pilots participated in. Last year, they

the Russian Knights went to Belarus in the same month, where they performed during the celebration of the 65th anniversary of the Belarusian Air Force’s air base in Baranovichi. On the Aviation Day in August this year, the Knights performed in Khabarovsk, flying ordinary Su-27 fighters organic to a Far Eastern air regiment, rather than their own

Russian Independence Day on 12 June 2003. The teams flew over Red Square at an altitude of 400 m in a 10-ship pyramid formation led by six MiG-29s followed by four Su-27s. Soon afterwards, the Knights began to learn to fly in the reviving six-ship formation that included new pilots – majors Oleg Yerofeyev and Andrey Alexeyev. Spring 2004 saw the Russian Knights and Swifts launch training in a large formation comprising nine Su-27s and MiG-29s. The big composite ‘diamond’ was composed of leader Igor Tkachenko on a Su-27, left inner wingman Nikolay Dyatel (MiG-29), right inner wingman Igor Sokolov (MiG-29), lead solo Oleg Yerofeyev (Su-27), opposite solo

performed there as a composite four-ship formation of a pair of Su-27UBs and as many MiG-29UBs. The composite team was dubbed Russian Swifts by the local media but performed hors concours. This time, the Knights took first place by right. The Russian Knights’ participation in Airshow China 2006 is the team’s second visit to China this year. March saw them performing during the large-scale celebration of the 60th anniversary of WWII’s end – Victory Eagle air show in Zhangjiajie (China’s Hunan province) dual-hatted as the opening of the year of Russia in China. Having celebrated their 15th anniversary with breathtaking aerobatics at Kubinka AFB,

ones. This highlighted their airmanship even more. In September, the Knights took part in the Gidroaviasalon 2006 air show in the Black Sea city of Gelendzhik, flying both as part of the composite Su-27/MiG-29 nine-ship formation and the five-ship formation of their own. Their performance included their trademark solo and paired team-leaders aerobatics. The Russian Knights are going on a long hop to Zhuhai on 21 October. Another performance of the Russian aerobatics pilots on Su-27 fighters, which are so popular with the Chinese, promise a most impressive item on the flight programme of Airshow China 2006.

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contracts and deliveries | in brief

Be-200’s contracts and records initial registration was RF-32517). The remaining four amphibians under the contract will have been delivered before 2007 year-end. They are being built by the Irkut Corp.’s aircraft plant in Irkutsk, with

Kobzev said that its fire-fighting variant would be promoted on the market in the first place because its certification to international standards is the easiest and quickest as compared with other

On 7 September, the amphibian produced a speed of 653 km/h in the same class on a 1,000 km circuit route both empty and with 1 t and 2 t payloads. Its crew comprised test pilot Nikolay Okhotnikov,

the production of the next Be-200s planned to be moved to Taganrog. In addition to future export orders, the aircraft plant in Taganrog will make amphibians under possible future domestic contracts. According to

aircraft. The first one (RA-21515, later re-registered as RF-32765) was received in July 2003 and the second one (RF-32516, now RF-32766) in February 2004. The ministry’s third amphibian, which flew this time in Gelendzhik, has been in service since July 2005 (its

Victor Kobzev, the Russian Aerial Forest Protection Service has been keen on the Be-200, with the combined requirement of the service and Ministry of Emergencies being estimated at 35–40 aircraft. Touching upon the feasibility of future orders for the Be-200, Victor

versions. In addition to Portugal, the aircraft could be ordered by Italy and Greece. A number of Southeast Asian countries have shown interest in such aircraft too. Kobzev estimates the Be-200 market capacity at about 60 planes. China is interested in the Be-200 too, but it does not need the fire-fighting version that much. Therefore, the cargo, SAR and passenger variants will be offered there. During the Gidroaviasalon 2006 show, the Be-200ChS (RF-21512) completed four flights, breaking eight world records in the C-2j and C-3j classes (hydroplanes up to 45 t and amphibians up to 45 t respectively). On 6 September, the amphibian accelerated to 650 km/ h on a 500-km circuit route in the C-2 class. Interestingly, the co-pilot in that flight was Gen. Vladimir Mikhaylov, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Air Force. The Be-200 was flown by Beriev’s test pilot Nikolay Kuleshov, with the crew including navigator Yuri Gerasimov and operator Alexander Ternovoy.

co-pilot Nikolay Kuleshov, navigator Yuri Gerasimov and operator Sergey Gundich. On 9 September 2006, the amphibian made two flights, including take-off and landing in the airport of the city of Anapa and take-off and splashdown on the sea, and broke several world records in the C-3 class. The plane flew at 669 km/h on a 500 km circuit route and at 674 km/h on a 1,000 km circuit route both empty and with 1 t and 2 t payloads. Nikolay Okhotnikov and Nikolay Kuleshov alternated as pilot and co-pilot. Yuri Gerasimov was the navigator and Vladimir Karagodin and Konstantin Lysogor the operators. In all, eight world records were broken during the four flights and witnessed by FAI’s representative – Tatyana Polozova, a sports commissar of the Russian National Aeroclub named after Valery Chkalov. The results will become official once they are approved by FAI, which is to take three months. Prior to these flights, the Be-200 had set as many as 34 world records.

Mikhail Fomin

Grigory Butrin

There were as many as two Beriev Be-200ChS amphibians displayed in the recent Gidroaviasalon 2006 air show in Geledzhik. One of them, Beriev-owned RF-21512, had returned on the eve of the show from Portugal that contracted it to fight forest fires during the summer, hence the bright inscription Bombeiros in Portuguese on its side. The Be-200ChS’s successful operation in Portugal might lead to the country becoming the first foreign buyer of such amphibians. According to Beriev’s Director General Victor Kobzev speaking during the show, the parties are starting negotiating the terms of contract for two Be-200ChS amphibians, with two more aircraft being an option. The second Be-200ChS at the show (RF-32767) was displayed by the amphibian’s launch customer, the Russia’s Ministry of Emergencies. It is that aircraft that reporters, including this author, were lucky to board to become the first passengers of a taking off and splashing down amphibian. Under the current contract the Ministry of Emergencies is to take delivery of seven Be-200ChS

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contracts and deliveries | in brief

First Tu-204-120CE ready for shipment to PRC 30 January 2004 (certificate ST233-Tu-204-120CE). A contract for five Tu-204-120CE transports was signed on 8 September 2001. Three were to be received by China Southwest and two by China Northwest. Under the contract, there was an option for 10 aircraft of the type. Following a number of reshuffles of the Chinese commercial aviation, Air China Cargo, a subsidiary of Beijing-based Air China, became the customer for the three Tu-204-120CEs and China Cargo (a subsidiary of Shanghai-based China Eastern) for the remaining two. Due to the customers’ failure to fund the development on schedule, Aviastar furnished the first Tu-204-120CE (f/n 64030) for flight tests as late as this spring. It first flew on 14 May. Under the three-month EASA certification programme, the aircraft completed 21 flights, logging a total of 35 h 40

min in flight. The test programme was pronounced a success, with the aircraft submitted for its acceptance. Chinese pilots have already flown it as part of the crew. The first Tu-204-120CE was slated for delivery in September but has been delayed a little due to a delay in finalising

the certification paperwork. Aviastar is completing the second freighter (f/n 64031) that could be built before the end of the year, provided sufficient financing is secured. The remaining three aircraft – f/n 64034, 64035 and 64041 – are slated for completion in 2007.

facilitate Be-103 deliveries to China. Therefore, the amphibians will be delivered in small batches several aircraft each. The first two are about to fly to Harbin. Next three Be-103s may be shipped to Guangzhou, with the contract slated for signing during the Airshow China at Zhuhai. They are supposed to be flown in by a transport aircraft. Yet another five Be-103s may be shipped to Harbin again.

In addition to the first two aircraft, KnAAPO is ready deliver eight more Be-103s before year-end. There are as many as 12 complete amphibians in the manufacturer’s flight test shop, with the rest of the Series 37 aircraft being in different stages of completion. A Chinese delegation visited Russia in September to discuss the delivery of more. The parties are considering the feasibility of license-producing up to 50 Be-103s in China.

Marina Lystseva

On 2 August 2006, the Ulyanovsk-based Aviastar-SP plant completed the certification flight tests of the first Tupolev Tu-204-120CE cargo aircraft made on order for the People’s Republic of China. Paperwork for certifying the aircraft in line EC airworthiness standard JAR-25 is to wrap up this autumn, after which the plane can be delivered to the Air China Cargo company. The Tu-204-120CE is an improved cargo derivative of the baseline Tu-204-100 airliner. It is powered by 19,300 kgf Rolls-Royce RB211-535E4B75 turbofan engines and cockpit management system in English, using imperial standards for displaying flight parameters. The aircraft is designed for hauling up to 27 t of cargo out at 3,000 km or 10.5 t of cargo out at 7,400 km. The Tu-204-120CE was certificated by IAC’s Aviation Registry on

Andrey Fomin

The first two Beriev Be-103 light multipurpose amphibians built by KnAAPO in Komsomolsk-on-Amur are to be shipped to the customer in China at last on 31 October. Under the evolving contract with China, KnAAPO had been building the first five Be-103 (series 35) amphibians since spring 2003. In 2004, the manufacturer launched construction of next Series 37 amphibians for Chinese customers. Also in 2004, an agreement was reached that China would order 20 Be-103 amphibians worth approximately $1.1. million per unit. Russia’s

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Aviaexport and China’s CATIC and AVIC II were intermediaries in that deal. KnAAPO completed the first five-ship batch for China during 2004–05, and CAAC (Civil Aviation Administration of China) certified the Be-103 on 22 December 2005, having issued type certificate VTC173A. In May 2006, the customer made a firm order for the first two aircraft. Despite the amphibians being ready for shipping, the delivery stalled, for which the Chinese party was to blame. Quite paperwork had to be handled. To cap it all, the intermediaries changed. Now, China’s regional authorities will

KnAAPO

Be-103s finally go to China

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contracts and deliveries | review First Flankers for PLAAF

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It is the Chinese order that, 15 years ago, paved the way for the Sukhoi family fighters’ export that has been so large-scale in the recent year. The Chinese contract, secured in 1991, envisioned delivering 24 fighters to the country (20 Su-27SK single-seaters and four Su-27UBK twin-seaters). The first export Su-27SKs and Su-27UBKs differed but little from their Russian Su-27 and Su-27UB counterparts. The main differences comprised a modified identification friend-or-foe (IFF) system, a simplified electronic countermeasures (ECM) system, and the export version of the Tikhomirov NIIP’s N001E radar. In addition to that, the first Su-27SKs and Su-27UBKs were armed with R-27R1 and the R-27T1 medium range missiles versions only fitted with a semi-active radar and thermal homing heads respectively, as well as the R-73E or the R-60MK dogfight heat seeking missiles.

SUKHOI FIGTERS IN CHINA Andrey FOMIN

TODAY AND TOMORROW

Russian-made Sukhoi Su-27SK single-seat fighters have been in service with the China’s People’s Liberation Army’s Air Force (PLAAF) for almost a decade and a half. The first 20 aircraft were delivered by KnAAPO in 1992, followed by 16 more fighters four years later. In 1996, a contract was signed on tooling up the aircraft factory in the Chinese city of Shenyang for license-producing 200 such aircraft. The first Shenyang-made Su-27SK, designated as J-11, fulfilled its maiden flight on 15 December 1998. Over seven years, KnAAPO had supplied the Shenyang plant with a hundred Su-27SK assembly kits for license production. However, the programme was suspended in early 2004 since PLAAF had learnt to operate a more advanced Flanker version, the Su-30MKK multirole twinseat fighter (Russia supplied 76 aircraft of the type in 2000–2003) and the Chinese Navy was gearing up for receiving the even more sophisticated Su-30MK2 (KnAAPO delivered 24 fighters of the type in 2004). Against such a backdrop, China decided against continuing to make Su-27SKs whose combat capabilities were less sophisticated. A number of options for resuming the J-11’s production were pondered, but in any case, only upgraded multirole aircraft with the improved avionics and weapons suites were on the agenda, both Russian-made (Sukhoi and KnAAPO offered their upgrade programme dubbed Su-27SKM) and indigenous Chinese ones. It looks like that the jury is still out. In addition, not a single new delivery contract has been made since 2003: having contented themselves with a hundred Su-30MKKs and Su-30MK2s during 2000-2004, the Chinese seem to be waiting for the Su-35, a drastic upgrade of the Flanker. Now, Russia pins its hopes for resuming fighter deliveries to China on this aircraft. There is one more Sukhoi plane that could go to China in the future. It is a derivative of the Su-33 carrierborne fighter, which, according to experts, could come in handy in tailoring carrier air groups on future Chinese aircraft carriers.

Later on the armament package of the Su-27SK and the Su-27UBK incorporated the R-27ER1 and R-27ET1 advanced range missiles. Moreover, at the customer’s request, their design was modified in order to increase the maximum take-off weight, while the armament included unguided air-to-surface weapon systems. The Su-27SK was capable of carrying 100, 250 and 500kg unguided air bombs, incendiary tanks, and 80, 122 and 266 mm rockets. The maximum combat load, attached to ten pylons, totalled 8,000 kg.

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At the request of the Chinese side the Su-27SK was to operate with the full fuel load and the maximum combat load, with the aircraft take-off weight totalling 33,000 kg (the take-off weight of the first Su-27s and Su-27SKs was limited to 28,000 kg). With this end in view, the landing gear was strengthened. The first dozen of Su-27s (eight singleseaters and four twinseaters) arrived in China in June 1992. In November of the same year another 12 Su-27SKs carried out a non-stop

flight from the KnAAPO airfield to the Wuhu airfield in China. Soon all 24 aircraft ordered were fielded with the 3rd Air Division of the Chinese Air Force, deployed at the Wuhu airfield. In 1995 an additional agreement on delivering the second batch of fighters was signed with China, and a year later another 16 single-seat Su-27SKs and six Su-27UBK twin-seaters were delivered to the country. The total cost of 46 fighters, procured by China (including the necessary ground www.take-off.ru

contracts and deliveries | review The complete set of production forms and records for licensed production of the Flanker had been handed over to China by summer 1997. The first Chinese Su-27SK, designated there J-11, was assembled in Shenyang and test-flown on 15 December 1998. Locally assembled fighters began fielding with the PLAAF’s 1st Division, deployed at the Anshan airfield near the manufacturing plant. In light with the planned considerable increase of the Su-27 single-seat fighter fleet, the PLAAF may face the problem of training Chinese pilots for flying the aircraft. Since the Chinese Air Force had only a dozen Su-27UBK two-seat fighter trainers, it decided to procure an additional batch of twin-seaters from Russia. As a result, a contract was signed in December 1999, in compliance with which the Irkutsk Aircraft Industrial Association was to deliver another 28 Su-27UBKs to China in 2000–2002.

According to the foreign press, KnAAPO had supplied 105 aircraft kits to Shenyang before early 2004 to license-produce J-11s, and it looks like all of the aircraft assembled have been fielded. Thus, PLAAF received a total of almost 180 Su-27SK (J-11) and Su-27UBK fighters. According to the www.sinodefense.com site, by 2006 the aircraft has been in service with as many as seven PLAAF air divisions – the 1st Division in Anshan (Shenyang Military region), 2nd Division in Suixi (Guangzhou Military region), 6th Division in Yinchuan (Lanzhou Military region), 7th Division in Zhangjiakou (Beijing Military region), 14th Division in Zhangshu (Nanjing Military region), 19th Division in Zhengzhou (Jinan Military region) and 33rd Division in Baishiyi (Chengdu Military region) as well as PLAAF’s Flight Test and Training Centre in Cangzhou (Beijing Military region).

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equipment, armament, and spare parts, as well as training and exercises of Chinese flight personnel) is estimated to the tune of US $1.5 to 1.7 billion. The disastrous typhoon, which raved in China on 9 September 1996, inflicted heavy damage on 17 Su-27SKs, deployed at one of the local airfields. However, efforts of KnAAPO maintenance experts resulted in restoring and fielding all the fighters bar none on short notice. China, which is interested in upgrading its PLAAF fleet and has extensive experience in manufacturing Soviet-designed aircraft at its own aircraft plants, has also expressed its wish to get a license from Russia for producing its own Su-27s. Following long negotiations, the Russian government struck a deal with China, and on 6 December 1996 a $2.5billion contract, which foresees building of 200 Su-27SKs at the Shenyang-based plant over a period of five years, was signed.

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Sukhoi Su-27SK (bottom) and Su-27UBK (left) fielded with the PLAAF in 1992 were followed in 1998 by locally produced under Russia’s license J-11 single-seaters (above)

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af126.mil

China undertook a commitment not to export Su-27s, manufactured in the country, to third parties. The first aircraft were to be assembled from the parts, supplied by the KnAAPO while later on parts and assemblies were supposed to be produced by the Chinese aircraft industry (it has not, however, gone to that). The license did not cover the production of engines, avionics and weapons for the Chinese Su-27SKs, so they were delivered from Russia under the contract. take-off november 2006

contracts and deliveries | review

take-off november 2006

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Flanker became multirole

Since the late 2000, Sukhoi Su-30MKK fighters (above and above right) became the first multirole Flankers in PLAAF inventory being able to employ a wide range of air-to-air and air-to-surface weapons including Kh-31P, Kh-59M and KAB-1500Kr precision guided munitions (left)

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After mastering the operational potential of the Russian-supplied Su-27SK air superiority fighters and launching their licensed production in Shenyang, in the late 1990s the PRC declared its intention of ordering from the Sukhoi Design Bureau and KnAAPO a batch of upgraded aircraft boasting a broader array of combat capabilities. Unlike Su-27SK, the new fighters were expected to be capable of killing surface targets, using precision-guided munitions, such as TV-guided missiles and bombs. The aircraft were also to feature enhanced air-to-air capability owing to the latest RVV-AE medium-range active radar-guided air-to-air missiles. The avionics suite of the fighter was planned to undergo extensive upgrade, too. The obsolescent electromechanical instruments in the cockpit were to be replaced by multifunction full-colour LCDs. The fighter’s communications and navigation system had to be updated as well. The ECM equipment to comprise a new ELINT set and an improved active jamming system was to meet especially rigorous requirements. The ELINT system was called upon to provide automatic target acquisition and designation for the Kh-31P anti-radiation missiles. The introduction of the new weaponry, such as air-to-surface missiles, guided bombs and RVV-AE missiles, dictated extensive modernisation of the fire control system. In addition, China wanted the upgraded Flanker to have greater range and endurance. To meet the requirements, the aircraft was to be equipped with an in-flight refuelling system and somewhat larger internal fuel tanks. What is more, the Chinese side put special emphasis on the aircraft being capable of taking off with full external combat load and full fuel. What happened before was that the Su-27SK’s take-off weight (28,000 kg for the first batches and 33,000 kg for later versions) limited the number of bombs the aircraft was able to carry with full fuel. Alternatively, the 8 t combat load did not allow the fighter to take off with full fuel. The maximum take-off weight of the upgraded variant with the 8,000 kg combat load and 9,640 kg fuel load could amount to 38,800 kg, the increase requiring stronger landing gear and a reinforced airframe. Considering the broader scope of missions the upgraded multirole fighter could fly, as well as its in-flight refuelling capability and longer endurance, it was decided to make it a twin-seater. In turn, that would allow the aircraft to be used for training purposes also. The upgraded fighter met all the above requirements was designated Su-30MKK. Boasting a wealth of experience of co-operation with China, including deliveries

In 2004 Flankers came to PLANAF as well. These were the further upgraded Su-30MK2 fighters featuring advanced air-to-surface capabilities (right)

of the earlier Su-27SKs and their licensed production in Shengyang, KnAAPO was named prime contractor for the new Chinese contract on 38 Su-30MKKs delivery signed in 1999. Incidentally, it was KnAAPO that proposed the Su-30MKK initiative, on its own completing the bulk of the design work on the new elements of the airframe with the use of state-of-the-art information technologies. The Ramenskoye-based RPKB Instrument-making Design Bureau was assigned the developer of a new avionics suite for the Su-30MKK, which, unlike that of the Su-27, was to be an open architecture design wrapped around multiplex data-exchange channels and up-to-date digital computers. RPKB integrated all the avionics equipment, developed new software and designed the main components of the suite, including the BTsVM-486 computers, 6x8” MFI-10-5 multifunction full-colour LCDs and some other systems. The Su-30MKK’s fire control system comprises two main subsystems, viz. the SUV-VE air-to-air fire control component and the SUV-P air-to-surface fire control component, the latter is also used for displaying all sighting/navigation data on four multifunction LCDs (two displays in

each cockpit). These elements interact with the L-150 ELINT set of the ECM system, which generates and sends target acquisition and designation data to the seekers of the Kh-31P anti-radiation missiles, and the Tekon system in the externally-mounted APK-9E pod, which is used to guide the Kh-59ME TV-command guided missiles. Weapons launch preparation is facilitated by the improved SUO-30PK armament management system, a development of the Kursk-based Aviavtomatika Design Bureau. The SUV-VE air-to-air fire control subsystem is made up of the RLPK-27VE (N001VE) radar sighting system, the OEPS-30 optronic sighting system, the SEI-31-10 integrated display system with the ILS-31 head-up display, as well as an IFF interrogator. The OEPS-30 system, in turn, comprises the OLS-30 (52Sh) optical location station and the Sura-K helmet-mounted target designator. Though the composition of the Su-30MKK’s SUV-VE air-to-air fire control system may seem similar to the Su-27’s SUV-27, most of its components are new-design or upgraded systems. A development of the Tikhomirov NIIP Research Institute, the Su-30MKK’s N001VE radar is an improved variant of the Su-27’s www.take-off.ru

contracts and deliveries | review missiles. To kill ground targets, the aircraft can fire Kh-29T (TE) short-range TV-guided missiles, Kh-31P anti-radiation missiles, Kh-59ME medium-range TV-command guided missiles, KAB-500Kr and KAB-1500Kr TV-guided bombs as well as various unguided weapons, including 100, 250, 500 and 1,500 kg calibre bombs, incendiary tanks, disposable cluster bombs, KMGU-type dispensers as well as 80 mm and 122 mm rockets. Like other Su-27 versopns, the upgraded fighter is armed with the GSh-301 rapid-fire 30mm gun. As many as 12 external pylons can accommodate up to 8,000 kg of the missile and bomb weaponry.

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Deliveries and upgrades

N001 complemented by an air-to-surface datalink. The radar is additionally equipped with the Baget reprogrammable digital signal processor, an air-to-surface datalink receiver, the versatile MVK-RL computer and a data exchange trunk-line adapter/switch. In contrast to the baseline radar, the N001VE ensures use of the RVV-AE air-to-air missiles, including simultaneous engagement of two targets with two missiles; all-weather detection and location of radar contrast ground and sea surface targets, using real beam, Doppler beam and synthetic aperture mapping; as well as selection of ground and sea surface targets and aircraft-to-ground range finding. The N001VE radar is capable of detecting aerial fighter-type targets at ranges of 90–110 km, with the detection range for ground (surface) targets varying from 70–80 km (for targets like a tank group or a missile launcher) to 200–250 km (for aircraft carriers and the like). The Su-30MKK is equipped with the new-design OLS-30 (52Sh) optical location station and Sura-K helmet-mounted target designator, featuring new software and enhanced combat capabilities, instead of the OLS-27 (36Sh) and Shchel-3UM systems used on the Su-27SK. For example, the IR www.take-off.ru

tracking range of TsKB Geofizika’s 52Sh optronic sight for aerial targets has increased from 50 to 90 km, with the ranging distances of the laser rangefinder for aerial and ground targets rising to 6 km and 10 km respectively. The SUV-P air-to-surface weapons control subsystem enables the aircraft to employ Kh-29T (TE), Kh-59ME (jointly with the Tekon system), and Kh-31P (jointly with the L-150 system) air-to-surface missiles, as well as KAB-500Kr and KAB-1500Kr guided bombs. The subsystem comprises four BTsVM-486 digital computers (the central avionics computer, two display processing units, and the weapons control system computer), four 158x211 mm MFI-10-5 multifunction colour LCDs (two on each control panel), the SUO-30PK armament management system, which directly prepares the weapons to be fired, and the A-737 satellite navigation system, capable of being interfaced with international GPS systems (NAVSTAR/ GLONAS). Other avionics improvements of the Su-30MKK include upgraded fly-by-wire system, integrated flight and navigation system, as well as more sophisticated radio communications and ECM systems. The Su-30MKK fighter carries R-27ER1, R-27ET1, R-73E and RVV-AE air-to-air

The first Su-30MKK twin-seat multirole fighter (side No 501) was built by KnAAPO in the spring of 1999. On 19 May of the same year, Vyacheslav Averyanov, Sukhoi’s test pilot, took the aircraft for its first flight from the factory airfield. In the summer of 1999, KnAAPO completed a second production Su-30MKK (No 502), soon followed by another two (No 503 and 504). By late 2000, all of them, along with the T10PU-5 flying testbed, had successfully passed testing at the Russian MoD’s Chkalov GLITs State Flight Testing Centre in Akhtubinsk. By that time, KnAAPO had rolled out the first batch of 10 production Su-30MKKs that were transferred to the customer with great fanfare on 20 December 2000. They made a ferry flight to Wuhu to become part of the 3rd Air Division of the PLAAF. In the course of 2001, KnAAPO built and sent to China the remaining 28 Su-30MKKs, meeting all the schedules under the 1999 contract. Satisfied with the good buy as well as the swiftness of Russia’s work and her responsiveness (it took the Russian side a mere two years to fully carry out the contract), the Chinese government ordered a second batch of 38 Su-30MKK twin-seaters from KnAAPO in December 2001, with the deliveries to be completed within the following two years. In strict compliance with the commitments, the first 19 Su-30MKKs were delivered in two batches in August and December 2002. The remaining 19 aircraft were shipped to China during 2003. According to www.sinodefense.com, by 2006 Su-30MKK fighters have been fielded with three PLAAF Air Divisions: the 3rd Division in Wuhu (Nanjing Military region), the 18th Division at Datuopu AFB in Changsha (Guangzhou Military region) and the 29th Division in Quzhou (Nanjing Military region), flying also at the Flight Test and Training Centre in Cangzhou. Soon afterwards, China wished to beef up its fleet of such aircraft, with the aircraft to be fielded this time with the Chinese Navy’s air arm. A batch of 24 modified Su-30MK2 multirole take-off november 2006

contracts and deliveries | review twinseat fighters with enhanced air-to-surface capabilities was ordered in January 2003. The fighters’ weapons suites were beefed up with Kh-31A antiship active radar homing missiles. To this end, its radar system was modified, with additional units (particularly, an additional Baget-55 signal processor) introduced to the SUV-VEP fire control systems. The Chinese Navy started receiving Su-30MK2s in February 2004, with the deliveries having been completed before the end of the year. According to www.sinodefense.com, Su-30MK2 fighters have been fielded with PLANAF 4th Division in Ningbo (East Sea Fleet). As a result, the total number of Su-27s and Su-30s in service with the Chinese military equalled approximately 280, of which over 60% (more than 170 aircraft) were delivered directly from Russia. With Chinese pilots learning to fly Su-30MKKs and Su-30MK2s, upgrading the earlier bought and far less capable Su-27SKs and J-11s to their standard became high on the agenda. According to media reports, China is upgrading them, using the technical solutions embodied in the Su-30MKK.

Experts believe that a relevant contract was signed by the Chinese and Rosoboronexport some time ago, with Tikhomirov NIIP and the Ryazan State Instrument Plant teaming up as prime contractors under the upgrade programme and as suppliers of assembly kits for upgraded Chinese fighters. The Chinese Su-27SK’s fire control suite is being improved to SUV-VE standard (the same as the one on the Su-30MKK), with the avionics suite being fitted with an additional air-to-surface weapons control system, the SUV-PE. Owing to this, the fighter’s weapons suite is being beefed up with cutting-edge RVV-AE air-to-air missiles and TV-homing air-to-ground precision-guidance munitions – the Kh-29T missiles, KAB-500Kr guided bombs, etc. The cockpit management suite is being under upgrade too, with most ‘steam gauge’ instrument losing ground to a pair of 6x6” MFI-10-6M liquid-crystal multifunction displays and the MFPI-6 multifunction display. A number of other avionics upgrades are being introduced, making the Su-27SK (J-11) similar to the Su-30MKK in terms of combat performance. There are reasons

to believe that not less than five dozens of single-seat fighters have been improved in this manner in China by now.

Chinese prospects of Su-33 The Chinese Navy has long been eager to field aircraft carriers. The subject has been actively mulled over for over 20 years now, and a Chinese aircraft carrier development programme is reported to have kicked off as far back as 1992. The foreign press has repeatedly reported that a Project 9935 aircraft carrier displacing about 48,000 t was laid down at the Shanghai Shipyard in 1999. However, the Chinese government denied the reports in June last year, calling them “unsubstantiated”. According to other sources, the first Chinese aircraft carrier is to be laid down in 2006 or 2007. Nonetheless, it is known for certain that since the 1980s, Chinese experts have been studying the state of aircraft carrier programmes in France, Italy, Spain, Russia and Ukraine, pondering various ways to buy written-off carrier for further scrutiny to gain expertise to be used to their own ends in this fields.

Sukhoi Su-33 carrier-borne fighters in service with the Russian Navy Photo report from the board of the Admiral Kuznetsov carrier during her cruise to the North Atlantics in 2005 by Alexander Dundin

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contracts and deliveries | review First the Chinese managed in 1994 to buy Australian aircraft carrier Melbourne for $1.4 million as scrap metal, with the carrier towed to China, stripped to individual units and scrutinised by shipbuilders. Then in 1998, China paid $5 million to South Korea for the Minsk heavy through-deck cruiser that South Korea had bought from Russia for scrapping. Following a thorough study (the new buyer got a ship with numerous electronic systems intact), the Minsk was turned into the Minsk World floating museum and entertainment centre near the city of Shenzhen in the vicinity of Hong Kong. It has been visited by as many as several million tourists. Another former Russian carrier, the Kiev, was bought for $8.5 million by Chinese company Tianma in 2000 via an Austrian intermediary company. In violation of the contract, she was not scrapped but turned into a museum ship in the post city of Tianjin. No doubt, she had been examined through and through by Chinese shipbuilders and naval personnel. However, China’s main aircraft carrier buy was the 70% complete Varyag carrier, the second ship of Project 1143.5 after the Russian

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Navy’s only aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov. The Varyag was bought from Ukraine via a Macao company for $20 million in 1999. She had been handed over to Ukraine by Russia four years before that. Following an almost two-year cruise from the Black Sea, the Varyag finally made it to the pier of Chinese naval base Dalian on 4 March 2002. Despite official assurances, no one was going to turn her into another attraction. In July 2005, the Varyag’s hull was towed to a nearby shipyard, and work on her kicked off in earnest. Ukrainian workers from the Nikolayev shipyard, where the carrier was built, are said to have been spotted working on her proactively. Many experts believe that even if the Varyag does not become China’s first full-fledged aircraft carrier, she will, at least, be used for testing technical solutions to be applied to future Chinese aircraft carriers. In particular, first Chinese carrier pilots could start training on her. What aircraft can be based on the Varyag and future Chinese carriers? According to expert opinion, there are only two options: either a carrier-borne derivative of advanced Chinese fighter J-10 or an aircraft similar

to the Sukhoi Su-33, which could be either derived by the Chinese themselves from the license-produced Su-27SK (J-11) or ordered from Russia. Given a number of factors, many tend to think that the latter option is more probable. To boot, Chinese Web sites have published the news that negotiations on the feasibility of delivering Russian Sukhoi carrier-based fighters to field CAGs of future Chinese aircraft carriers had been drawing to an end, with the first contract, possibly, to be signed soon. Experts believe that, in the coming five to ten years, the Chinese Navy might need up to a hundred shipborne multirole fighters, including up to 60 Su-33K singleseaters and up to 40 twin-seat aircraft that could be derived from the Su-27KUB prototype. Early deliveries might have started prior to 2010 to be completed within five or more years. The Su-33K multirole singleseat fighter (the designation is tentative) will likely to be derived from the production Su-33. 26 such aircraft were made during 1992–95 by KnAAPO. Most of them have been in service with the 279th Independent Carrier-borne Fighter

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contracts and deliveries | review

Artist impression on the Su-33K ship-borne fighter that can be ordered by PLANAF (drawing by Alexey Mikheyev)

1. Main pitot probe 2. Radome 3. N001VEP1 upgraded radar antenna 4. SUV-VEP1 upgraded fire control system units 5. 52Sh optronic sighting system 6. Angle of attack vane 7. In-flight refuelling probe lamp 8. Backup pitot probe 9. Retractable in-flight refuelling probe 10. Cockpit canopy visor 11. Movable cockpit canopy element 12. Head-up display 13. New cockpit instrumentation with two MFDs 14. Aircraft control stick 15. K-36DM ejection seat 16. Emergency pitot probe 17. Aerial 18. Radio compass omnidirectional aerial 19. Equipment bay aft of cockpit 20. GSh-301 cannon 21. Ammo load 22. Ammo box of 150 cartridges 23. Canards 24. Canards hydraulic actuator 25. Nose landing gear with twin-wheel strut 26. Mudguard

27. Nose landing gear retracting actuator 28. Nose landing gear wheel well door 29. Brake flap 30. Brake flap actuator 31. Cable assemblies 32. Fuel tank No 1 33. Filler neck 34. Main landing gear wheel well 35. Air intake front moving panel 36. Air intake rear moving panel 37. Panel actuators 38. Air by-pass outlets 39. Air replenishment doors 40. Air intake FOD grill 41. Air intake FOD grill actuator and damper 42. Air intake duct 43. Fuel tank No 2

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44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54.

55. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63.

Radio compass Rudder controls Salut AL-31F-M1 upgraded engine Engine compressor casing External aircraft assemblies gearbox Engine oil tank Variable-area nozzle Nozzle actuators Engine elements access hatches Central tail boom Central tail boom tip

64. 65. 66. 67. 68. 69. 70. 71. 72.

Stabiliser axis Stabiliser control actuator Stabiliser folding section Folding section actuator Stabiliser folding section lock actuator Ventral fin Oil tank Front fin attachment point Rear fin attachment point

Avionics units IFF aerial Fuel tank No 4 Fuel system pipelines and elements Units of passive jamming automatic system Aft â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;flipperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Arrestor hook Arrestor hook uplock fitting Horizontal tail surfaces

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contracts and deliveries | review 73. 74. 75. 76. 77. 78. 79. 80. 81. 82. 83. 84.

Fin Rudder Rudder actuator Steering assembly Air-to-air heat-exchanger air intake Radioparent fin tip UHF radio aerial Aerial system Navigation light (white) Radar warning system aerial Fixed wing panel section Folding wing panel section

85. 86. 87. 88. 89. 90. 91. 92. 93. 94.

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Wing folding assembly Wing actuator Movable wing leading edge Wing leading edge actuators Wing leading edge hydraulic control assembly Flap Flaperon Flaperon actuator Wing panel and centre wing section joint Main landing gear attachment fitting

95. Main landing gear 96. APU-73 launcher 97. ECM system container 98. Navigation light (red) 99. Navigation light (green) 100. R-73E missile launching device 101. R-73E short-range air-to-air missile 102. R-27ET1 medium-range air-to-air missile with IR seeker 103. R-27ER1 medium-range semi-active radar homing air-to-air missile 104. RVV-AE medium-range active radar homing air-to-air missile 105. Kh-31P antiradiation and Kh-31A antiship high-speed missiles 106. Kh-59MK long-range antiship missile

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A new ‘heart’ of the future Su-35 – radically upgraded Saturn 117S turbofan featuring increased thrust and service life The core of the Su-35’s fire control system – NIIP’s Irbis-E phased array radar featuring unprecedented target detection range of up to 400 km

their variants of the next stage of upgrading the AL-31F, featuring even more improvements and even better performance.

Su-35 – a step away from fifth generation The Sukhoi company pins its near future at the global fighter market on the advent of the Su-35 super-manoeuvrable multirole fighter – a heavily upgraded Flanker-family member intended to fill the gap between various today’s versions of the Su-30MK and a fifth-generation fighter whose deliveries might kick off in the later 2010s. “The Su-35 is a Generation 4++ aircraft embodying numerous Gen. 5 technologies. They ensure the Su-35’s superiority over all other Gen. 4 fighters under development throughout the world. During 2009–2015, the cutting-edge technologies will make the Su-35 superior to all future multifunction fighters on the global market”, Sukhoi officials say. The Su-35 also stokes hopes on the Chinese market as well, with China have been awaiting such an aircraft for quite a while. What is the principal difference between the Su-35 and current Su-30MK versions? Firstly, the fighter will feature an improved airframe embodying more titanium alloys, which will extend its service life considerably – to 6,000 h or 30 years of operation. Secondly, it will be powered by the engine heavily upgraded by NPO Saturn and known as 117S.

NIIP

Regiment of the Russian Navy’s Northern Fleet. They are based on board the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier. Unlike its Russian baseline model, the Chinese Su-33 derivative will likely feature more sophisticated avionics and a greater choice of weapons boosting its multirole capabilities. The Su-33K is believed to be mounting the SUV-VEP1 upgraded air-to-air fire control system and SUV-PE air-to-surface fire control system, a two-LCD cockpit management system, advanced navigation, communications, electronic warfare (EW) and flight control systems, i.e. virtually everything now carried by the Su-30MK2 bought by China and by the Su-27SKM singleseat upgrades offered. On the whole, the Su-33K might be similar to them in the composition of its warload as well. Compared to the Su-33, the Su-33K will probably mount RVV-AE air-to-air, Kh-31A antiship and Kh-31P antiradiation missiles, KAB-500Kr guided bombs, etc. The Russian Navy’s Su-33s has got no such weapons yet. Further down the road, the Su-33K might be fitted with some systems and cutting-edge weapons supposed to fit the future Su-35 multirole fighter. Similar weapons and avionics suites might be furnished to the twin-seat aircraft planned to be derived from the Su-27KUB. For instance, a decision has been taken that its fire control system will be wrapped around the Irbis-E passive phased-array radar developed by Tikhomirov NIIP to equip the Su-35. The carrierborne fighter’s powerplant is supposed to be upgraded as well. For safe carrier-borne operations, the production Su-33s are powered by AL-31F Series 3 engines featuring the so-called additional ‘special mode’ with an enhanced thrust of 12,800 kgf. The enhanced thrust mode eats up the engines’ service life that is only 700 h compared to the 1,500 h featured by the production AL-31F Series 2 engines. The advanced aircraft may be fitted with upgraded engines with thrust enhanced to 13,500 kgf and the service life extended to 4,000 h. There are two ways to follow here as well. One engine is being offered by the developer the AL-31F – NPO Saturn. The company has bench-tested an upgrade with the performance ensured mostly through an increase in the fan’s diameter and introduction of a digital engine control. The second option is being offered by the traditional AL-31F exporter to China – MMPP Salut production plant. Its AL-31F-M1 derivative featuring a similar performance completed its flight tests on a RusAF’s Su-27SM fighter in October 2006 and got an approval for fielding. Taking into account Salut’s wealth of experience in cooperating with China, its offer might have an edge over Saturn’s one. In the longer run, both companies are ready to offer the customer

Andrey Fomin

contracts and deliveries | review

New generation glass-cockpit

OLS-35 IR/laser/TV optronic sighting system Irbis-E phased-array radar with 400 km target detection range

In-flight refuelling probe

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contracts and deliveries | review In terms of design, the engine is a production AL-31F derivative relying on fifth-generation technologies. It mounts an advanced fan with a 3% increase in diameter (932 mm compared with 905 mm), advanced low-pressure and high pressure turbines and a sophisticated digital control system. A provision has been made for a thrust vector control nozzle similar to that on the AL-31FP. The upgrade resulted in a 16% thrust increase to 14,500 kgf. Compared with the existing AL-31F, the service life has increased by 2–2.7 times, with

Piotr Butowski

New generation glass cockpit for Su-35 fighters built around large-size LCDs and implementing HOTAS concept

the time between overhauls hiking from 500 h to 1,000 h and the assigned life from 1,500 h to 4,000 h. To date, five engine prototypes have been made. The first one has been rig-tested since 2003, and another two have been test-flown as part of the powerplant on the Su-27M No710 flying testbed. The test flights began in March 2004. Stage I of the flight trials comprised about 30 flights completed by the flying testbed powered by a new engine, including five flights when both engines powered the aircraft. New stages of the trials have been planned for the prototype engines. The fourth example will replace the first one on the test bench, while

the fifth one will be used as a backup during the flight tests. The production 117S engines will be co-manufactured by the Ufa Engine Production Association (UMPO) and NPO Saturn Scientific Production Association in Rybinsk. To give the Su-35 longer legs, the fighter carries a mid-air refuelling system. In addition, it can haul two 1,800-litre drop tanks (drop tanks have not been used by Su-27 family fighters before). The internal fuel load has grown by 20% to 11,500 kg. However, the Su-35’s features setting it apart from the existing Su-27 family’s aircraft will certainly be a cutting-edge avionics and weapons suite. The fighter’s fire control system is based on the advanced Irbis-E phased-array radar control system boasting the unique target acquisition range. The Irbis-E was developed by the Tikhomirov NIIP institute as a derivative of the Bars radar that fits the Su-30MKI, Su-30MKM and Su-30MKA fighters. The Irbis-E is an X-band multifunction radar with a 900 mm passive phased array mounted on a hydraulic actuator operating in azimuth and banking and the promising computing system based on the Solo-35 digital computer. The passed array electronically scans 60 deg. sectors in azimuth and elevation, while the hydraulic actuator additionally steers the array mechanically to 60 deg. in azimuth and to 120 deg. in banking. With electronic control and mechanical steering of the array, the maximum beam angle increases to 120 deg. in azimuth. The Irbis features a simultaneous 30-target acquisition and tracking capability in the track-while-scan mode. It engages two targets simultaneously with two

Sukhoi Su-35 multirole supermanoeuvrable figter main features Upgraded and new-generation avionics and communications

Modified empennage with new tail fins shape Modified strengthened airframe providing service life increasing up to 6,000 h

New-generation EW system

Saturn 117S turbofan with TVC providing 14,500kgf thrust and 4,000h service life Strengthened landing gear

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New weapons including Kh-59MK long-range antiship missiles as well as other upgraded and new-generation air-to-air and air-to-surface guided weapons

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KnAAPO

contracts and deliveries | review

Artist impression on Sukhoi Su-35 fighter now under construction at KnAAPO and slated to enter flight tests next year with possible deliveries since 2009

semi-active radar homing missiles and up to eight targets with eight active radar homing missiles, including four of the targets out at 300 km or more. In the ground-attack mode, the radar handles terrain mapping (both ground and water) and ground target acquisition in the low-resolution ‘real-beam’, medium-resolution Doppler beam sharpening (DBS) and high/ extra-high-resolution adaptive synthetic aperture focusing modes. Operating against aerial and ground threats at the same time, the Irbis-E maps the ground while keeping an eye on airspace or tracking an aerial threat with precision sufficient for attacking it with active radar homing missiles. The system features a head-on acquisition range of at least 350–400 km for aerial targets with the 3 sq.m radar cross-section (RCS) and a pursuit acquisition range of at least 150 km with a target traveling at 10,000 m or higher. Su-35 main data Length, m

21.9

Wing span, m

15.3

Height, m

5.9

Take-off weight, kg: - normal

25,300

- max

34,500

Combat load, kg

8,000

Fuel, kg: - internal tanks

11,500

- with two drop tanks

14,300

Max speed, km/h: - at sea level

1,400

- at high altitude

2,400

Max Mach number

2.25

Service ceiling, m

18,000

G-load

Range, km: - at sea level

1,580

- at high altitude

3,600

- ferry range with two drop tanks

4,500

Powerplant type

Saturn 117S

Take-off thrust, kgf

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2х14,500

The Irbis-E spots ‘super-low-observable’ threats with the 0.01 sq.m RCS out at 90 km. As a derivative of the Bars radar, the Irbis features far superior characteristics than its predecessor, namely an operating frequency band that has been expanded more than twofold, the aerial target acquisition and azimuth tracking zone that grew from 70 deg. to 120 deg., a far greater range, enhanced ECM immunity, etc. In these terms, the Irbis is on a par with the latest foreign designs, surpassing most of US and west European passive and active phased-array radars and rivaling the most sophisticated system in the class – the AN/APG-77 radar of the USAF’s Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor. Tikhomirov-NIIP has been developing the Irbis-E since 2004. To date, two of its prototypes have passed bench tests, with the first prototype being ready for installation on the flying testbed. The Su-30MK2 No503 may start flying with the Irbis-E radar on board before the end of the year. The Ryazan State Instrument Plant will handle the Irbis-E’s full-rate production. Another latest subsystem within the Su-35’s fire control suite is the OLS-35 optronic sighting system triple-hatted as an IR sensor, a laser rangefinder/target designator and a TV sight. Up-to-date electronic componentry, algorithms and software give the OLS-35 an edge over the OLS-27 and OLS-30 optronic sights of the Su-30MK family aircraft in terms of range, precision and reliability. In addition, to enable the fighter to use air-to-surface weapons effectively, it can be fitted with the Sapsan-E optronic pod to facilitate the employment, among other things, of laser-guided bombs. The Ural Optical Mechanical Plant named after E.S. Yalamov (UOMZ) in Yekaterinburg is the prime contractor for the optronic systems to fit the Su-35. Another important feature of the Su-35 is a radically innovative ‘glass’ cockpit. Its mockup that made its debut in Farnborough this summer will become a central display of Sukhoi during this air show in Zhuhai. The cockpit management system is wrapped

around two huge MFI-35 colour multifunction LCDs, IKSh-1M wide-angle collimator HUD and three smaller displays (one in the center of the control panel and two on the sides of the cockpit). The 9x12” MFI-35 display measures 15 inches diagonally and has a resolution of 1,400x1,080 pixels. The IKSh-1M HUD with the 30 deg. field of view can fit both the Su-35 and other advanced Russian fighters. One of the three small displays is set by the pilot’s left knee. It is a multifunction control panel to manage weapons stores, the radio and other systems. The second display installed under the IKSh-1M HUD shows key targeting and navigation data. The third display, which is installed to the right of the pilot, is used as a backup for showing flight data. To control the avionics, aircraft systems and weapons, the Su-35’s cockpit is fitted with buttons and switches on the control column and the throttles as well as push buttons around the multifunction displays. Thus, the HOTAS principle is being embodied in the aircraft. The RPKB Ramenskoye Instrument Design Bureau and other companies of the Technocomplex Scientific Production Corporation are developing displays and a number of other avionics to fit the Su-35. Advanced navaids and comms and EW gear will equip the aircraft as well. In addition to eight R-27ER1, four R-27ET1 or R-27EP1 and twelve RVV-AE medium-range AAMs and six R-73E dogfight missiles, the Su-35’s weapons suite will comprise five advanced long-range missiles. The air-to-surface warload includes six Kh-29TE or Kh-29L tactical missiles, six Kh-31A antiship and Kh-31P antiradiation missiles, five advanced Kh-59MK long-range antiship missiles as well as five Kh-58UShE extended-range antiradiation missiles, three Club long-range antiship missiles and a Yakhont heavy long-range antiship missile. The guided bombs include up to eight TV-guided KAB-500Kr (OD), latest satellite-guided KAB-500S-E and laser-guided LGB-250 weapons as well as up to three KAB-1500Kr or KAB-1500LG TV or laser-guided bombs. The Su-35’s choice of bombs and rockets is the same as the one of the Su-30MK, but in the future it can employ improved or brand-new 500 kg and 250 kg bombs and 80, 122 and 266/420 mm rockets, including those with laser guidance. The Su-35’s maximum payload stands at 8,000 kg. The first Su-35 prototype is expected to kick off its trials in 2007. KnAAPO is making four flying prototypes and a prototype for static tests. The production and deliveries are believed to start as early as in 2009 to last until the fifth-generation fighter hits the market. www.take-off.ru

contracts and deliveries | in brief

take-off november 2006

placed as early as this year. In addition, China is keen on buying the upgraded AL-31F-M1 as well as a licence to produce it.” Yet another major deal for Russian aeroengines was made by Russia and China in April 2005. It provides for 100 Klimov RD-33 turbofans to fit FC-1 (Super-7) light multirole fighters – another type of advanced Chinese aircraft. The deal is worth estimated $267 million. Under the contract signed by Rosoboronexport, the first 15 engines will be shipped by the developer, the Klimov plant in St. Petersburg, with the rest to be shipped by the manufacturer, the Chernyshev plant in Moscow. In 2002–2003, Klimov sold China several RD-93 prototypes that were fitted to three FC-1 flying prototypes, of which the first one completed its maiden flight on 24 August 2003. The RD-93 is a derivative of the production RD-33 turbofan powering the MiG-29 family fighters. Unlike its baseline model, the derivative has its accessory gearbox mounted on its bottom and is modified for installation on the single-engine FC-1. Like its baseline model, the RD-93 produces 8,300 kgf of thrust

with full reheat and 5,040 kgf in maximum power. Under the new contract, Klimov shipped the first two RD-93s to the customer in October 2005, while the rest of 15 engines will have been delivered by 2006 year-end, with Chernyshev to launch its deliveries at the same time. This year, Chernyshev is to make and deliver the first two dozen engines in November and December, with the contract to be fulfilled in 2008. Considering the FC-1 fighter’s pretty good export prospects (e.g. the Pakistani Air Force plans to but up to 150 such aircraft), the RD-93’s orderbook could swell significantly, totalling estimated 500 units worth over $1.3 billion.

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supplying them with spares. The deal’s worth is estimated at $100 million. The AL-31FN with an afterburning thrust of 12,500 kgf is designed for powering the J-10 aircraft. It differs from the baseline AL-31F in the bottom-mounted accessory gearbox, with the engine retaining the basic performance of its baseline model. As early as 1997, China bought from Lyulka-Saturn nine AL-31FN prototypes that were mounted on early J-10 prototypes. The AL-31FN’s production model emerged in the year 2000. It was developed by the Lyulka-Saturn company and debugged by the Salut design bureau. To power further prototypes and early production J-10s, China ordered 54 more AL-31FNs that Salut delivered them during 2001–2003. The J-10 fighter programme is in full swing and, hence, Salut may soon land new contracts from the great neighbour in the East. According Salut’s Director General Yuri Yeliseyev, last year’s deals are “far from being last contracts made with China”. “I suppose,” Yeliseyev said, “a new contract for an AL-31FN batch could be

Andrey Fomin

With all current Russian-Chinese combat aircraft contracts to be fulfilled during 2004, sales of Russian aeroengines to power Chinese fighters have come to the fore as far as the military and technical cooperation between the two countries is concerned. In November last year, Rosoboronexport snagged a lucrative contract for 180 Salut-made AL-31F engines to power the China-operated Sukhoi Su-27SKs and Su-27UBKs, estimated at $550 million. The MMPP Salut machine-building plant in Moscow, the traditional supplier of AL-31F engines on the Chinese market, is the prime contractor under the deal. China took delivery of the early Su-27SKs and Su-27UBKs in 1992 and 1996, and it is them the new engines under construction by Salut are designed to power. The fact is that the assigned life of the AL-31Fs made in the 1990s is 900 hours, and the engines have to be replaced given the Su-27s’ heavy use by PLAAF. As is known, having bought a licence to make the Su-27SK, China did not get a licence to make engines to power them. Truth be told, China has been developing a similar indigenous engine, the WS10, but new major orders for Russian-made AL-31Fs indicate that it will take the WS10 some time to enter full-rate production. Deliveries of new AL-31Fs for the Chinese Su-27s kicked off this year and are to have been completed by mid-2007. The November contract for 180 AL-31Fs had been preceded by another major deal, with Salut in July 2005 landing an order from China for 100 AL-31FN engines to power advanced Chinese J-10 fighters (pic. on right). The first batch was shipped to the customer in October last year, with the last batch of AL-31FNs to be delivered this autumn (bottom picture). In addition, Salut and China in early 2005 signed a three-year contract for overhauling earlier AL-31Fs and

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Russian engines to power Chinese aircraft

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industry | in brief

MiG Corp. Director General/Designer General Alexey Fyodorov, who is believed to be the most likely candidate for leadership of the fledgling United Aircraft Corporation, offered his views of the tasks at hand in integrating the Russian aircraft industry during the recent Gidroaviasalon 2006 in Gelendzhik. According to Fyodorov, the full set of papers relevant to registering UAC had been worked out and a nod by the Federal Antimonopoly Service had been given, with evaluation of UAC member companies’ assets having been drawing to an end by the time Gidroaviasalon 2006 kicked off. The latter is to be completed in October, thus enabling UAC to wrap up its registration.

According to Fyodorov, the first business unit to be set up as part of UAC as early as this autumn is a holding company tentatively dubbed Transport Aircraft Systems. It will unite developers and manufacturers of transport aircraft. The Civil Aviation holding company may crop up next. It may be followed in 2007 by a UAC division specialising in hydroplanes and amphibians and comprising the Beriev design bureau and TAVIA plant. Thus, a full-service company is to be established in Taganrog to develop, manufacture, maintain and even dispose of amphibian aircraft. However, hydroplanes and amphibians will not become the

only scope of the Taganrog-based branch of UAC, which will keep on working on airborne early warning and control aircraft. Beriev has been running a proactive R&D programme under the February 2005 contract for three A-50EI aircraft for India. They are based on the airframe of Tashkent-made Il-76TD. Beriev will fit them with advanced PS-90A turbofans, fairings for Israeli-made radar antennas and other latest avionics. The first of the three A-50EIs is slated for tests in earlier 2007 and is to be delivered to the customer in a year afterwards. Speaking of the most contentious issue in setting up UAC, i.e. establishing the Combat Aircraft

Mikhail Kuznetsov

Alexey Fyodorov: UAC to be registered this autumn

holding company, Alexey Fyodorov emphasized that a schedule had not been set and no haste in doing so was welcome. “Sukhoi and MiG Corp. are very effective,” he said, adding that haste in merging the companies might “kill the hen laying golden eggs”.

KnAAPO

The Sukhoi company has launched an aggressive advertising campaign to promote its main commercial project – the future regional aircraft known as the RRJ (Russian Regional Jet) until recently. Now, it is going to be promoted on the market as SuperJet 100, and the new brand is to underline the Russian regional plane’s superiority over its foreign rivals, according to Sukhoi’s Director General Mikhail Pogosyan and the new advertising campaign’s author – the UK’s Square Advertising Agency. Sukhoi believes that the superiority rests upon the SuperJet’s features that they precede with the prefix ‘super’. The former RRJ, they believe, is

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characterised with ‘Super technology’, ‘economic superefficiency’, ‘Super comfort’, ‘Super economics’, ‘Super fuel savings’ and is being developed by a ‘Super team’. Time will show whether the SuperJet is indeed a ‘superplane’ or not. By now two of Sukhoi’s plants participating in the programme (KnAAPO in Komsomolsk-on-Amur and NAPO in Novosibirsk) are completing the manufacture and assembly of the fuselage sections and the wing to fit the first SuperJet (see the picture below). The first airframe is to have been completed and begun its static tests before 2006 year-end. SuperJet’s maiden flight

Andrey Fomin

RRJ renamed SuperJet

remains scheduled on September 2007. Under the current schedule, the whole of the certification trials should fit within a bit longer than a year. They are to have been completed before the end of 2008 when the launch customer, Aeroflot, is planned to start taking delivery of

early production aircraft. Hopefully, the developer will be able to stick to its tight schedule, and the recent US sanctions slapped on Sukhoi will have no impact on the programme. Meanwhile, another high-profile statement about another SuperJet order was made during the recent air show in Farnborough. On 19 July, Russian aviation alliance AirUnion and Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company struck a financial leasing deal for 15 SuperJet 100s in the baseline 95-seat configuration and an option for 15 more. Heads of the KrasAir, Sukhoi and Ilyushin Finance companies attended the signing ceremony. Under the contract, deliveries could begin as early as late November 2008, while a firm contract between AirUnion’s members and Sukhoi Civil Aircraft could be signed in November this year.

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industry | in brief

In addition to Bench 26, Saturn is making two more (numbers 27 and 28) that are to be commissioned in 2007 for testing all prototype, preproduction and production SaM146 engines. Also, late in September, a unique open bench – the only bench in its class in Europe – was built at Saturn’s test facility in Poluyevo 24 km away from Rybinsk (pic. below). It will be used for special tests of the SaM146 and other advanced engines with thrust of up to 23,000 kgf that cannot be conducted on closed benches. Open-bench jobs include acoustic and side wind tests (the latter involve a dedicated side-wind generator) as well as fan blade loss, icing and hail, water and bird ingestion tests. They also include emission monitoring and long-term cyclic tests. Mention should be

assembled the second and third prototype engines, with the fourth one to be completed early next year and start flight tests on Gromov LII’s Il-76LL flying testbed in March 2007. In all, under the EASA and Russian airworthiness certification test programme slated for completion in March 2008, eight full-size SaM146 engines as well as units for 15 complete engine kits and 32 engine overhauls are to be made. All SaM146 engines will log 4,500 hours on the bench during the certification tests.

Andrey Fomin

The NPO Saturn association has completed the first stage of bench-testing the first prototype of new-generation engine SaM146 being jointly developed by Saturn and Snecma of Safrane Group to power the SuperJet 100 regional airliner under development by Sukhoi Civil Aircraft. The event was the cause for a presentation in Rybinsk on 13 September, attended by Take-Off’s correspondent who had an opportunity to see and hear the SaM146 during bench tests. As was reported by our magazine, Saturn assembled the first full-size SaM146 engine on 22 June 2006 and began its bench tests on 5 July. Following eight pilot tests, the first official run of the engine took place on 12 July on cutting-edge closed Bench 26 recently commissioned by Saturn. Leaders of Snecma, Sukhoi Civil Aircraft and Air France attended the engine run. Before the run, the test bench capable of monitoring about 2,000 parameters had been tested with the use of French engine CFM56-7 whose parts have been produced by Saturn on ordered from Snecma since 1997. By mid-September, the SaM146 had logged as many as 72 hours on the test bench, having proved all basic design characteristics. This served the reason for pronouncing the first stage of the trials a success and moving on to Stage II. Before year-end, Saturn will have

Andrey Fomin

SaM146 passes first stage of trials

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made that there have been only two open benches for testing aircraft engines in Russia (one in Perm and the other in Samara) until recently, but they are no match for the bench in Poluyevo. Only General Electric has a similar installation. The scale and intensity of the efforts to productionise and test the SaM146 and build the top-notch testing facility for the engine gives hope that Saturn and Snecma will be able to stick to the schedule, thus making a kind of world record in minimising the time for developing a radically advanced aircraft engine. It may take the engine only six years from the start of predesigning in April 2002, when Sukhoi suggested the then-nonexistent Russo-French SaM146 (known as SM146 at the time) should power its future RRJ (now SuperJet), to its certification (March 2008) and launch of full-rate production. In such a case, it will be unique for the global aeroengine industry. In September 2007, two SaM146s are to power the first SuperJet 100’s flying prototype, as was announced at the ceremony in Rybinsk on 13 September.

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industry | in brief

take-off november 2006

begin. At the same time, Beriev had to suspend the construction of the third Albatross prototype – the A-42 search and rescue version. The design work under the programme carried on, however. Since 1994, Beriev has been developing the A-42PE upgraded patrol/SAR amphibian powered by an advanced powerplant (two 14,000 hp D-27A propfans and a 5,200 kgf RD-33AS turbofan booster engine) and fitted with an up-to-date avionics suite (pic. in the middle). Its take-off weight was to increase up to 96 t and range up to 11,500 km. The world’s

largest amphibian was to have a max speed of 770 km/h and haul a warload of 8,500 kg in sea-state 5 (i.e. waves up to 2 m high). However, Russia’s pullout from the An-70 programme and, hence, loss of promising Ukrainian engine D-27 made Beriev to seek other

powerplants. According to Victor Kobzev speaking at the previous Gidroaviasalon in September 2004, the upgraded Albatross is to be powered by modified PS-90A turbofans that are 30 per cent more powerful than the D-30KPV powering the early two A-40s. Naturally, the new aircraft will mount more advanced avionics. The NIIS, which is part of the Leninets holding company, is developing an integrated search and targeting system on the base of the family of commonised systems known as the Sea Dragon. The flight navigation suite will be wrapped around NIIAO’s ARIA system mounted by production Be-200 amphibians. As far as the updated A-42 is concerned, a SAR version is under development so far, but its role is planned to be expanded to include maritime patrolling further down the road, once advanced avionics are developed. In addition to the Russian MoD’s contract, the up-rated Albatross could have other promising prospects. The Indian Navy has taken interest in the amphibian. The Service is pondering various variants of upgrading its patrol and ASW aircraft fleet made up mostly by the Russian-made land-based Tu-142MEs and Il-38s. An Indian Navy delegation led by Rear Adm. Shekhar Sinha attended Gidroaviasalon 2006, watched the Albatross in flight, examined the aircraft thoroughly and talked to Beriev’s and Rosoboronexport’s leaders about the feasibility of ordering such amphibians.

Alexey Mikheyev

By tradition, the world-largest jet-powered amphibian, the Beriev A-40 Albatross, became a feature of the Gidroaviasalon 2006 in Gelendzhik in September. Now, it sports the A-42PE designation on its sides. While during the previous shows the Albatross, which marks the 20th anniversary of its maiden flight this year, flew mostly for the sake of demonstration, it faces good prospects now. During the show, Beriev’s Director General Victor Kobzev said that “the issue of financing has been settled” and his company had landed a Defence Ministry order for developing and flight-testing a new prototype, the A-42, featuring “additional capabilities”, with “deliveries of aircraft of the type to begin in 2011”. In the later 1980s, Beriev built two A-40 Albatross ASW amphibian prototypes, of which the second one was displayed at the Gidroaviasalon show. However, the lack of funding resulted in their tests being put on the back burner due to in the early ‘90s and their production by the TAVIA plant in Taganrog failing to

Andrey Fomin

Alexey Mikheyev

Albatross to get second wind?

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industry | in brief

across the whole spectrum of its design characteristics, a series of test flights was arranged in the Stavropol region. A production Ka-226 powered by Rolls-Royce Allison 250-C20B engines and delivered late last year to the customer was used for tests. Three days of testing included flights with the 3,400 kg max take-off weight from helipads at 1,000 m and 1,500 m in the mountains. Then, the altitude was raised to 2,000 m and 2,500 m, and, finally, the Ka-226 was tried at an altitude up to 3,000 m. Thus, the

Mi-38 reaches recordbreaking flight altitude

Grigory Butrin

Flight trials of the new-generation Mil Mi-38 medium multirole helicopter carry on at the flight test facility of the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant out of Moscow. The trials have produced results exceeding the specification requirements; in particular, the machine has displayed a higher flight speed and altitude that designed. During a routine flight on 27 September under the factory and certification flight test programmes, Mil’s test crew comprising pilot Vladimir Kutanin, co-pilot Sergey Barkov and engineer Igor Klevantsev climbed to a record-breaking altitude of 8,170 m. As is known, helicopters’ service ceiling exceeds 8,000 m seldom. On that mission, the Mi-38’s take-off weight equalled 11,100 kg, with the fuel weighing over 1,100 kg. A full kit of measuring and other test equipment was on board in line with

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the mission. Previously, the Mi-38 had climbed to 5,900 m with the 14,200 kg take-off weight and to 5,450 m with the 15,600 kg take-off weight during the factory tests. The trials to gauge its static ceiling have been successful too. With the 14,200 kg take-off weight, the crew managed to exceed an altitude of 3,000 m by far. In addition, the Mi-38 proved capable of hovering out of ground effect, with the take-off weight standing at 16,350 kg. Owing to the results produced during the factory trials, Mil’s Director General Andrey Shibitov said: “The flight altitude reached on 27 September is not the limit. The Mi-38 helicopter features a great potential for improvement. We are certain that our advanced machine will serve a reliable base for us to reinstating our national priorities and bolstering the Russian helicopter industry in the world’s aviation records environment.”

machine proved all of its design flight characteristics within its operating bracket. This boosts the customer’s ability to use it. The Allison 250-C20B-powered Ka-226 helicopter obtained its type certificate from the Interstate Aviation

Committee’s (IAC) Aircraft Register on 31 October 2003 (type certificate ST225-Ka-226). It is in production with KumAPP in Kumertau and Strela in Orenburg for Gazprom as well as the Russian Ministry of Emergencies and other uniformed services.

An-148’s airlifter derivative makes its debut

Andrey Fomin

A Kamov Ka-226 helicopter conducted a series of special test flights at the foothills of the Caucasus in the Stavropol Region (Russia) this summer. The flights were aimed at proving its design performance in high-and-hot environment. The maximum design altitude of its helipad is 3,000 m, but until recently, the machine has not been based higher than 1,000 m, which caused a restriction in its flight manual. Since the customer – the Aviation Department of the Federal Security Service – wants to fly the Ka-226

Andrey Zinchuk

Ka-226 proves itself in mountainous terrain

An Antonov An-148T multirole transport aircraft mockup sporting the Ukrainian Air Force paintjob was among the most interesting displays of the Antonov corporation at the recent air show in Farnborough in July. Antonov had for a long time been known to be working on a transport version of their latest airliner. Now, experts and potential buyers had an opportunity to see some of the future transport with their own eyes. According to Antonov, the An-148T is designed for airlifting military materiel, medical supplies and other cargo weighing up to 20 t in support of its military, Emergencies Ministry and the UN’s peacekeeping forces. It is to haul its cargo on standard-issue pallets and in containers. The plane’s cargo hold can house two GAZ-66 lorries, or two BMD airborne fighting vehicles, or a light chopper, or 104 troops in full combat gear, or 56 casualties on

stretchers along with 28 casualties in sitting posture. Since the airliner is turning into an airlifter, it is getting both a transport aircraft feature – a tail ramp – and an advanced fuselage with a greater cross-section. This will result in a 122 cu.m cargo hold (142 cu.m with the ramp included) whose floor is to measure 13.29 m in length (17.2 with the ramp included). The hold will be 3.1 m wide and 2.7 m high. The max range of the An-148T with a 20 t payload will total 1,900 km at a speed of 750–810 km/h at an altitude of 10,000–11,000 m. When carrying a 15 t payload, its max range will be 3,160 km. The ferry range will be 6,350 km. The An-148T’s take-off weight increase over the baseline An-148-100 will necessitate engines that are more powerful. It looks like they will be a pair of modified D-436T3s producing 9,000–9,500 kgf of thrust.

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industry | in brief

Su-80GP in trials

KnAAPO

as follow-up flight-test prototypes, manufactured by KnAAPO. Aircraft c/n 01-05, which is also the second Su-80 flight-test prototype and the first pre-production prototype, became the first such aircraft. KnAAPO has almost completed

KnAAPO

The trials of the first pre-production 30-seat Sukhoi Su-80GP multipurpose transport/ passenger turboprop aircraft continue in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. As was reported by Take-Off, the aircraft (c/n 01-05) was made by KnAAPO and completed its maiden flight from the factory airfield on 29 June this year. As is known, the first Su-80 flight-test prototype (c/n 01-02, registration number RA-82911) has been undergoing flight tests in Zhukovsky outside Moscow since September 2001. Another aircraft (c/n 01-01) underwent a series of static bench tests at the Siberian Aviation Research and Development Institute (SibNIA), and aircraft c/n 01-03 was submitted to the mock-up commission for examination. The development and the first stage of tests resulted in a drastic modification of the aircraftâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s design. The fuselage in front of the centre wing section became 1.4 m longer, the tail unit was modified, and a number of improvements were introduced into the aircraft control system and the loading ramp. These modifications were for the first time introduced into prototype c/n 01-04, sent to the SibNIA for another round of bench tests in December 2004, as well

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two more aircraft as well (c/n 01-06 and 01-07). The three aircraft will take part in the Su-80GP certification tests, expected to be completed in early 2008. After that series production aircraft will be delivered to customers, under contracts signed. The Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky airline, and such air carriers as the Polyarnye Airlines, the Khabarovskie Airlines, the Dalavia, the Vostok, etc., may receive the new aircraft in 2008â&#x20AC;&#x201C;2010. Russian uniformed services and several foreign countries, e.g. China, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia, have been very keen on the Su-80GP. Following several early test flights, the preproduction Su-80GP was given top the Sukhoi design bureau for further tests. Its crew has logged about 10 acceptance and training missions, with 18 more to go. Late in November, the Su-80GP is to be ferried to LII in Zhukovsky for its certification trials. Recently, the first preproduction Su-80GP was given the standard paintjob of aircraft of the type and registration number 82912.

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industry | review According to Mikhail Dmitriyev, Director of the Federal Military Technical Cooperation Service, Russia has been cooperating with more than 20 countries in the field of arms trade. One can run into Russian warplanes in many Southeast Asian countries. MiG-29 fighters are in service with the Royal Malaysian Air Force. The MiG Corp. has been in close cooperation with India that is to take delivery of 16 MiG-29K and MiG-29KUB carrier-borne fighters in 2007/8. The corporation’s orderbook also includes a more capable Generation 4++ fighter, the MiG-35, which has a good chance to compete successfully for the light and medium tactical fighter niche in certain regions of the world. Various Su-30MK heavy fighter versions tailored to meet the customers’ requirements are in demand in China, Indonesia, Vietnam, India, etc. Russian companies are eager to pursue a closer cooperation, e.g. joint and licence production. For instance, PLAAF has taken delivery of about a hundred licence-produced Su-27SK fighters. In addition to the traditional Southeast Asian market, prospects for Russian arms sales have been promising in other corners of the world as well. The Russian-Venezuelan deal could pave the way to a closer cooperation between Russia and the rest of the nations in the region. The nature of conflicts and the geographic characteristics of the countries with long maritime borders prompt these countries to place emphasis on fielding their air forces with combat aircraft capable of border

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RUSSIAN AIR-TO-SURFACE PRECISION-GUIDED WEAPONS ON GLOBAL MARKET

Peter STONE

In spite of the snags hit in the 1990s, Russian defence contractors have retained fundamental technologies and advanced weaponry’s development and production principles. Russia has always been a world leader in combat aircraft development, with its aircraft weapon makers renowned for their effective and dependable weapons at all times. The Russian arms-making school of thought rests upon the systemic approach and the ability to pinpoint the gist of the matter and embody simple but promising solutions to enable aircraft and weapons to operate in most demanding environments. It is this that makes Russian designers different from their Western colleagues who mostly focus on solving clear-cut limited problems. Therefore, many countries, especially those striving to pursue an independent national security policy, have been paying closer attention to the materiel offered by Russian companies for export. patrolling and other tactical missions. The stable demand for Russian-made fighters is not only due to their high flight performance. To meet customers’ requirements, the fighters have been increasingly given more multirole capabilities

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by means of a rather wide range of their organic weapons. At present, the main Russian air-launched weapon supplier, Tactical Missiles Corp., offers a wide range of guided missiles to fit Russian-made multirole fighters. See Table 1 for the types and

characteristics of the multirole air-to-ground guided missiles and Table 2 for those of air-launched antiship missiles on offer. As far as multirole missiles are concerned, mention should be made of the Tactical Missiles Corp.’s latest designs – the Kh-25MAE and Kh-25MSE. The former has an active radar homer and the later relies on satellite navigation aids. As the latest derivatives of the Kh-25M product line, both missiles strike a good balance between their performance and cost. With their launch weight slightly exceeding 300 kg, the missiles can engage threats out at 40 km. Their 90 kg warheads are lethal for a wide range of threats on the battlefield and in the enemy’s tactical defences. These precision-guided munitions feature the launch-and-leave, day/night and www.take-off.ru

industry | review all-weather capabilities. This gives them an edge over TV-guided and laser-beam-riding weapons. At the same time, the Kh-59ME TV/ command-guided missile with its 280–320 kg warhead features a 2–3 CEP (circular error probable) when used against large well-protected surface targets. Analysis of the characteristics of the air-launched antiship missiles proves that optimum antiship warloads can be tailored for combat aircraft depending on specific littoral-defence and straits-control missions. Each of the weapons on offer features strengths of its own. The Kh-31A, which is among the fastest missiles worldwide, can be employed absolutely unexpectedly for the enemy. Despite its rather lightweight 90 kg warhead, the weapon can decisively defeat a wide range of hostile ships owing to its high kinetic energy. Its small size enables the Su-30 fighter to carry several missiles of the type. A Kh-31A salvo assures guaranteed destruction of large-enough well-protected ships in the destroyer and cruiser classes. The Kh-35E antiship missile has completed its opeval on various platforms, including ships, aircraft and mobile coast-defence launchers. It is a hard target for hostile weapons and electronic countermeasures owing to its compact dimensions, high ECM immunity and sea-skimming capability. The Kh-35E can serve the combat mainstay of integrated coastal defences, in which capacity it is second to none worldwide in terms of cost-effectiveness. The Kh-59MK antiship missile with its formidable warhead is effective against largest threats. Antiradiation missiles listed in Table 2 make up a special subclass of air-launched weapons. No combat air operation can be planned without resorting to such missiles nowadays for penetration of the enemy’s air and missile defences. The Tactical Missiles Corp. now offers the latest Kh-31P missile derivative designated as Kh-31PK. The missile is very effective when used against radars of up-to-date SAM systems due to its proximity fuse and enhanced-lethality warhead. Guided bombs have been acquiring advanced capabilities as well. Remaining an inexpensive weapon, present-day glide bombs are sometimes as effective as guided missiles owing to aerodynamics advances and the advent of rather cheap and precise guidance packages to fit them. Thus, Russian manufacturers can meet virtually any customer requirement as far as tactical precision-guided air-to-surface weapon deliveries are concerned. www.take-off.ru

Multirole air-to-ground missiles main data (table 1) Type

Kh-29TE

Purpose

Kh-29L

Kh-25ML

surface threats

Kh-25MAE

Kh-25MSE

Kh-59ME

small surface threats

surface threats

Max range, km

115

Launch weight, kg

690

660

300

330

323

930

Warhead

HE/penetrator

HE or penetrator

penetrator (cluster-type)

320

320 (280)

Warhead weight, kg Guidance

Targets

passive TV

semiactive beam rider

static heavily-protected

Homing capability

self-contained

Operating capability

inertial + active radar homing

static and mobile

Lasing required

visual range

inertial + satellite guidance

TV/command

pinpointed with limited mobility

well-protected with limited mobility

self-contained

operator’s tracking required

all weather, day and night

visual range

Air-Launched antiship and antiradiation missiles main data (table 2) Class

Antiship missiles Type

Antiradiation missiles

Kh-35E

Kh-31A

Kh-59MK

Kh-31PK

Kh-58E

Kh-25MP

ships displacing up to 5,000 t in the face of enemy fires and ECM

ships up to destroyer inclusive

ships

ground-based medium- and long-range SAM radars**

ground-based medium- and long-range SAM radars

ground-based medium-range SAM and AAA radars

Max range, km

130

285*

110 (H=15 km, M=1.5)

200 (H=20 km, M=2.35)

40 (H=10 km, M<1.1)

Launch weight, kg

520

610

930

605

610

315

Targets

Warhead weight, kg Guidance

Flight altitude vic. target, m Cruising speed (max), km/h

145

320

149

inertial + active radar homing

active radar homing

inertial + active radar homing

inertial + passive radar homing

autopilot + passive radar homing

passive radar homing

10–15 (down to 4)

variable

10–15 (4–7)

…

980

3,500

900

2,600–2,700 (3,600)

…

1,080–1,620 (3,350)

Operating capability

all weather, day and night

* against a destroyer-size threat ** including those with antennae elevated up to 15 m

take-off november 2006

военная авиация | репортаж

IVCHENKO-PROGRESS ENGINES FOR TRAINERS AND LIGHT COMBAT AIRCRAFT

Fedor MURAVCHENKO, Designer General, Doctor of Science (Engineering), Hero of Ukraine, Associate of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. For more than 60 years the Zaporozhye Machine-Building Design Bureau Progress State Enterprise named after Academician A.G. Ivchenko (SE IVCHENKO-PROGRESS) is involved in design of engines to power aircraft and helicopters of various types, industrial drives and special equipment as well. For this period of time the engine-manufacturing plants produced over 70,000 units of piston and gas turbine engines, industrial turbine starters and drives. The aeroengines designed by SE IVCHENKO-PROGRESS power 57 types of aircraft operated in 109 countries of the world. The sphere of SE IVCHENKO-PROGRESS activities is as follows: design, manufacture, certification, overhaul, test, development, putting into series production and further improvement of consumer’s characteristics of aviation and industrial gas turbine engines. More than 60 certificates of Bureau Veritas, AR MAK and GosAviaSluzhba of Ukraine confirm the quality, reliability and the right to produce and upgrade engines.

Currently there is a demand in advanced trainers featuring stability and flight qualities of modern and prospective fighters and a high “cost-effectiveness” factor, as well as in light attack airplanes and fighters derived from these trainers. Such aircraft require new engines. The SE IVCHENKO-PROGRESS has designed the AI-222 engine featuring the performance of the world best turbofans designed for trainer and combat aircraft.

AI-222-25 The basic engine with a take-off thrust of 2500 kgf. It is currently passing a programme of official tests onboard the Yak-130 training combat aircraft. The engine modular design allows a quick replacement of modules, which served out their service life or damaged in combat operations. The materials and special coatings AI-222-25 Max power thrust – 2500 kgf; offer an all-climate SFC – 0.64 kg/kgf•h; Weight – 440 kg engine operation.

AI-222-22 The AI-222-25 engine version with a take-off thrust of 2200 kgf. It has a smaller fan diameter and reduced total air flow rate. The engine core is fully unified with that of the basic AI-222-25 turbofan.

AI-222-25UVT The AI-222-25 engine version with a thrust vector control (TVC). A swivelling jet nozzle, which is an individual module, is installed on the rear turbine bearing support flange. To increase the aircraft manoeuvrability as well as take-off and landing characteristics the all AI-222 family engines can be equipped with the TVC systems which provide an all-aspect deviation of a jet stream up to 20 deg. from the engine axis.

AI-222-25F The AI-222-25 engine version with a take-off thrust of 4300 kgf in a full afterburning mode. The gas generator is completely unified with the basic

взлёт 10/2006 октябрь

AI-222-25 engine. The experimental batch of the AI-222K-25F engines is under manufacturing now to power advanced trainers.

AI-222-28 This modified engine version will be developed by introducing a turbine with an improved cooling system. This turbine AI-222-28 Max power thrust – 2800 kgf is designed using an SFC – 0.677 kg/kgf•h experience of the D-18T and D-27 engines turbine development which allows a significant increase in a gas temperature while ensuring a thrust increasing up to 2800 kgf at take-off and up to 3000 kgf at combat rating. The compressor sections of the AI-222-25 and AI-222-28 engines are completely unified. Due to optimum thrust and fuel efficiency values, low noise and emission levels, high service life and low operating cost which meet the requirements of the XXIth century the AI-222 family engines will allow to develop highly competitive airplanes and UAVs.

AI-25TLSh The AI-25TL engine upgraded version with a take-off thrust of 1850 kgf. The main AI-25TLSh advantages as compared with the basic engine are as follows: a higher maximum thrust, acceleration AI-25TLSh time is two times Max power thrust – 1850 kgf Weight – 350 kg lower. The flight tests showed a substantial improvement in the aircraft dynamic characteristics (acceleration, rate of climb), reduced take-off and manoeuvre time. The engine has passed certification tests and is mounted in the L-39U airplane, its installing in the JL-8 trainer is possible. The upgraded engine when installed in the L-39 airplane extends its lifetime by 10–15 years. www.take-off.ru

военная авиация | репортаж

ENGINES OF THE FUTURE ENGINES FOR PROSPECTIVE MILITARY CARGO AIRCRAFT D-27

D-436М

A three-shaft propfan engine with a power of 14,000 hp at take-off. It is designed to power high efficient transports and military cargo aircraft featuring the improved take-off and landing performance. Four D-27 propfans are installed in the An-70 military cargo aircraft.

A turbofan with a thrust of 12,000– 14,000 kgf to power modern multi-purpose transport airplanes is currently under development.

AI-6500/8000 A turboprop engine with a take-off power of 6500–8000 hp currently under development

D-27 Take-off power – 14,000 hp; SFC – 0.170 kg/hp•h Weight – 1,650 kg

on the basis of the AI-222-25 turbofan gas generator to power transport airplanes with a maximum take-off weight of 60–100 tons.

D-436M Take-off thrust – 12,430 kgf; SFC – 0.261 kg/kgf•h Weight – 2,400 kg

ENGINES FOR UAVS

The advantages of UAV employment in a number of military conflicts for solving reconnaissance tasks and conducting strike operations, a necessity in solving a number of civil problems such as patrolling power lines and cross-country pipelines, ecological monitoring, searching mineral resources, ground mapping, inspecting the regions of nature disasters, etc., demonstrate the great prospects for this aviation sector. The SE IVCHENKO-PROGRESS considers a promotion of the engines, designed to power UAVs, to the markets of the Middle East and South-Eastern Asia countries as a highly prospective action because the countries of these regions achieved a level which allows them to design and manufacture UAVs, and they extensively develop this trend of their activities. Constructive and technological levels of gas turbine engines designed by SE IVCHENKO-PROGRESS allow to use them in power plants of new and upgraded UAVs.

AI-222-40 AI-222-40 Take-off thrust – 4150 kgf; SFC – 0.381 kg/kgf•h Weight – 725 kg

AI-450TP The AI-450 turboprop engine version with a take-off power of 400–550 hp. The main features of the engine are a provision of air inlet into the engine and a design of the transmission for propeller driving. As compared with the basic turboshaft engine this one features the changed reduction gear, accessory gearbox and exhaust nozzle. It can use both tractor and pusher propellers. Turboshaft and turboprop versions of the AI-450 engines family featuring shaft power from 450 to 700 hp can be installed in UAVs having various aerodynamic of rotary- and fixed-wing configurations.

The AI-22 engine uprated version under development now for the Tu-324 regional passenger aircraft. A thrust increase by 10–20% is obtained by introducing the AI-222-25 engine gas generator. A new wide-chord noiseless fan is currently under development. The engine has a thrust reverser.

AI-450TP Take-off power – 500 hp; SFC – 0.250 kg/hp•h Weight – 123 kg

SE IVCHENKO-PROGRESS 2, Ivanova st., 69068, Zaporozhye, Ukraine Tel.: +38 (0612) 65-03-27 Fax : +38 (0612) 65-46-97, 12-89-22 E-mail: progress@ivchenko-progress.com www.ivchenko-progress.com www.take-off.ru

взлёт 10/2006 октябрь

civil aviation | in brief

New Tu-214s for Russian airlines

Ildar Valeyev

the AirUnion alliance, with KrasAir having leased its first airliner of the type (RA-64508) from the Financial Leasing Company in June last year. Tu-214 deliveries to Transaero are to start soon as well. Under the 14 February 2005 leasing contract with the Financial Leasing Company, Transaero, which operates an all-foreign aircraft fleet, is to receive ten Tu-214s from KAPO during 2006–08. It is expected that the first of them will have been delivered by November this year, with next four aircraft to be made in 2007. (RA-64502 and RA-64503) were leased by this carrier for ten years from FLC in May and November 2001 respectively. Dalavia’s fifth Tu-214 was completed by KAPO this summer, with the aircraft making its first flight on 11 July. The relevant trials completed, the customer’s crew flew it on the acceptance mission on 29 August and then ferried it to Khabarovsk on the next day. In addition to Dalavia, the Tu-214 is operated by Krasair, a member of

Yuri Kabernik

On 30 August, the Kazan Aircraft Production Association (KAPO) delivered the fifth Tupolev Tu-214 long-haul airliner with registration number RA-64512 to the Khabarovsk-based Dalavia airline. The airliner was financially leased until 2020 under the 29 May 2003 contract with the Financial Leasing Company (FLC). Under the contract, Dalavia already received two Tu-214s (RA-64507 and RA-64510) in December 2003 and July 2005. The first two Tu-214s

The city of Yakutsk hosted on 6 September the official ceremony of delivering to the Yakutiya air carrier of the first of its Antonov An-140 regional turboprops made by Russian aircraft plant Aviakor. In addition to the leaders of the Samara-based Aviakor plant, the ceremony was attended by an impressive Ukrainian delegation of participants in the An-140 production programme, including Antonov’s Director General Dmitry Kiva, Motor Sich’s President Vyacheslav Boguslayev, just to name a few. The advanced airliner with registration number RA-41250 became the first An-140 made by Aviakor. It was rolled out as far back as December 2003 but its maiden flight had been delayed until 2 August 2005. Two weeks afterwards – on 16 August, the Aviakor plant,

take-off november 2006

Financial Leasing Company (FLC) and Yakutiya airline signed a leasing contract during the MAKS 2005 air show, under which the airline is to take delivery of three Russian-made An-140s. So, the lead aircraft has been received by the customer. If all goes to plan, Aviakor will have delivered the other two airliners in the An-140-100 configuration to Yakutiya before the end of the year. The airline intends to buy five more An-140-100s from the Russian manufacturer. However, new sales of Aviakor-made An-140s are going to be handled by another leasing company – Ilyushin Finance Co. During the recent Farnborough air show, Ilyushing Finance Co. (IFC) and Aviakor on 18 July signed a general agreement on delivery and after-sales support of An-140 regional turboprops. Under

Dmitry Belov

Yakutiya receives first Russian-made An-140

the agreement, Aviakor will have delivered 25 aircraft to IFC within the coming five years, with Ilyushin Finance Co. to lease them to Russian carriers. At the handover ceremony, Antonov Director General Dmitry Kiva said: “The air services operated by the Yakutiya airline run through cold areas. The An-140 is just the thing for operating in such an environment, which was

proven under its certification test programme. It is Yakutiya where the aircraft proved to be effective at –55 deg. Centigrade. Earlier, 16 Russian carriers had shown willingness to buy 160 An-140 aircraft. We are certain that the An-140 will further the positive operating record of Antonov’s planes and passengers will give our airliner its due for the comfort and wide range of capabilities it offers.”

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civil aviation | in brief

It conducted its first operation Krasnodar – Moscow – Krasnodar on 14 August (see the picture). “Operating a new aircraft is an important event. It will enable us to expand our operational network and launch new services,” ALK’s Director General Vyacheslav Kim said. Aviakor will to have built another Tu-154M before year-end on order by the Samara Region authorities. The plant is to make three more Tu-154Ms next year.

Mikhail Fomin

Be-103 enters service

The launch of passenger services on Beriev Be-103 light multipurpose amphibians was noted during the recent Gidroaviasalon 2006 in Gelendzhik. Last year, the manufacturer, KnAAPO, delivered two production aircraft of the type (c/n 3204 and 3205) to Beriev company for use as part of the Beriev Sea Airlines being established now. The amphibians were given registration numbers RA-01854 and RA-01855. In addition to demonstration flights including those as part of trio with the Be-103 No 03102 (c/n 3102) prototype, the two aircraft started carrying passengers on sightseeing flights. A ticket on a half-an-hour tour, including take-off from and splashdown at the Gelendzhik Bay, cost a 1,500 rubles (approx. $55) per person (three to four passengers would board an amphibian) but the price did not discourage people from experiencing unforgettable feelings of taking off from and splashing down into water. Although each Be-103 would make at least 10 flights a day,

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by the weekend the list of the willing had been completed at least a day in advance, and not all of the potential passengers had an opportunity to make their dream come true. However, tourist rides in Gelendzhik are a mere beginning of the operations of Beriev’s airline. Further down the road, the company plans to set up a network of services linking Krasnodar, Anapa, Gelendzhik, Rostov, Taganrog, Veshki, etc., on which Be-103s could operate from airports and hydrodromes after a number of organisational issues have been settled. In addition, once Beriev’s two Be-200 jet-powered amphibians have been slightly modified, they are to be handed over to the company’s air carrier too. In the near future, the Be-200 is to be issued with a type certificate addendum enabling it to carry 44 passengers. In the longer run, a dedicated passenger amphibian is supposed to be derived from the Be-200 to fly 68–72 passengers in comfort.

Aviakor has manufactured the Tu-154 for over 35 years. Since 1984, it has been making the Tu-154M version featuring more efficient D-30KU-154

engines. Today, the Tu-154B and Tu-154M are the most widespread medium-haul airliners in Russia. Many of them are in service with other countries.

New M-101Ts for civil aviation's flying schools On 13 September, Vitaly Miroshkin, director of the New Regional Aircraft Corp. (a subsidiary of the Sokol aircraft plant in Nizhny Novgorod) went public with his plan of delivering advanced M-101T Sokol turboprops to Russian civil aviation flying schools. Previously known as Gzhel, the Myasishchev M-101T is in full-rate production by the Sokol plant. The Ulyanovsk-based UVAUGA flying school is to get two aircraft in November, and another three planes are to go to the Buguruslan-based BLUGA flying school. Flying schools started taking deliveries of M-101T planes last year on order by the chief of the Federal Air Transport Agency. The first two Sokols (RA-15103 and RA-15105) were received by UVAUGA and BLUGA on 15 and 18 November 2005 respectively. The plan provides for the M-101T

fleet operated by the Russian civil aviation’s flying schools to have grown up to seven aircraft by next year. The M-101T Sokol is designed to replace the obsolescent Yakovlev Yak-18T used for training airline pilots. The flying schools will be able to buy up to 16 more M-101Ts in 2007. The Federal Air Transport Agency’s order is not the only one under the M-101T delivery programme that has begun to gain momentum at long last. The AMG company began procurement of such aircraft in spring this year under the Dexter air taxi programme. To date, the company has received seven Sokols (RA-15100, 15101, 15106, and 15109 through 15112) out of the 45 stipulated by the contract. In all, at least 12 production M-101Ts have been in service. The M-101T was certificated by IAC’s Aircraft Registry in December 2002.

Andrey Zhirnov

On 22 August, Kuban Airlines (ALK) took delivery of a new Tupolev Tu-154M medium-haul airliner – its second this year. The aircraft was built by the Aviakor aircraft plant in Samara. Having received registration number RA-85795, the airliner first flew from Aviakor’s airfield on 7 August. Earlier this year, the manufacturer had delivered another new Tu-154M (RA-85123) to ALK. The plane was flight-tested on 5 May 2006 and delivered on 6 June.

Dmitry Pichugin

Tu-154M production goes on

take-off november 2006

civil aviation | in brief

This year promises to decide the future of Russia’s aircraft industry. At present, legal formalities of setting up a united Russian aircraft making holding company – United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) – are being finalised, with the industry’s key players to join the corporation by year-end. As far as commercial aircraft construction is concerned, major Russian developers have been pooling their efforts in developing future airliners, and manufacturers have been transforming into competence centres focussing on various aircraft components to avoid parallelism, as well as launching an upgrade of their production capabilities. This is done to boost full-rate production of the existing aircraft models and transition to future aircraft manufacture in about 2015. In line with UAC’s concept, the major Russian leasing company, Ilyushin Finance Co. (IFC), is turning into a main Russian airliner customer. Today, the company’s activities can be characterised as a breakthrough as for the first time since the collapse of the Soviet Union it has managed to entice Russian and foreign air carriers to place a rather big order for latest Russian airliners, thus, actually, ensuring the launch of their production. In 2006 alone, the Ilyushin Finance Co. placed major orders for several dozen aircraft in various classes with the aircraft manufacturers in Voronezh, Ulyanovsk and Samara. Today, the company’s domestic orderbook totals 83 aircraft, including 19 Ilyushin Il-96 long-haul, 10 Tupolev Tu-204 medium-haul and 54 Antonov An-140, An-148 and Ilyushin Il-114 regional airliners. Thus, based on the existing orders, there is a unique opportunity to switch from low-number sales of modern Russian airliners to their large-scale production. Ilyushin Finance Co.’s head Alexander Rubtsov believes that a mass order will cause full-fledged market

take-off november 2006

Marina Lystseva

Leasing as Russian commercial aircraft industry’s driving force

saturation and slash the prime cost by 10–15 per cent due to a larger scale. Such an order could be fulfilled by five manufacturer plants in Ulyanovsk, Voronezh, Samara, Komsomolsk-on-Amur and Kazan and total at least 20 Il-96s, 30 Tu-204/214s, 50 An-148s and RRJs as well as 50 An-140 and Il-114 worth a total of about $3.6 billion, with the planes to be delivered during 2007–10. Virtually all responsibility for sales and after-sales support of modern Russian airliners rests on the IFC today. Such a solution is due to the company’s unique expertise gathered over the past five years, during which it succeeded in arranging an aircraft leasing scheme with ensuing after-sales support by specialist company IFC Technic. The first customer, KrasAir, which received two Ilyushin Il-96-300 long-haul airliners and a Tupolev Tu-204-100 medium-haul one, has been flying them on regular and chartered services. KrasAir’s aircraft have accomplished several difficult missions in support of the UN, airlifting the organisation’s peacekeepers, civilian employees and cargo from Western Europe to Australia and Indonesia, from China to the Middle East, etc. Another major customer, Far Eastern airline Vladivostok Avia, has been smoothly operating four IFC-delivered Tupolev Tu-204-300

long-haul airliners since last year, with each aircraft logging 300– 400 flying hours monthly. The narrow-body Tu-204-300 proved to be the optimal solution to carriers operating long low-traffic services, on which widebody airliners are not competitive. A unique product in its market niche, the Tu-204-300 is a perfect match to the point-to-point flight strategy being exercised by the world’s major aircraft makers and users. Based on the successful operation of the Tu-204-300, the Ilyushin Finance Co. has called for deriving from it the Tu-204SM medium-haul airliner featuring an advanced powerplant, reduced weight and enhanced efficiency to rival the bestseller in this market niche – the Airbus A320. Today’s role being played by the Ilyushin Finance Co. in Russia’s aircraft industry is, to a large extent, due to its success in exporting Russian airliners by means of governmental support for industrial product export. At present, the company has got a number of firm orders and options for 53 airliners (19 Ilyushin Il-96s, 21 Tupolev Tu-204s and 13 regional aircraft). There are Chinese carriers, which have displayed interest in the Il-96-400T long-haul transports, among its major potential customers. The deal is planned for clinching once the Il-96-400T is certificated in 2007. The largest

contract for Russian commercial aircraft after the collapse of the Soviet Union is being fulfilled by the Ilyushin Finance Co. to export airliners to Cuban air carrier Cubana de Aviacion. The airline has taken delivery of its first two Il-96-300s, with five more – two Il-96-300s and three Tu-204s in freighter and passenger configurations – to go before the end of 2007. Ilyushin Finance Co. also plans to launch exports to Zimbabwe, Syria and Iran in 2007. In addition to aircraft sales contract, the company offers after-sales support and maintenance of planes it sells and personnel training. These tasks are handled by its partner IFC Technic. The Ilyushin Finance Co. finances its foreign customers under the high-tech export support programme run by the Russian government. To encourage Russian high-tech exports, the government offers its guarantees of bank loans covering up to 85 per cent of the contractual worth of the deals for 10–12 years. Such contracts based on intergovernmental agreements are bolstered by guarantees of sovereign states or first-class banks, or hypothecation value of the aircraft themselves. Interest on the loans is fixed at the level comparable to similar high-tech export support programmes run by major world powers.

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cosmonautics | in brief

Roscosmos

Another Russian Soyuz spacecraft was launched to the International Space Station (ISS) in September. For the first time in history of space exploration, it was carrying a female space tourist – Iranian-American Anusheh Ansari. Initially, the Soyuz was scheduled for orbiting on 14 September, and the RKK Energia Corp. had been preparing the spacecraft based on that date. However, due to the lack of clarity as for the launch date of the US space shuttle Atlantis, the Russians agreed to a backup date – 18 September. It was the deadline, because otherwise the ISS’s 13th mission would have had to return to the Earth after 29 September and, hence, land

take-off november 2006

after dark, which would have been very inconvenient for the search and rescue party. As a result, the Russian spacecraft followed the Atlantis into orbit nine days later – a day after she undocked from the orbiter. A Soyuz-FG LV, launched from Baikonur at 08.17 Moscow time on 18 September, inserted the Soyuz TMA-9 (11F732 No 219) into low-Earth orbit, with the spacecraft docking to the aft docking port of the ISS’s Zvezda service module on 20 September in the morning. After the hatches had been opened, two members of the 14th mission – Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Tyurin and US astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria entered the ISS. They came to replace Pavel Vinogradov and Jeffrey Williams and work together with ESA’s astronaut Thomas Reiter, with amateur astronaut Anusheh Ansary coming along. She is the first female space tourist and the fourth tourist visiting the ISS. The name of Ansari made its mark among space explorers several years ago after a family of Iranian immigrants became the principal sponsor of the X-Prize. In their honour the competition among nongovernmental organisations able to launch a manned reusable spacecraft was renamed Ansari X-Prize. Burt Rutan’s company Scaled Composites won the competition along with the $10-million prize in 2004. Anusheh Ansari was the driving force behind the idea of X-Prize sponsorship and began paying closer attention to all things celestial. Holding a master’s diploma in electrical engineering, she decided to earn a master’s diploma in astronomy and in 2005, asked the Space Adventures company to arrange her a flight to the ISS. In February this year, Anusheh Ansari started training at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre as a backup for another space

tourist – Daisuke Enomoto from Japan. Her possible flight date was unknown but Enomoto dropped out on the health grounds and Ansari was given the green light. “I am thankful to Space Adventures and Enomoto for the opportunity,” she reacted to the news that her dream of a space flight would come true soon. At the news conference prior to the flight, Ansari corrected herself, saying she was sorry that Enomoto’s dream would not yet come true. “The news that I am to fly in two weeks was quite a surprise to me,” she said. “I tried to brace myself up but, still, could not sleep for a few nights.” Since Ansari was pressed for time in crafting a research programme of her own, she agreed to conduct two orbital experiments in support of ESA and one in support of Energia. At the same time, she planned several ham radio comms sessions and host a series of educational programmes. She took with her a fragment of the SpaceShipOne (the winner of the X-Prize), souvenirs for her big family and prayers. By the way, initially, Ansari’s spacesuit had sported two flags: one was that of the United States, which she considers to be her second homeland, and the other patch was the Iranian tricolor (Ansari said she was born in Tehran but immigrated to the US when she was 16). However, not long before the launch, the news had come that the United States had insisted she should remove the Iranian patch. Ansari also had to agree not to make any political statements while in space. As far as the ISS’s main crew is concerned, Tyruin and Lopez-Alegria will have worked hard the coming six months. Having seen the Soyuz TMA-8 off down to the Earth, they will re-dock their Soyuz TMA-9 from the Zvezda module’s aft docking unit to the Zarya FCB’s docking unit, receive

two Progress cargo craft and two US shuttles, continue to fit the ISS with equipment and complete applied research programmes. In addition, they have as many as four EVAs scheduled – three in EMU spacesuits under a US programme and one in Orlan-M spacesuits under a Russian programme. During the Russian EVA, Mikhail Tyurin is, finally, to play space golf. It was Pavel Vinogradov who was supposed to hit a ball with a driver, but NASA was apprehensive of the advertising operation jeopardizing the orbiter. Recently, NASA has given its nod. Tyurin said during the pre-flight news conference that he was “lucky to have an opportunity to do something new in orbit”. The reentry vehicle of the Soyuz TMA-8 landed on 29 September at 05.13 Moscow time in Kazakhstan. The capsule brought the ISS’s13th crew – Pavel Vinogradov and Jeffrey Williams – back to the Earth safely along with Anusheh Ansari who had worked under the 11th expedition’s programme on the ISS. All of them feel well.

Roscosmos

Soyuz TMA-9 brings new crew and first female space tourist to ISS

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cosmonautics | in brief

Clipper loses ground to upgraded Soyuz

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Soyuz-TMA

Cabin module

Reentry module Onboard systems section

Clipper

Reentry vehicle

to be used, among other things, in support of future missions to the Moon. The upgrade programme is to be complete by 2011. An Energia spokesman told Take-Off that the improved Soyuz would retain the current design and carry a crew of three in orbit, but its on-board equipment would be replaced with advanced one. At the same time, the corporation will develop an advanced cargo craft, designated as Parom (Russian for ‘ferry’), to remain in orbit for as long as 180 days, tow 4–13 t cargo containers, Soyuzes and Clippers to the ISS and operate as part of the ISS or independently. The Parom is being derived from the Progress cargo craft. Unlike the Progress, the derivative will feature two docking units and latest

Service module

RKK Energia

i.e. 10 billion rubles (approx. $360 million) for 10 years, and expected to get the rest of the money from its foreign partners – EU and, possibly, Japan. At the same time, ESA, which refused to co-develop the Clipper, found out itself with no manned spacecraft of its own (ESA was keen on joining a similar US programme, but NASA made it clear that it was to develop its CEV on its own). In such a situation, the talks on the Clipper continued. While the three bidders were refining their bids, Roscosmos and ESA were discussing the programme’s finer point. As a result, ESA member states agreed to participate, though they slashed their initial research contribution to 15 million euros (ESA asked for 30 million euros for two years). They decided that each of the ESA member states would have to decide independently after 2008 whether it was ready for developing a joint EU-Russian spacecraft or not. ESA’s board took the decision in its headquarters in Paris on 21 and 22 June, but the news came unnoticed in Russia, with Roscosmos modestly keeping mum on such a victory. It is only at the Farnborough 2006 air show that the agency’s head Anatoly Perminov said that the protracted Clipper bidding had been suspended due to ESA joining the programme. “Actually, the competition has not taken place,” Perminov said, because “requests made by our European partners have radically changed the competition’s conditions. We have considered the bids by Energia, Khrunichev and Molniya. We have liked Energia’s bid that met most of the requirements, except the financial one. A decision has been taken to run the programme in a phased manner”. The six-month talks made the Clipper, essentially, irrelevant to Roscosmos. Instead of developing the reusable spacecraft, Russia committed to upgrading its Soyuz

avionics commonised with those of the upgraded Soyuz. The latter and the Parom are to be lofted in orbit by advanced Soyuz-2-3 launch vehicles, starting in mid-2010. Nonetheless, the development of the reusable Clipper is not to be terminated completely so far. According to Perminov, it will be developed “at the second stage of the programme or in parallel depending on how smooth the first stage is going to be”. Energia and Sukhoi carry on with designing it, with the developers still hopeful of building a five-ship fleet by 2016. The first experimental launch of the Clipper is slated for 2013, and the first manned mission for 2014. However, the plan looks less feasible in light of the recent developments.

Andrey Fomin

The Russian Space Agency (Roscosmos) has terminated the competition for developing a new-generation reusable manned spacecraft, the Clipper programme. After the European Union agreed to join the programme, the technical side of the programme had to be reconsidered drastically. The EU demanded a heavily upgraded Soyuz for Moon missions, rather than the reusable Clipper whose future is hazy. Bids for developing the new-generation reusable manned space system were invited as far back as November 2005. To bid in a closed tender, the Russian Space Agency invited three Russian companies well versed in designing manned spacecraft – RKK Energia, Khrunichev and Molniya. At first, the agency was going to name a winner in February 2006 but its spokesperson said on 3 February: “The board concluded that none of the bids fully met the competition documentation requirements in terms of the programme’s timely technical feasibility and flight safety.” The matter is that in December 2005, the European Space Agency (ESA) – the main investor and the Russian Space Agency’s potential partner under the Clipper programme – failed to confirm that it would participate in the programme. ESA’s member states refused to allocate 51 million euros to be spent on research in this field over the coming two years. Germany, France and Italy, which are the principal contributors to ESA’s budget, responded to the Clipper negatively, citing their apprehension that EU would be unable to exercise effective control of the programme and would turn into a mere industrial sponsor of the Russian spacecraft. The EU’s decision has put both ESA and Roscosmos under a disadvantage. To finance the Clipper’s development, Roscosmos had had the government cough up a third of the money required,

take-off november 2006

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