Non-Russian Μilitary multimedia thread:

Prospects of Russian-Indian cooperation in aviation

Participation of the Russian delegation to Aero India show has traditionally included a joint press conference, attended by the Deputy Director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation of the Russian Federation Aleksander Fomin, the first vice president for program coordination of the United Aircraft Corporation, CEO JSC "Company" Sukhoi ", General Director - General Designer of JSC" RSK "MiG" Mikhail Pogosyan, and senior vice-president of the United Aircraft Corporation, Commercial Aviation, President of Irkut Corporation, CEO of EDB. A. Yakovlev, Oleg Demchenko. The presentations and responses to reporters' questions were raised on different aspects of cooperation with India on projects in the field of military and civil aviation, as well as the implementation of programs by "United Aircraft Corporation (UAC). The following is a summary of the main issues raised at the press conference.

Military-technical cooperation between Russia and India

The history of military-technical cooperation between our two countries goes back about 50 years.Relations between Russia and India could be described as strategic partnership: over the years has seen large-scale deliveries of the most modern armaments and military equipment, but also transfer of relevant technologies and licenses for their production. According to Fomin, "now our cooperation is developing, particularly in the aerospace field, and it is developing very rapidly ... At present, the relationship from seller and buyer our relationship turned into a completely level playing field. It is on this basis we are cooperating in the high- technologies. "

Among the specific areas of cooperation he mentioned joint projects , the fifth generation fighter and multi-purpose transport aircraft, licensed assembly of Su-30MKI. Indian Air Force operates a large fleet of Soviet and Russian aircraft, and is currently implementing projects to modernize it.

Su-30MKI

According to Mikhail Pogosyan, the most successful project of Russian-Indian cooperation on the program today is the Su-30MKI. In its implementation involving the corporation of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Irkut Corporation and Sukhoi, which is the developer of this aircraft. As the head of Sukhoi, today more than hundred aircrafts of this type are in operation with the Indian Airforce. The program provides for the licensed production and a further increase in the number of aircraft to be delivered to the Indian Air Force. "We expect the Indian market for these aircraft at a rate of over two hundred units," - said Mikhail Pogosyan.

Speaking about the development of the program, he noted that the planned upgrade of serial manufactured Su-30MKI. "First and foremost, we will upgrade the avionics, radar, increase its ability to engage air, ground and sea targets. The biggest upgrade is in terms of new types of weapons - is in the integration of BrahMos missile to the Su-30MKI fighters," - said Mikhail Pogosyan ."Together with the Ministry of Defence of India, the company Brahmos Aerospace, HAL, NPO Machine Building and Rosoboronexport, Sukhoi and Irkut discuss the modernization of the Su-30MKI and the use of missiles Brahmos to improve aircraft performance."

FGFA

Even more ambitious project will be a Indo-Russian fifth generation fighter. As you know, in December 2010 a contract was signed for the joint development of preliminary design of combat aviation complex of the fifth generation. "It's not just a program to create a new complex - it is a program of close cooperation in the development of modern aviation complexes between India and Russia,"

In his view, unlike competitors that offer India specific products created in the producing countries and are considering the possibility of technology transfer, we have for decades been working jointly with the Indian industry over the implementation of promising programs, such as the modernization of legacy aircraft and to create a perspective on the complex area of combat and transport aircraft. Therefore, an alternative to purchasing equipment and possible prospective of cooperation in this field, with one hand. On the other - the real co-operation and use of the best technologies that exist in Russia and India, to create a joint future products. Pogosyan said that there is a positive experience in programs such as the MiG-27, manufactured in India under license for many years, or Su-30MKI, where the Indian side has received a number of technologies, including the integration of the complex, which allowed her to integrate its own equipment to create a customised aircraft.

"Of course, the program will create a combat aviation system - with a completely different level of interaction, but the procedures for technology transfer are described in the contract. I think we have a good base to carefully execute this contract and technology transfer in key areas that will be implemented under the contract "- he stressed.

Talking about the major milestones of the program, Pogosyan noted that the bulk of the work on phase one will be executed as early as 2011, and complete them in the first half of 2012. In 2012, the results of joint work will be presented to the customer - the Indian Airforce. Asked about the cost of the project, he noted that "investment in the program of the fifth generation are the subject of negotiation between the parties."

Also director of Sukhoi told about the current status of work on fifth-generation fighter program for the domestic program. According to him, the whole program is being developed in accordance with plans. The first plane carried about 40 test flights, conducted a large amount of test of complex avionics for 30 flight , a large volume of static tests were conducted. The second plane is also being prepared for the start of flight testing and will soon begin to fly. Overall, in 2011, we will fly three test machine. "Clearly, there are issues but all of these issues are of working nature. No new aircraft was created without any issues that arised during the implementation of such complex programs - he concluded.

MiG-35

Certainly, the journalists were interested in the cause of its absence "MiG-35 taking part in the tender for the purchase of 126 multi-role fighters Medium Multirole Combat Aircraft (MMRCA). Pogosyan said that "speaking about the possibility of a demonstration of the MiG-35, the procedure of the tender stipulated that we will demonstrate the capabilities of this aircraft , which will not be within this Air Show in Bangalore, but as part of the tests carried out by Indian and Russian pilots in India and in Russia. We have demonstrated the possibility of basing aircraft in the high mountains. We have demonstrated tracking of air and ground targets. I believe that we have completed the program demonstrating the MiG-35 as part of the tender in full volume. Prior to that, we have twice shown the aircraft at an exhibition in Bangalore. We want to give the customer choice to take a decision based on those materials that they have received, in comparison with other proposals, which they have received along with our offer. "

MiG-29K

Also Pogosyan mentioned the MiG-29K. According to him, the whole aircraft of this type have been successfully operated Indian Navy. An average flight of over two hundred hours has been accumlated on the plane. In February 2010, signed an option for the contract to supply the Indian Navy with 29 more aircraft.

He added that the Navy in Russia too is in talks with RSK MiG for the supply of MiG-29K.

MiG-29 Upgrade

Air Forces of India operate the MiG-29, which was proposed to be upgraded. As stressed by M. Pogosyan, "a program of modernization of MiG-29 that are in service with the Air Force of India, is the second most important program that leads RSK MiG in this country. It will be developed in the direction of modernization on the customer's site in India ".

He recalled that on 4 February it made its first flight on the first modernised plane, with repairs and upgrades at the facilities of RSK MiG."The main volume of tests we will perform this year, although it will not be finished completely," - he said Overall, the program provides for the modernization of some 60 aircraft and will take several years. The first upgraded aircraft will be delivered to the customer in 2011.

The modernization of MiG-29 in the first place would be updated with range of airborne equipment. The MiG-29 Upgrade will include a new radar, which lets you use the most modern means of destruction of aircraft both air and ground targets.In addition, information-control field will be modern.

After sales service

As stressed by M. Pogosyan, "though a large number of aircraft of the MiG and Sukhoi, which operated in India, one of the key tasks is to improve after-sales service." UAC Enterprises with Indian colleagues are working on a system that meets today's requirements.

MTA

One of the most promising joint projects in the field of transport aircraft program is a multi-purpose transport aircraft MTA. United Aircraft Corporation and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will share the program cost. First in December 2010 in Bangalore registered a joint venture with participation of Russia and India. The agenda of the next meeting of the board of directors of joint venture - the amended work plan for this program and implementation of specific tasks that will start in 2011 for the successful promotion of the project.

Asked about the possibility of using the project on the MTA based on experience accumulated during the creation of AN-148, Pogosyan said that the parties established a joint working group, and established a joint venture program, multi-purpose transport aircraft. As part of preliminary studies will be worked out various options. But, of course, these options must meet the requirements, which are put by the Russian and Indian sides " - he said, adding that the requirements for the AN-148 are somewhat different from the requirements of the draft MTA . In any case, the working group will have the opportunity to review such a proposal," - he concluded.

IL-476

M. Pogosyan, in his speech touched upon the issue of participation in the tender for the supply air tankers: "We always appreciate the chance to bid as well, and do not participate in those tenders, which assess the chances low. We believe that the experience of operating the tankers IL -78 in the Russian Air Force and Indian Air Force, mastering the production of IL-476 in Ulyanovsk creates good prospects for participation in the Indian tender. Of course, the best assessment of our prospects will be heard from the the customer. "

He added that in the field of military transport aircraft our cooperation has risen to a new level. The aircraft IL-76 family: today in the Indian Air Force are the transport option and IL-76, and air tankers Il-78, and aviation complex radar survey and surveillance platform based IL-76. Today in Ulyanovsk Ilyushin and Aviastar prepare and deploy the production of IL-476. This will give us the opportunity to long-term development of this complex," he said.

Civil projects

Sukhoi Superjet-100, The exhibition in Bangalore, was presented the short-haul aircraft Sukhoi Superjet-100, confirming the intention of the Russian side to enter the civil aircraft market in India. As noted by Mikhail Pogosyan, "then the long-term cooperation, the firm foundation that has been created within the framework of joint work with our Indian counterparts on combat and transport aircraft, gives us good prospects for expanding our cooperation in civil aviation ... The global nature of the civil market aviation technology creates good preconditions for integration and in this promising area of our cooperation. "

Turning to market prospects aircraft SSJ100, head Sukhoi said that the UAC is considering markets of Southeast Asia as one of the most promising areas for advancing the global market. I think that in the near future will come to the achievement of specific agreements with Indian airlines, as well as a number of airlines of other countries in the region," - he stressed. Also referred to M. Pogosyan and the Russian-Ukrainian program: "We see prospects for joint work and market promotion of South-East Asia and other that UAC develops and creates together with their Ukrainian counterparts - the AN-148".

R & D

During the question and answer session was touched hot topic of research and development work, which, according to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in the "United Aircraft Corporation" were not up to par. Mikhail Pogosyan, the candidate who will soon be approved for the post of chairman of the UAC, made a comment on this topic: "Of course, we are ramping up work in the direction as outlined by the government - in the direction of innovation. While I believe that the overall strategy, which was adopted by "United Aircraft Corporation, which provides for promotion of new high-tech products, such as the Sukhoi Superjet 100, MS-21, combat aviation complex of the fifth generation, the concentration of resources poses a major corporation in the future in cutting-edge areas. I think that the plans that we implement in combat aviation complex of the fifth generation, are competitive with the best of which are being created by other manufacturers, including our American colleagues, and in China. I do not think that we fundamentally change their plans, which put ourselves in the development of fifth generation fighter program. I think that this program will provide us a competitive advantage in the marketplace, as we have a competitive advantage in the fourth-generation aircraft. "

MS-21

Brief work on the promising family of airliners highlighted the MS-21 Pogosyan, who stressed that the United Aircraft Corporation, the task "to create a competitive product in one of the most popular segments of civil aviation. We plan to achieve this goal by introducing new technologies in the field of application composite materials, complex avionics open architecture, as well as a number of other technical solutions. "

More details about the progress in this direction was presented by president of the corporation Irkut He stressed that work on MS-21 being on the schedule: "As of today we go to the chart, and in 2014, should fly the first aircraft and in 2016 must be certified by European standards and to start deliveries. President Irkut recalled that in November 2010 was successfully carried out mock commission, attended by specialists of the Aviation Register of Interstate Aviation Committee. Also in November, on a test bench in Perm running demonstrator engine gas generator prospective PD-14, which will be installed on MS-21. Company Aerokompozit has created the first examples of parts of the project "Black Wing", and referred them to the test. "All of this suggests that the plane had gone from virtual reality to a real aircraft," - said Oleg Demchenko. According to him, in April-May, the project must go through the 4 th gate, during which the aircraft structure is frozen and fixed choice of suppliers. The developer then began to produce the documentation.

Speaking about contacts for a given product, he noted that today in the stage of contracting 150 aircraft, the first fifty aircraft gives a solid contract. In February we get an advance on the aircraft under contract with the financial services group in Malaysia," - supplemented O. Demchenko. -We expect that the agreement for 50 planes from Rostechnology "end user" Aeroflot ", we will sign in March. We have entered into technical negotiations, which, I think, during February-March will be finish. There is a possibilities to sign the contract in March ".

One of the journalists' questions focused on the competitiveness of the MS-21 in the light of the coming-to-market aircraft Airbus A320NEO. Chief of Irkut said that "we did the analysis, calculations, estimated of the market, looked at technical capabilities of the aircraft. If you take the basic aircraft A320 which is now operated by airlines of the world, and the MS-21 aircraft, then the latter is overall better by 15%. If we take reengine plane, we were not mistaken when we put Pratt & Whitney engine on this plane. The choise for the same engine was made by Airbus, which says that we were right to choose their partner in terms of Western engine on MS-21 ... Calculations have been made, and we understand that under any scenario we win on economy and operating cost. Similarly, MS-21 will exceed the performance of Chinese and C919: "Chinese people have submitted their details, they are like reengined A320, at about the same level", - believes Oleg Demchenko.

Concluding his speech on the MS-21, a senior vice president of KLA said that it could cooperate with India on this plane: "We've worked with the Chinese side, with Airbus. For about six months negotiating with India on cooperation with HAL for MS-21 aircraft. We are dealing with the matter. "

nightcrawler wrote:Ugliest UAV I had ever seen

The pusher propeller type allows a fairly efficient aerodynamic design that frees up the nose and eliminates the chance of oil or fuel getting on the optics in flight.

The SAM clearly is based on the SA-6 which is quite interesting... the SA-11/-17 retained compatibility with the SA-6, though these missiles seem longer.

Ugliest UAV I had ever seen

Actually it does not have an endurance of more then four hours ,I saw at
aeroindia a IAI uav that so much smaller then Nishant and has an
endurance of 8 hours:shock: