russia & cis observer - june 2013

RUSSIA/CIS OBSERVER №�2�(37)�JUNE 2013 1

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•AEROSPACE�INDUSTRY

UAC sets sight on civilian markets ........2

Russia works to develop new

rotorcraft types ....................................4

Interview with Andrey Sharnin, deputy

general director of Progresstech............8

Ilyushin Finance backlog set to grow ..10

New customers for Russian titanium ..10

Alexey Grigoriev, general designer at

Klimov Company, tells about new

engines development ..........................12

Transas working on MALE-class

UAS designs ......................................13

•DEFENSE

Russia’s growing military expenses are

a boon for the local aircraft

manufacturers ....................................14

Il-476 military transport

in assessment trials ............................16

Be-200 goes into military service ........16

•AIR�TRANSPORT

Russian fleets are growing but the

airlines’ profits stay low ......................17

•SPACE�BUSINESS

Angara first launch imminent ............20

Russian heart for a US rocket ............24

Russia/CIS Observer is produced by:

PublisherEvgeny Semenov

EditiorinChiefMaxim Pyadushkin

Art�DirectorAndrey Khorkov

Commercial�DirectorSergey Belyaev

Advertising�ManagerOleg Abdulov

Cover�PhotosLeonid Faerberg, Fyodor Borisov

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Russia &CIS Observerfrom the publisher of № 2 (37) june 2013

Visit our website at www.ato.ru/rco

RUSSIA/CIS OBSERVER №�2�(37)�JUNE 20132

AEROSPACE INDUSTRY

UAC sets sight on civilianmarketsThe Russian manufacturer aims to cut losses and increase commercial sales

Alexei�Sinitsky

Russia’s United AircraftCorporation (UAC) in-creased the proportion ofcommercial aircraft in its

total output last year and intends tocontinue with this strategy. The corpo-ration’s 2012 revenues amounted to171 bln rubles ($5.5 bln), or 6% up onthe 2011 results. Its EBIT reached 217mln rubles and its net loss shrank 58%to 5.650 bln rubles.

“Our key priorities in 2012 were tocut costs, modernize production ca-pacities, and increase our operatingmargin,” says Vladimir Chirikov, UACVice-President for Economics andFinance. “The corporation’s main goal

for the next two years is to break even.”Chirikov notes that UAC’s revenue hasgrown by more than 70% from the 2009level, while its net loss has decreasedfive-fold. The corporation expects toget over 220 bln rubles in IFRS consol-idated revenue this year.

UAC built 102 aircraft in 2012. As of31 December, its firm backlog had ex-ceeded 450 airframes. According to themanagement, the current developmentstrategy calls for a sharp increase in theoutput of commercial aircraft. UAC

plans to have brought the proportion ofcivilian products up to 20% in its totalsales.

This increase is expected to resultfirst from the planned productionramp-up of Sukhoi Superjet 100 re-gional airliners, and then from the pro-duction launch of the Irkut MC-21short- to medium-range passenger jet,whose market entry is scheduled for2017. UAC is also studying the possibil-ities and market opportunities for de-veloping new passenger aircraft designs.

Commercial operation of the SSJ100 continues to intensify both inRussia and abroad. Indonesian carrierSky Aviation and the Laotian LaoCentral started operating these airlinersin early 2013. Deliveries to Mexico’s

Interjet should begin this summer.There will also be new Russian opera-tors for the type. The SSJ 100 produc-tion program is ramping up: 12 air-frames were built in 2012 compared tojust five the year before.

Aeroflot, the launch customer for theSSJ 100 and Russia’s largest air carrier,took delivery of the first full-specifica-tion aircraft this May. The airline’soriginal order in 2005 was for what wasknown at the time as the standard spec-ification (all-economy class seating 98

passengers). The specifications werelater revised, but in order to ensureseamless deliveries, the manufacturerstuck to the standard, or light, specifi-cation for the first 10 production airlin-ers. These were to be eventually re-placed in service with full-specificationairframes, which feature an updatedFMS, a windshear weather radar, andmore comfortable passenger cabin.

All of Aeroflot’s light SSJ 100s willhave been thus replaced by April 2014.These examples to be returned to themanufacturer might be VIP-reconfig-ured and offered to bizav operators.

The creation of the United AviationCorporation in 2006 was instrumentalin integrating the best practices of theRussian aircraft manufacturing indus-try under a single roof for the purposeof attaining competitive results in theconstruction and operation of militaryand commercial aircraft. UAC receivedthe state-controlled shares in all thelargest Russian aviation design housesand manufacturing enterprises.

UAC sees its strategic mission inmaking it into the top three of globalaircraft manufacturers by maintaininga balanced presence of its products inthe three key aviation segments: com-mercial, transport, and military. By2025, UAC-built aircraft should havesecured 10% of the world market forcommercial aircraft.

“Ramping up series production helpsus increase our efficiency and bring ourcosts down,” says UAC PresidentMikhail Pogosyan. “Our current back-log for military, cargo, and passengeraircraft allows for a higher profitability.We aim to overcome the restrictions im-posed by the tough market entry condi-tions, and to develop successfully.”

Mexico’s Interjet should receiveits first SSJ 100 this summer

SJI

AEROSPACE INDUSTRY

Russia working to developnew rotorcraft types

Alexei�Sinitsky,�Maxim�Pyadushkin

Buoyed by strong operatingresults, Russian Helicop -ters plans to further expandits products line. Up until

now the corporation’s success has beenmostly based on robust domestic andinternational demand for the Mil Mi-8/17 family of heavy transport helicop-ters. Now Russian Helicopters wants tofurther improve its bestseller and intro-duce several new models.

The corporation ended 2012 solidlyin the black with 9.4 bln rubles (about$300 mln) in profit, or 35.2% up on theprevious year. Its revenue stood at 125.7bln rubles (+21% year-on-year).Revenues from helicopter salesamounted to 99 bln rubles; revenuesfrom services and support stood at 18.4bln rubles.

Russian Helicopters explains its fi-nancial growth by a 10.7% increase indeliveries: 290 airframes of nine differ-

ent types were delivered last year to cus-tomers in 19 countries. The firm back-log had reached 817 helicopters by theend of 2012, worth a total of 359.9 blnrubles. The corporation reported sever-al major orders last year from India,China and Brazil. Its 2013 plan for de-liveries is thus completely secured byfirm orders.

The Russian manufacturer says itscost of sales amounted to 79.9 blnrubles (+26.3% year on year) last year,and that its operating expenses equalled30.6 bln rubles (+18,2%). The solid fi-nancial indicators are also attributableto the fact that the company’s cashCAPEX decreased to 13 bln rubles (–5.5%). In particular, investment in pro-duction facilities dropped by 16.4% to7.6 bln rubles.

Russian Helicopters is working todevelop the latest iteration of the Mi-8/17 family, to be known as the Mi-171A2. The upgraded version is derivedfrom the Mi-171A1 design, which is

currently in production at the Ulan-Ude aviation factory, the corporation’ssubsidiary, and has been certified inRussia and Brazil. The new helicop-ter’s range without auxiliary fuel tanksis expected to be 850 km, against theMi-171A1’s 610 km. External payloadcapacity will be increased by 1,000 kgto 5,000 kg.

The first Mil Mi-171A2 prototypemay be unveiled at the MAKS 2013 airshow outside Moscow in August. Theairframe, referred to internally as OP-1, is under construction in Ulan-Ude.The new aircraft’s rotor system is beingtested on a dedicated flying testbed.Russian Helicopter reports goodprogress with the tests: vibration hasbeen considerably reduced and theplanned maximum speed of 300 km/hhas already been achieved. Thanks tothe use of advanced composite materi-als in the rotor system, the trials havedemonstrated a 700-kg increase inmain rotor thrust.


Mi-171A2 modification will have an external payload capacityincreased by 1,000 kg to 5,000 kg

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AEROSPACE INDUSTRY

Certification work is already under-way and should be completed in late2014. The Mi-171A2 is expected to gointo series production in 2015. RussianHelicopters is believed to have receivedseveral commercial launch contracts;deliveries should begin in 2015 or 2016.

Another new model to make an ap-pearance at MAKS 2013 may be the6.5-ton Kamov Ka-62 medium utilityhelicopter. Russian Helicopters hopesthat one of the two Ka-62 prototypescurrently being assembled at theArsenyev Progress production plantwill join the flying display at the airshow. This would be the first publicdemonstration of the helicopter inflight. “The Ka-62 will be flying atMAKS if we are completely satisfiedthat it can perform a spectacular se-quence,” says the Russian Helicopters’general director Dmitry Petrov. “It isimportant that we demonstrate to ourcurrent and future customers what thenew Russian helicopter is capable of.”

French powerplant specialistTurbomeca has delivered 1,680-hpArdiden 3G turboshaft engines toRussia to power the first Ka-62 proto-type. Russian Helicopters says the en-gines have been successfully tested tovalidate the correspondence of theirperformance parameters to the designspecifications. The first example of thetransmission system designed byAustrian specialist Zoerkler shouldhave been delivered in May.

Russian Helicopters applied for na-tional certification of the Ka-62 in late2012; the process is expected to becompleted by the end of 2014, followedby deliveries from 2015. The Ka-62seats 12 to 15 passengers and can beused for VIP and shuttle services,freight transportation, emergencymedical operations, and various otherforms of aerial work.

Among the launch customers is theBrazilian operator Atlas Tаxi Aеreo,which should receive the first of its ini-tial two aircraft in the first quarter of2015; deliveries will last until 2017 andmay comprise a total of 14 airframes.Under the contract, RussianHelicopters and its regional partnerswill help set up an aftersales mainte-nance center for Russian-built rotor-craft in Brazil.

Russian Helicopters also continueswork on the new Mi-38 transport hel-icopter, which is aimed as a nicheproduct between the Mi-8/17 and thegiant Mi-26. The Mi-38 program hasreached another milestone with theroll-out of the third prototype (OP-3)at the Kazan Helicopters facility. Thisairframe, the first one to be poweredby a pair of Klimov TV7-117V tur-boshafts, will soon be handed over tothe type developer, Mil MoscowHelicopter Plant, for flight tests. Inthe meantime, Klimov continues withbench tests of the new powerplant.Two TV7-117V test engines werehanded over to Kazan in May forground tests on OP-3. If the trialsprove successful, the helicopter mayenter the flight testing phase in Julythis year. The first two Mi-38 proto-types are powered with an alternative

powerplant, the Pratt & WhitneyPW127XS.

Kazan Helicopters is preparing tobuild the fourth Mi-38 prototype. Thefuselage should be ready in the first halfof 2013. Designated OP-4, the helicop-ter will differ from OP-3 in having larg-er windows and a crash-resistant fuelsystem by Aerazur. This will be the finalMi-38 prototype; it is intended for pro-ducing the final test data required forcommencement of commercial opera-tions. In addition to the four flying pro-totypes, a fuselage and sets of individualcomponents have been manufacturedthis year for fatigue and other tests.

The Mi-38 can carry 7 tons of pay-load externally. Series productionshould begin in Kazan in 2015. TheRussian Ministry of Defense and sever-al other domestic government agenciesare believed to be interested in the type.

Despite its primary focus on the larg-er types, Russian Helicopters may yetrevive the program to re-engine the MilMi-34 light helicopter. The effort to de-velop the Mi-34S1 was suspended in2012, following the corporation’s failedattempt to secure production of theM9FV piston engine at VoronezhMechanical Plant. The Mi-34�s origi-nal M14V26V powerplant is consideredto be obsolete.

Roman Chernyshev, deputy generaldirector for programs and projects atRussian Helicopters, said in May thecorporation was in talks with a foreignpiston engine manufacturer. Talks arealso on with an investor over a launchorder for the Mi-34S1. Final agree-ments may be announced this summer.

According to Chernyshev, the idea touse the Turbomeca Arrius 2F gas-tur-bine engine for the Mi-34 has beenscrapped following last year’s an-nouncement that Russian Helicopterswould be developing a new 2.5-ton lightsingle helicopter in conjunction withAgustaWestland. Russian Helicopterexpects the new design to go into pro-duction at the HeliVert JV in Tomilinooutside Moscow. According to Russia’sMinister of Industry and Trade DenisManturov, the new helicopter is expect-ed to be certified in 2016.

The seriesproduction of newMi-38 shouldbegin in Kazanin 2015

leonid Fae

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AEROSPACE INDUSTRY

Going the extra milefor partners

—� Progresstech� has� long� enjoyedworldwide� recognition.�What� is� the� se-cret�to�the�company’s�success?

— From the very start the Progresstechmanagement’s strategy has been to inte-grate into international projects, with aspecial emphasis on building a team ofprofessional engineers and introducingan efficient management system thatwould meet the international standards.This approach worked: within a short pe-riod of time we managed to strengthenour positions and receive the recognitionof the global aircraft industry.

One of our chief assets is a team ofhighly experienced and qualified pro-fessionals with a wealth of expertise inadvanced methods of engineering. Weoffer a wide range of engineering serv-ices covering the entire product lifecy-cle, from conceptual design to after-sales support.

At present we are involved in severaldifferent programs at once, working withvirtually all the leading international air-craft manufacturers to create short-range (regional), medium-range, andlong-range airliners, as well as businessjets and commercial helicopters.

—�How�does�Progresstech�manage�toestablish�and�maintain�cooperation�withso�many�partners?

— Our approach to working withcustomers is based on the principle ofcomplete transparency. We always aimto adjust our services to meet the ex-pectations of our clients and help themachieve their objectives with minimumlosses. This flexibility, combined withhigh results, unfailingly results ingreater customer confidence and cre-ates strong partnership ties.

Geographic proximity to customers isalso very important. Long-distance com-munication cannot replace constantphysical presence and personal contacts.This is why we chose to open companiesin the USA: first in Wichita and then, inSeptember 2012, in Houston. This en-

abled us to ascend to a whole new levelof relations with our clients, that ofstrategic partnership.—�Progresstech�positions�itself�as�an

engineering�services�provider.�What�elsedo�you�have�to�offer�your�customers?

— The company’s developmentstrategy includes plans to expand therange of services and break into newmarket sectors. Competent personnelare indispensable in achieving this ob-jective. We are actively employing qual-

ified specialists in Russia and the CIS.Apart from our operation we also con-duct engineering work in Dubna,Russia, in Ukraine and Armenia. Wehave opened a center for compositematerials and aircraft structure testingin Riga, Latvia.

Our other approach is to offer jointsolutions with strategic partners thathave the specialist competences weneed. We consider this to be a promisingmode of cooperation with component-level manufacturers. Such joint solutionsallow us to meet a broader demand, thusincreasing our market competitiveness.

One recent trend is that productionprocesses get localized. For example,some of the Russian aircraft manufactur-ers are opening production facilitiesabroad in order to increase sales on the

foreign markets. Progresstech can offersuch companies an entire spectrum ofservices from infrastructure design to cer-tification to assistance with process opti-mization. We are also prepared to offerour expertise to foreign businesses aimingto localize their production in Russia.

If we continue to develop our busi-ness in accordance with the currentglobal demand the by 2016 our engi-neering pool can exceed 2,000 people.This is the figure we are aiming for!

The opening of companies in the USAenabled us to ascend to a whole new levelof relations with our clients.

For�nearly�15�years,�Progresstech�Group�of�Companies�has�been�providingengineering�services�to�the�world’s�largest�aircraft�manufacturers.�The�companyhas�evolved�into�a�leader�on�the�international�market�for�intellectual�services,�withrepresentative�offices�in�the�USA�and�other�countries.�Andrey�Sharnin,�deputygeneral�director�for�business�development�and�aerospace�programs,�told�Russia &CIS Observer about�the�principles�his�company�follows�for�mutually�beneficialcooperation�with�its�partners.

Progresstech


AEROSPACE INDUSTRY

Russian aviation lessorIlyushin Finance Co.

(IFC) will shortly add morethan 100 aircraft to its back-log. In early June, the IFCshareholders approved thecontracts to purchase 50Russian Irkut MS-21 short-to medium-range airlines and20 Sukhoi Superjet 100 re-gional aircraft, as well as 32Bombardier CSeries jetliners.IFC representatives toldRussia & CIS Observer that theSSJ100s are intended for anAsia-Pacific customer. Moredetails of this deal are to be re-vealed at Paris Air Show 2013.

IFC finalized its MC-21order in 2011. The companyis likely to receive a mix ofMC-21 variants powered byeither Russian Perm PD-14or Pratt & WhitneyPW1400G engines, but the fi-nal choice will be made at alater date, says the IFCsource. According to MC-21developer Irkut Corporation,the aircraft is expected to en-ter service in 2017. As IFCCEO Alexander Rubtzov ex-plained earlier, the seating ca-pacity and performance of theBombardier CSeries CS300version places it between the

SSJ100 and the future MC-21. Although IFC became thefirst Russian customer for theCanadian type, placing a $2.5bln order in 2011 with deliv-eries scheduled for 2015-18,these aircraft will be leased toairlines in the CIS and else-where outside Russia.

In fact, IFC has been quiteactive outside its home coun-try. In April this year, it deliv-ered the first Antonov An-158, a stretched version of the

An-148 regional jet, to theCuban national carrierCubana de Aviacion, theglobal launch customer forthe type. Cubana will receivea further two such airframesthis summer and has an op-tion for three more. Cubana’slong-haul fleet is representedby Russian-made Ilyushin Il-96 widebody and TupolevTu-204 narrowbody types,which were also deliveredthrough IFC.

New customers for Russian titanium

Russian metals specialistVSMPO-Avisma con-

tinues to expand its presenceon the international aerospacemarket. A joint delegationfrom Chinese aircraft manu-facturers Shanghai AircraftManufacturing Co. (SAMC)and COMAC visitedVSMPO’s offices in May toinvite the company as a part-ner on the program to developChina’s new widebody airlin-

er. This will be VSMPO�s thirdcommercial aviation cooper-ation project in China. Thecompany started supplying ti-tanium products for the CO-MAC ARJ-21 regional airlin-er program five years ago; lastyear, VSMPO and SAMCsigned a 10-year contractworth in excess of $150 mln tosupply titanium forgings forthe COMAC C919 narrow-body passenger jet.

VSMPO also expands co-operation with its long-standing partners Boeingand Airbus. Under a memo-randum with Boeing signedlast fall, the output capacityof the two partners’ UralBoeing Manufacturing(UBM) joint venture is set togrow with the recent pur-chase of four extra pieces ofmachining equipment forBoeing 737 landing gearbeams.

Of the 30,000 tons of tita-nium produced by last year,VSMPO supplied 18% toBoeing. VSMPO suppliescurrently cover up to 40% ofBoeing’s overall needs forthis metal. VSMPO expectsto earn $1.5-2 billion fromBoeing contracts in 2013-18.

VSMPO held cooperationexpansion talks with Airbusthis April. Like with Boeing,VSMPO aims to supply the

European manufacturerwith increasingly more val-ue-added produce, advanc-ing in the level of machiningfrom semi-finished goods toready-to-use products.

VSMPO’s shareholdingstructure changed in late2013 as Rostec State Corpo -ration sold 45.42% in thecompany to its managementfor an estimated $965-970million. Earlier, the VSMPOmanagement had purchasedabout 4.6% of the company’sshares on the open market.Both stocks were passed on toa joint venture betweenVSMPO (75% plus oneshare) and Gaz prom bank(25% minus one share). TheJV currently controls 50%plus one share in VSMPO;Rostec retains a further 25%plus one share, while the re-maining shares are traded onthe open market.

ATO.ru

VSMPO-Avism

a

IFC delivered first An-158 to Cuba

VSMPO-Avisma produced30,000 tons of titanium in 2012

Ilyushin Financebacklog set to grow


AEROSPACE INDUSTRY

Breakthrough engine for newhelicopters

-�What�has�Klimov�achieved�in�the�pastyear�and�what�are�the�company’s�short-term�plans?

- Our main achievement was to begindeveloping a prospective helicopter en-gine. This was preceded by a seriouspreparatory phase: we had worked to-gether with industry institutes, in par-ticular with the Central Institute forAviation Motors, to define the conceptof the future engine. I should note thatwe intend to implement unorthodox,breakthrough solutions in this power-plant, including changes to the Braytoncycle which is the fundamental princi-ple of operation for gas-turbine en-gines. I am convinced it is time to offera truly breakthrough product to the

market, one that would differ not onlytechnologically but also conceptuallyfrom the existing designs. This year weexpect to test some of the solutionswhich will be used in the future engine.-�How� is� the�TV7-117V�engine�pro-

gressing�on�its�way�toward�certification?Which�of� the� testing�phases�have�beencompleted?�

- We have completed the endurancetests. By the end of the year we expectto have been through with the prelimi-nary trials, including the flight tests,and moved on to the certification pro-gram. More than 10 TV7-117V exam-ples are currently involved in the testingprogram, including several flight-testprototypes.

Based on the preliminary testing re-sults, we see no serious issues that couldaffect our timeline. We expect to havethe engine certified in 2014. -�What�is�the�current�status�of�the�pro-

gram� to�upgrade� the�VK-2500�engine?Have�the�testing�results�been�any�differ-ent� from� the� design�parameters� of� theVK-2500PS�version?

- As a little aside, I would like to saythat the VK-2500 baseline continues inservice successfully. More than 700such engines are currently in operation,having clocked in excess of 500,000hours. We are conducting two parallelupgrades of this design. The VK-2500Pversion is intended for powering mili-tary helicopters such as the Mil Mi-28and Kamov Ka-52, whereas the civilianversion, the VK-2500PS, will be in-stalled on the new Mil Mi-17A2. They

are essentially the same, but the mili-tary version will undergo official trialsin the interests of the Defense Ministry,including a volume of special tests,while the civilian powerplant will besubjected to certification testing. Wehave completed endurance tests on thenew version and received approval forcommencing the flight developmenttesting phase. We will start test-flyingthe engine shortly in conjunction withRussian Helicopters. The testing resultsobtained so far coincide with the per-formance specifications; by year-endwe should be able to supply the enginefor official bench tests and for the be-ginning of certification work.-�The�VK-800V�is�the�only�powerplant

design�your�company�is�developing�fromscratch�at�the�moment.�Could�you�com-ment�on�its�progress?

- The development effort is beinghampered by the absence of a suitablehelicopter. Russia historically buildshelicopters in the 10- to 12-ton class.The VK-800V is intended for lighter, 4-to 5-ton rotorcraft designs which havenever progressed past the preliminaryplanning phase in this country. Theperformance characteristics we haveachieved would make the engine com-petitive on foreign markets, but thesemarkets are quite hard to get to.Nevertheless, since we are convincedthat the project has a future, the VK-800V design is currently involved in theprogram to create a prospective heli-copter powerplant, which should becertified in 2016.

Last�year�brought�a�number�of�breakthroughs�for�the�St�Petersburg-based�enginemaker�Klimov,�a� subsidiary�of�Russia’s�United�Engine�Corporation� (UEC).�Thecompany�launched�work�to�develop�a�new�helicopter�engine�design.�Alexey�Grigoriev,general�designer�at�Klimov�Company�and�UEC�deputy�general�director�for�helicop-ter�engines,�has�told�Russia & CIS Observer reporter�Anna�Nazarova�about�the�man-ufacturer’s�current�and�future�powerplant�programs.

Klimov


AEROSPACE INDUSTRY

Transas workingon MALE-class UAS designsThe manufacturer has won a Defense Ministry UAS tender for a 1-ton MTOWsystem and plans to develop a similar vehicle for civilian use

Denis�Fedutinov

St Petersburg-based TransasGroup continues with theprogram to develop a medi-um-altitude, long-endurance

(MALE) unmanned aerial system(UAS) for the Russian military. In par-allel, the company intends to create acivilian unmanned vehicle in the sameclass. The company has prior successfulexperience as the developer and manu-facturer of the Dozor and Filin UASfamilies, which are currently in servicewith commercial companies and gov-ernment agencies.

Transas won the Defense Ministry’sMALE UAS tender in 2011. The losingcontenders were Russian defense andaerospace companies Vega RadioConcern and Tupolev.

Little information is available aboutthe program due to its classified nature.The only technical parameter known todate is the future vehicle’s MTOW ofaround 1 ton, suggesting that theRussian military would like to get aUAS similar in size to the GeneralAtomics RQ-1 Predator or the IAIHeron.

Like its foreign equivalents, theTransas MALE UAS is likely to haveweaponry capability. This was earlierconfirmed by the company managers,who said that the new system would becapable of flying all types of missions,including combat strikes.

It has also become known thatTransas intends to create a civilianMALE-class UAS. A feasibility studyhas reportedly been conducted to definethe general specifications and aerody-namic characteristics of the aircraft.

According to the information avail-able, it will be a 1,200-kg MTOW twin-boom, high-wing monoplane designwith a high-aspect-ratio wing and aninverted-V tail, to be powered by a sin-gle piston engine with a pusher pro-

peller in order to keep the operatingcosts to a minimum.

Like most existing MALE-class UASdesigns, the new Transas system will havean endurance of at least 24 hours. It isexpected to be capable of fully automaticoperation from take-off to landing.

It is understood that the new vehiclewill carry up to 300 kg of mission pay-load. This could include optical and IRsensors, as well as equipment for high-

resolution aerial photography, multi-spectral imaging, laser scanning, mete-orological measuring, radar sounding,and telecommunications.

Transas says the new UAS will besuitable for a broad range of civilian ap-

plications, including ice, fire, andpipeline patrols, environmental andweather monitoring, SAR missions,and aerial support in disaster relief op-erations. According to VladimirVoronov, head of the company’s UASmarketing division, the concept of thefuture civilian product may be present-ed to the general public at the MAKS2013 air show in Zhukovsky, nearMoscow, this August.

Russian military would like to get a UASsimilar in size to the General Atomics RQ-1Predator or the IAI Heron

Transas says its new civilianUAS will have an endurance

of at least 24 hours

Tran

sas


Konstantin�Makienko

Throughout the first 15 yearsfollowing the USSR’s col-lapse, the Russian aircraftindustry was working al-

most exclusively for export customers.This resulted in a predominantly ex-port-oriented development paradigm,with production programs and evenR&D efforts driven mainly by foreigndemand. It was largely thanks to theirexport potential that Russia developedsuch bestselling warplanes as theSukhoi Su-30MKI and Su-30MK2, aswell as the Mikoyan MiG-29K andMiG-29M.

Since 2008 however, this paradigmhas evidently been shifting towards amore traditional model in which themajority of the orders for military air-craft is generated by the national de-fence ministry. The first obvious signalof this shift came in the form of a ma-jor order for 32 Sukhoi Su-34 tacticalbombers. The deal was struck in

December 2008, just four months af-ter the five-day war against Georgia,which had seen Su-34s used for sup-pression of the Georgian air defense.The 2008 contract is estimated to havebeen worth 35-39 bln rubles ($1-1.2bln at the current exchange rate). Ataround the same time, the Russian AirForce helped RSK MiG out of finan-cial difficulties by agreeing to pur-chase the 34 MiG-29SMT/UBTfighters, which had been rejected in2007 by their original intended cus-tomer, Algeria. Unofficial sources val-ue that transaction at 20 bln rubles.Finally, in August 2009, the RussianAir Force ordered a total of 64 tacticalfighters, including 48 examples of thenewest Su-35S warplane which wasstill in testing at the time. Thus, evenprior to the enactment of the arma-ment procurement program for theyears 2011-2020, the Air Force or-dered a total of 130 fighters and tacti-cal bombers within a period of undertwo years.

The adoption of the long-term de-fense procurement program led tomore orders for Russian-made avia-tion equipment in the interests of thenational military. The program is topsecret, so the details of the plannedpurchases remain unknown.Nevertheless, occasional leaks make itpossible to guess at the overall picture.

Out of the total program budget of19,500 bln rubles (about $620 bln),4,700 bln rubles will be allocated forarmament and equipment purchases inthe interests of the Air Force. The pro-gram is believed to envisage the pro-curement of up to 600 tactical war-planes; in particular, 74 Sukhoi T-50fifth-generation fighters (including 14experimental and pre-production air-frames), between 96 and 120 SukhoiSu-35S multirole fighters, up to 150Su-34 tactical bombers, up to 200Yakovlev Yak-130 combat trainers, aswell as newly-built upgraded SukhoiSu-25UBM ground-attack aircraft anda significant number of military trans-

DEFENSE

Domestic demandRussia’s growing military expenses are a boon for the localaircraft manufacturers but questions remain

Leonid Fae

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ports. For example, it is believed thatthe program calls for purchasing up to10 newly-built Antonov An-124 strate-gic transports, at least 50 Ilyushin Il-76MD-90 tactical freighters, up to 70Russo-Ukrainian Antonov An-70transports, and a quantity of special-ized aircraft based on the Antonov An-148 and An-140 designs.

Five firm orders are known to havebeen signed to date under the arma-ment procurement program: three forSu-30SM and Su-34 warplanes, onefor Yak-130 trainers, and one for Il-76MD-90 transports (see the table).

It is noteworthy that the RussianDefense Ministry ordered 152 tacticalfighters and 39 military transports in2012 alone. In this sense Russia is sec-ond only to the USA, and possibly toChina. Compare these figures to thesize of export orders received last year:42 Su-30MKI fighters for India andfour Yak-130s for Belarus.

The structure and size of the currentand potential domestic orders for mil-itary aircraft shed some light on thedevelopment priorities of the RussianAir Force. The service appears to befavouring speedy procurement ofstrike aircraft over re-equipment of itsfighter arm. The contracts placed todate have been for 124 Su-34 bombersand only 108 fighters (48 Su-35S and60 Su-30SM aircraft). One plausibleexplanation to this imbalance is themilitary’s vision of the most probableconflicts in which Russia may find it-self involved. These include a resump-tion of large-scale military operationsin the North Caucasus and a sharpworsening of the situation in CentralAsia beyond 2014. Incidentally, ac-cording to the Russian media, theGeorgian war of 2008 has not been theonly conflict in which Su-34s wereused in anger: aircraft of this type al-legedly delivered surgical strikesagainst Salafi terrorists in Dagestan.Both in the Caucasus and in CentralAsia, Russian military operationswould primarily involve strike aircraftand transport aviation. In addition,the Air Force appears to realize theshortcomings of its fighter aviation in

countering US- and European-builtwarplanes: this task has been relegatedto the Aerospace Defence Forces.

The Russian military continues withthe Soviet procurement tradition in or-dering several different types of same-generation tactical aircraft with com-parable performance: the Su-34, Su-35S, and Su-30SM. This is partially ex-plained by the lobbying efforts of therespective manufacturers (Sukhoi inthe case of the Su-35S and Irkut in thecase of the Su-30SM, even though theAir Force might have preferred to buymore Su-34s instead). Another factor isthe government’s desire to support thedifferent aircraft factories across thecountry, thus preserving social stability.Deciding not to buy one of the threewarplane types would immediately af-fect the respective major aircraft plant.The result would be especially drastic inthe case of the Komsomolsk-on-AmurKnAAPO factory which, unlike theIrkutsk aviation plant, has no large ex-port orders to work on. It is true how-ever that the Air Force will incur addi-tional expenses from operating threedifferent aircraft types.

One phenomenon worth mention-ing is that the Russian DefenseMinistry has started purchasing theexport versions of military aircrafttypes. Very few modifications are beingmade to these airframes before theyenter service with the national mili-tary; for the most part, they are limitedto using non-downgraded weaponry.As a result, the Russian Air Force cur-rently operates MiG-29SMT fightersequipped with the Sagem Sigma 95navigation system. The avionics suiteused in its Su-30SM fighters includesFrench-made navigation and visuali-zation equipment, as well as an Israeli-made HUD and digital map generator.

This new practice of procuring mili-tary equipment with foreign-madecomponentry signals a marked depar-ture from the traditional policy of self-sufficiency.

The Russian Air Force clearly favoursthe Su-30/35 family of fighters, whichare more powerful than the MiG-29family but also more expensive to oper-ate. The armament procurement pro-gram does mention MiG-29s but noorder has been placed so far. If such acontract does materialize, it will bethanks to RSK MiG�s lobbying efforts,not because the Air Force really wantsto reinforce its fleet of medium fighters.Interestingly, the Russian Navy holds acompletely different opinion: it hasbeen replacing its Su-33 carrier-basedfighters with MiG-29Ks.

Finally, some of the procurementplans related to military transport avia-tion are either completely unrealistic ortoo risky. This particularly concerns theproposed projects to be implemented inconjunction with Ukraine-basedAntonov design house, which entailhigh political and organizational risks.For example, it would be physically im-possible to build 70 An-70s until 2020without first completing the aircraft’stesting program, agreeing on the termsand conditions of cooperation betweenAntonov and Russia’s United AircraftCorporation, and organizing seriesproduction from scratch. The chancesthat An-124 production will be re-sumed are equally slim.

It appears therefore that the currentplans to re-equip the Russian AirForce, although reflecting the needs ofthat service, are largely based on an in-tricate combination of industrial, polit-ical and even transnational compromis-es. As such, they are ridden with a mul-titude of contradictions and risks.


DEFENSE

Russian Air Force procurement orders placed in 2011-12

Type��Manufacturer ��Quantity��Year�signed ��Delivery�years

Su-34 Sukhoi 92 2012 2014-2020

Su-30SM Irkut 30 2012 2012-2014

Su-30SM Irkut 30 2012 2014-2015

Yak-130 Irkut 55 2011 2012-2015

Il-76MD-90 Aviastar-SP 39 2012 N/A


DEFENSE

Maxim�Pyadushkin

Russia’s modernized Ilyushin Il-76MD-90A military heavy-lift

transport aircraft, also known as the Il-476, completed the first phase of its as-sessment flight trials in May 2013. Theaircraft is being developed in the inter-ests of the Russian Defense Ministry.The first testing phase had commencedin Zhukovsky outside Moscow inMarch this year and was originally ex-pected to comprise 22 flights of proto-type 002. However, according to themanufacturer, 19 flights proved to beenough for the purpose.

Ilyushin is now readying the proto-type for the next phase. This will involvea further 60 flights, including missions

to assess of the aircraft’s operationalsuitability in a variety of scenarios suchas paradropping. After the trials havebeen completed, the Defense Ministryis expected to approve the launch of se-ries production at Ulyanovsk-basedAviastar-SP, a subsidiary of UnitedAircraft Corporation. The Il-76MDbaseline used to be built at the TAPO fa-cility in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Thanks to the improved wing and re-inforced landing gear, the upgradedfreighter’s maximum take-off weight hasgone up from 190 to 210 tons; it also car-ries 60 tons of payload compared to the

baseline’s 47 tons. The original D-30KP2 turbofans have been replacedwith more powerful PS-90A-76 engines,resulting in better STOL performance.The first Il-76MD-90A prototype madeits maiden flight on September 22, 2012.

The Russian Defense Ministry hasalready ordered 39 examples of the Il-76MD-90A for 140 bln rubles (about$4.5 bln), with deliveries through 2018.According to Ilyushin CEO andGeneral Designer Viktor Livanov, acommercial version may follow afterthe domestic military order has beencompleted.

Russia’snew militarytransportin assessmenttrials

The Russian Air Force hasordered 39 Il-76MD-90A

transport aircraft

Ilyu

shin

Be-200 goes into military serviceMaxim�Pyadushkin

The Russian DefenseMinistry is renovating

its amphibian aircraft fleet aspart of the ongoing massivere-armament effort. Under acontract signed in May 2013with Taganrog-based Beriev,the military will receive sixBe-200 jet amphibians be-tween 2014 and 2016. Thecontract is valued at 8.4 blnrubles (about $269 mln).Beriev expects to secure afollow-up order for eightmore such airframes.

The Be-200 will become thefirst amphibian type to be pro-cured by the Russian military

in decades. The aircraft on or-der are to replace the DefenseMinistry’s fleet of Beriev Be-12 turboprops, whose produc-tion ceased in the 1970s.According to available infor-mation, the new amphibiansare planned to be deployedwith two naval aviation units:on the Black Sea in Krasnodar

Region, and on the Sea ofJapan in Russia’s Far East.Either unit will receive oneBe-200ES firefighting aircraftand two airframes in the Be-200PS SAR configuration.

The Be-200ES is poweredby a pair of Motor Sich D-436TP turbofans. It received aRussian type certificate in

2003. The aircraft’s MTOW is40 to 42 tons, depending onwhether it takes off from wateror land. The firefighting ver-sion can drop up to 12 cubicmeter of water. The RussianMinistry of Emergency Reliefoperates six Be-200ES am-phibians; one such aircraftperforms similar functions inAzerbaijan. In 2010, Berievobtained an EASA restrictedtype certificate for the fire-fighting variant.

According to the manufac-turer, the Be-200PS SAR ver-sion differs only in the absenceof onboard water tanks and as-sociated scooping/droppingequipment.

Be-200ES version can dropup to 12 cubic meter of water

Leonid Fae

rberg / Transp

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Alexei�Sinitsky

The air traffic growth ob-served in Russia over the pastseveral years has been downto active fleet renovation and

expansion efforts. Oleg Stradomsky, di-rector of the aviation certification centerat the GosNII GA state research insti-tute of civil aviation, estimates that 133passenger aircraft were added to thecountry’s overall fleet last year, including114 foreign-made and 15 newly builtRussian airframes. In all, 540 foreign-built and 50 new domestic passenger air-liners were added between 2008 and2012; the figures for commercial cargoaircraft were 14 and eight, respectively.The rotary-wing fleet has been expand-ing as well. Of the 121 helicopters deliv-ered in 2012, mainly in the light catego-ry, 105 were of foreign makes and tworepresented new Russian designs.

Stradomsky says the active Russiancommercial fleet comprised 2,745fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft as ofJanuary 2013, including 656 mainlineand 294 regional passenger aircraft, 137freighters, and 1,111 helicopters. The

share of foreign-built passenger air-frames stood at 63%.

The 656-strong mainline fleet includes153 Russian- and 503 foreign-made air-liners. The Soviet legacy is represented by10 Ilyushin Il-62M, 36 Tupolev Tu-154M, eight Tu-154B and 50 YakovlevYak-42 jets. Most of these will be retiredin the foreseeable future. ModernRussian designs include 12 Il-96-300,nine Tu-204-100, eight Tu-204-300, 10Tu-214, and 10 Sukhoi Superjet 100 jet-liners. The number of SSJ 100s in opera-tion is set to grow in the future, while pro-duction of the Tu-204/214 and Il-96 willmost likely continue at a very low rate.

The foreign-made widebody fleet inRussian operation comprises 24 Boeing747s, 16 Boeing 777s, and 36 Boeing767s, as well as 23 Airbus A330s and a sin-gle A310. The long-range narrowbodycategory is represented by 33 Boeing 757s.

The medium-range narrowbody cat-egory, which is by far the most sizeablein Russia, consists of 60 A319s, 97A320s, 37 A321s, 102 Boeing 737Classics, and 74 Boeing 737NGs. Inthe first half of the 2000s, the 737Classics formed the backbone of the

Russian narrowbody fleet but the bal-ance has since changed: Russian carri-ers operate a total of 194 A320 familyairliners and 176 Boeing 737s, only un-der 60% of them Classics.

The radical renovation of the Russianregional airliner fleet, which currentlycomprises 294 airframes, is still on-going.Nearly 67% of the overall number, or 196units, are Soviet-designed aircraft, in-cluding 46 Tupolev Tu-134s, 76 AntonovAn-24s, 25 An-26-100s, and two An-38s;all these types will be retired eventually.New-generation Russian regional airlin-ers are represented by 10 Antonov An-148 jets and two An-140 turboprops.

There are 98 foreign-made regionalpassenger airliners in operation: 52Bombardier CRJ100/200 and threeEmbraer ERJ135 jets, as well as 15 ATR72, 12 ATR 42, two Embraer EMB-120,three Saab 200, five Saab 340, and sixDash-8-100/200/300 turboprops.Massive fleet renovation is possible inthis segment, provided that regional airservices continue to evolve in Russia.

The 137-ship cargo fleet consists of121 Russian- and 16 foreign-made air-frames. There are also 33 business jetsin Russia, all of foreign designs.

The financial state of many Russiancarriers remains complicated, eventhough preliminary 2012 results indicatethat the industry as a whole reached op-

Fleets are growingbut profits stay low

The�2012�performance�results�across�the�Russian�air�transport�sector�were�largelydefined�by�the�state�of�the�aircraft�fleets�and�by�the�airlines’�financial�situation.�Ittranspires�that,�despite�the�carriers’�active�efforts�to�acquire�new�equipment,�theiroperating�margins�remain�low.

Sergey Sergee

v

AIR TRANSPORT


AIR TRANSPORT

erating profitability last year. Accordingto Alexandr Fridlyand, director ofGosNII GA’s center for economic mon-itoring, analysis, and forecasts, the aver-age operating margin across the sectorstood at 0.1% in the first half of 2012 and3.83% in the first nine months of thatyear. The 2011 annual margin had beennegative at –2.8%. Operating revenues ofthe industry amounted to 470 billionrubles ($15 billion) in the first ninemonths of 2012, against 373 billion rublesover the same period the year before.

Russian airlines make most of theirprofits from international services; the

average operating margin on interna-tional routes was 5.6% in the first sixmonths of 2012 and 7.9% in the first ninemonths. By contrast, the average marginon domestic routes has remained nega-tive for at least the past 10 years. It stoodat -8.2% in the first half of 2012 and -2.3% in the first nine months of that year.The explanation is that for Russian car-riers, the average cost of air transporta-tion on international routes amounts to22–23 rubles per ton-kilometer, against34-37 rubles for domestic routes.

The combined annual turnover of theRussian air transport sector exceeds $19

billion, of which sum around 60% comesfrom international flights. Internationalpassenger numbers are growing at around30% a year, much faster than domesticservices (about 8% annual growth). Inother words, three out of each four newpassengers board international flights. Onthe other hand, Fridlyand says, these«new» passengers are not actually new toair travel: analysis of travel documents in-dicates that only about 4 million Russiansused air transport last year. The observedgrowth in traffic figures is chiefly down tothe fact that existing air passengers havestarted flying more frequently.

0

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20

25

30

35

40

Rub

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ilom

eter

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 6M 2012 9M 2012

International and domestic routesInternational routesDomestic routes

FIG. 1. AVERAGE COST OF COMMERCIAL AIR TRANSPORTATION IN RUSSIA, IN RUBLES PER TON-KILOMETER%

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 6M 2012 9M 2012–20

–15

–10

–5

0

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International and domestic routesInternational routesDomestic routes

FIG. 2. AVERAGE OPERATING MARGIN OF COMMERCIAL AIR TRANSPORTATION IN RUSSIA, IN %


SPACE BUSINESS

Angara first launch imminent

Igor�Afanasyev,�Dmitry�Vorontsov

On the night of May 27-28,2013, a train carrying thefirst Angara launch vehi-cle departed from

Khrunichev Space Center for Russia’sPlesetsk Cosmodrome in ArkhangelskRegion. Deputy Prime MinisterDmitry Rogozin, who was overseeingthe shipment at Khrunichev, comment-ed on the event: “We have created afundamentally new rocket; it is not justanother modification of an existingSoviet design but the first truly Russianlaunch vehicle.”

According to Rogozin, the rocketwill now undergo a series of tests, even-

tuating in the first launch in April orMay 2014. Great hopes are pinned onthe Angara program, which should pro-vide Russia with independent access tospace.

The Angara family consists of severalclasses of modular launch vehiclesranging in payload capacity from thelightest (represented by the first proto-type that has been shipped to Plesetsk)to the heaviest. Each rocket comprisesinterchangeable segments of just two

types: URM-1 lower stages and URM-2 upper stages. The Angara motors runon environmentally friendly propellantconsisting of liquid oxygen andkerosene. The family’s modular designwill help keep the production costsdown.

Work on Angara began in 1991-92:the USSR’s disintegration had leftBaikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan,prompting Russia to seek independentaccess to space, primarily for militarypurposes. Khrunichev was selected asthe Angara developer in a 1994 tender.In 1995, the project was authorized bya presidential decree as being “a matterof national importance”. However, nogovernment funding was provided for

its development so the target date ofmaiden launch (2005) proved impossi-ble to meet.

It was not until the mid-2000s thatthe program finally received enoughdevelopment money. But then the 2008economic crisis broke out, resulting ina string of delays to the first launch. Thesituation seemed all the more disap-pointing as the rocket was fully pre-pared for flight tests, as confirmed bysuccessful test firings of the URM-1

stage in 2009 and of the URM-2 inNovember 2010. Moreover, examplesof the URM-1 were used in three suc-cessful launches of South Korea�s Naro(KSLV-1) rockets between 2009 and2013.

According to experts, the delays toAngara’s first flight were most likelycaused by hold-ups in the constructionof a dedicated launch pad at Plesetsk.Deputy Defense Minister Yury Borisovconfirmed this theory on 6 May. Oneweek later, Federal Space Agency headVladimir Popovkin remarked: “Thelaunch vehicle is ready. [The cause ofthe delays is that] special equipmenthas yet to be installed at the launch pad.In addition, back in 1995-96 it was de-cided — wrongly, as it now appears —to build the Angara launch pad on thebasis of [an existing] Zenit pad. Owingto this, we have had to perform addi-tional reinforcement work on the pad.”

It should also be noted that no newlaunch sites have been built in Russia inthe past 20 years. Much of the relevantexpertise and supply chains have beenlost, and some of the components en-visaged in the original specifications forthe Angara launch pad are no longer inproduction.

In addition, preparations for Angaraproduction were accompanied by mas-sive retooling at several industrial en-terprises. According to Vladimir Petrik,the director of Khrunichev�s spacerocket plant, it took his facility sevenyears - from 2004 to 2010 - to modern-ize its production capacities.

All the primary Angara componentsare manufactured in Russia.Khrunichev builds the URM-2 and isresponsible for final integration of therocket. Khimki-based NPO Energo -mash supplies the RD-191 first-stagemotors. Voronezh-based Kon struk -torskoe Buro Khimavtomatiky manu-factures the RD-0124 second-stagemotors. Khrunichev’s Omsk-based

The last checks for Angara-1.2PPfirst and second stages before

shipping to Plesetsk Cosmodrome

Igor Afanasyev


SPACE BUSINESS

subsidiary Polyot supplies the URM-1compartments and propellant tanks.Moscow-based Academician PilyuginCenter supplies the control system. Thedesign bureau of Moscow PowerEngineering Institute provides teleme-try equipment for the rocket. The com-plete manufacturing cycle takes abouttwo years to complete.

The Angara-1.2PP first-flight rocketconsists of one URM-1 and one URM-2. It will perform a suborbital flight witha mock-up payload on board to imitatethe weight and size of a spacecraft. YuriBakhvalov, head of Salyut DesignBureau, says the date of the first flightwill be chosen in November 2013, oncethe readiness status of the launch padhas become clear. “This will be fol-lowed by an extensive testing programand preparations for the first launch,”he notes.

Production examples of Angara-A1.2, which is intended to replace theRockot light rocket, will receive a mod-ified second stage by 2015.

As for the heavy Angara-A5 rocket,which is to replace Proton, the firstflight prototype will be assembled thisfall and then shipped to Plesetsk forflight tests. Its maiden launch is expect-ed to take place in late 2014. The rocketwill perform an orbital flight with amock-up on board.

It may be difficult to remain opti-mistic about Angara’s future in the face

of all the previous program hiccups, butthere is actually hope that the flight testschedule will be met, especially given

that Rogozin, Popovkin, and DefenseMinister Sergey Shoygu are now close-ly monitoring the developmentprogress. At any rate, according toKhrunichev, the program is being suffi-ciently funded and continues accordingto the revised schedule.

One important question is whetherAngara will be able to operate fromother cosmodromes. The latitude ofPlesetsk is too high to make Angaralaunches to geostationary orbits morefeasible than launching Protons fromBaikonur. Up until 2012 it was believedthat, after the flight tests at Plesetsk,Angara-A5 would be operated com-mercially from Baikonur and also fromRussia’s new Vostochny Cosmodrome.The Baikonur plan was eventuallyscrapped for economic reasons, but theidea to use Vostochny for Angaralaunches is still pretty much on.

An Angara-A5 version for Vostochnyis currently being developed under the

Amur project. The amount of modifi-cations required is insignificant; therocket will have its payload capacity in-

creased while retaining the main per-formance characteristics.

In the future, a heavier-class KVTKoxygen-hydrogen booster could giveAngara even greater carrying capacity:when launched from Plesetsk, it wouldbe able to insert up to 4.6 tons of pay-load into geostationary orbits, or 1.5times more than a Proton can carry.The modified Angara�s payload capaci-ty would be even higher if launchedfrom Vostochny. Bakhvalov says devel-opment of the new booster may becompleted in 2017.

One of the most important missionsfor Angara vehicles operating fromVostochny will be to carry PTK NPnew-generation piloted transport shipsinto space. The relevant version of theheavy rocket is designated Angara-A5.2.

Khrunichev is considering develop-ing even more powerful, super-heavyAngara variants that could be used infuture lunar programs: the 35-tonAngara-A7 and the 50-ton Angara-A7B (for low-Earth orbits). Such aproject however would require a sepa-rate political decision.

Overall, despite certain criticism ofthe program, the Angara developmentteam believes the rocket to be quitemodern and have a market future. Thedesigners say that, thanks to Angara’smodular design, a whole fleet of launchvehicles could be created to cover arange of payload classes from 3 tons to25 tons.

Things appear to be finally lookingup for Angara, but Bakhvalov remainscautious: “Khrunichev will not cele-brate until we have had a successfullaunch.”

Thanks to Angara’s modular design, a whole fleet of launch vehicles could becreated to cover a range of payload classesfrom 3 tons to 25 tons

The assembly of the URM-2upper stage of Angara-5heavy rocket

Igor Afanasyev


SPACE BUSINESS

Russian heart for a US rocket

Igor�Afanasyev,�Dmitry�Vorontsov

At 17.00 local time on April21, 2013, the first Antaresexpendable launch systemlifted off from the Mid-

Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS)on Wallops Iceland, Virginia. The rock-et orbited the Cygnus Mass Simulator(the boilerplate payload simulating themass of the Cygnus cargo spacecraft),along with four CubeSat miniaturizedsatellites. Antares’ first stage comprisesengines based on the 40-year-old NK-33 design developed for the Soviet lunarprogram.

Antares has been created by OrbitalSciences Corp (OSC) as part of theNASA Commercial Orbital Transpor -tation Services (COTS) effort to co-ordinate the delivery of crew and car-go to the International Space Station.On February 19, 2008, NASA award-ed OSC with the $170 million COTScontract. The Antares system hadcost OSC $150 million to develop.

The main goal pursued by theAntares developers was a positive op-erating margin even at low utilizationrates of two to four launches a year.From the very early stages of the pro-gram, OSC was aiming to make themaximum possible use of existingcomponents. The first stage was de-veloped by Ukraine-based Yuzhnoyedesign office from the tank section ofthe Zenit rocket. The US corporationATK built the second-stage solid-fuelmotor from the first stage of the MXICBM.

The most important solution how-ever, the one that helped speed up theproject significantly, was the use oftwo Aerojet AJ-26 liquid-fuel engines.In the early 1990s, the US rocket andmission propulsion house AerojetGeneral had acquired the right to usetwo rocket motor designs by Samara-based NPO Trud (now known as JSC

Kuznetsov, a member of Russia’sUnited Engine Corporation (UEC))in the engine tender under theLockheed Martin Atlas-3 launch ve-hicle program. The tender was even-tually won by another Russian engine,the NPO Energomash RD-180, butthe Samara motors also found theirmarket niche. Aerojet had purchased70 NK-33 and 18 NK-43 engines; 36NK-33s and 10 NK-43s were subse-quently delivered to the USA, pricedat between $1 million and $4 millionper unit, along with a complete set ofdesign documentation for both mod-els and a license to build the NK-33in America.

The Aerojet upgrade of the NK-33,known as the AJ26-62, slightly differsfrom the Soviet baseline: it now hasthrust-vectoring capability; changeshave been made to the layout of feedlines; the powder charges in the elec-tro-explosive devices and the rubbercomponents have been replaced. Butthe core technology is essentially ofSoviet design.

The potential of Antares proved to beso high that NASA decided not to waitfor the testing phase: on December 23,2008, OSC was awarded with the $1.9billion Commercial Resupply Servicescontract to provide eight resupply mis-sions to the ISS.

Antares was the second successfulcommercial launch vehicle after theSpaceX Falcon 9 to be developed underthe COTS program. The US privatespace sector has once again demon-strated its ability to develop medium-class launch vehicles within short peri-ods of time, while NASA regained theISS resupply capability which it hadlost with the retirement of the SpaceShuttle fleet. The second experimentalAntares launch, this time with an actualpayload on board, should take placethis fall.

The first Antares launch became amilestone event for the Russian rocketpropulsion industry. “The RussianNK-33 design has found its US cus-tomer,” said UEC General DirectorVladislav Masalov. “In the near futureit will be installed on a Russian lightrocket. The Soviet-era designers left usso massive a reserve of research andtechnology solutions that even now,four decades on, we use powerplantsfrom that era on modern launch vehi-cles. Apart from utilizing the existingmotors, we are working to resume theirproduction at a whole new level oftechnology. I am convinced that ourdesigners and engineers are capable ofachieving this.”

The second experimentalAntares launch is to take placethis fall

NASA/Bill Ingalls

Russia&CIS Observer№ 2 (37) june 2013

Russia&CIS Observerwww.ato.ru/rco

russia & cis observer - june 2013

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