JF-17: 21st-century MiG-21 from Chengdu [p.42]

Tikhomirov’s AESA

ready for flight tests [p.36]

MC-21

gets first orders [p.30]

An-148

production grows up [p.26]

Be-200

gets EASA type certificate [p.19]

Carrierborne pilots training [p.38]

SSJ100

certification soon [p.16]

MMii-26T -26T HEAVYLIFTERHEAVYLIFTERunder upgrade[p.12]

november 2010 • Special edition for Airshow China 2010

Dear reader,

You are holding another issue of the Take-Off magazine – a special

supplement to Russian national aerospace magazine VZLET. The issue

has been timed with Airshow China 2010.

By tradition, the aerospace exhibition in Zhuhai has been attended

by numerous Russian and Ukrainian participants and businessmen.

Small wonder, because the Russian-Chinese aerospace cooperation

has been given a strong impetus over the past 20 years. As a result,

China has become in 1990s a top importer of Russian aircraft,

first and foremost, Sukhoi jets. Today, the Russian-made Sukhoi

Su-27SK/UBK and Su-30MKK fighters have been the mainstay of

PLAAF’s new-generation fighter fleet while two dozens Su-30MK2s serve

with PLANAF. Moreover, China’s own aerospace plants have mastered

Su-27SK’s licence production.

Aero engines deliveries also have been high on the priority list of the

Russian-Chinese aviation cooperation, with these turbofans powering

both Russia-supplied and advanced indigenous Chinese fighters, the

J-10 and FC-1 (JF-17). Russian and Ukrainian experts consult their

Chinese counterparts developing new aircraft with advanced Chinese

L-15 trainer aircraft fitted with Ukrainian-Russian AI-222 turbofan engine

afterburner version and future transport plane among them.

However, the Russian-Chinese cooperation does not limit itself to

fixed-wing aircraft. China operates more then a hundred Russian-made

Mil Mi-17 and Mi-171 helicopters. Recently three Mi-26 heavylifters were

delivered to China from Russia and already have got a great success

here in firefighting and rescue operations. New deliveries of Kamov

Ka-28 shipborne helicopters started last year. So, the cooperation has

been on the rise, with new contracts for aircraft deliveries and joint

projects development could be placed in the future.

These themes became the main topics of this issue. As usual, you are

also 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 and Ukrainian

expositions at the Zhuhai airshow and keep abreast of the latest

development in Russia’s aviation.

I wish all participants and guests of Airshow China 2010 to meet their

partners, establish useful links and snag lucrative contracts. See you at

the future air shows!

Sincerely,

Andrey Fomin

Editor-in-chief

Take-Off magazine

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

staff based on reports of our special correspondents, press

releases of production companies as well as by using information

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

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

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

The magazine is registered by the Federal Service for supervision of

observation of legislation in the sphere of mass media and protection

of cultural heritage of the Russian Federation. Registration certificate

PI FS77-19017 dated 29 November 2004

© Aeromedia, 2010

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

november 2010

Editor-in-Chief Andrey Fomin

Deputy Editor-in-Chief Vladimir Shcherbakov

EditorYevgeny Yerokhin

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

Design and pre-press Grigory Butrin

Translation Yevgeny Ozhogin

Cover picture Andrey Fomin

Publisher

Director General Andrey Fomin

Deputy Director GeneralNadezhda Kashirina

Marketing DirectorGeorge Smirnov

Business Development DirectorMikhail Fomin

Items in the magazine placed on this colour background or supplied

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

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

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

c o n t e n t s

CONTRACTS AND DELIVERIES

Anatoly Isaykin:

Russian arms mean reliability, quality, success . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

MTA joint venture set up at long last. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Indonesia gets Su-27SKM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

First Il-76MF built for Jordan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Beriev delivers third A-50EI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

All of 40 Mi-171s delivered to UTair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Mi-26T2

New-generation Russian heavylifter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

INDUSTRY Superjet’s certification programme nearing completion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Tu-204SM gearing up for its maiden flight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

First production An-70 could be completed in 2011 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Russian-built Il-76: maiden flight in one year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Ka-52 enters production in Arsenyev . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Be-200 certificated in Europe, with new orders awarded . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Kazan Helicopters rolled out second Mi-38. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Motor Sich engines from small UAVs to heavy lifters . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

COMMERCIAL AVIATION

An-148

Production grows up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

MC-21 lands its first orders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

MILITARY AVIATION New Su-34s for Russian Air Force. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

The first Su-30M2 built . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

PAK FA tests go on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

First Ansat helicopters arrive to Syzran . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

558 ARP offers Satellite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Tikhomirov-NIIP AESA ready for flight tests

Interview with Tikhomirov-NIIP Director General Yury Bely . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

Following a long pause

Report from Nitka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

JF-17

Sino-Pakistani 21st-Century MiG-21? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

38

November 2010

12

6

26

16

42

30

MAKS News Daily newspaper is an on-site publication with a 10,000 copies circulation covering all important events of the airshow, exhibitors’ news, latest aerospace headlines, news conferences reports

Postal address: P.O. Box 7, Moscow, 125475, Russia Tel./fax: + 7 495 644-17-33 Mobile: + 7 495 798-81-19E-mail: info@take-off.ru website: http://www.take-off.ru

from Take-off magazine publisher

in MAKS news show dailyAll news of MAKS 2011 airshow

With it’s exhibition-focused content, interviews with aerospacetop-managers and decision makers the main topics are:• Aerospace industry • Commercial aviation• Combat aircraft• Aero engines and avionics• Weapons and air defence• UAVs, etc.

Distribution:• Every exhibitor’s stand and chalet • Thousands of trade visitors

at the entrance gates• Chalet of the President of Russia• Publisher’s stand and distribution

points throughout the exhibition area

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

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

Could you briefly describe current state of the Russia’s arms trade and prioritise geographical regions, most important for Rosoboronexport?

Russia's military technical cooperation with

foreign states has been practised for many a

century. Rosoboronexport has inherited the

best traditions of its predecessors in establishing

lasting relations with foreign partners.

But military technical cooperation is not

a pure "arms trade". It occupies a specific

zone within the Russia's foreign economic

activities where long-term mutually

beneficial partnerships with foreign countries

are built. It is only natural as procured arms

will be in service for 20, 30 or even 50 years.

When an importing country purchases our

arms, it entrusts us with the most precious

state issue – its security, and ultimately –

its independence and territorial integrity.

Such country becomes a long-time reliable

ally of Russia in both military-political and

economic areas.

Every year Rosoboronexport increases its

foreign sales value by $500–700 mln. As

a result, the amount of foreign military

sales carried out by Rosoboronexport has

augmented for the last 10 years almost by two

and a half times.

Russian military-purpose products also have

been delivered to much wider geographical

destinations. At present Rosoboronexport

maintains cooperation with some 70

countries. If previously India and China took

up the main share of contracts (up to 80%

of sales value), they are now joined by other

importers which have become major Russian

arms recipients, such as Algeria, Venezuela,

Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and some other

countries.

The Corporation is proactive in developing

new markets. Latin American countries

are a good example of such markets. We

have contracts with Peru, Columbia, Brazil,

Argentina, and Cuba, prospects also exist for

ANATOLY ISAYKIN:RUSSIAN ARMS MEAN RELIABILITY, QUALITY, SUCCESSRosoboronexport, the sole Russian state arms trade company entitled to export

the whole range of military and dual-purpose products, technologies and serv-

ices, is currently marking its tenth anniversary. The Rosoboronexport Corporation

was established by the decree of the President of the Russian Federation with

the authority to conduct foreign trade operations with the whole export nomen-

clature of Russian arms and joint research and development works in coop-

eration with defence enterprises and research institutes both in Russia and

abroad. Its status warrants state support for all its export/import operations. The

Corporation accounts now for more than 80% share in Russia's foreign military

sales. Rosoboronexport focuses its business development strategy on forming,

strengthening and developing long-term partnerships with foreign countries under

the motto "Efficiency. Reliability. Quality".

On the eve of the Airshow China 2010 exhibition Take-off asked Anatoly Isaykin,

Rosoboronexport’s Director General, to shed light on the key activities of the

Corporation.

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

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

promotion of Russian arms to Chile, Uruguay,

and Ecuador.

Military technical cooperation with

countries in South East Asia, the Middle East,

and North Africa is continued on a mutually

beneficial basis as well.

We maintain military technical

cooperation with our close neighbours from

the Commonwealth of Independent States

(CIS) and the Collective Security Treaty

Organisation (CSTO) within the guidelines

of the Russia's state policy. Our partners

are offered substantial preferences. This is

also natural since armed forces of the CIS/

CSTO countries are equipped with Soviet and

Russian-made weapons. We are developing

very dynamic mutually advantageous

relations in this area with Azerbaijan, Belarus,

Kazakhstan, and other member-states.

Of course, when supplying weapon systems,

Rosoboronexport observes all international

conventions, does not violate the established

force balance in the regions nor allows illegal

proliferation of weapons around the world

and their falling in the hands of terrorist

organisations and rogue totalitarian states.

Do you have any “hot list” of military-purpose products, favoured by foreign partners?

The nomenclature of military-purpose

products offered for export increases from

year to year. Now it includes several thousand

items that are equal in quality with the best

world products and even surpass them in

some respects. Russian combat systems are

actively adapted to meet NATO standards and

are in demand among member-states of this

organisation. Russian weapons and military

equipment are favourably distinguished from

competing products by their permanent

advantage in cost-effectiveness. All the above

have allowed Russia to keep for many years

the second place in the arms sales value.

What are the new business directions, considered by Rosoboronexport in order to secure its position on the world arms trade market?

Rosoboronexport continues to improve

its exports business concept in collaboration

with foreign partners. If previously military

equipment was sold as it was, now it is offered

with a set of services intended to support the

procured weapons during their life cycle,

including: maintenance, upgrading, repairs,

and even disposal when the service life has

been ended. Many customer states set up

their own repair bases and servicing centres,

and organise upgrading works and training

of combat crews and technical personnel.

In India, for example, the joint venture

"Rosoboronservice" has been established to

provide after-sale servicing of ships, aircraft

and helicopters. Preparations are done for

opening similar centres in other regions. In

India also functions the T-90S MBT licence

production plant.

Rosoboronexport always tries to help its

partners expertly and smoothly integrate

Russian-made equipment into existing

defence structures, making the whole system

operate efficiently, quickly, harmoniously and

reliably. Such approach enhances operational

effectiveness of systems and sets of equipment

and reduces their cost as well as funds required

for building and maintaining a corresponding

infrastructure.

As we know, the Corporation has strong relations with many Russian enterprises and regions.

Yes, you are right. Rosoboronexport

maintains business connections with more

than 700 defence enterprises in 56 regions of

Russia. Many of these enterprises have been

provided with foreign orders for several years

to come.

These days when we celebrate the

anniversary I wish our partners every success

in business, prosperity and well-being,

constructive and mutually advantageous

cooperation with Rosoboronexport for the

benefit of our countries and peoples.

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

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

6

The long-awaited signature of

an agreement on the establishment

of Russian-Indian joint venture to

develop the Multirole Transport

Aircraft (MTA) took place in India

on 9 September. The Russian

participants in the venture are the

United Aircraft Corporation (UAC)

and Rosoboronexport government-

owned corporation while their Indian

counterpart is Hindustan Aeronautics

Ltd. (HAL). The signatories have a

fifty-fifty ownership of the stock, with

the joint venture being headquartered

in Bangalore.

The intergovernmental agreement

on co-development and construction

of the MTA was signed as far back

as 2007. It makes provision for the

production of 205 aircraft in Russia

and India. The overall cost of the

development is set at $600.7 million

and will be shouldered by the parties

equally.

According to an official Indian

Ministry of Defence news release

circulated due to the establishing

of the joint venture, the MTA

will have a lifting capacity of

15–20 t to meet the concurrent

requirements of the Indian and

Russian air forces. Its maximum

takeoff weight will stand at 65 t,

cruising speed will be 800 km/h,

range will account for 2,500–

2,700 km and service ceiling will

equal 12,000 m. The MTA will be

powered by two turbofan engines.

An MTA prototype may complete

its maiden flight in 2016.

In September, the Sukhoi

company delivered the three

Su-27SKM single-seat multirole

fighters built by the Komsomolsk-

on-Amur Aircraft Production

Association (KnAAPO) under a

contract of 2007 to Indonesia. The

Su-27SKM is an upgrade of the

baseline Su-27 fighter. Under the

contract, KnAAPO earlier delivered

three Su-30MK2 two-seaters during

2008–2009.

The first two Su-27SKMs were

flown from Komsomolsk-on-Amur

to the Indonesian Air Force’s Sultan

Hasanuddin air base in South

Sulawesi province on 10 September,

with the final – third – one airlifted

in on 16 September. On arrival, the

fighters had been assembled and

tested at the customer’s air base

by later in September. The official

handover ceremony was held by

the Indonesian Air Force in late

September, with the aircraft heaving

participated in the traditional military

parade in Jakarta on 5 October.

Given the two Su-27SKs and

two Su-30MKs delivered in 2003

(see the picture), the Indonesia Air

Force has 10 Sukhoi fighters now

but is not going to limit itself to

the number. Soon after the delivery

of the Su-27SKMs, the service’s

commander, Air Marshal Imam

Sufaat, indicated the Indonesian

government’s intent to buy six more

Sukhoi fighters from Russia. “Given

the vast airspace of this country, 10

Sukhoi aircraft are not enough”, he

told Indonesian news agency Antara.

According to the Indonesian Air Force

commander, Indonesian President

Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has

given the green light to the decision

to acquire a new batch of Sukhoi

fighters from Russia.

MTA joint venture set up at long last

Indonesia gets Su-27SKM

And

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AP

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www.irkut.com

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

Innovative design solutions for airframe.

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

Cooperation with the world leading suppliers of systems and equipment.

Matching future environmental requirements.

Expanded operational capabilities.

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

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

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

8

The first production-standard

Il-76MF airlifter serialled 76954

took off for its maiden flight from

the airfield of the Tashkent Aircraft

Production Corp. named after Valery

Chkalov (TAPC) on 30 September.

The aircraft is designed for delivery

to Jordan, that’s why it got a new

designation, Il-76EI. It was flown

by a Russian-Uzbek aircrew led by

Ilyushin Chief Pilot Nikolay Kuimov,

a Hero of Russia and a Merited Pilot

of Russia. The flight was 38 min

long and “uneventful”, according to

the captain.

TAPC built the plane under a

contract for two Il-76MFs, signed

by Rosoboronexport on 17 August

2005 during the visit of His Majesty

Abdallah ben al-Hussein II, King

of the Hashemite Kingdom and

Commander-in-Chief of the Royal

Jordanian Armed Services, to the

MAKS 2005 air show.

The Il-76MF is an Il-76MD airlifter

derivative featuring the fuselage

stretched by 6.6 m, which has

allowed a 25% increase in the size

of the cargo hold – from 321 cu.m

to 400 cu.m – and a similar hike in

the lifting capacity – from 47 t to

60 t. The maximum takeoff weight

has grown from 190 t to 210 t, and

the powerplant includes advanced

PS-90A-76 engines with a takeoff

thrust of 14,500 kgf (the production

Il-76MD is powered by D-30KP2s

12,000 kgf each).

TAPC had made the first Il-76MF

prototype (c/n 90-01, reg. number

76900) by the mid-‘90s. It first flew

in Tashkent on 1 August 1995 and

then was handed over to Ilyushin

for testing. Manufacture of the

components for 20 new-version

aircraft (including 10 Il-76MF military

transports 10 Il-76TF commercial

freighters) was launched by TAPC

in the mid-‘90s owing to the

anticipated orders from the Russian

Defence Ministry and commercial

carriers. However, the official trials

of the Il-76MF prototype dragged

on, and no firm orders for the

advanced aircraft had been landed

for 10 years. At the time, TAPC

would make Il-76MDs for China,

Il-76MKI tanker planes and Il-76TD

airframes for their subsequent

conversion into the Indian Air Force-

ordered A-50EI AWACS planes in

Taganrog as well as deliver Il-76TD

and Il-76MD freighters by the piece

to Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Sudan,

Algeria, the Uzbek Air Force, Russian

Emergencies Ministry and Russian

air carriers Aviacon-Zitotrans and

Volga-Dnepr. Against that backdrop,

the construction of the Il-76MF and

Il-76TF, which became uncalled,

was suspended, with the company’s

backlog including four mated Il-76MF

airframes and individual components

for more aircraft of the type.

The backlog came in handy

in 2005 when Jordan displayed

interest in the Il-76MF. However,

the bargaining took several

years. Ilyushin signed a contract

for construction two aircraft by

TAPC for Jordan only on 4 July

2007. However, the signature of

the contract by the developer and

manufacturer did not launch the

work under the Jordanian order

for a long time. During the SOFEX

2010 international special forces

exhibition and conference in the

Jordanian capital of Amman in May,

Valery Varlamov, a departmental

chief with Rosoboronexport, said:

“The fulfilment of the contract has

run into objective difficulties calling

for signature of a supplement

in December 2009 and a minor

postponement of the delivery”. The

Rosoboronexport official stressed;

“Russia is reaffirming its readiness

to deliver the planes in line with the

newly-agreed schedule”. Obviously,

the first of the Il-76MFs will be able

to set off for Jordan in 2011.

The signature of the supplementary

agreement in December last year,

gave the deal a real impetus. By July

this year, the airframe of the first

Jordan-intended Il-76MF had been

almost complete, four brand-new

PS-90A-76 engines supplied by the

Perm Engine Company earlier this

year had been mounted under its

wing and installation of systems and

avionics had been in full swing. The

aircraft was built using the airframe

of Il-76MF c/n 96-02 from TAPC’s

backlog. Unlike Il-76MF c/n 90-01

tested in Russia, it is being outfitted

with a number of more advanced

avionics systems, some of which are

used in the Il-76TD-90VD freighters

TAPC manufactures for Russian

carrier Volga-Dnepr. The aircraft was

rolled out to TAPC’s flight test facility

on 17 September. The ground tests

of its onboard systems at the airfield

took two weeks, and the aircraft

took off for the first time on 30

September.

The Perm Engine Company will

have shipped to Tashkent another

four PS-90A-76 engines to power

the second Jordan-intended

Il-76MF being assembled using the

unfinished c/n 94-01 airframe. The

aircraft is slated for its maiden flight

in 2011.

When the two Il-76MFs have been

delivered, Jordan will become the

only country operating this version.

Most probably, when the backlog

has been exhausted by TAPC that

can build several more Il-76TDs

(Il-76TD-90s) in various variants

for Volga-Dnepr and Azerbaijan, the

production of the Il-76-family aircraft

will continue only in Russia by the

Aviastar-SP plant in Ulyanovsk under

the 476 programme.

First Il-76MF built for Jordan

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

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

10

The third A-50EI airborne warning

and control aircraft serialled KW3553

built by Beriev company for the Indian

Air Force (IAF) under a trilateral

contract was ferried from Taganrog

to Israel on 8 October for ELTA to fit

it with the MSA radar system.

The first two production A-50EIs

were delivered to the customer in

2009–2010. They are in service with

IAF now.

The A-50EI airborne warning

and control system aircraft was

developed under the 2004 Russo-

Indian-Israeli contract. It is based

on the airframe of the Ilyushin

Il-76TD airlifter produced by TAPC

and fitted by Beriev with PS-90A-76

engines, and Israeli radar system

MSA (Phalcon) mounted on the

aircraft by Israeli company ELTA.

In addition, the aircraft is equipped

with a datalink from Russian radio

corporation Vega.

The first Il-76TD (c/n 94-02),

earmarked for conversion into the

lead A-50EI plane, was flown from

the manufacturer plant in Tashkent

to Taganrog in April 2005. Fitting the

first aircraft with PS-90A-76 engines,

radar fairings and the in-flight

refueling system as well as other

airframe modifications under the

A-50EI programme was complete in

autumn 2007. The aircraft performed

its maiden flight from Beriev’s airfield

in Taganrog on 29 November 2007.

On 20 January 2008, it was ferried

to Israel for assembly of the radar

system and conduct of the full set

of improvements and tests. The first

flight of the radar-equipped aircraft

took place in Tel Aviv on 5 June

2008. The plane had been tested in

Israel until last spring, after which it

flew to India on 25 May 2009 for its

IAF in-service ceremony at Palam air

base near New Delhi on 28 May. The

aircraft was serialled KW3551.

The second A-50EI aircraft under

that contract, which was based on

the Il-76TD airframe (c/n 94-03)

delivered to Beriev in June 2005,

first flew in Taganrog on 11 January

2009 and went to Israel for its radar

system installation on 24 June

2009, following the completion of

its factory tests. Outfitting the plane

with the radar system had taken

about nine months, and on 25 March

2010 the plane was ferried to the

customer and entered service with

IAF, serialled KW3552.

The third A-50EI wrapped

around the airframe of the Il-76TD

(c/n 94-04) completed its first flight

in Taganrog on 9 June this year and

then had spent four months being

painted in Ulyanovsk and tested and

debugged in Taganrog. Once it has

been equipped with the radar system,

cleared by the acceptance tests and

delivered to IAF, the contract for the

three AWACS aircraft will be fulfilled.

Nevertheless, the customer is not

about to limit itself to three aircraft

only. Negotiations are under way

on delivery of several more aircraft

of the type.

9 September saw the successful

completion of the major recent contract

on delivery of new Russian-made

helicopters to a Russian commercial

air carrier. The UTair company took

delivery of the final, 40th, Mi-8AMT

(Mi-171) at the Ulan-Ude Aviation

Plant (UUAP, a division of the Russian

Helicopters holding company) and

sent it on to its duty station in the

city of Tyumen. The deal was struck

in 2007 and announced officially on

21 February 2008. The Tyumen-based

carrier started accepting the first of the

40 Mi-8AMT and Mi-171 helicopters

in October 2008. In 2009, the aircraft

fleet was beefed up with 15 helicopters

of the type, and the deal has been

finalised this year ahead of schedule.

“We are completing a very

important contract on delivery of 40

Mi-171 and Mi-8AMT helicopters”,

said UUAP Managing Director

Leonid Belykh. “The deal has been

a major one to both UUAP and the

Russian Helicopters JSC in terms of

the number of machines delivered to

a Russian commercial operator. We

are proud of the job we have done

and are ready to fulfil new orders

from UTair and other commercial

operators”.

A Russian Helicopters spokesperson

said that the holding company was

ready to give priorities to new orders

from UTair to deliver additional Mi-171

helicopters within a schedule agreed.

UTair as a key customer of Russian

Helicopters is also to be offered soon

a new upgraded variant of the popular

helicopter family – the Mi-171M that is

now under development.

Beriev delivers third A-50EI

All of 40 Mi-171s delivered to UTair

UU

AP

Beriev

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Mi-26TC in China

The negotiations with the People’s

Republic of China on their buying Russian-

built Mi-26TC helicopters picked up after

the Chinese had analysed the operation of a

helicopter leased by China for use as part of

its natural disaster relief operation in the wake

of the disastrous earthquake in Sichuan prov-

ince. This Mi-26TC was brought to Chinese

company China Flying Dragon Special

Aviation in September 2007. Chinese experts

recognised the capabilities of the Russian hel-

icopter operating in the foothill environment

as extremely successful and effective.

The terrible 8-magnitude earthquake

snuffed up over 65,000 lives and injured

upwards of 360,000 people, with at least

23,000 missed. However, the number of vic-

tims could have been greater, because a moun-

tain range’s break-up and caving into a river

caused the level of water in the river to rise by

35 m, threatening a densely populated area

in the province with flooding. Special equip-

ment, including the leased Russian Mi-26TC

helicopter, were deployed by an order of the

Chinese government to the disaster-stricken

area to conduct a disaster relief operation and

prevent further loss of life.

On 20 May 2008, the crew flying the

Mi-26TC evacuated on a single day more than

230 people, the population of a whole vil-

lage threatened by a flood. At the same time,

the machine hauled rescue equipment and

essential items. The crew also was tasked with

bringing special equipment to areas hit by

rubble to conduct earth-moving operations.

The first of construction vehicles was lowered

with pinpoint accuracy to a spot measuring

merely 4.5x3 m. Then the spot doubled in

size, and work accelerated. Operating hand

in glove with the People’s Liberation Army,

the Mi-26TC hauled 15 engineer vehicles in

limited visibility conditions on a single day,

with the vehicles weighing more than 200 t in

total. It airlifted 18 engineer vehicles more on

the next day, with their total weight standing

at about 300 t.

Having appreciated the strengths of the

unique helicopter shown on all Chinese TV

channels, the customer in late May 2008

decided to buy the leased Mi-26TC out ahead

of schedule. The aircraft was given Chinese

registration number B-7802. Soon, talks

kicked off on acquisition additional helicop-

ters of the type as well as joint development

and production of heavy-lift helicopters tai-

lored to the requirements of Chinese custom-

ers.

A contract on delivery of a second Mi-26TC

to China was signed in November 2008 dur-

ing Airshow China 2008. July 2009 saw the

aircraft serialled B-7803 delivered to Qindao

Helicopters Special Aviation Co. That has

used it with success on fire-fighting and disas-

ter relief operations ever since.

A third Mi-26TC (serialled B-7807), which

had been built by Rostvertol this summer,

flew on its own to China very recently, on

14 October this year, three months ahead of

schedule set by the contract. Chinese com-

pany Lectern Aviation Supplies had ordered

the machine.

China is going to buy another aircraft of

the type in the near future, with the 2008

MI-26T2MI-26T2NEW-GENERATION RUSSIAN NEW-GENERATION RUSSIAN HEAVYLIFTERHEAVYLIFTERA new Russian-made Mil Mi-26TC heavy-lift transport helicopter went to China on

12 October. Chinese company Lectern Aviation Supplies Co. Ltd. had ordered it

in March this year. The helicopter had been developed by Mil Moscow Helicopter

Plant and manufactured by Rostvertol JSC. It is the third machine of the type,

bought by the People’s Republic of China over the past three years. Venezuela

has acquired three aircraft of the type recently, and Russian Emergencies Minister

Sergey Shoigu voiced his plans for procuring five more new Mi-26s following the

forest fires that raged in Russia this summer. This is an indication that the Mi-26,

the world’s largest and heavy-lift-capable production-standard helicopter, remains

in demand on the global market. Its appeal to potential customers is to grow even

more owing to the machine’s upgrade programme being held jointly by the Mil

design bureau and Rostvertol plant under the Mi-26T2 programme.

w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u12

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

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

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

contract making provision for seven Mi-26TC

options.

Advanced capabilities of Mi-26T2

Russian heavy-lift Mi-26, which first

flew on 14 December 1977, revolutionised

rotorcraft building in its day by setting new

heavy-lift helicopter standards. It was able

to carry up to 80 troops in combat gear or 60

casualties on stretchers, or cargo weighing up

to 20 t in its cargo cabin or on the external

sling. Its US rivals have been unable to beat

it at this yet.

A graphic proof of the superiority of the

Russian machine over its US competition

is the widely known facts of history of the

combat operations in Afghanistan, when the

Mi-26’s services had to be resorted to so as

US Chinooks downed in mountainous areas

can be recovered. Isn’t this the best advertise-

ment for the aircraft developed by the Mil

design bureau?

However, to remain on the cutting edge of

technological progress and meet the require-

ments of potential customer in a better man-

ner, Mil kicked off heavy upgrade of the

Mi-26 six years ago, paying for it out of

pocket. The upgraded helicopter was des-

ignated as Mi-26T2. Its key features will

include the round-the-clock operation capa-

bility, advanced digital avionics allowing a

crew reduction down to two pilots, and uprat-

ed engines.

The BREO-26 avionics suite of the

Mi-26T2 upgrade is wrapped around the

NPK-90-2 flight navigation system com-

prising a digital display system, control

consoles, a digital computer, a satellite

navigation system and a digital flight con-

trol system. In addition, the Mi-26T2’s

avionics suite includes a day/night gyro-

stabilised surveillance optronic system, an

up-to-date communications suite and an

integral test system. Optional gear includes

night-vision goggles. According to expert

estimates, the BREO-26 avionics suite will

boost the Mi-26T2’s reliability, flight safety,

stability, controllability and hovering preci-

sion, the latter being especially important

when using the external sling.

Owing to its advanced avionics suite, the

Mi-26T2 can fly round the clock in any

weather and above sea surface. Another advan-

tage of the machine is a reduction in mission

planning time and in-flight workload on the

crew owing, among other things, to automatic

onboard systems health monitoring.

The Mi-26T2 carries outsize cargo and

vehicle weighing a total of 20 t both in its

cargo cabin and on the external sling. Its mili-

tary variant hauls 82 troops while its casevac

version 60 casualties. The machine also can

handle construction and erection work of

Vladimir SCHERBAKOV

The second Mi-26TC delivered

to China in 2009 demonstrates its

fire-fighting capabilities with Bambi

Bucket containing 15 t of water

Left: the third Mi-26TC delivered to

China in October 2010

Bottom: upgraded Mi-26T2 glass

cockpit

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w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u14 take-off november 2010

various degrees of complexity, fire fighting,

quick fuel delivery with on-the-ground refuel-

ling of vehicles, etc.

Certainly, the upgraded Mi-26T2 heavy-lift

helicopter has bright vistas not only in Russia,

but also on the international market where

interest in rotary-wing heavylifters remains

keen. The Russian-made Mi-26T2 will retain

its edge over its foreign competition in terms

of a number of basic characteristics, in the

first place, maximum carrying capacity and

heavily-laden range.

For this reason, analysts foresee interest in

the Mi-26T2 advanced heavy-lift helicopter

on the part of countries from all over the

world, including European NATO members

whose defence need in an advanced heavy-lift

helicopter will never be met even by upgraded

US CH-47F Chinook and CH-53K Super

Stallion. They are unable to carry all of the

materiel in service with the militaries of the

NATO members. With its carrying capacity

of 20 t, the Mi-26T2 remains unchallenged,

given that the lifting capacity of the upgraded

CH-47F being fielded with the US Army and

several other armies is up to 13 t and that

of the CH-53K designed mostly for the US

Marine Corps stands at 16 t.

There is a lot of work for the future Mi-26T2

in Asia, Africa and the Middle East as well, of

them being traditional Russian aircraft markets.

This indicates a niche for the advanced Russian

all-weather day/night heavy-lift helicopter

meeting the most stringent requirements.

The first Mi-26T2 is in the final stages of

preparations for its flight trials and is due in

the air any time soon.

Basic characteristics of Mi-26T2 heavy-lift helicopter

Maximum takeoff weight, t 56.0

Maximum carrying capacity, t:

- in cargo cabin 20.0

- on external sling 20.0

Speed, km/h:

- maximum 295

- cruising 255

Service ceiling, m 4,600

Range, km:

- on internal fuel 800

- ferry, with external tanks 1,920

Engines AI-136T

Takeoff power, hp 2x11,400

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

Rostvertol-avia’s Mi-26T carries

BMD-3 airborne infantry combat

vehicle

Left:

CH-47 Chinook recovery operation

by a Mi-26T of Vertical-T company,

Afghanistan, October 2009

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

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

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

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

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

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

16

The certification programme of

the advanced Sukhoi Superjet 100

regional airliner is nearing its com-

pletion: the IAC Aircraft Register is

expected to issue its type certificate

before year-end when the launch

customers, Aeroflot and Armavia,

could receive the first production

aircraft of the type.

As is known, a cause of delay in

the certification has been the delay

in deliveries of advanced Russian-

French SaM146 turbofan engines.

However, by the middle of the year,

there had been a number of most

important events supposed to facili-

tate a resolution of the problem. The

engine certification trials were com-

pleted in May, and EASA issued the

engine’s developer, Powerjet, with

the type certificate for the SaM146.

It took the Russian aviation authori-

ties another month and a half to

recognise the European type cer-

tificate, with the Aircraft Registry of

the Interstate Aviation Committee

(IAC) of the Commonwealth of

Independent States.

The SaM146’s having been cer-

tificated as compliant with the EU

and Russian airworthiness standards

enables the engine to be operated on

aircraft flying in Russia, the European

Union and the CIS. NPO Saturn Deputy

Managing Director and SaM146 pro-

gramme manager Yury Basyuk noted

in this connection that an aircraft

and an engine have been ‘cross-

certificated’ for the first time, with

the engine first obtaining an EASA

certificate that, in turn is approved

by the IAC Aircraft Registry under the

bilateral EASA–IAC Aircraft Registry

agreement on mutual recognition of

the norms and airworthiness require-

ments. It is not necessary to conduct

additional tests and submit additional

data about the engine in case of

such a certification. A huge and very

important milestone – proving the

SaM146’s safety and reliability – has

been passed, with the Russian and EU

certificates serving a proof. Thus, the

key task the engine developer facing

is launching the engine’s production

and deliveries to power production

aircraft.

NPO Saturn managed to pre-

pare the two first production-

standard SaM146s for shipping

to Komsomolsk-on-Amur in late

August. One of them was shipped

on 24 August and the other followed

on 30 August. The two were mount-

ed on the first production SSJ100

(c/n 95007).

“The virtual design methods

adopted by NPO Saturn had allowed

the launching manufacture of parts

for production SaM146 engines

long before the type certificate was

issued”, says Yury Basyuk. “Now,

we have a backlog of parts for 50

engines. Our current priority is to

speed up the output”. NPO Saturn

plans to deliver 13 production-stand-

ard SaM146 engines before year-

end – 12 to be installed on planes and

one to be kept as a backup.

Under the prototype aircraft

certification programme, SSJ100

c/n 95004 flew to Italy on 25 August

for the first time to undergo a number

of tests to gauge its noise level and

influence of the strong electromag-

netic fields at Levaldigi and Torino

airports.

The SSJ100 wrapped up its static

load strength test programme, part of

its certification programme, at TsAGI

in Zhukovsky. “The completion of the

static test programme is an impor-

tant milestone of the SSJ100 cer-

tification programme”, Sukhoi Civil

Aircraft Company President Vladimir

Prisyazhnyuk said in this connec-

tion. “Along with the static tests, we

also have successfully performed

the flight programme designed to

prove the strength characteristics.

The tests have proved the param-

eters the certification requires. The

prototype aircraft have logged 2,072

hours on 842 flights to date”.

Several new Superjet 100 con-

tracts and agreements were award-

ed this summer. At the recent

Farnborough air show, SCAC landed

a firm order from Indonesian car-

rier Kartika Airlines for 30 SSJ100

airliners to be delivered during 2012

through 2015. On the next day, Orient

Thai Airlines ordered 12 Superjets

with 12 options. Russian customers

did not sit on their hands either,

with Gazpromavia signing a letter

of intent for 10 Superjets. Another

deal was clinched by Russian-Italian

company Superjet International that

managed to sell 30 aircraft with 15

options to the Pearl Aircraft leasing

company. The baseline SSJ100’s list

price under the contracts and agree-

ments signed in Farnborough was

about $31.7 million. It is obvious,

however, that discounts of this kind

of another were offered to most of

the buyers. SCAC President Vladimir

Prisyazhnyuk said in Farnborough

that as many as 131 SSJ100 aircraft

had been firmly ordered from his

company.

Another agreement was made in

September when Russo-Italian joint

venture Superjet International and

US leasing company Willis Lease

Finance Corporation agreed on

delivery of six 98-seat SSJ100/95LR

planes to kick off in September 2012

with four options. The list-priced

deal is estimated at $300 million.

There had been six early pro-

duction-standard SSJ100s sitting in

SCAC’s final assembly shop, with

as many as 18 production-standard

aircraft being in various stages of

construction altogether.

Superjet’s certification programme nearing completion

An

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

The first prototype of the upgrad-

ed Tupolev Tu-204SM (c/n 64150)

medium-haul airliner is in the final

stages of assembly at the Aviastar-

SP plant in Ulyanovsk and is expect-

ed to perform its maiden mission

and enter its certification tests in

November.

In July, the Perm Engine Company

shipped the first set of two pro-

duction-standard PS-90A2 turbofan

engines that had been mounted on

Tu-204SM c/n 64150 by the mid-

month. Meanwhile, Aviastar-SP con-

tinues the assembly of the second

prototype of the upgraded airliner

(c/n 64151), with the third example

(c/n 64152) being in the final assem-

bly shop also.

The Tu-204SM upgrade differs

considerably from the produc-

tion Tu-204-100 earlier built by

Aviastar. Firstly, it will be pow-

ered by the 16,000-kgf PS-90A2

engines developed in Perm with

the assistance of US company

Pratt&Whitney (they got their IAC

Aviation Registry type certificate

in December 2009). Unlike the

production PS-90A, the modi-

fied engine is equipped with an

advanced high-pressure turbine,

new FADEC and features several

other considerable improvements,

which enables it to meet present-

day international airworthiness and

environment protection require-

ments. At the same time, a con-

siderable reduction in its life-cycle

cost and an increase in its reli-

ability have been achieved. The

Tu-204SM also uses the advanced

Aerosila TA18-200 auxiliary power

unit (APU).

To reduce the empty weight, a

number of improvements in design,

advanced materials and lighter and

more up-to-date avionics systems

are being introduced. In particular,

provision has been made for using

elevators, rudders and wing high-lift

devices made out of carbon-filled plas-

tic composites from Hexcel, a light-

weight landing gear from Aviaagregat

(Samara) and a more sophisticated

digital control air conditioning system.

The flying crew has been reduced

from three to two by cutting the

flight engineer, which became fea-

sible owing to a substantial upgrade

of the avionics. The aircraft is fitted

with the advanced KSEIS-204E inte-

grated display and warning system

and VSUPT-85-204 fight manage-

ment and thrust control computer

system, with all control consoles on

the flightdeck redesigned. The mod-

ernised avionics has allowed imple-

mentation of new automatic control

modes, particularly, Category IIIA

automatic landing approach (the

Tu-204-100’s avionics ensured

the Category II automatic landing

approach capability only), director

takeoff, etc. Advanced miniyokes

have been installed on the flight-

deck.

Aircraft weight reduction is also

facilitated by upgrade of the power

supply system and lighting equip-

ment, with glow lamps in taxi lights

and landing lamps are replaced with

light-emitting diodes and xenon

lamps.

Owing to the modifications, the

empty weight is to drop from 60 t

to 58 t, while the maximum takeoff

and landing weights are to increase

from 103 t to 105 t and from 88 t to

89.5 t, respectively. The Tu-204SM’s

assigned life is to up to from 60,000

hours, 30,000 landings and 25 oper-

ating years (those of the current

Tu-204-100 stand at 45,000 hours,

25,000 landings and 20 operating

years, respectively).

The Tu-204SM certification tests

are slated to be completed in 2011

when production airliner deliveries

to launch customers could begin.

At the Aviasvit XXI show in

Kiev in late September and early

October, near-term plans were

announced for series production

of the advanced An-70 medium

airlifter by the Antonov produc-

tion plant (the former Aviant plant

in Kiev). The company has for

several years been manufacturing

the first two production-standard

An-70s ordered by the Ukrainian

Defence Ministry. It was reported

during the show that the launch

aircraft (c/n 01-03) might be com-

pleted in 2011 and the second

one (c/n 01-04) in 2012. Overall,

Antonov is intent on making 13

production An-70s in the coming

five years, including two in 2013,

four in 2014 and five in 2015.

However, the rollout of the

early production-standard An-70s

should be preceded by the

plane’s substantial upgrade since

the An-70 prototype (c/n 01-02),

which is now in trials, first flew

as far back as 1997. In particular,

plans provide for upgrading the

D-27 propfan engines, avionics

suite and fly-by-wire control sys-

tem and introducing an advanced

auxiliary power unit (APU), a

modern glass digital cockpit and

a cutting-edge radar system. The

aircrew is to be slashed down

to four.

The upgraded An-70 will haul

35 t of cargo out to 5,100 km or

47 t if overloaded at a distance

of 3,000 km. Antonov also is

working on a commercial version

of the aircraft, the An-70-100,

which is to have the same lifting

capacity.

Tu-204SM gearing up for its maiden flight

First production An-70 could be completed in 2011

Dm

itry

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

18

Following the July 2010 decision

by the Russian Defence Ministry to

suspend the work on the Il-112V

advanced light tactical airlifter at

the VASO plant in Voronezh, the

main Russian airlifter programme

is now the productionising of the

deeply upgraded Il-76 transport

plane by the Ulyanovsk-based

Aviastar-SP close corporation

under Project 476.

The holding frames for assembly

of fuselage panels and sections of

the advanced aircraft are situated

in the unit assembly workshop of

the plant. As of summer this year,

the wing assembly jigs were being

made, and a decision was taken

to order some of the components

of early aircraft (e.g. empennage,

wing panels, wing high-lift

devices, etc.) from the Tashkent-

based TAPC Corp. to speed up

the construction of the aircraft in

Ulyanovsk. Instead of the main

final assembly facility where work

on the Tupolev Tu-204SM and other

Tu-204-family aircraft is being

done and Antonov An-124 Ruslans

are being overhauled, the aircraft

476 final assembly workshop

is situated in a separate fenced

area where unorthodox aircraft –

thermoplanes – were supposed to

be built in the late 1980s and

‘90s. Now, the area contains the

airframe of a former Belarusian

Il-76 write-off used now as a

mock-up for devising and honing

all-digital design documentation

and jig manufacture.

A radical difference between

the aircraft 476 and TAPC-made

Il-76 is to be a new wing design

featuring long single-piece wing

panels (the older ones had a joint

between the middle and detachable

parts of the wing) and stringer set

riveting while lacking the middle

wing spar in the wing box. The

designers believe the measures are

to slash the weight of the aircraft

considerably. Just as some of the

latest versions of the TAPC-made

Il-76, the aircraft to be built in

Ulyanovsk are to be powered by

PS-90A-76 engines from the Perm

Engine Company. They will mount

an up-to-date avionics suite, with

the aircrew to have access to the

information displayed on six 6x8-

inch multifunction displays.

“The plant’s future is hinged on

the successful implementation of

the Il-476 programme. Efforts to

expedite the pace of the programme

are being mulled over. A schedule

has been approved, under which

the deadline for the maiden flight

of the first Il-476 is October 2011”,

Aviastar-SP Director General

Sergey Dementyev said in late May

this year.

The company plans to have

a second aircraft designed for

endurance tests follow the first

prototype into existence. Sergey

Dementyev added that the

aircraft 476 production launch

plan had been discussed and

approved during Irkut Corp. Oleg

Demchenko’s visit to Aviastar-SP:

“A launch customer was selected

tentatively, too. Manufacture

of the first three production-

standard aircraft sets is planned

to commence in the later half of

this year”. The military transport

version of the aircraft 476 will get

Il-76MD-90A designation while the

commercial ones will be known as

Il-76TD-90A.

On 31 August and 1 September

this year, the Progress company in

the town of Arsenyev (a subsidiary

of the Russian Helicopters holding

company) hosted the ceremony

of launching the production of the

cutting-edge Kamov Ka-52 combat

helicopters and starting a new

foundry.

Progress Managing Director

Yury Denisenko told the media that

the Russian Defence Ministry had

ordered the production-standard

Ka-52 late last year: “Much time

was spent on the preparations, but

the difficulties have been overcome.

We have been ordered a batch of

about 30 machines that we will

manufacture within four years”.

According to the 2009 annual

return published by the company at

its official Web site, Progress built

10 Kamov helicopters: “Three Ka-50

helicopters have been delivered,

including the earlier-made and

paid-for end items. Three Ka-52

helicopters have been completed,

considering the earlier-performed

work. In addition, four Ka-52s

have been completed, considering

individual completed technological

cycles,” the return reads. The three

low-rate initial production Ka-52s

serialled 51, 52 and 53 kicked off

their official trials late last year, with

the trials being conducted jointly

by Kamov and Defence Ministry

personnel. The machines could be

seen in the course of the preparations

for and conduct of the 9 May Victory

Day parade in Moscow this spring.

Establishing an advanced foundry

wrapped around sophisticated Italian

equipment has been important to the

plant. Under the Progress technical

renovation programme being

run by Russian Helicopters, the

plant’s upgraded foundry facilities

have been pooled in a spacious

workshop fitted with Russia’s only

Italian-made integrated mechanised

line to make aluminium, magnesium

and cast-iron/steel patterns and

castings. The advanced technology

allows an increase in the precision

of castings and an improvement

in their physical characteristics

and ensures manufacture of

magnesium, aluminium, steel and

cast iron patterns with the use

of the same equipment. Owing to

the introduction of the advanced

equipment, Progress will launch

production of main and accessory

gearbox cases not only for

Progress-built Ka-52s but for other

helicopters as well.

Russian-built Il-76: maiden flight in one year

Ka-52 enters production in Arsenyev

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

The 8th Gidroaviasalon hydro-

aviation international show and

scientific conference took place on

the premises of the test facility of

the Beriev company in Gelenjik and

newly-inaugurated Gelenjik airport

between 9 and 12 September. The

key participants in the event were,

probably, Be-200ChS amphibians

that have become kind of the stars

of the struggle against forest fires

ravaging Russia this summer.

The interest in the Be-200ChS

is kept on the boil due to the

amphibian having also become

the character of the business seg-

ment of the show. On the very

first day of Gidroaviasalon 2010,

the ceremony of signing a pre-

contract agreement on delivery

eight more aircraft of the type to

the Russian Emergencies Ministry

took place. The agreement was

signed by Beriev Director General –

Designer General Victor Kobzev and

Rafail Zakirov, chief of the Russian

Emergencies Ministry Aviation

and Aviation Rescue Technologies

Department. UAC President Alexey

Fyodorov, who attended the cere-

mony, said that the deliveries under

the deal, which value is estimated

at 10 billion rubles, were to kick off

the next year and the parties were

to have signed a firm order until

year-end 2010. First, the Russian

Emergencies Ministry in 2011 will

accept two Be-200ChS amphibians

(c/n 03-01 and 03-02) made by

Irkut Corp.’s Irkutsk Aircraft Plant.

Aircraft c/n 03-01 completed its

maiden flight in July this year and

is in Taganrog at present soon to be

followed by c/n 03-02. Beriev will fit

the two amphibians with a number

of additional systems prior to their

delivery.

The remaining six aircraft will be

assembled in Taganrog. According

to Alexey Fyodorov, the first Beriev-

assembled production-standard

Be-200ChS could emerge in 2012.

At present, productionising is in

full swing, and all relevant assem-

bly tooling had been brought from

Irkutsk to Taganrog.

At the same time, Beriev and

its subcontractors supplying com-

ponents of Emergency Ministry-

ordered Be-200ChS amphibians

signed pre-contractual agree-

ments during the Gidroaviasalon

2010 show, on 9 September. The

agreements in question were

signed with Motor Sich JSC for

D-436TP engines, NIIAO for the

avionics suite, NPO Nauka for air

conditioning systems, Rodina for

control system servos, Gidromash

for landing gear, ELARA for

the fly-by-wire control system,

Teploobmennik for valves, Kristall

for the turbine pump system,

Pribor for instrumentation and

BetaIr for the on-board cable net-

work and electric switchgear.

Next, another stirring event for

the designers of the Be-200ChS took

place on the very first day of the

show: a ceremony, in which an EU

limited category type certificate was

issued to the Be-200ES-E amphib-

ian was held on 9 September. The

type certificate was handed in to

Beriev head Victor Kobzev by Henri

Wildigans, manager of the certifica-

tion project (large airplane depart-

ment) of EASA. Simultaneously, the

Interstate Aviation Committee’s (IAC)

Aircraft Registry Director General

Alexander Donchenko handed the

developer with the IAC Aircraft

Registry supplemental type certifi-

cate for the Be-200ChS amphib-

ian featuring cockpit inscriptions in

English.

The EASA type certificate resulted

from the hard work of Beriev design-

ers and engineers who had to display

the best of their professionalism and

expertise. Personnel of the Interstate

Aviation Committee (IAC) took a

proactive part in the work. The type

certificate issuance had been antici-

pated for a long time. Beriev submit-

ted its IAC Aircraft Registry valida-

tion request to EASA as far back as

22 July 2005, and the IAC Aircraft

Registry and EASA struck a working

agreement on the Be-200ES-E pro-

gramme. Upwards of 130 working

meetings were held between 2006

and May 2010, attended by EASA,

IAC Aircraft Registry and Beriev

experts.

In the course of the Be-200ES-E

validation, EASA experts laid down

several more requirements. This

led to an alteration of the stand-

ard design of the Be-200ChS and

determined the deadline of the final

validation of the amphibian.

Mention should be made that,

unlike other Russian aircraft being

certifying by EASA earlier (Tupolev

Tu-204CE, Sukhoi Superjet 100),

the Be-200ES-E amphibian is fit-

ted mostly with Russian-made

equipment and Ukrainian-made

engines. The issues of qualifying the

Russian-made equipment prompted

a most heated discussion during the

Be-200ES-E validation. Tackling the

issues required both considerable

efforts on the part of the amphibian’s

designers and active participation of

avionics developers in the resolution

of the problems.

Owing to the hard cooperative

work of the IAC Aircraft Registry,

EASA, Beriev and avionics develop-

ers, the programme on proving the

Be-200ES-E’s compliance with the

European airworthiness standards

has been completed with success

this year. No doubt, the EASA type

certificate will enhance the competi-

tiveness of the Be-200ES-E amphib-

ian on the global market.

Be-200 certificated in Europe, with new orders awarded

Ale

xey M

ikheyev

Ale

xey M

ikheyev

f ddi i l i h i

Bet

wor

N

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

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

20

The Kazan Helicopters JSC

marked its 70th anniversary on 10

September 2010. An air show was

timed to the event, with Mi-8MTV-5,

Mi-17-V5 and Ansat helicopters

performing in it. However, the key

surprise to the guests of the cel-

ebration was at the static display

area, where the second prototype

of the advanced Mil Mi-38 medium

transport helicopter, dubbed OP-2,

was unveiled. Kazan Helicopters

had completed the construction of

the aircraft (registration number

RA-38012) in the run-up to the

jubilee, in August, after which it

was rolled out, and ground tests

of the airborne equipment com-

menced. The prototype is expect-

ed to conduct its first flight this

autumn.

For the first time, the helicopter

is fitted with the advanced IKBO-

38 integrated avionics suite from

the Tranzas company, with its key

components commonised with the

IKBO-17 avionics suite designed

for upgraded Mi-17 helicopters.

Commonality allows optimisation

of operation and overhaul and

makes it easier for aircrews to con-

vert to the new helicopter type.

The IKBO-38 suite ensures

round-the-clock flight operations

in various geographic and cli-

matic environments in the auto-

matic, director and manual control

modes. It features a modular open

architecture and comprises five

new-generation 12.1-inch TDS-12

multifunction displays showing all

relevant flight and navigation data,

state of the helicopter equipment,

digital terrain map and imagery

from the 38A-813 weather radar.

In addition, the suite comprises the

TNC-1G redundant helicopter naviga-

tion computer system with an in-

built GLONASS/GPS receiver, as well

as a mapping server, an airborne

system and engine data collection

and monitoring system, the TTA-12N

terrain awareness and warning sys-

tem and up-to-date radar and com-

munications equipment. The SVS

collimating synthetic-imagery head-

up display system is optional. The

suite’s open architecture allows the

use of additional radar and electro-

optical equipment and introduction

of advanced information display

modes.

The second Mi-38 prototype is

powered by a pair of Canadian-

made PW127/5 turboshaft engines

just like the first prototype, OP-1

(reg. number RA-38011), did when

it logged a total of 86 flights in

2002–2008 under the factory flight

development test programme.

Meanwhile, the third prototype,

OP-3, which is being assembled

by Kazan Helicopters, is planned to

be powered by a pair of Russian-

built Klimov TV7-117V engines,

also known as VK-3000. The use

of more powerful Russian-made

engines will increase the Mi-38’s

maximum takeoff weight up to

16,200 kg (the first Mi-38 powered

by PW127/5 prototypes had a max-

imum takeoff weight of 15,600 kg)

and its maximum payload up to

6,000 kg in the cabin and 7,000 kg

under-slung. Having the 14,200-kg

normal takeoff weight, the heli-

copter will have a maximum speed

of 310 km/h, a cruising speed of

285 km/h, a static ceiling 3,840 m

and a dynamic ceiling of 6,400 m.

The flight range on a 30-min fuel

reserve will account for 880 km

and that without the fuel reserve

will be 1,000 km. The time when

the third Mi-38 kicks off its tri-

als depends on the preparedness

of the Klimov company to supply

Kazan Helicopters with a set of

airworthy TV7-117V engines. This

is expected so far to take place in

2011. The OP-3’s airframe is at a

very high degree of completion,

with the second IKBO-38 having

been ordered from Tranzas for it.

It was announced at the

HeliRussia 2009 show that the

Mi-38 certification programme was

planned to be completed in 2014,

after which the helicopter can enter

full-rate production and deliveries.

The certification tests are expected

now to begin in 2011 at first with

the use of the second prototype

powered by the Canadian engines

after a small series of flights under

the in-house programme. Then

the third prototype powered by

TV7-117Vs will joint the trials.

Whether the first Mi-38 prototype

takes part in the certification test

programme or not depends on

the feasibility of buying a second

set of Canadian engines from

Pratt&Whitney (as is known, the

company provided the first set

for free). So far, the machine sits

in Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant’s

workshop in Panki (Moscow

Region) in a semiassembled state

following the completion of the

factory tests more than a year

ago.

Kazan Helicopters rolled out second Mi-38

Ilda

r V

ale

yev

Ale

xey M

ikh

eyev

According to the Biblic legend the

ancient architectures of the Tower of

Babel couldn’t complete their grand

project because they used different

languages between themselves and

didn’t understand each other.

After several thousand years in

XX century language divide could

become an insuperable obstacle

for international aviation passenger

network creation. It couldn’t be safe

to use it if English language hasn’t

been chosen as an international

language in aviation. The main

factor of safe flights is a radio

communication in English. Any

misunderstanding is at a high

price. There is a sad statistics

of aviation accidents saying that

communication failure between

pilots and air controllers became the

cause of a crash.

NITA

NEW INFORMATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES IN AVIATION

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

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

http://www.nita.ru

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

Motor Sich JSC trade mark is a symbol

of cost-effective, reliable, and competitive

products that are a part and parcel of avia-

tion industry of Ukraine. The company offers

state-of-the-art multipurpose aero engines

operated all over the world in more than 120

countries.

To expand its presence in the market of

aeronautical propulsion systems, Motor Sich

JSC is undertaking efforts to develop and

commercialise manufacture of a variety of new

promising aero engines and to upgrade com-

mercial ones, with D-436-148, AI-450-MS,

AI-450M, TV3-117VMA-SBM1V and

MS-500V among them.

D-436-148 engine has been developed

around the best design solutions; it is intend-

ed for An-148 passenger family airplanes.

An extensive package of design-and-research

works related to the engine combustion

chamber and enhancement of engine acous-

tic performance make it possible to provide

emission and noise levels substantially lower

than ICAO standards. In terms of its per-

formance, this commercially manufactured

engine is as good as its foreign competitor

products being developed currently.

Motor Sich JSC has developed AI-450-MS

two-shaft auxiliary gas turbine engine

(AGTE) for various An-148 modifications

and other passenger and cargo aircraft pow-

ered by cruise engines of D-436 family. It is

intended to start cruise engines and supply

compressed air and electric power to airplane

onboard systems, with cruise engines inop-

erative. High AI-450-MS AGTE efficiency is

attained through low specific fuel consump-

tion that is a result of high thermodynamic

cycle parameters, high efficiency of subas-

semblies, as well as a result of selecting air

bleed from an ancillary compressor; and

through low operation costs.

Currently, efforts are undertaken to develop

An-158 99-passenger airplane derived from

An-148 regional jet with its maiden flight per-

formed on 28 April 2010, An-168 corporate

aircraft with its range being up to 7,000 km,

cargo and military-cargo aircraft able to carry

20 t of cargo to a distance of up to 2,000 km

or 15 t to a distance of 3,200 km.

The company pays great attention to

manufacturing engines for utility helicop-

ters. AI-450 is the smallest helicopter engine

developed by Motor Sich JSC along with

Ivchenko-Progress design bureau. Various

engine modifications can provide takeoff

power at the range of 370 to 730 hp. AI-450M

engine modification is intended to re-mo-

torise Mi-2 helicopters previously manufac-

tured, wherein it is to replace GTD-350 gas

turbine engine. We hope that a huge world

of Mi-2 helicopter fleet opens good pros-

pects for AI-450M engine manufacture, with

re-motorising a substantial part of the fleet

being profitable.

To increase helicopter performance and

operational efficiency when operating at

higher altitudes and higher temperatures,

Motor Sich JSC has developed a new

TV3-117VMA-SBM1V helicopter engine

that possesses extended life limits: time before

the first overhaul and time between overhauls

(TBO) are 4,000 hours/cycles, total life is

12,000 hours/cycles.

TV3-117VMA-SBM1V engine has the

same weight and dimensions, overall and

fitting to fit the engine to helicopter fitting

points, like the engines that power Mi and Ka

helicopters. TV3-117VMA-SBM1V series 1

engine modification with FADEC automatic

control system is developed for new helicop-

ter projects. Using this automatic control

system will result in further enhancement of

engine and helicopter performances.

Upgraded Mi-24 helicopter powered by

TV3-117VMA-SBM1V engines has been

introduced into service by the Ministry

of Defence of Ukraine. Mi-24 helicopter

powered by TV3-117VMA-SBM1V engines

showed record rate of climb earlier in the

course of previous tests: it climbed at the alti-

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

take-off november 201022 w w w . t a ke - o f f . r ucommercial

MOTOR SICH ENGINES

Vyacheslav BOGUSLAYEV

Chairman of the Board,

Motor Sich JSC

FROM SMALL UAVs TO HEAVY LIFTERS

D-436-148

An-148

п р о м ы ш л е н н о с т ь | и т о г и

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

tude of 5 km for 9 minutes only, which means

2.5-time increase in rate of climb.

On 19 May 2010, Mi-8MTV helicopter

powered by TV3-117VMA-SBM1V engines

took off from the airfield of Konotop aircraft

repair and overhaul plant. The helicopter

climbed to the altitude of 8,100 m for 13 sec-

onds in the course of tests, with the world’s

record set up.

Taking into consideration changes of the

world helicopter market conditions, the

company is undertaking efforts to develop a

new generation of MS-500V family engines

of 600–1,000 hp power class, which are

intended for utility helicopters whose take

off weight is 3.5-6 t. As experts predict, the

market sector of this class helicopters is

going to be one of the most promising one

in the coming up years due to helicopter ver-

satility. A leading version of MS-500V model

line is going to be an engine of takeoff power

of 630 hp designed according to require-

ments specification by Kazan Helicopters

JSC for Ansat type helicopter.

Simple and effective design of MS-500V

family engine is typical for engines of this

class currently available. The core engine

includes a one-step centrifugal compressor

with high compression ratio, an annular

reverse flow combustor, and a one-step tur-

bine. Power developed by the one-step free

turbine is transmitted to the main helicopter

reduction gear through an integrated inter-

mediate reduction gear. The engine pos-

sesses an advanced electronic control and

monitoring system with hydromechanical

redundancy.

Currently, development efforts are under-

taken by Ivchenko-Progress design bureau

within AI-8000V engine project that is to be

implemented along with Motor Sich JSC.

The engine power is 8,250 hp at takeoff

power setting and 9,300 hp at emergency

power setting. The engine is intended for

heavy cargo helicopters and utility helicop-

ters of Mi-46 type.

D-136 engine is the largest helicopter

engine by Motor Sich JSC. It provides

power of 11,400 hp at takeoff power setting

at environment temperature of 15°С and

it has an unrivalled position in the world

in terms of this parameter. D-136 engine

is operated at Mi-26, the world’s largest

heavy-lift helicopter.

Currently, Ivchenko-Progress design

bureau is designing D-136 engine upgrade

project. A new engine has been designated

AI-136T1, and it is to provide power of

11,650 hp at maximum takeoff power setting;

the power specified is to be kept up to envi-

ronment temperature of 50°С. Emergency

power setting has been introduced to provide

power of 12,500 hp. AI-136T1 engine is

intended to upgrade Mi-26 helicopters and

to power new heavy-lift helicopters.

A wide range of helicopter engines manu-

factured and prospective ones makes it pos-

sible to implement virtually any project of

developing a new helicopter or re-motoris-

ing the ones available.

Developing multipurpose unmanned aer-

ial vehicles (UAVs) is considered one of the

most prospective trends in the development

of military aviation. Motor Sich JSC manu-

factured engines make it possible to develop

UAVs and missiles of various types and pur-

poses: from small UAVs powered by MS-100

engine to unmanned combat air vehicles

(UCAVs) powered by versions of AI-25TL

and AI-222 engine families, as well as strate-

gic UAVs powered by AI-22 type engines.

To summarise, it is pertinent to say that

aeronautical propulsion industry of Ukrain

can offer a wide range of engines that meet

requirements of the international regula-

tions. Developed and introduced by Motor

Sich JSC, its advanced technical and design

solutions are based on state-of-the-art

achievements of science and technology.

Close collaboration with designers and mul-

tiple partners allows the company to develop

engines that assure the future of air trans-

port.

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

w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u 23 commercial

Motor Sich JSC

15, Motorostroiteley av.

Zaporozhye 69068, Ukraine

Tel.: +38 (061) 720-48-14

Fax: +38 (061) 720-50-05

E-mail: motor@motorsich.com,

eo.vtf@motorsich.com

http://www.motorsich.com

take-off november 2010

TV3-117VMA-SBM1V

AI-136T

Mi-26T

Mi-24

JANUARY

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Aero India 2011www.aeroindia.in

UVS TECH 2011www.uvs-tech.ru

LAAD 2011www.laadexpo.com

HELIRUSSIA 2011www.helirussia.ru

Paris Air Show 2011www.paris-air-show.com

Sukhoi PAK FA fifth generation fighter

JULY

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MAKS-2011www.aviasalon.com

Dubai Airshow 2011www.dubaiairshow.aero

LIMA ‘11www.lima.com.my

2011

An-148 in Ukrainian skies…

Scheduled commercial services of the

An-148 in Ukraine kicked off on 2 June

2009. Following relevant improvements, the

Aerosvit airline launched passenger operations

of the first prototype (UR-NTA, c/n 01-01)

in cooperation with Antonov Airlines. The

first production An-148-100B (UR-NTC,

c/n 01-09) built by the Kiev-based Antonov

aircraft plant (formerly Aviant) this spring,

joined it on 21 May this year. In addition to

services in Ukraine and to Moscow, Aerosvit’s

two An-148s fly to several European cities,

particularly Tbilisi, Riga, Belgrade, Warsaw,

Budapest, Sofia, Stockholm, Athens and

Geneva.

Some of the results produced after the first

year of the An-148’s operation by Ukrainian

air carriers were referred to during a press

conference at the Aviasvit XXI air show. They

had carried about 74,000 passengers on 1,800

flights by September this year. The aircraft of

the type are said to have displayed good reli-

ability. For instance, while in 2009 the Boeing

737-200s in service with Ukrainian air carriers

An-148 production grows up

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

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

The advanced Antonov An-148 regional jet airliner, which operation Ukrainian and

Russian air carriers launched last year, became a head-turner of the Aviasvit XXI

international air show held in Kiev in late September and early October. Several new

agreements for delivery of production-standard An-148s to Ukrainian air companies

were signed during the air show. The An-148’s 99-seat stretch, the An-158 regional

jet, made its debut at the show. It had performed its maiden flight in April and had

been unveiled in Farnborough in July. In addition, some details were given about

other latest versions in the An-148 family during Aviasvit XXI, including information

about the ramp-fitted An-178 medium freighter being developed by Antonov.

Meanwhile, there also have been important developments under the programme of

the An-148’s production in Russia by VASO in Voronezh. The six production-standard

An-148-100Bs under the contract have been made for the launch customer, the

Rossiya state-owned transport company. The fifth aircraft launched operations late

in August, and the sixth one was prepared for delivery in November. These aircraft

are leased by the major Russian commercial aircraft lessor, Ilyushin Finance Co.

VASO is completing two An-148s under its first export contract made with Myanmar.

In addition, work is under way on planes for the Polyot airline and Rossiya special

flight detachment.

There also has been change to the management of the programme on building

Russian An-148s. While the leasing company Ilyushin Finance Co. had played a

leading part there, being funding their manufacturing at VASO, the Irkut corporation

has become the coordinator of the programme recently. Irkut is serving the basis for

establishing UAC – Commercial Planes, a division of the United Aircraft Corporation.

Irkut has become the managing company running the programme while Ilyushin

Finance Co. remained the main leasing company for Russian and foreign air

carriers.

Pio

tr B

uto

wski

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

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

had the 6.68-hour average time between fail-

ures and the Boeing 737-300/400/500s had

that of 11.89 hours, the An-148’s average time

between failures grew gradually from 11.57

hours during the initial period of operation

(from 2 June to 31 October 2009) to 16.23

hours (from 1 November 2009 to 31 March

2010) and to 30.26 hours now (from 1 April to

15 September 2010).

Having studied Aerosvit’s positive experi-

ence in operating the early An-148s, two

more major Ukrainian airlines, Dnepravia in

Dnepropetrovsk and Donbassaero in Donetsk,

voiced their intent to use airliners of the type

on their services. This resulted in several con-

tracts on more An-148s for Ukrainian carriers

signed during the air show, on 1 October.

For instance, Antonov and Leasingtechtrans

signed a contract of sale, while Antonov signed

aircraft exchange contracts with Aerosvit,

Donbassaero and Dnepravia. The contracts

stipulate the delivery of seven An-148s,

including the two already in service, until late

2011. Thus, Antonov has undertaken to deliv-

er five new aircraft until the end of next year.

The deal is to be made in the following man-

ner: Leasingtechtrans buys the planes from

Antonov and leases them to Antonov Airlines

that uses them in cooperation with Aerosvit,

Dnepravia and Donbassavia, members of the

Ukrainian Aviation Group alliance.

In addition, Antonov and Leasingtechtrans

on the same day signed a protocol of intent

covering the sale of 10 more An-148s for

other Ukrainian air companies. On 1 October,

Antonov also signed agreement with the

Ukraine state-owned air company that carries

top national officials and is similar to Russia’s

Rossiya special flight detachment. The agree-

ment stipulates the sale of six An-148s,

including two in the VIP configuration, dur-

ing 2011–2012.

To close the above deals and other con-

tracts, Antonov unveiled an ambitious pro-

gramme on full-scale An-148 and An-158

production by its Kiev-based plant. While the

company’s 2010 business plan provides for

making only three aircraft (most probably, the

second production An-148-100B c/n 01-10

and being completed now, An-148 c/n 01-09

that has been delivered to the customer and

An-158 c/n 01-02 prototype), the output is to

grow to 9–10 aircraft in 2011, 13–15 in 2012

and 20–21 in 2013, with the plant to churn

out 24 airliners of the type starting from 2014.

Thus, Antonov plans to have 95 An-148s and

An-158s to be assembled in Kiev between

2010 and 2015. In addition, the company will

continue making components for Russian-

assembled An-148s; for instance, 12–15 wing

panel sets are slated for production in 2010,

20–24 in 2011 and 29 in 2012, with the plant

to supply VASO with 36 sets a year starting

from 2013 to deliver a total of 172 wing panel

sets during 2010–2015. An impressive number

indeed! It is difficult, though, to believe in

it, given the actual results produced by the

former Aviant plant in terms of full-scale pro-

duction of the An-148 by now.

For these plans to become a reality there is a

strong need of attraction of significant finan-

cial resources for aircraft manufacturing in

Russia and Ukraine. IFC has a plan to open a

subsidiary leasing company in Ukraine which

activities will include sales of Kiev-assembled

An-148 and An-158. Besides IFC initiates a

Russian and Ukrainian leasing companies’

pool which can help to attract necessary

finances to production enterprises VASO in

Voronezh and Antonov in Kiev.

Overall, Antonov estimates the market for

the An-148-100 at about 300 aircraft and

that for the An-158 stretch at about 240.

Antonov’s leader Dmitry Kiva said in Kiev

that there had been 93 orders for the An-148

(probably, he meant both firm orders and vari-

ous preliminary agreements and protocols of

intent), including 78 aircraft from Russia, six

aircraft ordered by Ukraine, two by Myanmar

and seven by Kazakhstan. 36 aircraft more

could be options (Ukraine and Russia – 10

each, Iran – 16).

As to the An-158, Dmitry Kiva mentioned

20 orders in Russia (with IFC became the

launch customer for ten aircraft) and 87

options that could go firm after the airliner

has been certificated, which is anticipated to

take place late this year. The options in ques-

tion include five aircraft designed for Ukraine,

six for Cuba, 12 for Russia and 64 for Iran.

Actually, Iran can become a key customer for

the Ukrainian An-148 and An-158, given the

memorandum of understanding signed as far

back as 31 October 2008, under which up to

80 aircraft of the types are to be delivered to

Iranian carriers. Two of them are supposed

to be leased, 18 more are to be delivered by

Antonov’s plant in Kiev and the remain-

ing 60 could be licence-produced by Iranian

company HESA in Isfahan. The 80 airlin-

ers could include 16 standard-configuration

An-148-100s and 64 An-158 stretches.

Dmitry Kiva also spoke of the plans to

promote the specialised VIP variant of the

An-148, designated as An-168. It differs from

the baseline model in both a special enhanced-

comfort cabin layout for 14–19 seats and

Ale

xey M

ikheyev

Andrey FOMIN

The fifth production An-148-100B assembled by VASO plant in Voronezh was delivered

to its customer, Rossiya airline, in late August 2010

Left: the first production An-148-100B assembled in Kiev this spring and An-158

an extra fuel tank in the upper fuselage,

extending the maximum range to 7,000 km.

Antonov’s head estimated the An-168 market

slice at 50 aircraft and mentioned 11 options

already available – one from Bolivia and the

rest from Russia.

…and in Russia

Full-rate production of the An-148 in Russia

continues in cooperation with Ukrainian

companies, but the extent of locally-produced

components is to increase. To date, VASO

has productionised the whole of the An-148

fuselage (previously, F1 and F2 sections were

supplied from Kiev) and wing centre section,

empennage and a number of other com-

ponents. Wing panel sets are brought from

Kiev, landing gear from Dnepropetrovsk and

engines and APU from Zaporozhye. Some of

the workload could be taken off VASO further

down the line by transferring the wing centre

section production to KAPO in Kazan and

the F1 fuselage section to the Aviakor plant

(Samara).

VASO’s production programme provides

for construction of eight production-standard

An-148s this year, of which four have been

built and three delivered as of late October.

The output rate is to grow up to 16 aircraft in

2011 and account for 24 planes a year starting

from 2012. Thus, a total of 120 production-

standard An-148s are to be made in Voronezh

during 2010–2015, with as many to be built

until year-end 2020.

According to Ilyushin Finance Co. Director

General Alexander Rubtsov, Russia alone

needs about 170 aircraft of the An-148 family

now, which has been indicated by the exist-

ing contracts and preliminary agreements.

Therefore, the output rate has to be increased

to meet the demand. It is open secret that the

delay in reaching the planned output rate is a

main problem hindering the An-148 prolif-

eration and the landing of more firm orders.

The above plan of VASO’s An-148 pro-

duction in 2010–2015 and until 2020 is

grounded in Irkut’s forecast of delivering in

the coming 10 years 240 An-148s to Russian

air companies and governmental organisa-

tions and foreign customers as well. Now,

there are contracts for six An-148-100Bs to

be financially leased to the Rossiya state-

owned transport company by Ilyushin

Finance Co., four An-148-100B for Cuban

Airlines (leased by IFC), two An-148-100Es

to be delivered by UAC to the Myanmar

Defence Ministry and two An-148 VIP jets

to be delivered by UAC to the Rossiya spe-

cial flight detachment under an order from

the Presidential Administrative Office. In

addition, Sberbank Leasing awarded 10 firm

orders for An-148-100Es to be leased finan-

cially to the Polyot airline.

The contract for six An-148s for the Rossiya

state-owned transport company has virtu-

ally been fulfilled. The carrier took delivery

of the fifth aircraft (RA-61705, c/n 40-07)

on 23 August 2010, and the sixth plane

(RA-61706, c/n 40-09) began its acceptance

tests in September. Rossiya launched sched-

uled operations of its An-148-100B fleet on

21 December 2009. Four aircraft were being

operated as of late October with every An-148

aircraft in service has 200 flight hours monthly

on the average. And

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om

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nd

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om

in

An-158 (right) and the second production

An-148-100B in the assembly hall

of the Antonov production plant in Kiev

Another An-148-100B

assembly at VASO plant

in Voronezh

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

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

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

The construction of the two An-148s for

Myanmar (presumably, c/n 41-01 and 41-03)

is to be complete by VASO in November this

year. Before year-end, the plant could assem-

ble one more An-148 designed, probably, for

the Polyot airline (completion of two aircraft

c/n 41-04 and 41-06 was slated for December

previously). “The company plans to launch

An-148 operations in 2011”, Polyot Director

General Anatoly Karpov said during the sig-

nature of the contract on 12 October. UAC’s

news release dedicated to this mentions that

“delivery of An-148 planes to the Polyot

company will begin in March 2011, but the

contract also provides for ahead-of-schedule

deliveries as well”.

According to Irkut’s 2010–2020 An-148 sales

plan obtained by the Vedomosti daily, potential

Russian customers for the airliner include such

carriers, as Moscow Airlines (which could

buy up to 30 aircraft), Vladivostok Avia (4),

Cuban Airlines (4), Saravia (6), Moskovia (10),

Angara (2), Grozny-Avia (2), Kolavia (4),

Taimyr (10), Krasavia (15), Dagestan

Airlines (15), etc. In addition, Sergey Belov,

Director General of the Rossiya state-owned

transport company, said during the air show in

Kiev that his company was intent on exercising

its nine An-148 options in the future.

The Defence Ministry, Emergencies Ministry,

Ministry of Interior, and Aviation Department

of the Federal Security Service could be among

Russia’s governmental customers for the An-148.

The Presidential Administrative Office may buy

more planes of the type.

As of the past summer, several Indian carri-

ers as well as Venezuelan, Bolivian and Cuban

ones were among potential foreign buyers.

IFC is having negotiations about An-148

and An-158 regional jets leasing with clients

from South-East Asia (China and Vietnam)

as well as from Latin America (Venezuela,

Bolivia, Argentina, Chile, Ecuador and

Cuba). Following IFC Director General

Alexander Rubtsov not only Russian but

foreign companies as well have strong inter-

est in new Russian- and Ukrainian-built

aircraft and have need of leasing services.

That’s why IFC has begun expansion of its

business abroad. A contract was signed with

Venezuela on founding a leasing company

on a shared basis. The work of founding the

same companies in South-East Asia and the

Middle East is under way. Negotiations are

held with major financial institutes from

China and Iran.

Mention should be made that the first

year of scheduled operation of An-148s

by Russian and Ukrainian air companies

has been quite successful. Despite several

unavoidable teething problems inherent

in any advanced hardware, both opera-

tors and passengers praise the airliner.

This, coupled with the impressive poten-

tial orderbook, makes the An-148’s future

bright enough. The manufacturer has only

to increase the output rate, stick to high

quality standards and pay closer attention

to the wishes of the users.

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

An agreement on delivery of 50 short/

medium-haul airliners to the Russian

Technologies state corporation that

manages assets of a number of major

Russian air carriers was signed in a

ceremony on 17 September, during

the Sochi 2010 investment forum. The

planes are to be delivered between 2016

and 2022. Russian Premier Vladimir

Putin and United Aircraft Corporation

(UAC) President Alexey Fyodorov

attended the ceremony. The agreement

was signed by Russian Technologies

Director General Sergey Chemezov and

Irkut Corp. President Oleg Demchenko.

Under the agreement, a firm order

for the MC-21 delivery will have been

made by late December 2010. Given the

agreement with Russian Technologies,

the MC-21 orderbook has grown up to

190 units, with the first 140 airliners

having been ordered at the Farnborough

air show in July this year.

During the Farnborough air show, Irkut

operated a pavilion of its own, in which it

set up a full-scale mock-up of a 20-m-long

section of the fuselage of the MC-21 short/

medium-haul passenger plane now under

development. The section included the flight-

deck, passenger cabin, galley and lavatories.

Thus, in Farnborough, potential customers

had for the first time enjoyed an opportu-

nity to see with their own eyes what Irkut

offered as opposed to the Airbus A320 and

Boeing 737 aircraft that have monopolised the

global market. However, the unveiling of the

full-scale MC-21 fuselage mock-up was not

the only key event in Irkut’s pavilion where

the launch contracts and agreements on the

advanced airliner’s deliveries were signed dur-

ing the early days of the show.

The MC-21 launch customer is Malaysian

investment company Crecom Burj Resources

that awarded 50 firm orders (25 MC-21-200s

and 25 MC-21-300s designed for 168 and 212

seats in the single-class tourist layout respec-

tively). The contract is valued at $3 billion in list

prices, with the delivery slated for 2016–20.

Crecom Burj Resources has far-reaching

plans to promote the MC-21 on the Southeast

Asian market. In addition, to develop

Malaysia’s aircraft industry, the company pro-

poses the establishment of a MC-21 domestic

regional maintenace centre, which will enable

it to take part in the full-rate production of the

aircraft of the type.

And

rey F

om

in

Ale

xey V

olo

kh

ov

Piotr BUTOWSKI

At the ceremony of signing a contract with Crecom Burj Resources, Malaysia. Left to right: Oleg

Demchenko, President, Irkut Corp., Alexey Fyodorov, President, UAC, and Khairil Anuar Rahman,

Chairman, Crecom Burj Resources

MC-21 LANDS ITS FIRST ORDERS

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

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

Later on, Irkut signed letter of intent for

90 more MC-21 aircraft in Farnborough.

The Ilyushin Finance Co. leasing compa-

ny ordered 28 airliners of the type with 22

options (50 aircraft in all). Another Russian

aircraft lessor, VEB-Leasing, made an agree-

ment for 15 planes with 15 options. Two

letters of intent were signed by air carriers as

well: Russian tourist charter carrier Nordwind

ordered five MC-21s plus two options, and a

customer, who requested anonymity, ordered

the same number of airliners. Overall, the

deals clinched generated a good orderbook for

the MC-21 developer, totalling 140 aircraft.

According to the developer, the MC-21

will one-up its closest foreign rival, the Airbus

A320, in better efficiency, since its direct

operating costs are expected to be 12–15%

less, fuel efficiency 25% higher and mainte-

nance costs 30% lower.

This is to be achieved through using cutting-

edge equipment and systems from major for-

eign manufacturers and a number of ingenious

design and layout solutions. For instance, a

large part of the airliner’s design, 35–37%, is

composites, of which, in particular, the wing

and empennage will be made in full.

The most important component of the

MC-21’s competitive edge concept is the

comfort unprecedented for aircraft in the

class. The MC-21’s cabin is 3.65 m wide,

which is 12 cm more than that of the A320

and 19 cm of the cabin of the Boeing 737.

This allows either using wider and more

comfortable seats or increasing the width

of the aisle, which will expedite boarding

and disembarkation and enable passengers

to pass clearly of service trolleys easily.

Like the Dreamliner, the MC-21 will have

larger passenger windows. Comfort will be

enhanced by maintaining a cabin pressure

corresponding to an altitude of 1,830 m

(the cabin pressure of the EU and US

rivals corresponds to the 2,400-m altitude)

and using a very effective air conditioning

system.

When launching the MC-21, a lot was said

about the window of opportunities for the

programme. At present, air carriers all over

the world have essentially to choose between

two types of medium-haul narrow-body air-

liners – the A320 family and Boeing 737. The

orderbooks of the two are set for several years

to come, because single-aisle planes are all

the rage in the world now. Thus, if Irkut can

deliver on its promises and bring the MC-21

on the market in 2016, it will have a very good

chance to carve up a good slice of the market

for itself. Irkut President Oleg Demchenko

estimates that the MC-21 programme can

win the company up to 10% of the global

150–200-seat narrow-body airliner market.

Leading Western companies, which joined the

MC-21 programme, agree with him, believing

the MC-21 output may exceed 1,000 aircraft.

UAC President Alexey Fyodorov said, “The

MC-21 is UAC’s priority as far as civil avia-

tion programmes are concerned. The plants in

Ulyanovsk and Voronezh are coming on board;

they will join UAC’s division being established

on the basis of Irkut. The government is doing

its best to facilitate the programme. Pursing

the MC-21 programme, we are developing a

new-generation passenger plane and, hence,

high-tech branches of Russia’s economy”.

There is little time left before the airliner’s

maiden flight. Irkut plans that the first MC-21

will take to the skies in late 2014. If all goes

to plan, its certification tests will have been

complete by 2016 and then deliveries of early

production-standard airliners to the launch cus-

tomer will kick off.

And

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om

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nd

rey F

om

in

And

rey F

om

inA

nd

rey F

om

in

MC-21’s glass cockpit

MC-21 passenger cabins: business class

and tourist class (right)

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

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

Models of MC-21 three

versions

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

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

32

Late in August, Sukhoi’s divi-

sion Novosibirsk Aircraft Production

Association (NAPO) completed the

assembly and conducted the maiden

flight of the lead Su-34 tactical bomb-

er under a five-year governmental

contract for 32 aircraft of the type

for the Russian Air Force, conclud-

ed in December 2008. In all, NAPO

is to build and deliver four Su-34s

this year, which has been confirmed

by Sukhoi Director General Mikhail

Pogosyan during the latest air show

in Farnborough. The remaining three

aircraft are in Novosibirsk in the final

stages of assembly.

The RusAF Commander-in-Chief,

Col.-Gen. Alexander Zelin said on

1 September during his visit to

Voronezh that the four aircraft would

enter service with the Voronezh air

base (Baltimor airfield) operating

previous-generation Su-24M tactical

bombers at present. In the course of

the RusAF’s revamping, the disband-

ing of the air regiments stationed

at Shatalovo and Buturlinovka air

bases in the Smolensk and Voronezh

regions is expected to result in acti-

vation of a largest air base in the

country. It is to operate Su-24MR and

MiG-25RB recce aircraft and Su-25

ground attack aircraft in addition to

Su-34s and Su-24Ms – about a hun-

dred warplanes in all.

The Russian Defence Ministry

has taken delivery of five production

Su-34s to date. Three of them (serials

02, 04 and 05) are used for operational

evaluation by the RusAF Combat and

Conversion Training Centre (CCTC) in

Lipetsk and two more (serials 01 and

03), along with several LRIP aircraft,

are used in the final stages of the

official tests at the Defence Ministry’s

Chkalov GLITs State Flight Test Centre

in Akhtubinsk. The Lipetsk-based

Su-34s flew across the country and

took part in large-scale Exercise

Vostok 2010 (East 2010) this summer

(see the picture).

The new aircraft built under the

2008 governmental contract differ

from the aircraft of the type earlier

built by NAPO in several improve-

ments. For instance, they are pow-

ered by upgraded engines, AL-31F

Series 42s (AL-31F-M1s), developed

and produced by MMPP Salut plant.

The engines feature enhanced thrust

and a longer service life. The deci-

sion to fit all subsequent production

Su-34s with such engines was taken

following the AL-31F Series 42’s suc-

cessful official trials, Salyt Director

General Yury Yeliseyev announced at

the Engines 2010 show this spring.

AL-31F Series 42 engines already

power the 24 Su-27SM fighters oper-

ated by a RusAF air base in the

Russian Far East.

Further down the road, new

Su-34s are going to be furnished

with an APU derived by Aerosila from

the TA14-130-35 auxiliary power unit

equipping the Su-35 fighter. The use

of the APU will give a considerable

shot in the arm to the Su-34’s self-

contained operation. According to

the ARMS-TASS news agency, tests

of the APU on board a Su-34 com-

menced at GLITs this summer.

In addition, the passed milestones

of the tests have led to the introduc-

tion into the aircraft of advanced

operating modes for their avionics,

specifically for the phased-array fire

control radar from the Leninets hold-

ing company.

If all goes to plan, the Su-34 will

have completed the full set of its

official tests at GLITs by year-end,

which will enable the first RusAF

line air base to receive four cutting-

edge aircraft NAPO is assembling

and testing now. In the future, NAPO

is going to step up the Su-34 output

rate: Mikhail Pogosyan said during

the Farnborough air show in July that

the out was to reach 12–20 aircraft

a year.

The first Sukhoi Su-30M2 two-

seat multirole fighter made under

the governmental contract award-

ed last August during the MAKS

2009 air show performed its first

flight from the factory airfield of

the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft

Production Association (KnAAPO)

on 17 September 2010. As is known,

KnAAPO, a division of Sukhoi, is

under the contract to manufac-

ture 64 combat aircraft, including

12 Su-27SM single-seaters, four

Su-30M2 twin-seaters and 48 cut-

ting-edge Su-35S fighters and deliv-

er them to the Russian Air Force until

2015. The first of the Su-35s ordered

by the Defence Ministry is nearly

completed by KnAAPO and is due to

fly for the first time before year-end.

In 2011 the first four production

Su-35S aircraft will join official tests

to begin soon with the deliveries

of the next production fighters to

RusAF manoeuvre units to com-

mence in 2012–2013. By the way

the Defence Ministry is pondering an

order for several Su-30MKI twin-seat

supermanoeuvrable fighters as well

from the Irkut Corp.’s Irkutsk Aviation

Plant for use by RusAF aircrews for

Su-35 conversion training.

New Su-34s for Russian Air Force

The first Su-30M2 built

Yury

Ka

bern

ik

Kn

AA

PO

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

Moscow

Rybinsk

Kazan Perm

SamaraUfa

Ekaterinburg

Novosibirsk

Ula-Ude

St.Petersburg

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

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

adve

rtis

ing

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

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

companies in helicopters and engines manufacturing.

Rostov-Don

Arseniev

Kumertau

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

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

34

The flight trials of the first

prototype of the Sukhoi’s Future

Tactical Fighter (PAK FA) resumed

in Zhukovsky (Moscow Region) in

mid-August following a two-month

break for scheduled improve-

ments. On 31 August the aircraft

was demonstrated to a high-

ranking Indian delegation, whose

members and their Russian coun-

terparts discussed the coming

establishing of the joint venture

designed to develop and produce

the fifth-generation future mul-

tirole fighter known in India and

FGFA. Test pilot Sergey Bogdan, a

holder of the Merited Test Pilot of

Russia title, performed an impres-

sive set of aerobatics on the T50-1

for the delegation.

Two other Sukhoi design bureau

pilots joined the PAK FA test pro-

gramme in September. Roman

Kondratyev flew the plane for the

first time on 15 September while

Yury Vaschuk on 20 September. A

bigger team of the pilots qualified

for flying the advanced fighter

will speed up the tests that a

second flying PAK FA prototype

is expected to join by the end of

the year.

8 October saw the delivery of the

first three Ansat-U trainer helicopters

to the Russian Air Force Academy

Syzran Affiliate as the Syzran Flight

School has been renamed recently.

The machines were ferried from the

Kazan Helicopters JSC to Syzran

Flight School airfield by the school’s

Deputy Commander for Flight

Training Col. Alexander Pantsev,

Maj. Anatoly Anafrichuk and Lt.-Col.

Ivan Gnetetsky with the Army

Aviation Combat and Conversion

Training Centre (CCTC) in Torzhok.

It is the Torzhok-based CCTC where

Syzran-based instructor pilots had

converted to the new helicopter

type, using the Ansat-U machines

delivered from the Kazan Helicopters

earlier this year.

In Syzran, the Ansat-Us will oust

the obsolete Mi-2s used for initial

training. Two more new Ansat-Us

flew to Syzran Flight School from

the city of Kazan on 20 October, and

the Russian Defence Ministry web

site says, “The Air Force Academy

Syzran Affiliate will have received as

many as seven new helicopters by

year-end”.

Hero of Russia Col. Nikolay

Yartsev, commander of the Air Force

Academy Syzran Affiliate, called the

arrival of the Ansat-Us to Syzran

a “historic event”. This year, the

only Russian military helicopter

pilots’ flight school, which turned

70, has received new aircraft for the

first time in many years – four new

Mi-8MTs were delivered in June and

the long-awaited conversion to the

Ansat-U has begun.

PAK FA tests go on

First Ansat helicopters arrive to Syzran

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

The history of 558 Aircraft Repair Plant

started on 26 June 1941 – virtually on

the first days of the Great Patriotic War.

Nowadays the plant is a major aircraft repair

enterprise which acquired a reputation of

a reliable partner owing to high quality of

aircraft repairs and individual approach to

each Customer. Special attention is paid

to development of new models of military

hardware and service equipment, as well

as to introduction of new technological

processes.

558 APR performs overhaul of the Su-17

(Su-22), Su-25, Su-27, MiG-29 and An-2

aircraft, Mi-8 (Mi-17) and Mi-24 (Mi-35)

helicopters of all versions. The enterprise

carries out full cycle of overhaul of the

airframes and all component items. Besides,

the plant successfully works on the upgrade

of aviation materiel. Upgraded MiG-29 and

Su-27 fighters acquire brand new features

and combat capabilities: they received an

improved cockpit display and management

system, advanced navigation and radar

sighting systems as well as an expanded

weapon suite. Another area of aircraft

upgrade is installation of SATELLITE

system – an onboard equipment of

individual radio engineering protection

which nearly eliminate the possibility of

hitting the protected object by missiles with

radar guided homing heads; the jamming

is created to all attacking enemy radars

(fighters, interceptors, surface-to-air

missiles, etc.).

The jamming impact is formed

automatically at all stages of interception

enabling the pilot to carry out his combat

mission without being distracted to activate

jamming. SATELLITE does not interfere

the operation of onboard equipment of

protected aircraft. The system can be

installed both on combat and civil aircraft

either in containers or inside the airframe.

To make container option more efficient,

SATELLITE-M version was developed.

The advantage of this version is that the

containers with equipment are designed

in the form of transition beams for two

hardpoints holding aircraft weapons, so our

system does not occupy separate hardpoint.

When blanketed enemy radar is in the

scanning mode, the system creates masking

interference in the channels of range, speed

and angular data. On the enemy scanning

displays numerous false target marks appear

making it difficult to identify the true target

amidst the false ones.

In the tracking mode, the equipment

produces driven disturbances in the channels

of angular data measurement. Radar aerial

starts tracking the false target situated in the

different direction relative to the protected

aircraft. Angular position of the false target

changes in the predetermined manner

imitating manoeuvres of the protected

aircraft.

Jamming creates a latent controllable

withdrawal of goniometrical scanning

systems which results in occurrence of

intensive sign-alternating overload of missiles

and curving their flight-path guidance thus

considerably decreasing missiles flight range

and increasing their current and final miss.

Owing to accumulated experience,

unique qualification of personnel, advanced

production facilities, high quality of service,

strict and timely execution of the orders,

558 ARP earned well-deserved authority

among the airmen of many countries of the

world.

558 ARP is always open for cooperation.

558 Aircraft Repair Plant JSCBld. 7, 50 let VLKSM, Baranovichi,

Brest region, 225320, Republic of Belarus Tel.: +375 (163) 42-99-54 Fax: +375 (163) 42-91-64

E-mail: box@558arp.byhttp://www.558arp.by

558 ARP OFFERS 558 ARP OFFERS SATELLITESATELLITE

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

Scanning mode Lock-on and tracking of the false target

Missile launch

Let us start with the ‘hottest’ Tikhomirov-NIIP’s ongoing programme – the AESA radar development to fit the fifth-generation fighter. What is the status of the programme and what results were achieved by now?

We at Tikhomirov-NIIP believe the pro-

gramme has made quite an advance. We have

assembled three AESA prototypes, gotten a

wealth of experience and understood full well

what has to be done with the transmit-receive

(T-R) modules and the rest of the design of

the radar. We have outlined efforts to iron out

the deficiencies revealed during the bench

tests and are launching the manufacture of a

couple of experimental modules earmarked for

testing new solutions. However, even the first

three AESAs made have displayed virtually all

of the design characteristics and proved their

high endurance. We have completed all of the

mechanical and climatic tests, with the anten-

na operating smoothly under all conditions.

We have dealt with all of the cooling issues that

are rather difficult to us because the cooling of

a rather power-consuming AESA is one of the

most difficult phases of its development. Our

designers have come up with an ingenious solu-

tion to the cooling issues.

When is the AESA to be flight-tested?The developer of the aircraft will set the

timing. The tentative decision is that the sec-

ond AESA, previously earmarked for avionics

bench testing by Sukhoi, will be mounted on

the third PAK FA prototype. It is quite possible

that this will take place early next year. Then

we will equip the fourth fighter’s prototype with

production-standard radar fitted with the third

AESA we are testing now.

Based on the bench test results produced, is it possible to give a preliminary assessment whether your radar is a success or not and assesses its strengths and weaknesses com-pared with its Western analogues?

Certainly, our AESA is a success; it is as

good as any foreign radar of the type. We have

evaluated the transmission power and recep-

tion noise, and the results give us hope that

the performance of our AESA will surpass

even that of the F-22’s radar. We have tested

a whole range of operating modes – surveil-

lance, lock-on, tracking, multiple-target and

simultaneous beam shaping. If we had a fly-

ing testbed, we would have proved the radar’s

strengths on real sorties already. I hope, the

decision to have the flying testbed made will

be taken eventually.

As is known, the radar system of the fifth-gen-eration fighter will comprise five AESAs. We have spoken about the basic one in the front so far. What about the rest of them?

Naturally, we have been working on all

of the components of the radar system. The

L-band wing array have been manufactured

and tested. We are waiting for the fighter’s

developer to send us relevant wing compo-

nents for us to check our AESAs using stand-

ard fairings. The side-looking array documen-

tation has been issued as well. The advanced

T-R modules I have mentioned will be tested

on side-looking AESAs and then will be used

in the forward-looking antenna, because there

is no radical difference in the technologies of

the front and side-looking AESAs. The com-

plete system, comprising the five AESAs will

be installed in the next fighter prototypes.

Let us talk about another of your advanced designs, the Irbis phased array radar. How is its development going on?

As far as the Irbis is concerned, we have made

good progress during its flight trials that now

involve two Su-35 prototypes and a Su-30 fly-

ing testbed. The radar has operated smoothly

and proven virtually all of the design charac-

teristics in terms of range, including its unique

long-range acquisition mode. An advanced

transmitter has been developed, and its design

reliability has ensured. The preliminary tests

have been completed, and the Su-35 is wait-

ing now for a nod to start its official trials. The

first production Su-35 will have been made in

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

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

TIKHOMIROV-NIIP AESA READY FOR FLIGHT TESTS

INTERVIEW WITH TIKHOMIROV-NIIP DIRECTOR GENERAL YURY BELYA feature of the future fifth-generation

fighter is to be its highly automated

multifunctional integrated active elec-

tronically scanned array (AESA) radar

system. Such radar is under devel-

opment by the Tikhomirov Scientific

Research Institute of Instrument Design

(Tikhomirov-NIIP). To date, Tikhomirov-

NIIP has made three X-band AESA pro-

totypes as well as experimental L-band

AESA and conducted extensive lab

tests and debugging. Tikhomirov-NIIP

Director General Yury Bely told Take-off

about the state of the AESA develop-

ment programme and other pressing

issues.

w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u 37 take-off november 2010

Komsomolsk-on-Amur before year-end, and

the Ryazan State Instrument-Making Plant is

finalising the bench tests of production-stand-

ard Irbis radar slated for installation in it. The

second radar has been made to fit the second

production aircraft, with the third and fourth

being manufactured. So, the four produc-

tion Irbis radars will be delivered in the near

future and be used in the official tests as part

of the production-standard Su-35s. We test

all operating modes on the flying testbed and

then on two Su-35 prototypes, after which the

only thing left is to have their performance

confirmed using the standard Irbis radars on

board production aircraft.

Do you plan to upgrade your previous phased-array radar, the Bars? The media also have reported that replacing the Su-30MKI’s Bars with the Zhuk-AE radar is allegedly being pondered. What do you think of that?

Upgrade of the Su-30MKI fighter is a sepa-

rate line of work providing for gradual upgrade

of the Bars phased-array radar as well. Stage

One of the upgrade is to enhance its perform-

ance through introducing advanced operat-

ing modes and more capable computers and

maximising the hardware solutions of the

existing phased-array radar productionised

in India. Stage Two is slated for replace the

passive phased array with an AESA. We have

reached agreement with the customer for such

work, but no contract has been signed yet.

Nonetheless, we have been following this line

of work already, paying for that out of pocket.

As for the hypothetical replacement of the

Bars with the Zhuk-AE, we do not believe

such a switch makes sense for a number

of reasons. Firstly, even the first stage of

upgrade will make the Bars more capable

than the Zhuk-AE in terms of potential

characteristics, and when fitted with an

AESA it will boost its superiority even

further. Secondly, the radar’s replace-

ment would call for a very hard work

to mate the other radar with the avionics

and, hence, a lot of testing. Thirdly, the

customer bought a license for full-scale pro-

duction of the Su-30MKI fighter, including

its Bars radar, and large-scale production

has kicked off. The upgrade retains continu-

ity, while the radar replacement will mean a

waste of money.

Would you dwell on other of your efforts to expand the capabilities of the existing radars?

Just a fortnight ago, in late September,

there was the first successful launch of an

upgraded air-to-air missile by a Su-27SM3

prototype, with the missile hitting its tar-

get. To extend the missile’s range, we had

upgraded the antenna, transmitter and RF

update channel of the Su-27’s organic radar.

The Su-27SM3 upgraded fighter entered

its official tests and, probably, will serve the

pattern for upgrading the Su-27 fighters in

combat units.

In addition, gradual upgrade of the

MiG-31 interceptor equipped with

our Zaslon weapon control system with

phased-array radar continues. As is known,

during Phase One of the upgrade, the

MiG-31 fleet was fitted with an advanced

computer system and an up-to-date cockpit

management system at the weapon systems

operator’s station. Aircraft upgraded this

way have been fielding with combat units

now. Phase Two will see the weapons suite

beefed up through adopting advanced medi-

um- and long-range missiles and upgrading

the Zaslon radar accordingly.

The team you led developed small-size phased array radar, the Osa, to fit light war-planes, e.g. the Russian Yak-130, Chinese FC-1 (JF-17), etc. Has it got a future?

Unfortunately, no contracts for the

radar have been awarded yet but some

customers show their strong interest in

it. At the same time, other potential

customers have shown interest in

such radars, suggesting applica-

tion of the Osa radar on various

land-based and naval platforms.

The same goes for the larger

phased-array radar of ours, the

Irbis.

As for our airborne radars,

we will focus in the near future

on completing the fifth-generation

AESA radar development, finishing the

Irbis’s trials and productionising it for use

on the Su-35, and upgrading the well-known

Zaslon radar for the MiG-31, Bars for the

Su-30MKI and N001 for the Su-27 and

Su-30MK2.

Thank you for an interesting interview and all the best in your work.

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

Wing-mounted L-band AESA prototype

at MAKS 2009 airshow

X-band AESA prototype during bench

tests in Tikhomirov-NIIP laboratory

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

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

Nitka’s problems that derailed the training

session of the Russian carrierborne air regi-

ment pilots last year have recurred this year,

too, in the form of the arrestor gear being in

need of repair. Engineers with the Proletarsky

Zavod plant (St. Petersburg) have run a tech-

nical assessment of the state of the devices,

for which purpose Arrestor Gear No. 4 was

disassembled and examined thoroughly. The

examination proved the feasibility of train-

ing resumption with the use of three arrestor

gears, which is quite permissible even on

board the aircraft carrier.

Time flies, and the carrierborne air regi-

ment has been left recently by its old hands,

some getting higher billets and other putting

in for separation due to their age. The threat

of losing experienced personnel and continu-

ity in the Russian Navy’s unique and only

carrierborne air regiment has emerged against

the backdrop of the continuous reforming of

the Russian Armed Forces.

However, command spotted the negative

trend on time, and new pilots were posted

to the regiment – both rookie lieutenants

and those transferred from the Air Force

following a thorough selection. Manning

the air regiment and preserving its seasoned

personnel is especially important due to the

Russian Navy’s plans to have new aircraft

carriers built, because one naval aviation

regiment will certainly not be enough to

deploy on all of them. It seems that the

Navy will not have to start from scratch any

Late August and September saw the training of pilots with the carrierborne

regiment of the Russian Navy’s Northern Fleet resume at the NIUTK ground-based

test and training facility (Nitka in the Russian pilots’ vernacular) in the Crimea.

Last time Northern Fleet pilots trained here was in summer 2007, the 2008 training

session was disrupted due to the known developments in the Caucasus, and the

Nitka facility itself experienced technical problems in 2009. There have been some

issues earlier this year, too. A Take-off correspondent visited the training at Nitka

in Saki.

FOLLOWING FOLLOWING A LONG PAUSEA LONG PAUSEReport from NitkaReport from Nitka

more when time calls for an increase in car-

rierborne aviators.

To train at Nitka this year, six Su-33 carri-

erborne single-seat fighters, three Su-25UTG

twin-seat trainers and a land-based Su-27UB

combat trainer flew to the Crimea from the

Severomorsk-3 naval air station, the air regi-

ment’s home base. KnAAPO had overhauled

the Su-33s not long before that. The regiment

is to receive four more aircraft of the type

in autumn – the overhaul pace unheard-of

for many years, actually, since the regiment

received the aircraft 16 years ago.

Almost 20 flying shifts had been done at

Nitka within only a month, with all tasks

fulfilled. Owing to the good job done by the

seasoned Ukrainian Navy personnel, main-

taining the facility, and support units, the pilots

restored and honed their ski-jump ramp-assist-

ed takeoff and arrested landing skills. The most

important is that the regiment’s five new pilots

performed arrested landing by themselves after

flight training supervised by instructor pilots.

Lt.-Col. Oleg Kostyanoy, Maj. Andrey Pestov

and Capt. Stanislav Avdin landed on the simu-

lated deck for the first time on a Su-33, and

Capt. Victor Tombak and Lt. Alexey Bityuk

first snagged the arresting cable with the hook

of a Su-25UTG.

As usual, the training was influenced by the

Nitka facility’s peculiarities caused by con-

tinuous change in the force and direction of

Victor DRUSHLYAKOV

Photos by the author

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

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

Left to right: Northern Fleet Air Arm combat training department head senior inspector pilot Igor

Matkovsky, shipborne fighter regiment commander Yevgeny Kuznetsov, and fighter squadron

deputy commander Vladimir Kokurin

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

w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u40

the wind. When operating off a carrier, this

factor is more stable owing to the ship’s ability

to manoeuvre. Nonetheless, the Nitka training

was a success despite the existing limitations.

The regiment’s ground crews, too, performed

well, maintaining the aircraft in combat readi-

ness far away from the home base.

Unfortunately, aircrews were unable to

begin to learn the ropes on the advanced

MiG-29KUB carrierborne fighter, though

the decision to field the fighter with the air

regiment had been taken as far back as a year

ago. The delivery of the first production-

standard aircraft of the type is believed to be

next year.

The Admiral Kuznetsov carrier put to sea in

late September, by the time the regiment had

come back from the Crimea, with the flight

training continuing on deck. The first flight

session on board the Admiral Kuznetsov took

place on 6 October. Carrierborne operations

were supposed to go on, weather permitting,

until early November.

The carrier is slated for overhaul and

upgrade next year, which could last until

2015, during which time, another training

session is planned for Nitka in 2011, with

MiG-29KUBs’ participation being a possi-

bility. Once the session has been completed,

repair of Nitka’s arrestors will be unavoid-

able and rather expensive. Further down the

line, a new training facility is to be commis-

sioned in Yeisk (Krasnodar district). This will

allow longer larger-scale training of naval

pilots, with training no longer being subject

to political and technical uncertainties. The

annual dreary preparatory period, which is

unavoidable under the Russian-Ukrainian

Nitka lease agreement, will no longer be

necessary.

By the way development of the future car-

rierborne aircraft is being launched in Russia.

Nobody doubts any longer the importance

of the Russian Navy developing an aircraft

carrier force of its own and Russia’s aircraft

industry developing advanced carrier-based

aircraft. Hence, the programme should be

given national priority owing to its complexity

and the huge investment required.

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

w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u40

Lt. Alexey Bityuk who made his first arrester

landing during this training

take-off november 2010

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

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

Flight training onboard Admiral Kuznetsov carrier,

October 2010

Serg

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

w w w . t a ke - o f f . r u42 take-off november 2010

Background

The new Sino-Pakistani fighter dates back

to the later 1980s, when Pakistan began to

consider a replacement for the obsolescent

F-6 (the Chinese derivative of the Soviet

MiG-19) and, further down the road, the

F-7 (the Chinese version of the MiG-21,

which was supplied to PAF on a large scale

in the F-7P variant). After attempts at woo-

ing US companies to join the programme

had failed, the Chengdu plant’s efforts to

develop a successor to the F-7 carried on

solo. The programme was dubbed Super 7.

The China Aviation Technology Import and

Export Corporation (CATIC) offered it to

Pakistan on the equal financial participation

and risk sharing terms. Initially, the Super 7

was expected to carry Chinese-made avion-

ics and weapons, with adaptation of Western

ones further down the line being a possibil-

ity. Assembly of production-standard aircraft

was to be launched by PAC in Kamra, which

had had an experience in repairing Chinese

fighters and making their spares. China and

Pakistan in 1988 made an intergovernmental

agreement on co-development a co-produc-

tion of a new fighter designated in China as

FC-1 (Fighter China, the first fighter devel-

oped by China).

Meanwhile, construction of the early pro-

totypes of the fighter was in full swing at

CAC’s Chengdu plant. Russian-made after-

burning turbofan engine RD-93, a derivative

of the MiG-29’s baseline RD-33 tailored for

use on single-engine planes, was selected

to power it. The Klimov company in St.

Petersburg developed the RD-93 that dif-

fered from the baseline model in having

an accessory gearbox mounted below the

engine, advanced airframe attachment fit-

tings and an improved control system, while

retained the basic thrust, fuel consumption,

weight and dimensions. Klimov supplied the

first RD-93 prototypes to China in 2002–

2003 to fit FC-1 prototypes.

In early 2000s, the Chengdu plant launched

construction of six prototypes of the new

fighter, including four designed for flight

tests. The first prototype, PT-1, had been

completed by summer 2003 and performed

its maiden mission on 25 August 2003, con-

trolled by test pilot Wang Wenjian. On the

same day, PAF announced a new designation

for the plane – the JF-17, with JF standing

And

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A most interesting warplane novelty shown in

a static display area of the Farnborough air

show this summer was the JF-17 (FC-1) light

multirole fighter developed by the Chengdu

Aircraft Industry Corporation (CAC) in the

Chinese city of Chengdu and adopted by the

Pakistani Air Force (PAF) recently. During the

upcoming Zhuhai air show, the fighter is to

debut in the demonstration flight programme

as well. The aircraft is co-produced by CAC

and the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex

(PAC) in Kamra.

The light fighter in the 10-t class, which

mounts relatively up-to-date avionics and

weapons, has been dubbed ‘21st-century

MiG-21’ by the media. Indeed, the JF-17

emerged in China as a successor to the

clone of the legendary Soviet MiG-21 – the

J-7 (F-7) that had been in production there

for years. However, time will tell whether the

new plane becomes as popular in the world

as the famous Soviet fighter was. Only PAF

buys the JF-17 so far, and nothing has been

heard even of the People’s Liberation Army

(PLA) plans to procure it. Nonetheless, sev-

eral countries, which have bought Chinese

fighters customarily due to their inability to

afford pricier Western aircraft, have dis-

played interest in the fighter.

JF-17Sino-Pakistani 21st-Century MiG-21?

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

for ‘joint fighter’ to highlight the interna-

tional, Chinese-Pakistani, efforts and the

number 17 symbolising the aircraft being the

most up-to-date one in PAF inventory right

after the most sophisticated PAF fighter,

the F-16. At the same time, the aircraft was

given a proper name, Thunder. In China, the

fighter retained its FC-1 designation.

From maiden flight to launch deliveries

The second FC-1/JF-17 prototype, PT-2,

was intended for static tests and the third

one, the PT-3, became the second flying

prototype. The Chengdu plant finished its

construction less than a year after the first

plane had been completed, and it flew on

9 April 2004. Two years later, on 28 April

2006, the PT-4 prototype joined the flight

test programme. In addition to testing sta-

bility, controllability, manoeuvrability, take-

off and landing handling and key systems

operation, which the first two flying proto-

types were doing, the PT-4 was to start the

trials of the Chinese-made avionics suite.

Similar tasks faced the sixth prototype, PT-6

(maiden flight on 10 September 2006), while

the fifth prototype, PT-5, was designed for

endurance tests.

The ground and flight tests of all FC-1

prototypes were conducted in China, at

CAC’s flight test facility in Chengdu, at

CFTE flight research centre in Yanlian and

at testing ranges of PLAAF, with Pakistani

pilots taking part in them proactively since

spring 2004.

Conceived as an F-7 derivative, the new

fighter gained an utterly new appearance.

Actually, the only similarity between it and

Chinese clone of the MiG-21 are the size

(length – 14 m, wingspan – 8.5 m, wing

area – 24 sq.m), weight (empty weight –

6,450 kg, normal takeoff weight – 9,100 kg,

maximum takeoff weight – 12,400 kg) and

23-mm underbelly automatic cannon. The

FC-1 got fixed side-mounted air intakes,

which made available enough room in the

nose section to house an up-to-date radar

(Chinese KLJ-7 so far). The delta wing has

large enough leading-edge root extensions

(LERX), but it would be an overstatement

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FC-1 first flying prototype in a test flight

Two FC-1 first flying prototypes, PT-1 and PT-3, at CAC airfield in Chengdu

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

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

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

to say that the aircraft has a blended wing/

body fuselage characteristic of most of the

fourth-generation fighters. The wing high-

lift devices, comprising moving flaps and

leading-edge slats, are controlled automati-

cally to enhance manoeuvrability depending

on speed and the angle of attack. The aircraft

control system is a compromise between the

fly-by-wire and mechanical solutions, with

the FBW control capability implemented

for pitch only and the automatic-stability

mechanical control solution taking care of

roll and directional control. The JF-17 is

powered by a rather efficient and thrust-

capable turbofan typical of the aircraft in the

class, and its instrumentation features the

class cockpit design with three large multi-

function displays and a head-up display.

At the same time with flight-testing the

prototypes and based on the deficiencies

revealed in them, the Chengdu plant started

manufacturing an eight-ship low-rate initial

production (LRIP) JF-17 batch intended

for operational evaluation in Pakistan. The

first two aircraft of the batch were brought to

Pakistan from China in February 2007. Their

final assembly took place at PAC’s Kamra

facility in Punjab Province in the northeast

of the country, where they were taken for a

check flight on 2 March 2007 by Pakistani

military pilots, Wg Cdr Ahsan Rafiq, who

had been appointed office commanding the

JF-17 Test and Evaluation Flight, and Sqn

Ldr Hakim Raza. The planes were serialled

07-101 and 07-102. Merely three weeks later,

on 23 March 2007, both pilots demonstrated

the latest Pakistani fighters during the air

parade in Islamabad in honour of another

anniversary of the Pakistani Armed Forces.

On the verge of the air parade, the JF-17

serialled 07-101 had been given a special

paintjob patterned after the Pakistani and

Chinese national colours.

A year later, the six remaining LRIP air-

craft were delivered to Kamra from China,

with serials 07-103, 07-104 and 07-105 in

February 2008 and 08-106, 08-107 and

08-108 in March. At another military parade

in Islamabad on 23 March 2008 the spectators

saw as many as four JF-17s flying in tight for-

mation over the Pakistani capital city.

Made in Pakistan

“We at PAC do not just assemble these

fighters like plants assembling knockdown

kits. We manufacture their parts and units

actively by ourselves”, one of the leaders

of the Pakistani JF-17 programme directo-

rate said in Farnborough this summer. He

emphasised that considerable efforts were

being made to beef up the production facili-

ties of the PAC Kamra to increase the JF-17

output, maintenance, repair and overhaul

(MRO): “Now, we have a four-plant complex

operating at Kamra and employing numer-

ous staff, which is the cause behind the com-

plex having been dubbed Thunder City”.

The official launch of PAC’s JF-17 pro-

duction line was on 22 January 2008, and

23 November 2009 saw the rollout of the

first Pakistani-made fighter serialled 09-111

and given a bright green paintjob sporting

the Pakistani flag (the first two production-

standard JF-17 serialled 09-109 and 09-110

were built in Chengdu). As many as 16

The first PAC-manufactured JF-17 (No. 09-111)

featuring special paintjob, November 2009

JF-17 first pre-series aircraft (No. 07-101) in special markings

at the air parade in Islamabad skies, 23 March 2007

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One of two Pakistani JF-17s (No. 10-113)

unveiled at Farnborough in July 2010

And

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

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

JF-17s had been built by July 2010, includ-

ing eight LRIP and eight production ones

with serials up to 10-116, with six of them

having been made in Pakistan. Two of them

(10-113 and 10-114) were displayed during

the Farnborough air show in July this year.

PAC’s production capabilities allow an

output of 15–25 JF-17s a year (an aircraft

or two a month). A statement was made in

Farnborough that “Pakistan’s participation in

the fighter co-production will exceed 50%”.

In all probability, PAC specialises in manu-

facture of JF-17 parts and units and their final

assembly so far. The official news release cir-

culated by the JF-17 programme directorate

during the air show said the fighter would be

produced in 50-ship blocks, with each subse-

quent block to differ from the previous one in

a number of novelties. The Pakistani Air Force

is going to take delivery of the first 50 fighters

until year-end 2012. The service awarded the

launch contract for 42 production aircraft on

7 March 2009 (another eight planes were,

probably, LRIP ones). PAF is to receive as

many as 150 fighters by 2015, and the total

JF-17 requirement of the Pakistani Air Force

is estimated at 250 aircraft designed to oust

all of the current F-7 and Mirage fighters and

A-5 attack aircraft.

The T&E Flight mentioned above became

the first PAF unit to operate the JF-17. The

unit was activated on 20 February 2007, upon

which its personnel began to learn the ropes

on the aircraft of a new type, conduct opeval

and devise flight, tactical and maintenance

manuals. The T&E Flight was fielded with

eight LRIP aircraft. The first PAF combat

unit on production-standard JF-17 fight-

ers – the 26th air squadron led by Wg Cdr

Khalid Mehmood, was activated at Minhas

airbase in Kamra, near PAC’s production

complex on 18 February 2010.

JF-17’s Russian heart

The current prototype, LRIP and early

production JF-17 fighters are fitted with

systems developed in China with Pakistani

participation. The only exception is their

powerplant, with the engines supplied from

Russia, which has repeatedly caused con-

siderable concern on the part of another

major partner of Russia in military techni-

cal cooperation and Pakistan’s confirmed

opponent – India. Recently, the question of

whether or not it was reasonable to continue

the RD-93 deliveries to China was raised in

Russia as well, after the FC-1/JF-17, which

had started a proactive promotion to third

countries, rivalled the MiG-29 for a lucra-

tive contract.

Following the delivery of the first proto-

type engines by Klimov to fit FC-1 proto-

types, China and Russia made a deal in April

2005 for delivery of 100 production RD-93s

in support of the full-rate production of

the fighter. The contract is valued at about

$238 million and can extend the output to

500 units in the future. Klimov made the

first 15 engines during 2005–2006, with the

Chernyshev MME in Moscow handling the

full-scale production and delivery of the rest

of the RD-93s.

Meanwhile, given India’s continuous

pressure on Russia due to these supplies and

trying to get rid of its engine dependence on

Russia, China has for years been running a

programme on an indigenous RD-93 ana-

logue designated as WS-13 Taishan. China

RD-93 turbofan being delivered

by Chernyshev MME to China

for JF-17 fighters

Ale

xey M

ikheyev

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

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

is reported to have started rig tests of the

first WS-13 example as far back as 2006,

and a experimental engine is said to power

an FC-1 prototype in Chengdu. However,

Air Vice-Marshal Mohammad Arif, JF-17

programme manager on the Pakistani side

of the project, said in Farnborough: “The

development of the engine will take a lot of

time, probably, five years or more”. At the

same time, other Pakistani officials are more

optimistic than their boss is and believe that

“he has voiced the worst possible variant,

though the engine’s development could be

completed much sooner, in fact”.

No doubt, the design of the Chinese

WS-13 is wrapped around the RD-93 like

technical solutions of the Russia-exported

AL-31F were used widely in developing the

WS-10 Taihan unveiled at the Zhuhai air

show in November 2008 and designed to

power the J-10, J-11B and J-15 fighters.

However, it looks like the Chinese designers

of the WS-13 ran into the problems of reli-

ability and weight constraints, just as they

did developing the Taihan. The reason is

the lack of experience in up-to-date turbo-

fan engines development and production,

albeit licence production. However, Chinese

machine-building has been progressing like

there is no tomorrow of late, and the day will

come soon when China will cease importing

Russian aircraft engines after having ensured

acceptable characteristics of its own aero

engines.

Avionics and weapons suites

The JF-17 carries all-Chinese avionics so

far. Its avionics suite’s architecture is based

on two MIL-STD 1553B multiplex data

channels and two central computers.

The primary targeting system of the fight-

er is the KLJ-7 multimode pulse-Doppler

slotted-array radar capable of tracking “a

considerable number” of targets. To detect

and track ground threats and attack them

with precision-guided munitions, the aircraft

can be fitted with a podded optronic sys-

tem with the infrared and laser capabilities

(a Chinese-made WMD-7 target designator

pod was displayed next to the JF-17 during

the Farnborough air show). Provision for a

helmet-mounted sight has been made too.

The navigation suite is wrapped around

an inertial ring laser gyro system mated with

GPS and a standard set of radio navigation

gear (ILS, TACAN, etc.).

The cockpit management system is based

on the HOTAS controls, three large colour

multifunction liquid crystal displays with

a digital terrain map, and a HUD with the

angle of field of view standing at 25° at the

least. A full-colour video camera and a VCR

are included to record information.

The communications suite comprises two

UHF/VHF radios and a datalink. The self-

defence suite is made up of illumination

and missile attack warning stations. The

KG300G podded electronic warfare system

from the Chinese Electronics Technology

Corporation (CETC) was on display next to

the fighter at Farnborough.

The JF-17 can haul its weapons, podded

systems and drop tanks on seven hardpoints,

with the two of them on the wingtips are

used only to mount dogfight missiles, while

the wing inboard and underbelly stations are

designed mostly for drop tanks – an 800-litre

one under belly and two 800- or 1,000-li-

tre under wing. Instead of the underbelly

drop tank, the hardpoint there can mount a

2,000-lb (900-kg) free-fall or guided bomb.

Smaller bombs, various guided missiles and

EW and target designator pods are attached

to the middle underwing hardpoints. Thus,

the fighter’s single-sortie warload is not big.

It includes up to four missiles on an air-to-air

mission, while on an air-to-ground mission it

comprises a 2,000-lb Mk84 or GBU-10 bomb

or four 450-kg Mk82 bombs on twin bomb

racks, or similar cluster bombs or incendiary

canisters, or one or two air-launched antiship

and antiradiation missiles. The all-up war-

load, including drop tanks, is within 3,600 kg.

There is also a 23-mm integral twin-barrelled

automatic cannon at the pilot’s disposal.

At the initial stage, the JF-17’s basic air-

to-air weapons should be Chinese bi-spectral

JF-17 cockpit mock-up

at MAKS 2007 airshow

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Air-to-air missiles

for JF-17 fighter PL-5EII

SD-10A (PL-12)

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Basic characteristics of JF-17’s air-to-air missiles

PL-5EII SD-10A

Length, mm 2,893 3,934

Diameter, mm 127 203

Wingspan, mm 617 674 (752)

Launch weight, kg 83 180

Warhead weight, kg 6 n.d.a.

Range, km 0,5–18 1–70

Maximal Mach 2.2 4

Maximal g-load 40 38

Guidance system heat-seeker inertial + active

radar homer

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

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

heat-seeking dogfight missile PL-5EII and

active radar homing medium-range missile

SD-10A. The former is a Chinese deriva-

tive of Soviet missiles R-3S and R-13M and

similar to the latest variants of US missile

AIM-9 Sidewinder. The SD-10A is compa-

rable to the US AIM-120 AMRAAM and

Russian RVV-AE. It is an indigenous design

fitted with an active radar homer with inertial

RF-updated guidance on the initial leg of the

trajectory. PLAAF’s J-8F, J-10 and J-11B

fighters have had in its inventory since 2005.

It came to light during the Farnborough

air show that the trials of the PL-5EII mis-

sile and gravity bombs as part of the JF-17’s

weapons suite had been completed and the

integration of the SD-10A medium-range

missile was still underway and expected to

be finished by year-end 2010. Work also is

underway on integrating certain air-launched

weapons – already available to Pakistan or

ordered in other countries – with the JF-17’s

weapons suite. Mention should be made

that Chinese heavy antiship missile C-802A,

which, probably, is slated for integration with

the fighter’s weapons suite, was displayed

next to the JF-17 in Farnborough. One also

could see there the LS-6 inertial-navigation

tail-kitted glide bomb previously displayed

at Zhuhai.

At present, Chinese engineers and test-

ers and the Pakistani military are busy

with developing the so-called Phase I (i.e.

Chinese-made) systems and weapons and

integrating them with the fighter, and the

talks on the JF-17’s further avionics and

weapons suite development through intro-

duction of Western gear are going on. For

instance, it is known that in February 2010,

the partners displayed interest in adapting

the Thales RC400 radar and Mica medium-

range missile to the fighter along with a

number of other precision-guided weapons.

It is believed that Pakistan’s long-standing

wish to fit the JF-17 with European-made

avionics and weapons could become true in

the second block of 50 production-standard

fighters, whose production is slated to kick

off in 2013.

“The First Chinese” not to limit itself to Pakistan alone?

Having delivered the first production-

standard fighters and been inspired by the

Pakistani military’s positive response, the

JF-17 developer is not going to limit itself

to the Pakistani market alone. Certainly, the

150 firm orders with 100 options is a rather

good result. However, there are many coun-

tries accustomed to buying Chinese aircraft

that, albeit hardly cutting-edge, are quite

combat-capable and, which is more, inex-

pensive, nonetheless. The competition in the

PL-5EII and SD-10A AAMs

LS-6 satnav-homed

gliding bomb

WMD-7 optronic

sighting pod

KG-300G electronic

warfare pod

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C802A anti-ship missile

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

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

class of 10-t supersonic fighters is not that

tough, to boot. For instance, the Indian LCA

Tejas is still in its flight trials, with its export

prospect being somewhat doubtful, while the

Swedish Gripen, which has conquered sev-

eral European markets and the South African

one, is clearly in a different price category.

Against this backdrop, the developer of

the “first Chinese fighter”, the FC-1 (which,

however, has not landed any orders from

PLAAF), may well count on its slice of the

cake on the global market, once the MiG-21

and F-7 have gradually become history. Soon

after Farnborough 2010, the press ran a list of

the countries interested in the fighter. They

include Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Venezuela,

Egypt, Zimbabwe, Indonesia, Iran, Congo,

Nigeria, Sudan, Turkey, the Philippines and

Sri Lanka. Some of them have operated

Chinese aircraft long enough, which, cou-

pled with the traditionally low price might

tip the scale.

Given today’s realities, the Sino-Pakistani

aircraft will hardly break the record set by the

legendary MiG-21 that made it to the invento-

ries of 50 air forces worldwide and numbered

almost 15,000 in its day. However, catching on

as a light and inexpensive fighter is quite fea-

sible. Maybe, those calling it somewhat ironi-

cally “the 21st-century MiG-21” are right.

JF-17 Thunderfighter

from the 26st squadron,

Pakistani Air Force

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Basic characteristics of JF-17Length, m 14.0

Wingspan, m 8.5

Height, m 5.1

Wing area, m2 24.0

Empty weight, kg 6,450

Normal takeoff weight, kg 9,100

Maximum takeoff weight, kg 12,700

Warload, kg 3,600

Fuel load (w/o drop tanks), kg 2,300

Maximum speed, km/h 1,700

Maximum low-level speed, km/h 1,350

Mach 1.6

Service ceiling, m 16,700

Limit operating g-load, g 8

Combat radius (w/o drop tanks), km 1,800

Ferry range (on three drop tanks), km 3,000

Engine RD-93

Full-afterburning takeoff thrust, kgf 1x8,300