Teach Your Text to Strip: Take It Off—Take It (Almost) All Off
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1/48Sukhoi Superjet 100: a year in Mexican skies[p.22]
Il-76MD-90Aprogramme
progress[p.36]
Mi-28NEexport
kicking off[p.20]
Angara LVfirst blastoff
[p.42]
for RusAF and PLAAF
november 2014 Special edition for Airshow China 2014
SSuu 5-35[p.12]
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Dear reader,
You are holding a new issue ofthe Take-Off magazine, a special
supplement to Russian monthly national
aerospace magazine VZLET, that has
been timed with Airshow China 2014.
By tradition, the aerospace exhibition
in Zhuhai has been attended bynumerous Russian participants and businessmen. Small wonder, because
the Russian-Chinese aerospace cooperation has been given a strong
impetus over the past more than 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 fightersare the mainstay of PLAAFs new-generation fighter fleet while two dozens
Su-30MK2s serve with PLANAF. Moreover, Chinas own aerospace
plants have mastered Su-27SKs license production. The next step will
be a contract for deliveries of the advanced Sukhoi Su-35 multirolesupermanoeuvrable fighters to be signed in the nearest future.
Aero engines deliveries also have been high on the priority list of theRussian-Chinese aviation cooperation, with these turbofans powering
both Russia-supplied and advanced indigenous Chinese fighters, the J-10
and FC-1 (JF-17), prototypes of Chinese 5th generation fighters, the J-20
and J-31, as well as Chinese brand-new heavy transport aircraft, the Y-20
debuting at Airshow China 2014. Russian experts also consult their
Chinese counterparts developing new aircraft with advanced ChineseL-15 and L-7 trainer aircraft 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 and deliveries go on. Russian-made
Mi-26TC heavylifters have got a great success here in firefighting andrescue operations. Recently China received new batches of Kamov
Ka-28, Ka-31 and Ka-32A11BC helicopters. So, the cooperationhas been on the rise, with new contracts for aircraft deliveries
and joint projects development to be placed in the future. One of
the most promising projects of such joint programmes could become
a prospective widebody airliner which Russian and Chinese engineersare going to develop together.
I wish all participants and guests of Airshow China 2014 to meet their
partners, establish useful links and snag lucrative contracts.
Sincerely,
Andrey Fomin,
Editor-in-Chief,Take-off magazine
News items are prepared by editorial staff based on reports of our
special correspondents as well as press releases of production companies
Aeromedia, 2014
P.O. Box 7, Moscow, 125475, RussiaTel. +7 (495) 644-17-33, 798-81-19Fax +7 (495) 644-17-33E-mail: [email protected]
November 2014
Editor-in-ChiefAndrey Fomin
Deputy Editor-in-ChiefVladimir Shcherbakov
Editor, air transport section
Artyom Korenyako
Editor, avionics and weapons sectionsYevgeny Yerokhin
ColumnistAlexander Velovich
Special correspondentsAlexey Mikheyev, Victor Drushlyakov,Andrey Zinchuk, Ruslan Denisov,Alexey Prushinsky, Sergey Krivchikov,Anton Pavlov, Alexander Manyakin,Yuri Ponomarev, Yuri Kabernik,Marina Lystseva, Natalya Pechorina,Sergey Popsuyevich, Piotr Butowski,Alexander Mladenov, Miroslav Gyurosi
Design and pre-pressMikhail Fomin
TranslationYevgeny Ozhogin
Cover pictureAlexey Mikheyev
Publisher
Director GeneralAndrey Fomin
Deputy Director GeneralNadezhda Kashirina
Marketing DirectorGeorge Smirnov
Business Development DirectorMikhail Fomin
Special Projects DirectorArtyom Korenyako
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.
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c o n t e n t s
MILITARY AVIATION
Su-30SM for Russian Naval Aviation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
New Sukhoi jets from Amur shores for Russian Air Force . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Su-34: half-hundred advanced tactical bombers already in service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
New MiGs for Russian armed forces. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Defence Ministry taking delivery of second Tu-214ON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Landing on motorway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Cadets learning to fly Ansat-U. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Russian Air Force fielding Su-35. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
CONTRACTS AND DELIVERIES
The fourth Il-96 for Cuba. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Angara enhances its An-148 fleet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Red Wings to beef up its Tu-204 fleet with Superjets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
SSJ100 for Russian Emergencies Ministry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Mi-28NE: export kicking off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
COMMERCIAL AVIATION
SSJ100: a year in Mexican skies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Alexander Rubtsov: IFCs Chinese Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
INDUSTRY
MC-21: prototypes manufacturing begins. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
PD-14: testing goes on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Fourth Mi-38 commences tests. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
The first Taganrog-built Be-200 to be ready in 2014. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Mi-171A2 starting its flight trials. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Mi-26T2 production kicks off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Antonov starts first An-178 assembly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
SATELLITE electronic countermeasures equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Il-76MD-90A: first production-standard airlifter got airborne. . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Yuri Guskov: Phazotron-NIIR ready to offer active phased-array radar
cooperation to Chinese partners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Chinese vector of MOTOR SICH. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
COSMONAUTICS
Angaras first blastoff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4242
November 2014
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4
On 19 July 2014, the Irkut corpora-
tion delivered three Sukhoi Su-30SM
two-seat supermanoeuvrable multirole
fighters built by the Irkutsk Aviation
Plant for the air arm of the Russian
Navy. On the same day, they headed
off from Irkutsk to their new station,the Russian Naval Aviation Combat
Training and Conversion Centre in the
town of Yeisk, Krasnodar Territory. The
aircraft, serialled 35, 36 and 37 after
having been painted, have been made
and factory-tested in May and June
this year and become the first ones
built under the contract for five Naval
Aviation-designed Su-30SMs, landed
by Irkut in December 2013.
The three Su-30SMs delivery to
the Russian Naval Aviation Combat
Training and Conversion Centre in
Yeisk is the first step towards the
conversion of several Russian Naval
Aviation units to the type. When the
first contract for five aircraft of the
type was ordered by the Russian Navy
last year, it was reported that new
contracts were being mulled over for
a total of 50-plus Su-30SMs designed
to oust the obsolete Su-24 tactical
bombers and Su-27 fighters in Naval
Aviation units. At last, 6 September
2014 saw the Defence Ministry and
Irkut make a contract for seven more
Su-30SMs for Naval Aviation during
the Gidroaviasalon 2014 air show in
Gelendzhik. The deal increased the
number of the Navys firm orders for
the type to 12 aircraft.
The Su-30SM is expected to be
fielded by 2015 with the Russian Navy
Black Sea Fleets air arm, where the
replacement of the obsolete Su-24s
has been long overdue. The Baltic
Fleet naval aviators are anticipating the
advanced aircraft too.
At the same time, the Irkut cor-
poration continues to deliver
Su-30SM fighters to RusAF under two
2012-awarded contracts for 60 air-
craft. 16 fighter of the type had been
accepted by the Air Force Training
and Operational Evaluation Centre
in Lipetsk and Domna AFB vic. the
city of Chita by early 2014. 10 more
Su-30SMs had gone to Domna this
year (between late May and late
September), where the composite air
regiment stationed there is having its
second air squadron converted to the
type. The conversion is to be com-
plete by year-end. The Domna-based
regiment has operated as many as
20 Su-30SMs by October 2014.
By November 2014, more than
30 Su-30SM fighters have been built
and flight-tested in the city of Irkutsk
under all of the current contracts, with
17 aircraft having been made and
test-flown since early this year. Irkut
President Oleg Demchenko said early
this year that a total of 21 Su-30SMs
were slated for production for the
Russian Defence Ministry in 2014.
Su-30SM for Russian naval aviation
New Sukhoi jets from Amur shores for Russian Air Force
A handover ceremony for new air-
craft took place at the Sukhoi companys
Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Plant on
10 October 2014, the day of united new
materiel handover regularly held now by
the Russian Defence Ministry. Another
batch of warplanes delivered includ-
ed three Su-35S supermanoeuvrable
single-seat multirole fighters and two
Su-30M2 multirole twin-seaters. They
were delivered to two fighter regimentsin the Russian Far East.
The previous batch of four
Su-30M2s was delivered to RusAF in
Komsomolsk-on-Amur on 5 August
2014. The deliveries are under the
16-aircraft deal struck by Sukhoi and
Defence Ministry in December 2012.
The four August-delivered Su-30M2s
are intended for RusAF units stationed
in the Southern Military District.
The first four Su-30M2s made under
the 2012 contract were delivered and
fielded with three RusAF combat units
in the Southern and Eastern MilitaryDistricts last December. In 2011,
the same units had accepted four
Su-30M2s manufactured under the
contract made in 2009.
Thus, by November 2014, Sukhoi
had delivered to RusAF 14 Su-30M2s
a version of the Su-30MK2 two-seat
multirole fighter tailored to the Defence
Ministry requirements. The Su-30MK2
is widely exported. It is in service
with the air forces of China, Vietnam,
Indonesia, Venezuela and Uganda. The
final Su-30M2s under the current con-
tract are expected to be delivered toRusAF in 2015.
NikolaiBalabayev
YuriK
abernik
YuriKabernik
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V.Tikhomirov Scientific-Research Institute of Instrument Design, JSC
3, Gagarina str., Zhukovsky, Moscow region, 140180, Russia
Tel.: +7 (495) 556-23-48 Fax: +7 (495) 721-37-85E-mail: [email protected] www.niip.ru
TO SEE F IRS TTO SEE FIRST
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6
Six Su-34 multirole tactical
bombers were delivered to the
Defence Ministry in a ceremony at
the Sukhoi companys Novosibirsk
Aircraft Plant on 15 October 2014.
The planes were fielded with the
bomber air regiment stationedat Morozovsk AFB in the Rostov
Region, where the previous-gen-
eration Su-24M tactical bomber
fleet is being replaced now.
The Su-34 entered the inven-
tory of the Russian Air Force
under a 20 March 2014 resolution
of the Russian government, thus
having completing the protracted
and complicated development and
testing of the advanced aircraft
that will considerably influence
the future of the tactical aircraft
fleet of the Russian Air Force for
many years to come.
Mention should be made that
the Su-34 is the first advanced
warplane, which acquisition
RusAF has started in the post-
Soviet era. The early production-
standard Su-34s were delivered
to the Defence Ministry in late
2006, but the type had faced sev-
eral years of the official trials yet.
Now, they have been completed,
having proved the full compliance
of the Su-34s characteristics and
combat capabilities with the cus-
tomers requirements specifica-
tion.
The RusAF combat units, which
had earlier operated the Su-24M
tactical bombers, began to con-
vert to the new-generation Su-34s
in 2011. Under the three cur-
rent government-awarded orders,
RusAF shall have received almost
130 aircraft of the type until 2020,with up to 50 having been fielded
to date. After the collapse of the
Soviet Union, the Russian Defence
Ministry has never bought so many
new combat aircraft of any type.
RusAFs overall Su-34 requirement
is estimated at 150200 aircraft,
and, probably, their acquisition
will go on past 2020. Hence, new
governmental orders for the type
could be landed by the end of the
decade.
The first batch of production-standard Su-34 was ordered for
the Defence Ministry in February
2006. In all, Sukhois aircraft in
Novosibirsk made five produc-
tion-standard aircraft under the
contract during 20062009. The
first of them was given to the State
Flight Test Centre in Akhtubinsk inDecember 2006. The second one
went to Lipetsk in August 2007,
followed in December 2008 by
the third aircraft that later joined
the official test programme under
way in Akhtubinsk. The last two
aircraft of the batch were received
in Lipetsk in December 2009. By
then, in December 2008, the cus-
tomer had signed the report on
the first phase of the official trials
that had proven the conformance
of the Su-34s characteristics to
the Air Forces requirements spec-
ification. At the same time, a five-
year deal was clinched by the gov-
ernment and Sukhoi for a 32-ship
batch of Su-34s to be delivered
during 2009 through 2013.
Meanwhile, the official tests car-
ried on. Their second phase, dedi-
cated mostly to testing the whole
weapons suite of the advanced
aircraft, was to be wrapped up.
The final flights under the official
test programmes second phase
took place in April 2011, and
November of the same year saw
the Su-34 development, which
dated back to 1989, completed at
last. The advanced tactical fight-
er-bomber was cleared for f ielding
with RusAFs combat units.
The first four aircraft built under
the 2008 contract were delivered
in December 2010. A decision wasmade to station them in Lipetsk
until the official fulfilment of the
official joint test programme. In
Lipetsk, the planes were used for
the conversion of the flying and
ground crews of the first combat
unit slated for conversion from
the Su-24M to Su-34. At the same
time, the advanced aircraft was
subjected to the operational eval-
uation, and research pilots used
the flights on the type to devise
and test manuals on the war-
planes maintenance and tactics.
The plant in Novosibirsk
churned out six more production-
standard Su-34s in 2011. They
were delivered in December of the
same year and then were ferried
directly to the combat unit sta-
tioned in Voronezh. At the same
time, the first four aircraft went to
the unit too. Thus, there had been
10 production-standard Su-34s in
Voronezh by late 2011.
Then, the Novosibirsk plant
ramped up the Su-34 output, hav-
ing delivered 10 units in 2012 and
14 in 2013. According to RusAF
Commander-in-Chief Lt.-Gen.
Victor Bondarev, the plans for
2014 stipulate the manufacture
of 1618 Su-34 more. The 2008
contract for 32 aircraft was ful-
filled last autumn, and the plant
got down to fulfilling a new orderfor 92 Su-34s until 2020, placed
by Sukhoi in February 2012 the
deal unprecedented in terms of
volume and cost.
In October 2013, the delivery
of the 24th Su-34 to Voronezh
finalised the activation of two air
squadrons there, designed for
conversion to the type. The fol-
low-on aircraft were earmarked
for a next unit, the bomber air
regiment at Morozovsk AFB in
the Rostov Region. The first nine
Su-34s were brought there in
November and December 2013,
including the first two made under
the new 2012 deal.
Six more aircraft of the type
were ferried to Morozovsk AFB in
June and July 2014. The October
delivery of the next six bombers
has brought the number of Su-34s
in the regiments fleet to 21. The
Morozovsk-stationed regiment
shall have completed its conver-
sion to the type by year-end and
will be followed by other RusAF
units still operating the previous-
generation Su-24M.
Su-34: half-hundred advanced tactical bombers already in service
IlyaSo
loviev
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8
On 14 April 2014, the Russian
Defence Ministry and MiG corporation
(a subsidiary of the United Aircraft
Corporation) made a three-year con-
tract for 16 MiG-29SMT multirole
fighters to be delivered to the Russian
Air Force prior to 2016.At present, RusAF operates a fleet
of 28 MiG-29SMTs and six MiG-29UB
upgraded combat trainers with com-
monised avionics. All of them were
delivered five years ago. The deliv-
ery had been the first acquisition of
new MiG fighters by the Air Force in
more than a decade and a half, with
the preceding delivery of new MiGs
having taken place in distant 1993.
The first two MiG-29SMTs (type 9-19)
were shipped to the Air Force cen-
tre in Lipetsk in February 2009, with
other fighters of the type having been
fielded with the fighter air regiment in
Kursk in the same month. In summer
2009, the regiment had as many as
10 MiG-29SMTs and four upgraded
MiG-29UB two-seaters (type 9-53A).
The unit in Kursk launched scheduled
flight operations on its MiG-29SMT
fighters in July 2009. The rest of the
aircraft were received during December
2009 through January 2010.
Of the 34 aircraft of the type
delivered to RusAF in 20092010,
24 single-seat MiG-29SMTs and four
twinseaters are in service with the
Kursk-based fighter air regiment,
with the Lipetsk-based Training and
Operational Evaluation Centre and
Akhtubinsk-based State Fight Test
Centre each having two MiG-29SMTs
and an upgraded MiG-29UB in their
inventory.
The aircraft have earned recogni-
tion by the flying and ground crews of
the Russian Air Force. The advanced
Zhuk-ME radar, which has ousted the
obsolete N019 from the rest of the
MiG-29 fighters in service with RusAF,
has a range that is almost twice as
long as that of the N019, is made of
up-to-date electronic componentry and
is far lighter and more reliable than its
predecessor. Pilots have praised the
MiG-29SMTs up-to-date display sys-
tem, effective satellite navigation gear,
increased fuel load and mid-air refuel-
ling system. The weapons suite has
been expanded considerably through
beefing the in-service R-27 and R-73
air-to-air missiles up with the advanced
RVV-AE medium-range active radar
homing missiles and an impressive set
of precision-guided weapons designed
to take out ground threats. To cap it all,
the fighter features obvious operating
advantages: the MiG-29SMT is pow-
ered by extended-life RD-33 Series 3
engines and maintained in a new man-
ner on condition.
The fielding of new MiG-29SMTs
with RusAF combat units is likely to
begin in 2015. Having fulfilled the
contract, the MiG corporation, in all
probability, will exhaust the MiG-29
airframe backlog at Production Facility
No. 2 in Moscow and switch to mak-
ing the advanced MiG-35S fighter for
the Air Force.
The current order will enable the
company to face the future with con-
fidence and will serve a good begin-
ning for production of advanced air-
craft, e.g. the MiG-35S, said Deputy
Defence Minister Yuri Borisov.
The MiG-35S is slated for delivery
to the Air Force after 2016. Therefore,
a decision has been made to buy a
batch of MiG-29SMTs now as a quick
fix to maintain the combat readiness of
RusAFs light fighter fleet.
MiG Director General Sergei
Korotkov reminded that the company
continued the MiG-29K/KUB multi-
role fighters delivery to the Russian
Defence Ministry. The first four aircraft
of the type were manufactured and
delivered last year. According to Sergei
Korotkov, his corporation is to deliver
the next 10 MiG-29K/KUB fighters
to the air arm of the Russian Navy
before year-end. The contract for
24 MiG-29K/KUB fighters intended
for the Russian Navy is to be fulfilled
in 2015.
EvgenyVolkov
VladislavDmitrenko
New MiGs for Russian armed forces
Defence Ministry taking delivery of second Tu-214ONThis summer, the Russian Air
Force received the second Tupolev
Tu-214ON aerial surveillance aircraft
to be used under the Open Skies
international programme.
On 4 July 2014 the Tu-214ON(reg. number RF-64525) built by
the Kazan Aircraft Plant (now an
affiliate of Tupolev JSC) under a
contract with Vega JSC (primary
contractor for the development of
the Open Skies airborne surveil-
lance system) flew from Kazan
to its base, Chkalovsky airfield in
the Moscow Region, following its
acceptance by RusAF.
Since last autumn, the Tu-214ON
(RF-64519) has been at Chkalovsky
too. It conducted its first flight inKazan on 1 June 2011, passed its
certification by the IAC Aircraft
Registry and was delivered to the
customer, the Russian Defence
Ministry, on 22 August 2013. The
second Tu-214ON was initially slated
for delivery as far back as 2011, butthe Kazan Aircraft Plant had man-
aged to complete it only by late last
year, with the first flight performed
on 18 December 2013. In January
this year, the aircraft was painted
and delivered in early July following
the completion of the debugging and
acceptance test programme.
Both Tu-214ONs are designed forsurveillance flights under the 1992
Open Skies international treaty pro-
viding for international cooperation in
the monitoring of arms control agree-
ments. The signatories to the treaty
include 34 states. The Tu-214ONs
characteristics as well as the perfor-
mance of its special equipment is far
superior to those of the Tu-154M-LK1(RA-85655) and An-30B aircraft
Russia has used under the Open
Skies programme until recently.
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Phazotron-NIIR Corporation JSC1, Elektricheskiy Pereulok, 123557, Moscow, RussiaTel.: +7 (495) 955-10-01 Fax: +7 (495) 955-11-00www.phazotron.com E-mail: [email protected]
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10
A Russian Air Force Su-25 attack
aircraft landed on a motorway,
rather than an airfield, for the first
time in the services history as part
of a special logistic support exer-
cise staged by the Eastern Military
District on 4 September 2014.The landing on the M-60 Ussuri
federal motorway was performed
by Col. Alexander Zaripov, officer
commanding the 18th Attack Air
Regiment stationed at Chernigovka
AFB in the Russias Far East.
In accordance with the exercise
scenario, the regiment left its airfield
to dodge an attack, with the airbase
later rendered inefficient by aircraft
of the notional enemy. For this rea-
son, a decision was taken to have
the attack aircraft land on a pre-
arranged stretch of the motorway.
A special security detachment was
dispatched to the landing site as part
of a joint vehicular convoy. There
were reports of a command team of
the notional enemy, moving towards
the improvised motorway airfield.
The DO of the attack air regiment
was called to dispatch a task force
to deal with the enemy commandos.
The task force showed up on board
four Mi-8 utility helicopters and was
committed as soon as it landed.
With the notional enemy comman-
dos wiped out, four Su-25s appeared
over the motorway. Following a fly-
over, the planes conducted landing
approach one by one, with the first
three performing a touch-and-go
and the fourth one conducting a
full-fledged landing. While the fourth
Su-25 was taxiing and been ser-
viced, it was being provided close
air support by another attack aircraft
and a pair of Ka-52 helicopters. The
Su-25 departed following its servic-
ing, refuelling and being furnished
with two guided missiles.
Using airfield-capable stretches
of motorways for tactical aircraft
landing and takeoff has been mas-
tered by the Belarus Air Force
quite a long time ago. The exer-
cise including the early land-
ings and takeoffs of a pair of
Su-25UBs took place there as far
back as April 2007. Su-27UBM
and MiG-29UB fighters practised
motorway landing in August 2007.
Now, the Russian Air Force has
started practising motorway land-
ing too.
Ruslan
Denisov
Landing on motorway
Cadets learning to fly Ansat-UThe first group of third-year
cadets of the Syzran-based affiliate
of the Air Force Academy named
after Prof. Zhukovsky and Yuri
Gagarin has completed training in
flying the Ansat-U trainer helicop-
ter that has been supplied to the
Russian Defence Ministry by Kazan
Helicopters (a subsidiary of Russian
Helicopters holding) since 2009,
with 24 machines having been deliv-
ered to Syzran. The Ansat-Us have
been in opeval until recently, flown
by instructor-pilots, while the cadets
trained on obsolete Mi-2s.At long last, the Syzran cadets
started flying the Ansats on 19 May
2014. This year, 29 rookies have
been trained on them, with each
having logged an average of over
130 sorties (almost 48 flight hours).
The total flying hours logged by the
cadets on Ansat-U helicopters dur-
ing their training has accounted for
1,390 h. Next year, they will begin
to learn to fly the Mi-8 and Mi-24
helicopters.
At a meeting of the squadronspersonnel and the manufacturers
representatives in the wake of the
Ansat-U training course, Lt.-Col.
Sergei Spiridonov, OIC of the train-
ing air group, stressed that the
Ansat-U was a manoeuvrable, fastand easy-to-control machine with
sensitive controls and electron-
ic displays customary to youth,
which enabled the latter to learn
quickly how to fly the advance
helicopter and to get top marks
during their training. We expect
six more new machines of the
type in the Air Force training cen-
tre in November, said Lt.-Col.
Spiridonov. Next year, as many as
57 cadets are to be given Ansat-U
flight training, with about 300 tofollow suit in 2016.
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The Su-35S single-seat supermanoeuvrable
multirole fighter is the summit of the evolution
of the Su-27 fourth-generation aircraft fam-
ily. The Su-35Ss development involved a wide
range of solutions and technologies used under
the PAK FA (T-50) fifth-generation fighter
development programme. Therefore, despite itsoutward similarity to the ubiquitous Su-27 and
Su-30, the Su-35S is rightfully regarded as an
aircraft featuring radically advanced capabilities,
which attributes it to Generation 4++.
The advanced fighters features setting it
apart from the rest of the Su-27 family are
the latest avionics suite that is based on a
digital information management system and
the advanced Tikhomirov-NIIP Irbis elec-
tronically scanned radar. The latter enjoys the
unique aerial target acquisition range and a
beefed-up simultaneous multiple-target track-
ing and engagement capability (tracking 30 andengaging eight aerial targets or tracking four
and engaging two ground targets).
The flight tests have proven the basic char-
acteristics of the latest electronically scanned
radar, with most of the latters operating modes
having been tested. In particular, test sorties
have proven the unique ability of the Irbis to
acquire threats at a range of more than 400 km.
The avionics suite of the Su-35S also incor-porates an advanced IRST from the Precision
Instrument Systems scientific and production
company, up-to-date navigation and commu-
nication systems and a sophisticated defensive
aids suite comprising missile warning and
laser warning gear in addition to the tradi-
tional radar warning receiver and electronic
countermeasures system. The cockpit man-
agement system comprises two 15-inch colour
multifunction liquid-crystal displays and a
large head-up display.
The fighter is powered by a pair of advanced
enhanced-thrust 14,500-hp extended-life 117Sthrust vector control engines developed by
the Lyulka Scientific and Technical Centre
and produced by UMPO JSC. This, cou-
pled with advanced operating algorithms of
the integrated aircraft control system, allows
supermanoeuvrability in dogfight. Compared
to the Su-27, the Su-35S features an increased
internal fuel capacity, the mid-air refueling
system and drop tanks.
The weapons suite is comprised of both the
in-service smart and dumb air-launched weap-
ons and their modernised variants, with drasti-
cally innovative missiles and smart bombs to be
carried further down the line.
The first two Su-35 prototypes (in export
version) started their flight trials in 2008, and
August 2009 saw the Sukhoi company and
Russian Defence Ministry clinch a long-term
deal for a 48-ship Su-35S batch to be deliv-
ered prior to 2015.The first four production-standard Su-35S
fighters were made by Sukhois Komsomolsk-
on-Amur Aircraft Plant (KnAAZ) and deliv-
ered between May 2011 and March 2012. They
have been undergoing the official tests at the
Defence Ministry State Flight Test Centre in
Akhtubinsk since 2011. Then in December
2012, the Defence Ministry took delivery of
six more production standard aircraft designed
for the test programme and, that completed,
for the conversion of the air crews of RusAF
combat units at the training and opeval cen-
tre in Lipetsk. The planes were ferried fromKomsomolsk-on-Amur to Akhtubinsk during
January through February 2013.
On 10 October 2014, the common day of materiel acceptance by the RussianDefence Ministry, the Sukhoi company delivered three more Su-35S superma-noeuvrable multirole fighters to the Russian Air Force at the Komsomolsk-on-AmurAircraft Plant. Thus, as many as 25 out of the 48 aircraft of the type stipulated bythe contract landed in 2009 have been fielded with combat units. An air squadron
of the 23rd Fighter Air Regiment stationed at Dzyomgi AFB in the KhabarovskTerritory converted to the type in February 2014, and four Su-35S fighters wereferried to the Air Force Training and Operational Evaluation Centre in the city ofLipetsk in late May 2014. Here they are used by the centres personnel to test newtactics being developed for the advanced fighter and also will be used for the train-ing of the flying and ground crews of RusAF combat units converting to the type.
Andrey FOMIN
RUSSIAN AIR FORCE FIELDINGRUSSIAN AIR FORCE FIELDING
Y
uriKabernik
SSuu35S-35S
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The Su-35S programme features the pro-
ductionising and official trials of the fighter ran
concurrently for the first time. Certain modifi-
cations to the early production-standard aircraft
based on the results produced by the tests were
the unavoidable consequence of that sort of a
payback for haste. Therefore, before fielding the
aircraft, built in 2012, with the Lipetsk unit, they
had had to be modified by the manufacturer
using the latest documentation, under which
12 Su-35S aircraft, earmarked for delivery to
an Air Force fighter air regiment, were made in
Komsomolsk-on-Amur.
The 12 fighters were handed over to the
Russian Defence Ministry in a ceremony held
at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Plant of
the Sukhoi company on 12 February 2014. The
significance of the event was highlighted by
the participation of Russian Defence Minister
Sergei Shoigu, Deputy Defence Minister Yuri
Borisov, Air Force Commander-in-Chief
Lt.-Gen. Victor Bondarev, Khabarovsk ter-
ritory Governor Vyacheslav Shport, UACPresident Mikhail Pogosyan, Sukhoi Director
General Igor Ozar, KnAAZ Director General
Alexander Pekarsh, etc.
10 aircraft from the batch were fielded with the
1st squadron of the 23rd Fighter Air Regiment
stationed at Dzyomgi AFB in Komsomolsk-on-
Amur, Khabarovsk Territory. The remaining two
had flown to Akhtubinsk, where they are used
in the final phase of the official test programme,
with the phase focused on testing advanced
weapons in the first place. Instead of the two air-
craft, the air regiment at Dzyomgi AFB received
two other Su-35S fighters from the batch deliv-
ered in December 2012 and modified by the
manufacturer since February this year.
The squadron launched regular operation
of its advanced Su-35S fighters on 24 March
2014. Prior to that, its air and ground crews had
undergone a programme of conversion to the
type at a Sukhoi facility, and the regiment had
adapted its material and technical resources for
the operation of the advanced type. According
to the Sukhois Su-35 programme director,
chief designer Igor Dyomin, the preparations
had begun as far back as 18 months before the
delivery of the first fighters to the unit. Special
ground test equipment had been ordered and
tested in Akhtubinsk. Electronic tablets with
the operation support software are ready for the
introduction into aircraft maintenance routine
in combat units. An agreement with RusAF
command on the delivery of the advanced
ground support system has been reached, and
the afore-said systems have been ordered for
several units earmarked for the Su-35S. In addi-
tion, a Su-35S integrated flight simulator has
been developed to be fielded at Dzyomgi AFB
and in Lipetsk in the near future.
As Igor Dyomin rightfully mentioned, how-
ever, it is always not so easy for the troops to
learn the ropes on advanced aircraft both due
to numerous organisational problems and to
the need to ensure the reliability of the mostcomplex avionics, which sophistication makes
the Su-35S unique in the Russian Air Force so
far. To resolve the problems effectively, there
are a warranty repair team of the developer,
maintenance kits and a technical support team
at Dzyomgi AFB. The aircraft have been given
a three-year warranty for the first time in this
country. All of the above, coupled with the
decision to field the air regiment, stationed
close to the manufacturer, with Su-35S fight-
ers, facilitates the efficiency of the combat
units learning the advanced fighter. As soon
as April this year, Dzyomgi pilots flew their
Su-35Ss in a very intensive manner, accord-
ing to Igor Dyomin.
The Su-35S faces a long service, while being
at the very beginning of the same. Today, the
fighters of the type operated by combat units can
fight using their basic weapons suites. However,
in line with the concurrent development and
full-rate production concept, advanced types
of air-launched weapons are being integrated
with the aircraft, which will make, in the future,
the aircraft more effective in battle. According
to Igor Dyomin, several types of modernised
and all-new missiles were integrated with the
Su-35Ss weapons suite during 2013, though not
all of the weapons stipulated by the programme
had been ready for the tests on board the fighter.
Therefore, their tests will continue, with the
near-term plans providing for both testing the
advanced weapons and expanding the opera-
tional envelope of the integrated ones.
YuriKabernik
Su-35S fighters delivered to the first RusAFcombat unit at Dzemgi AFB in February 2014
Su-35S from Dzemgi AFB taking-offfor demo flight, August 2014
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Late last year, when the bugs inevitable in
the official tests were debugged, the customer
released its relevant reports and a decision was
taken to OK the operation of the Su-35S by
the Air Force. Owing to that, the first batch of
aircraft of the type was shipped to the fighter air
regiment at Dzyomgi AFB. At the same time,
the manufacturer, KnAAZ, started modifying
the six aircraft, delivered in late 2012, in accord-
ance with the design of the above-mentioned
Dzyomgi-delivered fighters (so-called Layout
2013). The six warplanes were returned to the
manufacture during January and February 2014,
and their modification had been complete. This
made the May delivery of the four Su-35S fight-
ers to the RusAF centre in Lipetsk feasible. They
arrived here on 28 May 2014.
Lipetsk pilots had an opportunity to get the
first impression of the advanced aircraft in the
course of the long flight across Russia from
Komsomolsk-on-Amur to Lipetsk with stopo-
vers in Irkutsk and Chelyabinsk. The impression
was very positive.
Here is the opinion of two Lipetsk-based
pilots, who learnt to fly the Su-35S among the
first in RusAF and ferried the Centres aircraft
from Komsomolsk-on-Amur to Lipetsk.Military Test Pilot 1st Class Lt.-Col. Alexei
Yamakidi, chief, flight safety division, Lipetsk-
based Air Force Training and Operational
Evaluation Centre: I have flown all versions
of the MiG-23, MiG-29 and Su-27 fighters.
As far as the Su-35S is concerned, I like the
way the flight data are shown on its full-colour
multifunction LCDs: everything is clear and
easy to grasp. The aircraft is easy to control.
Owing to the KSU-35 integrated flight con-
trol system, control is now easier and the
controls are more sensitive. One does not have
to apply more force, say, for achieving highg-load. The Su-35S can be piloted almost
with two fingers.
Military Pilot 1st Class Maj. Alexei Kurakin,
air squadron navigator, Air Force Training and
Operational Evaluation Centre: I like the
plane. It is far better than the Su-27 and Su-30
in terms of thrust-to-weight ratio. It can attain
beyond-stall angles of attack while retaining its
controllability, which enables it to take part in a
dogfight without having to be distracted by the
cockpit controls. I guess the aircraft is facing
bright vistas, given its combat capabilities and
manoeuvrability.
The Su-35S arrival to Lipetsk will enable
the conversion of RusAF combat units to the
type to be intensified, make it more effective
and allow the air crews to learn the fighters
drastically sophisticated capabilities, including
supermanoeuvrable tactics, upgraded and in-
development air-launched weapons and latest
avionics.
At present, KnAAZ is manufacturing
more production-standard Su-35S planes.
According to UAC President Mikhail
Pogosyan, plan for 2014 provides for con-
struction and delivery of 12 fighters of the
type while the plan for 2015 of the final 14
from the 48 ordered. According to the chief
designer Igor Dyomin, a new five-year con-
tract for a similar Su-35S batch is supposed to
be signed by Sukhoi and the Defence Ministry
in the nearest future.
In addition, as is known, a political agree-
ment has been achieved on the feasibility of
Su-35 export to China. As all technical
and organisational matters are tackled, the
contract shall be signed. China is interested
in integrating some of its own avionics and
weapons into the Su-35. According to the
fighters chief designer Igor Dyomin, only
Russian components are used in the pro-
duction of the Su-35S now. However, the
open architecture principle implemented
in its avionics suite allows integration of
YuriKabernik
SergeyChaikovsky
The new batch of Su-35S fighters delivered in October 2014got a new blue-and-gray livery. Demo flight at Sukhois KnAAZjubilee celebration, August 2014
One of the four Su-35S jets delivered to Lipetsk-basedRusAF Training and Operational Evaluation Centre in May 2014
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foreign-made systems and complete adapta-
tion of the aircraft to a particular customers
requirements.
In October this year, Russian Vice-Premier
Dmitry Rogozin, supervisor of Russias military
industry, said the contract for the export of
the Su-35 multirole fighters to China could be
signed before year-end. There will be another
session of the Russian-Chinese military-tech-
nical cooperation committee in November. Ithink the issue will be resolved there. I see no
urgent problems or unsolvable issues there,
Dmitry Rogozin said, adding: Certain price
aspects of the contract are being negotiated
now. According to the Kommersant daily,
China plans to buy a 24-ship batch of Su-35
fighters initially.
The basic flight and operating character-
istics proven in the official trials, ergonomic
cockpit management suite, advanced avionics
suite based on an open-architecture informa-
tion management system, and airframe service
life extended to 6,000 h (30 years of operation)
will enable the Su-35S to remain in service with
the Air Force virtually all the way to the middle
of the century.
Mention should be made that idea of concur-
rent Su-35S development, testing and produc-
tionising, which was implemented in Russia
for the first time, allowed the construction and
testing of more than 10 brand-new aircraft, thus
having slashed the time of the development of
key design features and technologies as well
as the latest design solutions pertinent to the
avionics suite wrapped around an innovative
information management system. In addition,
the approach like this allows the quick use of the
results produced for testing the technologies and
technical solutions embodied in the PAK FA.
This, in turn, ensures a reduction in the time of
the development of the fifth-generation fighter
for the Russian Air Force.
Honoured Military Pilot, Military
Pilot-Sniper, Maj.-Gen. Alexander
Kharchevsky, chief of the Air Force
Training and Operational Evaluation
Centre, was among the first Russian Air
Force pilots, who learnt to fly the Su-35S
supermanoeuvrable multirole fighter.
In the Centre under his command, he
not only supervises the devising of
flight, navigation and tactical manuals
for the RusAF Su-35S pilots, but also
tests them in flight personally. On 12
August 2014 during the air show in
Lipetsk on the occasion of the Russian
Air Force Day and on 18 August 2014 at
the celebration of the 80th anniversary
of the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft
Plant, Alexander Kharchevsky on a
Su-35S led the formation of the Russian
Falcons aerobatic team, flying a six-ship
Su-27 and Su-30 formation, and then he
performed Su-35S solo aerobatics.
The aircraft proved to be splendid. Its airframe
is reinforced, which has extended its service life by
far. The Su-35S is the same as the Su-27 in terms
of aerodynamic configuration, but it is equipped
with an advanced control system that, coupledwith the thrust vector control capability, gives the
plane a considerable shot in the arm in terms of its
flight performance and manoeuvrability.
Another feature setting the Su-35S apart from
its predecessor is its sophisticated enhanced-
thrust engine. In terms of design, it is a AL-31F
derivative using fifth-generation technologies.
The Su-35S also embodies some other
advanced technologies, e.g. a phased-array
radar, an advanced IRST and an expanded
weapons suite.
Today in battle, the pilot has to bear an
increased psycho-physiological load due to a
more complicated logic of using the cockpit
management system. To reduce the workload on
the pilot, the Su-35S is the first Russian aircraft
with the glass cockpit, i.e. a novel arrangement
of the cockpit controls with the use of wide-angle
multifunction colour LCDs.
Our Lipetsk Centre has taken delivery of four
Su-35S aircraft for us to devise methodological
recommendations for piloting techniques,
navigation and tactics. Mention should be
made that in 20132014, combat unit pilots
were given ground school and flight training
under our methodological supervision and with
participation of Chkalov State Flight Test centre
and aircraft industry representatives. The pilots
gave raving reports to the flight performance of
the plane. The Su-35S fighters entry into the Air
Forces inventory and mass operation by combat
units will much facilitate efficient training of
flying and ground crews in handling the Sukhoi
PAK FA fifth-generation aircraft.
Maj.-Gen. ALEXANDER KHARCHEVSKY:The aircraft proved to be splendid
SergeyChaikovsky
YuriKabern
ik
Maj.-Gen. Alexander Kharchevsky displaying Su-35Ssolo aerobatics at the celebration of the KnAAZ80-years jubilee, Komsomolsk-on-Amur, 18 August 2014
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Early in the morning on 8 September
2014, an unusually looking Ilyushin
Il-96-300 long-range airliner, in Aeroflot
livery but with a different air carrier
name and registration number, took off
from Moscows Sheremetyevo airport
and headed for Havana. Now, the air-liner which has swapped Russian reg-
istration number RA-96008 for Cuban
CU-T1717 shall be operated by the
Cubana de Aviacion carrier as the fourth
Il-96 in its aircraft fleet.
The delivery of the first three
Il-96-300s was taken by Cubana
under an export contract with Russian
leasing company Ilyushin Finance Co.
in 20052006.They have a 262-seat
layout (18 seats in business class and
244 in economy class). Except for
the Rossiya special air detachment
performing no commercial flights,Cubana de Aviacion is the only carrier
operating the Il-96-300 on passenger
services now.
As is known, Aeroflot wrapped
up the operation of its Il-96-300s
in spring this year and offered them
for sale. As far as the calendar
service life without life extension is
concerned, the planes can fly until
20162020, and their remaining ser-
vice life ranges from 14% to 35%
10,000 h to 25,000 h depending on
a particular aircraft.
Unfortunately, there was fire onboard RA-96010 during its mainte-
nance on 3 June 2014, and the air-
craft is likely to be written off. Early in
July 2014, Aeroflot Director General
Vitaly Savelyev told the media that
Ilyushin Finance Co. was intent on
buying at least two of the five remain-
ing Il-96-300s. Its long-time Cuban
partners displayed interest in the air-
craft. The first of the five remaining
Il-96-300s, RA-96008 (c/n 01005,
produced in 1993), which had the
lowest flight time among Aeroflots
Il-96-300s (45,000 flight hours), hadbeen groomed by the end of the
summer for the delivery to the new
customer. Its acceptance flight in
Sheremetyevo following almost five
months of sitting on the ground
(it conducted Aeroflots last regular
Il-96-300 flight on 31 March 2014)
took place on 26 August, and the
airliner departed for its new station
two weeks later.
The future of the four remain-
ing Aeroflot-owned Il-96s is unclear
yet. Possibly, RA-96011 will bebought by Ilyushin Finance Co. and
sold to Cuba in RA-96008s foot-
steps. The future of the other three
planes has been pinned on the Red
Wings airline until recently, but the
latter is in favour of doing without
them for now.
The 75-seat An-148-100E
(c/n 41-04, reg. RA-61709) land-
ed in the airport of Irkutsk on
14 October 2014. It became the
fourth of the type in the aircraft fleet
of the local air carrier Angara. Since
April 2014, the aircraft had been at
VASO following decommissioning
by its previous user, Polyot, which
had flown it since August 2011.
Angara awarded a financial leas-
ing contract for its fourth and fifth
An-148s to Sberbank Leasing Nord
on 30 July 2014, essentially havinginaugurated the An-148 secondary
market in Russia.
As is known, Angara took delivery
of its first three An-148-100Es in
late 2012 under a contract with the
Ilyushin Finance Co. leasing compa-
ny. At MAKS 2013 air show, Angara
and IFC signed a letter of intent
on financial leasing of two more
An-148-100Es during 2014. Since
the VASO plant in Voronezh has its
hands full with the orders for the
type from the Defence Ministry andother government operators, how-
ever, a pair of An-148s released by
Polyot came up handy for Angaras
further development.
The fifth aircraft, RA-61710
(c/n 41-06) shall be delivered in
November 2014. It has already been
painted in our colours, and the fac-
tory is completing a package of
improvements, Angara Director
Anatoly Yurtayev told Take-off.
It is worth mentioning that owing
to the arrival of the fourth An-148,
Angaras traffic dynamics exceed-
ed the industrys average during
January through August 2014, total-
ling 191,800 passengers carried a
32.6% increase. Beefing up Angaras
aircraft fleet will enable the company
to fly to more destinations, and the
extra aircraft are being bought for
flight abroad as well. The first interna-
tional service performed by Angaras
An-148s was the one from Irkutsk to
Ulan-Bator on 20 October 2014.
There will be new domestic opera-
tions in the An-148s 20142015
winter schedule from Novosibirsk
to Khanty-Mansiisk, Bratsk and
Khabarovsk, from Bratsk to Yakutsk
and from Ust-Kut to Krasnoyarsk.
Angaras managers stressed: The
An-148s have proven themselves
since their service entry with the
company, having proven their being
the optimal solution for operations
in Siberia and the Russian Far East.
The fourth Il-96 for Cuba
Angara enhances its An-148 fleet
SergeiSergeyev
VoronezhGovernorpressoffice
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18
The three Sukhoi SuperJet 100
regional airliners previously used by
the Moskovia airline, which air opera-
tor certificate was pulled on 29 August
2014, will get a new user soon. News
came in late September that the Red
Wings carrier, which aircraft fleet hasbeen all-Tu-204 until recently, was
intent on leasing them from the Sukhoi
Civil Aircraft Company (SCAC). The
deal was finalised on 4 October 2014,
and the three aircraft (reg. RA-89001,
RA-89002 and RA-89021) are to
launch services under the new flag as
soon as December.
Red Wings will use them in the
current two-class 93-seat layout (eight
business-class seats and 85 seats in
economy class). All of Red Wings
Tu-204-100s and Tu-204-100Bshave a 210-seat single-class layout.
According to the carriers Director
General Yevgeny Klyucharyov, the
Superjets will be an excellent addition
to the Tu-204s in his stable, because
they will allow the airline to explore
new destinations in a more efficient
manner and increase the turnaround
on the current lines. In addition, if need
be, they will be able to stand in for the
larger Tu-204s during seasonal traffic
drops and will facilitate the companysefforts to penetrate the regional carrier
niche that is new to it.
The airline is planning to pay for the
SSJ100 conversion of its crews out
of pocket, using SCACs instructors.
In addition, it is going to hire several
captains who had flown for Moskovia
before its air operator certificate was
suspended. In all, Red Wings will need
three to four air crews for each of the
three aircraft.
The Red Wings-expected aircraft,RA-89001 and RA-89002 (MSN 95008
and 95010) were built in 2011 and had
been operated by Aeroflot before last
year. The first of them had flown a year
for Moskovia (since August 2013), and
the second one less than two months
(since early July 2014). The third
plane (RA-89021, MSN 95021) built
in 2012 was designed for Armavia, but
started commercial operations as late
as August 2013 for Moskovia. It had
flown for about a year.Recent news coming from Red
Wings witness that the airline is going
to get the first two Superjets by the
year end with one more in spring
2015.
In September 2014, the Russian
Emergencies Ministry and United
Aircraft Corporation signed several
agreements and governmental con-
tracts for supply of advanced Russian-
built aircraft. The signature of the
documents took place in the ministrys
headquarters. The documents signed
included governmental contracts,
under which the ministry shall take
delivery of two Sukhoi SuperJet 100s
in special variants in 2015.
The Emergencies Ministrys inten-
tion to acquire SSJ100 (RRJ-95)
planes became known in May 2014,
when the governmental procurementwebsite (zakupki.gov.ru) announced
a tender to that effect. Under the
deal, the special version to be sup-
plied was dubbed Multifunction
Airborne Command Post based on
the RRJ-95LR-100 aircraft. The ver-
sion was offered in the three-cabin
19-seat variant, including the first
cabin with four turning seats and four
turning and tilting ones, a three-seat
sofa and a wardrobe; the second
cabin with a seven seat sofa; and the
principal passengers cabin in the rearof the fuselage with a L-shaped sofa/
bed convertible, a comfortable seat, a
desk, a coffee table and a wardrobe.
Provision was made for transforming
the cabin into an 11-passenger ver-
sion with three medical modules.
Later, in July 2014, acquisition of
two SSJ100-based airborne com-
mand posts was announced, one of
them called Airborne Command Post
Based on the RRJ-95LR-100 aircraft.
Like the aircraft slated for acquisi-
tion under the May 2014 order, the
plane is to have three passenger
cabins with a maximum capacity of
19 seats. However, its first cabin
is to be able to house one or twomedical modules depending on the
layout. This versions cost is esti-
mated at 1.993 billion rubles (about
$53.8 million as of the date of the
contract).
The other Superjet ordered in July
2014 and designated as Airborne
Command Post with Medical
Evacuation Capabilities has differ-
ences that are more substantial.
It lacks the principal passengers
cabin, and the front cabin fitted with
two turning/rolling enhanced-com-fort seats and a sofa can house two
to four passengers, while the second
cabin is fit for six passengers in
enhanced-comfort seats. Depending
on the layout, the third cabin can
be equipped with 48 economy-class
seats or one to four medical modules
(in the latter case, the cabin retains
eight economy-class seats). The ver-
sion is priced at 1.97 billion rubles
(around $53.2 million).
Both tenders resulted on
10 September 2014 in the signa-
ture of governmental contracts with
UAC that as soon as 12 September
announced the acquisition of two
SSJ100-95LR (RRJ-95LR-100)green aircraft (MSN 95061 and
95069), each priced at 1.2 billion
rubles (in the neighbourhood of $32
million) from the SCAC. The aircraft
are to lack the passenger cabin inte-
rior. Both planes ordered shall have
been delivered to the Emergencies
Ministry before year-end 2015.
The first aircraft (MSN 95061,
temporary reg. number 97008) has
been built and flight-tested by the
SCAC affiliate in Komsomolsk-on-
Amur. Its maiden flight took place
on 25 May 2014. As of October this
year, the aircraft was at the affiliates
flight test facility in Komsomolsk-
on-Amur. The other aircraft
(MSN 95069), which has not flown
yet, rolled-out from assembly hall
in September. After the factory test
programme has been completed,both planes are to be customised
in line with the customers require-
ments, including the fitting of their
cabins with special interiors and
onboard systems.
Red Wings to beef up its Tu-204 fleet with Superjets
SSJ100 for Russian Emergencies Ministry
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According to the annual report published
this summer by Rostvertol JSC (a subsidiary
of Russian Helicopters), the company
continues to fulfil the Rosoboronexport-
made contracts for 28 Mi-35M and
15 Mi-28NE attack helicopters.
The first four-ship Mi-35M batch wasshipped to Iraq a year ago, on 8 November
2013. This was reported, inter alia, by Iraqi
Premier Nuri al-Maliki on his Facebook page.
Late last year, the Mi-35Ms started being flown
in Iraq in support of the operations against
armed rebels, which has been covered by the
Iraqi media closely enough. On 27 September
2014, the Iraqi Defence Ministry issued an
official statement about the delivery of the thirdbatch of helicopters from Russia. Probably, it
meant four more Mi-35Ms.
Rostvertol made the first batch of export-
designed Mi-28NE helicopters this summer.
Three of them complete and given thecharacteristic desert camouflage paintjob,
but lacking the insignia and side numbers
could be seen during the celebration of the
manufacturers 75th anniversary on 1 July
2014. One of the aircraft was shown at a static
display dedicated to Rostvertols jubilee,
another could be easily spotted at the airfield
and yet another was in the final assembly hall
among other complete products.
Following the factory flight tests in late
August 2014, the machines were partially
disassembled and brought to Rostov-on-
Dons airport for delivery to the customerby an An-124 Ruslan heavy-lift transport
aircraft. The airlift took place on 28 August,
The export of the Mil Mi-28NE Night Hunter advanced combat helicopter, which
commenced in late summer this year, has been a landmark to the Russian
Helicopters holding company and Rosoboronexport company. According to theIraqi media, the first Mi-28NE batch was brought in country in late August 2014.
The deliveries are under a package of contracts made by Rosoboronexport and
Iraq in 2012. The first batch of Mil Mi-35M attack helicopters under this contracts
was delivered in autumn 2013.
EXPORT KICKING OFF
AndreyFomin
MMii 8NE-28NE Andrey FOMIN
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and a day later, the Iraqi Defence Ministry
issued an official statement about its
acceptance of the first Mi-28NE batch.
The helicopters shall enter service to
contribute to the fight of our armed forces
against the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant
(ISIS), the Iraqi Defence Ministry official
website reports.At the same time, a video clip was
published, showing the work in a hangar
where the three Mi-28NEs were being
re-assembled following their shipping to
Iraq. The video footage was accompanied
by an interview by Iraqi Defence Ministry
spokesman Lt.-Gen. Mohammed al-Askari.
Another video clip was published in
mid-September, showing the first flights
of the Mi-28NE in Iraq and comprising
an interview of another ranking Iraqi
commander.
The manufacturing and assembly ofanother export Mi-28NE batch is under
way at Rostvetrol.
IraqiMinistryofDefence
IraqiMinistryofDefence
IraqiMinistr
yofDefence
One of the first export version Mi-28NE heli-copters at the assembly hall of Rostvertol
plant during the companys 75-years jubileecelebration, Rostov-on-Don, 1 July 2014
Mi-28NE helicopters in a hangar at Iraqi airbasejust after delivery, late August 2014
Mi-28NEs in a first flight in Iraq,September 2014
We have received the first batch of advanced
Mi-28NE armoured combat helicopters. The Iraqi
Armys operations against terrorists have shown
that our armed forces badly need helicopters like
these, featuring high manoeuvrability and firepower,
up-to-date and highly effective. The Mi-28NE is
fitted with a guided missile system, a highly accurate
gun, a sophisticated navigation suite for round-the-
clock operations, close air support, reconnaissance,
attacks on terrorist groups and their installations,
and search-and-rescue operations.
I believe the arrival of these helicopters is
a quantum leap in the development of our
Army Aviation, affording it new capabilities
of fighting the terrorists under adverse
conditions.
The Mi-28NE helicopter is designed for
fighting round the clock. It features cutting-
edge avionics and night-vision devices and
high firepower, which will enable our Mi-28NE
fleet to take out most of the targets they are
to encounter.
Lt.-Gen. MOHAMMED AL-ASKARI:
The Mi-28NE service entry is quantum leap
in the development of Iraqi Army Aviation
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Interjet awarded the contract in January
2011 for 15 units but the number of
planes ordered later increased to 20, with
10 options. The aircrafts supplier is Russo-
Italian joint venture SuperJet International,
which Venice facility is used for installation
of the passenger cabin interior from Italian
design bureau Pininfarina, aircraft painting
as well as flying and ground crew training.
The Mexico-operated Superjets cabinseats 93 passengers in economy class, but
has an unusually long pitch 34 inches
(864 mm) owing to thinner seats and has
an entertainment system.
The first two Superjets (MSN 95023
and 95024) were flown to Mexico insummer 2013 and kicked off commercial
operations on 18 September 2013 following
the relevant commissioning procedures.
Late last year, Interjet received two more
aircraft MSN 95028 and 95036.
Since the very beginning of the Superjet
operation, Interjet has performed very well
owing to the effective after-sales support
system provided by SuperJet International
and to the wealth of Interjets experience
in minimising downtime at airports. Suffice
it to say that during the first four months
of the SSJ100 operations in Mexico, themonthly flight time per aircraft had averaged
210 flight hours (6.9 h a day) and each of the
airliners had flown an average of 194 times
a month (6.4 flights a day), with the average
flight duration standing at about an hour.
Over the 10 months in 2014, Interjet hascommissioned seven Superjets more, with
its SSJ100 fleet numbering 11 units now.
The 10th aircraft (MSN 95048) was handed
over to the customer and headed for Mexico
on 3 October 2014. Three weeks later it was
followed by another airliner (MSN 95046).
Several Superjets more are anticipated
in Mexico before year-end. Two of them
(MSN 95049 and 95052) are on the
premises of SuperJet International and five
more are at the test base of the Sukhoi Civil
Aircraft Company in Zhukovsky, Moscow
Region, where they are being groomed forhandover to Venice. The two final aircraft
are being manufactured in Komsomolsk-
18 September 2014 marked a yearsince Russian regional airliner SukhoiSuperjet 100 started flying servicesfor Mexican airline Interjet. The lat-ter, Mexicos second-largest air carrier,became the launch customer for theSuperjet in the West.
Andrey FOMIN
GabrielMora
A YEAR IN MEXICAN SKIESA YEAR IN MEXICAN SKIESSSJ1SSJ100
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on-Amur under the current contract with
Interjet. The airline counts on having all
of its 20 Superjets as soon as summer 2015.
The yearlong flight operations in
Mexico are a good cause for summing up
the results produced by Russian advanced
airliner SSJ100 in service with Interjet.
The nine planes have logged in excess of11,400 passenger flights equalling a total of
12,000-plus flying hours. The daily flight
time of some of the Superjets exceeded
11 h at times. The lead aircraft (MSN
95023) has logged more than 2,400 flying
hours on 2,300 sorties. As far as uptime is
concerned, the SSJ100 is virtually on a par
with the Airbus A320 medium-haul airliner
long used by Interjet. After a year in service,
the Superjets uptime has 99% at the least.
The route network the SSJ100s operate
on in Mexico comprises 39 lines stemming
mostly from Mexico-City and fromMonterrey, Toluca, Guadalajara and Leon
as well. The Mexican Superjets fly to airports
sitting in mountainous terrain, including
those at over 2,200 m above the sea level.
The longest flight from Mexico-City to
Tijuana takes 3 h 10 min. Interjets SSJ100s
started scheduled Monterrey San Antonio,
Tx., operations on 12 September 2014, with
another US-bound service Monterrey to
Houston was launched on 23 October.
Interjet is the first Western SSJ100
customer to see the contract it had awardedmake it to actual deliveries and commercial
operations. The SSJ100s prospects on
the Western market depend heavily on
the success of the contract and the results
produced by Superjets in Mexico. The results
produced by the Mexican SSJ100s in the
first year of commercial passenger services
have been more than good. Hopefully, the
Mexican experience will both pave the way
to new foreign customers for the SSJ100
and serve a good example to follow by the
airliners Russian users.
AlexanderPopovSSJ100 regional airliners
in Mexico-City airport
SSJ100s for Interjet airline (as of October 2014)
No Reg. number MSN Maiden flight Delivery Commencement
of operation
1 XA-JLG 95023 12 Sep 2012 18 Jun 2013 Sep 2013
2 XA-IJR 95024 16 Dec 2012 02 Aug 2013 Sep 2013
3 XA-JLV 95028 24 Mar 2013 05 Nov 2013 Nov 2013
4 XA-ABM 95036 19 Jun 2013 21 Dec 2013 Jan 20145 XA-NSG 95034 28 Aug 2013 01 Feb 2014 Feb 2014
6 XA-OAA 95038 06 Oct 2013 14 Mar 2014 Mar 2014
7 XA-PBA 95040 02 Nov 2013 25 Apr 2014 May 2014
8 XA-JLP 95042 12 Nov 2013 07 Jun 2014 Jun 2014
9 XA-LME 95045 22 Dec 2013 04 Sep 2014 Sep 2014
10 XA-ALJ 95046 28 Dec 2013 21 Oct 2014 Oct 2014
11 XA-BMO 95048 30 Dec 2013 03 Oct 2014 Oct 2014
12 n/a 95049 19 May 2014being customised in Venice,
delivery slated for before year-end 201413 n/a 95052 19 Mar 2014
14 n/a 95050 06 Feb 2014
15 n/a 95065 09 Jul 2014at SCACs flight test facility in Zhukovsky;being groomed for handover to SuperJet
International for customisation; delivery plannedfor before mid-2015
16 n/a 95066 16 Jul 2014
17 n/a 95054 29 Jul 2014
18 n/a 95071 20 Sep 201419 n/a 95081 being assembled
20 n/a 95085 being manufactured
Onboard serviceat Interjets SSJ100 flight
from Mexico-Cityto Masatlan
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Mr. Rubtsov, probably, Russian businesshas been taking more interest in China due to
the recent developments
Certainly. Given the situation, in which
most of major Russian banks, cut off from
the global market with the US and EU
sanctions, China becomes a key financial
market. Therefore, today most of the Russian
banks and leasing companies are staking on
Southeast Asia, particularly, China. I guess,
the number of meetings between the leaders
of Russian banks and leasing companies and
their Chinese partners will have increased by
several time in the coming several months:the Russians need to find out the feasibility
of getting alternative financing of the aircraft
earmarked for delivery on the Russian market.This applied to all basic airliner types (Boeing,
Airbus, Bombardier and ATR), because
Western exports crediting institutions have
virtually stopped financing aircraft deliveries
to the Russian market. Against the backdrop
like that, to obtain funds from major Chinese
banks is the only alternative.
The current Airshow China is an
important venue for talks on the above
matter, and, there, the Ilyushin Finance
Co. pins its hopes on its participation in
the air show in Zhuhai. This is due, among
other things, to our being a major buyerof the latest Bombardier CSeries aircraft.
We shall meet both our potential Southeast
Asian customers and the financiers dealing
with funding aircraft deliveries. We have a
pretty tight meeting schedule for Zhuhai. I
think, our counterparts have set themselves
a similar task.
Overall, all aircraft market players are
concerned these days. In the first place,
they are air carriers trying to understand
whether they will get new planes or not.
It looks like there should be no problemsfor old, long-approved deals. At the same
time, one can see this is not the fact. The
decisions announced as far back as several
months back are being changed before our
very eyes. One cannot be certain that the EU,
United States and Canada will stick to the
agreements made, because their policies are
evolving continuously alas, to the worse.
The situation is unstable so far. For this
reason, our focus on China will dominate.
You have mentioned finances and borrowed
capital, but are there negotiations underway
on supply of advanced Russian aircraft to
China?
The Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company
(SCAC) is known to be in talks with several
Chinese airlines on delivery of Sukhoi
Superjet 100 airliners. We are ready to
consider the feasibility of our participation in
the funding of possible deals, including doing
so in accordance with our SSJ100 supply
quota under our contracts with SCAC. This
is a reason for IFC to take part in the air
show: to sound the local players interest
in the SSJ100. Therefore, we are following
the SCAC and SuperJet Internationals
marketing policy in this case. If there are
customers for the SSJ100 in China, we
are prepared to arrange the funding of its
deliveries. At the same time, we are also
seeking for customers for the aircraft we
have ordered from SCAC. We have planned
meetings with Southeast Asian customers
coming to Zhuhai. There will be discussion
of the feasibility of leasing the aircraft from
our orderbook the eight SSJ100s we signed
up for this summer.
IFC is a major customer for another cutting-edge Russian airliner, the short/medium-haul
MC-21. Will you offer it here?
Certainly, we are keeping an eye on the
Chinese market as well in the light of MC-21
promotion. However, it is too soon to mention
specific actions, because we will launch
proactive marketing of the MC-21 after it has
taken to the skies. Its actual performance will
be clear then. Even now, however, I consider
the MC-21 to be a good, promising plane,
given the characteristics announced. I do
not doubt its future. Still, to make its future
a reality, a lot has to be done to completethe programme. The MC-21 development
programme is on schedule. Irkut has begun
ALEXANDER RUBTSOV:
IFCs Chinese FocusThe deterioration of the geopolitical situation due to the development in Ukraineas well as the US and EU sanctions slapped on a number of Russian banks makes
Russian businessmen step up cooperation with other major partners, amongwhich companies and financial institutions of the Peoples Republic of China holda strong foothold. While the cooperation between Russias aircraft industry andChina was previously limited mostly to supply of combat aircraft, helicopters andaircraft engines, now commercial aircraft programmes are coming out into theforeground, providing for not only complete product delivery, but also advancedairliner co-development and co-production and large-scale cooperation withChinese banks and leasing companies. In the run-up to Airshow China 2014 inZhuhai, Take-off has turned to Alexander Rubtsov, Director General of the IlyushinFinance Co. (IFC), a major Russian leasing company specialising in supply of up-to-date Russian- and foreign-made aircraft on the domestic and foreign markets, forhis take on the prospect of cooperation with Chinese partners.
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to manufacture the components of the flying
prototypes, metal has been cut and parts are
being made. The MC-21s maiden flight is
slated for late next year.
Has your company pondered the feasibility
of buying Chinese-made planes and then
leasing them to Russian carriers?
There was the time when we considered
Chinese regional turboprop airliner MA60
and a smaller aircraft, one for 1219 seats.We visited Chinese aircraft plants. However,
the delays of the certification of the Chinese
aircraft have put their acquisition on the back
burner for an indefinite time. The Chinese-
built ARJ21 looks good, but it will hardly
interest us much owing to the availability
of the domestic-made SSJ100 of the same
dimensions. In addition, IFCs orderbook
includes the An-148 and An-158. That is
why IFC is not mulling over the ARJ21
at present. As for the future Chinese-built
C919 medium-range airliner, it is a mystery
to us. It is hard to say what kind of aircraft
it will be. Even a hazier future is facing the
big widebody now: what kind of plane will
it be and what configuration will its design
go for? We have a widebody airliner vision
of our own. IFC has conducted a rather
extensive research into the market prospects
of and formalisation of the requirements to
the aircraft. We have something to suggest
to its developer, and we are ready to work
with them on hashing out the design of the
future plane. The designing of the advanced
widebody airliner is to take seven or eight
years, or even longer. Thankfully, Russia and
China have agreed to co-develop such an
aircraft. No doubt, this is a very interesting
programme.
To get a foothold on the market, all of us
need to prove our competence Chinas
COMAC with the use of its ARJ21 and
C919 programmes and us with the MC-21.
However, Russia is in a somewhat better
position, since it has proven with its SSJ100
that it is capable of developing an advanced
passenger airliner and having it certificated
by Europe. Our Chinese partners have yet to
clear this hurdle.
With whom else are you going to negotiate
at Airshow China 2014 in addition to Chinese
bankers and airline managers?
In addition to Chinese representatives, IFC
plans to meet representatives of Malaysia,
Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Singapore and
a number of other neighbouring states.
Overall, the region is evolving dynamically.
Numerous airlines operate there, of which
many have signed up for advanced aircraft
types, including those we have in our
orderbook. We would like to talk to them.
Various banks and leasing companies operate
in the region and could partner with us in
financing the deals being devised by IFC.
We see the need of discussing the feasibility
of joint businesses under the programmes
announced by IFC. The programmes pertain
to both Russian- and foreign-made aircraft.
We anticipate meeting both consumers
and banks financing aviation-related
programmes, and industrialists displaying
their achievements. There is a lot to do
during the air show!
IFC
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The key advanced mid-term air-
liner programme being pursued
by Russias aircraft industry is
the development of the MC-21
new-generation narrow-body
short/medium-range airliner fam-
ily designed to compete the bestWestern airliners in the class,
the Airbus A320neo and Boeing
737MAX. Under the Russian
Presidents directive dated 6 June
2010, Irkut Corp. became the
prime contractor for the develop-
ment and production of the MC-21.
Prototypes and production-stand-
ard aircraft of the MC-21 family
will be built by the Irkutsk Aviation
Plant, a subsidiary of the Irkut
Corp.
The plant has been tasked with
the manufacture of the fuselage
and final assembly of the aircraft.
The fuselage metal panels, tail
section and composite empennage
will be supplied by the Ulyanovsk-
based Aviastar-SP close corpo-
ration, composite fuselage mid-
section panels, spars and integral
wing panels by the AeroComposit-
Ulyanovsk close corporation, com-
posite leading and trailing edges,
wing high-lift devices and eleva-
tors by the KAPO-Composit close
corporation, the latter two com-
panies being the AeroComposit
close corporations Ulyanovsk- and
Kazan-based production facilities
respectively.
In August 2011, Irkut and
Germanys Durr made a contract
for a complete set of the MC-21
aircraft automated assembly line
using up-to-date digital technolo-
gies. The latest equipment and
the Irkutsk Aviation Plants prem-
ises allow the production of up to
70 MC-21s a year further down the
road. The installation of the assem-
bly line is in full swing now.
Last year, Irkut completed the
devising of the MC-21 airframe
design documentation and started
the construction of the first four
aircraft examples three for flight
tests and one for static trials. In
addition, numerous structural ele-
ments (panels, joints, bays, etc.)
were manufactured for static
and endurance tests. The com-
pany assembled an airframe barrel
section prototype and shipped it
to TsAGI for endurance tests in
February.
The airliners baseline model is the
180-seat MC-21-300 that can seat
160 to 212 passengers depending on
a layout of the cabin. Concurrently,
the shorter 130165-seat MC-21-200
version is in development, with the
MC-21-400 stretch being a pos-
sibility.
The maiden flight of the
MC-21-300 prototype is slated for
later 2015, and the completion
of its certification tests and the
beginning of its deliveries for 2017.
The MC-21s firm order book had
included 175 aircraft by early 2014.
50 of them had been ordered by the
Aviacapital-Service leasing com-
pany (a Rostec government-owned
corporation subsidiary) for Aeroflot
and 35, powered by PD-14 engines,
for governmental agencies. 50 air-
craft had been ordered by the
Ilyushin Finance leasing company,
of which at least six can start fly-
ing with Transaero and 10 with
Red Wings under current agree-
ments. 30 airliners more are due
to VEB-Leasing, of which 10 can
go to UTair and six to Transaero.
In addition, Irkut has had a direct
contract with the IrAero airline for
10 aircraft. An agreement with
Sberbank-Leasing for 20 aircraft
can be thrown in for good measure.
During 2013, the MC-21 firm order
book swelled by 62 aircraft.
MC-21: prototypes manufacturing begins
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