Russian Aircraft Industry News: MS-21 Liner; Kazan Plant; Kuznetsov Aeroengines
Work geared towards “a breakthrough civil-aviation project” – the development and manufacture of the MS-21 airliner – is under way at the Irkut Corporation, according to a report by the corporate-owned Russian military news agency Interfax-AVN website on 25 October. In particular, modernization programmes aim to ensure that international requirements are met, the corporation told AVN.
Over the past four years, investment has totalled more than 80m dollars, with 60m dollars more to be invested, Irkut said.
Under the aegis of the United Aircraft Corporation, work on the MS-21 programme is under way at Irkut in cooperation with others. The Yakovlev Design Bureau, part of Irkut, is leading its development in cooperation with the Ilyushin and Tupolev firms, the report said.
The plan is to launch its series production at the Irkutsk Aviation Plant, and for the plant to be ready to mount its series production by the beginning of the next decade. Already, the Irkutsk Aviation Plant is among the most advanced in Russia and is the only one there which has been certified in accordance with Airbus standards, AVN was told.
KAPO
KAPO, Kazan Aircraft Production Association, could be floated by the end of this year, whereupon it will form part of the United Aircraft Corporation, a minister in the Republic of Tatarstan government told a news conference on 26 October, as reported by AVN (1445 gmt 26 Oct 07).
KAPO, as Tatarstan’s industry and trade minister, Aleksandr Kogogin said, lived through some hard times when there were no orders, yet it survived; its management has changed and has begun to make a difference. “Major orders” include the Tu-334.
Talks are under way now for Tatarstan to secure a share in the future KAPO, the report said. There has been no decision yet. Earlier, Tatarstan’s PM Rustam Minnikhanov said that it expected a share of 25-30 per cent in the plant.
KAPO builds the Tu-214 medium-haul liner and is gearing up for the manufacture of the short-haul Tu-334, regional Tu-324 and transport Tu-330, the report added.
Kuznetsov
Action is being taken at government level to rescue the Samara- based Kuznetsov scientific-technical complex, classed as strategically important, AVN also reported (1125 gmt 26 Oct 07).
At its meeting on 25 October, the Russian government allocated it R676m. It also instructed other ministries to restructure what the company owes in taxes. Of its debts of more than R1.7bn, it owes more than R770m in taxes, R120m in wages, R54m for gas and R40m for electricity, a source in the defence industry told AVN.
On top of the R676m financial rescue package, the company will also be given a loan of R300m at 1-per-cent interest per annum from the Samara Region administration, AVN was told. The Oboronprom concern is to be appointed its administrator, AVN’s source added.
According to Oboronprom itself, Kuznetsov is “a very problematic asset”, the report said: virtually bankrupt, production is at a standstill, its property seized. “In effect, this is about how to resuscitate it. However, since a political decision has been taken for Oboronprom to restructure the company, this is what [Oboronprom] will tackle. Obviously, it can be done only with support from the federal as well as regional authorities, state companies,” Oboronprom’s representative said.
Kuznetsov, the report added, has been responsible for more than 40 engine types for both civilian – Tu-144, Tu-154, Il-62 and Il-86 – and military aircraft – the Tu-95 and Tu-160 strategic bombers. The NK-93 propfan and NK-89 turbojet, which uses LPG, are among its latest developments, AVN noted.
Originally published by Interfax-AVN military news agency website, Moscow, in Russian 0820 25 Oct 07.
(c) 2007 BBC Monitoring Former Soviet Union. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.