Russian Industry Shows Its Stuff

By Butowski, Piotr

MAKS’2005 was marked by technology innovations and some important international agreements

The thrust-vectoring MiG-29OVT put on a stunning display

The star of the show was the MiG-29OVT (Otklaniaemyi Vektor Tyagi, deflectable thrust vector) experimental fighter with 3D movable engine nozzles. The movable nozzles were installed in 2003 and the first flight with thrust vectoring was made in August 2003. However, the aircraft was not shown in flight during MAKS’2003 because – for safety reasons – the nozzles were moved only at very high altitude. Before the presentation at MAKS-2005, the MiG-29OVT made more than 50 flights with movable thrust vectoring. According to chief designer of advanced MiG-29 versions Nikolai Buntin, the movable nozzle tests are nearing completion and series production may be started soon. For the time being, five nozzles have been made, including two for ground tests, two installed on the MeG- 29OVT and one stored as the reserve.

Another novelty was the lightweight Ansat-2RC armed reconnaissance helicopter (ARH) made by Kazan Helicopters company. The helicopter flew for the first time on 29 July, less than three weeks before the exhibition. The Ansat-2RC demonstrator has been constructed around the engines, transmissions and rotors removed from the first flying Ansat prototype. The helicopter is fitted with the TOES-521 electro optical turret under the front fuselage and short wings on fuselage sides with four pylons for 1300kg of stores and weapons. The Ansat-2R has a maximum take-off weight of 3500kg and is powered by two 710hp Pratt&Whitney Canada PW207K engines. It offers a top speed of 300km/h and 650km range.

Mil design bureau presented a full-scale mockup of the fuselage of the Mi-54 at MAKS-2005 in an apparent attempt to show that it intends to push ahead with the project, which has stalled since it was first unveiled in 1992. The company is looking for customers ready to provide financing. The Mi-54 is a light multipurpose helicopter intended for civilian and military users, carrying 12-13 passengers or 1500-1800kg of cargo.

The two weeks preceding the exhibition brought a spate of news about first flights by new airplanes.

The most important of these events was the maiden flight of the IL-76TD-90VD, which took place on 5 August in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The -90VD is a version of the standard I1-76TD with new PS-90A76 turbofan engines (hence the number 90 in the aircraft’s marking) ordered and financed by Russian airline Volga-Dnepr (hence VD letters).

Another notable event was the maiden flight of the first An-140 commuter airliner produced in Samara, Russia on 2 August. Five other airframes are in Samara in various stages of readiness. The An-140 has been in production since 1999 in Kharkiv, Ukraine, as well as in Isfahan, Iran. Samara had planned starting production of the An-140 considerably earlier (it assembled the first fuselage in 1999), but schedules have slipped due to the constant lack of money. The first Russian An-140 will be handed over to Yakutia airlines after finishing tests.

Other aircraft making their public debuts at Zhukovsky were the Mi-38 medium transport helicopter, and the UkrainianRussian An-148 regional transport. We saw for the first time pre-production examples of the new Yak-130 combat trainer and $Mi-28N combat helicopter. Finally, we saw the Byelorussian modernized MG-29BM fighter.

One notable absentee was the Ukrainian An-70 medium military transport airplane, missing at the show for the first time since its creation. It indicates that Russia is dropping plans to purchase this airplane. An order from China remains the only, slim chance for the An-70.

Indian contract

Among the major contracts and agreements finalized at MAKS’2005, Russian Rosoboronexport arms trade company and India’s HAL signed the agreement on starting in India license production of AL-551 engines for Indian HJT-36 training aircraft. The general agreement and the first part of the contract concerning development of the AL- 55I engine were signed earlier, in June 2005.

King Abdullah II of Jordan purchased two I1-76MF transport aircraft to be delivered in 2007, marking the first sales of this version of the aircraft. The prototype, which has been in testing for 10 years, was present at the show.

Airbus and Irkut signed a preliminary agreement on Russian participation in the A350 and future Airbus programmes. A suggested list of components to be designed and manufactured by Irkut includes engine pylon elements, cabin floors and wings, as well as some elements of the landing gear. The detailed list will be agreed by January 2006.

Russian IFK leasing company and Cuban airlines Cubana signed a letter of intent covering two Il-96-300s and three Tu-204s (two passenger versions and one cargo version). The contract is due to be signed before the end of 2005. Cubana recently purchased two 11-96- 300 wide-body airliners; the first of them was present during MAKS’2005.

Rosoboronexport, Irkut and Yakovlev as the Russian party and Alenia Aeronautica and Aermacchi as the Italian party signed in Zhukovsky a general agreement on cooperation in three domains: civil projects, modification of the Yak-130 and M346 aircraft, and unmanned air vehicles (UAV). A joint venture for the civil programmes will be established in Moscow with 51% Italian and 49% Russian ownership. The parties agreed to prevent competition between the Yak-130 and M346 on third party markets.

EADS signed three protocols with Irkut and RSK MiG. According to the first one, EADS will buy a 10% share of Irkut Corporation before the end of this year. The second provides for establishing a joint venture (70% Irkut, 30% EADS), which will carry out a marketing campaign for the Be-200 amphibian. The third protocol remains secret; it concerns the cooperation of EADS and RSK MiG on unmanned air vehicles.

100-seater showdown

One of the main talking points at MAKS’2005 was the face-off between two 100-seat airliners, the Antonov An148 and Sukhoi RRJ. For An-148, MAKS’2005 marked a public debut. The second prototype came to Zhukovsky with registration UR-NTB and the emblem of launch operator KrasAir painted near the cockpit door. The rate of An-148 testing is unprecedented – it has been a long time since work on any aircraft programme in the CIS has been pursued with such intensity.

The first prototype, which flew for the first time on 17 December 2004, was followed by the second one on 19 April 2005. Antonov intends to obtain certification in the firist quarter of 2006. At this time, 14 aircraft are to be ready for sale. On 28 April 2005, KrasAir (Krasnoyarskiye Avialinii) airlines signed with lessor Ilyushin Finance Company (IFK) the first contract for 10 An-148 aircraft. During MAKS, IFK signed two preliminary agreements for delivery of 38 An-148s (18 for Pulkovo and 20 for Polyot) and a con.tract for one VIP version of An-148 for KrasAir.

Antonov advertised the An-148 with the slogan “don’t put off till tomorrow what you can fly today”. It was a clear allusion to the essential advantage of An-148 over its rival: the An-148 will be available for clients at least two years earlier than the RRJ. The RRJ was present in Zhukovsky only in the form of models and mock- ups of the passenger cabin and of the cockpit. Nonetheless, for various reasons the RRJ emerged from the show the winner. First, the’chief of Russia’s Federal Agency of Industry, Boris AIyoshin, signed the contract with Sukhoi Holding for going ahead with prototypes and testing of the RRJ. Over the period 2005-2009, the state budged will assign 7.9 billion rubles ( 225 million) for this purpose.

At MAKS’2005, the RRJ scored an important victory in the international arena when Alenia Aeronautica of Italy signed preliminary agreement with Sukhoi Holding to purchase at least 25% of Sukhoi Civil Aircraft’s stock. Also during MAKS, Russian leasing company FLK placed an initial order for 10 RRJ aircraft (the former “orders” were only letters of intent).

In the meantime, the An-148 is encountering various problems in Russia, including two heavy blows to Ilyushin Finance Company, which is promoting the aircraft. First, on 26 July 2005, on the demand of the Attorney General, the private shares of IFK (about 60% of the stock)’ were seized by the court due to “infringement of entitlements by the company management”. It is common knowledge that the action of the Attorney General is connected to the conflict between the two Russian leasing companies. In 2005, both companies, IFK (supporting the An-148) and FLK (supporting the RRJ) will receive from the Russian state budget a total amount of 6 billion rubles (about 170 million). Decisions on the distribution of this money between the leasing companies and aircraft types have not been reached yet. Nobody knows what the court’s verdict will be concerning IFK’s future.

Russia’s next-generation fighter will be powered by the 117S version of NPO Saturn’s AL-41F

The next hit came on the day after the MAKS show. On 22 August, the Minister of Industry suspended flights of all 11-96-300 long- distance airliners. Aeroflot, which operates six aircraft (out of the 13 currently operated in Russia) suffered the greatest losses. For lack of quick replacements, Aeroflot had to cancel flights to Hanoi, Peking, Seoul, Toronto and Washington. The direct reason for the \suspension was an incident with the 11-96300PU aircraft of President Vladimir Putin on 2 August. The aircraft could not fly from Finland due to a brake failure, and Putin had to fly back on a stand-by 11-62 aircraft. The 11-96-300 is manufactured by VASO factory in Voronezh, the same that is launching production of the An- 148, and sold by the same leasing company, IFK. It is obvious that after such incidents, IFK’s chances of obtaining government subsidies will be sharply reduced.

Fighter frustrations

On the combat aircraft front, Mikhail Pogosyan, director general of Sukhoi Holding, complained in one of his statements for the press during MAKS’2005 about poor financial support for Russia’s fifth- generation fighter programme. According to Pogosyan, the prototype of the new-generation fighter will be ready in 2008; state acceptance tests will start in 2009, and series production will begin in 2015. Formerly, the maiden flight of the prototype was expected in 2007, with series production scheduled to get under way in 2010-2012.

The programme is codenamed 1-21 (Istrebitel, fighter for 21st century) in Russia. It has also been referred to as PAK FA or Perspektivnyi Aviatsionnyi Kompleks Frontovoi Aviatsii (Future Aviation Complex of Tactical Air Force). In April 2002, Sukhoi’s T- 50 proposal won the tender for 1-21. In December 2004, the pilot project of T-50 fighter was approved by the state committee. According to unofficial information, in 2005 Sukhoi design bureau received less than $10 million for the T-50 project. Within the next, few years, programme financing has to ramp up, particularly after the start of prototype construction, tests and preparation for production.

At the show, information was released on 1-21′s radar: Tikhomirov NIIP institute presented a small Epaulet-A active electronically scanned antenna (AESA) radar. Unlike another AESA radar, Zhuk-A, shown by Phazotron-NIIR company in the neighboring pavilion, the Epaulet-? was not a mock-up, but a fully functioning experimental radar dismounted for the time of exposition from the test stand. According to NIIP representatives, the radar operates within frequency range X (centimeter wavelength). The radiation power in each of the antenna channels “amounts to 8-1OW, which may be compared to 5-8W emitted by foreign radars”; noise factor amounts to 3dB, whereas the efficiency factor is about 30%.

The Epaulet-A radar has been built almost exclusively from Russian components with use of Russian technology, which is one of the basic conditions required by Russian air forces for the equipment to be installed in the fifth-generation fighter. The Epaulet-A is an experimental radar used for developing AESA technology and it is composed of only 68 transmit-receive modules; the next radars may be equipped with aerials of any form and size. The price of a single module “will be reduced to an acceptable level, provided that the same technology is used also for other series radiolocation systems made for military and civil applications” say NIIP officials. Also at MAKS’2005, NPO Saturn presented the turbofan engine izdeliye 117S for the Su-27SM2/Su-35 fighter. The new version is described as a “deeply modernized AL- 31F engine” featuring a new fan with diameter increased from 905mm to 932mm and thrust increased from 12,800kg to 14,500kg. In addition, the assigned service life of the engine is 4,000 hours, compared with 1,500 hours for AL-31F, whereas time between overhauls is 1,000 hours, versus 500 hours.

The 117S engine can apparently also be installed on existing Su- 27/Su-30 aircraft; it requires only reshaping of the engine nacelle and adapting the aircraft’s control system.

In March 2004, the modernized 117S (117A?) engine began flight tests on the experimental Su-27M ’710′ fighter plane. In June 2005, after completion of a series of flights with one exchanged engine, the same aircraft got two modernized engines. Up to now, five modernized engines have been built.

MiG-35 for India

RSK MiG director general Aleksey Fiodorov announced at the show that the fighter formerly known as MG-29M/M2 (izdeliye 9-61/9-67) is now designated MiG-35. It will compete in India’s upcoming contest for 126 Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (M-MRCA). Among the multiple pretenders, the favourites are seen as the Mirage 2000-5 Mk II and Russian MiG-35.

RSK MiG is not talking in detail about its offer for India. However, it is known that the MiG-35′s airframe will be similar to that of shipborne MiG-29K fighter made for India except for smaller, non-folding wings. A new solution offered to India within the MiG- 35 project is the thrustvectoring engine, as shown on the MiG-29OVT experimental fighter during MAKS’2005. Russians are taking advantage of the fact that India is very proud of the super maneuverability of its Su30MKI fighters and they are implementing the same technology on the MiG-35.

The Indian tender will not be decided for 2-3 years, but it is known that India would like to obtain an AESA radar. To meet these expectations, Phazotron-NIIR radar design bureau displayed a model of the Zhuk-A radar intended for the MiG-35. Zhuk-A retains the architecture and basic components of previous radars of this series, Zhuk-M with mechanical scanning and Zhuk-MF with the passive electronic antenna; only the active antenna is new.

UAVs on show

A number of small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were on show at MAKS this year. Design bureau Sokol in Kazan showed a mock-up of the Danem flying vehicle. The name originates from the Dan flying target, manufactured in series since 1993, and one of Sokol’s greatest successes to date; the two last characters of the designation stand for “ecological monitoring” – the main civil purpose of the vehicle. The Danem is still in the early stages of design. Two versions of propulsion are proposed. The Danem with turbofan propulsion will weigh 280kg; its speed will be 650km/h and flight endurance – 1.5 hours. With rotary piston engine, Danem will weigh 180kg and will reach a speed of 450km/h and flight endurance of 3 hours. The civil variant of Danem will be equipped with simple SON-112 electrooptical turret containing TV and thermovision cameras, whereas the military variant will have a GOES-522 gyrostabilised turret with similar equipment.

This year’s MAKS gave us good understanding about Russian UAVs within the weight category up to 300kg. However, there is no answer about the remaining categories, i.e. medium, heavy and particularly combat vehicles. The work on these systems seems to be shrouded in more secrecy than the new-generation fighter. After all, this work is still at a preliminary stage. Russia’s “State Armament Programme 2010″ covers only modernisation of existing UAV systems. The adjustment of this Program for the period 2006 – 2010 will consider new UAVs and only then will any formulation of exact orders and financial plans be possible.

Irkut displayed a range of UAVs for civil applications

The lack of an approved roadmap for development of unmanned air vehicles does not mean that no work is in progress. Design bureaus on their own initiative are preparing projects of the new system, trying to guess the expectations of the military people and, at the same time, trying to mould their opinion. Russians are carefully watching operations of UAVs over Afghanistan and Iraq. Russian fascination with the American Predator is evident from various press statements. It is most probable that a similar vehicle will be the leading Russian programme within this domain.

Information on the work on unmanned combat air vehicles (UCAVs) in Russia is very modest, but it is common knowledge that projects of such vehicles are being prepared by leading design bureaus such as Sukhoi, MiG, Yakovlev and Tupolev. According to well-informed sources, Sukhoi, MiG and Yakovlev are cooperating in designing the UCAV. It is very probable, although not confirmed, that the project is based on the concept of the Yak133BR unmanned strike aircraft, inspired by the Boeing X-45A. The Yak-133BR makes use of propulsion and many other systems of the Yak-130 training-combat aircraft. Commonality of the two designs amounts to about 40%. The choice of the Yak-130 aircraft as the model for a Russian UCAV is justified by similar weight and flying parameters, as well as by the fact that Yak-130 is a modern aircraft manufactured in series for Russian air forces.

Two interesting agreements were signed during MAKS’2005 between Russian and West European companies. Rosoboron-export, Irkut and Yakovlev on the Russian side and Alenia Aeronautica and Aermacchi on the Italian side, agreed to work together on the development of UAV technology using the Yakovlev Yak-130 trainer as a platform. Moreover, the Italians intend to make use of Russian test facilities for their Sky-X UCAV technology demonstrator. At home, they have encountered problems obtaining acceptance from local authorities.

It should be underlined that this agreement on cooperation on UAVs is at very preliminary stage and still needs political acceptance at a much higher level. Ministers of defense of both countries will meet in Moscow in November this year. The other agreement concluded in Zhukovsky is a report on cooperation in the domain of unmanned air vehicles signed by EADS and RSK MiG; unfortunately, the content of this report has not been published.

Irkut’s civil UAVs

Irkut group presented a compact and well thought-out civil UAV concept. Many “civil” UAVs in Russia are actually military vehicles presented as civil ones only for the sake of censorship or they are converted military vehicles with just a slightly different set of mission equipment (such as above-mentioned Danem). Irkut’s system, however, has been designed from the outset for civil applications. According to opinion of Irkut’s representatives, “unmanned systems are ideal solution for Russia with its huge territory, small den\sity of population and lack of lightweight helicopters, which in the world are serious rivals for UAVs in civil applications”.

Irkut UAV chief Alexander Morzhin says that the essential condition to be met for putting UAVs into civil practice is a reduction of their operational costs. The service life of all UAVs offered by Irkut amounts to at least 1,000 hours in comparison with a few dozen hours for the military vehicles. Other conditions taken into account in Irkut’s system are simplicity of handling (thanks to automatic take-off, flight and landing) as well as unification of mission systems, communications and software.

Irkut hopes to launch series production of UAVs in 2006. The company is advancing quickly havin identified an interested customer in the form of Ministry of Emergency Situations.

The Irkut-850, which is defined as “optionally piloted vehicle”, is a conversion of the German Stamme S10VT two-seat motor glider with Rotax 914 engine. Various sets of surveillance equipment may be carried in underwing containers. In the same vein, Irkut signed an agreement with Austria’s Diamond Aircraft to convert a DA42 TwinStar aircraft into an “optionally piloted” UAV. A DA42MPP patrol version was on display at MAKS’2005 equipped with a Russian SON-112 electro- optical turret containing FLIR sensor and two TV-cameras (with wide- and narrow-view angle).

KAZAN’S ANSAT-2RC ARMED RECONNAISSANCE HELICOPTER MADE ITS PUBLIC DEBUT

RUSSIAN REGIONAl JET GATHERING MOMEMTUM

The Russian Regional Jet (RRJ), Sukhoi’s first major civil programme, is scheduled to make its maiden flight in the first quarter of 2007; deliveries are to start at the end of 2008.

The manufacturing of RRJ (including prototypes) will be distributed between two factories of the Sukhoi holding company: KnAAPO in Komsomolsk-on-Amur and NAPO in Novosibirsk, with final assembly performed by KnAAPO. At present, the manufacturing documentation is in the course of handing-over to the production plants. Sukhoi will make six prototypes, including four flying ones and two for ground tests. The first aircraft will be built as the longest and heaviest RRJ 95LR variant, because Sukhoi Civil Aircraft believes that the certification tests should be made for this, the most sophisticated, case.

The RRJ emerged from the show in a strong position

As marketing efforts have intensified, the RRJ family has gradually expanded. Originally, the basic variant was intended for 75 passengers, alongside stretched (95seater) and shortened (60- seater) derivatives. It turns out that the RRJ 95 version (98 passengers in economy class layout, 812mm seat pitch) is attracting most interest, while the interest in the RRJ 60 is low. Accordingly, the RRJ 95 has become the baseline version, with the RRJ 75 in second position. Plans for an extended version with 110-120 seats have not been publicly declared but are certainly being taken into consideration.

According to head of Sukhoi holding Mikhail Pogosyan, the RRJ will be by 20% less expensive than comparable Western aircraft, partly thanks to lower labour costs but also by virtue of what he calls “deep unification” of aircraft belonging to the RRJ family. All these aircraft will be powered by the same engine, with the greater thrust necessary for the heavier versions of aircraft obtained thanks to electronic control. All the aircraft will have the same wing and tail unit – not a simple problem for a family where the biggest aircraft is onequarter heavier than the smallest one. The wing has been designed so that it is only slightly heavier than the wing necessary for the smallest members of the family. It is obvious that aircraft avionics and systems will be also unified.

The RRJ is being developed in wide cooperation with French companies: Snecma Motors together with Russian NPO Saturn are developing the PowerJet SaM 146 engine; the Thales avionics will be based on technology developed for the A380; Messier-Dowty will supply the landing gear; liebherr-Aerospace Toulouse will make the air management system, whereas the fuel system will be made by Intertechnique. Other Western companies involved to RRJ program are liebherrAerospace Lindenberg GmbH (flight control system), Hamilton Sundstrand (electric system), Parker (hydraulic system), Goodrich (brakes) Curtiss Wright (firefighting system), B/E Aerospace (complete cabin interior), and Honeywell (auxiliary power unit). Finally, Boeing Commercial Airplanes is providing consulting aid; they will support the certification, marketing, sale and post delivery service of RRJ aircraft.

ONE OF THE MAIN TALKING POINTS WAS THE FACE-OFF BETWEEN THE RRJ AND THE AN-148

CHINESE INTEREST IN Su-33

Chinese interest in aircraft carriers has entered an active phase, and a Chinese delegation visited MAKS’2005 to carefully study all the necessary technologies. A presentation of the Su-33 and Su- 27KUB (Su-33UB) shipborne fighters was specially arranged for the Chinese party, including a late-evening Su-27KUB demonstration flight during the show. The Su27KUB, which was not included in the official list of aircraft on display, was only present at MAKS for half a day. It was brought from Saki, Ukraine, where it is being tested, specifically for the purpose of being presented to the Chinese delegation.

At the beginning of August, before the MAKS exhibition, a Chinese delegation visited St Petersburg, where it listened to presentations by representatives of the Nevskoye PKB ship design bureau, the designer of Russian aircraft carriers, as well as to other companies cooperating with Nevskoye PKB. The Chinese also examined aircraft carrier equipment, including automatic landing systems and arresting devices. The Chinese probably visited also the Ukrainian shipyard in Mykolayiv, which has built all Soviet aircraft carries, including the Admiral Kuznetsov and Varyag.

The Russians have submitted a three-stage proposal with various dates of delivery for selling Su-33 shipborne fighters:

– present version of Su-33 as used by the Russian Navy, armed only with air-to-air missiles and intended for fleet air defence;

– modernised Su-33M version with avionics and weapons similar to that of Su-30MK2 shore-based fighters operated by the Chinese Navy, including Kh-31A antiship missiles;

– future advanced version of multirole shipborne fighter similar to the shore-based Su-35 fighter presently under development.

For the time being, the two-seat shipborne Su-27KUB is considered by the Chinese as a training aircraft only.

Copyright Aerospace Media Publishing Autumn 2005