Aircraft

HAL to licence build 120 Klimov RD-33 powerplants under major overhaul plan for Indian air force fleet

India was expected to seal deals worth $275 million with Russia last week to acquire and licence produce Klimov RD-33 turbofan engines as part of a refurbishment programme for its air force fleet of MiG-29 fighters.

Under the agreements, which were expected to be finalised during negotiations with Russia's Rosoboronexport sales organisation last week, the Chernyshev Machine-building plant - part of Russia's RSK MiG - will supply 20 RD-33 engines to India from early 2007 under a $25 million deal.

Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) will licence build a further 120 engines at its Koraput site in Orissa state under a follow-on deal worth some $250 million, according to industry sources. The Indian delegation discussing the deal was led by HAL chairman Ashok Baweja.

The RD-33 deals will support part of an upgrade plan for India's MiG-29 fleet, in service since 1986. It is experiencing problems acquiring spare parts for the aircraft from Russian suppliers, impacting the type's operational effectiveness.

Traditionally strong defence ties between India and Russia led to New Delhi ordering 16 MiG-29K naval fighters as part of a 2003 deal to acquire a surplus aircraft carrier from Moscow. HAL could also acquire the technology to manufacture RD-33MK Sea Wasp engines for the MiG-29K as part of the new licence production deal, the sources say.

RSK MiG's latest MiG-29OVT development - now being promoted to export customers as the MiG-35 - is among several designs likely to contest an Indian air force requirement for 126 new fighters. Other candidates are expected to include the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon, Gripen International Gripen and Lockheed Martin F-16.

■ The Indian air force has reported a dramatic 91% reduction in the number of accidents involving its fighter aircraft types in the five-month period from 1 April 2006. Attributing the improvement to the adoption of new safety standards, the service says it only suffered one major accident - to a MiG-29 - during this period.