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Aviation History
1989
1989 - 2748.PDF
TUSHINO SHOW REVIEW RUSSIAN REVOLUTION Competition replaces conflict The Soviet Union's civil-aircraft industry is approach ing a crucial period of transition as the Government prepares major policy changes for research spending that may significantly affect the civil sector's long-term international competitiveness. Alexander Batkov, head of research at the Soviet Ministry of Aircraft Production, along with other senior aviation officials, fears that impending military spending cuts will slow growth in the overall technology base and make it more difficult to compete in the civil sector when industry is being urged to improve hard- currency export earnings. Industry officials are preparing to face a 14-2 per cent reduction in military spending without any corresponding transfer of funds to the civil sector. "Our understanding is that we should switch from military air craft to peaceful competition of civil aircraft in the world mar ket," says a senior official. "The aim is to replace conflict with competition," Batkov explains. "In the past our task was to keep Soviet military aircraft at the US level of technology. Now we must do the same for civil aircraft." Some 90 per cent of the Soviet aviation workforce, which is up to twice the size of the US aircraft industry, works on military projects, says Batkov. Production of the Mikoyan MiG-29 fighter and other military aircraft is already slowing. Offi cials say that factories are running into problems, however, in attempting to increase civil output. There are "temporary inefficiencies", according to one Soviet official. The Mil design bureau, which has design capacity for only one all-new helicopter at a time and Seemingly dormant for years, Beri 6-5-tonne-thrust Lotarev D-36 turbofi is thus used to switching between military and civil work, currently employs 90 per cent of its staff on civil projects and just 5 per cent on military work. Bureau design chief Marat Tishchenko says that demand for civil helicopters is buoyant and that his design team may be expanded. Declining to quantify the design team's size, Tishchenko says that 5 per cent work on non- aviation projects compared to just 2 per cent before Soviet Pres ident Mikhail Gorbachev insti tuted the policy of using military industries to improve the supply of consumer goods. Officials accept that Soviet industry lags in electronics, making the products "more expensive". They also say that there is "room for improvement" in product quality. The Soviets claim that their engine tech nology "has no counterparts in the world", however, and say that they have a lead in large helicop ters. "There are a lot of problems facing our industry, but we are not lagging," says an official. "There are no great differences in technology. We consider our aircraft competitive." The way the cuts will be imple mented is likely to be decided later this year. Moscow's Central Aerohydrodynamics Institute and other research centres seem certain to come under particular pressure, and have begun to offer their facilities for hire to raise new income. • iev has been -working on the A-40 • ans and the larger six-engined Utka wi Seeking Western links Yakovlev is seeking a Western partner for joint development of a six/eight-seat business jet and small utility aircraft, and amphibian, above, powered by two ng-in-ground-effect aircraft Sukhoi reveals it has been talking to Piper of the USA about work ing together in the civil sector. Yakovlev proposes two ver sions of the business jet: one with a Soviet engine derived from a new turboshaft currently under development; and another fitted with a Western turbofan, for sale Above Tupolev's Tu-204; below The Ilyushin 11-96-300 26 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 9 September 1989
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